May 27

May 27 Reflection Roundup: Identity Celebration

Each week we gather news stories, notable pieces, and other important items for Christian leaders today. As always, listening broadly draws together differing perspectives from which we can learn but may not concur. Here are 10 things worth sharing this week.

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1. As Protestants, we oft neglect the rhythms of the Christian liturgical calendar. Some congregations celebrate Pentecost, but rarely do we hear mention of Trinity Sunday (May 30 this year) in which we rejoice in the identity of God expressed in three ways. Other traditions can offer refreshing discussions of God’s identity, invigorating our own view, when we listen to conversations like this one with minister Chris Pritchett on the Now & Then podcast, a work of the Henri Nouwen Society. In “Finding Myself in God,” Pritchett discusses with host Karen Pascal (executive director of the Henri Nouwen Society) elements of God’s identity with particular bearing on our own. The society is in the midst of celebrating their 25th anniversary, so the podcast includes a bit of marketing material about that, but its brevity weighed alongside the dialogical gems makes this well worth the listen.

2. Pastor and author JoAnn A. Post imbues the essence of Trinity Sunday for the Christian Century’s Living by the Word blog, which hosts “reflections on the lectionary readings by pastors, preachers, and biblical scholars.” For her “May 30, Trinity B” entry, she writes, “When words fail, the church sings – especially on Trinity Sunday”; her words testify personally to the multivalent nature of God and God’s choice to reveal this truth in the gathered people of God, in this instance within their singing. And the Lord sings back, always responsive: “the Lord … will exult over you with loud singing” (Zeph. 3:17).

3. The Rainer on Leadership podcast has opened a largely untapped and difficult conversation in a healthy way. While not claiming perfect discourse on a sticky issue, Sam and Thom Rainer explore the issue of church bullies from the angle of characteristics of pastors and congregations who have overcome them. In “Five Characteristics of Pastors Who Overcome a Church Bully,” the Rainers make important points regarding common elements of these situations as well as the Mic. 6:8 wisdom of those who’ve collectively walked these roads.

4. Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil, freelance writer for the Christian Century, offers “Homeless people get organized – and radical.” Kandil chronicles the fact that, between the Great Depression and the present, not much has changed in terms of how housing is propagated among the poor. What we need, “activists say, is a broader recognition that housing is a human right, not something that should be available only to those who can afford it.”

5. In India, the COVID virus remains high and has facilitated the sharing of Christ’s love in concrete ways as Erik Tryggestad, president and CEO of the Christian Chronicle, writes in “‘Miracles’ in the pandemic.”

6. “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). Nature continually reveals things about God that can be expressed no other way but that we experience and are impressed, yet nature has seasons, constant changes. In “I’m not languishing, I’m dormant,” artist and author Austin Kleon suggests we – and I would add our faith communities – share this rhythm with our created counterparts; the inherent fluctuations in our appearance and productivity are inherent and necessary.

7. InterVarsity Press’s Every Voice Now podcast hosts three authors in this recent episode, “Three Books that Dethrone White American Jesus,” all of whom present their stories of writing and experiencing faith in a diverse or multiethnic context. Jonathan Walton (Twelve Lies That Hold America Captive), Steve Tamayo (Ethnic Identity), and Chandra Crane (Mixed Blessing) share with producer Helen Lee not only their important stories, but also how they feel Generation Z best receives the information they have to share, content vital for world changers. The way in which this conversation is conducted is a learning in itself.

8. “Perfect love casts out fear,” laid alongside the many Scriptural admonitions to “fear not,” sends a message loud and clear (1 Jn. 4:18). But it’s not as easy as choosing, as anybody with deep-seated fears and anxieties knows, as do those hiking church life in uncharted territory, feeling as if they’ve packed the wrong equipment. What do we do with it? Kelly Ryan suggests, “If we multiply fear with curiosity instead of resistance, might we generate wonder?” As director of Faith & Leadership’s Thriving Congregations Coordination Program, Ryan writes “The opportunity of fruitful fear,” suggesting that with fear as our signal, we can enter a step-by-step process of discernment, bringing our whole selves before God and locating where this emotion might be deposited to bear good, lasting fruit.

9. Big truth: “Our daily decisions are making our lives.” This being a space in which we share with our friends, I hope that “Use Your Voice” on the Next Right Thing podcast from author Emily P. Freeman, delivers a word straight to your heart, from a friend.

10. And this feel-gooder: “When you tap, you are the music.” Oh please, let’s indulge! It’s more than a dance; it’s connection, and it’s who many of us are.