tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52398087493326762122024-03-13T13:11:51.173-07:00Summer SabbaticalPastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-25683822773267897102016-05-06T12:50:00.004-07:002016-05-06T12:50:44.771-07:00Reflections on a Ministry A few weeks ago, one of the members of Trinity, Steve Iverson, asked if he could interview me for a television program that he does for a local television station in Lexington. He likes to interview people he finds interesting, so I was honored to be the third person in his series of interviews. He asked me about my reasons for becoming a pastor, why I'm retiring, and what I think about some current issues. The edited interview is about one hour long and can be viewed here: <a href="http://vp.telvue.com/preview?id=T01123&video=274897" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1462550152814_74714" target="_blank">http://vp.telvue.com/preview?id=T01123&video=274897</a>Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-69333829561516171222016-03-15T15:47:00.002-07:002016-03-15T15:47:55.703-07:00Retirement and Health In February I announced my retirement, to take effect in June, with my last Sunday being June 19. Since then, several people have asked me if I am retiring due to poor health. It's a fair question, considering that I have spent more time in the hospital in 2015 than in all the years of my life previously. Indeed, my last surgery, in January of this year, was for another hernia, and it kept me away from my work for a few days, with several weeks of not lifting anything heavier than a gallon of milk.<br />
The answer is no, I am not retiring because of ill health. I feel fine, and none of the procedures I have had done show any sign of needing any further treatment. As I said in a newsletter article, it's kind of like going for a walk on the rail-trail with Doreen in the spring, when we feel we could walk forever in the fresh warm air and bright sunlight. We like to turn back soon enough to get to the car when we are tired. The trick is to know when to turn back while we are still feeling good so that we won't be worn out before we make it back to the car. I want to retire before I am worn out so that we can enjoy some more free time together.<br />
I know I am going to die some day, and I'd like to retire first. I know people who do it the other way, and I'd not like to join them. My Dad died at the age of 79, and my Mom died at 81. If I last until the average of 80, I have 13 more years. I hope to live beyond that, but we never know.<br />
In thinking about retirement, Doreen and I imagine going for more walks together on a regular basis. Maybe we will join a gym together, which is an experience we have shared briefly in the past. On the ELCA retirement web-site, I read about a program called "Silver Sneakers." If you sign up for this, you can visit any Silver Sneakers affiliated gym in the country for free. That sounds like fun! While I can't do many of the physical work-outs I have done in the past, there is still a lot that I can do. (At the time of this writing, our daughter, Kendra, is hiking and skiing in the Himalayas at about 17,931 feet. We just enjoy the pictures she sends.)<br />
We all know that there will be more health issues as we age. We also know that there is a lot we do to take care of ourselves so that we don't need so many medications and so many visits to the doctor. I hope to take advantage of the very good health I have now in my later years. Thank you for asking.Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-77813705087178016392015-12-02T04:06:00.000-08:002015-12-02T04:06:43.983-08:00Who Is a Refugee? In the present humanitarian and political crisis over refugees from Syria and Iraq, the term "refugee" is used to describe different people on the run from their countries. However, there are at least three different variants on this word, and keeping them straight will help in any discussion of refugees.<br />
First, a refugee is someone fleeing for their lives from their own country. You may remember that during the Katrina hurricane, we heard about refugees from New Orleans. Actually, they were not refugees, but rather "displaced people" because they were still in their own country. There are now millions of refugees fleeing from the violence in Syria and Iraq, and they are rushing across international borders.<br />
Second, many of the refugees in this first category, but not all of them, will qualify for refugee status from the United Nations. From the website for UNHCR we find this: <i>The 1951 Refugee Convention spells out that a refugee is someone who
"owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race,
religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or
political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is
unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the
protection of that country." </i>Sometimes,<i> </i>people flee from their own countries, but if they do not fit this definition, they do not receive this status from the UN.<i></i><br />
<i> </i>Third, only people who have refugee status according to the UN can be considered to be refugees who come to the United States. Refugee status in the United States is very difficult to achieve and requires a complex vetting process from the FBI, State Department, and Homeland Security.<i> </i>People from all of these three categories are worthy of our prayers, but most of us will ever get to meet only people from the third category. Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-51019908031671217652015-11-24T13:28:00.002-08:002015-11-24T13:28:23.849-08:00Refugees Are NOT the Threat We Need Fear As many of you already know, Doreen and I have had decades of experience
working with refugees, including people from Iraq and Syria. People in
the US and elsewhere are understandably more concerned with security
after the ISIS attacks last week. In our balancing concern for security
with our concern for compassion, there are at least two things you need
to know, particularly in regards to refugees.<br /> First, a terrorist from another country who wanted to do harm to the US wo<span class="text_exposed_show">uld
most likely enter our country with a tourist or student visa. This is
the route that the 9/11 terrorists used. To get one, you just visit a US
embassy for a ten minute interview. The visa takes about two weeks and
is good for multiple entries for six years. If the terrorist is a
national citizen, from, say, France or Belgium, or any other western
European nation, the terrorist would not need a visa, but only a
passport, much like it takes US citizens to visit Europe.<br /> Second,
if a terrorist wanted to enter the US as a refugee, the daunting task
of getting all the clearances would take about two years. Here are two
sites that describe the current process, the second site goes into more
detail. <a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F&h=BAQFexJGCAQHmOvkN2CdHuQQE67EQUigkAgWLdADj_wqzaw&enc=AZNXLOx9KRx1GjTgUEmUDT7L5ASh2LTp3qmpMurKXrFsTnXLpocl1Sgp1aVRrUBth3HpxWbhxE-moYSUUaVfAROhbv9E4_8coT87ReZHgvcAGWVhTDwecamZxcz3vHdonMHi_-eF4WIZY8yDjmGOwXPuJXYk_fYsc8EXa5e3D6DThv_iDGLECypfx3uckx6ZkjhJKg6yLyRU7No6BuRkL--X&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/</a>…/why-it-takes-two-years-for-syrian-…<br /> (The second site:) <a href="https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.americanprogress.org%2F&h=pAQELRwXkAQHPXqgnc0vc064fVNsjcXKhDEygcfkrE1ikig&enc=AZMFcMEtQmsxPpUIdZUVoKv-wb4xEWXGhjYd0D_6c7hGRo2jQBaLX-FGJzNicxJVOIZPJ864DT2MFE5bLdrQsqw0RHiwqaz5U2VaxZa5e5mW1ovGds8n0BvlhDrHS0YlOzOq5zLvim6HXhPCGsokMXWZvPdjWiYxkDvqRu_5qvohtXt0vPuln9EKoAhDLnVusEOjCYbuuVk6dky2MTCX3TYH&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.americanprogress.org/</a>…/infographic-the-screen…/…<br />
When our government leaders target refugees as threats to our
security, they are missing the point of protecting our safety, and they
are attacking some of the most vulnerable people in the world. As
followers of Jesus, we can call for compassion and justice without
sacrificing any security on this issue. We have already sponsored
refugees from Iraq and Syria. I hope we can do it again, and I would
welcome them into our home.</span>Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-15532417540094082192015-11-18T07:17:00.003-08:002015-11-18T07:22:44.201-08:00Can People of Different Faiths Worship Together? I was very happy to be able to go to the Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration last Sunday. I have been a part of the planning process for several months, and since it was at Trinity, I certainly wanted to welcome all of our guests. Also, it was a rare opportunity to get out, since I am still recovering from the surgery of October 30. Since I did not have to stand much, or lead in any difficult way, I thought it would be good for me, and it was.<br />
I also hope it was good for all of the people who gathered, and I believe it was. Imagine Christians, Jews, Muslims, Unitarians, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Native Americans, and others all assembling in one room to give thanks in various ways to the God who has created us. Was this a worship service? No, we called it a "celebration" or a "gathering." In the light of the attacks from ISIS in Paris, Beirut, Baghdad, and on the Russian plane, it seems more important than ever for people of faith to gather for mutual understanding and friendship. To say that we all worship the same way would be a very long stretch, so we chose not to raise that question. Yes, there are major differences among our various faith traditions, but there are also enough common principles that can draw us together, especially in times of crisis.<br />
One of the best parts of the event was the food; not just because we all need to eat, but because we had the leisure to eat with one another and engage in conversation. What a wonderfully diverse community we have in our area! Getting to know one another so that we can share our joys and sorrows is the first step in bringing more peace to our troubled world.<br />
Even as we are opening our doors and hearts to one another, there are moves in our nation to limit the welcome to Syrian refugees. This is extremely myopic. At least one of the terrorists was a French National; shall we ban all French Nationals from visiting our country? One of the suspects is a Belgian National: are all Belgians now suspect? The shooters carried guns: try banning the carrying of guns in the USA and see how far that goes. So why target refugees from Syria?<br />
I am proud that we could host this Interfaith Gathering at Trinity, and I am proud of how we welcome refugees, including those from Syria. (Remember the Osman family.) We worship the Prince of Peace, and in His name we love our neighbors as ourselves.Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-53931847509744005852015-11-11T07:09:00.000-08:002015-11-11T07:09:01.907-08:00Missing Church on Sunday I'm recovering nicely at home now. I don't get out much, except to walk up and down the street for 20 minutes at a time. Except for the trip to the hospital for the post-op review, I have only been out to someone else's house for a Spanish discussion on Monday morning. Someone from the group drove me from home and back, just under two hours for the whole event. It was nice to be in discussion with friends again.<br />
The hardest thing to miss so far has been church on Sunday. I prayed for people during the time of worship, but not being there with everyone just did not feel quite right. At least I knew I would not have to stand for a long period of time, which is much more tiring than walking, I find. What struck me the most about the time I spent home on Sunday morning is that the morning went by fast; much faster than it seems when we are in worship together. There is so much to see and hear at worship. There are so many people, and so many conversations. It feels like the most exhilarating part of my entire week. It is also the time that requires the most energy, which I have now in short supply. That's why I'm not trying to lead worship again, yet. <br />
So once again, I am thankful for Karen Goltz and Tom Barrington, who are filling in for me on Sundays. The Interfaith Thanksgiving Gathering will be at Trinity on Sunday afternoon, and I hope to be there. I've been a part of the planning for this for a long time, and I will have very little to do, so I think I can make it. I just will try not to stand for conversations very long. I just don't want to miss it. Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-60168211066098403192015-11-03T12:13:00.001-08:002015-11-03T12:15:04.510-08:00Recovery at the Hospital The surgery at the hospital went very well. The team removed three cysts instead of just one, and I came home on Sunday afternoon, as planned. I spent about 25 hours in the recovery room, which by Sunday morning, was very sparsely populated. I had a lot of time to think and pray, but I don't know how coherent I was at either of those activities, although God has already taken care of the prayer part in knowing before I do what I am praying.<br />
The coherence of thought, or lack thereof, has been an interesting experience. With so little to occupy my mind, I played with the breathing part of the monitor. I could make the squiggly white line do things by just altering my breathing. I was able to get the breathing rate up to 47 with short breaths, and down to 6 with long slow breaths. The latter set off some sort of little alarm, so I decided to stop that fun.<br />
The most interesting things happening were visits from the staff, from my family, and from Karen Goltz who paid me a pastoral visit. In all these times, I seemed <i>to me</i> to be rational. However, Doreen told me I had been uncharacteristically chatty. One nurse reminded me I had met her in the pre-op room, but I needed prompting to recall our pleasant conversation. There were times when, of course, I did not remember things, but this time, by concentrating, I was able to discover some things that I remembered knowing before I forgot them.<br />
This all has seemed interesting to me because I am aware of how amazingly frail and vulnerable I am during this whole procedure. It's not very difficult for me to surrender control to professionals and to God during all of this, but it is a bit unnerving to be losing a bit of my mind, a tad of my personality, and a lot of my personal space. When an "event" is putting on a jonny, or simply standing up by myself, then I know how far from "normal" I have strayed.<br />
Now I would like to draw a profound conclusion from all of this, but I don't have one. Even if I did, I'm not sure if I am just rambling, or if I have opened up a new door to self-understanding. So for today, I just leave all this as a group of observations. One thing I do know, however, is how profoundly thankful I am for all of the people taking care of me during this vulnerable time. If you are reading this, you are probably among them, and so I say "Thank you!"Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-21718725669009078422015-10-28T14:44:00.000-07:002015-10-28T14:44:21.647-07:00On to the Hospital! Last June I had a double spigelian hernia operation, which is on one's belt line. The surgery went very well and related problems were fixed. Two weeks later I developed a severe infection and went back to the emergency room. In trying to find the cause of the infection, the medical team found an unrelated problem: a suspicious cyst on my right kidney. My doctor was concerned, but not alarmed. "If you were old," she said, "we would not bother with it at all, but you are only 66." Then she added, "On the other hand, if you were young, we would be all over this, but you are already 66." <br />
So I'm happy that we found this, and that robotic surgery will be able to remove the cyst. I have confidence in the surgeon and other personnel at the Lahey Hospital in Burlington. The surgery is now scheduled for Friday, October 30, and I expect to be sent home on Sunday, November 1. I have no pain, nor any other symptoms, and I am neither worried nor anxious about the procedures. I just regret missing so many interested things and people during the recovery process. I had thought I would be back to normal in just a few days, but the pre-op doctor told me to not go back to work or drive for at least 4 weeks, and that the surgeon will be recommending 6 weeks! That will cover all of November, and maybe parts of December. It's like a long vacation without the fun parts of travel and trying new things to do, to eat, and to drink.<br />
As I have been musing about the upcoming days, I have been thinking that it will actually be something new. I've never had surgery this invasive, and I've never been laid up this long. I suspect God will be teaching me something new, but if it is patience I need to learn then I must be in the graduate level of that course, as I've been learning that for decades. Maybe I will learn some new ways of communicating, like reviving this blog, which was a great friend up until 2013, when I turned to other interests. So for those that want to read what's on my mind, this will be the place to find it. For now, I am so thankful for all the people who are filling in for me in my various responsibilities, and for all the people who are praying for me and wishing me well. "I thank my God every time I remember you." (Phil 1:4)Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-36655166147499735042013-09-25T15:06:00.000-07:002013-09-26T09:58:42.489-07:00A New Culture All around Us Among the ways in which I enjoy people from other cultures is through travel and learning Spanish. This morning I started reviewing my completed lessons on the Rosetta Stone program. I can sure use the practice! <br />
I am also finding that one of the new cultures is not so far away, but is already among us in the church. So much is changing so fast, and many old ways of doing things that were effective for sharing the Gospel before no longer have the positive impact they once had. While sometimes this is frustrating, I also find it exciting. We can discover new ways of being a faith community together: it's like going to a different culture without ever leaving home.<br />
In two of my sermons this month I cited an interview on the American Public Radio program "On Being." The interview is with a Lutheran pastor from Denver, who is very much out-of-the-ordinary in terms of how she looks, talks, and has come to be called as a pastor. Nadia Bolz-Weber is a powerful voice in the Lutheran Church, and in the wider Christian community. Since I have quoted her from the interview, I think it is time to share the link so that you can see and hear the entire interview. It goes for an hour and 16 minutes, including the sight and sound of a freight train that interrupted the flow of the conversation.<br />
Maybe that's kind of symbolic. Our ways of being the church have been interrupted by unexpected voices that need to be heard. Maybe our time is not so different from the time of the Reformation, or Constantine's Conversion, or countless times in the Bible when God interrupted history to show us something new about God's grace. Here is the interview: <a href="http://www.onbeing.org/blog/nadia-bolz-weber-talks-tattoos-resurrection-and-gods-disruption-video/5921" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1380203251455_49620" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.onbeing.org/blog/nadia-bolz-weber-talks-tattoos-resurrection-and-gods-disruption-video/5921</a>Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-24997069770849631702013-08-23T08:16:00.001-07:002013-08-23T08:16:47.457-07:00Big Milestone for Me and My Car<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VerWwqIBC-U/UgzmFDcomKI/AAAAAAAAAFI/AxL2cCWMGxA/s1600/200000+Miles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VerWwqIBC-U/UgzmFDcomKI/AAAAAAAAAFI/AxL2cCWMGxA/s320/200000+Miles.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I saw this one coming, so I pulled my car off the road and took this picture. Yes, you can see from the speedometer that the car is stopped, and that the right blinker is working. I think this is the first time I have driven a car this far. Once before, we came close, going over 190000 miles before we gave it away and bought a van that was better able to fit our growing family.<br />
It took a lot of care to get to this milestone, and I learned some things about cars in the process, like a better way to take care of our tires. It made me think of other milestones, like the 25th anniversary of the ELCA, and the 50th anniversary of our building here at Trinity Lutheran Church. We will celebrate the former with a day of service in our community on September 8, and the latter by fixing the roof and the brickwork.<br />
Continuing to take care of our car will be a challenge as we head on through the next 100000 miles. It's getting older and will require different kinds of care. Being in the church also has some new challenges as we head into the next years. In many ways, there is more uncertainty now, but some things are clear as we look at the changes around us. The church needs to be a more welcoming place in ways that are new. We need to abandon the illusion that we have all the answers, and we need to find new ways of engaging peoples' difficult questions. We will be less like advice givers, and more like companions on the many journeys through life.<br />
I learn a lot from Bishop Jim Hazelwood, who is also celebrating a milestone of being our Bishop for one year. His blog struggles with the many questions of where our church is headed. He also asks interesting questions, and has interesting ways of keeping in touch with people. He is not only influential, but he also has creative ways of sharing his influence. He has worked hard while getting to this first year milestone, and many of us have learned a lot about leadership as he has shared his journey with us.<br />
We are all learning together. Our milestones show where we have been, and we are creating new milestones along the way.Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-83395210525323690192013-08-14T16:44:00.001-07:002013-08-14T16:44:25.807-07:00No More Endless Circling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AVKn2cofPG8/UgwN8zDtouI/AAAAAAAAAE4/5DPMbN7NNrY/s1600/Blog+Pics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AVKn2cofPG8/UgwN8zDtouI/AAAAAAAAAE4/5DPMbN7NNrY/s400/Blog+Pics.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
I used this picture by m.c.escher in a sermon to illustrate a point about the faith of Abraham. In his day, faith was in circular patterns. The Egyptians had a daily cycle of Ra rising each morning in triumph over the powers of darkness. Each evening Ra would descend to do battle again, and the Egyptian priests would pray for Ra's success. It worked, because the sun would rise every morning.<br />
The Mesopotamians had an annual cycle of life appearing in the spring, coming to flourish in the summer, and dying off in the winter. Fertility rituals in the spring would assure that the earth would bring forth the bounty of new life. The gods were going in circles, and faith in these gods meant following the rituals that assured the cycles continued.<br />
When God spoke to Abram (Genesis 12), the Word was to break any of the cycles Abram had already understood. God called him to move to a new place that God would show to Abram. This God was not interested in cyclical rituals, but rather in a faith and trust that would bring God and God's people (Abram's descendants) together. This was a powerful idea that led to the founding of the world's great faith of Judaism and later Christianity. Muslims also trace their faith origins to Abram, a.k.a. Abraham.<br />
Sometimes today we find ourselves going in circles. Our God calls us to do new things. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning."<br />
Christian churches throughout the United States are undergoing great changes. The patterns we were used to no longer hold the interest of all of our members, and do not attract visitors the way they did in the recent past. We don't know precisely where God is calling us, but we do know that we do not have to run in circles. Sometimes breaking the patterns simply means doing one new thing.<br />
I have encouraged my congregation to read the story of Abraham, beginning with Genesis 12. The rest of Genesis is the story of one very important family, over four generations. You cannot understand Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or the relationship among them without understanding this family. One new thing might simply be reading their story.Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-19353726726382741432013-05-07T13:24:00.000-07:002013-05-07T13:30:16.704-07:00Meeting the Cambodian Community in Lowell<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Sunday, May 5, I attended the
Commemoration of the Cambodian genocide which began 38 years ago and took
nearly 2 million lives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The event was
sponsored by GLILA, the Greater Lowell Interfaith Leadership Alliance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I joined this group last fall as a new way of
being connected with the diversity of communities right here at home.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The event took place at the Glory
Temple on Hale St. in Lowell. I had never been there before, and I had not
known of its existence. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have heard
that Buddhism is a philosophy that is compatible with all other faiths. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The place looked like a religious place of
worship, so I inquired whether Buddhism is a religion or a philosophy, and I
was told it depends on who you ask. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Note
the picture of the central shrine. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
were also many paintings on the wall depicting the life of the Buddha.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several faith traditions were
represented with talks, prayers, songs, and poetry. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most moving part of the presentation was
the life story of two of the survivors of the genocide. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were just children when they and their
families were subjected to the cruelty and brutality of the Khmer Rouge
government. The stories were astounding in their horror. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, the people were gracious and generous,
some of them being real leaders in the Lowell community. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was impressed by their resilience.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the presentations, we were
all invited outside for refreshments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most
of the food was Cambodian, although there were a few desserts that Westerners
would recognize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed the
"sticky rice," made just like I remember from a Laotian family that
lived with us for a few weeks in the 1980's. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also sampled some excellent spring rolls, a
dainty dessert of a kind of fried dough, and another dessert that was made with
seaweed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hospitality was wonderful.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still don’t know if Buddhism is a
religion or a philosophy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do know that
the people who are practicing it in Lowell have been through some horrors that
are hard to imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If their practice
has helped to make them stronger people, then I pray that God will continue to
bless them with more healing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so
blessed to have met them.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-45476249407729865072013-05-01T15:11:00.003-07:002013-05-03T14:27:46.042-07:00Understanding Honduras in Joy and in Grief My most recent trip to Honduras was April 16 through 23. April 15 was the day of the bombing in Boston, and we were just getting the news as that infamous day was ending. I wondered how much news I would be able to get while we were in Honduras, since we had no internet, TV, nor radio. Yet, we had people on the street, and they consoled us when they heard we were from the Boston area, and they gave us news updates as the week went on. Even though we were far from home, I felt like we were one community, and the people of Honduras grieved with us.<br />
Our group spent more energy than usual getting to know the people of the town, Yuscaran, and the village where we were staying, Los Tablones. We made many new friends to go along with the ones we had already made on previous trips. While I was the translator for most of our Spanish conversations while we were there, the people in our group had little trouble communicating with hand gestures and a limited vocabulary. I never cease to be amazed at how people who want to, are able to communicate over language barriers when they care about each other.<br />
The work we are continuing in Yuscaran is the construction of a new church building for the Episcopal church there. While the work has seemed to be nearing completion, the plan has now changed to include an additional third floor. The original plan called for a meeting room in the "basement" and the sanctuary on the floor above. Now the plan calls for an additional story that will be used for offices or for the residence of the local pastor. While this may be a good use of limited space, it also means that the sanctuary will have little light or ventilation that would have come from dormers on the roof. The new plan needs some more discussion, but has already been a part of the continuing construction. The work we did this year was to mix cement on the floor and to help haul it up about 15 feet to be poured on parts of the new ceiling of the sanctuary, which is also the floor of the third story. As in the past, we used muscles in ways which were new to us.<br />
One of the people I look forward to seeing when I go to Honduras is a young man who is now 17 years old. His name is Selvin and he helped me with my infant Spanish on my first trip in 2010. He wants to be a translator and is learning English. In 2011 I brought him a Spanish-English, English-Spanish dictionary to augment his studies. This year I learned he cannot study at night because he has no electricity at home, and batteries are very expensive. He uses candle-light, but has been advised that this is not good for his eyes. So I gave him the money to purchase a solar light that uses bright LED bulbs, and is powered by the sun during the day. (Solar power is really catching on in Honduras.) Then I asked him what he is using for a textbook, and he told me the only book he has is the dictionary I gave him three years ago. I know the kinds of resources I need to learn Spanish, and my three dictionaries are only part of the list! My heart goes out to the students of Honduras who would give just about anything to have the educational resources we in the USA can take for granted.<br />
My friendships with people in Honduras are getting stronger. Part of this is the frequency with which we have been able to get together. Part of it is the ease of e-mail with which I can communicate with some of my friends there. Part of it is my growing familiarity with their language. This year, part of it is the grief and caring I saw in their faces and heard in their words when we in the Boston area were experiencing violence and mindless terror. It's a long way in miles to Honduras, but it does not seem so far in my heart. <br />
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Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-14317253960079883412013-03-26T08:14:00.000-07:002013-03-26T08:14:03.059-07:00World Hunger and Global Mission in Mexico I have accepted an invitation to be a part of a new event being held in Mexico and Washington, DC in the first week in April. The event combines the interests of people working on the ELCA World Hunger Appeal, and those who work with the ELCA Global Missions. This is good news for us in New England because our two Synod groups have been working this way for at least two years. We attend the same regional workshops together, and promote each other's programs. <br />
There is a natural link between these groups. Most of the money given to the World Hunger Appeal is used for development projects in other countries, although about 25% is used for similar projects in the United States. The Global Misson Team also works in countries all over the world, and helps people to make special connections through service and travel. In New England, the trips are to Honduras and to the Holy Land. Since I have an avid interest in both of these areas, I have joined both committees.<br />
This trip to Mexico will explore the links between hunger and justice issues that touch on the interests of both groups. The end of the event is in Washington, DC, where we will participate in the ELCA Advocacy Days. This is an effort to influence United States foreign policy in various ways that would actully help the people in the countries where we as a nation spend spend money. Our church and the churches we work with in other countries have a unique perspective to share. I will be learning more about this.<br />
I am thankful to Pastor Karen Goltz who will be leading worship in my absence. I leave on April 1 and return on April 8. This will be another adventure in faith where my fledging skills in Spanish will be useful.Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-78429964526209088592013-01-24T14:43:00.000-08:002013-01-24T14:44:45.995-08:00Learning Another's Culture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Can you guess where these pictures were taken? They are from my visit with Pastor Dagoberto last week. It was really fun to show him some of my favorite museums. Lowell in the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution, and I wanted my friend to have a sense of the important history that surrounds us here. We started by looking at the waterfall in the Merrimack River. That waterfall is the reason why Lowell is where it is. It provided the water power that drove the engines of industry here.</div>
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When I saw Dagoberto in the mill or in the space suit, I realized how far from home he was; not just in distance, but also culturally. I often asked him what he liked best from our day's adventures, and invariably he would say, "Todos!" "Everything!"</div>
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At the dinner on Thursday, someone asked him what things would be most useful to give to him for his ministry in Honduras. He said what he wanted most was our friendship. Yes, it was great to have people come to construct a church building in Yuscaron, but what we were really building was friendships. He is in Florida how, and he called to say he made it OK, and he wanted me to extend his blessing to all the people here. He has some new friends at Trinity!</div>
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When we go to Honduras, especially for the first time, it may seem as strange as putting on a space suit. The language is different, the money is different, and the ways in which people interact is also different. People there do not have much in the way of material gifts, but they really pay attention to one another. They make us guests feel safe and welcome. The only way to really know this is to put aside our impressive wealth for a time and to receive the friendship the people of Honduras offer.</div>
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I am so happy he was here. I am also so happy to be going back to visit him and his people in April. There is still time to register to come with me. <em>The pictures are from the National Industrial Park, the American Textile Museum, and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. </em></div>
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Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-33315451657813319462013-01-16T10:47:00.000-08:002013-01-16T10:47:01.595-08:00Getting Ready for Dagoberto Today I am getting ready to greet my friend, Pastor Dagoberto Chacon. The last time I saw him was in Yuscaron in December, as in the picture below. I had hoped to have him here for Bishop Jim Hazelwood's installation as bishop, but he missed his flight due to an accident that blocked his way to the airport. So we have rescheduled him to come now. I wonder how much snow he has seen before, because it is snowing now.<br />
I'm looking forward to the Spanish immerson I will need for the next two days. I plan to take him to the National Park in Lowell on Thursday, and we have a dinner at church that evening. On Friday I hope he will play volleyball with me and my friends early in the morning. Then we will go to Boston to visit the Museum of Science or the Museum of Fine Arts. The MFA has a display of Meso-American art, and I'm hoping Dagoberto might have some insights for me from that period of time of his ancestors. I hope my vocabularly can expand enough to understand.<br />
I am especially interested in his reactions to life here in the Boston Area. When Pastor Mamkwe from Tanzania visited us a few years ago, he was fgascinated by all the machines we have to deal with the snow. Since he was fascinated, I became fascinated as well, seeing familiar objects through new eyes.Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-86570820284216114942012-12-03T19:33:00.001-08:002012-12-03T19:59:23.274-08:00A Clinic in the Mountains<span class="userContent">This morning we visited the Emmanuel Clinic Episcopal, They serve 2000 local people in need of medical treatment each year. I don't know how they manage this with the lack of resources and medications that I witnessed. Heart breaking.....<br /> How can we come along side....<br /> Might be time for a medical/dental mission.</span><br />
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Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-8621777095313126482012-12-02T19:09:00.001-08:002012-12-03T20:29:52.369-08:00On to Yuscaran Worship today was at Iglesia Cristo Rey in Danli. The people are SO friendly: passing of the peace included hugs and kisses. The music was excellent. They had a praise band with five musicians, who sang songs everybody knew The Lord:s prayer was sung to the tune of "Sound of Silence" and it was very moving.<br />
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From there we went to Yuscaran. The work on the church has been progressing, and the ceiling of the sanctuary is going into place. (See the pictures.) This will be the floor of the third story of the building, and will have rooms for the pastor:s family so rhe very crowded quarters can be expanded. It was great to see Pastor Dagoberto and Ediberto again.<br />
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Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-88310363953288665782012-12-01T20:23:00.000-08:002012-12-01T20:46:15.862-08:00Getting Specific<br />
We began breakfast this morning with a discussion of some of the things we had seen yesterday. We have been wondering if there is a better way to evaluate the projects in which we participate before we begin working on them. We want to make sure that the projects we help to build are really helping the community in which they are built. One resource for thinking about this is the book<u> When Helping Hurts</u>, by Brian Fikkert. Our first priorty is building lasting relationships with the people with whom we are working..<br />
One excellent project has been the rebuilding of the church in San Marcos. The church was destroyed when an earthquake ripped through the sanctuary. We promised to help rebuild the sanctuary if the local people would take responsibility for tearing down the destroyed one. Partners from New England then supplied money and labor to work with the parishioners to rebuild. We toured the property and it is quite beautiful, and the people there know some of us by name. Our next step is to strengthen the relationships by communicating more fully what our respective communities are doing in our own places.<br />
Another excellent example has been the construction of the new church in Yuscaran. People from St. Andrews in Charlestown, RI helped the local people to first dig the foundation. Later, other people from New England joined in this effort alongside of the vibrant community here. Last April the walls were completed, and this coming April we will be helping with the floor of the sanctuary. The completion of the roof will be left to the skilled workers here in Honduras. Scolarships that have been provided to the pastor here, Rev. Dagoberto Chacon, have been well used and children are doing well in school.<br />
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Bishop Allen has also been working on keeping our projects effective and accountable, and he now has two new people on his staff, Rev. Lura Kaval, and her husband, Rick Harlow, who will be helping to coordinate the projects in the future. They are the missionaries we mentioned in a previous blog.Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-80664742355668838752012-11-30T20:32:00.000-08:002012-11-30T20:32:13.604-08:00 We began our day by attending the dedication of a new AIDS awareness garden here in San Pedro Sula. Bishop Allen led the invocation and has been a large part of the ministry to people with AIDS. December 1 is designated as AIDS Awareness Day, and this ceremony was a part of that. Millions of people are infected with AIDS, and thousands more are being infected each year. I am so thankful that the church here is in the forefront of comabatting this disease. <br />
The rest of the day was spent visiting churches where mission projects are underway or could be started. One of the most interesting projects would be at a small church called "Our Lady of the disenfrachised." The roof here needs to be replaced and the vast majority of members are women with children. There is a model here in Honduras for bringing men together for worship and Bible study, and fixing the roof could be a way of bringing, men women and children back togeather for purposful fellowship.<br />
We also visited San Marcos, where the sanctuary floor was split down the middle during an earthquake. The church has been rebuilt by mission partners and needs only a ceiling and paint of the walls.<br />
Finally, we visited the Episcopal retreat center in Omoa. What a beautiful facility! This would definitely be a great place to house and feed ou mission partners at the end of the day.<br />
Tomorrow we head for Tegucigalpa. It has been a very busy day that concluded with a giant traffic jam of which we could not see the ending.Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-23666593464152036772012-11-29T19:17:00.002-08:002012-12-03T20:03:29.030-08:00AccompanimentSteve and I have had some great conversations today about the accompaniment model for mission trips. This means that we do not impose ourselves on the people in other countries with our values and our money, but rather that we "walk with" them in their various ministries and struggles. We met two missionaries today who are also working with this concept. It means that there is mutual respect on both sides of the mission trip, and that both parties have something to give as well as to receive. We know that we have money to give, but those who have been on these trips know that we receive so much as well, especially in the way we see real community flourish among people who have less material wealth to worry about. We will be exploring this theme more on this trip.<br />
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Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-14791597329076217822012-11-28T14:41:00.003-08:002012-11-28T14:41:35.874-08:00I am about to go to Honduras for six days. I will be travelling with Steve Dumas, and we will be exploring mission opportunities with Bishop Allen and other leaders in the Episcopal Church of Honduras. I anticipate that this will be the next new high point in my study of Latin American Spanish. If the technology will permit it, I plan to blog each day to keep you informed of what we are learning. Hasta mana<em>n</em>a.Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-58466359589680673812010-09-04T08:08:00.000-07:002010-09-04T08:42:26.590-07:00New Perspectives on MexicoThe last time I posted a blog was when I was in Cuernivaca. In Mexico City and then in Pepperell my access to the internet was very limited. Now that our phone line at home has been repaired, I am eager to share the framework of some new perspectives I have found from looking at immigration issues from the Mexican side of the border.<br /><br />I vaguely remember the history of the Mexican-American War. The part I remember most was the story of the Alamo in the Walt Disney series "Davy Crockett." From the other side of the border, that war is known as the "North American Invasion." Mexico at one time included not only present day Texas, which I think every US citizen already knows, but it also included several other current US states. The northern border of Mexico was in present day Oregon! There is still resentment there over that war which had the expanding US take nearly half of the country of Mexico.<br /><br />Many people in the US who are of Mexican descent say their ancestors never crossed the border into the US, but rather the border crossed them. Many of them had ancestors here since the 1500's, which is before the first English settlement in Jamestown. When Cortez conquered the Aztecs, it was with the help of thousands of indigenous peoples who had been subjugated by the Aztecs. Cortez writes that he had 1000 Spanish conquistators and 50,000 native warriors in his invasion force. Today there are at least 65 languages spoken in Mexico, most of them being the ancient indigenous languages. This is especially difficult for Mexican workers who migrate to the US and speak neither English nor Spanish.<br /><br />The US - Mexican border had been "porous" for centuries, with workers, usually farmers, moving north in the harvest season and moving south when the harvest was over. With the passage of NAFTA in 1994, the number of workers trying to migrate north doubled to 500,000 annually, since the large multinational corporations took over the agricultural sector of the Mexican economy and put so many poor farmers out of business. I was amazed at how hated is the NAFTA agreement among the people in Mexico. There was even an armed uprising among peasant farners just before it was approved. They said it was a death sentence for them. They were right, as many of them died trying to come north since their own economic livelihood at home had been detroyed. The borders were closed more tightly as part of the NAFTA program. Capital would now move more freely across the borders, but people would move less freely. <br /><br />I don't know what I think about US immigration policies, but I do think about it more now, and from some new perspectives. I have friends in Mexico, and I often understand what they are saying in their own language, at least if it is in Spanish!Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-7944023723469361652010-08-19T18:48:00.000-07:002010-08-19T19:16:52.062-07:00La Fiesta en la IglesiaThe fiesta (party) at the church was not only a great deal of fun, but it was also remarkable in at least two ways as I think about Trinity.<br /><br />First of all, it was celebrated on the day of the feast of the Assumption of Mary. That is also the name of the particular congregation where the fiesta was held. Some of the other Lutheran pastors here spoke of how they annually celebrate the life of the congregation on a special day. That would be easy for us, since there is already a day named ¨Trinity Sunday.¨ It is the Sunday after Pentecost, which is 50 days after Easter. I think it would be wonderful fun to reflect on the name of our church each year, and to celebrate in a way that would bring us all together around the ministry we now share, and have shared down through the years.<br /><br />Secondly, the fiesta was a very major event for the whole community. There were lots of vendors just outside the church grounds, selling cooked food, pastries, rides, and various kinds of toys. On the church grounds the fireworks were being set up all afternoon, to be set off after dark. The church was decorated inside with more Easter lillies than I have ever seen in one place. There was ethnic dancing and at least two musical groups, one of which provided music to which we danced something like a polka. There was fantastic food including a delicious chicken dish, and another with tender pork. Of course there was rice and beans, with the usual condiments of hot peppers, red and green salsa, onions, and cilantro, but there was also a variety of soda and plenty of beer. However, the most remarkable thing is that there was no charge whatsoever for any of this: not the entertainment, nor the food, and not even the beer. The people of the congregation provide everything for everybody and use the event to give a wonderful gift to the community! There were hundreds of people there. It was not the congregation of our hosts, but it was in the neighborhood, and so we went.<br /><br />I have never seen or heard of a congregation giving such a lavish party for the community. I have no idea of how one would organize such an extravaganza, but it was marvelous to behold!Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5239808749332676212.post-1660837125097729612010-08-19T18:38:00.000-07:002010-08-19T18:48:48.077-07:00Listening without TranslatingWhen we learn a language as children, we just listen and speak, eventually. Then when we try to learn a new language, we have to translate everything in our mind. The two methods I am using, one on the computer and one at our school, try to bypass this need to translate. It is working. I am now able, for about a week, to listen to Spanish and comprehend what is being said without translating first in my mind. It is harder to do this in speaking, but I am excited that my mind can still learn as I did as a child. We are working a lot on grammer. The rules are rather easy to understand, but putting them into practice is more difficult. On Saturday,<br />Doreen returns to the US and I head for my final week in Mexico City. I am so very thankful that I have this wonderful opportunity to study for such a long time!Pastor Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18386566379546394738noreply@blogger.com0