A dear friend of mine has agreed that the time has come to write a psalm. God can handle what we have to say. God handled it all those years ago. I figure by the time we complete a psalm or two we just might have a new perspective.
Of course we can never know just how long it took for the original psalmist to live through lament to get to affirmation and joy. It's worth finding out. I began my psalm last night. It begins with the wonderful memories of unconditional hospitality that I encountered in Kindergarten Sunday school and moves into the very conditional hospitality that is lived out in many of our churches today. Who's in and who's out, who's acceptable and who's not, who's currently liked and who is not.
Wow! I miss walking into my Kindergarten Sunday School class! Presbyterians vote yet again on language that will remain or be deleted from the church Book of Order concerning the ongoing debate on ordination standards (code word for the acceptance of or rejection of homosexuals), I wonder what it means for a denomination that has lost half it's membership to continue this debate about keeping certain people out of the church.
Can we afford to keep pushing people away? As Dr. Phil would say, "How's that working for ya?" I for one don't think it is working. The notion of sinners labeling others as sinners of a higher degree has never really been an effective, loving way to live. I'll be writing a psalm or two.
2 comments:
The notion of sinners labeling others as sinners of a higher degree has never really been an effective, loving way to live.
Amen to that! Amen. I say this all the time... when will it stop being about judgement in the church, and when will it begin being about GRACE?
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