Montclair Presbyterian Church

Dear Friends,

What a joy it has been this past week to listen to the sounds of the season and be touched by the children who presented to us a slightly different version of the 3 wise people and the shepherd! The Soup Supper and Christmas Carol sing last Wednesday was a great time to sit down and enjoy a relaxed meal together (thanks to Jim Allardice, Hope Boije and Bill Neely who prepared the food!), and then sing our hearts out together with a wonderful mix of popular songs and Christmas hymns, which Kim so ably played on the piano and organ.

Believe it or not, after having such a fabulous time in Celebration with the children’s presentation of the Christmas story, I went home feeling very annoyed. Why? For 5 out of the past 7 Sundays that I have been here, Albert has shown up. Albert is a homeless man who is also schizophrenic. He is harmless, as are most homeless and mentally-ill people, and he is coming because these are desperate times and he wants money. Albert has a history here because he used to come once or twice a year and he was tended to by Karen Stokes and one of you. If what he is saying is true, he is a Vet and he is sometimes employed and sometimes finds places to live that are not outside. So why I am annoyed? I find myself resenting the fact that he waits for Celebration to end and then wants to talk to me. How am I supposed to greet you and get to know you if I am distracted by Albert? A few weeks ago I was greeting a whole family who was visiting and Albert jumped right in the middle of the conversation. So there I was, trying to do ministry and Albert just wouldn’t leave. Each week he has come I have taken time to speak with him and he has had the nerve to tell me how unwelcome he feels by the congregation. My feelings of annoyance with him have been strong enough that I know I need to pay attention. Sometimes God uses those feelings to wake me up.

Do you think it’s possible God has sent Albert to us? When I was newly ordained 20 years ago, I remember someone telling me to pay careful attention to the disguises Jesus would wear when showing up in various places on earth. One of those disguises, of course, was as a homeless person. It’s ironic, isn’t it, that in this season where we anticipate and celebrate the incarnation of God in Jesus, born to parents without a place in which to give birth, that I could feel so annoyed by someone who is homeless? Am I annoyed because Albert has the nerve to ask for what he needs? Am I annoyed because he is taking my time? Am I annoyed because I don’t want to give him money? Am I annoyed because he is such a tangible reminder of how so much of the world lives and I am called to do something to alleviate that kind of suffering but feel overwhelmed by it?

What would happen if every time Albert showed up, we believed him to be Jesus? What would we do differently? What would we say differently? How would we treat him differently? I don’t have the answers, but you can be sure I am asking myself these questions. How welcoming are we to all? How can we be welcoming without handing out cash to those in need? When I preached my sermon “Jesus is Coming – R U Ready” on November 28th, I had no idea Jesus might show up dressed like a homeless man. Maybe together we can provide an extravagant welcome.

Beth

Dear Friends,

Last Sunday in church we talked about being peacemakers. I was doing pretty well until Monday evening when I squabbled with someone in my family. It struck me again as I was stomping away that being truly committed to creating peace does not mean having no conflict with someone, but it does mean being respectful toward that person in the midst of the disagreement. Why is it that when it comes to family being respectful can be so difficult? Sometimes it’s hard to respect the other person and sometimes it’s hard to respect ourselves – by that I mean not giving up our own needs just because the other person is louder or needier or pushier or more forceful.

Recently I heard a sermon preached by Barbara Brown Taylor. She said, “Peace always involves a crisis of identity. You cannot have peace and stay exactly who you are or who you want to be.” I hadn’t thought of it in that way before and the image it brings up for me is that of a tug of war. Creating or achieving peace is often a tug of war between the parties. It never works well if one side is so much stronger than the other that it can pull the opposite side right into the mud. The process is one of give and take, down to the very elemental level of one on one relationships. When we find ourselves stuck on a position where we believe it has to be our way or no way, that should be an indication to us that we are not interested in peace or in peacemaking. It should also be an indication that we are not interested in the good of the whole as much as we are in our own position.

One of the gifts I have received from you in my time here so far is your openness. As I have been sharing ideas and thoughts and insights, so many of you have been open and curious and intrigued. I hope you are experiencing me in the same way. Our work together will continue to be so fruitful if we can keep listening to each other and stay open to each other’s thoughts and ideas.

It was my joy to spend some time with Doris Herrick last week. She misses all of you and appreciates all of the cards and calls and prayers. Doris has decided to undergo chemotherapy and her first treatment will be next week, just after she celebrates her 80th birthday on Sunday! Please continue to hold her and Don in your hearts.

I hope to see you Wednesday night for the Soup Supper and Christmas Carol Sing-Along. If you don’t drive at night but would like to attend, let us know.

Peace to you, Beth

Dear Friends,

In my almost 20 years of being ordained I have never had to call for backup on a Sunday morning! When I knew Saturday mid-day that I would not be able to make it to preach on Sunday morning, I thought about all of our amazing ordained people in the congregation. We are so gifted! Thank you to Vince Mok who responded so willingly to the call for help. What a comfort it was to me to know I was leaving you all in good hands while I missed you!

As we prepare to give thanks tomorrow, I am filled with gratitude for all of you and for this time in which we walk together on the interim path. You are a deeply compassionate and caring congregation. I invite you to take some time to reflect over this weekend on the past year in your life and in Montclair’s life. For what or whom are you thankful? Where have you seen God at work in you or in others?

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent and we begin Advent with the theme of Preparation. The text is from Matthew 24 and is about waiting and watching and being ready. Advent is a time for us to prepare our hearts again for Jesus to break in to the world and in to our lives. Advent is always a bit chaotic and this year will be the same! We are looking for where the hope is in the midst of the chaos.

On Wednesdays during Advent, I will offer a group experience on “Turning the Holiday Blues into Rainbows.” I know it’s a totally hokie title, but if you come to the group you’ll get to hear the explanation! We will meet Wednesdays from 1:00 to 2:00 pm in the Thornhill Room. If you are someone who has had personal experience with loss that impacts how you experience the holidays, this may be just the group for you. Even if your loss was many years ago, if it was someone with whom you were very close the loss may still feel fresh. Join us on Wednesdays, December 1, 8, 15 and 22 if you want support or want to give support during this time. Beth

Dear Friends,

What a joy it has been and continues to be to walk with you. This past week I have had the privilege of meeting with several of you one on one and with some of you for meals. I never take for granted the invitation to enter your lives in a different and more personal way. The sermon I preached about welcoming others into your homes resulted in enough invitations that I figure if I preach the same sermon once a month, I’ll have it made! Thank you for sharing yourselves with me and for including JE in some of the invitations.

One of my hopes during this Interim time is that you will feel able to trust me. Part of what will help with that is for us to get to know each other. When I have the chance to talk with you or have a meal with you, we begin to develop a relationship. Relationships are essential for building trust. Another one of my hopes is that you will feel cared for spiritually and emotionally. You can help me a great deal with that by letting me know when you are hurting or when someone else in the congregation you know is hurting or housebound or in need of a visit.

During Advent I will be offering a group experience to help deal with loss. I will tell you more about it in next week’s Contact. The holidays can be a difficult time for many of us due to family situations, health issues, the struggle to remain sober, or significant losses. We need to support one another during a time when the expectation is that we are happy and excited about celebrating Christmas and the New Year and the reality is that some are walking around with broken hearts. Stay tuned for more info.

Every day I look forward to what God has in store as I make my way to Oakland! Thanks for being you.

Beth.

Dear Friends,

The Presbytery meeting is over and our contract together stands! It was wonderful to be surrounded by a number of Montclair folks as the item was pulled from the Consent Agenda and someone stood up to ask how COM could have approved the contract when it is known that I am in a same sex relationship and I was part of one of the couples married by Rev. Janie Spahr. Rev. Karl Shadley did a beautiful job of stating that because I am a minister in good standing in this Presbytery the COM didn’t have to debate that point. When the vote was taken there were a number of no votes voiced but the motion carried to approve it. As we were getting up to hug each other, someone in the body asked for a hand count. The hand count was taken and there weren’t many who were against it! It appears those who voiced “no” were just doing it pretty loudly! Rev. Mary Naegeli then went up to the clerk and tried to file a stay of enforcement. By the end of the night she didn’t have enough signatures so it was simply filed as a dissent.

Much later in the evening the body gathered talked at length about the Danville Presbyterian Church leaving the denomination to go to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. There was a great deal of pain expressed and a fair amount of disagreement over the terms that were agreed upon by the Church and the Gracious Dismissal Team. One pastor pointed out that their property and buildings are conservatively worth at least 25 million dollars and probably closer to 50 million in actuality. Danville’s financial responsibility to the Presbytery and the denomination is simply their per capita payment for the next five years and some missionary support (less than $50K) for the next five years. In the end, their request was approved by a fairly large margin. Many people are afraid a dangerous precedent has been set for churches wanting to change denominations.

Thank you for your emails and calls of encouragement and for showing up in person as you were able! I feel so privileged to be walking this journey with YOU!

Beth

Greetings Montclair Presbyterian Church! For 10 years I have admired you from afar and I can’t tell you how privileged and excited I am to be serving with you during this time. One of my earliest introductions to you as a congregation was through Rev. Chuck McLain, beloved saint and beautiful man who worked for justice until his dying breath (and I would imagine is still trying to work it…!). When my wife JE and I first met Chuck he told us proudly that Montclair was “his” church and that Montclair had a large rainbow flag flying in front of the church. We were so surprised to hear of a Presbyterian congregation that was unabashedly invitational to all who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning. In that moment, I was filled with hope for what the possibilities might be in the Presbyterian Church for one such as me and for so many others who are searching for a church home. Thank you for your courage and your commitment to inviting and including all of God’s children.

At a popular breakfast spot in Napa, JE and I recently sat at the “community” table, which we have never done before at that restaurant. Our table mates ended up being a musician and a young female couple who own a dance performance company in Berkeley. For the first time in several years, I ended up inviting total strangers to church! As I described Montclair to them, I said, “They are a community of people who are progressive, creative, intelligent, talented, fun, inclusive and committed to making a difference in the world.” They said they live fewer than 3 miles from the church and they would definitely attend. One of the women said, “I really miss church but you know there aren’t many places where I think I would fit in.”

What a GIFT you are to Oakland in all of its complexity. As we begin our journey together I am filled with tremendous hope, enthusiasm and a deep appreciation for who you have been, are and will be in the future!