Election 2020

We are just weeks away from the presidential election, and I know there are many out there who agree with me that I wish it was over. But it is not, and the rhetoric is only going to get worse until election day.

For many reasons, this is one of the most important elections in this century. The ensuring the continuation of the Affordable Care Act, ceasing of destruction of our natural resources, non-politicization of departments of government and effective treatment of the Coronavirus pandemic health are just a few issues that loom in the near future.

Mudslinging, scare tactics, name-calling, lies and promises that can’t be kept aren’t new in 2020. We are bombarded with ‘he said/he said’ and name calling twenty-four hours a day. Each side wants to make statements that will sway the direction we intend to vote. This happens in each U.S. presidential campaigns. Past campaigns show that, even when the political rhetoric gets outrageous, the checks and balances of our constitutional system support the democratic process.

Our nation is in a crisis; I believe we need a leader who can continue the existing progress and turn things around to provide security and justice and equality. In 2020, we will elect a president in what many are calling the most important election in our nation’s history.

But the question that is presented to us is how, as Christians, are we going to make a decision about who we will for. There are some basic tenets of the Christian faith that can help us make sound decisions.
 

Listen, Listen, Listen

Practice active listen skills; listen to hear what they say, not to have a return comment. Listen to all the candidates. Let them completely state their positions before commenting. Is their platform based on Christian principles of caring for the unfortunate, providing a leg up for those who are being oppressed? Are there defined plans of action to accomplish these goals, or only ‘lip service’ to economic equality and social justice?
 

Be Civil

Refuse to participate in the name-calling and nasty rhetoric. There can be no civil discussion when you engage in ‘trash-talking’. If someone starts being uncivil, quietly remove yourself from the discussion; there is no way information can be exchanged is one party is dominating the conversion. Defend the right of all people to speak their mind.
 

Be Aware of Bias

Much of this election campaigning has been consumed with bias, prejudice and racism. Carefully consider any rhetoric which demeans any group of people (women, LGBTs, disabled, immigrants). And remember that Jesus told us we will always have the poor (Matthew 26:11) and strangers (Leviticus 19:4) among us. Jesus taught us that everyone is a beloved child of God.
 

Consider What is Just and Right

Jesus’ consistent theme throughout His life was bringing love and justice to the world. . . justice and righteousness.

Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.” (Jeremiah 22:3)

Do the candidates value inclusiveness, caring for the less fortunate, or do they espouse bias, exclusion, prejudice and injustice?
 
Do the candidates honors those who are different from themselves or treat them with disrespect?

And finally,
 
We must pray for all our leaders and the candidates – pray that they will consider the teachings of Jesus in their lives and their elected function.

And if you feel so compelled, get out in the streets and do God’s work, campaigning for your candidate. This is a right of democracy.

And no matter what, no matter who is your favorite (or ‘none of the above’) candidate

WE MUST ALL GO VOTE!

It is the one time that the ‘government for the people’ can actual be determined ‘by the people’.

The Needy: Our Duty Is To Help

There have always been needy people in Worthington, although many people think that there are no poor or homeless people within our surrounds.

However, as the economy stays stagnant or experiences a decline, churches become easy prey for those who are looking for a handout. Saint John’s regularly sees people looking for assistance, particularly on Sundays, when most other services are closed.

We have been commanded by Jesus to:

“Feed my sheep”. (John 21:17)

And we are reminded

whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40)

The majority of homeless or needy men and women are not dangerous — they’re people just like us, but circumstances have resulted in them being needy. It could happen to every one of us under the right conditions. They are our brothers and sisters.

When a person requests assistance it is not our duty to determine if the request is legitimate, or if they are panhandling. We are told to take care of their needs. But there are ways to care for these people that can satisfy their need in constructive ways.

Worthington Resource Pantry
The Worthington Resource Pantry provides assistance to those in need on a regular basis, and Saint John’s does a terrific job of supplying those goods that they identify they need. Become aware of where the Pantry is located (6700 Huntley Road, 985-1766), and what their hours are (see www.worthingtonresourcepantry.org). The Pantry not only provides food, but also is a source of information for additional available services. You might want to think about volunteering at the Pantry, especially if you have children. And continue to donate food items that are listed in the weekly bulletin.

When approached by a needy person,

1. Smile and politely decline any requests for money. But we can still show love and offer to lift them up in prayer.

2. DO NOT, DO NOT give money to children! Giving money to children is like paying their families to keep them out of school. It is, in a way, a type of human trafficking.

3. If you have the time, listen to their story. That may be more important to them than receiving what they ask for.

4. Give them tangible things – some people keep McDonald’s gift cards in their purse or car. This will provide them with a meal; it is usually less than $5 to provide a filling meal at McDonald’s; or offer to take them for a meal and you pay for it.

5. Carry some Care Kits in the car; these Ziploc bags contain essentials that are hard to acquire if you are homeless or needy. A typical Care Kit could contain any of the following: water bottle, socks, granola or cereal bar, fruit snack or applesauce cup, cheese/peanut butter crackers, handiwipes (avoid hand sanitizer because of the alcohol content), Kleenex, maxi pads for women, toothbrush and toothpaste, Chapstick, brush and comb, unscented soap, travel shampoo and conditioner, disposable razors, gum or mints (preferably sugar-free). It might be an opportunity for some education of children and teens to have a party to assemble these kits. There is a flyer on the Information Table about creating Care Kits.

6. If they need money for medication, take them to a pharmacy and pay for the prescription drugs. The pharmacist will verify the legitimacy of the drug to avoid supplying drugs that would be sold on the street.

7. Carry information about services that are available for those in need. Columbus generates a ‘street card’ which identifies places and times for services. Ask the church to keep a stack of these on the Information Table.

In dire emergencies, the rector has a discretionary fund which can be used for emergency needs, but it is not bottomless.

Most importantly, we need to remove the conditions that cause these people to be needy. Call your local legislators and ask that social safety nets be maintained or increased in your city, county and state. Contact local aid agencies to determine what support they need. Remember the old adage:

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Our goal, as followers of Jesus, is to remove those obstacles so that everyone has enough food, shelter, and services.

Remember we are all ‘beloved children of God’, regardless of our economic or social status.

 
 
Rev deniray mueller, The Crossroads, Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Worthington and Parts Adjacent, Worthington, OH; 1 July 2019

Social Justice – Who Better than Deacons?

One of the aspects of the job of the deacon is defined as ‘taking the church to the world, and the world to the church’. This means we are to not only care for the needs of our congregations, but also take the concerns of the church to the wider world – in other words, ‘speak truth to power’.

At the recent meeting of the Association of Episcopal Deacons (AED) Presiding Bishop Michael Curry was our keynote speaker. Just prior to his speech, he heard a reference to “AED” and had an epiphany. AED in the medical world refers to “Automatic External Defibrillator’ – an application of electricity which stops the heart’s arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm. He suddenly made the connection that deacons “apply electricity of the Holy Spirit” to the world. And he is right! Bishop Curry went on to say that “we need a revival”, and he couldn’t think of “a better group of people more appropriately placed than deacons”. He ‘encouraged’ deacons to begin applying electricity to righting the wrongs in the world at the national and local level.

In the Episcopal Church a deacon exercises “a special ministry of servanthood”, serving all people and especially those in need.[1] Deacons often work directly in ministry to the marginalized inside and outside the church: the poor, the sick, the hungry, the imprisoned. Deacons have specific liturgical responsibilities in the worship that are intended to reflect their role as servants of Christ. These duties include taking the Good News of God’s love to the world (proclaiming the Gospel), bringing the concerns of the world into the church (working with others on the prayers of the people), modeling servanthood (preparing the table) and sending the people of God out to serve the world (proclaiming the dismissal). Ideally, each of these liturgical duties is matched by real world and congregational ministries.[2]

Deacons are to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world – in other words, work for social justice.

According to the New Oxford American Dictionary social justice is “justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society”. Aristotle, in The Politics, said ‘justice’ ensured that individuals both fulfilled their societal roles and received what was their due from society. Joseph Joubert, a French moralist and essayist, said “Justice is truth in action”.

Who could be against justice? If there’s one thing that the laws and prophets – especially Jesus –agreed on, it is ‘justice for all’, regardless of background or social status. This is one of the main things Jesus did in the world: identify with the powerless, take up their cause.

And who better to take up the cause of social justice than deacons?

Social justice might mean personally taking time to meet the needs of the handicapped, the elderly or the hungry in our neighborhoods. Or it could mean the establishment of new non-profits to serve the interests of these people. It could also mean a group of families from the more prosperous side of town adopting the public school in a poor community and making generous donations of money and pro bono work in order to improve the quality of education there.

When we try to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and calls to justice are inescapable. We do justice when we give all human beings their due as blessed creations of God. ‘Doing justice’ includes not only the righting of wrongs, but practicing generosity and interest in social concerns, especially toward the poor and vulnerable.

And who better to ‘do justice’ and apply the electricity of the Holy Spirit than deacons?

Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus angrily challenges the religious authorities, mocking them for their self-aggrandizing, self-promoting ways. He alienates the elite by spending time with and showing favor to the poor and marginalized; he talks to women, eats without regard for the dietary rules, he heals those considered unclean and returns them to wholeness. He questions current laws and challenges the status quo. And as a result, he becomes the target of those in authority. Ultimately, those authorities kill him.

Nevertheless, Jesus showed us that there are times when we must stand up and express ‘truth to power’ in constructive, meaningful, unyielding ways despite the possible consequences. Consider how often, and in how many ways, Jesus expressed anger in the Gospels. He was clear and direct, bringing about justice or revealing malice or ignorance. He made no personal attacks, but sought to uncover the evil behind the actions. There is no record of Jesus being angered by a personal offense no matter how wrong, unjust, or violent it may be. He lived and taught that the one who is persecuting us is also created in the image of God and loved by God, and in that reality, we can love our enemy.

And who better to ‘speak truth to power’ than deacons?

Just as God is righteously angered over oppression and injustice, so should we be. Learning how to balance these teachings and actions is a lifelong process for those who choose to follow his ways. The Good Samaritan wasn’t good because of his origins or because he was traveling. Instead, he looked around him, around where he lived and worked and traveled, saw a human in need, and got involved. He gave up time, money, and most likely status and respect in doing so. As he went about his day, he loved someone and righted an injustice.

Deacons are, destined by nature of their calling and ordination vows, to right injustice as well as care for those who are needy.

There are many ways we can be involved in helping set things right. We can advocate for stricter, common-sense gun laws, or work toward offering much-needed services for those suffering with mental illness; we can encourage our governments to shelter the homeless; we can feed those in poverty, visit those in prison, clothe children in need, serve those with special needs; we can work with youth who need an adult mentor. The needs are endless, the injustices everywhere.

This is the time for each of us to ask ourselves: How can our sense of outrage at injustice be channeled into loving action? We, as members of the Association for Episcopal Deacons have an obligation – no, a mandate – to work for social justice, just as Jesus did. We must be angry at instances of injustice, speaking truth in love to our friends, our neighbors, our legislators, our nation and the world.

When we witness wrong done to others, particularly those who do not have the strength or means to defend themselves, then as deacons we need to express the anger of love — the anger that gives us boldness and outspokenness to defend what is right and just.

Jesus’ example and teachings reveal to us that anger, channeled and directed in love, can redirect our anger into positive acts. We open ourselves to the guidance of the spirit of the Holy Spirit to determine how best to express our moral anger, and in all matters, how to speak and act in love.

This kind of direct action is risky because it involves other people, who are also made in the image of God. People about whom Jesus said,

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:45)

The Jesus who said,

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

We need to remember what Micah 6:8 says:

what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

We, as deacons, are called to be a witness to the world of God’s love and Jesus’ teachings.

Are you ready to be the electricity to return the world to its normal rhythm?

Are you ready to take those steps needed to carry out the teachings of Jesus?

Are you ready to:

‘strive to do justice,

         love kindness and

            walk humbly with God’?

 

[1] The Book of Common Prayer, p. 543.
[2] Episcopal Diocese of Maine
 

Rev deniray mueller, Legislative Liaison, Diocese of Southern Ohio

“To Tell the Truth”: UBE Ambassadors for Healing Pilgrimage

One of the four foundations of the “Becoming Beloved Community” movement is to “Tell the Truth” about the history of churches and racism. To better experience and understand that truth, four women from the central Ohio area joined 48 other “pilgrims” from seven states and the District of Columbia in late May for a pilgrimage to civil rights sites in Alabama. The group, led by The Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher-Stewart of the DC Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians, included other denominations as well. Almost equally divided between African and white Americans, the group also included five clergy and an ELCA deacon. The group was based in Birmingham, with daily trips to sites in Selma and Montgomery as well.

Although words cannot fully express the impact of the trip on each “pilgrim”, a brief review of each day will, perhaps, help impart the scope and intensity of the pilgrimage.

Day 1 – Birmingham
Like all of Alabama and throughout the South following the Civil War and Emancipation Proclamation in 1867, Birmingham remained a stronghold of segregation, enforced by customs, “Jim Crow” laws, and violence. From 1950-1962, Birmingham witnessed fifty racially motivated bombings of African American homes, businesses and churches, earning the city the name of “Bombingham”. Segregation was the “norm” in housing, education, and all aspects of public life. In 1963, however, led by a group of local and regional pastors (most notably Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, and Rev. Ralph Abernathy), a series of strategically planned, non-violent marches were held that captured national attention and led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

On our first day, we began by visiting Kelly Ingram Park, the gathering site for the “Children’s Marches”, which had its beginning there. During May 1963 over 1,000 teenagers gathered to march, demanding equal rights for themselves and their parents; all were arrested and jailed. For two more days, thousands of youth gathered to repeat the march until jails were filled for a sixty-mile radius of Birmingham! Attacked by dogs, water cannons, national guardsmen, and police on horseback, the children continued to peacefully march and sing, eventually joined by adults. Finally, the city power structure began to listen – and – responded by beginning the dissolution of segregation laws within the city. Consequently, today Birmingham is the most vibrant and progressive city in Alabama. Kelly Ingram Park provides a walking trail of moving statues and monuments to King, Shuttlesworth, and the African American children. At one point, we were joined by an older gentleman, a deacon from Shuttleworth’s church who had participated in the marches, who passionately explained the intensity and suffering of the 1963 marches.

Just across the street from Kelly Ingram Park is the historic 16^th Avenue Baptist Church, which was bombed in September 1963, killing four young black girls. Founded in 1881, the 16^th Street Baptist Church is now on the national historic registry, commemorating this tragic event. The young girls, now called “Angels of Change” by the locals, were introduced to us by a church member who knew them. He showed a film about the horrific Sunday event, then spoke eloquently to us about the impact the death of these young martyrs had in accomplishing civil rights reform in Alabama and the nation. We toured the church and left in silence, awed and disturbed by such suffering.

This first day ended with a visit to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, where a self-guided tour of displays, videos, films and holographs and a large research library helped to deepen and re-enforce all we had learned.

Days 2 & 3 – Montgomery
Early on each of the next two days, we boarded a chartered bus for Montgomery.

The Rosa Parks Library and Museum is located in downtown Montgomery on the campus of Troy University. The museum and memorial is in homage to Rosa Parks, whose bravery in 1955 by refusing to give up her bus seat to a white person, really began the civil rights political movement. Mrs. Parks’ great heroism spawned the 11-month long bus boycott in Montgomery. Once again, a well-planned strategy, led by Martin Luther King, Jr. and local African American pastors finally began to break the grip of segregation in Montgomery. It was astounding to learn the detailed planning and discipline exhibited by the over 50,000 black citizens of Montgomery as they maintained this monumental example of non-violent protest.

Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church and Parsonage, another historic black church established in 1877, was the first pastorate of the young Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as he began his ministry. Its basement held the first organizational meetings for the 1955 bus boycott response to Rosa Parks’ arrest. Here we were greeted by two church members who had participated in the Selma marches and other early protests. A visit to the nearby parsonage where Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King lived with their first child, was a moving experience. The house was furnished as it was in the 1950’s, with much of the original furniture. We saw Martin Luther King’s study, the dining table where he held many late-night planning meetings, and the kitchen table where he prayed for guidance and heard God tell him that he would never be alone. On the porch is a plaque denoting the site of one of the many bombings he and his family experienced during the civil rights movement.

The Southern Poverty Law Center is headquartered in Montgomery – and we ended our first day by visiting the fountain (designed by Mia Lin), a moving memorial to heroes of the civil rights movement.

We learned that when the overseas slave trade was banned by the United States Congress in 1808, Montgomery became the center of the domestic slave trade. In 1857, there were more slave auction sites in Montgomery than hotels and churches. Within a few short blocks, one can see the marker of the Confederacy White House, the church where Martin Luther King, Jr. preached, and the corner where Rosa Parks refused to go to the back of the Cleveland Avenue bus.

On day two we visited two projects of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), found in 1989 by Bryan Stevenson. The EJI is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protect basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society. In addition to securing the reversal, relief, or release of over 125 wrongly convicted people on death row, the EJI has raised consciousness nationally about the continued persecution of black Americans starting with lynchings, through “Jim Crow” segregation, to today’s mass incarceration.

The Legacy Museum is located on the site of one of the major warehouses used in Montgomery for the slave trade, where up to 435,000 slaves were contained. Slaves were brought from southern ports, imprisoned in these warehouses and then sold to the highest bidder. When Alabama banned free black people from living in the state in 1833, those remaining were returned to slavery and sold. A beautiful fountain now stands at the site of the major auction block; very few non-people of color know its history!

The Legacy Museum contains alarming panoramas of the civil rights struggle through the 1970’s. The holographs of slaves telling the stories of their separation from members of their family were heart-wrenching. Something that we see again at the Mexican border so many years later.

Videos and testaments of wrongly-convicted prisoners are equally disturbing, not to mention the soil collected from the grounds of hundreds of documented lynching sites in America.

Further down the street near the river docks where thousands of Africans were unloaded from ships for sale stands the new National Memorial for Peace and Justice, also known as “The Lynching Memorial, dedicated in 2018. Veiled in silence, this awe-inspiring monument cannot help but leave one feeling anguished and guilty about what white supremacists perpetuated on our African American brothers and sisters for over 400 years. Hanging obelisks are displayed by county and display the names of those African Americans who were lynched there from 1857 through 1950. The verified count is over 4,400 men, women and children. What is not taught in Ohio history is that 18 African Americans were lynched in Ohio!

Day 4 – Selma
On our final day we traveled to Selma, site of the Edmund Pettus Bridge and the historic march for voting rights in 1965. We visited the Brown Chapel AME Church, which was instrumental as a meeting place for the protests that finally culminated in the Civil Rights Act. A gathering place for many young protestors, these students would skip school to participate in non-violent protests. We were fortunate to have guides at the church who were children at the time and participated in these marches.

They reminded us that there were three marches protesting restrictions on voting in 1965, making the 54-mile trek from Selma to the state capital of Montgomery. Since the Birmingham marches in 1963, there had been renewed efforts to register African American voters, resulting in clashes with Southern white supremacists and Alabama law enforcement. By January 1965, over 3,000 people had been arrested. In early February Jimmie Lee Jackson died after being shot by a state trooper and this lit the powder keg. On March 7, 1965, 600 protesters crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge and were attacked by state troopers and vigilante men with billy clubs and tear gas. This day will be forever known as “Bloody Sunday”. The violence at the bridge and subsequent murders resulted in a national outcry and many clergy from other parts of the country came to the South. Protest officials issued a call for clergy and citizens from across the country to join them. Awakened to issues of civil and voting rights by years of civil rights movement activities, and shocked by the television images of “Bloody Sunday,” hundreds of people responded to the Southern Christian Liberty Conference’s call. One of the men who traveled from Massachusetts was Johnathan Daniels, an Episcopal seminarian, who was later killed while trying to register voters. The second march was March 9, 1965; Martin Luther King, Jr. took the people to the end of the bridge, and when the state troopers did not stop them, he and the marchers returned to the church.

As a result of the violence and confrontations, President Lyndon Johnson sent 1,900 national guard, federal agents and marshals down to ensure the safety of the marchers. A final march left Selma on March , making 10 miles a day, along the “Jefferson Davis Highway” (U.S. Route 80), and arriving on the steps of the capitol on March 25, 1965. Over 25,000 people entered Montgomery supporting voting rights. The Voting Rights Act became law on August 6, 1965. Sadly, today many states are chipping away at the voting rights granted in 1965, including a random “voter purge” here in Ohio, that seeks to disallow over 2 million voters.

At the end of each day, our pilgrimage group met to share thoughts and experiences from what we had seen and heard. These sessions brought even more understanding to the white “pilgrims” of the challenges and heartaches every person of color in our society faces daily – as well as the role our “white privilege” plays in perpetuating their sorrow and struggle. We grew to know one another better, relationships were formed, and the beginnings of a “Blessed Community” were truly sown.

Observations
The pilgrimage to Alabama proved to be a life-changing experience for its participants, and each left determined to continue the work of cleansing our society of racism, and of unifying all of our citizens in love and community. We gained a new appreciation for the civil rights movement as a major force for human freedom in our country and the world, and we came to admire anew the courage and spiritual strength exhibited by those thousands of African American citizens who comprised the movement.

We made several observations about the movement and the work ahead that will drive our future endeavors if we are to be “ambassadors of healing”.

1. It is imperative that we fight against the return to stringent voter restrictions at the state and federal level. Write letters, call your senators and representatives at the state and federal level.

2. We must actively participate in registration of potential voters and participate in our election process by voting, serving as poll workers, and assisting people getting to the polls.

3. Each of us needs to learn the history of the subjugation of African Americans and all people of color that our schools have often deliberately chosen to exclude.

4. We need to build personal relationships with African Americans, building bridges of understanding experiences for all.

5. We need to fully participate in Presiding Bishop Michael Curry’s “Becoming Beloved Community” as a means to reach racial reconciliation, and finally, the healing of our society.

Birmingham is a vibrant city, attracting new industry and growing, partially because they chose to do away with the old “Jim Crow” legislation and grant African Americans the rights of white Alabamians. Montgomery and Selma appear to be dying cities, probably because of the refusal of their white citizens and leaders to embrace change and work for the good of over half of their population: their African American citizens! And so it is with our nation. We can flourish fully as a society only if we work for the common good of all of our people; when any are suffering and deprived, so are we all, and we can only become a truly good and prosperous nation and world when we care for the freedom and welfare of all of God’s children. To do this work will be to become a “Beloved Community”.

For further information, these websites may be helpful:

Equal Justice (https://eji.org/)

Rosa Park Library and Museum (https://www.troy.edu/student-life-resources/arts-culture/rosa-parks-museum/index.html)

Southern Poverty Law Center (https://www.splcenter.org/)

The Legacy Museum (https://museumandmemorial.eji.org/museum)

The National Memorial for Peace & Justice (https://museumandmemorial.eji.org/memorial)

United States Civil Rights Trail (https://civilrightstrail.com/)
 
 

Rev deniray mueller, Legislative Liaison & Dr Karen Peeler, Saint John’s Worthington, Connections, 1 June 2019

Waiting Is A ‘Downer’!

This morning I woke up as ‘Downer deni’, disgusted because I felt like I had to wait until I could get anything done! Waiting colored my entire mood a dark grey! As I looked out the window, Columbus was covered in thick grey clouds – not a sun ray was to be found. My wrist, badly sprained in a stupid fall, was painful, partially because I knowingly and willingly didn’t care for it properly yesterday. Instead of icing and keeping it elevated as I am supposed to do, I tried to act like I hadn’t injured it. I am disgusted that I fell in the first place, and now am ‘waiting’ until it gets better so I can continue with my life at full speed.

I find I am also ‘waiting’ for Holy Week to be over. Although one of my favorite times in the liturgical year, Holy Week is an intense and emotional time for clergy. If we have been “doing church” for any period of time, we have to figure out a way to make the events of this week seem special and new to everyone’s soul – including our own. I have preached on Maundy Thursday the last five years – how do I make everyone feel in their hearts the significance of the events that are about to take place? We may not admit it openly, but most of us ‘wait’ for ‘Jammie Monday’ – the day after Easter Day when we can stay in our pajamas and drink coffee and not get off the couch. . . no meetings, no phone call, no commitments!

Most of all, I am ‘waiting’ for the swelling in my hand and wrist to go down so that I can take the restrictive brace off and return to my normal activities. I am angry with myself because I can’t type – I have to spend more time correcting the mistakes than it takes to type them. This Type-A person is not very pleasant to be around!

I look at my calendar for a time when I am not scheduled – aha, I find one! But, like every other day, something pops up which I need to take care of and can’t. So, I will just have to ‘wait’.

Waiting is a ‘downer’, and I am in a really grumpy mood!

But, then I open the balcony door and hear the birds chirping and see the Canada geese swimming on the Scioto River in families. I recall the jazz concert I attended yesterday that took my mind off my injured hand, and I remember how music makes everything better! I think of how peaceful it is when I walk the Scioto Mile early in the morning, and meditate on our beautiful world, and how much God must love us to have created this magnificent orb for us to share.

Then it hits me: I am wasting good time ‘waiting’ for things to happen. The world is never going to be smooth, without little bumps here and there. I cannot fix everything even when the ‘waiting’ is over. All I, and all of us, can do is be the best person we can be in each moment with each choice we make.

We hear in Matthew 6:25-27,

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns— and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

‘Waiting’ until “things get better” does not ensure ANYTHING will be better.

It is time for me to stop ‘waiting’ – roll up my sleeves, take care of my hand, and let my ‘waiting’ turn into action! We do not need to waste our time ‘waiting’ for things to change or improve. Life is meant to be lived in the moment, right now, warts and all! Let’s start living now and we will find those things that we would have missed if we had spent that time ‘waiting’.

‘Waiting’ for something to happen only means we miss out on the joy and miracle of what IS happening! There are gardens to be planted, sunrises and sunsets to be savored, songs to be sung, good times to be shared – to miss all that is the REAL ‘downer’ – let’s don’t waste another minute to ‘love and serve the Lord’!
 
 

Rev deniray mueller, The Crosswords, 15 April 2019

What To Do if You See Islamophobia

Although this was posted last year, it is still relevant today, particularly because of the murder of 49 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is our responsibility as Christians to do what we can to combat the insidious bigotry and racism and fear perpetuated by some against those who are ‘the others‘. We are ALL beloved children of the Creator. ~ Rev deniray mueller
 

The 3 April 2018 has been dubbed ‘Punish a Muslim Day’ by extremists.

The Met has insisted “there is no credible information to suggest there is any criminal activity that will take place”, and a number of organisations including Tell MAMA, as well as people online, are using the hashtag ‘#WeStandTogether to show solidarity with Muslims.

For those who do witness Islamophobia, there’s a number of things you can do.

Marie-Shirine Yener, a 22-year-old Parisian illustrator, created a guide to give people advice on how they can help Muslims who are being harassed.

She based her strategy on “non-complementary behaviour” – a concept in psychology which aims to disrupt an oppressive connection a potential attacker is attempting to establish with the target.

1. Talk to the victim, ignore the attacker.

 

2. Talk about something random.

Continue to engage the Muslim man/woman in conversation, building a safe space as you ignore the attacker.
 

Stay with them until the attacker leaves, and escort them to a neutral area.
 
Indy100 caught up with the artist, who goes by the nom de plume “Maeril”, to ask about her illustration:

As a woman who comes from a diverse Muslim background – Iran, Armenia and Turkish/Kurdish – Shirine Yener’s exposure to Islam came from a variety of sources, including her family and her Parisian neighbourhood.

I have witnessed, during the last months and years, the number of hate-motivated actions against Muslims increase rapidly. I felt like I had to try to do something with what I have, and that is drawing and writing.

 
 
Marie-Shirine Yener, Everyone should read this guide about what to do if you see Islamophobia, Indy100, April 4, 2018
What to do if you see Islamophobia

Social Justice is the Love of Jesus in Action

At General Convention 79, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry kicked off the campaign “Becoming the Beloved Community”, The Episcopal Church participation in the larger interreligious ‘Jesus Movement’. There will be a churchwide focus on what we can do to become the ‘beloved community’ and live more fully into the teachings of Jesus; one of the hallmarks of the ‘Jesus Movement’ is ensuring there is a just society for all people.

According to the New Oxford American Dictionary social justice is “justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society”. Aristotle, in The Politics, said ‘justice’ ensured that individuals both fulfilled their societal roles and received what was their due from society. Joseph Joubert, a French moralist and essayist, said it more succinctly, “Justice is truth in action”. Over the years, these benefits and rights have come to include public education, access to health care, social security, the right to organize, and a broader spectrum of other public service: the citizen has the responsibility to vote, pay equitable taxes, defend the country, and work for the common good of all citizens. A progressive tax structure and regulation of markets have been developed to help distribute wealth more equally and give more people access to property ownership and job security.

Who could be against justice? If there’s one thing that the laws and prophets – and especially Jesus –agreed on, it’s justice for all, regardless of a person’s background or social status. Some Christians believe that justice is strictly the punishment of wrongdoing, as in our court systems. They would insist that helping the needy through generous giving should be called mercy, compassion or charity — not justice.

In English, however, the word “charity” conveys a good but ‘elective’ activity. Charity cannot be a requirement, for then it would not be charity. In Matthew 6:1-2, gifts to the poor are called “acts of righteousness”. Not giving generously, then, is not stinginess but unrighteousness, a violation of God’s law. In the book of Job, we see Job call every failure to help the poor a sin, offensive to God’s splendor (Job 31:23) and deserving of judgment and punishment (Job 31:28). Remarkably, Job is asserting that it would be a sin against God to think of one’s goods as belonging to himself alone. To not ‘share his bread’ and assets with the poor would be unrighteous, a sin against God – a violation of God’s justice.

Despite the effort to differentiate between “justice” as legal fairness and sharing as “charity,” numerous Scripture passages make radical generosity necessary to live justly. Just persons live a life of honesty, equity and generosity in every aspect of their life.

If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice is inescapable. We do justice when we give all human beings their due as creations of God. Doing justice includes not only the righting of wrongs, but practicing generosity and an interest in social concern, especially toward the poor and vulnerable.

Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus angrily challenges the religious authorities, mocking them for their self-aggrandizing, self-promoting ways. He alienated the elite by spending time with and showing favor to the poor and marginalized; he talked to women, ate without regard for the dietary rules, he healed those considered unclean and returned them to wholeness. He questioned current laws and challenged the status quo. And as a result, he became the target of those in authority. Ultimately, those authorities killed him.

Nevertheless, Jesus showed us that there are times when we must stand up and express ‘truth to power’ in constructive, meaningful, unyielding ways despite the possible consequences. Consider how often, and in how many ways, Jesus expressed anger in the Gospels. He was clear and direct, bringing about justice or revealing malice or ignorance. He made no personal attacks, but sought to uncover the evil behind the actions. There is no record of Jesus being angered by a personal offense, no matter how wrong, unjust, or violent it may have been. He lived and taught that the one who is persecuting us is also created in the image of God and loved by God, and in that reality, we can love our enemy.

Just as God is righteously angered over oppression and injustice, so we should be. Learning how to balance these teachings and actions is a lifelong process for those who choose to follow in God’s ways. The Good Samaritan wasn’t good because of his origins or because he was traveling. Instead, he looked around him, around where he lived and worked and traveled, saw a human in need, and got involved. He gave up time, money, and most likely status and respect in doing so. As he went about his day, he loved someone and righted an injustice.

There are many ways people of faith can be involved in helping set things right. We can encourage our government to shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, clothe those in need; we can advocate for those suffering from mental illness, work fora fair and rehabilitative prison system; we can work with youth who need an adult mentor, visit the sick or infirmed – the need for the love of Jesus, for real justice are everywhere.

As we near a new ecclesiastical year, it is a good season for each of us to ask ourselves: How can our love of Jesus be channeled into loving action? We, as members of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, have an obligation to work for social justice in the world about us, just as Jesus did. And like Jesus, we should be angry at many instances of injustice that prompt us to speak truth in love to our friends, our neighbors, our legislators, our nation and the world.

We would do well to remember what Micah 6:6-8 says:

With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

The Good Samaritan was one person, one person who made a difference in the life of one man. Think about what a group of Christians could do if they combined their time and energy to right the injustices in the world.

Are you ready to take those steps necessary to carry out the teachings of Jesus?

Are you ready to ‘strive to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God’?
 
 

Written for Connections, Diocese of Southern Ohio, 1 August 2018

What Is Elder Abuse And What Can We Do About It?

I recently attended a seminar on ‘elder abuse’. The severity and pervasiveness of this issue surprised me, and so I am passing along some key points from the seminar which I hope will be enlightening and helpful to all.

A recent U.S. Census reported that over 45 million Americans are 65 or older.[1] As ‘baby boomers’ age, elders become an ever-increasing portion of the U.S. population. No longer do families necessarily live near one another, resulting in a need for non-familial persons and resources to care for aging relatives. These resources may take the form of ‘care givers’, distantly-related ‘care takers’, continuous care facilities, retirement communities, or nursing homes.

All too often, these persons of facilities regard their work as just a ‘tough job’ and have no real interest in those they are caring for. Unfortunately, statistics show that 1 in 10 elder Americans Age 60+ experienced abuse, and many experienced it in multiple forms of physical, mental or financial abuse for as long as a year.[2]

WHAT IS ELDER ABUSE?
Elder abuse refers to intentional or neglectful acts by a caregiver or “trusted” individual that lead to, or may lead to, harm to that vulnerable elder. Physical abuse, neglect, emotional or psychological abuse, verbal abuse and threats, financial abuse and exploitation, sexual abuse, and abandonment are considered forms of elder abuse. In many states, self-neglect is also considered mistreatment.

Who is at Risk?
Elder abuse can occur anywhere – in the home, in nursing homes, or other institutions. It affects seniors across all socio-economic groups, cultures, and races. Based on available information, women and “older” elders are most likely to be victimized. Dementia is a significant risk factor. Mental health and substance abuse issues –of both abusers and victims – are risk factors. Isolation can also contribute to risk.

• 90% of abusers are family members and friends
• 1 in 10 seniors are victims of elder abuse
• 1 in 15 cases are actually reported to authorities
• 50% of adults with Alzheimer’s are victims of elder abuse
• Victims are primarily females, but also older males
• People of ‘non-normal’ ethnicity, orientation, social-economic or religious backgrounds

 
TYPES OF ELDER ABUSE

• Physical abuse: Use of force to threaten or physically injure an elder
• Emotional abuse: Verbal attacks, threats, rejection, isolation, or belittling acts that cause or could cause mental anguish, pain, or distress to an elder
• Sexual abuse: Sexual contact that is forced, tricked, threatened, or otherwise coerced upon an elder, including anyone who is unable to grant consent
• Exploitation: Theft, fraud, misuse or neglect of authority, and use of undue influence as a lever to gain control over an older person’s money or property
• Neglect: A caregiver’s failure or refusal to provide for a vulnerable elder’s safety, physical, or emotional needs
• Abandonment: Desertion of a frail or vulnerable elder by anyone with a duty of care
• Self-neglect: An inability to understand the consequences of one’s own actions or inaction, which leads to, or may lead to harm or endangerment; excludes a person mentally competent to make and understand consequences of decisions

Warning Signs

• Physical Abuse: Slap marks, unexplained bruises, restraint marks, most pressure marks, and certain types of burns or blisters, such as cigarette burns – – change in physical appearance
• Neglect by caregiver: Pressure ulcers, filth, lack of medical care, isolation, malnutrition or dehydration
• Emotional Abuse: Withdrawal from normal activities, verbal aggression, unexplained changes in alertness, or other unusual behavioral changes – change in personality
• Sexual Abuse: Bruises around the breasts or genital area, genital or anal pain or bleeding, difficulty walking or sitting, torn/stained or bloody underclothing, and unexplained sexually transmitted diseases
• Self-Neglect: refusal or inability to provide for self, filth, hoarding, over or under medicating, isolation
• Financial Abuse/Exploitation: Sudden change in finances and accounts, altered wills and trusts, unusual bank withdrawals, checks written as “loans” or “gifts” and loss of property
• Any changes in home environment

[3]

Consent & Capacity
Legally, a person who periodically provides assistance, by law, are termed caretakers. This person has no legal responsibility to provide this care. A caregiver is legally responsible for the care of the elder; normally, this care is given under a contract. Neglect or abuse by the caregiver must be reported to either the police, the facility, Department of Aging or the appropriate ombudsman.

An elder victim can only offer consent when they have:

• Ability to understand and make knowledgeable decisions.
• Knowledge of the true facts/situation
• Ability to act freely and voluntarily

Consent is not valid if obtained by force, lies, coercion, manipulation; any condition that illustrates the elder does not have the mental capacity to make decisions.

Who Are Abusers?

• Intimate partners
• Adult children or other family members
• Caregivers (paid or non-paid)
• Others in position of authority over the elder person

How big is the problem?
Research indicates that more than one in ten elders may experience some type of abuse, but only one in 23 cases are reported. This means that very few elders who have been abused get the help they need. One thing is for certain: elder abuse can happen to any older individual – your neighbor, your loved one – it can even happen to you.
 
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I SUSPECT ELDER ABUSE?

• Report Your Concerns – Remember: Most cases of elder abuse go undetected. Don’t assume that someone has already reported a suspicious situation. To report suspected abuse in the community, contact your local Adult Protective Services agency. For state reporting numbers, visit the NCEA website at http://www.ncea.aoa.gov or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.
• If You or Someone You Know Is in a Life-Threatening Situation or Immediate Danger, contact 911 or the local police or sheriff.
• To Report Suspected Abuse in a Nursing Home or Long-Term Care Facility contact the Attorney General’s Adult Protective Services or the Long Term Care Ombudsman at http://www.ltc.ohio.gov

Remember: You do not need to prove that abuse is occurring; it is up to the professionals to make a determination.
 
HOW TO PREVENT ELDER ABUSE
The New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study found that for every elder abuse case known to programs and agencies, 23.5 were unknown. In the same study, they examined different types of abuse and found for each case of financial exploitation that reached authorities, 44 cases went unreported. The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study estimated that only 1 in 14 cases of elder abuse comes to the attention of the authorities.[4]

• Report Suspected Mistreatment to your local Adult Protective Services agency or law enforcement. Although a situation may have already been investigated, if you believe circumstances are getting worse, continue to speak out.
• Keep in Contact – Talk with your older friends, neighbors, and relatives. Maintaining communication will help decrease isolation, a risk factor for mistreatment. It will also give the elder a chance to talk about any problems they may be experiencing.
• Be Aware of the Possibility of Abuse – Look around and take note of what may be happening with your older neighbors and acquaintances. Do they seem lately to be withdrawn, nervous, fearful, sad, or anxious, especially around certain people, when they have not seemed so in the past?
• Contact the Ohio Adult Protective Services to identify local programs and sources of support, such as Meals on Wheels. These programs help elders to maintain health, well-being, and independence – a good defense against abuse.
• Volunteer – There are many local opportunities to become involved in programs that provide assistance and support for elders.
• Observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – Elder abuse is a global issue. Contact your local aging services organizations to find out how your community will observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (commemorated on June 15 every year). Help to raise awareness by talking about the issue.
• Learn More About the Issue – Visit the National Center on Elder Abuse website, www/ncea.aoa.gov.

More research is needed, but it is clear that elder abuse is a major public health problem with significant impact on millions of people. The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) is at the forefront of the national fight against elder abuse.
 
Note: this article was adapted from a presentation delivered by Sylvia Pla-Raith, Director of the Elder Justice Unit of the Department of Consumer Protection, Ohio Attorney General’s Office, at the Giving Voice to LGTBTQ Older Adults Conference, held at North Congregational Church, Columbus, OH.
 

The Rev deniray mueller

 
[1]      U.S. Census Facts for Features: Older Americans Month: 2013
[2]      Acierno R, Hernandez MA, Amstadter AB, Resnick HS, Steve K, Muzzy W, et al. (2010). Prevalence and correlates of emotional, physical, sexual, and financial abuse and potential neglect in the United States: The national elder mistreatment study. American Journal of Public Health, 100(2), 292-297
[3]      National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Late Life, Abuse in Late Life Wheel, 2006
[4]      Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc., Weill Cornell Medical Center of Cornell University. New York City Department for the Aging. (2011) Under the Radar: New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study. New York: Author. National Center on Elder Abuse, Westat, Inc. (1998). The national elder abuse incidence study: Final

Your Guide to Social Media Safety

This is a composite of articles gleaned from the internet and tech professional about the use of social media and how to keep yourself and your data safe. Hopefully, these will assist you in making decisions about your future use of social media.

Note: the articles in this collection do not necessarily reflect my opinions, but are hopefully presented in an equal manner to all sides.

Several months I published a blog about the use of technology in the church. It contains some warning about security and effective use of various social media tools. It can be read at Technology – A Blessing or a Curse?

Each article will be noted by its link so it can be read entirely independent of the others.
 

8 Facebook Privacy Settings You Need to Check Now

Here’s How to Download Your Data from Facebook. It May Be a Wake-up Call

How to Stop Third-Party Apps from Using Your Facebook Data and Protect Your Privacy

98 Personal Data Points that Facebook Uses to Target Ads to You

6 Ways You Invite Hackers to Steal Your Personal Information
 

Facebook overhauls News Feed to focus on what friends and family share

Facebook is trying to get its users to share more personal information

This is when you should unfriend someone from Facebook according to Aristotle

 

Is It Time to Delete Facebook?

Want to Delete Facebook? You Can Try

Want to Purge Your Social Media Timelines? Can You Spare a Few Hours?

Erasing Yourself From the Internet is Nearly Impossible. But Here’s How You Can Try.

 

What If a healthier Facebook is just . . . Instagram?

Don’t Delete Facebook. Do Something About it

Is Social Media “Ripping Apart” Society?

Facebook Turned Our Economy Into a Spying Operation

 
 
The Rev deniray mueller, Legislative Liaison, Diocese of Southern Ohio, 1 April 2018

“MY” Pew Or God’s Pew?

I wish I could say this is a made-up story, but unfortunately it is not.

We recently had a couple visit Saint John’s while looking for a new church home. They were warmly greeted by the ushers and told to sit anywhere they wished. So, they picked a pew about midway up the aisle. The people around them were cordial and offered to help them maneuver through the service (they were not cradle Episcopalians and hadn’t been in an Episcopal church for a long time).

Two parishioners came to assume ‘their’ seats, where the couple happened to be sitting. They noisily sat in the pew behind this couple, noting that ‘someone was in their seats’ in a less than quiet voice. People around the visitors were appalled at the audacity of these two women. Then, throughout the entire service, these two women make snide remarks about the couple, their appearance, and unfamiliarity with our service. And at the Passing of the Peace, they blatantly chose not to welcome these visitors. At the dismissal, they further remarked that they hoped these people got the point and found themselves other seats; those were ‘their’ seats!

When this was related to me, I was appalled that someone in OUR congregation would be so catty and unwelcoming to visitors. Haven’t we heard in Hebrews 12:13

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,

And doesn’t Jesus remind us:

I was a stranger and you invited me in (Matthew 25:35)?

Fortunately, in spite of the nastiness of these two long-time parishioners, the couple found the church to be a welcoming place and has since become active and contributing members of Saint John’s. This had to be the work of the Holy Spirit and those members who did extend a hand of friendship and Jesus’ love.

Just as the Eucharistic table is not our table, but God’s table, the pews do not belong to any one person (purchasing pews went out a long, long time ago!) Some of us seem to have forgotten that.

We want people to feel comfortable in church (except maybe during the sermon), but maybe it is time to shake some things up. We have become too complacent; doing the same thing, in the same place, over and over again can desensitize us to the wonders of our faith journey. If we don’t expect God to do anything different, we get what we expect – nothing new and exciting.

I suggest that for the remaining weeks of Lent and during Eastertide, we all do something different – change where we sit in church. Even if you know everyone in the congregation, this gives you the opportunity to get to know others at a deeper level. If you are new, you can begin to meet other people in the congregation, and they can get to know you.

Complacency of the same seat causes you to expect and perceive the service in the same way every Sunday. You never know what you will experience if you sit in another pew: you will hear the choir with a different ear, see the preacher for a different vantage point, and might even notice something about the church that you have never noticed before. You may even listen to the sermon differently, simply because everything feels new.

As in the manner of most Episcopalians, we all tend to sit in the back pews. This forces latecomers or newcomers to have to walk all the way to the front. Think about how unwelcome that would make you feel, especially if you were a visitor. We want to welcome new people, rather than creating an environment which suggests that they are not welcome, or draw a spotlight on them. Remember, you were a newcomer once.

Most people do not like change, that is a human trait. We are trying new things at Saint John’s, such as the Formation Eucharist, and have plans for expanding our worship and outreach in the future. A church which does not grow becomes stagnant and does not expand the Kingdom of God or our individual faith. We want to be a vibrant congregation that shows the community the love and faith we have in God.

By changing your seat every week, we open ourselves to experiencing new and exciting things, and we will be more prepared for the changes as we move into the future. If you will not consider changing your seat, maybe you need to look at your heart. Pure stubbornness closes off the mind and heart and soul so that the teachings of Jesus cannot break through your outer shell. And isn’t that why we are at Saint John’s? – to grow in our faith and testimony to the world of the Kingdom of God.

Let’s try ALL of God’s pews!
 
 

Written for The Crossroads, Saint John’s Episcopal Church of Worthington & Parts Adjacent, Worthington, OH; 8 March 2018

Technology – A Blessing or a Curse

The world today operates on technology, whether we like it or not. . . communications, information, and knowledge all ride on the world wide web. In our digital era of smartphones and social media, it seems nearly everyone is suffering from communication overload. Less than 15 years ago, most netizens had just one or two email accounts, texting was tedious and costly, and mobile phones were primarily used to make, well, . . . phone calls!

However, today, it’s common for people to manage numerous social media accounts and email addresses. One recent estimate is that the average internet user has seven social media accounts — excluding email. Chunky mobile phones have been replaced by pocket touchscreen computers that constantly jingle and buzz, pulling their owners away from face-to-face encounters with other human beings into a social networking vortex.

CELL PHONES
Reality Check!!! almost no one under the age of 40-ish uses their cell phone to make person-to-person calls, or even email. It is indeed handy to have your phone in your pocket, but for many, the cell phone now has many another uses. Messaging is the means of communication, and if we are uncomfortable texting, we will miss a lot of communications. Messaging software allows pages and pages of information to be displayed on the cell phone screen. Moreover, the 140-character limit of Twitter not only uses a series of abbreviations that most people don’t understand, but also, by use of those abbreviations, offer the probability of misunderstanding by the recipient. One important thing to remember, is that even when you delete the message/tweet, it still exists out there in the cyberspace.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Experts recognize that while social networking has its benefits — professionally, personally, politically — it is also reshaping and “dumbing down” the ways people communicate with each other. Having so many channels of communication has overwhelmed our ability to thoughtfully interact online, encouraging cheap and easy forms of communication. Instead of taking the time to formulate a thoughtful reply to an online friend’s social media post, users tend to use an “emoji” or fire off a brief comment that conveys little more than acknowledgment, and is often misunderstood or off-putting.

Despite these negatives, we must remember, social media is a marketing tool! And faith communities and other organizations have no other choice but to get on the bandwagon. Over one billion people log into Facebook every day, and the average American is logged in for 40 minutes. We quite literally speak to more people via social media than we could ever reach otherwise. So, use social media with a purpose in mind, rather than to just pass time or “troll”. Although, there are positive aspects of technology and social media, there are also pitfalls unless we are aware of them and how to avoid them. We can learn to avoid those pitfalls and let all the ‘positives’ of these tools work for us!

When you are thinking of engaging in social media, there are a few questions you should ask yourself:

1. Are you using social media to gain approval? Posting to get responses of approval can be addictive, escalating to more and more need for approval – a vicious cycle! Is the purpose to boast about your accomplishments, or even your failures or distresses in your life? Are you using social media as an adult ‘show-and-tell’? Not all moments need to be shared (how many people, do you really think, want to know what mundane things you did in a day?).

2. Is your post/tweet kind? Freedom of speech is fundamental to the American life, but with it comes the responsibility to consider what the impact of the post may have on other people, and not deliberately attack another. We have replaced face-to-face confrontations to hiding behind an impersonal identity that does not allow the subject of the post to defend themselves. Posts can be misinterpreted, and the sender has no responsibility for the weight of the words, and the impact of the message sent.

3. Will the post be misunderstood? Some things will sound one way to those who know us, and another to those who don’t. There is no tone or inflection so the most mundane comment may very well be misinterpreted and taken in a way it was not intended; consider who is listening to what you’re saying. Readers are actually eavesdropping on what should be private conversations.

4. Think carefully about controversy. The line between vigorous exchange of ideas and a kind of social war is sometimes thinner than we may think. What good is this particular controversy contributing to, or is it harmful? Will anyone be embarrassed or offended by what you’re saying?

5. Are you posting when you should be taking action? Social media is a breeding ground for people with great intentions. But great intentions don’t change lives. Action does. Posting a comment of agreement or adding substance to a post does not remove the responsibility for taking action on social justice issues. If you have no real desire to act on it, do not post. Posting lulls you into believing that talking about an issue and acting on it are equals.

Positive Use of Social Media
With some care, churches can use social media effectively.

1. Share the Gospel – church websites provide information about the church and its activities, and present sermons, blogs, videos, and articles of interest to the faithful. Social media tends to be dark; churches can bring light and love to this world. The purpose of posts should be to educate, not proselytize or denigrate other faith traditions.

2. Use blogs to provide the ability for discussions of faith, prayer requests, and varied interpretations of the gospel. But be aware, that you cannot control the tone or outcome of the conversation.

3. Keep the Facebook and web site updated, if that means hiring a professional to do it. Out-of-date social media indicates that you are not serious about outreach, and are not interested in being relevant to the social media community. In the case of blogs, a monitored site is critical; this allows the administrators to prevent negative or inappropriate posts being visible.

4. When using videos, make sure that they are clear and of the best quality available, and that the sound is clear. Make sure the format of the video is executable by the standard media players for PC and MAC.

Internet Etiquette
There are several do’s and don’ts of internet communications:

1. Do not post anything that you would not say face-to-face. One of the great tragedies of social media is that it has given power to a lot of cowards. And cowards with power are dangerous, and they NEVER have to deal with the ramifications! Here’s a rule for social media: If you wouldn’t say it face-to-face, don’t post it.

2. Negative comments are the quickest way to end a conversation and, permanently lose the reader. Negative posts have an emotional impact on the reader, creating a sense of doom or despair, and also encourage negative posts in return.

3. Passing along other’s post with a comment such as ‘this is interesting’ is spam posting– as disliked as spam on email. If you have a relevant comment, use it; otherwise, leave it alone. ‘Share this post’ is just another type of social media spam.

4. Do not deliberately post comments that are intended to be confrontational. Ask yourself what your reaction would be if you received a similar post.

When you take the dive into all forms of social media (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Email, Messaging), think about what you want to do and the audience.

Happy social media-ing!
 
 

The Rev deniray mueller, Connections, Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, 24 January 2018

Do Not ‘SHOULD’ on the New Year

What was the year 2017 like for you? Was it filled with joy and peace, or anxiety and stress?

The ritual of setting New Year’s resolutions is a staple in our culture–a time when we examine the past 12 months and set intentions for the coming year, promising ourselves to give up some bad habit or to develop new good habits or make significant changes in our lifestyles. It may be a time for trying harder at something (like losing those last five pounds!), or a time of re-establishing broken relationships. But, it can also bring regret and cynicism as we realize we’ve set the same goals year-after-year with little progress. I have never heard of anyone who was successful in meeting all of their resolutions throughout the year. Still, there seems to be a societal norm for all of us to make resolutions.

The fatal flaw with New Year’s resolutions is that we typically bite off more than we can chew. We do not set realistic goals, and so we end up disappointed and, often, forget resolutions by the time February rolls around.

It is something they say we ‘should’ do! – and we often know full well that we are not going to keep them.

We ‘should’ lose that extra weight, save more money, spend more time with our family, go to church every Sunday, become a volunteer. . . the list goes on and on! And when we fail to meet these expectations, we pile guilt upon ourselves. . . “we ‘should’ have been able to do ‘whatever’”.

‘Should-ing’ on ourselves is counterproductive – it only makes us feel worse about ourselves, and soon supplants any positive feelings we get when we accomplish something. We cannot learn new things or have new experiences if we are constantly telling ourselves we are ‘not good enough’, are failures. Besides, it wastes a lot of time when we could be accomplishing new and better things.

Driven by our stubborn willfulness, pressure, adrenaline and “never good enough” messages, we fail to allow that which is already unfolding in us, and in the world, to emerge. This year, we must get out of our own way, step aside and trust that the better version of ourselves will awaken, however it is meant to be. . . and when it is meant to be. We cannot ‘should’ it to happen.

In John Maxwell’s book, Developing the Leader Within You, a Middle Eastern mystic said, “I was a revolutionary when I was young and all my prayer to God was: Lord, give me the energy to change the world.’ As I approached middle age and realized that my life was half gone without my changing a single soul, I changed my prayer to: ‘Lord, give me the grace to change all those who come into contact with me, just my family and friends, and I shall be satisfied.’ Now that I am an old man and my days are numbered, I have begun to see how foolish I have been. My one prayer now is: ‘Lord, give me the grace to change myself.’ If I had prayed for this right from the start, I would not have wasted my life.’

So, what attitude will we choose to adopt in order to make the most of 2018?

Can we just forget about ’resolutions’ that may end up only making us feel worse about ourselves?

Can we just forego judgment about ourselves and strive to be open to love and acceptance, trying to be our best selves each day, whatever that means?

Remember, above all, one of my favorite pieces of advice is:

“Do Not SHOULD upon yourself today!”

If we do that, 2018 will truly be a wonderful year!

                                                                                  
                                                                                   Written for The Crossroads, Saint John’s Episcopal Church of Worthington and Parts Adjacent, Worthington, OH; 14 January 2018

,/span>

Healthy congregations are diverse congregations

The Episcopal Church prides itself in the acceptance of all people – those of diverse cultures, ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual identity, and abilities. This allows congregations that share the wonderful uniqueness of each person, celebrate their varied differences, and promote stronger and richer missions through their shared ideas. Each culture brings with it an approach to worship that enriches the corporate celebration of the sacraments.

Christianity, at its best, is an all-embracing tradition, taking all that is good and true and beautiful in the world, bringing it together to give it a home. In so doing, it is able to appreciate a wide variety of practices, spiritualities, theologies, philosophies, and cultural adaptations. Of course, there are elements which transcend differences, such as the sacraments which bring us into the Church: baptism, chrismation, the eucharist, clerical orders, marriage and anointing may be celebrated in a variety of unique ways, but the central core is still in the celebration.

With diversity, however, comes many challenges. There are established cultural ‘norms’ that discourage some members of the congregation from being open to new ideas. There are social and racial biases so ingrained that some congregants don’t even realize they have them. Every person comes with his or her own customs, manner of dress, music and liturgy preferences, and political views. Saint Paul encountered this in his ministry; each city he proselyted was different, with difference mores, cultures and social guidelines. These differences created a messy church – just like ours today.

A major hindrance to creating a unity within a diverse church is the tendency of human beings to cling to ‘their own kind’, even if they live, work, and worship in multi-cultural neighborhoods. It is more ‘comfortable’ to be among people just like one’s self, rather than ‘stretch’ to acknowledge and come to understand customs and behaviors that are unfamiliar or different.

Even within the church, many people accept the concept of diversity until activities become culturally uncomfortable to them – then they want to go back to ‘how we have always done it’, discounting the possibility that new ways or approaches might even be more enriching, or open their minds and spirits to God in fresh and exciting ways. Styles of music become a serious impediment to solidifying a congregation – there are those who refuse to acknowledge any worth in contemporary Christian or non-piano/organ music. Many cultures worship in a participatory manner during the service, especially during the sermon. To those who could be labelled the ‘frozen chosen’ (sitting silently during the sermon), this is an anathema!

No matter the number of sermons preached on embracing those who are not like us, social and cultural norms reinforce that concept that ‘that’s okay for other people, but not for my church’. Past schisms in The Episcopal Church demonstrate evidence of how rigidly some beliefs are held.

Today’s church is no different from the early church, where Saint Paul preached:

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)

One of the best ways we can achieve true unity in diversity is to move from speech to action, by actually celebrating diversity in our churches. It takes a concerted effort by all members of the congregations; but it can be rewarding, inspiring, and joyful!

First, we must come to understand some core obstacles that may keep us from unity:

1. Pride in one’s identity must make room for embracing the identity of others. Racial, political and educational characteristics are at the core of our ego and self-identity. If we pridefully cling to our differences as the core of ‘who we are’ and ‘what is right’, we are unable to embrace the identities of those ‘not like us’ – often resulting in bigotry and judgment, rather than loving and sincere interest in others. Realizing that much more unites human beings than divides them, is essential to unity.
2. Openness to doing things in new ways must supplant the discomfort of not doing things ‘my way’.
3. We must meet changes and new ideas with patience, genuine interest, and honest responses rather than anger and apathy. We should always care what happens in our church, and if we do not agree with it, gently and earnestly express our opinions, remembering that someone may cherish what we disdain – compromise can always be found among truly united people!
4. Forgiveness for perceived hurts and misunderstandings, rather than holding grudges, is essential for moving forward to a united church. We must help one another look at past slights and offenses in order to forgive, and put such incidents in the past.
5. A sense of ‘ethnic-awareness’ and appreciation must replace ‘color-blindness’ for true unity. We are not ‘all the same’, but we are all wonderful products of God’s creative imagination!

We pray daily that God’s Kingdom will come ‘on earth as it is in Heaven’. Our churches should be the best example of what that Kingdom should look like! Blind conformity, rote ritual, token motions of mission and outreach, power plays, and denominational pride are not found in God’s Kingdom – nor is disregard for the feelings and needs of each individual. The Kingdom of Heaven must be heralded by a church that is intentionally loving across ethnic, racial, and gender differences. Churches that are struggling together to love and care for those in need, will declare and model the Good News of Jesus in all they do.
 
 

written for Connections, Diocese of Southern Ohio, 30 November 2017

A Terrorist is a Terrorist – No Matter WHO It Is!

We are all reeling from yet another atrocity – the massacre at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland, Texas. The fact that someone chose to mow down people worshipping on a Sunday is an anathema of all this country professes to be. Unfortunately, we live in a world that is sadly marked by increasing violence and terrorism. It seems like very few days go by, if any at all, without some horrible act of terror or random violence. It has become such a ‘normal’ occurrence that some in the country hardly react any longer. There is surely something wrong in our society when the solution to a problem or reaction to anger is to not only kill the offender, but also massacre innocence people in the process.

But equally disturbing to me is that whenever there is a terror attack, the natural impulse is to blame a Muslim or ISIS. Are we so influenced by the national attitude that we can’t wait to immediately attach the nomer ‘Islam’ or ‘ISIS’ to the word ‘terrorist’? Perhaps it is easier to accept that a foreign element is responsible for our mounting atrocities than to accept the perpetrator may be the person next door, but clearly that is not so.

It is human nature to seek scapegoats for the causes of evil – it is far easier to look upon the things that come from without than the things from within. That chosen scapegoat suffices only until another deadly attack happens; then we repeat the blaming (mental health, access to guns, foreign agents).

If you look at the last six massacres, each one was perpetrated by a home-grown, All-American citizen – not some foreign boogey man. They may have had mental health issues, but they grew up and lived as a citizen of the United States. We are reluctant to admit that ‘we’ have spawned this monster.

We do not call their actions ‘terrorism’ . . . but terrorism is terrorism. . . – no matter who the person is. Whether they have a mental problem or are seeking revenge for a perceived slight, when one kills and maims dozens of innocent people, they are still ‘terrorists’. And until we accept that their actions are not solely, ‘mental health issues’, or ‘gun control issues’, but ‘acts of terror’, it will be nearly impossible to address these actions.

Living among us as law-abiding and patriotic Americans are thousands of Muslims. In a knee-jerk reaction, to continually label them as a group as being the cause each time we have an incidence of terror in our midst, is unfair, unjust, and weakens our ability to address the real causes behind the terrorist’s act.

We, as Christians, need to begin to address the causes of terrorism. We need to provide services for those who feel they have been a victim of injustice. And we need to be a strident, but loving voice against those who spout hatred against those who are not ‘like us’, whether ethnic, racial, gender, or religious. If we begin to ‘love one another as we love ourselves’, maybe we can begin to change the world.

We can pray this will be so – and put our prayers into action.
 

written for The Crossroads, Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Worthington & Parts Adjacent, OH; 12 November 2017

“Fake News” and Real Citizenship

We are all aware that our national public life has become a chaotic swirl of arguments and controversy, fed by Tweets, incessantly repeated ‘soundbytes’, 24-hour news channels, and social media. What’s more, we are now cautioned to beware of ‘fake news’.

In Wikipedia, we find ‘fake news’ defined as:

“… a type of yellow journalism or propaganda that consists of deliberate misinformation or hoaxes spread via traditional print and broadcast news media or online social media. Fake news is written and published with the intent to mislead in order to gain financially or politically, often with sensationalist, exaggerated, or patently false headlines that grab attention.”

In the middle of the din of information – and mis-information – it is difficult to separate fact from opinion, truth from lies, and reality from concocted propaganda.

On top of all this, we are learning that forces seeking to weaken the United States government and sow discord in our national life are using demographic studies and profiles to target us with propaganda and lies meant to mislead people about the integrity and motives of our leaders and agencies in government, religion, academia, and charities.

This sort of ‘fake news’ and unsupported  opinion, not based on fact or reality can have real-life consequences. We are seeing shootings, riots, and other violent and hostile actions that are caused by some angry or disturbed people responding to that ‘fake news’. Those so inclined then latch onto this information and promulgate it to thousands of other people of the same ilk, further fueling the anger and propaganda.

The more exaggerated or inflammatory the headlines are, the more likely they are ‘fake news’. Headlines or social media subjects are meant to get the reader’s attention, but they’re also supposed to accurately reflect what the story is about. Now headlines use exaggerated language to intentionally mislead or are blatantly untrue.

How Do We Determine What Is Real?

1. It is not only the responsibility of the platforms to determine the existence of fake news and issue a retraction or take the offenders down (as Facebook, Twitter, and Google have recently learned), but we as subscribers also have a responsibility to monitor what we pass on as ‘real’. It is disheartening that we can no longer trust all we read, but as responsible citizens, we must be more vigilant than ever about checking facts and not passing along lies and propaganda. How can we do this? The most recognized authority for getting at the truth is:

The International Fact-Checking Network (http://www.poynter.org/category/fact-checking/) is the recognized authority for fact checking. Every statement checked goes through a rigorous process for verification of validity.

Other sources for fact-checking are:

Snopes (www.snopes.com) or

Hoax-Slayer (www.hoax-slayer.net)

FactCheck (www.factcheck.org).

USE THEM!

2. Another safeguard is to pay attention to the domain name and the URL; many websites can be ‘ghosted’, looking like a legitimate source. If the URL has an entry after the “.com”, the website is suspect, particularly if it contains inflammatory information.

3. On Facebook, check the ‘About Us’ section; it should be straightforward without melodramatic or incendiary claims. Check the language usage; often the fake news sites use broken English, have misspellings, or poor syntax.

4. Legitimate news sources will contain quotes attributed to experts in their fields; if an item attacks a person and contains text with no quotes, but rather attributes to ‘an informed source’, these are suspect. If an unfamiliar name is cited, Google the person; often that person does not exist.

There are several satirical websites that are ‘real lies’, but the sites will always state that they are satirical. Some of these include The Onion, Babylon Bee, Burrard Street Journal. A list of the top 50 satirical websites can be found at https:/blog.feedspot.com/satire_blogs.

5. We must also guide our teenagers and children in deciphering truth from fiction on social media. Parents, grandparents and families should take time to explain the concepts of ‘fake news’ to children. If something is incendiary with pictures, younger children will be inclined to believe it. And fake news can cause unnecessary fear in children (thinking September 23, 2017 is the end of the world, for instance).

Each of us has a responsibility to stop the proliferation of this ‘fake news’. For the companies operating the sites, it is a fine line between restricting the ‘fake news’ sites and still allowing freedom of speech for its users. We can help in this effort by checking anything that we share with others. If you see someone in your circle who is passing along ‘fake news’, let them know and ask that they take the entry down. This may not be comfortable, and some may ‘unfriend’ you, but everyone has to correct ‘fake news’.

It is now more important than ever that we stand up for, and honor the First Amendment of the Constitution:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;”

Within this Amendment lies the keys to much of our freedom as a people. Yet, also, herein lies the danger if forces are free to promulgate lies in the name of ‘free speech’, we must all be ever vigilant in finding those lies and correcting them!

Two-thousand years ago, Jesus of Nazareth was crucified by people who believed ‘fake news’, gossip and lies, and were afraid to stand up for the truth. Lies travel faster now, and can be sown more quickly. But the urgent need for each person to stand for honesty and integrity in the face of lies is as great now as ever.

Remember, passing along one ‘fake news’ entry may reach millions of people with one click of the button.

Be responsible!
 
 
(Graphic provided by The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
Written for The Crossroads, Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Worthington and Parts Adjacent, Worthington, OH; 13 October 2017