Seniors and Elders

Occasionally I take a turn leading a devotional meditation with a group of seniors in a retirement community in our neighborhood. My wife also speaking there periodically, in the last several years we have a growing sense of camaraderie with these folks who like to gather for a regular time of “Faith and Friendship.” In fact I would say Verna has gathered up another ‘best friend’ in this community! It is a pleasure to be in company of these people.

This latest occasion I chose to present three scriptures, one from the Psalms, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord” (Ps 100), an Epistle “Now about food offered to idols” (1 Cor 8), and short passage from the final book of our Bible “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord” (Rev 11). Obviously the heavy one was in the middle; how we deal with one another in culinary and social and religious ceremony, bookended by the great wonderful scriptures of the One who is above and beyond all of us anyway.  It was an occasion of precisely that, faith and friendship. In middle of my meditation as I was expounding a bit on the Corinthian passage they began to rib each other about their various food preferences and peculiarities! It was cheerfully agreed that respect for one another is an important consideration even if our claim is freedom in Christ. Take care that our liberty, our social circles, our habits, not be a stumbling block to those 'weaker in the faith' (:9). It clicked. It seemed a good way to enter into this Advent season of celebration for the One coming among us – yes the birth of Jesus the Messiah.

Sometimes there are those natural occasions of communication, where the concerns and the pains of various individuals are simply embraced by all - easy to visualize as a community hug. Later that day, spending a few hours at our local library, I came across a brief blurb I had written three years ago. Absolutely in-sync with that 1 Corinthians passage, I was reminded that this challenge of being among others goes well beyond the dear folks at the seniors Centre. Circles of fellowship, of faith need to go beyond our own circles of comfort! Here is a paragraph from 2019.

Even if a little short on sleep, I am refreshed.  I am stimulated.  I have new questions.  Ironically my joke last night in circle time – that I might yet try politics in my retirement - are now almost the drumbeat in my soul. 😯 Churches that try to organize according to settler colonialism are barking up the wrong trees.  Governments that seek a future that promotes environment, inclusive LGBTQ+, good health care, and sustainable economies require sensitive sensible leaders.  Businesses that ignore 2019 realities will go into receivership.  All of these ‘interest’ stakeholders showed up these last 14 days!  I must say I enjoyed them all.  Well, most of them; I do not enjoy stump speeches that go on and on during circle time!

 

This was written at the end of an inspiring experience, the evening of the last day of a two-week hike (#WalkForCommonGround) from Edmonton to Calgary. Well planned, together with about 30 others and in solidarity with First Nations Communities, sponsored by Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA), the purpose was education for us participants as well as communicate to the automobiles and the trucks passing by as we walked the shoulders of designated secondary highways (not the four lane QE2)! “We are all Treaty People,” coming from our varying communities or traditions, we carried this sign as reminder of the privileged history which has been ours in this good country of Canada, much of it wrested from the Indigenous. Ever since that summer I have become not only interested in, but grateful to the Blackfoot Confederacy where I reside in Calgary. [fn1] A land acknowledgement is quite common by now at beginning of many public gatherings going forward. “Times, they are a changing”, Bob Dylan crooned many years ago during my college days. His songs originally on vinyl and cassette still continue to ring true.

Truth be told, this latest treaty walk provided some old information I had not known - even though 'Indians' would stop by occasionally to sell fish at our farm near Osler, Saskatchewan. I learned nothing about our local history. My elementary and high school education was government curriculum including God Save the Queen and O Canada! Now many years later I learn that we lived and farmed some nice Treaty 6 land proffered to the Mennonites because we were good farmers. Now following this latest enjoyable morning with the senior citizens in Millrise, I realize our cheery promise to be respectful of one another in our habits and our culinary practices, ought also to consider the land we all inhabit, and the practices of the peoples who were here before us.

My thinker kicks into another gear now (Yes still the nesheah as my dad always said). Recently I read a book about elders, the senior citizens in Indigenous communities [fn2]. Thirty-one Alberta elders are profiled in the book - every kind of life, army, trapline, in jail, residential schools, etc. In present status they are the counsellors, they pray, fast, heal and help birth. The author Dianne Meili, a metis journalist and editor, discovered the value of these persons when she herself was in a needy situation. This book celebrates elders because elders are elders! Respect of elders is threatened in today's fast-paced urban society quick and easy to lay aside those who are forgetting or overly sentimental or opinionated or no longer pretty or virile - "losing it" is the common quip. These things matter not so much in a community which respects elders just for being there! 

Of course our Bible contains elder references also. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come (Psalm 71:18). And from the New Testament in the gospels there is this famous one, Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go (John 21:18).  The NT epistles go into the functional purpose of elders appointed to oversee new believers' groups, eg 1 Peter 5:1-4, Titus 1:5, also emphasizing that younger workers need to respect them, 1 Pet 5:5. Interesting about the Bible orientation is that elders are referenced for what they contribute to ongoing church work - moreso than celebration of their being.

Seems to me that Dianne Meili has a point. Our European/North American good-life Christianity emphasizes and evaluates almost everything in functional terms, meaning of course there comes a time when 'we get old' and in our societal kronos orientation at a certain age we convert accumulated life earnings and financial profiles and get them organized (usually with help of financial planners) into a retirement home and maybe even some nice funeral plans. This is not the mode operandi in Indigenous communities nor most African, Asian or Latino countries, where aging is a family and a community project.

Needless to say these several assertions are not at all exhaustive. They are only a few preliminary thoughts grown out of my recent readings and contacts among fellow seniors! I am not yet old, but retired long enough to know that 'senior citizenship' carries with it some challenges. I think it also appropriate for those of us in my age bracket to acknowledge we have created some of the ambivalences that we and our children are now living with! Something to think about.

Perhaps next time at the seniors center we will talk further about this. On second thought (third thought?) perhaps at church youth group. 😏

____________

1. The Siksika, Kinai, Piikani, the Tsuutina, the Iyaxe Nakoda Nations, the Stoney Nations, and the Metis (Region 3), all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta. 

2. Dianne Meili, Those Who Know: Profiles of Alberta's Native Elders, Edmonton: NeWest Publishers, 1991. 

Handwashings

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” (Matthew 27:14)

I have spent a major portion of my lifetime in fellowship with people of faith. This has included stretches of both gratitude and some frustration with these my fellow faithful. Also, a good portion of my days in company of those who do not share my faith claims. You might say I have been among both the sacred and the profane! In hindsight, the greater gratitude is for relationship with those not of my faith claims – possibly because lower expectations often yield less disappointment. Now having said this I do however offer a humble thank you to those who opt to continue reading. 😊

I raise this opening thought only as a way of muddling into something considerably evident these days as a huge number of us baby boomers hit the retirement track. Also as indicated in previous blog ("Saints and Saintliness", Nov 2), many of us now have the luxury of time for thinking or conversing or arguing or wishing or pretending. Post WWII baby boomers have had it good, giving us the vantage of the privileged, not necessarily because we are all rich but because we have not been traumatized like many of our parents or grandparents or as presently experienced by some of our generation or younger ones in other countries of the world – Ukraine, Myanmar anybody? We are the ones grown up in democracy and therefore have made career and lifestyle and faith decisions as though it was our God-given right! Now we hold forth long and hard on many things especially from the vantage of the career path freely chosen by us which has given us the great wisdom (!?). Hence the large arsenal of opinions and proposals for solutions whether medical, social, spiritual, political, or mental or…  and everybody seems to think their latest analysis needs to be listened to!

Even from this vantage we take ourselves quite seriously. For example immediately following the latest Alberta by-election in Brooks-Medicine Hat, and at one of these seniors gab-fests I ventured that it accomplished about as little as the midterm elections in the U.S. Apparently it wasn’t funny – enough rednecks in this group to forge right on into similarities/differences of Danielle Smith or Jason Kenney, no mention of Rachel Notley! And then conversation continued into “masks or not”, no comment about healthcare professionals fired as first order of business by our new premier.  Life is hard for a socialist Christian in Alberta! 😀

My wife and I are privileged to have friends. Relationships so important to us, we frequently get into heated exchanges with each other regarding who or what must be considered as we think about an eventual further retirement locale. Yes, family, friends, faith community, neighbors, and in my case even an enemy or two, all are important as we make major life decisions. Obviously as social beings, we still hobnob most conveniently among persons of similar interest, education and age. We have a tendency to swarm no matter how we like to think we are neighborly or inclusive or whatever we call it. Occasions of gathering or relationship usually call upon fellowship, including conversation, and that is where we get to topic at hand. Conversations include a lot of problem-solving and entertainment - truckers call it bs - and often not much more!

Pilate was a Roman procurator during the time of Jesus, one of several who followed shortly after King Herod’s death. The Romans were the authority over Palestine; taxes required to fund the empire growing at the time of Jesus’ teachings and healings. There was much talking, much enthusing and railing and wondering from his own people the Jews about how can one who claims to be God incarnate be with them and yet tolerate, even respect the Romans (two interesting scriptures on this, Matt 16:16 and Matt 22:21). The occasion of the big showdown, of Jesus’ crucifixion, happened during Pilate’s watch. The energy, the mob mentality, the bloodthirstiness, came from Jesus’ fellow citizens, not from the Romans. Without seeking to justify Pilate, it is important to understand his handwashing, his clear demonstration of capitulation to the demand of the Jews. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” (Matt 27:21). Yes, he illustrated to them that the blood would be on them, including the betrayer Judas, the chicken -#-* disciples, his own family, and of course the High Priest and the law system. This produced the horror often explained as what had to be done in order for the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29b). My view is that this version of theology is mostly talk, efforts by religious ‘experts’ to try to explain why a savior had to die! I see it as mob action which caused the death of Jesus, moreso than his destiny. Systematic theologians (many of them also baby boomers) write books to explain why Jesus needed to die in order to be savior of the world. There is more to faith, yes christian faith, than a systematic explanation. Faith is an experience.

As indicated above, we have a tendency to hobnob, socialize (visit), write books, for likeminded people about things apparently important, sometimes attempting solutions not available to armchair philosophers. Is it an occasion where winners or losers need to be declared? It’s a bit like the talking heads (experts) positing all kinds of analyses of NHL hockey games with little or no thought of the players themselves as  persons. Genuine relationships at risk, sometimes it's only the game.

Relational conversations include give and take, silence, introspection. A recent breakfast meet yielded this noteworthy statement. “Leadership positions are absolutely impossible these days” said my friend. “Yes but,” said another, “is that an excuse for those who have those positions to provide no leadership?” Good question. And the ‘conversation’ continued and got a little more animated. This was quite a good occasion actually, but it yielded the differing points of view. Before you know it, two brothers in the faith have a little difficulty looking each other in the eye. The injunction to wisdom is already present in the O.T. "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10a), and of course it was fully exercised by Jesus when he gave the gift of silence, of love, of submission to the will of those who must have it their way. He gave his life, yes bearing the cost. 

Fascinating, in the last several years I have been privileged to participate in our city's Interfaith Council. A suggested plan for this next year's United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week is to  include an official 'silence' within the ceremony to communicate our shared desire for God's peace to reign over and within us, especially as we acknowledge the present brokenness of our world. In this interfaith environment I have enjoyed some excellent conversations with friends of other faiths - full opportunity to speak about Jesus bearing the cost, and yes, dying because we, yes us, have trouble understanding the love of God. From the cross he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34).

God forgive us? The opinions are free, at least so far in this country. Maybe even us smart baby boomers still have a few things to learn. The gas and the grocery prices are going up!

Saints and Saintliness

An oft-used generic expression for death is “the other side.” It provides us with that all-purpose image of … exactly that! The most common occasion of assembly these days is funerals or ‘celebrations of life’ as many of us baby boomers head in that direction. In this environment of recently departed friends, relatives, parents, grandparents there are many variations on said topic. We do need images to help us celebrate or grieve or pray with or whatever it is when multi generations gather in today’s pluralistic society. At time of death “the other side” is an equalizing image perhaps acceptable to a good chunk of the population. The image may be inspired by a sympathy card with picture of angels or soft clouds, or John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, or other funeral home type creations. So whether it’s a religious service or not, images of the other side are easy to come by.   

Death is indeed the occasion of seeking the sacred texts, whatever the religious moorings. Our Bible includes still the powerful and most touching image, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders” (Hebrews 12:1). Even with the departed now beyond interviews and explanations, the vantage of that person looking over us from over there is a comforting one. Those just departed; both their absence and their presence are so very comforting and significant, I think. Needless to say this may bestow sudden angelic qualities on the departed they themselves not aware of and may never have been looking for. I also find that cloud of witnesses helpful for reflecting on my life journey of threescore and ten plus years.

Every time I visit my home province of Saskatchewan I stop by the country graveyard not far from the home place to say hello and goodbye to my dear mom and dad. Their earthly days now over, and well testified by family and neighbors and friends now engraved “side by side” for all to see. I’m glad for these occasional graveside holy moments, even though I was not always impressed with my parents' ways, nor points of view (definitely not always in agreement with dear old dad). I now envision them looking down with love and encouragement, probably appreciating the cemetery visit as much as I enjoy the security and the love of that place.

I know my parents have ‘been there done that’. I know it even more clearly having read latest edition of Preservings (No.44, Spring 2022) a history journal detailing the Old Colony Mennonites deciding whether or not to move away from this worldly Canada to reside in the welcoming country of Mexico. My parents did not join the throng even though my dad’s parents and some of his siblings chose the departure and lived the rest of their days there - grandparents buried in Durango. My parents stayed here in this country, raising their family on a dairy farm - a bright, quizzitive, healthy, energetic brood of nine boys and three girls - in this worldly environment of sports and school activities and all kinds of neighbors and traditions and questions asked by us every day. When another batch of Old Colony relatives and friends a few years later made another move (auswanderung) to ‘God’s land’ in LaCrete, Alberta, I recall my dad’s slightly cynical but firm declaration that we would not participate in that escapism. “The devil will probably show up there too!” 😏  Nonetheless he was charitable to them, even submitting our three-ton farm truck to hauling some loads of furniture way up into that northern Alberta hinterland for them.

 Myself being a young teenager at that time I was enthralled with my parents' bravery in standing up to some churchly expectations which they could not abide by. I respected them for it, and also appreciated their encouragement for us to do well in elementary and high school, even if it was the government public system! This became a significant factor in my own faith decision and later formation. From their heavenly vantage now up there within that cloud of witnesses, I would love nothing better than to hear another assessment from my dad of how we are doing so far! They were and they still are my parents!

This morning’s devotional reading is on same topic (Rejoice!, MennoMedia Vol 58, no 1, 2022). Only it moves that idea of saints in heaven to what they may have been like during their earthly days, well ahead of the funeral and post-funeral sentimentalities. In other words, what saintliness might characterize us as we go about our daily affairs in the here and now? Gentle Wisdom is the term used by the writer Leonard Beechy as he ponders the impact of some of those persons on his life, and so invites us readers to do the same. Basing his thoughts on James chapter 3, Beechy, makes reference to All Saints Day (Yes, the day after Hallowe’en - many lawns and trees in recovery from skeletons and goblins and witches laying or hanging around - the irony of a morbid dismissive death evening followed by attention to saints). The devotional goes on, “Let us search our memories for those whose presence has warmed and illumined us with models of divine wisdom. They are part of our cloud of witnesses, a community beyond time that surrounds and blesses us.” And then he concludes with another reference to the Apostle James, who, “makes clear that, God help us, we need to embody this gentle wisdom ourselves” (p.66).

Good reminder for me, this slightly worn out workaholic. Life is not only the things accomplished in these brief earthly years (check out Isaiah 40:7). It also includes the  memory and consideration of those who have gone before. We are a part of all that we have met. What we do with that begins here and now. Our high calling to saintliness begins with the words, the actions, the spirit we offer to the next person we meet.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness (James 3:17-18).

 

 

Deacons

In the same way, deacons^[a] are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. (1 Timothy 3:8)

This threatens to be a boring article. In fact, congratulations for reading the first sentence. To the uninitiated, the word deacon probably brings up either blank or stereotypically negative images perhaps gleaned from a television show or a novel which may have placed them in the legalistic old-fogey religion category. None of these are true. Deacons are the most important people in any Christian fellowship that has even a breath of life. So here we go. This is an exciting subject. 

I discovered deacons in my fifth year of pastoral ministry, already a seminary grad and into my third (yes) position as pastor. Previous tenures had been brief not because I got ousted but because I ousted myself, thinking I needed to pursue further training (I took on my first position before seminary). Anyway, my real discovery of deacons did not happen among all that further training. It was not learned at seminary, but on the job shortly thereafter.

I landed a position that was good for the ego - lead pastor of a brand new church in an urban setting. I was youthful, excited, the people were excited … and then I promptly got nervous, not quite sure what to do with all this. This congregation seemed to have been made in heaven, or at least standing at the edge of the promised land. It was begun in an environment of ultimate cooperation and oversight from a mothering congregation, and deacons were on the menu in the new organizational bylaws and constitution being worked on – our template of officers not all that different from mother church (very important when you need the mothering support😉).

I confessed my nervousness in an early meeting with the freshly appointed deacons, some anxiety that I might screw it up and it could be a bad dream for all of us! They smiled and they rallied, confessing some similar things, and just like that there was a melding. We were a team, on the same page supporting each other, and what’s more they became the experts on what was going on among the people. All we needed do was have some conversations – listening and speaking and some prayers. Deacons became the heartbeat of a caring growing loving fellowship of believers.

This morning’s devotional reading (Rejoice, Vol 58, no 1, MennoMedia, 2022) was from Acts 6, the initiation of deacons in the early church. It seems like my story. Deacons were appointed because the apostles, the preachers were not getting around to the depths of need among the people – and they did something about it! Needless to say the New Testament goes on with the many adventures of those early apostles: PauI, Peter, James and John with fellow adventurers like Barnabas and Silas and Timothy, and much reference to decisions needing to be made as the new fellowship took shape. Deacons were part of that, especially as varying gifts within that group of believers were discovered and recognized (eg 1 Cor 12; Eph 4; Rom 12). The new fellowship experienced all the challenges of people finding each other in a new way (1 Cor 14). Deacons were there, not making all the speeches, but undeniably at the heart of the new communities (see also 1 Tim 3). Not unlike the early church, I know from personal experience at that early kairos meeting, my ministry could not live without these persons.

So why does the Deacon image slip into the boring boring category? Why? I think it is because we are addicted to stimuli, entertainment, distractions. Within this environment of appetite sin can take root (James 4:17). Jesus would refer to this as wheat and tares growing together. It can easily show up among leaders, often allowing strong personalities or rank to rule so that preachers become strategic (careful) in their preaching (2 Tim 4:2-3). Deacons, very important here, may not be the first to be chosen as the speakers or spokespersons or those 'up front,' yet absolutely essential especially if the gathered group is composed of humans! 😊Deacons are needed to hang in with us – not as people pleasers but as truth seekers. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32); “you always have the poor with you” (Mk 14:7); “blessed are the poor in spirit” plus that full row of beatitudes (Matt 5:3-12). Jesus has endless encounters with the beggars, the sick, the evil-possessed. At the heart of encounters with ‘less than’ circumstances we need not only the answer man. We need the Jesus person (Jn 14:6), and the way to encounter this Jesus was with help of those around him, namely the disciples during his earthly ministry among the people, and by deacons in the early church. This becomes ever so clear for anyone who will take the time to read chapter after chapter of the New Testament epistles.

Unfortunately, this biblical truth is kind of optional these days. The dirth of deacons is especially evident in today's North American preacher-centred pop Christianity. Even churches encountering the present shortage of pastors seem to forget the biblical model for church that is administered from within rather than from without. The secular business model has become the mode operandi. So instead of calling to the best of resources within, there is a search for just the right pastor, often administered by a human resources committee!

Similarly the current trend of hiring for every task to be performed. Recently my wife and I visited an urban trendy church. Before an usher got to us, we were already met by a Pastor of something (forgot her specialty) who gifted us with a Tim Horton’s gift card! I would have preferred a plain old deacon or even a volunteer greeter. Rather than smiley associates, youth pastors, children’s pastors, outreach pastors, teaching pastors, preaching pastors, etc. I'm on lookout for those at the heart of congregational living, not necessarily the ones paid to  smile at me in the foyer. A number of years ago I visited a Catholic Church in Jamestown, North Dakota (passing through town on a Sunday morning). I found a sanctuary alive with warmth and friendliness, an atmosphere that continued throughout the service. Even the Eucharist, fully blessed by the young priest as per Roman Church requirement, was served by a group of deacons! It was a blessed occasion, blessed sacrament, blessed worship, a service this low-church Mennonite could easily relate to.

The trend in almost all churches is to digitalize. Everything appears on screen - announcements, sermon titles, Bible texts, responsive readings, pictures, etc. to the extent that the mind goes blank. These digitalized services depend on professionals or at least those with the technical know-how. Similarly, office work in these churches is taken care of by employees not necessarily in the know of congregational life. And so the message or the fellowship spirit can easily go AWOL among all the Eventbrite or Facebook happenings!

“The Medium is the Message”, said Marshall McLuhan about a half century ago, Understanding the Media (Sage Publications, 1964). Checking this out on Google, I was surprised to see my point being made precisely. Says Google, “… the form of a medium embeds itself in the message, creating a symbiotic relationship by which the medium influences how the message is perceived.” The essence of our faith can easily become stilted towards the media savvy, the pew sitters, or virtual sitters, and of course controlled by those who 'hold office.' When the meeting is dominated by screen, the essence can easily be lost. For example, This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps 118:24) or I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” (Ps 122:1). These are Calls to Worship, not something to be nuanced on a screen!

Deacons have and must continue to represent the divine Life within a community of believers. This is an everlasting required presence in season and out of season. They will not be enamored by latest fads, but uphold preachers and congregants alike, helping all to walk in accountability to one another and in faithfulness to the one who is Lord of all.

Boring? Not at all. Thank you for reading to the end here. 😊 Deacons are the ones, regardless of denomination, whether in high church or low church congregations, whether of systematic, historicist or new age theology. They are the ones with the biblical diakonos mandate to walk with all of us, every variety of personality and giftedness or neediness, not only to minister to those within, but also to pray for and equip all, including the preachers, to reach out with that good gift of new life in Jesus.