Why Mess with Perfection?

My late father used to bemoan every time he heard about new and improved chocolate chip cookie recipe, or when my mother tried a new and improved chocolate chip cookie recipe.  In his mind the chocolate chip cookie was perfected in the 1950s.  Why would people mess with perfection?  I've pretty much adopted this mindset concerning chocolate chip cookies, and black clergy shirts.

Several months ago I decided to sell my car and use only my bike and public transportation for my job as a clergyperson (I have, however, been known to drive the new van to a meeting or two).  Riding my bike changed my life in many ways; one of those ways: my choice of clothing.  I couldn't very well ride my bike and wear a suit with dress shoes.  So I simplified.  I switched back to khaki pants, hiking boots, and clergy shirts.

Can a Baptist wear a clergy shirt?  Sure we can.  Yet I've always been a little uncomfortable wearing a black clergy shirt with a tab collar because of the immediate association of imitating Roman Catholic priest (but with Pope Francis, that aint such a bad thing).  So I tried to forge new ground with a blue and white striped and a plain white clergy shirt.  I really like these shirts but no one has any clue what they are.  No one recognizes them as clergy shirts, I should ask someone what they think they are.  Therefore, I have been wearing my old threadbare blue clergy shirts until I order some new black shirts.

The other day after dinner I had a revelation about the wisdom of black clergy shirts.  Here is my revelation: Not only are black clergy shirts the uniform for clergy, not only do they hide wrinkles, not only are they Protestant (yes they are), not only are they visually thinning (at least folk say black hides a few lbs.) but, are you ready...they hide stains!  I've only had my new clergy shirts a few weeks and they already have stains on them.  I love chocolate and red wine, two things that my non-black clergy shirts love to reveal.

Why mess with perfection indeed?

2014 State of the Church Address: Why I'm Not Worried: Numbers and Soul

Judson Sermon 20140510 "State of the Church Address: Why I'm Not Worried" from Jacqueline Thureson on Vimeo.

2014 State of the Church Address: Numbers & Soul: Why I’m Not Worried

Third Sunday of Eastertide - 11.May.2014

Jeremiah

Judson Memorial Baptist Church

Minneapolis, MN

The Rev’d G. Travis Norvell

            First Lesson: Jeremiah 10:17-25

            Why I/We Should Be Worried

            Of the 250,000 Protestant congregations in America, 200,000 are either stagnant or in decline.  200,000 out of 250,000, that is 80% are either stagnant or in decline, 80%. 

Every year 4,000 churches close, that is roughly 76 each week.

Every day 3,500 people leave the churches they call home.

Since 1965 each of the seven denominations that makes up Mainline Protestantism –  United Methodist, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Presbyterian Church, USA, Episcopal Church of America, American Baptist Churches, USA, United Church of Christ, & Disciples of Christ – has reported a decline.  Some have called for the end of the term Mainline, instead using Oldline or Deadline. 

There are 25 million less Mainline Protestants since the 1950s.

This year Alban Institute closed.  The church consultant agency, that has focused on forming healthy mainline congregations closed. 

This year the American Bible Society is selling its 12 story building in downtown Manhattan.

There are no more brick and mortar Cokesbury stores! 

And most seminaries are either hanging by a thread or operating at a membrane thin margin.  In last few years every Mainline seminary has either had to cut faculty and staff, sell buildings, or like Seabury Western and Bangor Seminary closed. 

            Many biblical scholars have turned to the theme of exile as the metaphor to describe the current state of decline amongst Mainline Protestantism; tradition that has been torn from the land, left blowing in the wind, and composting in the dustbin of history.  And that is what keeps me up at night: to think that a life-giving tradition with names such as Roger Williams, Harriet Bishop, Martin Luther King, Jr, Henry Ward Beecher, William Sloane Coffin, Harry Emerson Fosdick, Howard Thurman, Vida Scudder, Georgia Harkness, or Sallie McFague would up and die. 

Sometimes I feel like a member of the rear guard who is still fighting a battle when the war was long ago lost. 

A few years ago I decided maybe my future as a clergy person is to hold onto liberal Protestantism by serving communities that were willing to persevere…and had a large endowment. 

Why I’m/We’re Not Worried

            Then for reasons I am still trying to figure out, we stumbled upon each other and ever since I have given up on the idea of Exile as the working metaphor of our tradition; and I’ve given up on the idea that a healthy, robust, and vibrant liberal Protestant church is a relic and a thing of the past.  Furthermore, each time my mind starts to think that we are not going to make it, something beautiful and amazing happens here and I think what I fool I was for thinking otherwise. 

            This is not a period of Exile, this is a time of flourishing, of hope, of imagination, of promise, of homecoming, of restoration, of new beginning. 

            Second Lesson Jeremiah 31:7-14

            I want to offer you some numbers.  Now I know that y’all do not look to me as a numbers person, but believe it or not, on certain days of the year I can be a detailed oriented person. 

            Simply put, look at the numbers.  The benchmark for what a church can look like is to take the average attendance for Christmas Eve and Easter over the course of a few years.  In normal years Judson has averaged 200 for both Christmas Eve and Easter services.  Last year our average Sunday attendance was 108.  So the goal is within five years to have our Sunday attendance be the same as our Christmas and Easter average.  That would take an average of at least 18.4 new members each year. But we know some people will move, others will disassociate, and some will die, so the number is more like 25 each year. 

            Keep in mind, about 200 maybe up to 250, that would be the maximum we could go for Judson to still be Judson.  Any bigger than that and we’d have to talk about spinning off and starting another church, which would be exciting too.  But that is a good piece off. 

Now that number of 200 for weekly worship may sound insurmountable, but look at it this way:

Each Sunday we average at least one visitor.  Over the course of the year that’s 52 visitors.  We can attain our magic number just by retaining ½ of our visitors.  I know, I know, some are visitors from out of town, some are family members on vacation, and for others Judson just aint what they’re looking for.  Okay but don’t get down yet. 

Each week the parents and caregivers of 119 preschoolers walk through our doors (not to mention special events when grandparents attend). 

Each week roughly 100 volunteers for Meals on Wheels enter our building. 

Each week visitors and friends attend yoga, painting groups, community events, book groups, bible study, to rehearse, to play musical instruments, to sit in the quiet of the sanctuary, to deliver supplies, drop off correspondence, check on things, nose around, and seek help. 

And what about the folk who attended concerts (over 200 were visitors). 

And what about those who stop by at Street Fest? 

And those who attend, or listen in on at the Bandshell? 

And those who visit us in a virtual way on our webpage or via facebook?  And those who find out about us via Pride events,

while we are at public events at the state capitol,

or various venues in and throughout the metro area? 

            Numbers are on our side.  Each day, week, month, season, and year we come in contact with more than 25 prospective members of this community.  They find us with little or no effort on our part – and that is an amazing fact!  Maybe the most amazing fact of all. 

It means we do not have to devote thousands of dollars in marketing, branding, and outreach. 

It does mean, however, we have to do an intentional job of making sure we hold onto those 25 future members: connecting with them in meaningful ways, inviting them, integrating them, and letting them help shape the future and mission of this church.  No matter what the event, how big or small, if everyone there is a friend or not, we have to keep the steady drumbeat of invitation going again and again and again and again. 

            Sure, it would be great if our financial numbers were a little bit stronger.  But again, I’m not worried.  It would be different if we had to shake the bushes, call and beg people to find their way to Judson.  It would be different if we out of hand budget deficits, it would be different if we weren’t growing.  The budget may not be balanced, we are looking at somewhere in the range of $8,000 in the red.  But that numbers would happen if every committee and entity spent all of their budget and it assumes that there will be no growth numerically: new pledges and givers, or grants.  So balance the budget with a simply line of faith: expected growth!  We expect as a congregation to grow this year, we expect new members, we expect new streams of revenue and funding for ministry.  I, for one, expect growth. 

           

Now a focus on the soul of Judson.  I simply want to highlight some of what happened here last year.

            Bandshell service in the freezing cold, with Wayne and Cheryl throwing snowballs for the time with children. 

            The different summer musicians we heard, the exchange of the Episcopals and the Gospel 5.

            Judson presence at the American Baptist Biennial in Kansas City

            Youth Mission trip where they learned about youth homelessness

            Brent Walker from the Baptist Joint Committee visit and Twins game with UBC.

            Sundaes on Sundays

            Installation of the Little Library

            Seniors Luncheon

            Table at Pride

            Hiring of Brett as Children & Youth Coordinator

            The new life created by Marriage Equality

            Char and Barbara singing This Land Is Your Land with a new verse celebrating marriage equality!

            And that was just last Summer.

            Rally Day

            The use of Ranked Choice Voting for best hotdish offering.

Mac Chatfield winning the Silver Lamb award

We needed space for a new Sunday School Class

Blessing of the Animals

Wedding Celebrations at second hour

Shower of Stoles

            AWAB 20^TH anniversary

            Michaelmas service with Struan bread and Celtic music

            Great Gatherings – and the amazing amount that involved alcohol and that they were all overflowing with attendees.

            Hogwarts

            The amount of people who ended up getting flu shots on the Sunday we offered them!

            The Rutter Requiem!  And let us give thanks to the choir, Jim and John!

            The arrival of David Bloom

            The dedication of Chip’s stained glass window and blessing of Chip’s endeavor in Thailand.

            End of Liturgical year service with candles

            Advent  The kid’s bulletin covers

            The Christmas pageant

            Sara Thompsen Solstice concert

            Christmas sing-a-long

            The lutefisk sermon

            The White Elephant party and the amazing surprise of Silver Lamb that Mac Chatfield won in the Fall. 

            As the calendar year closed: the amazing amount of stuff on the Lost and Found table. 

            Epiphany

            First Jazz Sunday – king cake, chicory coffee, king cake babies

            Pancake Brinner – folk eating like it was the last supper

            Trust MLK, Jr service

            Renewal of Baptismal vows/promise

            Second Jazz service, (who can enough jazz?) the premiere at Judson of Josh Johnson’s original composition Cora.

            The GSA Drag Queen/King ball/party

                        Lenten reflections on the Psalms

            Ash Wednesday service (interesting that more people attended the showing of the Life of Brian than attended the Ash Wednesday service, not sure what that says about Judson…)

            Locking up of the Alleluias

            Taize services

            Maundy Thursday service

            Good Friday with UBC

            Easter Morning and the release of the Alleluias

            Dinner and a Show

            Low Sunday & Hendrix’s second hour with his doctor!

            Blessing of the graduates

           

            You heard 74 different musicians

            You heard over 30 different liturgies.

            You heard 13 different people offer Time with Children

            You heard 8 different preachers

            You heard at least 72 voices reading psalms, reading scripture, & leading prayers.

            For Second Hour

9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13: Kate Brady & Katherine Barton on meditation/Reinventing your future

10/20 Norvell reflections on weddings

10/27, 11/3, 11/10 Rev Julie Neraas on Stages of Life

12/1 Trust Parish Nurse

12/8 Chuck Dayton  Interfaith Power & Light

12/15 Dr Carolyn Pressler UTS on Advent

12/22 Prof Mark Sealy Climate Changes, we had Mark Sealy here!  Just imagine if would have had Carl Kasell here on the same day!

12/29 D Moore on ABC Biennial on social justice

1/5  Norvell on epiphany

1/26 Sr Stories  ? re: Gracie Jones 100+ yrs

2/2, 2/9, 2/16/ Rev Bloom & TN Social Justice

2/23 Doug Wallace Academy Awards films

3/2 Kate Brady Loving Kindness

3/9 Kate Brady Loving Kindness

3/18 Rev Dr. Eric Baretto

3/23 Missions on Youth Link

4/29 Hendrix Johnson & his MD

5/4, 5/11 Judson Youth DVD

           

We celebrated the weddings or recommitments of

R and R, K & L, M & G, J & M, N and S, the surprise wedding of S and M, and the not surprising, but lovely, wedding of D and A!

We dedicated C and G

We baptized J and L

We welcomed new members: Garrio and Joanna, Sand, Rich, and Jeff.

A dozen of you were at the state capital for the MN Interfaith Power and Light rally for the environment

What about the food we donate for Joyce’s Food Shelf? 

The funds for Starfish

Funds for mission, we’ve already given over $24,000.

The countless visits, cards, phone calls, and meals delivered to those in need.

The hours given to Meals on Wheels, making Judson look great, The Gathering, decorating for the season, correcting my grammar, moving things, hours given to meetings, personnel reviews, the sincere and heartfelt greetings.  The hours and hearts given in service on the Worship, Mission, Christian Education, Adult Education, Property, Personnel, Finance, Building Use, Planning and Policy, Membership/Leadership/Stewardship, Congregational Care, & Street Fest Committees, in addition to the Soup Group, TRUST representatives, Loaves and Fishes, Spiritual Voyageurs, Ushers, Second Hour coffee and treats, Church Officers, and historian.  The way you uphold, inspire, and push each other to be better human beings.  The way we embrace our mixture of Northern Exposure and Vicar of Dibleyness.  The freedom to cry & laugh on Sunday morning.  And maybe the most telling sign of your health as a congregation: the willingness to talk through difficult places. 

 From my own perspective: on several occasions I have said things in such a manner that if taken the wrong way could have been hurtful, rather than let that sit and fester, you approached me and asked for clarification.  On all accounts we laughed off the unintended message but that does not undercut the amount of courage and trust that took, for that I am extremely thankful.  Let us not stop this partnership, it is a work in progress. But well worth the time and effort.  I describe it as slow church.  I have intentions of being here a long time, I want to continue to take my time, when I can, on developing and nurturing relationships for the long term.  This is frustrating, probably, for both of us but it will be worth it. 

This is an amazing and beautiful place.  On the one hand it is a sanctuary, the last stop for many on the journey of religious life, helping them get through life. On the other hand it is a dynamo of religious power and grace propelling others to change the world. 

It is true I’m not silver with wisdom but I’ve been around and a part of enough different religious communities in this nation to know this is a special and unique place – do not take it for granted, let us build and expand making sure this is a vibrant, robust, and thriving community.  Amen. 

Embracing a Vocation: Graduation Time at Judson

A few weeks ago I realized that again no institution of higher (or lower) learning was calling to offer me an invitation to be a commencement speaker.  I thought by now, surely, my high school would have asked me.  Nope.  Commencement address, honoraray doctorate, having summers off, and personal assistant are all personal professional goals I have for my life.  Rather than wait for the commencement address invitation I decided to use the sermon time on the Sunday when the church recognized the graduating seniors to deliver my version of a commencement address. 

I think it went well.  I had the seniors come up to the platform and sit so they could face the congregation. 

Here is the video:
Judson Sermon 20140504 "Embracing a Vocation, Not Pursuing a Job" from Jacqueline Thureson on Vimeo.

And here is the text:

Embracing a Vocation, Not Pursuing a Job

Deuteronomy 8:1-10 & 2 Corinthians

text: “this treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Cor. 4:7)

Recognition of Seniors – Second Sunday of Eastertide – May 4, 2014

Judson Memorial Baptist Church – Minneapolis, MN

The Rev’d G. Travis Norvell

            When I was in seminary, in the Fall of ’96, driving in Richmond, VA I heard a Johnny Cash song on the radio.  After the song I headed home, put all of my cds into a large cardboard box, went to Plan9 down in the Fan neighborhood, and traded them all in for the Johnny Cash box set and any other Johnny Cash cds they had.  I now pass onto you my essential Johnny Cash cd.  I know your parents meant well, but if you do not know these songs, well, ur, I just couldn’t bare the thought of someone knowing you were from Judson, that I was your pastor, and you didn’t know these songs. 

            Now for a few questions.

            How many of you switched your majors in college?

            How many of you switched professions more than once?

            More than twice, three times?

           

            The book of Deuteronomy subscribes to the conditional theory of life, if you do X then Y happens.  Deuteronomy, as you all know, is the second (duetero) telling of the law (nomos), from the Greek, the name coming from the Septuagint, the translation of the Hebrew, Tanak, into Greek.  The Biblical authors knew human beings have spotty memories, thus the second telling of the law – Exodus was not enough, I suppose.  Remember, remember the forty long years you wandered in the wilderness, remember, remember, remember.  There is also a tinge of fear in the voice of Moses.  Perhaps he was scared that since he would not be with them in the promised land the Israelites would forget their experiences with God.  Likewise, there is a bit of fear in this day.  We are scared, somewhat, that you too will forget all that happened in your years here at Judson.  Not really, but kind of . 

            Years ago your parents either here, or at another faith community, or in the privacy of their hearts made a promise with God to raise you in a way so that you too would develop a vibrant, life-giving, and liberating faith.  And I must say they, and Judson, have done a helluva job.  And now it is time for you to take what we’ve given you and expand, recreate, thicken, customize, and place your own creative/imaginative mark on it.  And yes, you can reject it as well.

            But what is it that we have given you?  A list.  Here is what we hope you take with you.   First, why a list:

When Roseanne Cash was 18 years old in 1973 she spent the summer on a tour bus with her, finally, clean and sober father, Johnny Cash.  As they were trundling through the South they started talking about songs.  She remembers the conversation this way, “he mentioned one, and I said I didn’t know that one.  And he mentioned another.  I said I don’t that one either, Dad, and he became very alarmed.”  In response that afternoon Johnny Cash compiled a list of 100 essential American songs for his daughter’s education.  I hope this short list sums up your formation of your time growing up at Judson.

1.      We hope we have given you a model of authenticity. 

I am sure you take this eccentric, idiosyncratic, bizarre grouping of individuals that make up Judson you take for granted.   Let me say they are living proof that there is a balm in Gilead.  We are living examples of folk trying their best to follow and make real the way of Jesus in this world, sometimes we do an amazing job and other times not so much.  We’re not seeking perfection, we are seeking wholeness. 

           

2.  We hope we have given you permission to fail. 

We hope you know it is okay (and you’re even expected) to fail.  The sooner you caress this idea the easier your life will be; better to fail now and realize it is not the end of the world then to let the fear of failure run (and ruin) your life.  Fail and know that God will be present; fall flat on your face and know it is not the end of the world, as C.S. Lewis wrote, “God can use even the wrong road to get you to the right place.”  Start reading Lewis, but first read your Parker Palmer book, then Unto Me by Walter Rauschenbusch

            One more thing about failure, specifically grades.  Here is a little secret the other tour guides wont tell you, “other schools are the only ones who care about grades.”  According to my calculations I graduated at the top of my class in divinity school.  The school even put a nice little gold foil stamp on my diploma that reads with distinction.  But guess what?  Not one search committee has ever asked me for my GPA.  When I go to see a doctor, or a dentist, or a lawyer I never ask them for their GPA or a copy of their transcripts.  When I read a novel it never crosses my mind to think, “I wonder if they were at the top of their class?” 

How many here have had a meaningful conversation about your grades in the last five years?

Once you graduate you, for the most part, will stop talking or even care about your grades.  Author Malcolm Gladwell has even suggested we put a moratorium on talking about our grades or where we went to school.   You’ll be surprised how far you can get in life with a little knowledge, some interpersonal skills, and passion for your vocation.  I’m not saying don’t do your best, but always remember you are more than your GPA.  We know it.  We hope you know it and we hope you make sure others know it. 

            If that wasn’t enough then always remember the wisdom shared by our 43^rd President at the 2001 commencement of Yale University.

            To those who received honors, awards, and distinctions, I say well done.  And to the C students I say, you, too, can be President of the United States.  A Yale degree is worth a lot, as I often remind Dick Cheney who studied here but left a little early.  So now we know: If you graduate from Yale, you become President; if you drop out, you get to be Vice President. 

           

3.  We hope we have give you a model of Christianity that focuses on human flourishing, that takes the bible seriously, not literally, that can stand caricatures, and that is overflowing with visions of peace & reconciliation & hope.  We hope you take your studies and integrate them with a social gospel fire.  If we could have be assured and gotten copies in time we would have also got you copies of Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century.  Your life has been shaped by a financial collapse and the awareness of the 1%, income inequality will touch every inch of your life.  You will have to do your part to make sure the world is a just and equitable world. 

            We hope this way of Judson has been as thoughtless as your next breath.  This is the Horace Bushnell model, the erudite antebellum & abolitionists Congregational pastor.  We are hoping osmosis works.  Speaking of osmosis, my Greek and Latin professor encouraged us to sleep with our readers under our pillows; he advocated academic osmosis.  When asked if it will work, he replied, “it cant hurt.” 

           

4.  Finally, we hope you embrace a vocation and not use your time over the next few years just pursuing a job.  Listen to your life, your choices, your loves, your passions they all are parts of the voice of God.  And I hope you too will consider the ministry.  Like I’ve told my kids, you can be anything you want to be as long as you are radical Baptist pastors.  When they roll their eyes, I reply, how else are we going to create a theological dynasty?  In all seriousness I hope you embrace a life in the service of others.  For 18 years of Sundays you have been surrounded by a community that has given of itself in the service for others. 

            How many of you are ordained?

            How many of you are married to someone who is ordained?

            How many of you went to seminary?

            How many of you have worked on a church staff?

            How many of you are counselors or social workers?

            How many of you are PKs or MKs?

            How many of you have passed on higher paying jobs to remain in a

meaningful vocation?

We have given you a fragile treasure in an earthen vessel, we trust it with you now. 

            In closing.  Because churches like Judson are few and far between you have our blessing to seek a non-American Baptist church, if you cannot find another Judson.  However, if we hear that you have either started attending an evangelical campus group and are going around declaring that you have found the truth and now see the Judson way as wicked & heretical or you are attending a Presbyterian church and loving it, I will form a posse and will arrange an intervention. 

The Lord Bless You and Keep You.  Amen & Amen.