Apathy

I haven't paid too much attention to the presidential election of late. I watched a couple of the early debates and basically saw "politics as usual" being played out. The one Democratic candidate I felt most strongly about, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, didn't have a snowball's chance in hell, and he was indeed knocked out early in the primaries. The remainder of the Democratic primary turned into a prolonged slug fest between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The Republican primary was an interesting dance amongst the religious candidates and "war hero" John McCain.

For the remainder of the primaries what little news allowed through my filters was heard while reading, watching, or listening to media regarding news about other issues. The only information of passing interest was that the Democratic party would be making history no matter which front runner won. We would have the nation's first person of color or first woman as the presidential candidate for a major party. Other than that, I did not, and still do not, hold out much hope that things will change very much no matter who occupies the White House for the next four years.

Last night, mostly out of curiosity, I turned on the television to watch Obama's acceptance speech. At first I was surprisingly impressed. Then I realized that his speech was nothing more than a series of sound bytes strung together for maximum effect.

Blah blah blah, we need change. Yada yada yada, we don't need four more years of Bush/McCain. Blah blah blah, the economy is a big issue. Yada yada yada, Roosevelt and Kennedy. Blah blah blah, I have a dream.

I expect we'll hear much the same, cast in Republican terms, from McCain in a few days.

For the first time in my life, I am seriously tempted not to vote for President.

Peace,
Jeffri

Three Boxes

I took the blue box in to the office yesterday and gave it to Ruth-Ann. She was truly surprised and delighted. She didn't realize at first that it had started out as a plain wooden box, and I'd done all the painting and decorating.

Here's the box I did for myself, using the same style box as the one I did for Ruth-Ann. The sides are dark green. The image is of Saints Sergius and Bacchus.


This dark green index card sized box (the same color green I used on the box above) is the one I was having trouble with. For some reason the first coat of varnish slightly smeared the stamped decorations. After living with it for a couple of days, I decided that it has a certain charm as it is and applied the second coat of varnish. The decorative stamp you see here appears on three sides and the top.


Here is the front with the different decorative element. The stamp I used on the other sides did not fit in the available space.


Here you can see the top and front.

Inside are stamped Tarot images. The box was made to hold a couple of tarot decks, or a deck and a spread cloth. Depending on the size of the deck, you might also be able to fit a tea light holder as well.

And the last box I made for another friend. She has a small boutique that she calls InnerFairy. Hence the fairies on the lid.

This picture shows the lid partially open--it slides.

Here you can see the inside of the box. The decorative paper is actually cut from one of the InnerFairy shopping bags.

I've enjoyed making these. There may be more in the future. In fact, I'm pretty sure there will be more.

Peace,
Jeffri

Two Boxes

The first two boxes are done. I wish now that I'd taken pictures of them before I started. The first one is a square box that I painted dark blue. I think the paint color is Night Sky. The picture on the cover is a print of Rublev's Trinity icon. Rachel suggested adding the larger square of paper, and it really highlights the print.



The second box is a gift for Ruth-Ann, so she has a crush-proof box to pack her sacred space items when she facilitates meetings. She has an affinity for Mary, so I went through a lot of images before finally coming back to Our Lady of Guadeloupe. This particular image of Mary is symbolic of the work Ruth-Ann and I have done with Province IX of the Episcopal Church.




I also picked out some new items for her. I bought the hand-woven white cloth at a craft fair a few years ago because I liked it. It sat in a drawer ever since waiting to be used. I thought of it while working on this box and pulled it out to give to Ruth-Ann. The three small cards are different images of Mary, and the tea light holder will hold a votive size candle too. And since we can't always light a real candle in some of our meeting rooms, I also bought a battery powered flickering tea light.

The next two boxes are almost done. I have one last coat of varnish to paint on both of them and hinges to re-attach to one. I should have pictures of them in the next couple of days.

I'm having trouble with the last box. The varnish is smearing the decorative elements, and I have to redo at least two sides.

Sometimes it's just nice to work with your hands.

Peace,
Jeffri

Something To Ponder

I'm still working my way through Sandy Sasso's God's Echo. It's a short book, but lately I've been spending my train rides doing Sudoku puzzles. However, this evening during the commute home I got tired of the numbers and pulled the little book from my briefcase to read. On page 113, Sandy writes

Prayer has its place, but it is not a substitute for courage and responsible action.

In other words, eventually you have to get off your duff and actually do something. God isn't going to do it alone.

I haven't been writing much over the past week. I've been working with my hands to transform some plain wooden boxes. I am taking an idea I had and wrote about, and I am creating it into reality.

Creating it into reality.

Definitely something to ponder as I look at the future.

Peace,
Jeffri

Scripture Is A Living Story

This afternoon when I opened an email from Missy to the NAECED (National Association for Episcopal Christian Education Directors) listserv I noted her email signature:

"A literalist interpretation of Scripture tells us that God is a rock that sent a bird to cause a virgin to give birth to a loaf of bread. And this is supposed to be an improvement on obtaining a chiseled code of conduct from a flaming shrubbery in a cloud. If a literal understanding is all that is required for faith, then I'm a yellow ducky." --Rabbi Ben Silva

I don't know how long she's been using that quote in her sig file, but I think it popped out at me today because my train reading for the past couple of days has been Sandy Eisenberg Sasso's God's Echo: Exploring Scripture with Midrash. Sr. Joan Chittester, a favorite writer of mine, wrote the afterword, but as I'm only halfway through the book, I haven't read it yet.

This is the second book on midrash I've read in the past year, and the first by Jewish author, as well as a rabbi (Sasso is co-rabbi with her husband at Congregation Beth-El Zedeck in Indianapolis, as well as being a noted author). In the section titled "What Makes Us Angry: Eavesdropping on the First Argument," which explores the Cain and Abel story, this paragraph struck me:

These midrashim do more than illustrate the textual playfulness and imaginative creativity of the rabbis. They offer us insight into the world in which the rabbis lived and allow us a glimpse into the economic, religious, and sexual quarrels that plagued their times. In expanding the story of Cain and Abel, the rabbis not only fill in what is missing in the biblical text, they give the narrative new life and make it meaningful for another generation. They also invite us to read our own story into the ancient text. (pp. 69-70)

In other words, Scripture is a living document which gets reinterpreted in, by, and for every generation. Midrash is one way in which our stories become part of The Story (for more on this theme, see my Education for Ministry Sunday sermon) and vice versa. If Scripture is nothing more than a printed set of unchangeable rules, regulations, and behavioral codes, then it should have stopped at the Ten Commandments. Or been only the Ten Commandments. Jesus himself knew better.

As I read and listen to many conservatives who insist that the Bible is to be taken literally and as God's final word, I almost feel sorry for them. They are living the dead faith of a dead story.

Years ago during the pilot for the aborted diocesan "sexuality dialogue" I raised the question, "If our Scripture is a living document, why did it stop being written nearly 2,000 years ago?" Which, of course, brought cries of "heretic" from the representatives of the conservative parishes present. Now I know the answer to my own question. Scripture is still being written, and has been written down through the generations. It is our living story, and each of us who takes the time to wrestle with it contributes to it.

Peace,
Jeffri

The Scenario

At the March retreat of the new Evangelism and Congregational Life Center staff we did a series of scenario planning exercises. Contrary to the experience I had when I worked at Pitney Bowes, I felt it was a very positive experience. Four small groups came up with scenarios of what a thriving Episcopal Church would look like in 2018.

In April Suzanne asked each of us on the Evangelism and Congregational Life staff to write individual scenarios about how we were part of that thriving Episcopal Church in 2018. I've put mine below. I actually had fun doing it, and I folder full of pages of brainstorming exercises, which I will probably need to go back and look at as I further consider the Storefront Ministries.

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April 18, 2018

Harre Appointed To Oversee New Center

The Presiding Bishop’s office today announced the appointment of the Rev. Jeffri Harre as Lead Missioner for the newly formed Learning Ministries Center. Harre, who currently serves as the Program Officer for Congregational Life based in the Omaha, NE office of the Episcopal Church Center, will begin his new position on May 1. He is also Assistant Pastor of the Chicago Storefront Ministries Project.

Initially, the Learning Ministries Center will consist of two “offices,” Biblical Studies and Episcopal/Anglican Studies, and share the oversight of and work with two other offices. The Liturgy & Worship Studies and Resources office will be a cooperative effort with the Outreach Ministries Center and the Spirituality Ministries Center, and the Congregational Studies and Resources office with the Development Ministries Center.

During his tenure in the Congregational Life Office, Harre led the team that developed the successful Local Congregations Conferences series in response to declining interest and participation in national and regional conferences. The purpose of the conference series is to provide all the resources of a large conference without the investment of time and money that few church employees and volunteers can afford. By pooling resources with other denominations, teleconferencing nationally known speakers, and calling on and developing local experts for workshops, participants rarely have to drive more than two hours to participate. It also allows worship leaders to be in their own congregations for Sunday worship.

Harre also worked with the National Organization of Episcopal Resource Center (NOERC) to create the Episcopal Resource Network to facilitate development and distribution of resources for local congregations. Recognizing that even in this day of advanced technology, not all congregations have computer access, “distribution centers” have been set up in each Resource Center and in many Diocesan offices. Anyone may come to one of these centers to download and print out resources they need. For those who are not within a convenient distance, a growing “delivery network” gets the requested resources into their hands within three days. The Resource Network also assists congregations developing their own resources and serves as a way communicate with offices of the Episcopal Church Center regarding resource needs. In addition, the Network provides referrals to local experts who can consult with a congregations in a cost effective way.

Harre plans to take a leave of absence from the Chicago Storefront Ministries during the transition to his new position at the Episcopal Church Center.

More Thoughts

I was completely prepared to dislike--if not hate-- The Present Future simply because Suzanne gave it to me. Instead I am reading a lot of helpful things. Part of the book has helped me better understand Suzanne and where she is coming from. I still don't think she really gets it all, but at least I believe I'm getting clearer picture of how she's thinking. It is also the first place I've found that explained to me what post-modernism is and how it is affecting the institutional church--which also means the beginning of understanding about post-denominational. And finally, McNeal presents a lot of the same thinking and vision that Lois has been preaching and teaching at Grace Church.

Once again, I have been reminded that you can learn something even from those with whom you disagree about things. It's a lesson that needs to be repeated again and again. It's one the bishops of the Anglican Communion need a refresher on.

I still have about a quarter of the book to finish, but it already prompted some thoughts, questions, ideas, and prayer about the Storefront Ministries I wrote about briefly in the scenario I wrote for Suzanne a couple of months ago. As soon as I find it, I will post it here so that those of you who haven't seen it before can read it.

Peace,
Jeffri