pilgrim parade by Pastor Erling Shultz

When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil,

asking, “Who is this?”  

                                                                                                 Matt 21:10

pilgrim parade                                                                                          Erling Shultz, April 2020

festivals always draw a crowd:

     from all direction’s pilgrims arrive,

          swelling the city beyond its space;

     from the west and south they parade,

          to party, to grow, to pray;

     from the east and north they march,

          to vie for influence and for gain

some come lucky

     to find a spare family couch;

some come wealthy

     to afford a high-priced lounge;

most come hoping

          to locate a spot and lay down a cot;

     they camp just outside the gate,

           cramped and stacked for security sake;

     filtering in and stumbling back

          each dawn and dusk they retrack

from the north they creep and sneak,

          through dark alley and crooked street;

     come to steal, cheat, scam and trick

          pilgrims ripe with pockets to pick;

     come not for any festival reception

          but for easy self-profit deception

from the south thousands upon thousands

          are herded, led, and hounded;

     doves, goats, calves, and sheep,

          arrive with sacrificial prices steep;

     come to make their yearly living

          but only with the pilgrims blessed giving

from the east the conquering military marches

          conveniently through the welcoming city arches;

     displaying their might with sword and horse,

          taking the most visible and busy course;

     reminding the pilgrims, the need to behave,

          any uprising would lead to their grave

from the west Jesus and disciples make their entrance,

          through residential streets with white picket fences;

     humbly rides astride love, faith, and hope,

          while pilgrim expectations do wave and throw;

     He comes as well with a mission intention,

          a religious/social/political revolution

all make their way toward the midst of unrest,

          each parade wishing to grab any pilgrims’ interest;

     as a pilgrim myself, I have to sit and ponder,

          which procession holds my wonder;

     (from which direction have I come,

          before the church service has begun)

at times I travel with an alternative task,

     and hide behind a self-serving mask;

at times it’s a path of the all-important ritual,

     but I leave searching for anything spiritual;

at times I like to strut, stroll, and crow,

     and allow my authority to make a show;

but there are times when I ride humbly in,

     and free God to work a transformation

which pilgrim parade draws your attention,

which pilgrim parade involves your participation?

         

         

    

         

         

pulpit on the mount by Pastor Erling Shultz

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain;

Then he began to speak…

                                                                                                             Matt 5:1,2

pulpit on the mount                                                                            Erling Shultz, January 2020

first sermons can chill one to the bone,

          pressure of expectations setting ministry tone;

     this is pretty good for the initial sermon out,

          the crowd is ready at this pulpit on the mount;

they’re primed to listen to this new preaching

          from tales of healing, curing, and His teaching;

     He seems to have them in the palm of his hand,

          yet the question remains, will they understand?

the site, this mountain is just ideal,

          way up high….where God is real;

     the place of transfiguration and perplexion,

          the place of meeting after the resurrection;

a connection to Moses’ time up on a hill,

          coming down with new a covenant will;

     and where he got a glimpse of the promised end,

          before he succumbed to the time he was on lend.

so the place and people could be no better

          for one to offer this initial scriptural letter;

     the content needs to match the circumstance

           or the hordes will bolt on any following chance;

will His chosen words convince and inspire,

          or lead to yawns and beds on which to retire;

     or will He confuse, addle, stun or rattle,

          or some form of monotone chatter and babble?

it’s been recorded the crowds were astounded

          by the blessing list in which he abounded;

     the sing song verse was poetic beaut

          which left it hard for them to refute;

while they left admiring His educations,

          they wondered and feared the implications;

     being poor and meek will get you nowhere

          but that’s who they are from here to there.

an impossible challenge to ordinary living,

          leaving only the Saints able to do the giving;

     now they could debate each line and saying,

          but they did leave feeling closer to saving;

He invited them to a new way of being,

          of perspective, sensibility and seeing;

     He left them with simplicity, compassion and hope,

          to get them through this bitter world and better cope.

we tend to prefer preachers who are easy to read

          ‘cause it makes it easier to grasp what they mean;

     Jesus is not one through which we can predict

          nor our efforts succeed when we attempt to restrict;

He comes right at us with these Beatitudes,

          confronting our comfortable, proven attitudes;

     His thoughts upend the world we had learn

          and brings us to a new kingdom to yearn.

every good preacher explicitly knows His context

          and brings forth meaningful/purposeful content;

     this is spot on for the initial sermon out,

          here at the pulpit on the mount.

         

    

         

         

         

Words from Pastor Erling for January 2020

Good Things to Offer, Intentionally

The end of the year seems to be a time of lists – the top ten of this, five reasons for that, the best of and/or worst of – and it happens in the Church as well.  Most of the lists that come through my email seem to be focused on the negative – ‘5 Turnoffs for Millennials Seeking a Church’, ‘Top 10 Reasons Visitors Don’t Come Back’, etc. 

Recently, though, I came across a list a little more positive – ‘5 Reasons Millennials are Drawn to Mainline Churches’ by Andrew Ponder Williams.  He outlines five ways that we are distinctively called and gifted to connect with younger generations that we could then maximize to ‘make disciples of Jesus Christ’. (andrewponderwilliams.com/consulting) 

We share our faith authentically.  True authenticity is something that forms within us when we are centered with God and neighbors – when we are vulnerable with God and each other.  Millennials seek authenticity, so let us not pretend to be something or someone we are not.

We are rooted in traditions.  In a world that changes every five minutes, people understand that something that lasts 150 years must be pretty special.  This is not so much toward a tradition of beliefs and dogma, but a tradition of meaningful relationships and worship.

We give generously.  The most generous generation in history is the perfect match for the most generous churches.  Millennials look for our commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of God’s children.  This also means we need to look for opportunities for this generation that does not carry checks or cash to give.

We live purposefully.  Millennials, like all generations, seek purpose and direction.  They seek an experience and richness of God and God’s children.  We should be open to be a mentor in which we all grow.

We are based in grace.  Our theological emphasis on grace has always been inspiriting and is even more important in this time of division.  Our belief in God’s commitment to love and forgiveness for us all is something truly comforting.

What might happen in 2020 if we were more intentional in these five areas?

Peace –

Pastor Erling

divine intrusion

...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream…

…when Joseph awoke [he followed the vision]…

                                                                                                             Matt 1:20, 24

divine intrusion                                                                                Erling Shultz, December 2019

Matthew offers up a tale of vision;

          (dreams abound in his birth version)

     of character growth and reflection,

     of changing plans and new direction,

          all in response to sleep perception:

(some will say dreams are but an illusion,

  with Matthew, it is a divine intrusion)

when demands of life are out of control,

when we are anxious, lost, and vulnerable;

     God still seeks with mercy and grace –

          finds a way through our stubborn place,

     ‘catch them when their guard is at rest

          with a dream of alternative otherness’

(will we hear and take heed as a divine emanation

  or discard as a mere emotional hallucination?)

dreams, I think, is a way God gets through to us –

     to fresh us, push us, feed us, free us, birth us

dreams, I think, if they get past our repression –

     will guide to a worthy promise, purpose, passion

dreams, I think, are to give balance to our practicality –

     so we are free to live and act with Christ possibility

(dreams can release us from reality complexities

  that confound, confine with cultural deficiencies)

with his divine intrusion, our Joseph did heed,

     went beyond a reasonable, appropriate good deed

          to a riskier, bolder, excessively good deed

so don’t discard what you sense is only a dream

     for within there is a power beyond that frees

begun but incomplete

Then he began to say to them,

“Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

                                                                                                             Luke 4:21

begun but incomplete                                                                      Erling Shultz, December 2019

Jesus attuned to the prophets before

     articulates His identity and purpose;

               good news to the poor,

               release to the captives,

               sight to the blind,

               freedom from injustice;

Jesus proclaims a done deal upon the hearing

     but it seems far from fulfillment;

               poor are still amongst us,

               captives are still in chains,

               blind still reside in darkness,

               oppressed still experience injustice;

     did I miss the change in plans?

maybe that question is erred in its direction –

          is there expectation of completion?

          do we wish for mission realization?

          who’s responsible for intent implementation?

     (scripture is full of hope

               and there it shall remain,

     (freedom for others

               can fill us with fear,

     (discipleship responsibilities

               are best at mere belief)

I not yet have engaged

     where Jesus declares He misspoke

Jesus’ mission and purpose remains intact –

     still the plan for peace and liberation

          upon our expectation and reception

               (the divine intention

                 awaits on human intervention)

     begun but incomplete

               (personally and/or corporately) 

but now what

…the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another…

This will give you an opportunity to testify.

                                                                                                  Luke 2:6,13

but now what                                                                                    Erling Shultz, November 2019

the earth is quaking,

our securities are breaking,

my soul is shaking;

   the end is no longer near,

      it seems already here

   (what I trusted has become quite rusted)

it is all so overwhelming;

      fires, drought, famine, floods

      the hungry, needing, broken masses

      the lonely, lost, discarded children

      racism, fascism still presiding

      conversations never lasting;

   so tempting to stay in bed

      and not ever get up again

yet Jesus pokes and prods,

   ‘now’s the time to carry on,

   prime time for persons interacting

   and less apocalypse distracting;

         mature, endure, connect

         restore, retrieve, reveal

            tell your story

            share God’s glory’

may we cease looking for what comes next,

ask ourselves a but now what to our call

   and do the what we can and where we are

    

there You are

Then he looked up at his disciples and said:

Blessed are…    

                                                                                                 Luke 6:20

there You are                                                                                     Erling Shultz, February 2019

there You are:

          down there,

               alongside them,

                    on Your knees;

     there with the evicted and afflicted,

              with the seeking and reeking,

     there with the nots of the world

there You are:    

          down there,

               side by side,

                    at their level;

     touching the losers and lost,

                    the shamed and sinned,

     touching the wounded and refused

there You are,

          down there

     then You look up,

          at me;

               who stands and watches,

                    comfortable and correct

     You look up at me;

          with eyes that hope and seem to say,

               ‘you just gonna stand there?’

     You look up at me;

          to invite me to participate,

               “these are who I value”

               “these are who belong”

               “these are your people”

there You are,

          down there on Your knees;

     You look up at me

     I look down to You,

               and offer my excuse:

          ‘I’m there for You,

                    but the Body is hemorrhaging,

               I’ve got to slow the losing flow

                    of members and cash,

                    of youth and sages,

                    of doctrine and privilege;

               as soon as I fix You,

                    I can get to them.’

 

there You are:

          still down there,

               yet alongside,

                    there on Your knees;

     there with the hurting and broken,

              with the hungry and thirsty,

     there with the excluded and forgotten

there You are

     looking up at me;

          “these are who I value”

          “these are who belong”

          “these are….Your people”