Glad Tidings!

I confess! I’m caught up in the Christmas spirit, and I’m experiencing sensations of joy and hope that I just don’t feel at other times of the year. Perhaps it is the knowledge that the short days and long nights are going to reverse. Maybe it’s the combined pleasure of choosing gifts for others while anticipating the special treats they are planning for me. It may have something to do with the gay decorations that adorn everything from homes to businesses, or the quiet reverence for an ancient stable scene that still continues to inspire hope for a better world. The spirit of Christmas is all these things and more; it is the metaphysical mystery of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. This is my second Christmas since being diagnosed with leukemia, and in a strange kind of way I am grateful for the keener sense of appreciation for almost everything than I had before. I am truly looking forward to our family gathered together for the holidays, for some time off from the mundane routine, and for the opportunity to be still and to know that God is with us. In all likelihood I will take a breather from my blogging, too, and so it is appropriate that I take this opportunity to wish my readers all the goodness and happiness of this season.

Happy Holy Days!

As it draws nearer, I’m trying to be very intentional about focusing upon the real meaning of Christmas. All of the attendant “symptoms”—shopping, giving and receiving, gathering with family and friends—can either contribute or detract from the holy day. Christmas, for me, symbolizes the very real connection between the Creator and its creation. For sentient creatures such as ourselves this raises the very real possibility of interaction with the One who made us, of actually entering into some sort of communion that gives purpose and meaning to our lives. Exclusivity erodes the beauty of this phenomenon because it fails to acknowledge the multitude of ways by which the Creator communicates to all hearts and minds that are receptive. The Christ child’s universality is what Christmas is really all about, and when that realization becomes authentic, all the walls of separation—anger, hate, envy, selfishness, deceit—crumble beneath the knowledge that all humankind is loved equally by its Creator. So let us beware of the claim that Christmas is only for Christians! When the awareness of our connection to the Eternal gives birth to the spirit of Christ within us we shall be illumined by the joyous realization that we are truly nothing more—and nothing less—than children of God!

More About the Reason for the Season

Fight for Your Right to Party by Barbara Ehrenreich

See What I Mean?

My sincere thanks to a co-worker for sharing this bit of holiday lightheartedness:

Company Holiday Party

FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: December 1
RE: Christmas Party

I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23, starting at noon in the banquet room at Luigi's Open Pit Barbecue. No-host bar, but plenty of eggnog! We'll have a small band playing traditional carols...feel free to sing along. And don't be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus! A Christmas tree will be lit at 1:00 P.M. Exchange of gifts among employees can be done at that time, however, no gift should be over $10.00 to make the giving of gifts easy for everyone's pockets. This gathering is only for employees! A special announcement will be made by our CEO at that time! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
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FROM: Patty Lewis, Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: December 2
RE: Holiday Party

In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that Chanukah is an important holiday which often coincides with Christmas, though unfortunately not this year. However, from now on we're calling it our "Holiday Party." The same policy applies to employees who are celebrating Kwanzaa at this time. There will be no Christmas tree present. No Christmas carols sung. We will have other type of music for your enjoyment. Happy now? Happy Holidays to you and your family. Patty
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FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: December 3
RE: Holiday Party

Regarding the note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table ... you didn't sign your name. I'm happy to accommodate this request, but if I put a sign on a table that reads, "AA Only"; you wouldn't be anonymous anymore. How am I supposed to handle this? Somebody? Forget about the gifts exchange - no gift exchanges are allowed since the union members feel that $10.00 is too much money and executives believe $10.00 is very little for a gift.NO GIFT EXCHANGES WILL BE ALLOWED.
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FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: December 7
RE: Holiday Party

What a diverse group we are! I had no idea that December 20 begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating and drinking during daylight hours. There goes the party! Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon this time of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees' beliefs. Perhaps Luigi's can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party-the days are so short this time of year-or else package everything for take home in little foil swans. Will that work? Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Overeaters Anonymous to sit farthest from the dessert buffet and pregnant women will get the table closest to the restrooms. Gays are allowed to sit with each other. Lesbians do not have to sit with Gay men, each will have their own table. Yes, there will be flower arrangement for the Gay men's table. To the person asking permission to cross dress, no cross dressing allowed though. We will have booster seats for short people. Low-fat food will be available for those on a diet. We cannot control the salt used in the food - we suggest for those people with high blood problems to taste first. There will be fresh fruits as dessert for Diabetics, the restaurant cannot supply "No Sugar" desserts.Sorry! Did I miss anything?Patty
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FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: December 8
RE: Holiday Party

So December 22 marks the Winter Solstice...what do you expect me to do, a tap-dance on your heads? Fire regulations at Luigi's prohibit the burning of sage by our "earth-based Goddess-worshiping" employees, but we'll try to accommodate your shamanic drumming circle during the band's breaks.Okay???Patty
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FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: December 9
RE: Holiday Party

People, people, nothing sinister was intended by having our CEO dress up like Santa Claus! Even if the anagram of "Santa" does happen to be "Satan," there is no evil connotation to our own "little man in a red suit." It's a tradition, folks, like sugar shock at Halloween or family feuds over the thanksgiving turkey or broken hearts on Valentine's Day.Could we lighten up?Please?????????Also the company has changed their mind in announcing the special announcement at the gathering. You will get a notification in the mail sent to your home.
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FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All #%&$**@ Employees
DATE: December 10
RE: The %#*&^%@*%^Holiday Party

I have no #%&*@*^ idea what the announcement is all about. What the %#&^!@ do I care...I KNOW WHAT I AM GOING TO GET!!!!!!!!!!!! You change your address now and your are dead!!!!!!!!!!!!No more changes of address will be allowed in my office. Try to come in and change your address, I will have you hung from the ceiling in the warehouse!!!!!!!!!!!Vegetarians!?!?!? I've had it with you people!!!We're going to keep this party at Luigi's Open Pit Barbecue whether you like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the "grill of death," as you so quaintly put it, and you'll get your #$%^&*! salad bar, including hydroponic tomatoes. But you know, they have feelings, too. Tomatoes scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream. I'm hearing them scream right now! HA! I hope you all have a rotten holiday!Drive drunk and die you hear me!!!!!!!!!!The Bitch from HELL!!!!!!!!
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FROM: Terri Bishop, Acting Human Resources Director
DATE: December 14
RE: Patty Lewis and Holiday Party

I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Patty Lewis a speedy recovery from her stress-related illness and I'll continue to forward your cards to her at the sanitarium. In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd off with full pay. Happy Holidays!

Kid Stuff

It upsets me that my belief in Christmas is regarded by some as immature and stupid. It also upsets me that my beliefs about Christmas are regarded by some as heretical and sacrilegious. Yes, I believe in Santa Claus and God, and yet in neither case do I consider myself a prisoner to a literal, anthropocentric understanding of what or who they are; I only know that they are real and that they symbolically embrace the reason for this season: the miracle of life! I shudder to think how many of my “clients” believe that they are Christian and that their pursuit of concretized commercialism in any way offsets the way they debase and dehumanize the very lives they have brought into this world. Christmas is rightfully about the children and their sacred role in the universe, not about a victorious conquest over those vying for Tickle Me Elmo. From the perspective of having been estranged from organized religion for five years now I can see more clearly how it is fundamentally responsible for the Christological corruption that has literally perverted this grandest of holy celebrations. Who cares about virgin births? Who cares about brilliant stars in the sky? Who cares about angels, shepherds and magi? To paraphrase: it’s about the kid, stupid! What a magnificent holiday this can be if our focus is upon the child in the manger and what empowered him to grow in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and humankind.

Season's Greetings!

I have always liked Christmas. It’s my favorite time of year for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is Dad’s dynamic explanation of the significance of the Christ’s birth which made such a profound impression that it remains paramount among my earliest memories. Candlelight services are not uncommon this time of year, but I have found that for such events to have meaning and purpose is quite rare. The simple metaphor is so incredibly powerful—that it takes only one light to dispel the darkness—that I am surprised that it is not more widespread. Such is the joy, beauty, and hope of this season: when it seems that all is lost in darkness, a single light can overcome it with illumination that grows ever brighter as it is spread one to another. For those who question whether or not such an interpretation is scripturally sound I suggest reading the first chapter of John. This is not a time when reason must be set aside to accommodate a plethora of supernatural superstitions. To the contrary, this is the season when all the world is invited to celebrate the amazing Truth that Emmanuel—God with us—can reasonably, intelligently, and naturally illumine the hearts and minds of humankind as it is shared with one another as it has been shared with us!

Battle of the Titans

It doesn’t make a lot of sense to take longer telling the story of my time at Rockbrook UMC than I was actually there—which was two years. The following cast of characters was involved one way or another in the end of my appointment to Rockbrook in 1990. Donald Bredthauer was the Omaha district superintendent who arranged for my transfer from the Desert Southwest Annual Conference, and he had since become one of the associate pastors at First UMC. Lowen Kruse followed Bredthauer as D.S., and as I’ve already mentioned, Dick Carter had been a district superintendent prior to being appointed to Rockbrook. Vernon Goff was the senior pastor of St. Luke’s UMC, one of the fastest growing churches in the conference. Denny Silk was senior pastor at First UMC which was arguably one of the more prestigious churches in the conference.

Having observed my ability to get things done at Rockbrook, both Goff and Silk expressed interest in me becoming an associate on their respective staffs. Bredthauer, having just been succeeded by Kruse, was the most pragmatic in his understanding that being appointed to another church in the same district was a long shot, but he nonetheless was supportive of such a move. The alliance between Carter and Kruse, however, was not to be underestimated, and those two expressed to Bishop Woodrow Hearn that my remaining in the proximity of Rockbrook would not look good, particularly for Carter, and that whatever threat I was posing could be reduced significantly by moving me far away from Omaha. It was hard for Kruse to disguise his satisfaction the day he called me to his office to inform me that it was time for me to learn what it meant to be the pastor-in-charge. His spin was that I was to be appointed to the churches in not one but two county seats (what he neglected to tell me was that each town was the only one in each county).

The strangest irony to come out of my time at Rockbrook was the confession (this is not sacramental in The United Methodist Church) from a parishioner that she had had an affair with the pastor of a United Methodist church in Las Vegas while she and her husband were living there. What a small world! Six years before my appointment there, I was learning about the dark side of Trinity United Methodist.