The Church of the Future

IT’S SUMMERTIME!!! Okay, so summer technically is not here until June 21st, it already feels in full swing with camp sessions, beach trips, and warmer temperatures. In the life of our church, this season always deceives me. I continue to think that as the rhythm of the school year slows down, I can take a deep breath and float through the summer months. Surprisingly though, the life of St. John’s Church does not go into hibernation during these hot months, but instead not only do we continue our normal pattern of worship, we also catch a glimpse of the Church of the future at work.

Have you ever noticed that people in the Church love to worry about the future of the Church? I have yet to go to a clergy gathering without someone mentioning how to get younger people in the pews. When I scour trendy priest-blogs—yes, these exist—so many of them point to dire Pew Research Center results about how many members the Church has lost recently, and then mention how we might avoid our doomed fate to disintegrate into nonexistence. Even in our own parish hall, sacristy, and library we worry over what will become of the Church of the future. And yet, if we only focus upon the future, attracting a certain subset of people, and keeping our numbers up, we are being the Church (the Living Body of Christ) all wrong.

During my first clergy conference—when the clergy people of the Diocese of Alabama gather for renewal, fun, and a little bit of worrying—I was participating in some serious fellowship exercises playing poker with Bishop Kee and some wise clergy. In the midst of this light-hearted moment, Kee subtly used this opportunity to teach those gathered a lesson, and not just one about playing cards. He asked me how I was enjoying being a young priest. I gave him a polished response fit for a seminary textbook. Instead of telling me that I did not need to put on airs for him, the Bishop while dealing out the cards told me a story.

When Kee was a young priest in the Diocese of Mississippi he loved and revered his bishop, and the more-experienced clergy of that era. The Episcopal Church in Mississippi and its diocesan camp had been the place where Kee was loved into that person who was called to serve as a priest in the Church. And while he respected the stalwarts of the Faith that had guided him, he also knew that they were human beings. They made mistakes, just like the generation before them. They struggled with change, just like the generations before them. They had great triumphs, just like the generation before them.

At the end of saying all this Kee leaned over to me and said, “I am getting to a time when I am part of that older generation, and when I was your age, I always wished that my elders had invited me into building the Church that was to come. This is your invitation to keep building the Church. And, if I ever get in the way of God’s work being done just pull on my arm and tell me to get out of the way.” I was speechless. I don’t remember saying anything else the rest of the night, even when I was the big winner taking $12 off the old priests and the bishop—a considerable amount of money given the buy-in. What I learned in that moment is that if the bishop is willing to be told to get out of the way, I must be willing to do that too.

Last week, I spent time with our youth on the EYC Work Week. Next week, St. John’s will be transformed into the land of Egypt as we put on our Vacation Bible School. In addition to these local moments of the Church of the future already being here, young people from all over our diocese will be a part of Camp McDowell, Foothills Day Camp, Sawyerville Day Camp, Special Session, Young People Paint Birmingham, and so much more this summer. I do not anticipate a time when I will need to pull the Bishop aside to tell him that he is in the way of God’s work being done; however, I do think we would all be wise to see that the Church of the future is actually the Church of right now!

Our other bishop, Bishop Santosh, when he visited with us on Sunday morning, described the beauty of the Church in how we take care of one another. We constantly reach across generations in this Church. Each cohort has something to contribute, but to be the fullest, richest, and healthiest Body we can be we must make room for all generations right now, not just down the line when they have proven themselves. There is no Church of the future, it will always be the Church right now, so how will we right now welcome all generations to God’s Table in God’s Church?

I Mustache You A Question

Standing outside of church Sunday morning I expected a few comments, but I thought they would be about my sermon. In my time here as curate, I have looked forward to hearing comments about my preaching, as people walk out the red doors and into the world. Often the feedback I receive allows me to adapt my sermons, so that I might better interpret the Word of God with all of you in mind. However, this Sunday many comments were not about my sermon at all, and instead, almost everyone asked about a patch of hair that is growing above my upper lip.

When some eyes drifted down to stare at my newly growing mustache, I wanted to say, “Excuse me, but my eyes are up here.” Perhaps it was because some could not believe it was real, maybe it was a result of seeing Evan so cleanly shaven, or it could have been the thought, “Who wears a ‘stache these days?” Whatever the reason, I could tell that after church there was a fascination with my newly sprouted “soup strainer.” Of course, this is not my first facial hair rodeo, and I have been waiting for when some would say, “I mustache you a question… about your mustache,” and I enjoy the question, “What is that growing on your face?”

I affectionately know the eleventh month of the year as Movember (Mustache + November = Movember). Yet, why grow a mustache for the month of November? Well, each October all sorts of organizations, sports teams, and individuals sport the color pink in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month; however, many may not realize that November is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Instead of sporting a certain color, many men (including me) don some “handlebars,” “the walrus,” or “the dali” to raise awareness for men’s health issues. This is precisely why I have grown a ‘stache the last few years throughout the month of November. Well, that and because they look so awesome!

Many men have difficulty opening up and admitting when they are sick, in pain, or suffering. The culture around us often pushes men to believe that they always must be strong, that any form of sickness can be overcome by determination, and that to be vulnerable is to be weak. I would argue that in Jesus we have the opposite example. God become human in the person of Jesus. While Christ Jesus was both fully human and fully divine, God emptied himself upon the cross. To me the crucifixion shows that there is no weakness in vulnerability rather that is pure strength!

Maybe it is a little bold to equate opening up, being vulnerable, and going to the doctor with the example of Jesus. Yet, this month I urge everyone, both women and men, to take steps towards living an open, a vulnerable, and a healthy life. There is no weakness in being like Jesus, and of course, he had a mustache. If you feel like supporting prostate cancer research and the Movember movement, check out my webpage:  http://us.movember.com/mospace/3708981