All posts by Jamie Walters

THE FORECASTER: A New Year & New Adventure for FCC – January 2019

The Rev. Dr. Art Suggs in Worms, Germany. Photo taken by Clare Price.

December 2018 marked the last month of the Rev. Dr. Arthur Suggs’ pastorate with us, and so starting in January 2019, F.C.C. embarks on the next cycle of our adventure and growth.

Rev. Suggs was our Senior Pastor here at F.C.C. for 11 years, and we wish him very well as he retires from ministry to pursue the callings and interests on his life adventure.

The Transition Team has organized a Celebration meal and event for Sunday, January 13th, 2019, following that Sunday’s service.

(We opted out of doing the Celebration in December, given the hectic nature of Christmas and the year-end flurry of activities.)

After the Sunday service on January 13th, we’ll head to the social hall to share a meal and offer any gifts, cards, and stories to celebrate Rev. Suggs’ time with us and send him on his way with well wishes and love.

Members can share thoughts and memories of Art’s time at First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ.

While Art has joined our congregation as a member, protocol requires him to stay away until a new pastor is settled in with the congregation, so we’ll welcome him back as a member of our congregation then.

If you’re not able to attend the Celebration meal following the service on January 13th, you can send along any cards, letters, or gifts to the church office with the designation, “Art’s Celebration”.

Speaking of the Transition Team & the Search for an Interim Minister

The Transition Team has been interviewing candidates to serve our church as an interim pastor. They will present their suggestion to the Board of Deacons when they are done.

As of this posting, it looks very good that we’ll have our interim pastor in place by February 1, 2019.

Interim Pastoral Care and Who’s in the Pulpit in January

F.C.C. sanctuary at Christmas 2018. Photo: The Forecaster.

Although our Transition Team is close to making a recommendation for our Interim Minister, we enter January without a pastor for our congregation.

In the meanwhile, we have four different worship leaders for Sundays in January:

• January 6 – Rev. Lisa Heckman, who recently completed a successful interim pastorship in Owego, N.Y., where she served for just shy of three years.

• January 13- Clare Price, a lay preacher who was a licensed interim pastor in Newark Valley, N.Y.

• January 20- Zach DuBord, a Minister in Discernment with the Susquehanna Association.

• January 27- Rev. Jim Dunn, a retired minister in the United Church of Christ.

If you have questions or need pastoral care, just ask Clare Price, any of our deacons, or simply contact the F.C.C. office:

Phone: 607 723 8981

Email: fcc ‘at’ binghamtonwireless ‘dot’ com

Jazz Vespers in January

Rob Weinberger. Image courtesy of Woodwiz.

Rob Weinberger will be performing at Jazz Vespers on January 13th.

Rob has performed and recorded for 10 years in the NYC’s Lower East Side music scene with groups as diverse as The Worms, Blues Traveler, and Joan Osborne. He has also been the music director aboard cruise ships based out of Hawaii.

Since he relocated to upstate New York, he has been active in the regional musical community as a composer, arranger, teacher and performer.

Rob is a musical chameleon!  At the time of this printing is deciding in what incarnation he will appear for this Jazz Vespers.

No matter what it is, I can guarantee you will love the sound he offers and the ambiance he creates. Join us on January 13 at 5:00 PM in the F.C.C. church sanctuary.

More F.C.C. News & Activities

You’ll find news on upcoming events, our most recent new members, the Trustee’s Report, the Church Directory update, the abundance of Christmas gifts (more than 50!) donated to students from the Woodrow Wilson school, and more, in the full edition of The Forecaster.

Download the full January 2019 Forecaster here.

THE FORECASTER: Rev. Dr. Art Suggs’ Last “Pastor’s Perspective” (and Upcoming FCC Events)

The Rev. Dr. Art Suggs in Worms, Germany. Photo taken by Clare Price.

Pastor’s Perspective

How does one say Thank You?

This is my final newsletter article. My message is a simple – Thank You and God Bless You to a church that renewed my faith. 
But allow me to elaborate just a little.

Thank you for allowing me to be myself, particularly in the pulpit, more than any other church I’ve ever known. To be loved for who I really am is a great gift.

My wife Tracy has an ever so consuming career as a teacher, and thank you for never placing “Wife of the Minister” expectations upon her. Her participation has been out of pleasure rather than expectation.

Thank you for allowing me to explore, particularly in the area of theology. I’m acutely aware I have departed from the standard party line, and I’ve tried to do it with integrity and for good reasons. But some churches simply don’t allow it at all. THANK YOU for that freedom.

Thank you for your generosity, both in terms of time and money. You have given me time off when I needed it, and you have paid me such that I feel my work has been respected.

Thank you for giving me such a wonderful staff, whether they are volunteer positions or paid. They all go above and beyond.

I would like to mention in particular Dubbie Agard, Bill Cuddeback, Cindi West-Davidson, Judy Giblin, Julie Ann Johnson, Cheryl Kindt, Bernie Lewis, Arlene Price, Marty Rorapaugh, Toni Rorapaugh, Sherry Shadduck, Barb Thompson, Jamie Walters, Vanessa Warren, Nancy Wildoner. And they might as well be staff with all they do, thank you to our Board Chairs: Clare Price, Doug Garnar, and Art Price.

However, I need to mention one in particular. Leslie began as church administrator one year before I arrived. And she has been a Godsend. Talented, smart, the perfect personality for the job, no one could have asked for a better administrator, as well as confidant and friend. Thank you, Leslie, for all you do, and for who you are. I will miss working with you, but will cherish many, many happy memories. (Remember – three hymns!)

I’m not sure if this is the best way to say this, but thank you for putting up with me. I’ve been a minister for 35 years, and in that amount of time one learns of one’s strengths and weaknesses.

Early on
 psychologists and counselors forewarned me that my personality was an ill fit for the ministry. “Go ahead and do it if you want,” they warned me, “but you will encounter some troubles.” And I did – I went ahead, and I encountered troubles. I have intended to leave the ministry twice.

So thank you for putting up with at least the part of me that never fit well into the normal clergy mold. When I arrive at the pearly gates, I don’t expect to hear “Well done, good and faithful servant.” What I’m hoping for is “Well, ok, not too bad, could have been worse.”

And thank you for the good times. We’ve had good laughs on Sunday mornings. We’ve had precious moments when the angels showed up. We’ve had fun working together for parades, rummage sales, turkey dinners, and 570 coffee hours in the Parlor. We’ve even had good times in the church committee meetings…imagine that!

You are a blessing to me; for allowing me to leave with a sense of contentment in my heart, a smile upon my face, and a modicum of sanity in my head.

They say that we can have friends of silver, and friends of gold. Thank you for gilding my time amongst you.

Your friend, Art Suggs

Ramp & Accessible Entrance Construction Completed

The construction is finished and looks wonderful, and allows easier access for members and visitors.

Also in the December 2018 Forecaster:

• Advent begins –

The Advent season is a time of great anticipation and hopefulness. (More lovely reflection on Advent in The Forecaster, download below.)

• Congregational Conversation – December 9th following morning service.

• Member Zach DuBord progresses with his call to ministry (see The Forecaster for an update – download below).

• Christmas on the near-horizon – Be a Christmas Angel, Help Decorate the Sanctuary, and other rewarding and joyful pursuits!

• Christmas Cookie Exchange (coming right up, December 4th!)

• New Wireless Intel at F.C.C.

… and more.

Download the full Forecaster (December 2018) here.

 

THE FORECASTER: ‘Judge Not’ (and Other Ignored Teachings), Plus November FCC News..

The Rev. Dr. Art Suggs in Worms, Germany. Photo by Clare Price.

Pastor’s Perspective – November 2018 Newsletter

This is arguable, of course, but it is widely believed that the most ignored of all the sayings of Jesus is when he tells us not to judge.

Yet, there it is, right in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:1, followed by the story of the speck in their eye, and a log in your own.

On the face of it, it seems ridiculous. How could we possibly go through life without judging?

I have in mind the hundred or so decisions that have gone into the entrance and hallway renovation at First Congregational Church.

This wallpaper or that? How about the carpeting? Those decisions were all the result of considered judgment. It strikes me as impossible to avoid. And yet, I don’t think we can dismiss Jesus’ admonition so easily.

Two thoughts to share in defense of Jesus’ advice not to judge.

The first has to do with simple humility.

Even though we may feel like we are the most intelligent person around, and our thoughts are the best ones compared to others, and our experience on most matters is the most relevant, and our judgment has always been the most sound, we also know deep inside that is absurd. We actually only have our perspective, our tiny slice of perception which is never comprehensive.

Jane Goodall, the primatologist, put it beautifully.

“There are many windows through which we can look out into the world, searching for meaning …

…Most of us, when we ponder on the meaning of our existence,
peer through but one of these windows onto the world.
And even that one is often misted over by the breath of our finite humanity.

We clear a tiny peephole and stare through.
No wonder we are confused by the tiny fraction of a whole that we see.

It is, after all, like trying to comprehend the panorama of the desert or the sea through a rolled-up newspaper.”

There is a second, equally good reason not to judge.

This has to do with something we all have experienced. Something happens that we then judge as bad, and we find out later that it was a good thing. There are a thousand examples. We initially judged it bad because of reason #1, our perspective was too small, our knowledge too limited, and we weren’t able to foresee the way it could result in good.

“Do not judge!” has some stiff competition for being ignored.

“Don’t cast the first stone” comes to mind, as well as, “Don’t worry about tomorrow”.

But despite the fact we need to make daily decisions, not judging is healthy advice. A sense of humility befits us. And when we haven’t made up our mind about a person or an event, it opens us up to seeing from a wider, and perhaps more godly, perspective.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,

Art Suggs

Thanksgiving Feast – Sunday, November 18th

The Annual FCC Thanksgiving Feast – traditional favorites served up freely (and with Love).

Chris and Tim O’Neill have again offered to organize a Thanksgiving dinner for our congregation. It will follow the morning service on Sunday, November 18.

There will be a sign-up sheet for folks who plan to attend.

You are welcome even if you miss putting your name on the list, but it helps a lot with shopping to have an idea how many potatoes to put in the pot!

The meal is paid for by a free-will offering and the generosity of merchants like Weis Markets who donate the turkeys. Thanksgiving is the most celebrated of all US holidays.

Please put the date on your calendar. The food is great and so is the fellowship.

Decorating the Church for Advent & Christmas – Sunday, November 26th

Advent banners draped in the back of FCC’s sanctuary (after a service) for the 2017 Advent Season.

After the Sunday service on November 26th, we’ll decorate the sanctuary for the Advent Season and Christmas.

As you’ll know if you’ve seen the historic sanctuary decked in its Advent and Christmas decorations, it looks truly beautiful and moves the heart and soul.

Wear ‘work clothes’ that Sunday if you can spare 30-60 minutes to help with the decorating.

Other November News in the FCC Community

Read updates on the following in the full edition (PDF) of this month’s Forecaster newsletter (download below):

• Member Joseph Izzo defends his doctoral dissertation at Binghamton University.

• Armistice and Veteran’s Day on November 11th – That morning at 11:00 AM, Veterans for Peace will ring FCC’s historic church bell – as many churches did 100 years ago.

• Update from the First Congregational Church Board of Trustees.

Renovations underway — and more progress has been made since this photo was taken!

• Renovations of the parking-lot entrance are heading towards completion.

Says Church Elder Clare Price, “The new doors are in. The concrete ramp and curbs are poured, the inside walls, ceiling and floors finished – the construction is looking great!”

“Hand rails and canopy over the top of the ramp and some paving still need to be done. The goal is to be done by Thanksgiving. Sure is a much more welcoming entry from the parking lot.”

 Download the full November Forecaster (PDF)

Download here

EVENTS: Our Annual Rummage Sale

‘Tis the Season

The U.C.C. First Congregational Church’s

Annual Rummage Sale

 

Why?

It’s Eco-Conscious — Re-Use, Recycle, Re-Purpose. Done.

It’s Budget-Conscious: Clothing, Housewares, Books, and More.

It’s Community Conscious.

It’s in a Gorgeous Historic Church.

And Has Yummy Baked Goods Available.

When?

Saturday, October 20th, 2018

Where?

First Congregational Church, 30 Main Street, Binghamton, N.Y.

What Time?

Doors open at 9:00 a.m.

Questions?

Contact the F.C.C. Office at
607-723-8981

SERMON: Not Alone

A Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Arthur M. Suggs
Preached on World Communion Day, October 7, 2018

Lectionary Reading: Genesis 2: 18-24.

Bought 19 Years Ago and Never
 Used, I Wore a Flashy Robe, and
 Bobbled Up the Bride’s Wedding

You have never before seen the robe that I’m wearing today.

A little insight into my personality is that I’m pretty much a fuddy-duddy at heart. It was bought 19 years ago and has never been worn.

I have not had the nerve to put the thing on for a worship service but thought that, with World Communion Sunday today, let’s give the mantle a try. It was purchased at the Parliament of World Religions that I attended in 1999 in Cape Town, South Africa.

The scripture that Arlene Price read is marvelous, but it always brings up a moment of terror for me. I was performing a wedding, co-officiating with a female Episcopal priest, and we had decided ahead of time that we would divvy up the service, so I had the introduction.

My Little Book of Common Prayer was being used and it says in it that a the groom shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife. The same passage is also mentioned in the New Testament.

The wedding service had started, with everybody gathered around, and I very loudly and boldly proclaimed in the introduction that a man shall leave his wife and shall cleave unto his . . . and I’m standing there.

Clkr Emoji.

I don’t care how verbally skilled you are, there’s no way out of that one.

The bride is looking at me as though she were thinking, “You’re ruining my day.” I’m frozen and don’t have a single thing to say as I thought, “A man shall leave his wife on their wedding day,” and who knows who he’s going to cleave to.

Stunned and silent. Then the Episcopal priest at my side finally said gently, “Perhaps we should start over.” I turned to her and worded weakly, “That’s a fine idea.” And we did. The bride probably never forgave me.

Lessons from Genesis … # 1, Humanity in the Image and Likeness of God; # 2, God Is Spirit and so Is Humanity

Explore the unexpected perspective of these two lessons (plus an extra one … hint: it has to do with your soul and forever).

Download the full Not Alone sermon here.

Featured Image Credit: World Communion Sunday, clipground dot com.

EVENTS: Face It! Theatre Presented: The Fertile River, by Vincent Terrell Durham, at F.C.C.

Just shy of 500 people attended the showings of The Fertile River in mid-September at First Congregational Church.

Vincent Terrell Durham. Photo courtesy of vtdisme.com.

The Fertile River is the work of playwright Vincent Terrell Durham, who was born and raised in Binghamton and graduated from BHS.

The play’s cast included Foster Daniels as Uncle Jesse, Joyann Kershaw as River, Qiana Watson as Mama Cora, Samuel Fraser as the boy Arthur, and Terri-Jo Ramia as Miss Sarah.

Face It! Theatre put on the production of the play, which was offered freely and open to the public.

“We think of ourselves as a social justice theatre,” FaceIt! Theatre‘s founder, Jim Michalec, told BU’s The Pipedream. “We think of ourselves as a social justice theatre. We look for issues that are either relevant, hot on the surface right now, or we look for things that are in the past that this country or this society has dealt with one way or another but not fully explored enough of and has relevance to today.”

The Fertile River at F.C.C., by Ariel Kachuro from B.U.’s The Pipedream.

The goal? To help raise awareness and encourage dialogue — part of Face It! Theatre’s inspired mission — check it out.

Learn more about Binghamton native, comedian, and playwright Vincent Terrell Durham’s life and work at his web site.

What other kinds of mission-aligned gatherings and activities happen at F.C.C.? Here are some examples…

 

THE FORECASTER: October 2018 – Motorcycling in the Pyrenees, and The Triumph of Christianity (Bart Erhman)

The Rev. Dr. Arthur Suggs

Pastor’s Perspective

I’m back from my Sabbatical. And from the depths of my heart I want to thank the church – that is all of you – for that time. I did quite a bit of gardening, some plumbing and electrical work, a LOT of reading, quite a bit of meditation, working with contractors for home repair, and some travel.

The high point was a trip to the Pyrenees Mountains encompassing the border between Spain and France (with a little Andorra thrown in). Unbeknownst to me, much of the Tour de France takes place in that area.

This was a motorcycle tour through those beautiful mountains on such roads as you might see the bicyclists take. I passed hundreds of such bicyclists as they were either just out riding or preparing for the race.

Suffice it to say, they (bicycle, motorcycle, car, and truck) drive rather differently than we do here in the States. I feel as though I just took a class – Motorcycle Racing 101 – and passed. Now no one will want to go riding with me.

But thank you all for that time away. It was a grand blessing for my life.

To change the subject, I’m about to promote a book I haven’t yet read. But I know the author.

The book is The Triumph of Christianity: How a Forbidden Religion Swept the World, and the author is Bart Ehrman, Professor of New Testament at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Years ago, we were both at Princeton Theological Seminary, I was working toward a Masters, he toward his doctorate. His apartment was easily visible from my apartment window, and I can happily testify that he really did burn the midnight oil in his studies.

He has written about thirty books, and in so doing achieved rock star status as a teacher, lecturer, and author.

I have followed his reputation closely over the years, and watched in particular as he went from evangelical Christian to liberal Christian to arguably Christian at all, a path similar to my own.

But by being famous, he has also drawn the criticism and wrath of those for whom evangelical Christianity is not a path, but THE PATH, and you better be on it (as in, theirs)… or else.

Tom Bissell wrote a review for The Triumph of Christianity in the NY Times and I encourage you to read it (click the link/book title to read the review).

Here is one quote from the review, which begins with a nice bit of humor:

“The field of New Testament Studies has never been a reliable starting point for scholars seeking publishing superstardom. One explanation for this is the subject matter itself. A true understanding of the forces that shaped Christianity — seemingly familiar but in fact highly arcane — requires the ability to synthesize and express deep learning in a dozen interlocking subjects.

Ehrman, who considers himself a historian but has done extensive work in textual criticism, has managed to achieve his remarkable renown by writing a string of best sellers that skillfully mine and simplify his more scholarly work.

That may sound pejorative, but it’s not. Ehrman’s outreach to a popular audience — among whom I happily include myself — is wholly to the good, if only because throughout history average Christians have proved oddly unwilling to dig into the particularities of their faith, beyond familiarizing themselves with a few tent-pole doctrines.” (Tom Bissell, Book Review, NY Times)

Since we’re already an odd church, how about we prove oddly willing to dig into the particularities of our faith?

We will be starting the book on October 3 (2018), with the Spiritual Book Group, at noon. Hope you can join us. I will be leading the study with the assistance of Doug and Judy Garnar.

Blessings upon you all,

Art Suggs

Additional News in this month’s Forecaster

• Worldwide Communion – October 7th, 2018

Few things cause more fighting between people than Christians of various denominations. It is sad how many people hurt each other over their understanding of the lessons Christ taught.

But one thing we get right is World Wide Communion. Each year on the first Sunday in October, Christians all over the world celebrate Communion.

Join us! You will be warmly welcomed.

• Jazz Vespers – October 14th, 2018 – the Harpur Jazz Ensemble.

October Jazz Vespers – our season opener – will be held on the 14th at 5:00 PM. It will feature the Harpur Jazz Ensemble.

The Ensemble is a group of talented and passionate students who study and perform big band repertoire for the community and student body. They are directed by a popular Jazz Vespers performer. ~ Mike Carbone.

Over the years they’ve frequently appeared on and off campus with special guest musicians including, among others, Clark Terry – one of the most recorded musicians in the history of jazz; “Slam” Stewart – jazz bass player; Jennifer Leitham – “the left-handed virtuoso of the upright bass”; and John McNeil – contemporary creative jazz artist.

In the past year the group has seen their budget dwindle despite the enormous impact their civic programs have on the local community as well as undergraduates of all different academic programs. “Our ensemble doesn’t just give these kids an education in music theory, technique, and history. It’s an education in community”, explains alumni and crowdfunding organizer Ben Wood. “The friendships and connections we create are for life”. The intent of the campaign is to raise funds for new instruments, upgraded technology, and better rooms and furniture so they can continue to spark the love for music and its many intellectual benefits in others.

Music has been shown to promote brain activity, increase focus, help with understanding and analyzing visual information, and even builds self-confidence – all traits necessary to succeed in both academics and life. “It (music) influences our emotions, makes us think in different ways, and teaches us how to work together”, says Wood. “I would hate to see something so all-encompassing and vital be taken away from these students.” Hope to see you on October 14! ~ Judy Giblin

(check out a cool Binghamton Jazz Vespers mention in this edition of Jazz Times)

To see other church news or download the full edition:

You can view or download the full edition of the Forecaster here (PDF).

Featured Image Credit: Some Blonde d’Aquitaine on summer pasture near the Pic du Midi d’Ossau. Photo by Myrabella, CC via Wikimedia.

SERMON: With Loving Abandon

A Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Arthur M. Suggs
Preached on Rally Day, September 16, 2018

Lectionary Reading: Luke 10: 25-37.

Mr. Rogers Visits Our Church,
 Spills the Beans, Reveals His
 Many Anxieties to a Psychiatrist

In the guise of Mr. Rogers, our world traveler temporarily returned to home base for a short time only to surprise us with more frequent and longer disappearances without asking our approval.

This time, he entered singing as though at home with nothing to do but to change from his outdoor spiffiness into a cardigan sweater and loafers.

“Oh, goodness, I’ve been more nervous about that than anything. But thank you. It’s good to be back,” he said, while dreams of shedding his heavy schedule of sermons must have harbored in his mind. “I’ve had a marvelous sabbatical, and there are stories to tell, of course, for another time.”

As you are aware, we thought the tribute to Mr. Rogers would be an appropriate theme for Rally Day —gathering together again after the summer break.

There’s a version of this show that actually began five years earlier, in 1963, on a tiny network, but it was picked up by PBS in February of 1968. And so that’s why 2018 is the Golden Anniversary.

Personally, I’m more of the Captain Kangaroo generation, a little older, but “Mr, Rogers’ Neighborhood” surpassed “Captain Kangaroo” in popularity a long time ago. Then in turn, it was surpassed by “Sesame Street.”

Mr. Rogers’ cardigan, by the way, is on display at the Smithsonian Institution. I have not seen it, but in my imagination, it’s just down the hallway from the set for “All in the Family” with the two chairs, which I have seen — things that have to do with our culture over time.

Fred Rogers, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood set, PBS.

Two documentaries have been produced on Mr. Rogers a number of years ago. The first is called “Mr. Rogers and Me,” and the other one was in celebration of his Golden Anniversary, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

In those documentaries, we learned more about Fred Rogers the man, his anxieties, the fact that he needed to see a psychiatrist on a regular basis to deal with his anxieties.

We learn that he was born into a wealthy family. His father was a rather successful businessman. His mother was an heiress from one of the Pittsburgh industrialists, so there was serious money there, to the point that his mother was a very generous soul.

She gave out about 1,500 Christmas gifts every year to the various students in the schools where her sons attended, such that the school nurse in the elementary school in Altoona would buy shoes, clothes, eyeglasses, even sometimes furniture, and she would just have the bill sent to Mrs. Rogers.

They lived on Mellon Street, after Andrew Mellon. The young Mr. Rogers, Fred, had a serious gift, and it’s always wonderful when a person uses whatever their gift is for the benefit of humanity. His gift was that not only could he think like an adult — after all, he ran a TV show, he ran a business, he hired people, he wrote the music, he did the narration — but he also had the ability to think like a child.

Remember that this show was picked up in February of 1968. That was a really tumultuous time. Racism, Vietnam war, assassinations, and he had the ability to address the anxieties and the fears, the worry, the questions of little kids.

The Four Lessons of Major
 Themes of Mr. Rogers’
 Neighborhood Was Love
Fred Rogers, late 1960s, KUHT. Public domain, Wikimedia.

And so this morning, there was a banner over the pulpit that says, “It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” the theme song of Mr. Rogers’ show.

In addition to my little skit opening the sermon, Judy Garnar will be peppering some of his quotes throughout the worship service.

What I would like to do with the sermon is to point out four themes.

There are many, but I chose four that I felt are particularly meaningful from his life, from his words, and from his TV show.

The four lessons:

#1: “Stand up for What You Believe in!”

#2: “We Can Work to Make a Difference Right Where We Are!”

#3: “We Are Neighbors!”

#4: “Just Being You Is Enough!”

(Explore the reflections on each in the full sermon – download below.)

How Far Does Your Neighbor
hood Extend? Do You Believe
 You Are Lovable as You Are?

A quick review of the four main themes of Mr. Rogers’ show (and body of work):

• Stand up for what you believe in.

• We can work to make a difference right where we are.

• We are neighbors.

• Just being you is enough.


Officer Clemmons and Mister Rogers, reprising their 1969 foot bath more than two decades later, during their final scene together in 1993. C. The Fred Rogers Company, via NPR.

And here are two questions in conclusion. These are going to be hard:

  1. How far does your neighborhood extend? How far does your concept of neighbor extend out into the world?

We care about those immediately around us. We probably care about those in North Carolina. Do we care about those in China, where their typhoon is much worse than Florence?

Wherever we draw the line, and we all do, are you willing to push it out a bit farther?

2. Do you believe that you are lovable just the way you are right now?

We all have shortcomings and inadequacies, but can we believe that God, and a whole lot of people too, love us just as we are?

And then, in turn, can we love others just the way they are, despite their deeper and more obvious shortcomings and inadequacies?

Amen.

Download the full With Loving Abandon sermon here.

Featured Image Credit: Sweater worn by Fred Rogers, now on display in the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History. Fred Rogers’ mother, Nancy Rogers, knitted all the sweaters he wore on the program. Creative Commons, Wikimedia.

Image of Fred Rogers and Dr. Francois Clemmons – see the NPR story Walking the Beat in Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.

THE FORECASTER – September 2018: Schadenfreude, Rough Summer for Religion (and Some Good Stuff, Too)

The Rev. Dr. Arthur Suggs

The Forecaster: September 2018

Pastor’s Perspective:

It’s been a bit of a rough summer for religion in the news. The dominant story at the moment has to do with the revelation of abuse by Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvania.

This unfortunate news has the potential to be big. One commentator remarked that they have made concealment into an art-form.

But the story from the previous news cycle hooked me emotionally. It brought up in me a feeling of Schadenfreude —  a great German word meaning pleasure derived from another’s misfortune. It is a feeling I think is proper to confess.

I had been reading about the implosion of the Willow Creek Community Church, one of those mammoth and famous megachurches. The main church is just northwest of Chicago, but it then has eight satellite churches.

The Willow Creek Church. (Image: Yelp)

The spark for implosion was the sexual impropriety by their talented and famous senior pastor, Bill Hybels. As of this writing, he, his top two senior associates, and the entire board have resigned.

I’m weary of seeing this pattern. A gifted and silver-tongued pastor achieves rock-star status at a given church, and then, I presume, a cocktail of adulation, ego, and old-fashioned foolishness intoxicates the individual into destructive behavior that takes a personal toll, but also harms the church as well.

You might appreciate that I’m not going to give you several more examples of this pattern. But boy, I sure could.

But why schadenfreude, rather than just sadness or disappointment? The reason is that Willow Creek Church presumes to know the best way to do church, and they will be happy to teach you the proper way to do church if you sign up for one of their seminars, for a fee.

They presume to know what it is that a person needs from church, as well as the correct and bona fide version of the Gospel they need to hear, as well as the most effective way to connect the two — person and Gospel.

And it’s hard to argue back, because they have been so wildly successful, as measured by church attendance and money. But  the bottom line is, they presume.

The arrogance of it I could normally just ignore. Except that there has been the constant refrain over the years from fellow clergy, parishioners, denominational folks:

“Art, you should go to one of their seminars. I hear they’re great. you could take your church to the next level. You should do it.”

So yeah, I’m a little happy. But I’m telling you this story for a different reason. Not to gloat, not to gossip, and not to take pleasure in another’s misfortune.

Rather, I would have you observe an important and profound distinction.

Like Willow Creek Church, we too will soon be in a search process. (Editor’s Note: the Rev. Dr. Suggs will soon be retiring.) And we have some blessings I don’t want you to take for granted.

True, we’re not loaded with money, and attracting people to Binghamton has sometimes been a challenge. But consider:

1. We have in place numerous dedicated, intelligent, and righteous lay leaders. And yes, I mean the word righteous — people interested in pursuing the Good, and themselves endowed with Goodness.

2. The structures within the church are inherently healthy. It literally would be impossible for what happened at Willow Creek Church to happen here. It’s laughable.

3. We have goodness and competence at the denominational level. I know that hasn’t always been the case, but it is now. You will be guided and advised well.

4. A potentially huge selling point is that our church has been on the leading edge theologically. Despite our tiny size and relative obscurity, what we are about and what we are doing is without equal in the Triple Cities. I will be trying to articulate that more and more in my remaining months.

5. You will be replacing a pastor who has been deeply beloved, but who has not been overly popular. Taking eleven years to take the church from 35 to 65 on Sunday morning is generally not seen as impressive. I know you will learn to love another, just as so many of you came to love me. And perhaps the new person might be more popular with some important groups: such as youth, young families, the LGBTQ community, and the “Spiritual but not Religious” folks.

6. Last but not least, we are all blessed with a Transition Team. I couldn’t be happier with the quality of people who will be assisting us in this way: Heidi Bowne, Tom Bucker, Chris O’Neill, Art Price, Marty Rorapaugh, and Jamie Walters.

Six reasons for hope, confidence, and optimism. And for the Transition Team specifically, please pray for them. Share with them your thoughts and feelings and especially your spiritual insight. Hold them in the light in your mind and heart.

Our church is well served, and serves well. Blessings upon you all,

Art Suggs

September 2018 Special Events

• Annual Ice Cream Social & Back-to-School supplies giveaway – Thursday evening, August 30th, 5-7 (raffle drawing at 6 p.m.)

Qigong for Health – Thursday evening classes beginning September 6th in the Eden Room at First Congregational. Instructor Rick Gridley has been teaching Qi Gong since 2007. Cost: $12 per class.

For other events, multi-tradition and interfaith spiritual classes and services, contact FCC at (607) 723-8981 or email fcc@binghamtonwireless.com.

Download the full Forecaster newsletter for September 2018.