Faith Works 11-19-16

Faith Works 11-19-16

Jeff Gill

 

Around a family table

___

 

Tomorrow, on Sunday afternoon Nov. 20, the Newark Area Ministerial Association is hosting a community Thanksgiving service.

 

Originally planned for Second Presbyterian Church, their pipe organ renovation has not quite followed the original timetable, so their organist, Rick Black (you may read about him on the front pages of this paper from time to time, as a county commissioner) will be sitting in at Central Christian Church in Newark, just up Mt. Vernon Road from downtown.

 

This 2:00 pm service will include a number of clergy and church leaders from different Christian traditions, and yes, I'll be your host. Welcome!

 

I've been involved in what we call "NAMA" since 1989; as an organization, it has helped to get the Licking County Jail Ministry off the ground when the new justice center opened in 1988, participated in the launch of the Licking County Coalition for Housing in 1992, and was deeply involved in the start of the Licking County Coalition of Care from 2003 to its formal establishment in 2005.

 

And it is, in a way, family.

 

Like any family, people come and go; there are deaths, and new births (well, arrivals!) along with move-aways and retirements. The faces change and our faces, for some of us who have been around that long, also change – or at least hair color does. Patriarchs and matriarchs come to the fore, and fade into the background, but the stories continue. We each play a role, and family dynamics being what they are, those roles are sometimes innate, and often we find ourselves being "pushed" into certain postures by circumstance and surroundings. The wacky uncle, the quiet brother, the caring sister, the nurturing mother. We may not see each other for longish stretches, but the community tends to snap back into place pretty quickly when we gather together.

 

I have the privilege and opportunity to be part of two other professional communities that meet once or twice a year, as we all do our work largely apart through the seasons, but have our set times to gather and reflect together.

 

At those fall meetings, which tend to be a full day with presentations, discussions, and a meal together with more to say after the table is cleared, I found myself thinking about how these eclectic gatherings are still, very much, family rituals.

 

I recall when I was a very junior member of each, said little (hard to believe, I know), and often did not understand much of what was said when things got down to brass tacks. I looked for someone I knew and stuck close to them.

 

But over the years, I got more comfortable with most of the group, sat where I would, talked to whom I wished and in the general conversation, and had a clearer sense of my own role, and of the body as a whole. At one of these meetings, an elder of the crew said something I disagreed with, and I spoke up to say so, and realized with a shock that others were listening to me as one of the . . . elders. Yikes.

 

This week is Thanksgiving, a high holy day for families of all sorts. Most of us remember being at the kids' table in the kitchen, or the card table on the sun porch. And I suspect many of you reading this can reflect on how you've moved to where you're more a part of the proceedings, someone who knows your place, and who now can speak to the gathering in ways you couldn't before.

 

Let's all recall, newcomers and elders, that at family tables, formal or informal, related by blood or gathered on other terms, that we each have the opportunity to make others feel at home, to know themselves as welcome, by what we say and how we invite participation. I pray that we all have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving, and that all of us do what we can to extend the table and our welcoming spirit to those who are nervous, anxious, hesitant, new. May the gift of hospitality be given at every holiday table in the week ahead.

 

Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller, and pastor in Licking County; he's looking forward to roasting some Brussels sprouts this week. Tell him how you put leaves in your family table at knapsack77@gmail.com, or follow @Knapsack on Twitter.

Notes From My Knapsack 11-17-16

Notes From My Knapsack 11-17-16

Jeff Gill

 

No future without memory

___

 

When an honorary consul of France says in Swasey Chapel "there can be no future without memory," you may hesitate a moment at the logic of that thought.

 

She speaks with strength and beauty, a lovely accent and powerful words about the deeds some 72 years before of a young man who now stands before us, weighed down by years and less some parts of himself, but full of accomplishment.

 

Andy Starrett stood there, self-conscious for his own achievements, but willing to bear the burden for us all of history and celebration. It was Veterans Day, and nearly the day itself when he lost an arm helping France regain her freedom so many decades before, and we all knew it, but Anne Cappel felt it.

 

This honorary consul of the French government had come to present the Légion d'Honneur to an already honored emeritus faculty member of Denison University, a respected part of our Granville community. A ribbon and enameled metal badge made up a medal with a history going back to Napoleon, and a relevance stretching down to an Ohio day when we all were looking for the better angels of our nature in the throngs around us. It was Nov. 11, 2016 when this presentation was finally ready to be given, long years in the making.

 

And the presenter said "there can be no future without memory." Which we all knew, in one sense, was untrue. We move forward without recalling the past all the time.

 

But her point was that the future we seek, the reality we would work to bring into being, requires that we reach back not just for example but for inspiration, not just for proven models but for possibilities not previously thought to be plausible.

 

With memory, our presenter said to the crowd packed into the chapel overlooking our village, we can see forward almost as far as we can recall from before. Our reach behind us summons into reality the scope of our grasp of what is yet to come, the vision of things to come.

 

In fact it was in the task of describing what had happened, what was now and forever done, that the consul of France broke down and stopped. To count the cost and tally up the price of freedom, she ceased her praise, however unwilling, of the deeds today and yet to come, and was humbled into silence because of the sacrifices that have been.

 

Can there be a future without memory? Yes, but the prospect stifles hope and silences vision. With the vision of memory standing there on the platform in the chapel in the person of Andy Sterrett, and sitting in the front row, our World War II veteran friends and fellows, we were able to continue, after a pause. To carry on, the occasion called for a hearty round of applause that we gladly offered up to encourage this brave woman, whose momentary hesitation was only because of the awe she felt looking back, and in trying to summon up for us in words what only deeds can truly describe.

 

And we will only bring our future into being by living it. Choice by choice, act by act, day by day. We may pause and have no cheering audience to urge us on, but with the recollection of days we never saw, but learned about through gatherings such as we had on Nov. 11 atop College Hill, we have an example that will carry us forward.

 

Into a future with memory guiding us on.

 

Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller, and pastor in Licking County; tell him your stories of future possibilities at knapsack77@gmail.com, or follow @Knapsack on Twitter.

Faith Works 11-12-16

Faith Works 11-12-16

Jeff Gill

 

In Defense of Weiner

___

Yes, the election is over. No, I'm not writing this out of some covert interest in supporting Trump or undermining Clinton. Sure, you never wanted to hear about him again. But bear with me.

As someone whose work as a pastor and as a court staffer puts me in proximity to people with problems, I find in Anthony Weiner a very interesting and salutary . . . and very tragic tale.

Lots of people have personal problems. This is true, correct? Thank you -- of course we do. Habits we'd like to break, practices we know aren't good for us, addictions we can't manage, secrets we keep stumbling over for fear someone else will trip on them. It can be a weakness for eating ice cream, or a turn of phrase we know we should stop using. Our weight and health could be better than they are, but we do the opposite of what we should; emotionally, we let ourselves be whipsawed by people or situations we could and should learn to rise above . . . but don't.

Add in a public position, of even a modest sort, and you see a strange intensification of this persistence in problematic behavior. I've had to watch, over the years, teachers and counselors, social service workers and clergy, professionals and supervisors all keep on making moves that put them and their circumstances on the line, when they are surrounded by people trying to draw those lines more clearly for them, with supportive presences nearby ready to reach out and pull them back. This includes any sort of self-destructive behavior up to and including suicidal actions.

Why didn't Anthony Weiner get help? He could afford it, he had access to it, he got second and third chances while living in some of the least forgiving lifestyles there are (politics & media). I know nothing more than any one reading this does, but I can't imagine that among his wife's friends and co-workers, let alone his own, there weren't suggestions, recommendations, commands -- and again, the ability to take the time, pay for the treatment program, get on the list and maybe even nudged to the front of the line. But no.

So I wanted to write this to just encourage us all, Dems and GOPs, the amused or the appalled, anyone who has seen even just a part of this circus pass by our perch, to consider what Anthony Weiner's example is telling us.

First, that an addictive behavior of any sort is hard, hard, hard to break. Surely whatever satisfaction he gained from his online stupidity was counterbalanced by the known threat to his life, his marriage, his role as a parent, let alone to his wife's career and goals. Yet he continued. That's not an excuse, it's just a reminder: these sorts of compulsions are terribly strong. Like cigarettes, some stop cold turkey at the first date who says "your breath smells awful," and some smoke until they die of illnesses directly related to that practice. There are always stories of those who can stop cold, but there are so many more tales, some I know all too well, of people who tell me through tears "I wish I'd never started" as they are dying . . . and hoping to wheel out for one more smoke.

Second, that getting help requires an all-in from the immediate family and friends involved. Again, I know nothing about Weiner's situation, but I do know that a little denial, a bit of enabling, can be so destructive when any addict is ready to seize on the first out they can find from a hard path towards freedom. Yes, the person with the problem has to want to get better, but it's also true that everyone around them needs to support that move, and it's amazing how often folks will speak and act towards the status quo rather than the harder work of recovery. That's not blame, but it is a part of the accountability that the supportive community around a person has to provide.

And third, I'd say, in general, if there's not a spiritual component, such a move from addiction/habituation to freedom & recovery is significantly harder. The personal motivations need to be rooted beyond the self, and the vision of a future has to be for something more than the purely selfish. AA talks about a "higher power," and it's a powerful part of their process. If you are trying to overcome a challenge like this entirely on your own, you are setting yourself up for failure the first time the path gets too hard. Sometimes, as the old story goes, someone has to carry you.

Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller, and pastor in Licking County; he's a big fan of budgets, and writes a version of this darn column every fall. Tell him about your adventures in budgeting and giving at knapsack77@gmail.com, or follow @Knapsack on Twitter.

 

Faith Works 11-5-16

Faith Works 11-5-16

Jeff Gill

 

Put Your Money Where Your Faith Is

___

 

Before we get off on any other topic: it's Time Change. "Fall back" two hours Saturday night before you go to bed, or end up getting to church in time for that pre-service thing you've been avoiding.

 

On the other hand, what a painless way to adjust into joining an adult class or other Sunday fellowship and study opportunity: forget what I said. Change your clocks on Sunday afternoon. See you tomorrow!

 

Sunday, Nov. 6 is also an opportunity to help the Licking County Coalition of Care in their work to help people in need by promoting collaboration and shared action between area churches. Their marquee fundraising event is at the Midland Theatre at 2:00 pm, and you can buy tickets at the door, or in advance.

 

This year they're saying "join us for a fresh & funny salute to Americana" called "The Wonder Bread Years." This is a one-man show, starring Pat Hazell (who is a former Seinfeld writer) which walks the line between stand-up and theater.

 

If you want an opportunity to help a charitable cause that's more participatory, there's the Licking County Coalition for Housing's "Home Run" coming up next Saturday, Nov. 12, at Rotary Park Pavilion on Sharon Valley Road, starting at 9:00 am.

 

It's their fourth 5K event, helping the homeless in Licking County. You can run or just walk (some of us are not so much runners…) but it does offer a timed race with medals for the top finishers overall and in each age group. The cost is an entry fee of $25 by tomorrow, Nov. 6, which goes up to $30 entry fee after this Sunday. There's a t-shirt and goody bag included for all registered participants, plus lunch and door prizes. You can go to www.lcchousing.org for registration.

 

Two coalitions, two collections of programs and congregations and individuals and opportunities working together. They each have their own emphasis, their own strengths, and you might choose to support one, or both, or others.

 

This time of year it's not unusual for me to be approached by church members, friends, or folks like you who read and then reach out by e-mail: which charitable giving is the best? How should I choose and manage my offerings in and around the community?

 

It's a good question, and one I wish I could offer a simple answer to, but there isn't one. Not even "send it all to me!" But under a few short headings, I think I can help.

 

First, do YOU have a budget? Tithing and your own church obligations are one thing, but if you don't know what your income and where your basic expenses are, then anything else you say to me about giving and sharing will be incomplete, even insincere no matter what your intentions. Telling me you tithe, but admitting you don't know your own household budget, makes me suspect we're talking about words, not dollars.

 

I do believe that giving "off the top" is a powerful, positive spiritual discipline. It's a way of saying to yourself, to those around you, and in your relationship with God: I know my own wishes and impulses don't come first. I know it's not all about me. I am blessed, and choose to bless others.

 

So make your budget, which can be painful. In truth, the main reason people don't have budgets is because they're afraid to see it in black and white on paper or up on the screen. But it's gonna be okay.

 

And if you make $30K per year and have expenses totaling $35K, you need to do some other work in managing your outflow before you give off your credit card. That neither honors God nor is it, I will safely say on behalf of every charitable organization, churchly or otherwise, what they want to be receiving.

 

When you know what you have, and you realize that, in fact, you are giving 2%, then fine, you're giving 2% of your income. Work on growing that (even if you're at 10%, I'd suggest growing that number is a healthy practice), and if next year is 2.5%, then that's growth.

 

When you plan your giving, your decisions about where and to whom you'll give become much clearer. I'm very certain about that. When it's out of the remainders and out of guilt, you get confused, muddled, and off the course that will bless you. When you plan, prepare, and put forward your giving before anything else, you'll find a new clarity about what you want those gifts to do.

 

Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller, and pastor in Licking County; he's a big fan of budgets, and writes a version of this darn column every fall. Tell him about your adventures in budgeting and giving at knapsack77@gmail.com, or follow @Knapsack on Twitter.

 

Notes From My Knapsack 11-3-16

Notes From My Knapsack 11-3-16

Jeff Gill

 

 

November the Ninth

___

 

The sun will rise.

 

Cloudy or clear, above the cumulus cover or directly to your east and a bit south, the heart of our solar system will heave into view on the morning horizon.

 

Nov. 6 we change our clocks, falling back as we do in the autumn, pretending to have some control over time, but really just adding to the chaos. No matter. Dawn will pull back into a temporary tie with disorientation, and darkness will leap forward into our afternoons, and it will only gain on us -- until Dec. 25^th at any rate.

 

So November 9^th will be a Wednesday with a morning we're still getting used to, no matter how early you went to bed, or how long you stayed up to watch the election returns. You know, state representative, county prosecutor, local developmental disabilities levies, the stuff that matters. It may not be on national cable news or even on the Columbus stations' crawl, but you can click to the Board of Elections website and keep track there directly, or follow the Newark Advocate's feed online and Twitter.

 

Plenty to be interested in, and many around us will be making new plans on Wednesday, win or lose. But most of us will . . . do what we usually do on Wednesday.

 

I'm not sure what I think about the much discussed "right track/wrong track" polling that we hear about, especially going into an election campaign. Does it measure the considered reaction of the electorate, of engaged citizens dispassionately assessing the state of the union and the progress of the economy, or is it more consumer research to inform those who've been working to stir us up and spur our anxieties that their machinations are bearing fruit?

 

How well do we know, en masse, what is a right track towards the light at the end of the tunnel, and when are we getting lulled into complacency, or agitated into insensibility, dashing into the path of an oncoming outcome?

 

I have plenty I'd want to change if I were Grand High Poohbah of all I survey, and I'd probably mess more up than I meant to by so doing. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, Newton tells me, but socio-economically, I'm not sure Milton Friedman or Paul Krugman are able to accurately predict in which direction cultural engineering backfires until it does.

 

On November the Ninth, everything changes, and nothing is any different. We close the chapter of the election of 2016, and begin to write new pages of mutual self-governance in a republican democracy within a federal structure. U.S.A.! U.S.A.!

 

We may or may not know come the dawning exactly who won which office, but beyond a shadow of a doubt we know this: we're still going to have to be better informed citizens, in our voting, our affirmations and condemnations, in our lobbying (yes, common everyday citizens can lobby our legislators, trust me: the problem is that too few of us do, so the pros take up all the space by default), in our ongoing encouragement and decrying of our elected officials in between elections.

 

The work of democracy continues. Put on your gloves, pull on your boots, and grab your shovel. It's November the Ninth, and we have work to do.

 

Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller, and pastor in Licking County; tell him about your November the Ninth at knapsack77@gmail.com, or follow @Knapsack on Twitter.