Making All Things New (Rev 21.5): an Homily for the Sunday Before the Arrival of our New Priest, the Reverend Oz Lorentzen

The Fifth Sunday after Easter, Year C—with reference to Acts 11:1–18; Rev 21:1–6 and Jn 13:31–35

Jesus first. As usual. And thoroughly glorified, as we just heard in John 13. “You will look for me,” he said (John 13.33). And we do when we remember. But but we don’t always see him even when we’re looking. If we do see him we don’t always recognize him. Mary Magdalene didn’t at first when the risen Jesus showed up in the garden of the empty tomb—neither did Cleopas and the other disciple on the road to Emmaus. Yet even though not always seen or recognized, Jesus is present. He promised to be. With us always and to the end of the age he said in Matthew 28 (Mt 28.20). Jesus is Lord of all time and ages including ours. We need to know that in this time of transition.

Let’s pray a prayer from the Church of England’s Easter Prayer During the Day acknowledging that:

Christ yesterday and today,
the beginning and the end,
Alpha and Omega,
all time belongs to you,
and all ages;
to you be glory and power
through every age and for ever.
Amen. (from Prayer During the Day: Easter Season)

This risen and glorified Jesus is not only present, but as we heard in Revelation, he is making all things new (Rev 21.5)—all the time. Jesus was making things new here at St Barnabas all the way back in 1884 when the Reverend Hugh A Tudor came to found this parish. He was still making them new when Ivor and Hilary arrived in 1977, when Jude and I arrived in 1999, when Dustin and Jolene arrived last year and he will continue making all things new when Oz arrives next Sunday.

Change can be difficult. But if it’s true that Jesus is making all things new, that means there will be lots of change. We’ll be changed from glory to glory (2 Cor 3.18) as we’re renewed. So will St Barnabas.

I was a different priest from Ivor. Dustin was different from me. Oz will be different again. He’s supposed to be because Jesus is making things new around here. I was supposed to be different, so was Dustin and so is Oz because the newness Jesus brings means we all need to develop new spiritual muscles. You all got to develop a new set of muscles when Ivor was here, once they were fit and working well, Jesus made things new by bringing me here so we could all develop another new set of muscles. He did the same with Dustin and will do it again with Oz. Things will be made new.

Using muscles we’ve never used, or haven’t used for a while, can hurt. I’m tearing out the old tile and drywall from our ensuite shower so I can put in a new one. I haven’t used my tile and dry wall tearing out muscles for a while. I’m a bit stiff and sore this morning, but if we want a new shower it has to be done.

Some of the new things Jesus will bring with Oz might cause me and you to use some spiritual muscles we’ve never used, or haven’t used for a while. Some of the new things Jesus brings may be just as disturbing as the “four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air” (Ac 11:6) the Lord showed Peter on that large sheet in Acts 11. And, like Peter, we might think them gross or inedible and will be tempted to resist. Some of you might even be tempted to say, “That’s not the way Dustin did it,” or “You’re just not Gene!” But, you see, that’s exactly the point. Oz isn’t supposed to do things the way Dustin did them, or to be me, because Jesus will be making things new in ways that Oz is particularly tuned and gifted. Oz is coming here because there are certain things for which Oz, in particular, is needed at St Barnabas at this time. It was the same for Dustin and me and Ivor and John Way and John Carter and Hugh Tudor and on back through the ages. After all, as all things are being made new, all the time, for ever and ever, amen—as we prayed earlier, all time and all ages belong to Jesus!

In the meantime, Jesus has told us the best way to get through all new things and the changes they bring in a new commandment. “Love one another”, he said. How? “Just as I have loved you,” he said. How does Jesus love us? 1 Corinthians 13 has a good list. Jesus loves us patiently, kindly, bearing all things, believing in us, hoping for the best for us, enduring all things for us (1 Cor 13.4-7). He also loves us fiercely, self-emptyingly, to death and for always (1 Cor 13.8).

And he shows us his love by including us and our parish in all the things he’s making new. So, following his example and just as Jesus commanded, let’s continue to love one another so Jesus will continue to be glorified and so that Oz and his family will feel warmly welcomed and will know we are, indeed, his disciples (John 13.35) who are being made newer and newer by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus.

Gene+

More Parting Thoughts for StB: in the May 2014 edition of The Encourager

It’s Eastertide! Fresh new Resurrection streams are flowing to irrigate the seed-beds of our souls. The somber night-time of Lent is finished and so is the journey we enjoyed together as priest and parish. Now we await new season’s growth and the fruit it will bring.

I have a prayer for Night Prayer from Sri Lanka stuck in my Book of Alternative Services which, with some small modifications, could be helpful for people like us at a time like this. 

Lord, it is night. 
The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God. 

While I don’t believe we’re all about to go into some sort of night-time in our transition to new pastoral leadership, many of us are grieving and are nervous about the changes we face. It feels a little dark and scary some days. Rather than getting all frantic and rushing about, let’s do our best to be still, know that God is God, and that He is present with us in Jesus. 

It is night after a long day.  What has been done has been done; what has not been done has not been done; let it be. 

This change has come after a lovely, long, stable time. We’ve enjoyed fifteen years together in which there have been joys and sorrows, satisfaction and disappointment. What has been done has been done; what has not been done has not been done; let it be. 

The night is dark.Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives rest in you.
The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
all dear to us,
and all who have no peace. 

Change and uncertainly can look dark from this end. Let’s allow our fears to rest in the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ. If things seem quiet for a season, let’s enjoy it as we let the summertime peace of God enfold us. 

The night heralds the dawn. Let us look expectantly to a new day, new joys, new possibilities.

What a great time we’ve had together! The good times are not over, they’re just changing. There’s a new day coming!

Jesus, Uselessness, Fascination, Strange Reasons and More Jesus—My Last Homily as the Parish Priest at St Barnabas, Medicine Hat: with Reference to John 20.19-31

Jesus still comes and stands among us when we, his disciples and believers and doubters and backsliders, meet. He did it “on that day, the first day of the week,” when “the doors of the house where the disciples had met” then “were locked for fear of the Jews.” (John 20.19). He does it now. Without fail. He still says, “Peace be with you,” (John 19.19, 21 & 26) as he shows himself to us in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. He breathes on us still saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 19.22). Jesus still comes and stands here among us and reveals himself and breathes on us even when we feel like Thomas, so whenever we come to worship there are always others who can still say to us who doubt and struggle, “We have seen the LORD.” (John 19.24) And as we worship the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and listen to his word and eat the bread and drink the wine—with Thomas, we’re saying over and over again, “My LORD and my God! My LORD and my God! My LORD and my God!” (John 19.28) And through our believing we have life in his name (John 19.31). All that was happening then, when John was writing, it is happening now and it will continue to happen every Sunday when you gather to pray Morning Prayer together and when priests come from all over the diocese to celebrate the Holy Eucharist with you. Jesus will come and stand among you and breathe on you with the sweet breath of his presence and the Holy Spirit.

I believe Jesus was standing there sixteen years ago today when Archbishop Curtis asked me consider letting my name stand for StB. I wrote this in my journal the next day: Yesterday (27th) the Bishop asked me, in confidence, if I would let my name stand for St Barnabas, Medicine Hat. He said it needs good strong leadership, is the handsomest church in the diocese and should be one of the largest parishes. Is that you, Lord?

I believe it was the LORD. And here we are. We’re still the handsomest Church in the diocese and you’re the best looking congregation. I'd hoped we'd be larger yet—more people following and enjoying Jesus with us—but no matter, Jude and I consider ourselves mightily blessed to have served you these fifteen years and we’re proud to be numbered among you.

GK Chesterton once wrote: “a clergyman may be apparently as useless as a cat, but he is also as fascinating, for there must be some strange reason for his existence.” (See more at: http://kiwirev.blogspot.ca/#sthash.pdvqD7z3.dpuf). In the old canons of this diocese there was a whole canon, number seventeen, dealing with, “Intrusions and Inhibition of Strange Clergymen.” Chesterton must have known something of that. I don't know how fascinating you'll find it, but this morning I want to take a few minutes to reflect on some of the strange reasons and ways of my existence here as your priest. I hope it will also explain any apparent uselessness away.

First. Jesus. I think you know how vitally important Jesus is in my life and all that I do. I may well be useless as a cat in many areas (ask Jude), but Jesus never is. I find Jesus endlessly fascinating and the reason for his existence is mysterious and wonderful, but not strange. I’ve not experienced much in the way of spectacular revelations of Jesus in my life, but somehow He has captured my imagination and my heart and I cannot but do all in my limited and flawed power to draw attention to him, to point him out, to extol his virtues and to try and help you and others to notice him and meet him and to taste and see how very, very good he is.

Second, not long after I started out as a priest I realized that this job is like being a mother. It’s never done. Whenever I go home, there’s always something more that needs doing, something to be folded and put away, to be tidied up—always someone who could do with a call or a visit, always, always. And then The LORD drew my attention to Psalm 127.

Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
the guard keeps watch in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives sleep to his beloved.

If St Francis, then, and St Barnabas, now, is to be built and guarded well, it’s The LORD who must do it. So, I resolved to observe my Sabbath faithfully and do my best to avoid workaholism—for The LORD’s sake and for Jude’s sake and for my sake and for yours—I remember reading about a pastor from South America who built a church with a large number of people only to have The LORD tell him that he hadn’t grown it, he’d only made it fat. I thought it important to model a balanced life with Jesus at the centre, depending on Jesus, loving my wife, working hard and honestly, while resting well and thoroughly.

Third, I’m a guy. I tend to be ambitious, to want to be “successful.” To build a big (fat?) church. Not too long ago The LORD lit this verse up for me:

Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." (1Co3.7)

The strange reason for my existence as your priest is really not so strange after all. I water and I plant. If there is to be growth God gives it. Amen.

Fourth. All the above happens in relationship building. In one sense, relationships can’t be built on a timetable. You can’t decide you’re going to be in love with somebody by Tuesday. Neither can we discover how fascinating we all are on a timetable. It just takes time. In another way we do have to build our relationships on a timetable—Sunday morning by Sunday morning, picnic in the park by picnic in the park, dinner invitation by dinner invitation. And the time it takes, most of the time, feels strangely unproductive. Useless. It’s all about relationships—allowing them to grow with Jesus, with one another. Slowly. Sometimes painfully. Just spending the time so The LORD can build the house and give the growth.

Do I have regrets? A few. There are things I wish I could have done better. Connections I wish I’d made. Disappointments? A few of those, too. I am sad that we lost some folk over the years, but I know that life happens. If I have sinned against any of you, or been careless, please forgive me. But more than any of my oh so few regrets is my joy and pride in you all. You’ve warmed the cockles of this old pastor’s heart and I am honoured to have been your priest.

Finally, please do what Jesus commanded—love one another. Pray for each other and for our new Incumbent. Be kind and generous. Bear with one another. Please, please, don't give up on this. We all need a worshipping community saying to one another and “We have seen the LORD.”

And, above all, remember you serve a Risen and Glorified Saviour who loves you. His Name is Jesus and His Name is the last word I want you to hear from me as your priest from this pulpit.

Believe in Jesus. Worship Jesus. Enjoy Jesus. Serve Jesus.

On Retirement, Change and St Barnabas: my piece for the latest (Epiphany) issue of The Encourager

The only constant in life is change (Heraclitus). From conception to death, we never stop. Some changes are incremental, barely perceptible; others are obvious and dramatic; some we welcome, others we resist; some for the better, some for the worst. Change challenges us.

That is especially true for you and me right now. We’ve got a big change coming on May 1st, 2014. From that day I will no longer be your priest and you will no longer be my “flock.” It’s a time that had to come sooner or later. As that time approaches it is important for us to reflect on how we can make the best use of the time (Ephesians 5.16) as we prepare ourselves for what The LORD has in store.

James Ryle, author and speaker, describes how healthy change works; change challenges us, challenge forces us to trust God, trust leads to obedience, obedience makes us healthy, healthy things grow, growing things change.

According to Ryle, change that challenges is not necessarily a bad thing because challenge forces us to trust God, which is exactly what you and I need to do right now. We need to trust that St Barnabas is God’s church, that we are God’s people whom He loves, and that Jesus, who stays the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb 3.18), and who never changes, is God With Us (Matthew 1.23, Joshua 1.9, Matthew 28.20, Hebrews 13.5, Romans 8.38-39). One of the ways we can trust in God is by praying for our time of change always and not losing heart (Luke 18.1).

Trust then leads to obedience. What should we obey? What Jesus taught. The Great Commandment is a good start: love God and our neighbour (Mark 12.29-31). Trusting God will also enable you to obey if He is calling you to be involved in the change process.

Obedience makes us healthy. Healthy people in healthy communities bring glory to Jesus. They are open to change, manage it well, make good choices and work their changes for the better.

Finally, healthy things grow. Where Jesus is worshipped, served and obeyed in community there is good health. When that happens the whole cycle starts over again because growing things change.

Towards a New Awakening: Our Prayer at StB Last Evening

We had a good time of prayer. Here's what the LORD seems to have impressed on us:

1. We need to pray bigger—not to be afraid to ask the LORD for big things
2. In a discussion about fruitfulness and about how the seed that fell on good ground in the Parable of the Sower bore fruit at least thirty-fold one of our number suggested and prayed that the Fruits of the Spirit (Gal 6:22-23) would grow thirty-fold! That would bring times of refreshing (Acts 3:19)!
3. We heard that the LORD may well be speaking to us as He did to the Church in Ephesus in Rev 2:4-5

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.

 As our Collect of the Day yesterday said,

Father of mercy, alone we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves. 

No kidding.

God Blessed Us, Every One: John D Huston's Performance of "A Christmas Carol"

John D Huston was at StB last night to deliver his A Christmas Carol one man show; a delightfully rich and detailed performance by a first class actor—a man well steeped in his trade. A member of the Meti nation of Saskatchewan, John has had a lively career “culturally misappropriating the works and identities of dead white guys” in Canada and the UK. He has played Tommy Douglas in Saskatchewan, Shakespeare in the UK and Dickens across Canada. He has performed A Christmas Carol since 1992. Last night's performance was his 444th. 

John continues a tradition begun by Dickens himself who began public performances of his classic tale in 1853 as charitable fundraisers, but they soon became a lucrative second career. Of the twenty works he prepared for performance, A Christmas Carol was his most popular: he performed it throughout the year in a series of tours lasting until his death in 1870. The text was cut drastically over time from a three hour marathon to a sixty minute one-act designed to fill half of a double bill. Last night’s performance is a transition between these two versions. Dickens’ address to the audiences at his first readings says it best: “I would ask that you imagine you are with a small group of friends assembled to hear a tale told.” And we heard it very well told, indeed. 

We were also blessed by a roast beef dinner and choral music by Ralph Browne's Selah Singers. A wonderful evening. God, indeed, blessed us, every one. 

Christmas Eve Images

Merry Christmas, one and all!

Visitor behind our house:

Silent Night Around the Gospel by Candlelight: Mariah

This and the one below taken with her Christmas present camera by Sharon Hogg, Mariah's grandmother.

Hezekiah, the Righteous Rodent and His Christmas Cheese:

O Christmas Cheese, O Christmas Cheese!!

A 125th, a Title and a Return

It's been a while. Lots happening, a trip to Vegas, for example. More on that later.

In the meantime:

This last weekend, Thanksgiving, we had our StB 125th Anniversary banquet and worship celebration. It was good. The organizing committee did a great job, the hall and the church looked wonderful. Sherry Nott's 125th Anniversary choir was wonderful.

An Honour and a Title Bestowed

To top all that off, in recognition of my service to the diocese, the Bishop surprised me by calling me up at the end of the service and conferring on me the title of Canon, so I am now "The Reverend Canon." It feels strange. Good, but strange. I really thought my rather out-spoken conservatism had put me beyond the pale for such things.

Blessed be the Name of the LORD.

The Wanderers Return

Son (now "of a Gun," the wags say) Anth, daughter-in-law, Kristy, and grandson, Levi, all returned from a month in New Zealand on Saturday evening. We headed off to celebrate Thanksgiving with them in Okotoks. It was grand to hear their impressions of the motherland and our families.

Land of the Long White Cloud: the Kaikura coast

125 Years, Hans Küng, New Horizons and Striking Camp

From Roman Catholic priest and theologian, Hans Küng, The Church, via Readings for Reflection in A Guide to Prayer:

If the Church really sees itself as the people of God, it is obvious that it can never be a static and supra-historical phenomenon, which exists undisturbed by earthly space and historical time. The Church is always and everywhere a living people, gathered together from the peoples of this world and journeying through the midst of time. The Church is essentially en route, on a journey, a pilgrimage. A Church which pitches its tents without looking out constantly for new horizons, which does not continually strike camp, is being untrue to its calling.

A challenge for any parish but especially one like ours celebrating its 125th anniversary in a lovely old (by western Canadian standards) building. Our anniversary slogan is, "Founded on Faith, Focussed on the Future."

Looking Out for New Horizons

This is the window over our altar.

Below is my view of it in the chalice as I preside at the Eucharist Sunday by Sunday. I am blessed to do so in such beautiful surroundings and among such a sweet spirited parish family.

Our stained glass portrays the faith upon which we are founded in beautiful, living colour. The danger, I fear, is that if we're not careful, they, and beautiful things things like them, will block our view of any new horizons to which the Lord is calling us and we will be unable to focus on the future.

Striking Camp

St Barnabas, Medicine Hat: the camp site.

The LORD graces us with his presence here. It is a very comfortable camp site. The food, the water and the company are good. It is a camp which many people do not want to strike. And who can blame them?

Getting From SUB to E or RE-emergent Church

I am the lead worshipper in this beautiful old church building. Most people say, "What a beautiful building!" when they come in. We also have terrific stained-glass windows.

We have a beautiful, historical building built according to a way of thinking which parallels that of The Church of England which bases a significant part of its identity on its physical presence in every community, and on a ‘come to us’ strategy. But as community becomes more complex, mere geographical presence is no longer a guarantee that we can connect. The reality is that mainstream culture no longer brings people to the church door. We can no longer assume that we can automatically reproduce ourselves, because the pool of people who regard church as relevant or important is decreasing with every generation. (Mission-shaped Church: 2004, Church House Publishing, p11)

Not only that, Mission-Shaped Church also points out that

Weekends, especially Sundays, are now seen as family time. This is a big tension for Christian partners of non-Christians. p2

Add to that the fact that increased divorce and single parent families,

very many families will be involved in visiting absent parents, usually fathers, often at the weekend. This will inevitably make Sunday church attendance problematic. p3

And

When they do have time, those who live away from their relatives, or who have children who live with ex-spouses, will visit them. People no longer view Sunday as special, or as ‘church time’. Children are much more likely to be playing sport than being in Sunday school or church. p4

Venues and meeting days are getting more diverse. This is a response to the sense that Sunday is no longer a ‘church’ day for our society, but rather a family day, or DIY day, or sports club day or whatever people choose to do. Some people may be keen to meet with other Christians regularly, but it is no longer feasible for them to do that regularly on a Sunday. p12

Since the seventeenth century more and more people have discovered,originally to their surprise, they could ignore God and the Church and yet be none the worse for it. (David Bosch, Believing in the Future, Continuum International Publishing Group/Trinity Press, 1995, p. 15.)

Magnets are useless at attracting non-ferrous objects, and many churches are not attractive to post-Christian people. p23

That people are not "wired" for church the way they used to be is no surprise. The percentage of children at Sunday School in England went from 55% to 4% in the 20th century. I don't think Canadian numbers would be very different.

So here we are in our beautiful, historic building built for the way worship was done a century ago. We look closed even when we're open. Our bell-tower is built like the keep of a castle designed to keep people out!

I think we need to re-invent ourselves in order to E- or RE-emerge from the structures of our past. But, I hasten to add, I don't think that necessarily means the historic building has to go. It is expensive to run, but there is a new post-modern interest in "vintage" worship and we have the perfect venue for that. We also have a terrific group of people. We need to get serious about praying for divine insight and more good ideas which will get what we have out into the community.