Sun and the Son

I want to explore a few things we know about the sun and relate them to Jesus, who we believe to be the Son of God.

We now know that the sun is the center of our solar system and the source of the power that gives us life. Nevertheless, for most of human history, we have not understood it.

Until fairly recently, we appreciated the light from the sun every morning but did not think of it as an energy source. Now solar panels are popping up around the world, and the Planetary Society, led by Bill Nye, is getting ready to launch a satellite called LightSail, which sunlight will power.[1]

Imagine for a moment how perceptions of the size of the sun have changed over the centuries. For thousands of years, human beings underestimated the size of the sun, thinking it was smaller than the earth. Even the ancient Greeks, known as the philosophers and scientists of the ancient world, had trouble figuring out which heavenly body was bigger. The philosopher Anaxagoras thought the sun was just a few times bigger than his country, Greece. The mathematician and astronomer Ptolemy calculated that it was bigger than Earth but estimated that it was just 150 times larger. Finally, in 1672 two astronomers calculated the true size of the solar system. Today we know that the sun’s volume is 1.3 million times bigger than Earth’s volume. Picture a baseball, approximately three inches in diameter. If Earth is the size of a baseball, the sun is a ball with a diameter of 25 feet.

Many people fail to grasp the effect of the sun on our day-to-day lives. Flare-ups on the sun can affect Earth’s magnetic field and can mess with power-line currents and oil pipelines. Such flare-ups have caused railway malfunctions, spontaneously turning red lights to green. You can now get an iPhone app called 3D-Sun, giving you all the info you need about sunspots and solar flare-ups.

The point is that the sun is powerful, big and able to affect our day-to-day lives.

The fact that in English, sun and son are so much alike has led to much reflection on Jesus as the Son of God and the light from the sun. What I am thinking about here is that Jesus seemed small to many of his contemporaries. When three disciples had a vision of Jesus on the mountain in Matthew 17:1-9, they thought they were doing great honor to him by equating him to Moses and Elijah. Yet, they slowly learned that Jesus was so much more than they imagined. Given that a voice from heaven refers to Psalm 2, a hymn used at the time of the coronation of the new king in Jerusalem, this passage suggests he is king.

Let me conclude with a note from Colossians 1:15-20: 

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;  16 for in  him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him.  17 He himself is before all things, and in  him all things hold together.  18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.  19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,  20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. 

We may well need a more creation-centered spirituality. Such an approach could guide us to proper humility regarding humanity. It might also help us re-think the role Jesus has in our daily lives. Yes, Jesus is larger than any of us might imagine.

---

[1] LightSail is like a giant Mylar kite that light photons from the sun will push along. The beauty of photon power is that it lasts forever, unlike the rocket fuel on traditional satellites. A spacecraft pushed by the sun will keep going, gradually moving faster and faster, until it reaches speeds of one-tenth the speed of light — about 108 billion miles per hour.

 

Pondering Retirement July 2017

George & Suzanne
February 2013

On May 21, 2017, 2:30-5:30, the Cross~Wind congregation will host a retirement reception for me. As I near retirement, I find that I am in a reflective mood. Thus, I hope some friends and family do not mind if I share a few things publicly. This will not be a tell-all confessional. The close reader will be able to tell that behind certain statements or experiences is some pain and grief. I have had such experiences, but I refuse to obsess over them. The therapy of everyday life and the therapy of being part of the Body of Christ have worked healing, guidance, and liberation. Like many pastors, I have learned that your greatest supporters are not the first ones you meet when you enter a church. I have learned that church people can disappoint you. I have also learned that pastors can disappoint themselves as well as their congregations. Such experiences keep leading me back to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together. We need to love the real church and real people. I have seen pastors become cynical and determined to not be that way. I lived through the disappointments of making changes in worship styles for the sake of the mission of the church. I have had to face my shortcomings and sins. I have learned that the best sermons are the ones that have spoken to me first. I would encourage any pastor to give proper attention to the family, for they are the constants in your life, while the church family changes. I have learned that my love for Jesus and the Bible have been my constants through the many changes of an adult life. United Methodist pastors tend to have several appointments to congregations by various bishops. Like many other pastors, I have learned that when you move, you make some people sad and some people happy. I will say that I think a forgiving and graceful approach to conflict in the church will serve the pastor better than joining in any bitterness and anger that may arise.
         

George, Michael, David
Paul McCartney Concert
Indianapolis 2013

I want to highlight some features of my life as I prepare to leave one phase of my life and move toward another. I am not using this blog to make theological points. Yet, since I have sought to live my life in light of Jesus, I will freely share those places where I understand my life under the specific influence of God. Certain occasions give us a pause. Of course, we cannot really put life on pause. Time moves relentlessly forward. Yet, certain moments give us the opportunity of look back. We know and see our lives only partially. If we think of a mirror, then we see a blurred image (I Corinthians 13:12). Yet, we can get some understanding of our lives if we take the time. If I think of my life as a novel, what type of story is my life telling? If I think of my life as a song, what kind of song is my life singing? I have had friends in certain phases of my life. Thus, few friends or extended family is aware of the flow of my life. Such a thing is important only for a few people in this world. For those persons, I share the following.



Mom, Dad, George at Dad's 75th Birthday Party (?)
1996 in Heron Lake, MN

First, I hope you will learn here that you can enjoy your life, even when it surprises you. I want you to know that through all the up and down, hills and valleys, twists and turns, I have enjoyed what I have done with my life. I am thankful for the people whose lives have intersected with mine. I hope they are thankful for their lives intersecting with mine. In many cases, our lives intersected for a chapter or two. We have moved on with our lives. Such is the natural process of life. In some cases, I grieve the loss. Some people still bring a smile. Some bring a frown. Some bring a still quizzical look as to why friendship or at least mutual respect did not emerge. I am sure I have needed to ask forgiveness and have not done so. I am sure I have could have expressed gratitude better than I have done.  

Cindy, Shirley, Lynn in 2009

Second, keep learning. I will read almost anything, of course. I have enjoyed history, philosophy, the Bible, theology, and politics. My reading extends to some poetry and many novels. Lifetime Reading Plan has been an important guide for me since the mid-1990s. Yet, I also look forward to new adventures. “George likes to learn and help other people to learn.” I developed that life mission statement using Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I think that statement well summarized what my life had been like until then (40) and since then (65). In retirement, I will be looking for ways I can continue living that mission. The statement is general. The primary focus of my learning has been following Jesus. I have sought to help people follow Jesus with greater clarity and depth. This has meant inviting people to have a personal relationship with Jesus and to make the Bible an important part of their lives.

Standard Poodles Beau & Toby in Crawfordsville

Third, we experiences phases in adult life. College, graduate school, children, empty nest, are all different phases. Another phase of my life is beginning. I want to live it well. Such phases remind me that a human life is a series of endings and beginnings. The beauty of this truth is that the page I wrote yesterday does not determine the page I write today. Many things I need to leave behind, for if I carry them with me into retirement they will become a weight that will make it harder than it needs to be. I have much for which to ask forgiveness. I also have much gratitude. The life I have lived has been difficult and complex. I think that is true of most lives. However, what I share here strives to unveil the simplicity that I also think lays in the background of our lives. We might call it a second naiveté, the simplicity that comes after working with and through complexity. You discover what truly matters. You discover the values that truly guide you. I like to think that in aging I have grown up. I hope I have handled the passage of time with grace. I think of changes in physical appearance, strength, agility, and energy. My children need me less. Many doors once open have closed. I hope the years bring fewer illusion and self-deception. I look forward to have the courage and faith to walk through doors that remain open.  


Annie & Sophie in Logansport

 

Ellie & Tinker, Maltese
Logansport

Fourth, be sure to relax. Most people who know me know that I have enjoyed tennis, jogging, and exercise. My wife and I have enjoyed dancing (ballroom), although we have not had many opportunities lately. We like Starbucks. We also enjoy going to plays and movies.  We enjoy travel.  We enjoy exploring new options for the next phase of our lives.



earliest picture of me

From my birth on December 4, 1951 until my departure for Miltonvale Wesleyan College in August 1970, Minnesota was my home. I do not remember the homes in early life in Bemidji, where I was the second child born to Albert and Alvera Plasterer. They buried the stillborn child in a cemetery in that city. Dad had been in the Navy during WWII. When he came home and married Alvera Knee, he went north to see if he could make it farming. It did not go well, so they moved to Minneapolis. Born in that city was Lynn, my oldest sister. We moved to Heron Lake, the home area for Dad. His mom and dad were still there through the 1950s. Sue and Cindy were born in this time. We eventually moved to Austin, MN, where Shirley was born in 1959. Thus, from 1950 to 1959, mom was pregnant six times, with one dying in child birth. I vaguely remember Shirley coming to our home as an infant. My grandfather, George, died in 1961. I always had fond memories of him. Only later did I learn of the tension between dad and him. I saw the first hint of the anger of dad toward Grandpa George when I interviewed dad about his early life. He told me about joining the Navy to fight in WWII. When he told his father, my grandfather turned to my grandmother and said, “Look at that; all this work to do around here and he leaves.” For dad, I could see the hurt and anger. He pounded his fist on the table, “That is all I was to him; a hired hand.” I learned of the depth of the alcohol problem Grandpa George had. Dad repeated that problem. Although I do not abstain, the negative example dad provided made me to not want to live my life that way.

 

Plasterer children in 1960 approximately

I would have four sisters, Lynn, Susan, Cindy, and Shirley. The five of us often became sports teams, especially some baseball and football. We enjoyed sledding in the winter. I think it safe to say my sisters became “tom-boys” because of me. As I branched out into school in these early years, I received satisfactory marks from my teachers. In first grade, however, I received S- in phonics and numbers. I cannot believe I got satisfactory in music and art. By the end of this decade, I had lived in my eighth home. I missed from 9-16 days of school due to illness each year through the second grade. By the sixth grade, I started getting unsatisfactory in music and art. 7^th grade was the first time I started receiving grades. In 1967, when I was in 10^th grade, I started getting mostly A’s and B’s. Weakness in math started showing up. It was clear that history, social studies, and writing were emerging as primary interests. I graduated from Austin HS in May 1970. I ranked 122^nd in a graduating class of 557, I had a 2.863 GPA, and my IQ test was 101 in 7^th grade and 102 in 9^th grade. Throughout the 1960s, on a family level, mom worked and dad would come home drunk 3-4 times a week. He had a job at Hormel that was simple enough for him to complete.  

Left: HS Graduation;
Right: Front yard of Mapleview home

I was starting to learn about politics. I remember November 22, 1963, of course, the school letting us out for the assassination of John Kennedy. Dad and I had debates regarding Martin Luther King Jr. I could not believe dad thought it was a good thing that someone killed him. I was part of the Young Democrats in High School. I was part of a march against the war in Austin, MN, I believe in 1967. I gave a talk, for which I could thank my speech and debate teacher, Miss Spaulding. In 1968, I was for Robert F. Kennedy first, then Eugene McCarthy, and then Hubert Humphrey. Of course, MN was a lock for Humphrey, who would lose to Richard Nixon. I was not yet old enough to vote. I will say that the deaths of three people I admired, as well as my disappointment with American involvement in Vietnam, were difficult for me. However, I never hated the country. I certainly never questioned the goal of “liberty and justice for all” or that our goal was to ensure “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”  

Top: George, Lynn, Shirley; Beneath: Family;
Side: 1973 of pastor with whom I worked.

I started attending Crane Addition Community Chapel, with Joe Matt as the pastor, in 1963. These formative years stayed with me. The church was evangelical in theology and welcoming in spirit. When mom took five children to the church, people warmly received us. Pastor Joe often invited people forward to receive Jesus into their hearts. He also preached clearly and practically from the Bible. My High School class, led by Earl, also was a careful and respectful reading of the Bible. These two emphases remained with me throughout my life. Looking back, this was an important time. I knew I was not getting much guidance from dad. Mom wanted to do what she could to be sure that her children had some good role models. For me, this worked. I valued my relationship with other youth and with the adults of the church who showed an interest in us. I enjoyed the hayrides, ice skating, and bowling parties we had. In my youth, it simply felt good for a group to welcome and include me so graciously.

 

Dorm I lived in at Miltonvale 11970-72

The 1970s were formative in terms of my learning. I made some key shifts in my thinking. I started with Miltonvale Wesleyan College, the last two years of its existence as it merged with Bartlesville Wesleyan College and then renamed Oklahoma Wesleyan University. In my first year, I went to revival services at the college church. I do not recall who the preacher was. However, one night he gave a call for people to commit themselves to full-time Christian service. I sensed a pull to go forward to the altar and commit myself to some form of Christian service. I learned later that Pastor Joe and my mom had prayed for my openness to this call. At that time, I was not sure if it meant pastor or teacher in a Christian school. I had my first exposure to Bible classes and New Testament Greek. I even took piano lessons to fulfill my music requirement. I preached my first sermon while with a singing group on a tour that brought us to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Yes, my first sermon was in the presence of some Native Americans. I also preached at Crane Chapel. I had my first serious dating relationship with Jan Isaacson, whom I started dating on September 30, 1971 and eventually broke of our engagement on May 13, 1973, a total of 649 days. I still remember her fondly. However, with her in Kansas and me in Indiana for the last two years of college, it just did not work. I was on the baseball team of the college, playing right field and first base. I started running regularly here. My politics continued in the liberal mold with support for George McGovern in 1972. I had a big poster on my dorm room wall in Miltonvale. These were good years away from home. My GPA was not great. The science and math requirements kept it in the B- or C+ category.

 

George with Mom, Dad, Shirley, Cindy in 1974

When I went to Marion College (now Indiana Wesleyan), in 1972, I took a class in philosophy from Duane Thompson. It changed my life. I gained an appreciation for Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Hegel, and existentialism. He introduced me to a quite different way of thinking from that of Francis Schaffer. I remain grateful for the difference. I started playing tennis at Marion. I hit my first top spin here; it felt good and right. It should not surprise that my class work was generally A’s and B’s, with best grades in history, Bible, philosophy, and theology. Friendships here included Carlton Fisher, Jay Clark, Dave Bower, Don Daake, and Nolan Hauser. Dating was still difficult. I had some embarrassing moments that I best leave in the dim past. It must have been around this time when Philippians 4:8 became a guiding verse for me, as Paul encouraged his readers to keep their thoughts on what is right and deserving of praise, and thus to focus on what is true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable. Clearly, like all human beings, I must hasten to add, I have fallen far short of this. Some of my friends and family may know me well enough to count some of the ways! In a ministry class, I worked in a Wesleyan Church just south of Marion, IN. I do not remember the name of the pastor, but this began the sense I had that neither my experience nor thinking would match up to what Holiness pastors expected. 

For a year after college, I spent time as a youth pastor with Broadview Wesleyan Church, which was off the Eisenhower expressway to the west of Chicago. Here is the first sign that as much as I liked academics, I was hesitant to make a career out of it. It was a good time. I learned much. A young woman from Lebanon was my tennis partner.  Tom and Charlie, who loved their hot rods, were an important my life. They also loved the Bears and the Cubs. My broad reading interests strained the relationship between Rev. Bray and me. Once again, the difference between what a holiness pastor expected of me and what I thought I could offer were not in agreement.

Favorite Old Picture and Good Memories from 1977:
I am in the picture somewhere! Great Group of guys
from the 3rd floor of the Administration Building

In September 1975, I started at Asbury Theological Seminaryin Wilmore, KY. I continued tennis with Don Thorsen. I regret that our friendship ended with Asbury. It seemed like it ought to have continued. I became a regular runner as well. I learned some basic Hebrew. Larry Wood exposed me to theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg, a gift that has kept giving. Robert Lyon acquainted me further with New Testament Greek. Melvin Dieter acquainted me with Wesley and the Holiness movement. Jay Clark would go to school here as well. Terry Ritchey would be a roommate here. I would go back to Marion occasionally and have walks and lunch with Duane Thompson. I went back to the North Illinois District Committee on Ministry and shared some of my story while at Asbury. I was in the ordination process. In sharing the story, I mentioned that I struggle with what it means to be biblical Christian today. This many years later, I must say that I still wrestle. In any case, a member of the committee whom I knew well said, “Yes that is what happens when you adopt a liberal view of Scripture.” I determined that this was not a good direction to travel. When some District Superintendents from southern Indiana were present for interviews, I decided more on a whim to schedule some time. That began the process of me entering the United Methodist Church. In other learning opportunities, I was starting to read George Will, William F. Buckley, and Milton Friedman. They persuaded me to conservative politics, which I distinguish from the GOP. I start having sympathy with libertarian arguments. I like Reagan, but he would lose to Gerald Ford. I would vote for Jimmy Carter, reasoning that if we have democrats in control of everything at the national level, we will see what their programs would do. The result was double-digit unemployment, inflation, and interest rates. I break my relationship with the Wesleyan Church in the fall of 1977. Cheryl Bellmore and I are engaged in 1977 and marry in 1978, with Bill McCain and her father officiating. We had a difficult beginning. It remained difficult throughout the years of marriage. Bishop Alton appointed me as pastor of New Bethel and Painesville United Methodist churches in 1977-78 as a student pastor. I led a Sunday night study as well as preached Sunday morning. I recall the Kimberlin-Carlisle families being prominent here. As I pursued full ordination in the United Methodist Church of that time, I found myself warmly greeted, welcomed, and accepted. This was a large difference from my first experiences with some of the pastors and other leaders of the Wesleyan Church of that time. At the college level, I felt welcomed in the Wesleyan Church I felt accepted, but that did not seem to be the case in other areas.

Simpson Memorial
Greenville
Pastor 1979-82

George with Michael and David

In the summer of 1979, Bishop Alton appointed me to my first full-
time pastorate at Greenville-Galena parish. Michael was born April 6, 1980, which was an Easter Sunday. Greenville had a wonderful softball team and I thoroughly enjoyed being part of it. We also had a good study that met in the home of Rick and Terry Warren. This couple still brings back fond memories. We held a Bible study in their home on Romans. We discussed salvation as a gift, and one person said, “You mean, I do not have to earn it?” The discussion opened up an experience of grace for her and for others. Galena had the Geltmaker family, which did wonderful music together. Sam Phillips became DS and we had merger conversations. They went nowhere. I am doing a lot of reading in studies related to Jesus and the Gospels, some philosophy, and the mystical tradition. In 1981, I received ordination as a deacon in the South Indiana Annual Conference (now Indiana), at the time the first stage on the way to ordination. I also went as a representative from the South Indiana Annual Conference to the National Congress on Evangelism for the Small Membership Church. May 15, 1982, our second and final son, David Owen is born. We were at Druther’s Restaurant when the contractions started. I continued tennis with my District Superintendent, Bill Clayton.



Horkey boys, my nephews

I was pastor, Brownstown, 1982-87

In the summer of 1982, Bishop Armstrong appointed me to Brownstown. We had a Bible study that was committed itself to the “From Genesis to Revelation” series. It was a good study and gave me an opportunity to continue my interest in reading good commentaries. I also continue a meaningful relationship with the Walk to Emmaus movement. I encourage persons to attend. Among the blessings was a relationship

My sister & her husband
Cindy & Mark Horkey

with the local Baptist and Presbyterian churches. We shared Bible school together. The pastor and I shared teaching an adult Bible class. This would lead to a wonderful shared Bible study with the three of us throughout the year. It lasted for a couple of years. We had a good fellowship of community pastors once a month for breakfast. I am quite involved in the spiritual formation ministry that Bishop Armstrong and Norman Shawchuck. They bring Father Robert Doherty, a Jesuit priest from the Boston area, to lead spiritual formation retreats. I continue reading, Kierkegaard and some Old Testament studies. In 1983, I received ordination as a full elder in the United Methodist Church by Bishop Armstrong. I received the stole from the retiring class on behalf of the newly ordained class. The Board of ministry made this selection. It showed the level of acceptance of my written work for the ordination process. I officiated at the wedding of my sister Cindy and Mark Horkey. In 1984, Bishop James Armstrong resigns abruptly due to accusations regarding his sex life. This was a big event for us as an annual conference. In 1984-87, I am part of the Doctor of Ministry classes with McCormick Theological Seminary. This was a good place for me to keep learning. Studies will focus on Parish Revitalization and Spiritual Formation. Hugh Halverstadt, one of the professors, was very helpful. His approach to managing conflict has remained part of my approach in the local churches. Don Thorsen spent a few days with us, days I thoroughly enjoyed. I continued learning by reading in Hegel and Kant as well.

 

I was associate pastor at
Plainfield UMC 1987-91

In the summer of 1987, Bishop Hodapp appointed me to Plainfield. I will be the associate of Bill Clayton. This was a special time for me. We had genuine warmth and affection that continues to this day. It was fun that his St. Louis Cardinals and my Minnesota Twins were in the World Series, among the best ever played. The entire congregation warmly welcomed us. Among the ministry opportunities were a wonderful Ash Wednesday service that came to be quite meaningful and a Lent Learning opportunity on Wednesday nights of Lent. Several persons taught these classes. We had a great time. We also had Lay Seminary classes, where laity could get for credit classes. We had a wonderful team of persons who worked with me for Confirmation class. Had I stayed one more year, we would have developed our own curriculum. I also led a Bible study on Thursday morning that was well attended and very meaningful for me. These classes gave the opportunity to deepen by study of the Old Testament and Jesus Seminar studies. I became part of the Spiritual Formation Committee. I took a meaningful 10-day tour of Israel in 1987. In 1989-1991, I was part of a three-year covenant group.  We had four retreats per year, dealing with the inner journey of prayer and spiritual life, the outward journey of relationships with others, and the corporate journey of the relationship between our faith and our society.  On the personal level, I played a lot of tennis. It proved to be the last time this would happen. It was here that Cheryl and I finalized our divorce. My hope had been that being an associate would give our marriage time to heal. Such would not be the case. I also started to go to St. Luke's singles group. I met some wonderful friends there. I learned to ball room dance. At one of the dances, I met Suzanne, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I was Associate Pastor
from 1991-92

In the summer of 1991, Bishop Hodapp appointed me to Meridian Street as an associate with Bill Schwein. I appreciated many of the people here. Several are still friends. I particularly enjoyed some of the small groups, visitation with shut-in persons, and Disciple Bible Study. Although I was here briefly, I have made friends that have stayed with me through the years, especially in the Annual Conference and in the Walk to Emmaus Community. One person owned his own plane and took Suzanne and me on several plane rides. We had a playgoer group where we went to CTS for the play, but met at the church for a nice “date” type of

George & Suzanne ca. 1998
@ clergy party

meal. On May 29, 1992, Suzanne and I married at Plainfield, with Bill Clayton officiating. Yes, the brief time here means that problems arose quickly between the pastor and me. This is not the place to re-hash these matters. My judgment was that it was best for the church that I leave as quietly and quickly as possible. This judgment does not reflect negatively upon Bill, for we are quite different people. It definitely does not reflect negatively upon the Meridian Street UMC, a church of which I continue to think fondly and respectfully. 

Community UMC
Vincennes, IN
Pastor 1992-1998

In the summer of 1992, Bishop Hodapp appointed me to Vincennes Community United Methodist Church. The years here were quite special. The challenge before us was great. Three United Methodist congregations had just merged. I was the first pastor of the merged congregation. We still had buildings to sell. We had to bring these congregations into one and build a new church across from the High School. We did not lose many persons through the merger, thanks to many good people who had worked so hard. The focus of merger conversations was the question of what we can do together for the cause of Christ that we cannot do separately. We worshipped in the largest building, of course, North. I recall an Administrative Council meeting in which a division was clear along former congregation lines. The tension in the room was thick. I thought privately the whole merger could fall apart right now. Then, one of our new members, a man who was not part of any of the three merged congregations, said simply, “Well, then, this is what we need to do.” He then made his proposal, and the tension was gone. That was a God moment for me and for that congregation. When we finally got into the new building in 1996, we started a wonderful Wednesday night program that included Disciple Bible studies. In 1996, I became a member of the Franklin Home Board. It was a privilege to serve with these high quality people. I would serve until 2004. The Board of Ordained Ministry trained me as a clergy mentor in 1997. I was also part of the South Indiana Annual Conference Committee on Nominations. I would become chair of this committee. On the personal level, Randy, Suzanne’s oldest son, went through a divorce and stayed with us a while. We had a standard poodle, black. I jogged a few times with the dog. We were starting to staff properly for a congregation of our new size when I received a call about a church in Dearborn County. I had many questions. The most serious was that we have to work out something for Michael in the final few months of his High School. My instinct was to say no, but I was also mindful of the commitment I had made to go where the bishop sent.

Dearborn Hills UMC
Pastor Jan 1998-June 2002

In January of 1998, Bishop White appointed me to DearbornHills UMC. My first Sunday was the first Sunday of the year. When I arrived, we had something over 100 recommendations from a church consultant. We worked on implementing them, the most challenging being a new worship service. This change proved to be quite difficult for us. It was a pleasure to work with Bob Riggles and Stacey Stackhouse on the ministry staff. We experimented with having most of our committee meetings on one night. We also had Disciple Bible Study. I continued to serve on the Franklin Home board and was chair of the South Indiana Annual Conference Committee on Nominations. I received training as a Stephen Minister in Orlando, FL. We started training people to be Stephen ministers. The English translation of Wolfhart Pannenberg, Systematic Theology arrived in 1998, eventually leading me to create a blog. I started reading soon thereafter. I have continued to draw from the Pannenberg throughout my pastoral life. A special friend was a Presbyterian pastor, Glenn and Cathy Baaten, in Ohio. He challenged me to read the original texts, in English, of course. That comment led me down a path of reading the works of Plato and Aristotle. I then read selected portions of Augustine and Aquinas. It has been a wonderful journey. I have continued in reading empiricists, rationalists, Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Wittgenstein, and Sartre. Of course, this took place over the next decade. On the personal side, I enjoyed the exercise course at the park in Harrison, OH. Our home life became complicated. Randy and Chrissy stayed with us. Custody of David changed from his mother to me. Our poodle had children. We ended up with two of the litter, Beau and Toby.

 

Crawfordsville First UMC
Pastor 2002-Oct 2008

Staff Christmas Party

In the summer of 2002, Bishop White appointed me to Crawfordsville United Methodist Church. My predecessor retired. We had a housing allowance. I have found that much of life is a test. Mistakes test us in the sense that they make us go deeper. We forge our character on how deal with failures and mistakes. We had the blessing of some wonderful staff. The church was generous with giving me time with parents, both of whom died while here. Dad died in 2003. I had some good talks with dad. He finally read some sermons I mailed to mom. Mom had the habit of reading and re-reading them. Dad ignored them for many years, but this time expressed appreciation for what I had sent mom. I did not share any words during the service, although the United Methodist pastor who led the service invited me to do so. I still have the American flag presented to me because of dad’s service in the Navy. Mom died December 18, 2004. We children took turns taking mom to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She had esophageal cancer. I did share a few words. A few members of

George & Suzanne Plasterer
Albert & Alvera Plasterer

 

Crawfordsville made the time to drive up special for the funeral service, and then went back. It was amazing. My primary learning here was Bill Placher, a professor at Wabash College. I finally read Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics at this time, reading a volume and then discussing it with Dr. Placher over lunch. It was quite a privilege. This would eventually lead to a blog. One of the blessings here was re-establishing a connection with R. Duane Thompson, my philosophy professor from Indiana Wesleyan. We met at Cheesecake Factory. We then started meeting about every four months. He would die suddenly. I did not find out until several months later, calling his home and talking with his wife. It was such a shock. I am more thankful than I have words to express for this man in terms of his intellect and his faith. We started Disciple Bible Study at Crawfordsville. As we moved toward a contemporary worship service, tensions rose. We had a service in the basement utilizing tables. It seemed to me that all of this was just beginning to work when I received a call to exchange places with the pastor at Cross~Wind in Logansport. On a personal note, a member of the congregation allowed us to use their Siesta Key condominium. It looked out over the beautiful beach there. I also attended a Pastor’s School in Deland, FL. It proved to be a great time with people who differed from me politically and theologically. I discovered that pastors born and raised in Florida tended to retire toward the middle of the state, saying it was nice to get a little break in the heat. On the personal level, Grandchild Taylor stayed with us for one school term. Beau and Toby would die here. The death of Beau, a black standard poodle, was traumatic. We were in the room when the doctor put him down. I will never do that again. I cried all day. We also got Annie a few weeks before Toby died. That actually helped.

Cross~Wind UMC
Pastor Nov 2008-July 201

In the winter of 2008, Bishop Coyner appointed me to Cross~Wind Ministries. The result of a merger of two congregations, established in 1998, some problems had arisen. Chip Gast, the founding pastor, became DS. Gary Lewis came, and one can see why. He had a sports background and this congregation had an Upward Soccer ministry. However, the attendance started declining immediately. Among the early challenges here was that a downward slope in worship attendance had begun. It did not stop with the arrival of this pastor.  A few years into my ministry, some issues on staff and with the scout program added to the challenges. Kayc Mykrantz and a team of people who prayed faithfully helped this pastor move through such challenges faithfully. We participated in the Fruitful Congregation program of the Indiana Annual Conference. This program established our mission and helped us develop our vision. It also gave us specific goals of working on worship, small groups, and children’s ministry.  

Upward Soccer

 

Triple S

Upward Soccer ministry has been a wonderful presence in this community. It provides a place for a racially diverse community in a fun and relaxed environment. We worked on our vision statement. We also worked on worship. Committee meetings are at a minimum. Everything about worship has been a particular blessing. We have had special Lent church-wide studies that I have found inspiring. One year, we did Jesus Creed, a wonderful study of the two great commandments. People keep bringing up that study. I have had the pleasure of two clergy groups, one focused on Church Dogmatics (thanks Glenn Knepp) and the other theologians such as Paul Tillich, Pannenberg, Barth, Bultmann, Schleiermacher (thanks Chuck Britt and Lynn Eastman). Throughout my preaching life, I have utilized the lectionary to guide me. I have occasionally departed. However, preaching at Cross~Wind has allowed me to pull together my study of the biblical text and my presentation of the word of God. I have long published the text online. The people in the room have long had “sermon to go” in which I provide an outline and usually a few blanks that I hope aid in learning. We added the Think Orange children’s ministry program. One of the genuine pleasures has been Triple S (Soup, Sweets, and Scripture). This group gave the opportunity to do some Bible studies that I approached with the attitude that this will likely be the last time I do so. Throughout my teaching life, I paid close attention to the historical dimension of the biblical text. Whether with Genesis to Revelation or the Disciple Bible Study, this has been an important part of my life. The Triple S group allowed me to round off those studies. I now have a document on the theological and spiritual insights of the Old Testament that, along with commentary studies, includes insights from Barth and Pannenberg. In both preaching and teaching, I count it satisfying that I have been able to bring my teaching and preaching to such a conclusion. The result has been two theological documents. One is dialogue with Church Dogmatics, in which I put Pannenberg and Barth in close conversation. A second document expresses my version of what I would call classic Christian teaching, with a Pannenberg slant. On the personal level, Tim has lived with us for several years. After the heart attack with Randy, they stayed with us. For a summer, Kayli stayed with us. We added some other dogs to our fox terrier Annie. Zeus, a boxer, arrived because of Randy and Chrissy. Two Maltese arrived because of client of Suzanne. A silky terrier arrived because of a member of the church.

 

In July 2017, I received an appointment to retirement by Bishop Trimble. In preparation, we had the gift of almost three weeks in Sebring, FL. We found Dunedin, FL and thoroughly enjoyed it. Our plan is to rent. It will be a pleasure to have Nick and Elaina Robinson as my successor. As I look back, some dreams I need to put aside. They served me well for that time. The time has passed. I need to let them go in the spirit of an old friend who has served the purpose of keeping me moving in the right direction. I hesitatingly suggest that our dreams carry us along through the various stages of life. If a dream is like a river, then we must not settle for the safety of the shore. We must sail where the dream takes us. I have had people ask me what I am going to do in retirement. I do not know – yet. I know I will want to relax. I will want to continue learning and helping other people learn. I think I will want to see if I can get published some of the things I have written. I will continue writing some "ponderings" as I continue developing my writing voice.  Let us see where the Spirit leads. Some doors that seemed closed may open. Some dreams that seemed to have died may find a way toward rebirth. I have wanted to take this opportunity to pause and listen to my life. I have shared what I think I have learned. Yet, I do not see clearly. Only God has eyes to see that clearly. Further, I share in the hopes that this reflection might help others learn as well.

 

 

 

 

Peer Pressure: Good and Bad

 A reporter once asked a 104-year-old woman, "What do you think is the best thing about being 104?" She replied, quite simply, "No peer pressure."

Quite honestly, I am not sure if we are ever free of peer pressure, but I have been reflecting upon its influence upon our lives.

Peer pressure can both help us and hurt us. C. S. Lewis wrote an interesting article entitled, “The Inner Ring.” It suggests why the difference is there. He acknowledges that all of has an inner circle of friends. We are social creatures and we need that inner ring of friends. We care for them and they care for us. We influence each other. He warns us, though, that the desire to be in an inner ring of a group is sinful. This desire to do and say things to be part of a group is dangerous in that it may block you from becoming the person God wants you to be.

David Greene, the host of NPR's "Morning Edition," explains that peer pressure can help us by inspiring us to do the right thing. Sit next to a good student in class, and her study habits can rub off on you. Watch your neighbors install solar panels on their roof, and it might motivate you to do the same thing.

Most of us think of peer pressure as a negative. The Monitoring the Future Survey ... found that approximately 30 percent of eighth graders have used illicit drugs.

The survey also made three conclusions about the effect of peer pressure on drug and alcohol use. It seems that teens with friends who do drugs and alcohol:

+ are more likely to do the same.

+ are more likely to convince their friends to do it too.

+ are more likely to seek out other teens that do the same.[1]

Interestingly peer pressure can also have a negative way if we are with our very best peers. We might find ourselves becoming discouraged as to our abilities.

Todd Rogers is a professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. He has studied the peer pressure that comes from people who are a little better than we are, as well as the pressure that comes from people who are much better than we are. I am sure Pharisees thought of themselves in that category when it came to spirituality. He says that when you or someone else compares you to people who are doing a little better than you are it can motivate. Someone conserving energy might inspire you to use less energy. Someone voting might motivate you to vote. However, if you compare yourself or others compare you to someone who is unattainably better than you are, we have another form of negative peer pressure.

A common example many preachers use is Mother Teresa. Her life and words will preach well. Yet, the danger of such an example is that what she did can seem unattainable for us “average” Christians raising families and working in the world.  

In my sports life, tennis is an example. When I played against someone incredibly better, it was dispiriting. I wanted to give up. I had a friend in Seminary, Don Thorsen, who was a little better than I was. He would usually win, but the games were close. It taught me a lot to watch him toss the ball in the air for a serve. He inspired me to play better. I think I was that person for my first District Superintendent, Bill Clayton. In a different way, when I went to Brownstown, I had a member of the church who was much older than I was but who regularly beat me, largely because he was so consistent in getting to balls and getting them back.

Rogers studied more than 5,000 students in a massive open online course. As part of the course, the students graded each other's work and learned from each other. What Rogers discovered was that ordinary students became far more likely to quit the course when he paired them with the best students. The ordinary students grading top-quality papers assumed that everyone in the group was brilliant and this made them feel inferior.

Such observations make me wonder about the effect of the Pharisees upon the people of their generation. Even Paul was proud of the fact that he was “as to the law, a Pharisee.” This is exactly the effect of the Pharisees on the people around them. Those within the inner circle of Judaism knew they were superior to others regarding adherence to the Law. Those outside the inner circle knew it as well – and it may well have dispirited them! It may well have led them to give up on even to try being faithful to the covenant.

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[1] --Stacy Zeiger, "Statistics on peer pressure," Love to Know Website. teens.lovetoknow.com. Retrieved August 13, 2016.