Pastor Frank

Neighborhood Prayer Walk

Luke 10:29  “But wanting to justify himself he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’”

Why take a prayer walk? 

The purpose of this prayer walk is to learn more about the neighbors God has given us in the half-mile radius of the church. As you begin, pray “God, thank you for placing our church in this neighborhood.  Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to discern you working in the people I encounter.  Amen.”

OPEN MY EYES…..

What do you observe? Are there people outside?  Kids playing outside?  What else do you notice?  Be ready to record your observations when you return to church.

OPEN MY EARS…..

Listen to the sounds around you.  Do you hear cars, voices, other sounds?  What kinds of activities are going on in our neighborhood?  Are there people outside?  If it feels natural, while practicing social distancing, strike up a conversation with someone you encounter.  You may even ask how you might be in prayer for them.

OPEN MY HEART…..

As you walk by houses, pray for the people who live there.

Pay attention to how God is already at work in our neighborhood.  What are the signs of people “doing all the good they can?”  People helping others?  People blessing others?

Is God drawing your attention to any unmet needs?  Listen for God to speak in your heart about how as a church we might bless our neighbors.

You may want to pray a breath prayer as you walk.  Choose one of the following (or create your own): Guide my steps …… Bring your kingdom …….. Speak Lord, for your servant is listening …….. Here I Am ..…. Not my will but yours …… When I am afraid, I will I trust you ……. Come, Lord Jesus.

Yesterday before church I read my devotional for the day from Common Prayer, then glanced at today’s. It was the story of Maximillian Kolbe, a Polish priest who sheltered Jews and criticized Nazi violence. He was arrested and sent to Auschwitz. When a prisoner tried to escape, the Nazis responded by killing 10 others. As one of them pleaded for his life, on behalf of his family, Maximillian volunteered to be executed in that man’s place. Before he was martyred he led others in prayer and singing. Today, August 14, is Father Kolbe’s feast day in the Catholic Church, a day to celebrate his life and sainthood.

The Nazis will not kill our souls, since we prisoners certainly distinguish ourselves quite definitely from our tormentors; they will not be able to deprive us of the dignity of our Catholic belief. We will not give up. And when we die, then we die pure and peaceful, resigned to God in our hearts. – Maximillian Kolbe

Years before Auschwitz, Maximillian founded a monastery in Nagasaki, Japan. When the US dropped the atomic bomb there, the second dropped on Japan in a single week during August 1945, the monastery mirculously was not damaged. Between Hiroshima and Nagasaki, more than 200,000 Japanese civilians died. I used to debate with my grandfather, a WWII veteran, whether the use of atomic weapons on Japan was justified. He held the view that yes it was; the planned invasion of Allied forces onto Japanese soil would have caused much more loss of life- Japanese, American, and everyone else involved. I’m still not sure I believe that to be the case, and I know historians debate it to this day, nearly 80 years later.

In the excellent movie Oppenheimer, President Truman and Oppenheimer debate this point in the Oval Office of the White House- after the bombs were dropped. Oppenheimer is troubled by the loss of innocent lives by a weapon he meant to be used against the Nazis. Truman dismisses Oppenheimer with the words, “Keep that crybaby out of here,” which evidently Truman actually said. I saw Oppenheimer twice, on consecutive days, at the end of July. The screening was in IMAX; the second on actual 35mm film in Richardson.

The movie, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Nolan favorite Cillian Murphy, is a masterpiece, more biography than spectacle- the bomb test takes place about halfway through the movie; the remaining half are the political struggles Oppenheimer endured after sharing publicly his fears of nuclear proliferation between Russia and the USA. It reminded me a whole lot of JFK. In my opinion as a longstanding Nolan fan, it’s the frontrunner for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. Robert Downey Jr may well take home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor as well. The movie does not really take a strong view on the morality of the atomic bomb (or the hydrogen bomb for that matter, although Oppenheimer was opposed to developing the weapon because its use is beyond comprehension- the amount of devastation is just insane). 

What does the United Methodist Church say?

We believe war is incompatible with the teachings and example of Christ. We therefore reject war as an instrument of national foreign policy. We oppose unilateral first/preemptive strike actions and strategies on the part of any government. As disciples of Christ, we are called to love our enemies, seek justice, and serve as reconcilers of conflict. We insist that the first moral duty of all nations is to work together to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them. We advocate the extension and strengthening of international treaties and institutions that provide a framework within the rule of law for responding to aggression, terrorism, and genocide. We believe that human values must outweigh military claims as governments determine their priorities; that the militarization of society must be challenged and stopped; that the manufacture, sale, and deployment of armaments must be reduced and controlled; and that the production, possession, or use of nuclear weapons be condemned. Consequently, we endorse general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.

This power in the hands of a few people, in the hands of a few countries, terrifies me. What can we do about it? This page has good discussion points and next steps to consider. If you want to know more about J Robert Oppenheimer, check out this excellent documentary on the Criterion Channel: The Day After Trinity – The Day After Trinity – The Criterion Channel

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

In one of the opening pages of the United Methodist Book of Worship, a basic pattern of worship is offered based on the Emmaus account found in Luke 24:

As on the first day of the week the two disciples were joined by the risen Christ, so in the power of the Holy Spirit the risen and ascended Christ joins us when we gather. As the disciples poured out to him their sorrow and in so doing opened their hearts to what Jesus would say to them, so we pour out to him whatever is on our hearts and thereby open ourselves to the Word. As Jesus ‘opened the Scriptures’ to them and caused their hearts to burn, so we hear the Scriptures opened to us and out of the burning of our hearts praise God. As they were faced with a decision and responded by inviting Jesus to stay with them, we can do likewise. As he disappeared and sent the disciples into the world with faith and joy, so he sends us forth into the world. And as those disciples found Christ when they arrived at Jerusalem later that evening, so we can find Christ with us wherever we go.

Examining, and re-examining, worship is an important practice in the church, lest our services become stale and lose their purpose. Pastor Rosedanny had an idea the other day to offer a Reflecting on Worship session next Thursday, August 17, at 6:00 p.m., in person and on Zoom, in Wesley Hall. This will be a listening session for your worship leaders to hear what you love about Spring Valley worship as we go forward. Everyone is welcome. We’ve also created a worship survey. Click here to share your experiences of Spring Valley worship: https://forms.gle/bkHkUxpsetdjWqsL7

Speaking of worship, our new series, “Bless this Neighborhood,” starts Sunday! You’ll recall last week I said I would include 10 of 50 ways to connect the church to the community for five of these articles. Here is #s 11-20:

11. Get out in your neighborhood. Walk the streets. Map the area, and record your observations. Note how the community is changing.

12. Assess community needs and assets. What are the needs of your context? Who are your neighbors, and how can you serve them?

13. Be attuned to where God is already at work in your community.

14. Know that ministries that truly bless a community often arise out of conversations where you listen for the hopes and dreams of people in your community.

15. Interview residents of the community. Sit in a park, diner, or coffee house. Ask simply, “What are your challenges, hopes, longings and dreams?”

16. Get to know the major public officials. They are people with tremendous influence. They need to know of your church’s commitment to the community.

17. Involve many people from your church in this work. Hold one another accountable to the tasks of engaging and learning from others.

18. Discern clusters of issues and concerns that arise from these conversations. Ask what issues, suffering, injustices, or brokenness might you address.

19. Strive for meaningful engagement with others, not superficial gestures.

20. Make sure you are reaching out to people for the right reasons. If your motive is simply to get them to come to church, people will see right through to it.

Join me for a prayer walk (read #11 above, again!) next Thursday August 17, at 8:00 a.m. And sign up for a companion study I am leading by clicking here: https://forms.gle/eWG7XU3ifHcHufUA8

Seeking Jesus with opened eyes and a flaming heart!

This Sunday is Baseball Sunday at Spring Valley! Wear your Rangers gear- even if you are not attending the ballgame. The sermon is titled “Life Lessons from Baseball,” and the choir and John Tarver are sharing baseball-themed music. It’s also the debut of ukulele music!  The following Sunday a new series begins- Bless this Neighborhood. When I first learned of my appointment to this amazing community I began thinking of ways our congregation could build relationships with our neighbors. I have already been intentionally visiting local businesses (within walking distance- even in this heat!), trying to order food in very broken Spanish. I will get there!

The series will run August 13 – September 3. We will have Bless this Neighborhood Bingo cards for everyone next Sunday. Track how many local businesses you can visit during the series. Prizes will be awarded! When you stop in, leave a postcard, also available next Sunday, with the message, written in English and Spanish, that we are proud to be in this neighborhood and to share God’s love with our neighbors. Join me for a prayer walk around the neighborhood August 17 at 8:00 a.m., and a new study, in person and on Zoom, Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. (6 sessions): Taking Church To The Community, beginning August 22. 

Each week for the next five weeks I will include here an excerpt from the article “50 Ways to Take Church to the Community,” published by the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC (where I did my doctoral work in preaching). Here are the first ten tips for community engagement:

1. Learn to regard your community as an extension of your congregation. A church’s mission field goes beyond its membership to include all the people God calls it to serve. You are connected to individuals who never set foot in your building.

2. Know that what’s happening within the church — preaching, worship, music, Bible study — is no longer enough to attract people in an age when church attendance is no longer a cultural expectation.

3. Don’t sit in your church building waiting for people to come. Be prepared to meet people where they are.

4. Acknowledge the synergy between the Great Commandment in Matthew 22 (love your neighbor as yourself) and the Great Commission in Matthew 28 (go and make disciples). Evangelistic outreach expresses our love of others.

5. Remember that Jesus primarily engaged people through everyday encounters, rather than in the Temple or synagogues. He fed people, met their everyday needs, and enjoyed the fellowship of others.

6. Express love and compassion for your community in big and small ways. Avoid judgmentalism.

7. Pray regularly for your neighbors and lift up community concerns.

8. Attend to the faith formation of existing members. Willingness to share faith and reach out to others develops as one grows in faith and discipleship.

9. Prepare spiritually for the transformation that creative, risk-taking outreach will bring.

10. Review demographic data from public, private, and denominational sources, but don’t assume that statistics alone will tell the whole story.

Every church needs to strengthen its relationship to its parish. Hopefully at the end of this series, and over the coming months, we will return to these local restaurants and businesses and ask, “Do you know where Spring Valley United Methodist Church is?” and hear a “YES” or “SI!”