Franklin Circle Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
Pastor Allen's Study & Renewal Leave Info & Updates
"Vibrant Worship In Diverse Urban Churches"
To see pictures from Pastor Allen's Study & Renewal Leave, click on the camera icon to the left. ~ Updated Regularly ~
Enjoy!
Pastor Allen & Flat Franklin Enjoy Coffee in Minneapolis!
City Of God For The American Cities (June 7-13)
A national conference addressing issues critical for urban congregations
in all denominations.
Reinventing the Urban Church
The cities of our nation are the context for both crisis and
encouragement, for division and healing, for isolation and community. At
the center of the city is the urban church: an anchor of hope, a symbol
of the “City of God.” However, many city churches of all denominations
are yearning for congregational inspiration and renewed mission.
This conference intends to be a learning laboratory for building up the
urban body of Christ. Participants will share the compelling vocation
for urban clergy and urban congregations.
The conference will include nationally known keynote speakers, plenary
discussions, reflections on the biblical Word in the City, pilgrimages
to imaginative urban ministries in Washington, and practical proposals
for developing spirituality and servant ministry in an urban
congregation.
The conference is intended for church leaders of all denominations. We
hope to extend a welcome to an ecumenical spectrum of clergy as well as
to laypersons involved in urban ministry.
http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/pdfs/COPCityofGod0806.pdf
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Cities
are the context for crisis and encouragement, division
and healing isolation and community. At the center of
the city is the urban church, an anchor of hope for the
shaping of the “City of God.”
The Rev. Dr. Douglass M. Bailey,
Founder/President of Center for Urban Ministry, Inc. at
Wake Forest Divinity School, provides leadership for
urban ministry’s twin realities of “soul justice” and
social justice. At the Divinity School, he teaches
courses like “Radical Jesus, Radical Justice”, “Urban
Ministry by Immersion”, and serves as advisor for
Episcopal students. Bailey is former Rector of Calvary
Episcopal Church, Kempis, renowned for its many
nonprofit social justice ministries. With over 25 years
in urban ministry, he is consultant for ecumenical city
congregations and leads workshops/conferences.
The Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann is William
McPheeters Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at
Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. He is
the worlds’ leading interpreter of the Old Testament,
particularly in the field of social justice. Ordained in
the United Church of Christ, Brueggemann’s ministry is
legendary whether in classroom or conference, at prayer
or prophetic preaching, with written words or loving
witness. A prolific author, among his many books is the
award winning Theology of the Old Testament;
Prophetic Imagination and Mandate to Difference:
An Invitation To The Contemporary Church. 
The Rev. Dr. Barbara K. Lundblad is Associate
Professor of Homiletics at Union Theological Seminary,
New York City. For 16 years she served as Pastor of an
urban Lutheran congregation in NYC, and has also served
as a Lutheran campus pastor. Widely recognized as one of
America’s outstanding preachers, she is also a noted
author. Her books include Transforming the Stone:
Preaching Through Resistance to Change and
Marking Time: Preaching Biblical Stories in Present
Times. For 15 years she has been an acclaimed
preaching voice on radio’s The Protestant Hour and is
always in great demand for conferences and lecture
series.
New Community Church
New
Community Church is small in number, vast in vision, diverse in
membership, informal in style and dedicated to embodying and sharing the
love of God in Jesus Christ in all areas of life, personal and public.
We began in 1982 as a biblically-based and neighborhood-oriented church
that is racially, culturally and economically mixed. We operate both
weekday and Sunday ministries to the surrounding historic Shaw
neighborhood near Howard University.
New Community's parent church is The Church of the Saviour, a local,
multi-denominational Christian church founded by Rev. Gordon and Mary
Cosby (in 1947) in the District of Columbia. We practice the basic
traditions, principles, and approach to the church membership as the
Church of the Saviour.
The Call of New Community Church:
--To be a local and multi denominational expression of the body of
Christ at 614 S Street NW and in the surrounding neighborhood in
Washington DC.
--To carry out a holistic ministry linking both weekday and Sunday
ministries together as one church.
--To build a caring, sharing and inclusive church membership that is
Christ-centered, biblically based, and draws the lines of commitment
clearly.
--To integrate the personal, communal and social dimensions of the
Gospel.
--To develop leadership from within the church and neighborhood, as
well.
The Vision of New Community Church:
"God's Kingdom come and will be done on earth as in heaven"
--Matthew 6:10
To visit New Community Church's website, go to:
http://www.newcommunitychurchdc.org/index.html
Festival Of Homiletics (May 19-23)
If
you are a preacher, youth leader, or teacher, or hope to be, you are
invited to take part in the 2008 Festival of Homiletics, May 19-23, in
Minneapolis, MN. Last year, more than 1,700 ministers from across North
America attended, and this year promises to be an
even more powerful time of transformational and prophetic preaching.
(This year had over 2,100!)
Preachers and lecturers scheduled include Barbara Brown Taylor,
Frederick Buechner, Garrison Keillor (by video), Thomas Long, Walter
Brueggemann, Anna Carter Florence, Fred Craddock (exclusive video),
William Willimon, Walter Wangerin, Jr., Nora
Gallagher, Michael Slaughter, Barbara Lundblad, Susan Briehl, Jim
Wallis, David Lose, Michael Curry, Carol Miles, and Zan Holmes. Music by
Bread for the Journey, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Butch Thompson, Prudence
Johnson, The National Lutheran Choir, Mark Sedio and many more.
Any religious communicator will do well to spend time in the presence of
these outstanding preachers. With compelling seminars, amazing worship
and music, and ample opportunities for peer interaction, the Festival is
the premier conference for improving your preaching effectiveness.
For more information, visit www.GoodPreacher.com.
The Sanctuary Church
From their website: http://www.sanctuarycovenant.org/joomla/
SuperBowl Sunday, 2003, Efrem & Donecia Smith
gathered a few dozen people in a basement for a SuperBowl Party and to
begin sharing the vision for an urban, multi-ethnic, relevant, holistic,
and Christ-centered community in the heart of North Minneapolis.
They ate good food, shared each other's stories and had more than 250
people at the first Sneak-preview worship experience.
During those first few years, The Sanctuary grew so fast, we didn't
quite know how to manage the growth that was occurring . We tried some
things that worked. We tried more things that didn't work. It was a
learning experience as we began to fill up the 700 seat auditorium at
Patrick Henry High School each week.
The things that got us started aren't necessarily the things that will
keep us going. So we've moved on. We're meeting in another school
auditorium (a little more room with almost 1,100 seats). The plans have
changed, the people have changed. But our Purpose hasn't. We desire "To
Reconcile the People of the City to God and One Another."
We have new ideas for connecting with those in North Minneapolis who are
looking for work, looking for a place to belong, looking for love, or
looking for God.
Our Passion: Uncovering the Beauty in North
Minneapolis
It is a part of our city that has a history of strong families, strong
businesses, strong schools, churches and synagogues. But like many other
central cities in this country things began to change around the 1960's.
Racial tension and political unrest changed the story for the future of
north Minneapolis. The middle class moved out. Businesses left. The
banks left, the grocery stores left, families left and even some
churches left. In their place were left fast food restaurants, gangs,
drugs, unemployment, health disparities, co
ncentrated
poverty and all of its social consequences.
The beauty of North Minneapolis that was once so easy to see was now
covered up and scarred.
We believe that God desires to uncover the beauty that exists in North
Minneapolis and that He wants us to join him in that effort.
We agree with God about the beauty of North Minneapolis and we desire to
partner with others in the uncovering of that beauty. We believe God is
looking for people to be his hands, his feet, his justice, his mercy,
his compassion, and his love to this community.
He asks us to live in such a way that we radically transform the world
around us. And through our lives, that beauty would be uncovered
wherever we would go.
In North Minneapolis and beyond....
Together with The Sanctuary Covenant Church, The Sanctuary Community
Development Corporation , Our Partners & You, we can believe God can use
us to uncover the Beauty that exists in North Minneapolis.
To listen to the sermon that Pastor Allen heard, go online to: http://www.sanctuarycovenant.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49&Itemid=66 and click on "+Sermons" when the media player comes up. Then click on "05.81.08 - LifeForce: Back To The Basics" and listen away!
In the midst of it all, Pastor Allen hung out at:
Church Of All Nations
The Story of Church of All Nations
by Jin S. Kim, Pastor
Church of All Nations
Jan. 1, 2008
In January of 2004 a group of mostly second generation Christians of a Korean immigrant church in Minneapolis was blessed by our “mother church” to launch a multicultural community called Church of All Nations. We were chartered with great fanfare – execs from presbytery, synod, the general assembly, front page of local newspaper, congrats from politicians, even featured in two PCUSA videos. No one knew if 100 mostly young Korean-Americans could actually become a Church of All Nations; many thought the name was a bit premature, if not presumptuous.
Today,
we have an adult membership and worship attendance of about 250. We are
currently 32% Asian, 37% white, 20% black, and 10% Latino, with over 20
nations represented in our membership. Our pastoral staff includes
people who hail from Korea, Kenya, Sudan, Brazil, Japan and the US (both
Euro- and African American). Our session also reflects the major racial
groups of our congregation.
We are one of a handful of congregations in the US with no ethnic majority and sizable groups of the four major racial categories of white, black, Asian and Latino. But we actually have even more denominational diversity than ethnic diversity, and draw as many Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherans as we do Pentecostals, Baptists and Evangelical Free.
Our highly visible commitment to ecumenical unity may be one reason why out of the 25 new members we recently incorporated the vast majority had no Presbyterian background. We have people from very conservative Northwestern College in St Paul (where Billy Graham once served as president), to United Theological Seminary in New Brighton, one of the most liberal seminaries in the country. We also draw equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats, and we address politics, racism, the economy, war and peace head on.
Our central mission is to do the ministry of reconciliation, and it is happening in all kinds of wonderful ways here. For instance, in January of 2006 we moved from our “mother church” to a declining white PCUSA congregation (Shiloh Bethany Church), which had plenty of space. We rented for a few months, but then Shiloh Bethany asked if they might merge with us. At the end of July they had a congregational dissolution after being founded in 1884, and all of their members became members of Church of All Nations, handing us the keys and the title to the building.
Incidentally, 1884 is the year that PCUSA missionaries first arrived on
the shores of my home country, Korea. So we came full circle,
historically speaking. Not one Shiloh Bethany member left after the
merger – praise God! One of the key reasons for this union was the
growing recognition of the need to be a new kind of church for an
increasingly multicultural population in Columbia Heights and the entire
Twin Cities area. Church of All Nations fit that need very well.
We witness many signs of growth in our midst, but the most important thing is that people are filled with joy, hope and genuine love for each other across all kinds of lines, crossing barriers erected by church and society, history and culture. For decades now,†Shiloh Bethany members have prayed that their sanctuary would be full again, and that the building would be restored to its original condition.† Who knew that God would answer the prayers of this typical, small white church through a young, multicultural church?† Who knew that a new church†would own a beautiful, sizable building overlooking a gorgeous lake debt-free within three years of its existence?
Many of us who began this journey assumed that we would be dealing with much more conflict as many cultures and worldviews add to the complexity of congregational dynamics. What we have discovered, to our delight, is the exact opposite. The very decision to join a church in which one chooses to be a minority seems to draw the kind of people who are willing to “lay down their sword” of power and privilege. The Korean American founders had to set the example first. Today, we all seem to be caught up in a virtuous cycle of who can lift up and value other individuals and cultures, to “consider others better than oneself.” The culture of public confession, corporate repentance, joyful celebration and vulnerable relationality that we have cultivated here is key to understanding the dynamism and eschatological hope evident in our life together.
We live
in the time between the “already” and “not yet”. Our church also sees
itself between Pentecost in Acts 2 and the
coming kingdom in Rev. 7,
when all nations, tribes and tongues will glorify God together in one
voice. We feel called to be an ecumenical church that embodies the major
spiritual roots of the early church – to be simultaneously Rational,
Sacramental and Pentecostal. We are also convinced that only intentional
movement away from rigid denominationalism toward visible unity will
lead the global church to recover its identity as one, holy, catholic
and apostolic. We are a high-risk, low-anxiety church where anything is
possible, including the possibility of failure. The only poverty we fear
is the poverty of imagination. We feel so blessed with God’s abundance
and grace.
For the remainder of this essay, and more resources from Church of All Nations, please go to their website: http://www.cando.org/main/index.asp
When Pastor Allen attended Church of All Nations on Sunday, May 11 it was Pentecost Sunday. On that day the church receives the testimonies of church members and does not have a separate "sermon" as such. If you would like to hear sermons by Pastor Jin Kim and others in the congregation, go online to: http://www.cando.org/resources/audiosermons.asp
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Sermon, April 27
Acts 17:22-31
“City Altars”
Soldiers & Sailors Monument, Moses Cleaveland statue in public square, the Garfield Monument at Lakeview Cemetery, Mahatma Gandhi statue in Rockefeller Park, the Guardians of Traffic along Hope Memorial bridge, Jesse Owens statue in Huntington Park
Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, Severance Hall, Franklin Castle, Cleveland Museum of Art
On my sabbatical 10 years ago in Los Angeles, California, where I went to explore interracial, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural congregations, I learned how to “read a city.” A gentleman, known by the pastor of one of the churches I visited, literally walked me around a portion of Los Angeles and helped me to see clues to meaning deeper than could be seen at first glance.
He taught me to “read” buildings, signs, streetscapes, and people. He taught me to be wary of simplistic conclusions and quick judgments. The designs on the big Pentecostal church were actually Jewish symbols, pointing to a huge shift in population in the neighborhood many years before. He taught me to see the subtle differences (at least to my eyes) between Chinese lettering and Korean lettering, two rich, but very different cultures. And for the first time, I saw that graffiti, which I typically abhor, in certain places was as much art and individual’s expression as it was gang markings.
Terminal Tower, Key Tower, The old BP Building, the new Federal Court House
Browns Stadium, The Q, Progressive Field
The Free Stamp, the William G. Mather Steamship & Museum, The Christmas Story House in Tremont
In Acts 17 we see that Paul was essentially “reading” the city of Athens. He walked through the city and looked carefully at the objects of their worship. Many commentators simply assume these were statuary and altars specifically meant for devotion, although I trust Paul’s wisdom to have looked deeper than the obvious iconography of veneration and see that buildings, what and who lines the streets, and even clothing tell a story of what and who we adore, revere, and even idolize.
This is his only sermon to a completely non-Jewish/Christian congregation, and thus carries additional importance. I admire his respect for the people there in Athens and his willingness to acknowledge their religious nature. He acknowledged how “extremely religious” they were by the many altars they had.
He recognized, though, that some “altars” were to gods of “gold, silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals” and some altars were to the God “who made the world and everything in it” the one who was “Lord of heaven and earth” who gave “to all mortals life and breath and all things.”
But there was one altar with the inscription, “To an unknown God.” Paul takes this as a type of “elastic clause” or “safety net” where the Athenians were covering all their basis, just in case… and declares this altar was unknowingly dedicated to the God of creation, known first to the Jews and then to the Christians. Much has been made of this proclamation by Paul, and much of this commentary has been smug and self-satisfied.
We must not too quickly fall into the prideful trap of assuming Paul was affirming our religious and spiritual intentions and condemning everyone else’s. I have come to the deep wisdom that just because something is marked “Christian” does not mean it exhibits Christ-like values. Actually, some of the things, places, and people marked most loudly and brazenly with “WWJD” do, in my humble estimation, some things most unlike the Christ I read about in the gospels. The brighter the lights, the louder the sound system, and the bigger the tears does not a deeper faith make.
Likewise, just because something doesn’t seem to have anything to do with God or Jesus or the Judeo-Christian faiths, doesn’t mean there isn’t something deeply godly and spiritual within it. I have witnessed the compassion and love and even righteous indignation of Jesus of Nazareth in persons who never mentioned his name. I have heard good news in stories and situations that had no markings of faith at all.
Perhaps it really is true that God works in mysterious ways, and sometimes it is God’s intentions to remain “unknown.”
Hope Memorial Bridge (Lorain/Carnegie), Veteran’s Memorial Bridge (Detroit/Superior), all those cool lift bridges in the flats (working & non-working)
The Steel Mills, the smokestacks, the train tracks, the ore loaders, the river
The Grand Mosque of Parma, Temple Emmanuel in University Circle, St. John’s Cathedral downtown, Franklin Circle Christian Church on the Near West Side
My Study & Renewal Leave, both this spring segment and the fall segment, will be geared toward discerning city altars, i.e. “reading” the city, and whether or not – and how – they worship the God in whom we “live and move and have our being.”
One way I will “read the city” will be by worshiping with specifically “Christian” communities radically committed to the diversity of God’s people in urban settings which they embrace & celebrate.
But I will also “read the city” also by photographing the beauty and meaning of God around the city in places and people who might not be specifically labeled “Christian” but in which/in whom I see the image of God, known or unknown.
And finally, more to your liking, I have come to understand, I will “read the city” mostly by enjoying the company of good friends, relaxing, and trust ever more fully that God is indeed never, ever, far from us.
Amen.
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May 2008
From The Pastor
"Sabbath Is Counter-cultural -- No Duh!"
“Sabbath”
is the concept of a day of rest, where no work is done, but only worship
and activities that renew, restore, and refresh individuals and
communities. In Christian communities, we have claimed Sunday as our
Sabbath day. In the Jewish tradition (and a few Christian) Saturday is
the Sabbath. For our Muslim brothers and sisters, it is Friday.
In reading Walter Brueggeman's book, Challenge To Difference,
I have been reminded how central the mandate to observe the Sabbath was
to our forbearers. Not only was the very creation itself anchored in a
“day,” or period of rest and renewal, but Sabbath was central to the ten
commandments (Ex. 20/Deut. 5) and many of the ethical laws engrained
into our faith in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew
Bible).
However, Brueggeman doesn't simply list the directives concerning
the day of rest, nor does he browbeat us with shame for how horrible we
modern folks are in observing (or not, as the case may be) Sabbath.
Rather, he shows very clearly how setting aside a time, a place, and,
most importantly, a place in our souls for reliance upon God and God
alone is deeply embedded throughout the Bible and of our Judeo-Christian
faith.
From Genesis to the Psalms, from to Isaiah to Jesus and the early
church, setting aside a distinct portion of life where God alone rules,
is taken for granted as people of faith. If we truly abide by this
mandate, it becomes countercultural - and not just for us 21st-century
faithful. Even in the days of the exodus - especially in
the days of the exodus from Egypt - claiming a day off work, from
“making bricks,” flew in the face of Pharoah's demanding ways. Whether
it is a desperate Egyptian king or a consuming corporate culture that is
insisting we make more “bricks” with less “straw,” we feel pulled to
overwork and “underrest” more and more and more.
I know well that because of circumstances few of us are afforded
the generous time off that you are allowing me this spring and next
fall. I am aware, perhaps, too painfully aware, of the privilege I am
afforded by this gracious offer. What I am more and more convinced of,
however, is that every one of us has available, on some small or large
level, the opportunity to tell Pharoah, “No!” We will not work
ourselves to death in order to feed an insatiable hunger of a system
that does not ultimately serve God nor the wellbeing of ourselves and
our communities.
Let us all find moments of countercultural resistance in the coming
weeks. As I am renewed, I shall pray for you to be renewed, also. And
let us all find a way to claim, “enough,” and be at Sabbath peace.
Gratefully Your Pastor,
Allen
Upcoming Guest Preachers
We welcome the following preachers to our worship in the coming
weeks:
Sunday, May 4 - Al Betts, member of Franklin Circle Christian
Church, Elder, and Chair of the Board
Sunday, May 11 - Michelle Brown, member of Franklin Circle
Christian Church, Elder, YEP! Program Director, and licensed lay
ministry candidate.
Sunday, May 18 - Rev. Dr. William Edwards, Regional Minister of
the Christian Church in Ohio
Sunday, May 25 - Rev. James Schimmel, retired Disciples of Christ
pastor and frequent worshiper at Franklin Circle Christian Church.
Sunday, June 1 - Rev. Al Kean, Regional Elder and retired
Disciples of Christ pastor.
Sunday, June 8 - Rev. Carrie Culleen, member of Franklin Circle
Christian Church, Worship Team Chair, and chaplain with Benjamin Rose
Institute.
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April 2008
From The Pastor
"Strong
Lay Leaders"
As we prepare for the first of my two Study & Renewal Leaves this year,
I thought it might be good to offer a word about how the congregation
will be led during my time away. It is also a chance to remind us as
members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that we
have a strong emphasis on lay ministry in our belief in “the priesthood
of all believers.” There will be no better chance to live up to our
highest ideals than during such a time as this.
Our tradition has two biblical offices for lay ministry: Elder and
Deacon. We have added a third out of necessity for contemporary needs:
Trustee. Together, these three make up the Board of our congregation.
Elders are the Spiritual Leaders of the congregation. Deacons take the
lead in Servant Ministry. The Trustees are charged with wise
stewardship of the investments, both facilities and finances, of the
church.
During my time away, all of the month of May and the first two weeks of
June, the Elders will be especially important for the full functioning
of the congregation. The chair of the Board of Elders, Sharon Thomas,
will seek to insure consistency in worship throughout the time. Each
Sunday, in addition to the regularly scheduled worship leaders, we will
have a guest preacher and a “Host Elder.” The Host Elder will sit up
front on the platform and share in many of the worship tasks that I
might otherwise do: offertory, pastoral prayer, etc. We have lined up a
marvelous set of guest preachers to bring the Word to life in different
and exciting ways.
As far as the day-to-day oversight, the Chair of the Board, Al Betts,
will be central. Working with our staff and Team and Committee Chairs,
he will make sure things are running smoothly. In the case of a
significant pastoral emergency, there will be several nearby Disciples
pastors “on-call” to respond to these needs. You will simply call our
Church Secretary, Carole Sauer, during office hours and Elder Sharon
Thomas at other times.
The current Board of Elders includes: Sharon Thomas (chair), Al
Betts, Jean Borrelli, Mary Brogan, Michelle Brown, Randy Buckingham,
Jane Cheiky, Ralph Eyring, Patty Groetsch, Claire Munley, and Leila
Streidl. Patty Adams, Ted Brogan, and Claude Pitman are Honorary
Elders with full privileges as any other Elder. The Pastor is
considered an “Elder among Elders” in our tradition.
One of the key texts for Eldership is from 1 Peter 5:1-4:
"So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness
of the sufferings of Christ _as well as a partaker in the glory that is
to be revealed. Tend the flock of God that is in your charge, not by
constraint but willingly; not for shameful gain but eagerly; not as
domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock.
And when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, you will obtain the unfading
crown of glory.”
Our Board of Elders do, indeed, see themselves as shepherds of this
flock we know as “Franklin Circle Christian Church." They will do well
in leading our congregation through this brief, but important, time in
our life together. Pray for them, and rely upon them as you would me,
and Christ's hopes for the Church will come closer to being fulfilled.
Grace & Peace,
Your Pastor,
Allen
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March 2008
From The Pastor
Pastor's Study & Renewal Leave Plans ~ 2008
Over the past few months, in conversation with the officers and
Elders of our congregation, I have discerned some confusion and
uncertainty about the sabbatical leave that was part of my original call
to this congregation. I have come to understand that few in our
congregation or community know a person who has gone “on sabbatical,”
much less been on a sabbatical themselves. This lack of experience might
lead to some unconscious resentment or distance between me as your
pastor and you, the congregation. Never would I want that to happen!
But at the same time I have felt a flood of care and concern for me,
that I might have some time away from the day-to-day tasks of ministry
in order to be renewed and re-energized. I am deeply appreciative for
this show of support and thoughtfulness.
So, the Elders and I have rethought what is most needed. Instead of one
three-month absence I will take two shorter Study & Renewal Leaves this
year. One leave will be as planned in the spring (all of May and early
June). The other one will be scheduled in the fall, probably all of
October and the first part of November. I believe these will allow me
the time necessary to unwind and be renewed for life and for my future
ministry.
These Study & Renewal Leaves will first and foremost give me time to
visit dear friends in other cities. For personal growth, I also plan on
finding some time to play my guitar, take photographs around the cities
I visit, and read some of those books which have stacked up around my
office.
But also in each of two 6-week segments I will visit two cities each,
visiting worship services at dynamic and diverse urban churches that are
much like Franklin Circle Christian Church. By worshipping in such
congregations, I hope to be renewed first and foremost simply as a
worshipper, allowing the power of praise and the wisdom of the
communities to “fill my cup.” Of course, if I learn a little bit about
how other urban congregations offer spirited worship with God's diverse
peoples, then I won't complain, either!
In the first part of my Study and Renewal Leave, in May and early June,
I will be visiting Minneapolis, Minnesota and Washington, D.C. In
Minneapolis I hope to visit the
Church of All Nations
Presbyterian Church, and
The Sanctuary Covenant
Church (ECC) as well as attend the
Festival of Homiletics
(“homiletics” means “preaching!”)
In Washington, DC I hope to spend significant time at the
Seekers Church/Church of the Savior as well as attend once again the
City Of
God for the American Cities conference at the National Cathedral
College.
The second part of my Study and Renewal Leave we are intentionally
leaving a bit open, to allow the Spirit to guide us after the first
segment. It will most likely take place next October and first two weeks
of November and I would visit San Francisco, CA and New York, NY. In San
Francisco I would soak up the powerful worship of
Glide Memorial United Methodist Church
and in New York I would explore the up-and-coming diverse worship of
Middle Church (Reformed
Church of America).
So, there you have it! Your prayers and feedback are always welcome and
needed! My hope is that through this Study & Renewal Leave our entire
congregation will benefit as we move forward “Widening The Circle For
All God's Children!”
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Allen
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September 2007
Sabbatical Plans Continue
“…but
on the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the
land, a sabbath to the Lord.” Leviticus 25:4
“And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out
to a lonely place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35
Pastor Allen and the Elders of Franklin Circle Christian Church
continue to plan for the pastor's sabbatical leave for next year. The
months set aside are April, May, and June of 2008. Currently, a
proposal has been submitted to the Clergy Renewal Program of the Lily
Foundation and the results of that proposal will be announced in late
September or early October. Should the congregation receive that grant
it would allow Pastor Allen to fully engage in his dream sabbatical.
Other grant sources are being explored as options.
In any case, Pastor Allen's sabbatical will be focused on dynamic
worship in diverse urban congregations. He will visit five cities and
participate in worship in congregations that are known for their vibrant
worship and that fully embrace diversity, including race, economics, and
orientation. Interviews with pastors and staff in charge of worship
will be included.
In a parallel process, he will be taking photographs of the cities
he visits in order to create a “digital library” of photos to be used in
the future for projections in worship. This “library” will be
reproduced on CD's for clergy and lay worship leaders in Ohio, and
elsewhere, to use.
And, of course, there will be much time to relax and be renewed.
Each of the cities have been chosen because there are either close
friends of Pastor Allen living there, or it is a city he has longed to
visit. They include: San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Washington, DC,
and Toronto.
Watch future Messenger newsletters for further information about
the sabbatical.
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February 2007
The Next Six Years!
Some members of the congregation were very observant! They noticed that
as part of the 2007 budget explanation, offered by our Treasurer, Randy
Buckingham, the guest preaching honorarium was larger than usual because
of the possibility of your pastor going on sabbatical leave this year.
Unfortunately, the concept of a sabbatical is unfamiliar enough to
confuse some folks, who thought it meant that I was leaving Franklin
Circle Christian Church. Nothing could be further from the truth. As a
matter of fact, knowing that I am discussing a sabbatical with the Board
of Elders should reassure you that I intend to continue serving as your
pastor!
Well, let me offer a few brief words about this discussion to help all
of us understand what will be happening over the next couple of years.
It is typical for churches to offer their pastor, after anywhere from
five to seven years of service, a time of sabbatical, or renewal leave.
I am approaching my sixth anniversary with the congregation in April and
therefore began the conversation with the Elders, who will oversee my
sabbatical. At our last meeting it became clear that 2007 will be
dedicated to planning this time away for both me and for the
congregation, but that I will not actually be on sabbatical until 2008.
The time away is usually three months and includes study, spiritual
retreat, and rest. It is not vacation time, but intentional time for
both the pastor (me) and the congregation (you) to review the direction
in which we are currently headed, listen to God as to the direction we
should be heading, hone skills we already have and gain new ones needed
for the journey ahead, pray for each other, and perhaps even learn new
and healthier ways of relating to one another.
I also see it as a time to focus on an aspect of my ministry that
intersects with the mission God has for Franklin Circle Christian
Church, to delve into that facet more deeply and gain wisdom about the
best practices available from some of the premier congregations and
leaders in that particular area. This gives me great energy and
excitement, imagining a new chapter in my ministry here at Franklin
Circle Christian Church.
If you would like to know more about clergy sabbaticals, please go on
the web to:
http://www.homelandministries.org/Ministers/MinistryGuidelines/sabbatical.htm
. If you would instead like to have this resource in print format,
please call the church office and we will mail you a copy.
I am pleased to be your pastor, and am looking forward to growing with
you into God’s marvelous future!
God’s Grace Is Abundant!
Pastor Allen