As water from a well..Mt. Tabor, A Birthday, A Son and Jacob's Well

What a day!!! This was Cana's 17th birthday, and we had a little party--she was tearful because she was so tired from her "slumber" party which her dad got the pleasure of hosting this year, but she cheered up. All went fairly well.

Other than that, I started the day by driving out to Mt. Tabor UMC, my southern most church, east and south of Odessa. I had forgotten the kind of mysterious spell that happened to me when I went there for charge conference this fall---honest. I don't know if it's because it reminds me of the church of my childhood, or it's just because the people are so genuinely warm, or maybe it's Barry, but there is something very special about this church. What a truly lovely and worshipful experience that was.

And then, the party.

And then, I did as he asked, and called Doug Strong, a church history prof at Wesley Seminary, who is working with the Foundation for Evangelism on a conference about emergent and United Methodism. We discussed others to include in a planning group, and some ideas that Doug had for it. It is exactly what I have been hoping and praying for for two years. I am nearly giddy.

And then, Caleb went with me to Jacob's Well for the first time. We arrived a bit early, and with about 5 minutes to go, Caleb turned to me and I saw a look on his face that was I thought was a grimace at the music (oh, no, I had hoped he'd like it...maybe it's not hard edge enough, I thought)...but he said to me..."All these people!!!" And at that point there were probably only 200 there---mostly under 30. I realized the look was just one of surprise and not knowing what to do with this experience. He had never seen this many young persons at a regular worship service before ...good to see Mike, Mike, and Tim, and to see Mark Calhoun from afar (you know why the Wise Men smelled of smoke, don't you???...they just came from afar...) Caleb, thank you. And he got to meet Mike Crawford who was very kind and Caleb even said he liked the music...

And then, tomorrow night is emergent saint paul. Yeah!!! Doug told me there are cohorts forming at Perkins and Wesley...

Discernment and Doug

Yesterday I went to lunch with Doug Schroeder (this is not Doug in the picture---it's Jim Wallis!) who is many things to me and my family---Philip Cox-Johnson's business manager for Gospel Colors; drummer in the band at Philip's church; drummer in the contemporary service that lasted two years at Broadway UMC; he and his partner Chris live in the downstairs unit of Philip's duplex; and Doug is a wonderful mature presence in my children's lives; and a generally wonderful person. We went to lunch to talk primarilly about what I thought about gay "marriage." Doug and I had spoken at Caleb's Comparative Religioh class a few weeks ago--Caleb wanted us to talk about Christianity in some way that didn't reinforce the negative stereotype that he thought a lot of the kids had. We talked about things way beyond this one topic---Doug has some sort of call upon his life, around social justice and his faith, that has been spurred on by Jim Wallis and the Sojourners model. It's an exciting time. We also talked about the various approaches different Christian traditions have to these issues---and how so often you have to listen with an ear that helps you separate what for you is the wheat and what is the chaff. Doug said that there is a word that has become very important to him this last year--"discernment." I have really thought about this over the last day---especially while I sit here in cabinet, because we are surely trying to discern some things here too! How does this discernment really happen? For me, it takes root and blossom in practicing the means of grace. I told Doug that I would pray for him, and I think that may have taken him aback a bit---but I will, because the power of prayer, which I don't really know, is great, and because it is something I can do to say "thank you." As Doug was getting out of the car, as he was closing the door, he told me he would pray for me, too. Which I took as a real blessing...a bit of a wondering around, this blog entry is, but that's the way things are....

Godspell and Blockbuster

It is Maundy Thursday, and perhaps for the first time in decades (!) I did not go to a worship service---there was a mini-broohaha about a party with the two teenagers that inhabit my world, and I just ran out of time. Tomorrow I am going to Jacob's Well-- to heck with these Methodists! (no, no I don't mean that of course)
On another subject, I have a really nice stereo in my car that takes 6 CDs. I listen to a variety of music, and on Sunday only to sacred and gospel, etc. This week I thought I'd just listen to that kind of music, too, and put Godspell in. I first saw Godspell in 1973 when a touring cast put it on at SIU. I was so taken with it---it was really a faith high for me. I went by Blockbuster today to turn in a game Caleb had out, and I thought I'd ask if they had Godspell. When I asked about it, the counter guy looked at me grimly, and said, "some people don't like that movie." I said, "Well, I think it's pretty good to watch over Holy Weekend..." He said with a skoatchy bit of Church Lady in his voice, "Some people wouldn't think that would be very good." At that, I ended the discussion, and irritatingly left, with my last word unsaid.."Who in their right mind wouldn't like Godspell???" I mean really, who was he talking about? People that have no imagination and don't want to see Jesus in clown clothing? People who don't believe and find religious films repulsive? People who think Jesus looks like Warner Sallman's 1940s "Head of Christ" with wavy light brown hair, mascara and backlighting??? Give me Jesus, please, but give him to me with some authenticity and real emotion...Give me Godspell any day...So Blockbuster on Highway 291 in Liberty, you better have Godspell on your shelf next year on Maundy Thursday, or I'm gonna say what I REALLY think...

Building a Cross; Henry H. Knight III; and Tattoos

Hal's 8 Life Enriching
Originally uploaded by scoxjohnson.

And that's just a start to how nice my day has been today, really. After getting Caleb over to his teacher's to catch a ride to school this morning, I went to Curves, where, as I stretched out after my workout, I heard two women (who whispered to me they are CATHOLIC...a thing to be whispered in William Jewell country!) talking about how one of the women's husbands built a cross the night before for the Passion Play the church is having this weekend. She said the cross started out just two two by fours nailed together, but then he sanded it, varnished it, etc and it became a real work of art. She said that her husband had a little trouble with one part of it though---they had put two long nails at the top for the actor playing Jesus to hold on to, but they wanted to be authentic and didn't know how tall to make Jesus--where to place the nails??? I've been thinking about that off and on all day..how tall was he???
Then I got to go to lunch with Hal Knight, whom I hadn't talked to much for a couple of months. The two hours we spent at lunch at leasted started to make up for that. I get SO jazzed when I start talking about what I am really interested in about emergent, and Hal, and Lovett Weems too, I cannot thank enough for putting up with me about all this, and both keep heading me in the right direction about this all. I kidded HHK today that everywhere I go, people are quoting 8 life enriching practices.(Kidding, but it is true...what a great book!)
While I was having lunch with Hal, TIm Keel returned a call on a message I had left for him---I had heard "Whispering Dan" the tatoo artist speak at Jacob's Well last summer, and Cana wants a tatoo for her birthday. It was just a magical moment, for that one moment, having gone on and on about my interests in emergent, listening to Hal, and then Tim calls to talk about tatoos. Let's face it folks, life don't get much richer than that!!!

Holy Week, The Cards, and Emergent Saint Paul

Oh, so much to talk about, so little space! It has not escaped me that this is Monday of Holy Week, though it is strange without services to get ready for and Easter to angst over...AND it was the Cardinals Home Opener at the new Busch Stadium! I have the in-demand digital MLB package so I can get lots of Cards games. Today I stood and sang the national anthem along with what was called "the biggest choir ever" (the packed house at Busch. Then of course there is Emergent Saint Paul, a group of which met tonight at the Westport restaurant. There tonight were Jeremy, Mark, Ryan, Mitch, Adam, Richard and Ben. We talked about what it would mean to be United Methodist and emergent. And we will keep talking. Lots of good ideas, lots of love for God's people, some hope for the denomination, some big questions too. Thanks guys, for enriching my life, and keeping me thinking!

Believe, Belong, Become/ Belong, Believe, Become

Marshall
Originally uploaded by scoxjohnson.

Okay, I was at First UMC Marshall this afternoon for the dedication of the church's new family life center. Bishop Schnase preached, and it was truly festive...balloons, beautiful building, banners and a bulletin cover. As I looked at the banners (in the picture...I'm still working on this phone camera thing) I saw they read, left to right Believe, Belong, Become. The front of the bulletin, a lovely bulletin cover it was, I might say said instead: Belong, Beleive, Become...hmmm. Which is it? Many of us reading generational stuff know that younger generations seem often to "belong themselves into believeing," as the seminary graduate is quoted as saying in Robert Webber's "The Younger Evangelicals." There was a time, at least in the more creedal churches, when one had to profess a specific code of beliefs before he or she could belong to that congregation. Now, we know, many people find their faith through some kind of relationship with persons who are already believers. I think Wesley knew this as he continued to work with the small groups that he organized, made up of new believers. I just still wonder about how this relates to so many of our churches who are having a hard time knowing how to relate to younger generations. How much do these church members inadvertantly teach that the younger adults who do show up or who are on the periphery of that church's ministry, must become as they are, believe as they do before they will be accepted and "let in" to leadership and other roles? Others have thought these thoughts before I have, but I believe we've got to come to terms with this.

One of the reasons why....

My youngest "child", Caleb (this pic was taken today in the car) who turned 15 this week, is grounded big time. Don't ask why. Caleb loves to be on his own---walking the streets of Westport, playing guitar on the street, making acquaintances with just about anybody, and sporting a new look every once in a while. He has been "dressing up" since he could put one of my scarves around his neck and call it a cape. For his third birthday party, everyone, kids and adults alike, had to wear a cape (mostly towels) and jeans with holes in them---his idea. Caleb's hair has been so many colors that I can't remember them all. Whether it is because he is contrite over the grounding situation, or what, he was delightfully himself while he's been with me the last week. For example, my Prius has Bluetooth that connects with my phone and when my phone rings while I am in the car, the radio or CD stops--just stops. Caleb said this week that he wished that life was like that---it would stop when the phone rang...he later said he was being sarcastic, but I doubt it. He is so good on the guitar--playing punk, rockabilly, Bob Dylan, his own compositions. He plays bass at his dad's church on Sundays. And he is compassionate...one teacher at his school is not well liked by the kids, and Caleb has had real problems with her, but he resolved to be nicer to her because no one should be treated as badly as the kids treat her at school even if as he said about her "she smells and makes the floor shake when she walks".Okay, now I'm bragging...but having two children who are growing up creative and compassionate is not so bad...even if their grades sometimes are.
It is for this one child, and my other child as well, that I want the church to blossom with new life...and I see emergent as one petal on that flower (okay not a great metaphor...) My first child, Cana and I were listeing to the Buzz today, and the Ya Yas (i was informed today that I had not been pronouncing this correctly..is is Ya with a short "a" not Yah..) any way, their new single out is "Golden Lion"---the chorus of which says something like the Golden Lion has pointed me to the light...well you can see where my mind went...Cana let me say it this time and didn't pooh-pooh (say it like it looks) me.

Just say no to TV???

Lots of thinking still about the discussion between Dr. Marty and the four bishops yesterday. One comment that has stuck in my brain was made by Bishop Scott Jones of Kansas, when the discussion turned to the place of the media in escalating the "us and them" mentality that leads to divisiveness and entrenchment. Bishop Jones said what we need to do is just turn off our TVs. Many there smiled and I think may have even applauded in response. I later had a discussion with Cana Ruth my almost 17 year old daughter about this---her sociology class had been discussing this same thing. I told her that I'm not sure we should just turn off our TVs. Cana, who watches mucho TV by the way, said she believed that it might help us to turn off the TV more---that what with sublimating images, etc., our minds were being controlled in ways we don't even know. Good point. However...
I'm not sure if Bishop Jones' comments aren't a little off the mark. Might it be more appropriate for us to at least KNOW why "Lost" is so popular---what the music videos currently being watched are all about---why "Desperate Housewives" has made such a big splash? I guess I think that people's hunger for meaning and love and direction somehow gets answered, oftentimes in really screwed up ways, in some of what is on TV. And it would behoove more UMC pastors to be more culturally literate, not less, so that they can use the images represented in ways that both touch their parishioners, and teach the faith. And, as I shared with the cabinet on Tuesday, I believe that at some places, our God whom we as UMs believe is a God of prevenient grace, may have shown up there in the pop culture before we do---and we need to be co creators, transformers with our God who can take even TV and shape it into something for good and for grace and for new and abundant life. I need to think more on this.

Dr Marty, Four Bishops and ESP

Dr Marty and 4 Bishs
Originally uploaded by scoxjohnson.

A very interesting experience of hearing a lecture at Saint Paul given by Dr. Martin Marty on civility and public and churchly discourse. Bishops Schnase, Jones, Sherer and Palmer responded after lunch and that was really delightful and insightful. One of the things I remember most was Bishop Schnase speaking about so much of the cantakerousness (my word) in church life is based in fear...and we are essentially to be, and seminarians were to hear this especially, agents of hope not fear.
Thanks for this pic from Fred Koenig in our Conference office. (left to right: Bishops Palmer, Sherer and Jones; Prof. Shannon Jung; Dr. Marty; and our Bishop Schnase, making, of course, an insightful comment as always :-). I was too chicken to take a camera phone photo.
I also was able to talk with Jeremy Blevins at lunch, and introduce him very breifly to Bishop Schnase. Emergent Saint Paul (hence, ESP--not at all sure I like that) meets for planning at a Chinese restaurant on Monday night in Westport. It is all pretty neat right now. We are talking seriously about the intersection of Wesleyan theology and emergent.
I also got to say hello to Susan Vogel, Hal, and Robert Martin, which was good. Doug Powe told me today that "if this McLaren thing is to come off, it's up to you!" (that is ME). Yikes, I'd better check with Laci ASAP!

Saint Paul, CR, and Dresden Dolls

Well, the emergent thing is coming of age in my life, I think. Tonight I had the real pleasure of meeting with several Saint Paul School of Theology students who want to think about how to create a community that interacts with the emergent conversation in some real way. Wow.

And Mark Calhoun told me that my article impacted his senior pastor in a positive way. Wow

And tomorrow morning, less than 12 hours from now, I am leading a devotion based on the Dresden Dolls single "Sing" at cabinet--yes I mean THAT cabinet--the bishop and the twelve district superintendents of Missouri. What was I thinking when I called Nancye and volunteered? Oh yeah. I was thinking "this emergent thing is very, very important and I have a deep and two year abiding call on my life about it, and the superintendecy may have come in to my life so I can work on younger adults issues in a way that makes more impact than before." Wow