|
December 3, 2004
Dear Hearts,
Well, they don’t train you for these types of weeks in seminary!
Let me dispel a couple of myths, or at least attempt to be historically
accurate. I, and therefore, we, were on the front page of the Des
Moines Register on Thursday, December 2. I did a live interview
on 98.3 FM. I took one caller, and then the rest called after I
was off the line. You can be the judge as to whether they were kind
or not. I, and again, we, were the lead story on the 6:00 news on
Channel 8 and the lead on the 10:00 Channel 5 news. We were a topic
discussed at length on 1040 AM, but I did not take the bait and
call in to that program.
I have been called a few names. I am mostly unaffected by that
behavior tactic. I did, however, call both my father and grandfather,
both of whom bear the same last name as me and live in a city with
a very vocal opponent who frequently makes the news. Those were
difficult phone calls, but everyone is prepared and proud.
I am not particularly interested in being an “activist pastor.”
While there may be times, such as the last three days, when I may
be called upon to be a powerful and dramatic witness for the Gospel,
I do not understand this to be my primary call as your pastor. While
I will do my best to faithfully proclaim God’s extravagant
love, hospitality, and welcome, I am mostly interested in being
a spiritual companion and resource to you. This is where the news
media turned their focus off the issue.
The commercial is not an issue ad about or in favor of gay
marriage. The commercial is an attempt, in 30 very powerful seconds,
to dramatize the overt and/or subtle exclusion that a variety of
different people groups have felt in some faith communities. To
this pain, the commercial attempts to proclaim a message of hope
found in the countercultural Jesus message of inclusion. We are
trying to help people restore their belief in believing. For decades,
this has been the faithful vision and witness of Urbandale United
Church of Christ. Let us not compromise our message!
I have no idea what the results of our actions might be on this
or future Sundays. The extra attention paid to our faith community
these last three days might result in more people at our services.
Some of them, conceivably, but not probably, could be protesting
our witness and welcome. Accordingly, I have asked the Buildings
and Grounds Team to be available to aid in crowd control. What I
mostly mean is for them to help us be prepared to direct the extra
people who might be coming to hear God’s good news. I ask for
your help in these endeavors. I suggest you arrive at church earlier
than normal. If you are able, I invite you to consider parking a
little further away and walking a bit. This will leave some of our
parking spaces available for our extra guests. We want them to feel
very welcomed, especially this Sunday. If there are protestors
outside, I would simply ignore them.
If the volume and types of email that I that I have received in
the last three days is any indication, our message has in fact been
received by the public. Many of our new friends and current members
are hurting and need to be reminded, or told for the first time,
that they are beloved children of God and they are FULLY welcomed
into our faith community. It is hard for some of us to imagine,
but there are many who have never been told this good news. I have
heard from many of them in the last few days.
I am proud to be your pastor and have never been prouder to be
a clergy person. It is Advent. We are a pregnant people on a spiritual
journey. And I, with you, will attempt to be a midwife to help birth
God’s extravagant love into the world.
In hopes of wholeness,
The Rev. S. Michael Pater
Senior Pastor
|
