Christmas Music

Yesterday our church choir and some actors reflected on the Christmas story in our annual Christmas Cantata. It was wonderful. Someone said that it was their favorite "sermon" of the year and I had to agree. As much as I love to preach, it was nice to spend some time working on other things and it was a real treat to hear the choir and watch the actors proclaim the word.

I love singing Christmas Carols and Hymns. I have been singing carols and hymns to my children at night (they haven't complained about my singing voice, yet). Kennan loves "Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer." Brayden seems to enjoy "Silent Night." For some reason, Jennifer would rather listen to Sarah McLachlan, Jim Brickman, or Point of Grace.

Here is a list of my favorite hymns.

Advent (the time of year when we eagerly wait for the coming of Jesus Christ) (Top 3)

#3 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

#2 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

#1 O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Christmas (the time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus) (Top 10)

#10 The First Nowell - I really like the sixth verse that reminds us that God is the creator and redeemer of the world

#9 Go Tell It On The Mountain - An excellent reminder that we are to proclaim the good news of Jesus' coming with all the world

#8 It Came Upon the Midnight Clear - The third verse reminds us that Jesus came to help those "beneath life's crushing load"

#7 O Little Town of Bethlehem - This song reminds us that Jesus is "the everlasting light" and that "the hopes and fears of all the years" were met in Bethlehem that night

#6 O Come, All Ye Faithful - As "Go Tell It On The Mountain" motivates us to share the good news with all the world, this song invites everyone to come and adore him

#5 Angels We Have Heard on High - Gloria in excelsis Deo (Latin for Glory to God in the highest) - enough said!

#4 Hark the Herald Angels Sing - Everytime I watch the Charlie Brown Christmas Special I love to hear this song and can't wait to sing it in church

#3 Joy to the World - There is no better way to respond to the gift of Jesus Christ by singing of the joy he brings us

#2 What Child Is This - I love listening to Sarah McLachlan's version almost as much as sing it in church

#1 Silent Night, Holy Night - After so many candlelight services, you just can't beat it!

Not on the Top Ten (this year) (Top 4)

#4 We Three Kings of Orient Are - This is an Epiphany Hymn that often gets played at Christmas. Most scholars think the Magi/Wisemen/Kings arrived later.

#3 Still, Still, Still - Great Song but still.... I can only put ten in the top ten

#2 Born in the Night, Mary's Child - Recommended by another pastor and the words are great, but I am waiting to hear it in church before it can be considered for the Top 10.

#1 Away in a Manger - doesn't make the list because who knows a baby that "no crying he makes"?

This is my list. What do think? Any surprises? What would your list look like?

December Newsletter Article: "The Light"

Advent means coming. It is a time when we wait and we watch for the coming of our Lord. It is a time when we look forward to both the birth of our Lord and the time when he will come again and make all things new. Advent is a time of anticipation and preparation. It is a time when we recall the story of the ten bridesmaids and their lamps. We are called to keep our light burning as we look for the coming of the Lord.

During Advent the sanctuary is decorated with evergreens reminding us that God is everywhere and everlasting. Homes are decorated with strings of light, reminding us that Jesus is the light of the world and encouraging us to shine our lights as we have been strung together. As we prepare for the holidays let us also prepare our hearts for the coming of our Lord so that we might shine with the light and love of Jesus Christ.

Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas. On the first Sunday we will light one candle of the Advent wreath. Each subsequent week we will light an additional candle as we build up to the moment when the Christ candle is lit on Christmas Eve. The candlelight increases as we approach Christmas. We recognize that this world can be dark and cold. So we look forward to the coming of the light that brings both light and warmth. We look forward to the coming of Christ, the light of the world. At the end of the service on Christmas Eve we will use the Christ candle to light our own individual candles as the light and love of God fills the room. We recognize that it is the light of Christ that expels the darkness from our lives and fills us with the warmth of the love of God. Therefore let us share the light and love of the world in our homes, communities, and all of creation. Let us shine our lights as we prepare for the coming Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

Redeeming Value of A Video Game: Redemption in "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed"

Two weeks ago I was visiting with some youth about the video games they were playing and I asked what they recommended. Jennifer and I recently purchased a Nintendo Wii using the store credit we had received from selling back a ton of old books, CDs, and DVDs. After listening to their recommendations, I told the youth that I had just rented "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed." I told them that I was enjoying it, but I didn't know if it had any redeeming value or if I was just fulfilling my lifelong dream to use a lightsaber (this is probably as close as I will ever get).

I grew up watching the Star Wars movies - in fact, whenever I was sick enough to stay home from school I would watch all three of the originals back to back to back. The story takes place during the time between the original three movies and the newer movies (which take place before the originals). You play as Darth Vader's apprentice. I must be honest and say that I didn't like the idea of beginning on the dark side. In some of the older computer games (Knights of the Old Republic) you could choose whether you would like to become a Jedi (good guy) or a Sith (bad guy). You begin by attacking Jedi as you try to prove to Darth Vader that you are ready to take on the emperor and rule the galaxy alongside your master. You are apparently betrayed by Darth Vader before he tells you to begin a rebellion so that you can distract the emperor. Then you are betrayed by Darth Vader as he captures those you have gathered for the rebellion - it appears that you have been used to bring the emperor's enemies out into the open. But as the game progresses the character makes progress as well. Ultimately you reject the dark side and save the leaders of the rebellion. In order to stay within the "canon" of the movies, your character must die (because the character is never mentioned in the movies). So you die while the rebel leaders escape. The rebellion adopts your family crest as the symbol for the rebellion against the evil empire.

The game does have some redeeming value as the character gives his life for the sake of his friends (John 15:13). While the character may have to die to remain within the Star Wars Canon, our Christian Canon (The Bible) tells us that Jesus had to die for our salvation. While the character in the Star Wars game gives his life for the sake of others, there is nothing he can do to make up for the lives he takes at the beginning of the game. You begin the game as someone who has been twisted by the dark side of the force. Each of us has been twisted by sin. While the game has some redeeming value, the Bible tells us that Jesus' death on the cross has the value of redemption. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation, because we can never make up for what we have done and we will never be good enough. But we can freely receive salvation through the gracious gift that comes through Jesus' death and resurrection.

This game gave me an opportunity to unleash the powers of the force and recognize the power of the gospel. It gave me an opportunity to use a lightsaber and reflect on The Light!

Company of New Pastors Conference (Nov 11-14)

The Company of New Pastors was formed to help seminary graduates stay in church ministry by instilling the importance of spiritual disciplines and theological reflection. It also serves as a support group by bringing together new pastors into groups led by a veteran pastor. In seminary our group met once a month to discuss our ordination vows. It was a wonderful group of twelve students and two mentors.

This past week the Company of New Pastors gathered together for a conference in the mountains of Colorado. Ten out of the twelve members of my group from Princeton were in attendance. We had morning, midday, and evening prayer throughout the conference (this includes multiple prayers, some singing, and scripture reading). We reflected on the doctrine of providence in small group discussions and through four sessions of guided journaling. We had two panel discussions with six seasoned pastors who willingly answered questions about serving as pastors.

At the conference we were divided into small groups (roughly) based on the region in which we live. I was in the Texas (and Oklahoma) Region with two friends from Princeton, four new friends from Austin Theological Seminary, and an experienced Pastor currently serving in Boulder, CO. I think this group will continue to be a source of encouragement and support as we have planned to stay in touch and have promised to pray for one another.

The guided journaling gave me an opportunity to reflect on my life. I was able to discover previously unrecognized sources of pain and comfort. I recognized my need to ask a loved one for forgiveness. Most of all, I was able to see that God was present with me even in the difficult times (especially in the difficult times). At the end of the experience I was able to count my blessings and thank God for all of the saints in my life.

I was able to enjoy two hikes and a walk around a frozen lake in the Rocky Mountain National Park. My breath was taken away by the beauty of God’s creation (not to mention the altitude).

The best part about the trip was being reunited with my friends from Princeton Theological Seminary. Ten out of the twelve folks in our group attended the conference. My best friend, Kevin, was my roommate. Our group shared our hopes and dreams as well as our concerns and doubts. We ate together, hiked together, laughed together, and prayed together.

There is a cliché that says, “Sometimes it is hard to see the trees because of the forest.” Sometimes you need to take a step back from what you are doing in order to see where you have been and where you would like to go. This week has given me an opportunity to reflect on my first five months of ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Pampa. There are some things that I think I have done well, but there are also things I know I would like to improve on. This week has helped me see how I can better use my gifts and equip those in the church to use theirs.

Here I am with the Princeton Crew that went to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Here I am with Jeremiah on top of a large rock on the side of a mountain that we hiked. Jessica was also with us (she is the one taking the picture). We had a great hike and they only had to stop for me to catch my breath three times - whew!

Something Old and Something New - How to Read the Bible Using Your Computer

Last year I became a member of the Company of New Pastors. One of the commitments this group makes is to pray and read the bible daily. This is such a simple and yet difficult task to accomplish, even for those of us who serve as pastors. I know the Bible is very important to Presbyterians, but I also know that many of us have trouble reading it on a regular basis. While I do not have a perfect track record, I have found that I truly enjoy praying and reading from the bible (almost) every day. And I thought I would suggest everyone who reads this blog do it as well. For those of you who aren't sure where to start or how to keep track, here are a few amazing resources (one ecumenical and the others technological).

"Lectioary Readings" (the ecumenical resource) provide a disciplined approach to reading the bible. There are two cycles: the "Daily Readings" and the "Sunday and Festival Readings." The Daily Readings provide a means for reading through the New Testament every year and the Old Testament every two years. The "Sunday and Festival Readings" provide a method that allows for the fullness of scripture to be presented in worship every three years.

One of the technological resources is your email account! Through the Presbyterian Church (USA) you can receive daily emails with the "Daily Readings" absolutely free!!! Just go to this link and sign up, http://www.pcusa.org/devotions/lectionary/index.htm. This will allow you to keep track of the days that you have read and perhaps the days that you have missed. The trick is, reading the email before you delete it. If you decide to give it a try, let me know how it goes. Theoretically we will be reading the same scripture passages every day, so if you have questions, feel free to call (or better yet), email me!

The other technological resource is our website. We have updated our links page to include a link to the readings of the day on our "Links" page, http://www.pampapcusa.org/links.php. Also on this page you will find a search engine for the bible. Type in the word you are looking for and it will give you a list of every time that word is used in the bible.

We are a people of the Book and our culture is increasingly becoming a people of the world wide web. These resources will allow us to use modern technology to practice an old spiritual discipline. Let's read the Bible - whether it's out of your old family bible with the worn-out binding or on your computer screen!

PC(USA) and the Economy

I received the following letter as an emal attachment and thought I would pass it along to those of you who follow this blog. I am glad to see that the PC(USA) is concerned with current issues and the struggles that many people are facing. - Kenny

This letter was sent out through the various streams of PC(USA) communications on October 3, 2008. Please feel free to pass it along, re-post, etc.

Dear Pastors and Elders:
We write out of concern for those in your congregations who are suffering loss of their homes, their jobs, their ability to meet other financial obligations or conduct their normal business activities. Indeed, we recognize that even for those who may not be in immediate jeopardy, the current "credit crisis" has spread fear throughout the nation regarding the stability of our whole economic system.
Even as our legislators and financial advisors struggle to find solutions that address the disastrously complex problems exposed by this crisis, blame for the "melt-down" is being cast in all directions: from government failures to provide adequate regulatory safeguards, to investors intent on exploiting bizarre mortgage schemes, to ordinary citizens whose penchant for incurring disastrous levels of debt, there is blame enough to go around. Our Washington Office has witnessed to legislators on principles expressed by the General Assembly over time that relate to government's service to the common good.
As followers of Jesus Christ, let us join in a call to our own people and to our fearful nation to hear God's word that "perfect love casts out fear;" and let us look anew at our economic system-one which has been immensely productive in many respects, but which has tended to favor the strong and aggressive, often at great cost to the weak. Let us all repent of our own decisions, both personal and corporate, regarding our use of the earth's resources and of the financial resources of which we have been made stewards. And let us make clear to our legislators and to those whose are charged with the management of this nation's financial resources that any recovery of fiscal accountability must be accompanied with moral accountability for the unfortunate, so that the burdens and blessings of the future are fairly shared.
As you provide pastoral and prophetic leadership to your own people in the face of the ongoing crisis, we would like to offer some resources* that reflect efforts by recent General Assemblies to address many of the economic and moral issues facing our nation and the world at this juncture. As Reformed Christians, we are neither individuals nor congregations alone in times of crisis. With this social vision it will still be up to our communities-with our strong participation-to deal with these problems for the long term. The resources are listed on the following page, and we hope you may find them helpful.
In Christ's Mission,Bruce Reyes-Chow, Moderator of the 218th General AssemblyLinda Valentine, Executive Director, General Assembly CouncilGradye Parsons, Stated Clerk, Office of the General Assembly

*RESOURCES THAT RELATE TO THE CREDIT CRISIS, SHORT AND LONG TERM.
1. The Washington Office letter // the Presbyterian Washington Office staff has communicated a summary of our social witness concerns to our Congressional representatives. Our voice is one among many churches and other bodies concerned that public resources be used wisely in restoring confidence in the financial sector.
2. From Homelessness to Hope adopted by the 218th General Assembly (2008) // This and other resolutions are available on the website of the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy. In addition to short-term and more holistic approaches to the problem of homelessness, this report contains some analysis of why-as the real estate bubble deflated-the market for affordable housing was also declining. The report notes that more than half of Presbyterian congregations already provide some assistance to homeless and hungry persons through food pantries, soup kitchens, various ministries to the homeless, including Habitat for Humanity, and ministries of advocacy, such as Bread for the World.
3. A Reformed Understanding of Usury // the 217th General Assembly (2006) had spoken on the very topic of usury or exorbitant interest that was so evident in many of the "sub-prime" mortgages. This resolution also looks at credit card debt and abuses in short term loans, suggesting improvements in regulation to protect students and the working poor.
4. The Just Neighbors "Toolkit" // a resource for adult education that looks at housing and other economic pressures developed in the Roman Catholic community with assistance from the Presbyterian Hunger Program.
5. The Power to Change: US Energy Policy and Global Warming. This careful study contains recommendations for the massive transition in energy consumption needed and points to personal approaches to reducing our "carbon footprints." A sign of the new direction can be seen at Limestone Presbyterian Church of Limestone, Delaware, which recently re-did its sanctuary roof in solar collectors, predicting $15,000 per year in saved energy costs.
6. A Social Creed for the 21st Century is a one-page, theologically grounded statement of what we stand for in relation to both globalization and sustainability, including issues of taxation and military spending. Those interested may find bulletin inserts and information on this non-doctrinal document on-line. There is also a 28-minute DVD available for web-streaming and for mailing costs. The DVD traces the witness of the church from concern for early industrial pressures, through the Great Depression, through the Civil Rights struggle, and up to the current time. It is called, Toward a New Social Awakening, the Social Creed: 1908 to 2008, and that title may speak to our current crisis as well.

The Shack

"The Shack"

by William P. Young

This recent New York Times Bestseller was recommended to me by one of my former youth who admits that this is the first book he has read cover to cover since graduating high school. This fictional story is written as though the author is writing the book on behalf of a friend who has had a mystical encounter with God after experiencing a personal tragedy. The Foreword begins, "Who wouldn't be skeptical when a man claims to have spent an entire weekend with God, in a shack no less?" The format of the book leads to some confusion as to whether or not the author believes that these events actually occurred. So I went to the website, http://www.theshackbook.com/ to find some answers. The website is helpful for those that want to know more about the author and how the book came to be written. The author claims that while these events are fictional, they are true in the sense that they reveal his own wrestling with God after the death of his niece. I have read some reviews that question the author's theology. While I am glad that people are willing to think critically about the nature of God as portrayed in the book, I found myself so wrapped up in the character's personal journey and relationship with God that I often looked past theological differences. This book is not a theological treatise on the nature of the trinity, it is a story about someone wrestling with God after experiencing a "Great Sadness." This book will not appeal to everyone, but I do recommend this book for those interested in reading a fictional account of how one man wrestles with God after experiencing personal tragedy.



SPOILER WARNING! (Do not read past this line if you don't want me to spoil the book for you)

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The foreward introduces the author (Willie) and the main character (Mack). Mack ran away from home after being physically and emotionally abused by his overly "religious" father. He is described as having a love/hate relationship with religion. Mack is now depicted as a loving husband and devoted father. I love the line that says, "while Mack's relationship with God is wide, Nan's (his wife) is deep" (11). Willie says that Mack used to know a lot about God while his wife really knew God. He then goes on to say that "Mack is no longer just wide, he has gone deep. But the dive cost him dearly." This brings him to the tragedy that occurs in his life, described as "the Great Sadness."


Mack receives an invitation in the mail for a weekend visit at the shack. It is signed by "Papa," which is Nan's nickname for God. Through some flashbacks we learn that Mack's daughter Missy was abducted and killed by a serial killer known as "the ladybug killer." The shack was where the killer's trail went cold. Mack decides to go visit "Papa." He brings a gun in case it is a set-up by the killer. But part of him expects to meet God.


When he gets to the shack in the middle of winter it is transformed in to a beautiful cabin in the middle of spring. Then he meets the trinity. Papa is a large African-American woman, Jesus is a friendly carpenter, and Sarayu is an ethereal Asian woman. This is the trinity as it appears to Mack. I liked the image of 2/3 of the trinity being represented by women because it tends to be the opposite (with Father and Son being gender specific). I was glad to see that none of the images for God are white, as this has often been the case in American and European art. I like Papa's response to Mack's confusion regarding a male name with a female image - "For me to appear to you as a woman and suggest that you call me Papa is simply to mix metaphors, to help you keep from falling so easily back into your religious conditioning" (92). God is neither male or female. God is God. When God is compared to a rock, we don't think that God is literally a rock. So why do so many people get hung up on the idea that God is either a man or a woman. When Mack asks why there is so much emphasis on God as Father, Papa says one of the reasons is that God knew that once "creation was broken, true fathering would be much more lacking than mothering. Don't misunderstand me, both are needed--but an emphasis on fathering is necessary because of the enormity of its absence" (94). We will never fully comprehend God in this life. Therefore we can all benefit from asking how God is similar to and different from the images that we use to describe God.

After Mack's initial reaction to the trinity, he begins to relate to God. He has deep conversations with Papa, he hangs out with Jesus, and he tends his own spiritual garden with Sarayu. I love this book's emphasis on the need for personal relationship with God, but it often includes an anti-instituational bias. I admit that as a pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA) I am a part of the institutional church. But what this book fails to see is that the church is not merely an institution. It is the body of Christ. The church is relational. It brings individuals into communion with God, each other, and the world. The institution is meant to facilitate these relationships by suppyling a regular meeting place, resources, and structure. Don't get me wrong, the church can become too rigid. But that doesn't mean we should give up on the institution, it means that we should always be willing to reform as we strive to discern where God is leading the church.


This book does not answer all of our questions or heal all of our hurts, but it does demonstrate that God is love and that God is especially fond of each and everyone of us.