52 Years of Struggle

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I sat at my desk yesterday in my office and tears streamed down my face as I began reading the reports of the harmful and discriminatory language being removed from our UMC Book of Discipline. This writing is just the beginning of my own processing of the recent decisions of our General Conference.

These are tears of joy and celebration that the UMC has finally acknowledged the harm and injustice it created 50+ years ago with the word, incompatible.

The tears, while they were certainly tears of joy, were more than that. As I have processed the day’s events, I find myself in a tension between grief, relief, and joy. Fifty-plus years of pain, abuse, and dismissal of our LGBTQIA+ siblings and we have finally taken the first step of rectifying the sin of exclusion and denial of the Spirit’s gifts and work in the lives of so many gifted and called of God into the full life of the church… a first step. I say first step, and a huge first step it is, because it is not lost on me that there is still work to be done. I pray a day of repentance from our UMC for these acts of exclusion and harm comes soon.

The grief comes in several layers. The grief of acknowledgement as a straight white male, I too participated early in my life, in the belittling, diminishing, name calling of those who were LGBTQIA+ and my repentance of such harm. This grief is part of the journey toward wholeness for me with my own experiences and relationships instilled in me a passion for justice and full inclusion in the church.

The grief comes from knowing so many LGBTQIA+ friends and colleagues who were harmed by the church to the point they found no solace in any community of faith, let alone the UMC.

The grief comes from those friends and colleagues who longed to see this day who did not live long enough to see the church take even the first step toward full inclusion.

The grief comes from walking alongside so many friends and colleagues that though the church has finally made this first step, the pain of harm and rejection are too deep for them ever to return. And, why would they.

I think the relief is mixed up in the joy of it all as well. Relief that with this historic two weeks, we can finally tell the truth when we say we have Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors. We can finally tell the truth when we say the UMC has an “open table,” when for so long it has only been open on three sides. I think the relief comes from the hopeful steps forward that Annual Conference and General Conference can be approached now with a sense of purpose, mission, hope, justice, and love rather than a dreaded feeling of more conflict with dwindling hopes of compassion and grace.

The joy comes for me in believing our UMC has more bright and hopeful future. I am so grateful for all those who tirelessly continued the struggle toward this moment and beyond. Not only being allies in advocacy, but even more importantly the persistence, strength, courage, and grace of our LGBTQIA+ siblings who refused to let injustice and the sin of the incompatible language go unchallenged!

The joy, I feel comes also from watching the leadership of our Great Plains Annual Conference and or General Conference these two weeks and knowing the future of our UMC is in good hands; Grace-filled, justice seeking, compassion laden, grounded in inclusivity and the love of God.

So, I will sit with this tension for some time. Grieving with those who grieve, celebrating with those who celebrate, sitting quietly with those who are still processing all the range of emotions these two weeks have brought. I am with you. I hear you. I see you. I love you.

It is a new day in our beloved United Methodist Church, now may we have the grace, stamina, fortitude, hope, and love to live fully into the wondrous decisions we have made! I believe Love Wins, I believe Love Always Wins, though I know there is still much work to be done to bring us to the reality of full inclusion. The fifty-plus years of arc bending has been brutal and harmful, but perhaps now we can work on healing and hope as we take the next steps into full inclusion in the life of our communities of faith.

Be a Light.

Love One Another.

Every. Single. Other.

Until there are no others.

Only One Beloved Community of All!

May it be so. May it be now!

~ Rev. Kent

Killers of the Flower Moon…

TruDee and I went to see the newly released movie, Killers of the Flower Moon last evening. She had read the book, I have not, other than vicariously as she told me the story in summary form as she was reading. The movie seemed well done, and for all I know accurately portrayed. I have seen affirmations of the book and movie version from various Native American friends as well as from the Osage Tribe, so I am pleased about that. One of the many lines from the movie that sent chills up my spine and gave me a knot in my stomach was, “You would be more likely to be convicted of kicking a dog than killing an Indian here.” The dehumanizing and blatant disregard for Native life was sickening. The movie, as I am sure the book is as well, is powerful, disturbing, enraging, moving, and heart wrenching!

I found it quite ironic, if that is the right word, the cruelty and bigotry of the Osage people in Fairfax at the time the movie was set, happened at the same time as the Tulsa Race Riots. I said something to TruDee that I found it interesting I do not remember learning about either one of these attempted genocides being taught to me in school. I will own the possibility that perhaps I was just not paying any attention, though I really think I would have remembered.

A recurring thought came to me as I watched the horrified story unfold on the big screen. I remember writing and delivering a sermon some years ago about what I see as almost an addiction on our part as humankind, to violence, especially in our country, while that kind of thought is not unique to the U.S.A., it has been going on ever since the story of Cain hitting Abel in the head with a rock.

However, I cannot help but reflect on the history of our country and what power and money, money and power unleash on our culture and society. Don’t get me wrong, power is neutral, power, in and of itself is not good or evil, it is the choice of what we do with it which determines its value or lack thereof.

As I sat in my seat least evening, I could not help but reflect on the history of our country, and in particular the more unsavory history that so many in our day and time seem to want to forget or even erase. Our country was borne in violence from the very first ships from the east landed on these shores. Stories of Christopher Columbus, Cotton Mather, and others who dehumanized the citizens who occupied these lands.

However, it didn’t stop there; First Nation Peoples, Natives to this land, Africans, Irish, Chinese, Japanese, Mexicans, Hispanic Persons, Catholics, Women, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transgender, and Queer persons, People of the Jewish Faith, Muslims, Persons of no faith tradition, the list is far too long in the in our short 247 years. What is it about power and privilege gone awry that seems to always seek out a group of people to belittle, demonize, dehumanize, and oppress? It seems this power and privilege moves from one group to another as it believes it has done sufficient damage to the previous group. The cynical side of me perhaps, leans toward Lord Action’s comment in a letter to an Anglican Bishop when he penned perhaps his most famous words, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority; still more when you superadd the tendency of the certainty of corruption by authority.” He works on leaving a little wiggle room, so to speak, when he writes, “Power ‘tends’ to corrupt…” Yet, I think he resonates with my own cynicism here.

Where do we, as humankind, learn this tendency to allow power to corrupt us into power mongers and influence peddlers, rather than using our privilege, influence, and power for the good of all? Is it that notion of some kind of inherent brokenness we are born with, or do we learn it along the way from those who raise and influence? I prefer to believe we are born innately possible, a blank slate so to speak and we learn and make choices along the way.

In some sense, I am not sure that thought makes me feel any better. To think about our history in that sense, it means those who allow power to corrupt and corrupt absolutely, do so intentionally, it is a choice they make along the way somewhere that takes them down the bigoted and xenophobic path of death and destruction.

I don’t have the answers. I love our country and know we have done great good for our people and for the world. However, our country is not perfect, we have participated in and perpetuated, atrocities, great suffering, and injustice, and there is something in me that says until we admit that, stop hiding it and hiding from it, we as a country will continue to perpetuate atrocities against those that we as a country chose to target.

As for me, I will continue to strive to do good for my corner of the world. Perhaps one life, one relationship, one act of kindness, one moment at a time is the answer… perhaps. And maybe, just maybe, if enough of us commit to such a proposition we might see more light and love in the world and the othering, dehumanizing, and demonizing of those we think are less than will be lessened in and of itself. I pray so.

I will continue to reflect and speak out against such atrocities, past, present, and future. One of my many favorite statements from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks to me each time I reflect on such things, “We must learn to live together as brothers [siblings] or perish together as fools.” I’m still learning. I know I am not the only one. I have reflected long enough in this writing yet, I suspect the reflecting and pondering will continue as I continue to evolve and learn how to better Be fully and authentically who I am in relation to others.

Until next time…

Be a Light.

Love One Another.

Every. Single. Other.

Until there are no others.

Only One Beloved Community of All!

Rev. Kent

© 2023 Kent H. Little. All Rights Reserved   

Appreciating the Little Moments

Many of you have either met our dog Simeon or at least heard stories of his antics and Zen-ness. He turned sixteen on Monday, May 8^th. Sixteen is a good long run for any dog, for a Labrador Retriever/Shar Pei Mix is a significantly long run. Sixteen years in human years is just getting started, sixteen years in dog years is nearing the end. Reading about comparing dog years to human years the guide used to be one human year is equal to seven dog years. So, in that formula Simeon would be 112 years old. More current formulas based on the size of one’s dog would put Simeon at about 99 years old in human years. Needless to say, he’s old.

                We can tell he is struggling. He doesn’t get around near like he used to, even just a few years ago. His legs are stiff and his balance is wobbly. He has lost a lot of muscle mass in his hind quarters and has some nerve damage in his hind legs. He lays down slowly and often lets out a slow groan, I assume attributed to the pain he endures in getting down. He gets up similarly labored when it is time to move. He has fainting spells, though in the midst of them we have decided they may be seizures as oppose to just fainting. His “dogtor” says it is related to his breathing, which is often labored, he doesn’t get enough oxygen to the brain sometimes and that causes him to go down in a heap. Though, so far, he jumps right back up into consciousness. The veterinarian assures us as long as he can get up and down, motor around the house and go outside to do his duties, and eats and drinks well, he is still having quality of life.

One other change I have noticed is his being a little more affectionate. He seems to enjoy a back or belly rub, ear scratches and head rubs much more than he used to, at least from me. I have always said he is my Zen Master because when I get frustrated or sad or call him to me, when he does come, he usually sits just out of my reach. I interpret this as “I’m here, you don’t have to pet me to know I am here for you, I’ll just sit here and Be with you.” Now he often comes and offers up his head on my leg or knee and enjoys a long head scratch and rub.

                I have come to appreciate those moments deeply. I am grateful we can Be there for him in his last days, or months, or years, whatever the case may be. For me, he has become a lesson in appreciating the little things of life, living in the present moment of life. I think we could all do that a little better.    

                A flower just emerging from the soil, the flight of a sparrow across the yard, children’s laughter, a firm handshake, a hug, a smile, a good cup of coffee or other beverage, a visit from a friend, the sound of rain on the roof and through the leaves of the trees. The list is long. All of those things and experiences and moments that I often take for granted and simply not notice. Something as simple as an old friend who comes without being bidden to enjoy the warmth of a hand and a good head or belly rub.

                These days with Simeon of late, have on occasion helped me remember to pay attention, to be a little more mindful of the moments that inspire and move me, sacred moments of life, of hope, of resurrection, of gentleness, kindness, and love. I hope you’ll take some time this week to pause and appreciate the little things all around us.

Peace and Light on Our Continued Journey Together,

Rev. Kent

© 2023 Kent Little. All Rights Reserved      

Mothering Day

The following writing in some sense is a rerun from previous years, though each year I tweak it as life and experience shapes and molds me and my theology, thoughts, and perspectives as I evolve from moment to moment. Thoughts on the upcoming Annual Mother’s Day…

Mother’s Day has long been a bit difficult for me in my role as preacher on a Sunday morning. Not difficult in terms of my own relationship with my mother, rather difficult because of the broad range of relationships and experience of those whom I serve in the churches. For some this day is a joyous time of remembering and honor. For others this day is difficult due to death and loss, abuse and neglect, hopes unrealized, estrangement, and anger. For the preacher, it can be difficult to hold all this emotion in tension and honor the experience of the hearers of a message. So, let me start this writing here…

My mom was a Saint, look up “Unconditional Love” in the dictionary and you may find this image in the midst of the text as illustration, and yes, I own my own personal bias, but it is my story and I’m sticking to it. That being said, as I reflect on Mother’s Day and this coming Sunday, I turn to the task of at least acknowledging the honorary day as we gather as a community of faith. I can never fully express what and who my own mom was and is for me. And I remember those I have encountered over the years, many who mothered me in their own way. Each community in which we lived, while I grew up, there would always emerge a mother figure who would on one level or another become a mother figure to me, some of whom I even referred to and still do refer to as Mom. I tend to believe it was orchestrated by mom because as a result of her disease she was not always able to be present, though that is just speculation. I also include the one I refer to as Mom because of whose daughter I was fortunate enough to marry.

I can still name a good number of them, Auntie (Medrith), Iverna, Gerry, Vivian, Phyllis, and Gladys … they were and are all Moms to me and always will be. I have come to know, for me anyway, Mother’s Day is about love, unconditional love, not just blood relation. I believe my Mom, Nadine Robinson Little, would agree with me.

I have also come to believe because of what I have witnessed in this journey of life and faith, Mother’s Day traverses’ gender as well. I have seen those who mother in the gentleness and love of both female and male friends and acquaintances. Being one who mothers is one who loves without condition without limit of gender or blood relation. Mothering, true unconditional love mothering, happens in all kinds of settings and families, a mom and dad, two moms, two dads, single moms and dads, close friend who are invited to take on that role of someone who will always be there with no judgement or condemnation. Perhaps we should change the name of this annual observance to Mothering Day. I have to believe my own Mom; Nadine Robinson Little would agree with me.

So, in closing I would simply say, thank you Mom for the gift of unconditional love and what you taught me and still teach me about grace, inclusion, embrace, mothering, and what unconditional love looks like in the flesh. Thank you to all the “moms” who mothered me, nurtured me and cared for me along my journey. Thank you to the mom who welcomed me into the family and offered me healthy, interesting drinks early in the morning, and would have loved me whether I drank them or not. And thank you to all those, female and male, in whose lives I see the unconditional embrace of love, true love, that can never die and from which we can never be separated.

Peace and Light for Our Continued Journey Together,

Rev. Kent

A Litany for Mothering Day

On this day of remembering mothers, may we be mindful of all those who have mothered us and whom we have mothered.

Remembering our birth mothers can bring memories filled with joy and celebration.

Remembering our birth mothers can be filled with pain and fear.

Remembering those who have mothered us who are no longer with us reminds us of the grief and pain of loss.

There have been those known as mother who have struggled with that role, who have abused, abandoned, misused, neglected, and ignored.

There are those on days like this who have lost children through miscarriage, sudden death, and disease for whom this day brings waves of emotion and struggle.

There are those on days like this who have chosen not to be mothers themselves, or are unable to be mothers and yet have the gifts and grace to be mothering to those around them.

There are those on days like this who are mothers as parent is supposed to be, grounded and founded in unconditional love and grace.

Those who have clothed us, bandaged us, worried about us, wept over us, laughed with us, and made and broke the bread of life for and with us.

May we be sensitive to those around us on such a day as this; Remembering it is unconditional love that should undergird and define that which we consider mothering.

The unconditional love of mothering transcends blood relation and even gender.

This unconditional love is the guiding grace of a family made up of mom and dad and child, two moms, two dads, single moms and dads, aunts, uncles, grandmas and grandpas, and others…

For to be mothering is about loving a child unconditionally, and we are all called to Be that kind of love.

So, as this day begins, may we remember those in our lives who have loved us unconditionally, just for who we are and be grateful. May it be so.

© 2023 Kent Little. All Rights Reserved

Who Do You See?

Early in my ministry as I navigated the first days and months of my first appointment to a church as pastor, I was fortunate to have my colleague and friend Paul as a mentor. I learned so much from him as I ventured into the life and vocation of serving the church and community (and churches and communities I have since) I was in just a few short miles from where he was appointed as well. He gave me so many tools, so much advice, guidance, and light that I continue to draw on now nearly 31 years later.

One such experience was being in his presence as he told a story to a group of graduating high school seniors. He is a great storyteller. The story went something like this… though I confess as I have used this story over the last 31 years, I have edited it and probably have not told it the same each time I have shared it,

There was once a professor teaching a class in the middles east and she asked a question of the students present, “Tell me, how can you tell the moment darkness turns to light?” One student shot their hand in the air and the teacher called on him, “You can tell the moment darkness turns to light when you see a house on the horizon and know it is not a sand dune!” The teacher responded, “No, that’s not it.” Another student raised their hand and proclaimed, “You can know the moment darkness has turned to light when you see a camel in the distance and know it is not a palm tree!” The teacher responded, “No, that’s not it either.” There was a bit of a pause as the students continued to reflect on the question. Finally, a third student raised their hand, perhaps somewhat less enthusiastically as the first two and stated, almost as a question… “You can know the moment darkness turns to light when you can see a dog in the distance and know it is not a bush.” The teacher again replied, “No, that is not it either.” She went on to say, “How one knows the moment darkness turns to light is when you can look into the face of your fellow humankind and see the light of the Divine then, one can know the darkness has turned to light.”

            This coming Sunday we will be exploring the familiar story of the travelers on the Road to Emmaus and their encounter with the Risen Christ. We are told in the story when Christ first joins them, they do not recognize who it is. It is only later, as they sit at table and he breaks bread with them, they realize it is the Risen One.

            As I reflect on this story and the story from my good friend, I have a wondering, how often we encounter the Divine Presence in our midst and do not see it in the face and eyes of our fellow humankind. Sometimes I think, perhaps, it is because we are not awake to, mindful of, the practice of looking for the Divine in whom we meet. Perchance, there are times in our lives, in the life of the church, society, and culture where we have, unjustly othered persons, deciding certain persons do not have the light of the Divine, or surely cannot have the light, and thus we exclude, oppress, turn away, discriminate against those we have deemed unworthy of the image in which they are created. Society and Culture and the Church have been guilty of othering persons simple because of who they are, the color of their skin, who they love, or the culture from which they come.

            As I look across the landscape of our history, culture, and society it seems there has long been the unjust practice of identifying those who are somehow different than us, and thus determine they should be on the outside or at the margins of society and culture. Unfortunately, in the history of the church, it often reflects what is going on in the society and culture in which it exists. It can seem to me our culture, our churches, have long identified persons who are deemed outsiders, and even when they are finally welcomed to some degree into the life of our surrounding culture or church, we as humans then turn such bigotry toward another group deemed somehow unacceptable. Just in the history of our country and often reflected in many of our churches we have seen Native Americans, Persons of the Jewish Faith, African Americans, Persons of Color, Women, LGBTQ persons, as well as others seen as somehow less than human, less than the privileged majority, and thus excluded completely or given only limited rights, inclusion, and participation in the life or our citizenry and churches. It continues to be a practice of injustice and discrimination toward children of the Divine who are no more and no less embraced in the love and grace of God.

            As I reflect with this ongoing individual, some churches, societal, and systemic practice of injustice and exclusion of our fellow humankind and those who are, like me, reflections of the very image of God I am grieved and remain committed to lifting up and speaking out with those who continue to be dismissed and diminished by unjust practices of society and the church.

            In an article written in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, January 18, 2019, Grace Tatter writes of the vision of Beloved Community, “Beloved community: a community in which everyone is cared for, absent of poverty, hunger, and hate. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. popularized the term during his lifetime of activism and imbued it with new meaning, fueled by his faith that such a community was, in fact, possible. But he always acknowledged that realizing his vision would involve systems of law, education, infrastructure, health care, and municipal reform — no one sector, much less one person, could create it in isolation.”

            As we, hopefully, continue to move toward that beloved community in which we become more and more aware of “Knowing when the darkness turns to light,” may we know it takes all of us together to realize the dream of a culture and society, community, a church to become a safe haven of justice, compassion, inclusion, mercy, grace, and love where we no longer need to create a targeted community of our siblings of humankind in an othering sort of way, rather, where we see the light of the Divine Spirit in and with all whom we meet. I pray we continue to “Look for the Light,” and to…

Be a Light.

Love One Another.

Every. Single. Other.

Until there are no others.

Only One Beloved Community of All!

Rev. Kent

Struggle and the UMC

I have struggled with what and how to say something regarding the current state of our United Methodist Denomination. Struggle yes, yet, I feel compelled to speak. The struggle comes from a mix of emotions regarding how I feel about what is going on in our beloved UMC as a denomination and in our local churches.

Let me just say this, as I have in other writings I have shared, I am a life long Methodist/United Methodist. I was born into a Methodist family, baptized in the Methodist Church, confirmed in the United Methodist Church, called and ordained in the United Methodist Church. For nearly 64 years I have been emersed, nurtured, taught, and cared for by the Methodist/United Methodist Church and for nearly thirty-one years I have been called, ordained, and sent by the United Methodist Church.

I struggle with what and how to say something, primarily I think around experiences of my own. The first being my own grief. I grieve the fact that over at least the last 50+ years we have come to this place of splitting and disaffiliations because there are those who have decided they cannot live in peace and understanding with others.

It always grieves me when someone decides to leave a community of faith because of disagreement and an inability to participate in a community of love even when we disagree. Whenever that has happened in my own experience, I wish them well, keep them in my prayers, and hope they can find a community of faith that will meet their spiritual needs and practices. It is the same with those I know, the churches I have served, who have decided to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. It breaks my heart to see them go, but I wish them no ill will, and hope they find what they are looking for, “Go in peace.”

Along with that it is also the anger I feel from the experience of reading and hearing of documents being circulated by people within the Denomination, the powers that be, so to speak, and within local churches. These documents spread misunderstandings, inaccuracies, and some just plain falsehoods and lies. Accusations such as the remaining United Methodist Church will no longer believe Jesus was son of God, or no longer believe in resurrection, or in Jesus as savior or messiah, just to name a few. These accusations are misrepresentations at best and outright lies at worst. It is one thing to wish to leave and disaffiliate because the community of faith is not meeting ones needs, it is quite another to make up falsehoods in an attempt to take others with them, or to quote a friend of mine, “Burn the church down on their way out.” It is simply wrong!

The remaining United Methodist Church will continue to uphold the tenants of the faith grounded in Wesley’s doctrinal stands which cannot be changed. To say otherwise is to spread falsehoods and are not true. It is wrong to do so!

These attempts to change the narrative from the fifty-plus year struggle around human sexuality and whether the United Methodist Church will allow its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer siblings and members to finally participate in the full life of the church to some sinister theological ousting of the faith is simply a process of deflection and denial at best. All the while continuing to do harm to those who simply want to serve and participate in all aspects of our church without judgement and attack simply because of who they are. To those who would visit such harm and dishonesty upon our churches I say, “Go, just go and stop the hate and falsehoods.”

I want to say, it is no secret to anyone who knows me I would be considered a progressive or liberal when it comes to my faith journey and my theology. As a result, my understanding and interpretations are made through a certain lens supported by a particular theological perspective. Just as my more conservative friends and colleagues view through their particular lens. It makes us different. And I know many of my friends and colleagues who have made the commitment to stay in the United Methodist Church even with our differences because they/we believe in the good, justice, mercy, compassion, and ministry our UMC proclaims and spreads throughout the world.

This ability find community among differences, this broad tent image, based on my study and understanding of Wesley, is created by Wesley’s beginning this Methodist movement as a non-creedal movement and denomination. Non-creedal in the sense of while there are doctrines, we all proclaim they are more descriptive than prescriptive. While I claim Jesus is Lord and my more conservative friends and colleagues claim Jesus is Lord, we may or may not agree one exactly what that means through our particular lens of theology and understanding… and that’s okay… we don’t have to agree. It just seems to me those who want to disaffiliate from the UMC and create a new denomination are more interested in a prescriptive faith, one in which everyone agrees on all aspects, or a creedal church. As for me, I think that is unfortunate in light of the Wesley and the God I have come to know.

Finally, I have great hope and expectation for the remaining United Methodist Church, that we might indeed continue to be and a church becoming more grounded in justice, kindness, compassion, welcome, equality, inclusion, grace, and love, for all God’s children including our LGBTQ+ friends and siblings.

This writing is for general consumption as I continue to pray and hope for our United Methodist Church as we move toward what I hope is more peaceful days. It is also for the beloved church I serve here at Hutchinson First United Methodist Church. I am grateful  you the church has shared their intent on staying with the United Methodist Church and continuing to live out the practices of justice work, compassion ministries, worship, learning, and being a light in the community. Hutchinson First UMC, you give me hope for the future and I am grateful to be a part of your storied history.

Continue to pray for our United Methodist Church, our Great Plains Conference, our First United Methodist Church, and our Community Hutchinson. And…

Be a Light.

Love One Another.

Every. Single. Other.

Until there are no others.

Only One Beloved Community of All!

Rev. Kent

Happy Holidays

This is a piece I wrote some time ago, though it seems to be pertinent still among some in our country. I have begun to hear again the tired accusation that somehow Christmas is under attack in our nation. These are my thoughts and will continue to speak to grace and welcome to all I encounter regardless of religion or lack thereof.

I have been pondering again, this time about Christmas and the Holiday Season that is upon us once again. As the celebrations begin to get going there seems to be push back from those of my own Christian tradition who feel Christmas and the celebration of the birth of Jesus is somehow under attack. I hear of those who find offense at using the greeting Happy Holidays rather than Merry Christmas. Others who share the news that Christ has been taken out of the season and that a large number of people, in fact some would say society in general takes offense at Merry Christmas so we have been forced to say Happy Holidays instead. To which I usually respond, “Nonsense.” So here are my ponderings on the topic.

I do understand that there are and have been incidents where someone has somehow taken offense at the greeting Merry Christmas, especially if they are not Christian. I also recognize the celebration of Christmas is about the celebration of Jesus and his birth and do not want to detract from that at all. I agree that in a large sense society in general has moved the celebration into way too much commercialism and materialism and that causes my heart to hurt, especially in these difficult economic times.

However, as I journey in my corner of the world, I just do not see Christmas under attack. As TruDee and I shop or are out and about this time of year, I hear Christmas songs both secular and traditional Christmas hymns being played in stores, Merry Christmas shared by store staff and on signs in the windows. Listening to the local radio stations playing songs of the season such as O Holy Night, Little Drummer Boy, Silent Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and others, seems more than common in my world. Driving through public parks to see Christmas Light displays and displays of Nativity Scenes, I have yet to meet anyone who has said to me they find Merry Christmas offensive.

Now, don’t get me wrong I know there have been lawsuits and controversies about placing religious symbols on government property. I agree with the constitutional mandate of separation of church and state and the non-establishment clause. So, in general I think we should keep religious icons, images, symbols out of our government and off of government property. And at the same time, I really have no problem placing religious symbols on government property as long as we are willing to be inclusive and include other religions other than just Christianity, we are a country grounded in freedom of religion and should not be exclusive in the practice. It is when we narrow that foundation to “freedom of Christianity” or any other religion at the exclusion of another that should cause alarm.

I guess it seems to me those who find such offense at Happy Holidays are not really concerned about taking Christ out of Christmas but rather an inability to share the season. Christmas and celebrating the birth of the Christ Child is not the only celebration going on in the months from November through January. There are Christian, Baha’i, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, African American, and Sikh Holy Days and Celebrations happening throughout our country and the world. I guess for me, I think as a country as diverse as ours, founded on freedom of religion, we would celebrate the gifts and joys all of these celebrations bring to each one of us. Sharing Happy Holidays with my Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist friends is one of the freedoms this great country of ours provides me and I am more than willing to share the Holiday Season with them, after all the roots of the word Holiday simply mean Holy Day, and their Holy Days are just as important to them as my Holy Days are to me.

And so I will close out my ponderings and wish us a Merry Christmas and all of us, the Happiest of Holidays, whether you find that in Merry Christmas, Ashura, Bodhi Day, Diwali, or the Birthday of Baha’u’llah, isn’t it wonderful to live in a place we are all free to celebrate. I find challenge in Martin Luther King Jr.’s words as I finish this pondering, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” I pray we find such brotherhood/sisterhood/human-hood soon; may it be so. Until next week, God bless, and know you are never alone.

Peace and Light on Our Continued Journey Together,

Rev. Kent

Some Children See Him

I am writing this week about Advent and Christmas. I know, I know, I am a little early as we haven’t even celebrated Thanksgiving Day as of yet. However, if you will bear with me there is a perfectly good reason for my looking ahead to our Advent and Christmas Season here at First Church, Hutchinson. 

Including a bit of Thanksgiving in this writing I will say this, I am grateful for all my loved ones, family and friends alike! I am a fortunate one to have such a close and loving family. Holidays always bring to my mind celebrations from my childhood, young adulthood, and now as a more seasoned or experienced adult, so to speak. My favorite parts are gathering with my family and sharing hugs, laughs, tears, and fun. In particular now, the pride and inspiration, joy and fulfillment of watching our children raise their own, and watching our three granddaughters grow and become the strong and independent ones from which I would expect no less. I am so proud, inspired, and grateful for this family of which I am a part.

Writing of Advent and Christmas this year brought to mind a particular experience I had when our oldest granddaughter was just one year old. We were visiting, I believe it was Thanksgiving time, and she was putting together her new Playschool Nativity Set and so, Poppie was helping her. There are a couple of pictures here in this publication of the event I have saved over the years. Of course, the construction and retelling of the Nativity story, for Kadee, included not only the traditional characters we associate with the story; Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, Manger, Animals, Shepherds, and Angels, she was an inclusive teller builder of the story, so her first Nativity also included Superman, Batman, Robin, the Green Lantern, a Native American, the Joker, a few other characters I do not know the identity, and of course Wonder Woman perched atop the shelter. In her one-year-old experience and mind I have no doubt it was perfection! In my now sixty-three-year-old experience and mind, I still agree with what she must have thought of her accomplishment and I too think it is pretty awesome… It is why I still cherish these pictures.

While most of us are familiar with the Nativity Story of our tradition, we all experience the telling and practicing of our faith a little differently. We interpret the story and living out of our faith not only through knowing the story of our scriptures, but through the lens of our own journey, our own lives, our own experiences. The story we are always becoming a part of, grows, evolves and we learn more and include more in order to connect and share the love of God in innumerable ways.

This year the theme for our Advent and Christmas Season will be “Some People See Him.” We will be looking at our Advent and Christmas Season and celebration through the lens of various cultures and understandings. As a part of this journey of Advent to Christmas I would like to invite those of you who would be willing to share a Nativity Scene you have from your home. It could be one from another country or culture, a unique one, or just an extra one you might have. We will display them throughout the Sanctuary and Narthex from November 27, 2022 until after the first of the year. I would invite you to write a short description of your Nativity Scene and why it is meaningful to you to place with the set while it is here at FUMCH. 

I am looking forward to celebrating with you again the coming of the Christ Child, I hope each of you consider sharing a Nativity with us as we journey toward Christmas Morning to celebrate the birth, once again, of Christ among us! I am grateful for who we are as a community of faith and who we continue becoming!

Peace and Light for Our Continued Journey Together,

Rev. Kent

Is the Work Ever Done?

(Updated)

So, I have been pondering the results, completed as well as uncalled, of the recent Midterm Elections this week. Of course, as is usually the case, some of the candidates I chose to vote for did not win their bid for election, and some of the candidates I chose to vote for did win their bid for election. I suspect that is true for the vast majority of us. Hopefully, we all do our due diligence to research and select the candidates we believe will promote the common good of all as they work in government. I confess there are times I have not done the amount of research I should have, though I try to always do my best. I am reminded of Senator John McCain when a person during his presidential campaign said untruths about President Obama. Senator McCain defended President Obama against the untruth and said, “President Obama and I just have different visions about what is best for our country,” …or something to that effect. It is unfortunate our political discourse has devolved from this kind of respectful treatment of differing political visions.

This election was no different for me. Some of the outcomes, at least the ones that have been called, pleased me greatly, some of the outcomes disappointed me greatly, some of the outcomes and pending outcomes have me scratching my head now two days later. However, that is the way democracy is, it isn’t easy, democracy is difficult work. It is supposed to be. And recently it is even more difficult, in my humble opinion, because it would appear there are those who do not want to do the difficult work of collaboration, compromise, and working together to resolve differences to shape and mold laws and protections for the common good of all persons, especially the oppressed, marginalized, discriminated against, ignored, and forgotten.

One of my favorite movies is American President starring Michael Douglas. My favorite part of that movie is toward the end when the character President Andrew Shepherd makes a surprise appearance at a press conference and makes a moving speech about the presidency, the USA, and democracy. Here is just a brief excerpt of that speech, which echoes at least a part of what I have been saying so far in this writing,

“America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You’ve gotta want it bad, ’cause it’s gonna put up a fight. It’s gonna say, “You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who’s standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.” You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.”

This isn’t the only reason the USA and democracy is difficult work; it is also difficult work because it is always a work in progress. I do not believe the founders of our nation created our Constitution as a static document, it is a living document, our country has always been and continues to be a work in progress. Democracy is a process, precisely because none of us are of one mind. If we want everyone to think the same, believe the same, toe to same line, so to speak, then we need a dictatorship not a democracy. Surely our founders recognized this as they themselves were venturing on a great experiment shaped and molded from the structures of governments from which they had emerged. There were elements they wanted to retain, elements they knew they could not support, and new ideas emerged as they forged forward. If they expected our constitution to be static and unchangeable, surely, they would not have made provisions for it to be amended. We do not operate on just the original ideals, rather we operate on the original ideals amended by new understandings and learning evolving over time. The document will always be read and interpreted in and with the current culture and society informed by science, new discovery, and understanding. As such, our work is never complete, we are, hopefully, always on our way, on a journey toward, the best of who we are as individuals and as a country, we are in process.

I think about my and our work in the church, particularly in the United Methodist Church. The polity and governance of the Methodist’s were organized to mirror the government of the USA. I believe for the very reasons above; it is a recognition we are not all of one mind on everything. It is why John Wesley did not establish a creedal church. The church, and I believe the church of Christianity as a whole should be, and in particular the United Methodist Church, is a work in progress. We have not arrived, but to use the language of Wesley, we are “going on to perfection,” implying we are not there, we have not arrived, though we are journeying toward that ideal. As such, our faith, our beloved United Methodist church, should not be a static institution or faith, we will always live it out in and with the culture and understandings we have informed by science and new discoveries, changing and evolving as we need to in order to live out a relevant, informed, mature, and deepening understanding of one another and the Divine. It is no secret or surprise our beloved United Methodist Church seems to be reflecting the conflict and struggles of our country and government in these days and our church will soon officially split, though in reality it already is. My hope and prayer are the remaining United Methodist Church will continue becoming the inclusive, welcoming, open-door church we strive to be, but we also recognize, we have not arrived, though there is hope on the horizon.

So, this writing is simply the pondering of one who continues to be held in the grasp of hope, recognizing that our country and our church are ever evolving organisms, processes, I pray, of hope, grace, compassion, equity, equality, justice, and love. We have a long way to go, and yet I am hopeful and committed to becoming myself, and doing my small part to vote each opportunity, speak out each opportunity, for the common good as we journey toward that Beloved Community for which we long. And so, whether my rose-colored glasses are firmly set on my face or lost somewhere in the mess that we can be, I’m not sure the work of justice, compassion, mercy, grace, and love is ever complete, yet work I will, and I know I have many who labor and love beside me. I am grateful. Carry On Saints and Citizens.

And…

Be a Light.

And Love One Another.

Every. Single. Other.

Until there are no others.

Only One Diverse and Beloved Community of All!

Rev. Kent

The Letter and the Spirit

I was on track with my normal Sunday morning routine. Rise at 4:00am, shower, dress, let Simeon out, put him back to bed, give TruDee a smooch and tell her I love her, get in the car and pull out of the garage about 4:30am. Right on time. It was nothing but an ordinary Sunday morning as I approached the stop light at 27^th and Adams, always just blinking red at this time of morning, stop and then go. I rarely see more than 1 or two other vehicles out at that time on Sunday morning.

I stopped at 27^th and main and made my right turn. I saw up ahead, I presumed about 17^th street a vehicle’s brake lights as it came to a stop at the blinking red light. I drove past Skaets Steakhouse, the usual one vehicle and the lights on as they prepare for the day. As I traveled closer to 17^th street, I noticed the vehicle I had seen was still stopped at the intersection. “Hmm, curious,” I thought to myself and wondered why it was not proceeding. I moved over to the right lane as I approached, and realized it was a patrol car, I glanced down at my speedometer, and I was doing just over forty miles per hour. “Oops” I thought as I stepped on the brake and came to a stop beside the officer. I did not look over, after my stop I pulled away and signaled back to the left lane. The patrol car proceeded as well. The officer followed me all the way to the church and simply drove on by when I parked. “Whew,” I thought, glad the officer was feeling generous. I said out loud, as I pulled the key from the ignition, “Thank You!”

This coming Sunday at First United Methodist Church Hutchinson, we are going to be talking about one of the many times Jesus was seen as breaking the law, the laws of Moses, the laws of his own religious upbringing and faith. When applying a law in an oppressive and unjust legalistic way it weaponizes control of others. Harsh, unjust legalism in his day, harsh, unjust legalism in our day, is an anathema to God’s love and grace. Jesus broke the law about keeping the sabbath holy and doing no work on the sabbath. He broke the law in order to heal a woman who had been bent over for fifteen years with no relief. He broke the letter law, in order to fulfill the spirit of the law which should always supersede the letter if it provides healing, compassion, mercy, inclusion, hope, and love. After all, Jesus himself said, Love God, Love Neighbor, Love Self… on this hangs ALL the laws and the prophets.

I think sometimes our churches and others who embrace the name of Christian too often get stuck on the letter and for the life of them cannot feel the spirit of the faith. Whether we are talking our own scriptural tradition or the doctrine, rules, and statutes of our United Methodist Discipline. John Wesley himself emphasized our call as followers of the Way to “Do No Harm.” If a law is unjust, discriminatory, oppressive, doing harm, it bears changing and I believe there are times, as evidenced throughout our history, when the only way to change an unjust law is to disobey it and break it in the name of justice, mercy, compassion, and love.

This may be a little bit comparing apples and oranges in my early Sunday morning experience. I think a 30 MPH speed limit on Main Street Hutchinson is a just, necessary, and safe law that should be maintained. That being said, and I am going to assume I can get in the officer’s mind here, I am speculating the officer, especially after seeing I drove 30 MPH the rest of the way to the church, decided I was not a danger to myself or others, which after all is the spirit of a traffic law, even if the letter dictated, I deserved a ticket… which I did. Thank God for Grace.

I hope you will join us this Sunday as we delve into the Letter of the Law and the Spirit of the Law which always yields to love and grace.

Peace and Light on Our Continued Journey Together!

Rev. Kent