A Balanced Life

Is your life in balance?

I shared in a recent church newsletter article that a team from this church went to a workshop called “Mastering the Middle.” The presenter, Rev. Doug Anderson, is a United Methodist pastor, district superintendent, and church development consultant. One of the many ideas he stressed in this workshop was that churches need to be encouraging “Balanced Discipleship.”

Rev. Anderson uses the membership vows of the United Methodist Church as a basis for determining what balanced discipleship is, and he suggests that if folks are attentive to all the areas identified in the vows, they are practicing balanced discipleship.

In the United Methodist vows for joining a local church, prospective members pledge to support the church with their prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Yet what tends to happen is that members place unequal emphasis on these areas of support. Doing so leaves us un-balanced as disciples. Rev. Anderson further indicates that one of the primary culprits for this is the church itself, because of the way it functions.

One of the examples he used to illustrate this point involved church groups that met on a weekly basis. He indicated what tended to happen with folks involved in these types of groups, was that they found they were so busy with their weekly meeting they didn’t have time for anything else church related. His suggestion was, that if group members found this to be the case, they should consider meeting on a twice a month basis, which would free up the other weeks to focus in other areas. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was part of the reason it is so difficult to get volunteers for church teams?

As I continued to reflect on what “Balanced Discipleship” might look like, it also occurred to me that the balance needs to extend beyond support of the church. We should be seeking balance in our work, family, and personal life as well. While I believe it is very important to be involved in activities that support the church’s ministry, I also know that even pastors are encouraged to attend to their family and self-care needs.

So, how balanced is your life?

I suspect you may discover as I have, that it’s a challenge to find balance. I invite you to prayerfully examine the various elements of your life and seek God’s discernment for what balanced discipleship looks like for you. Are there areas that have more emphasis than others? While it’s true that “all work and no play” is not healthy, so too, is “all play and no work.” As Disciples of Jesus, may we seek balance in our family, work, personal, and church life.

A Close Call

One thing many folks might not know about United Methodist pastors is that this time of year they get just a little antsy when the phone rings.

You see, United Methodist pastors serve churches at the discretion of the resident Bishop. Unlike congregational churches that call a pastor, UM pastors are appointed each year by the Bishop.

In the appointment process the Bishop works with a cabinet of district superintendents to match the gifts of a pastor with the needs of a particular church. They begin their appointment work around the first of the year and usually keep working right up until the annual conference in June, when the appointments are formally set.

So whenever the phone rings at this time of the year, pastors tend to wonder if it might be a call that will change their present situation.

So you can understand how my heart started racing when I recently received a call from my Bishop. I had never been called by a Bishop before.

Fortunately, it was not to ask me to consider another appointment, but rather to see if I would assist the Conference in it's annual meeting by coordinating the sessions for the meeting.

I gladly answered yes, but unfortunately I did not have the presence of mind to parley the request into a guarantee for several more years at my current appointment.

So - I still get a little nervous when the phone rings...

PJ

The Wonder and Mystery

I want to share a video with you that I used in my message on Christmas Eve.

I was sent this video by a friend and thought that it displayed in a wonderful and fun way the mystery we experience with Emmanuel - God with us. Not only do we have an eternal companion who is present with us in the midst of all of life's ups and downs, but this cosmic presence is also intimately dwelling within us. - A wonderful mystery.

The video is called "Stethoscope" and I hope you enjoy it.



May you be amazed by the wonder and mystery not only of God who took on the form of humanity, but God who dwells within!

Hallelujah!

PJ

It Never Snows in Seattle

I think of that statement every time it snows around here.

In 1971 when my Dad was being transferred from New Jersey to Washington State, we were eager to learn about what things were like out in the Pacific Northwest. We were told many things about what to expect, most of which turned out to be untrue.

Like many of the uninformed from the East Coast we found that it was not like the Hollywood "cowboy and indian" movies. It was not totally uncharted wilderness. It was not far removed from civilization. It was, however, very rainy.

One of the funniest things we were told was that it NEVER snowed in Seattle. This is because Seattle is too close to the Puget Sound which stays an even warm temperature.

So every time it snows in Seattle, I chuckle.

Only this past week with temps hovering in the teens, I've had to chuckle inside for fear my breath might freeze. OK, so I know it's not as cold as Minnesota where my brother is (sub ZERO!) but for us moderate weather PNW'ers it's darn cold - and snowy!

So for those of us not used to this white stuff - Yes, Virginia, it does snow in Seattle - so wrap up in your woolies and be careful out there!

PJ

Audacity of Hope

In 1981 I got caught up in the economic down turn of the time and as a result found myself unemployed for eleven months. This challenge was compounded by the fact that my wife and I were anticipating the birth of our first child. As a typical male, my identity was tied to my occupation and I struggled through a time of depression while I rediscovered who I was. This was a dark time for me, but I emerged from this challenge a stronger person, better prepared for other tough times that might lie ahead. What helped me get through this time was the love of family and the support of my faith community.

From my faith community I learned about the audacity of hope. Time and again people of faith look to Biblical examples of those struggling through tough times, but persisting in their hope because of a trust in God. To outsiders this hope seems counter-intuitive particularly when all evidence of change is to the contrary. Yet, I believe this is the essence of faith - hoping when all seems hopeless.

The audacity of hope is the message of Advent.

I continue to be amazed by the insight of the Church that celebrates the coming of the "Light of the World" at the darkest time of the year. This, at it's core, is a symbol of the audacity of hope. A hope that persists no matter how dark things may get. A hope that reminds us that the Light of the World has come to us, and abides with us, through even the toughest of times.

My mind flashes back to 1981 as the prophets of doom and gloom predict a prolonged season of challenge. My prayer is that we might trust instead in the One who continues to bring light into the darkness, and in faith live with the audacity of hope.

PJ