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The Gift of Prayer

10/30/2017

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Last Friday night a group of teenagers organized, made plans and showed up at my home after dark…and prayed for me. Yup. They stood in my driveway and prayed for me and my family. The teens were part of our church’s youth group participating in a 30-hour famine. They were on a Prayer Drive which included seven different stops. The stop at my house was not only about me. They prayed for our staff and all people who dedicate their work to God through the church.

There are many theologies of prayer that rub me the wrong way. Certainly, the Transactional Theology of prayer that says if you pray hard enough or long enough or well enough, God will “answer” your prayer. You will receive good health, wealth or the relationship you desire. That is not how I know prayer. For me prayer is the participation in a life-giving relationship that already exists. My prayer does not make anything “happen.” My prayer is the moment that I trust God’s promise of never leaving me. From the moment our triune God of Relationship created all that is, there has been a connection between me and God. (And you and God, but for now this is about me!!)

My prayer does not make that relationship stronger. My prayer acknowledges that it IS.
So then if it IS, why pray?

Because we are in relationship. God desires our prayers. God desires our coming to talk and listen. Imagine your relationship with your child, friend, partner if you never talked or listened to them. What would you be missing? Is there a part of yourself that yearns for the close connection that communication brings?
We reach out because we are connected.  


My relationship is not only about me and God. Since the beginning, we are also connected to each other. Praying with and for each other, honors that sacred connection as well. Even if you do not personally know the people or place for which you pray!

A few weeks ago, we had Family Sunday School at Faith. One of the interactive stations was to find a place in the world, outside the United States, and write a prayer for all creation that calls that place home. The families were encouraged to look up that place in the world on their cell phone and learn something. This learning station was a favorite. Families huddled around the internet and decided on what people, animals and events to include in their prayers. Then they had to put their ideas into a prayer.

God connects us to each other. We muddy that divine connection in our transactional prayers. Our prayer life becomes an economy of give and receive. That is not the economy of God. We do not pray to be blessed. We ARE blessed.

Going back to last Friday night and the teenagers on my driveway…
I felt the connection. Even though I could not hear what they were saying, it was a powerful experience. When they were done, they came to the door and said hello before they continued on their way. As the giggles and slamming car doors faded, I entered my house changed.
I am not alone. We are not alone. We are made in the image of the God of Relationship. Being reminded of this fills me with joy as I see on Facebook or hear in face-to-face conversations the promise, “You are in my prayers.” Through God, we are US!

​~ Pam

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How community organizing helps me both lead and get out of the way

10/23/2017

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My congregation just celebrated our 70th anniversary. We are in a time of transition as we call a new senior pastor. Many of us thought this would be a good time to lift up and celebrate the stories of our church and the ways we have been formed to live out our faith in the community and the world.

More than 35 people were instrumental in planning and carrying out our celebration. As the point person for all these people I quickly realized I needed to use the arts and practices of community organizing I learned from my friend and colleague Pastor Jim Honig and the leaders of DuPage United. I thought of myself as the lead organizer in this anniversary endeavor. Calling myself that helped me define my role.

I began listening over the summer to Faith members of how they hoped we would celebrate the 70 years. I brought people together so they could listen to each other. We listened and brainstormed over a few meetings. Then I asked each person, “where do you want to share your talents and time?"

As each person decided for themselves, some ideas fell away and some gained energy and excitement. People found partners and teams to share the work. My role was to listen, check-in, sometimes give a reality check, and most importantly support their vision of the celebration.

It all was a lot of work but a joy to do - for everyone!

The arts and practices of community organizing have helped me to:
·        Listen differently (both to what people are saying and the hopes underneath)
·        Help people hear each other
·        Let ideas emerge from the group, don't force an agenda
·        Empower people to do the work they want to do
·        Don't minimize my role of listener, encourager and many times, assistant in their work.


At the end of our event we sang the hymn Joy to the World. Isaac Watts, the hymn writer, did not first intend this hymn for the seasons of Advent or Christmas. For him it connected with Romans 8: there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God through Jesus - even as one embarks on something new. It is a hymn that recognizes we are always on the cusp of "something new". Watts reminds us the response to God making things new is that "heaven and nature sing"!

Our anniversary was filled with joy. It was the work of the community. I am grateful I could both lead and get out of the way!

~ Pam

FYI- A great book for church is leaders is Organizing Church: Grassroots Practices for Embodying Change in Your Congregation, Your Community and Our World by Tim Conder and Dan Rhodes
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What needs to be done

10/3/2017

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I am surprised by the lack of outrage, anger, and sadness I see on Facebook these last 24 hours. After other shootings, tragedies, acts of terror, my feed is filled with emotion. But not now. Are we numb? Are we weary of weeping for each other? Maybe. Probably. I also think it is something else.

This act of terrorism was committed by a white, upper class man – citizen of the U.S. I am wondering if that is the hurdle that people cannot get over. He is us White Mainstream America.  This person could be our husband, brother, father. That puts us in denial. We do not want to believe that “our well-adjusted, law abiding people” could be capable of this behavior. We are more comfortable throwing stones at people of color, Muslims and even white supremacists simply because we can distance ourselves from them. We “other” them. They are not like us. But they are like us…and we are like them.

How do we tell the truth? How will we share the power and the blame in our communities and our country so that we begin to change and heal?

There is no one in control in Washington D.C. No one is leading. They have abdicated their power. When there is a vacuum of power…it gets filled.

So how will we, White Mainstream America, take the first step towards humility and reconciliation with all those we have marginalized and suppressed so that we can begin to be community together?
How will I and you and us change so that our communities begin to look more like the Beloved Community of Bonhoeffer and King and, yes, Christ?

I would love to see my Facebook Feed filled with acts of humility, reconciliation and compassion. And conversation moving us forward as a people.

​~ Pam
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    Pam Voves

    On my own journey as a dabbling artist, a lover of stories,
    and grounded by my call to accompany people on their journey of faith.

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