Dear Church:
On Western calendars, today, May 9, 2024, is the 40th day since Easter Sunday. It’s Ascension Day. It’s the day memorialized in Acts 1.1-11 and Mark 16.14-20. For the past forty days, Jesus had been presenting himself alive, speaking about the Kingdom of God, and promising a new baptism of the Holy Spirit. Now, something new happens. Jesus leaves. Now he ascends. The disciples had to be gobsmacked by Jesus. As if the events of the past eight weeks – from the resurrection of Lazarus to the upper room to the cross to the empty tomb all were not enough, now Jesus abruptly departs.
Transformation is, like Jesus’ moment of ascension, the culmination of a three-strand cord of action and reflection. First, there is the on-going progression of events, full of wonder: mystery, microaggressions, tragedy, conflict, betrayal, and even comedy. In short, the stuff of life. Jesus and his disciples shared life together in those eight weeks from the decision to go up one more time to Jerusalem until the ascension. Second, along with everyday life comes an emerging vision for something more, something different, something else. Jesus points to the vision all along the way – raising Lazarus, washing feet, mandating love, giving himself up for an unjust arrest, a sham trial, and a hideous public execution. He kept pointing to a new vision in conversations with Thomas and Peter. Jesus wasn’t content to just forgive individuals of their sins by dying on the cross. Part of the purpose of the atonement was to lay the foundation for a redeemed and beloved community. Which leads to a third strand of the cord of Jesus’ action and reflection. For the church to be the new people of God, a global, intercultural people, the Holy Spirit had to come. A spirit to guide an intercultural church that, two millennia later, spans the globe.
Transformation is about attention to the everyday reality of what is, while articulating a new vision for what can be, while being shaped by the presence of the Holy Spirit.
The Search Committee, the CLB, and the Elders have brought forward a call to transformation at Blooming Glen. In doing so, they were acting consistent with Conference Minister Steve Kriss’ call to Blooming Glen in February 2022. My prayer for these last 2+ years is that Blooming Glen can find a way to transformation out of the morass of post-Christendom, the polarizing hostilities that emerged in global pandemic, and the loss of wisdom in a culture full of knowledge. To get to transformation, Blooming Glen will need to ascend – not into some ethereal heavenly utopia – but into a community that lives as everyday citizens of God’s kingdom, focused on a vision for future of peaceful practices and radical candor, and waiting on the Holy Spirit to empower us for what’s next.
Easter has come. Ascension is here. Pentecost awaits. Are you ready?
May the Holy Spirit come with fire, joy, and boldness,
Pastor Jeff
jeff@bgmc.net
P.S. I’m back to Pennsylvania, but I have a brief duty to perform in California. A good friend from my first pastorate out of seminary, Marvin Brandt, passed away last week at the age of 99. 25 years ago, I promised him and his family that I would be there to lay his body to rest and release him to glory. Sunday night, May 12, I’ll fly back to California for his memorial service, which will be on Monday. I’ll return Tuesday afternoon, May 14. So, Coffee and Conversation at the Broad Street Grind on Friday, May 10 and May 17, 3:30pm-4:45pm. Oatmeal and Observations, resumes on Monday, May 20, 7:30am-8:45am, at the A&N Diner. These are opportunities for any and all of y’all to talk with me about anything on your mind. If those times don’t work, please reach out to me, and we’ll find a time that works for you.