SUNDAY MORNING

from the pastor

March 2, 2003

It felt chilly this morning--even before I got out of bed. I sleep with the window slightly open, and when the winter winds shift westerly in the middle of the night, the room becomes an ice box by morning. And my first thought of the day was remembering that my daughter Alison plans to jump into Lake Michigan this morning for the annual "Polar Plunge". The temperature is 24 degrees this morning in Chicago and the weather reporter indicated that it will plunge toward zero by the end of the day. She jumps at 9:30 this morning.

My second thought was about my other daughter, Mindy, who called me in frantic despair a few hours ago from London. It was one a.m. there, she had arrived at the youth hostel where she and her girlfriend had reserved a place to sleep, and they discovered people already in their beds. She was tired and grouchy and the friends who were supposed to meet them in London and show them around didn't show. This is her first trip into London. The university she attends is several hours north of there.

Sandwiched between these two daughters, I sense my own life is a bit dull. After all, I'm getting up on yet another Sunday morning to do what I've been doing on Sunday mornings for over 30 years now--what I WANT to do--go work at the church. Yet another sermon. Yet another communion. Yet another church dinner. Yet another church meeting. Yet another handshake line. And I'm quite content and pleased. But I am living this ordinary life--sandwiched at the moment between two risk taking daughters.

As I watch Mindy and Alison take risks, I realize that I am somewhat to blame. Through the years, I have undoubtedly helped evoke their belief in adventure. Abundant life and eternal life--in this world AND in the world to come--lie--in part--in our taking risks. Jesus risked leaving his family and his home village, his predictable career as a carpenter, and the conventional philosophy of other Jewish teachers. He struck out into other villages, risked applying his powers to suffering people, and walked to the cutting edge of radical thinking.

I do live my life constantly trying to grow into the likeness of Christ--as God gives me eyes to see Christ. And one of the things I see in Christ is a person who took great comfort in the ordinary things of daily life (birds, mountains, friends, food) but who nevertheless was serving to stimulate other people into adventure--a man whose hopes and visions made him an evocator of new realities.

In faithfulness to Christ--who embraced many adventures in order to reach people--I find myself these days trying to help articulate new adventures for Grace Church: new people to reach, new approaches, new ways to open our OWN lives to God= s grace, new ways to build relationships, new powers, new joy. Please pray for all of us--especially the leaders of the church as we seek to be faithful to a God who does indeed lead us in paths of newness. --Mike

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