Nov 30: Eyes Wide Open for the New Dawn

Nov 30th 2008

Eyes Wide Open for the New Dawn Breaking Mark 13:24-37

“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. 27Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. 34It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, 36or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

It seems like just a few weeks ago we were in shorts and fishing at the cabin. The seasons have definitely changed and the first Sunday of Advent reminds of us where we are in the liturgical year. We see the purple paraments in the chancel and we can’t help but notice all the pipped in holiday music as we elbow our ways through the black Friday shopping spree.
As modern day Christians, it can be hard for us to stay centered in who we are and what this time of Advent means for us. Kudos to the Unity Church in St Paul who hosted a Black Friday service last Friday. I have to confess that I joined the masses but I went to thrift stores first before I hit the mall. I was kicking myself for missing out on all those doorbuster specials. This frugal Scottsman still got the door buster price at JC Pennys for my new Christmas tree!
It’s sad but true that these 30 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be some of the most difficult days of the year. Many of us have lost loved ones and see the empty chairs at the dinner table. Our matriarch or patriarch who helped hold the center is gone and the holidays are just not the same. Many of us had to revisit the family feuds and endure all those passive aggressive jabs that are thrown around. Like being part of a church family, we put up with the negatives to appreciate the fuller positive of belonging to a fellowship in spite of all the peccadilloes and shortcomings.
Many of our holiday gatherings are transformed when the next generation join us in the festivities. Have you ever noticed how a little baby or toddler transforms everything ? We can live vicariously through their joy and playfulness. Can you picture baby Jesus cooing and getting into mischief as little boys do. I feel guilty when I see Moms with their young boys and wonder how my Mom put up with me. Boys look more and more like energizer bunnies.
I am moved by the story of Elizabeth and Mary visiting together with John and Jesus growing in their wombs. Surely most moms lie in bed imagining what is in store for this precious child that is growing in them. Our Moms endure the pain and hardships of pregnancy because they know they have to wait until its time. She knows she can’t rush the process, for if the baby was to come to soon there will be complications, worse yet a still birth.
In the interest in of full disclosure I’m a bachelor and I have no clue what its like to be a young couple expecting a child. Friends tease me about my bad case of baby fever. Every time I see a baby, I need some time to hold this precious bundle beaming with hope and promise. It’s a critical vital sign for a congregation that they have young families with children. These babies in our midst help us keep our perspective. Our congregational vows to help raise these precious children of God centers us in what our mission is. Its’ sad that so many of congregations do not benefit from these precious little ones among them. Our children help us remember to major on the majors and not on the minors.
During this time of Advent, we remember that this a time of waiting. Like the expectant couples, we can get impatient and try to rush the process. We want Jesus to hurry up and come back. We strain ourselves trying to figure out what the tell tale signs are. Unlike the 9 month gestation calendar, our world is in labor but we will never know when it is time to make that frantic drive to the maternity ward. In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans he reminds us, “For we know that all the rest of creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth up to the present time.” Romans 8:22.
When I was in highschool, I had a huge crush on Molly Ringwald. I kept her poster up in my room for years. I thought she had the prettiest smile. She and Andrew McCarthy starred in a movie For Keeps. The reviews were not friendly but Molly could do no wrong in my eyes. Molly plays a young expectant mother who struggles with the pressure of disapproving parents. The father of her child is a young man who is not as mature and stable as she hoped he would be. This dramatic character understood in some ways what Mary went through. It can be hard to wait with hope when the people around you are so disapproving and you feel judged.
During Advent, we remember this young Jewish mother in Palestine facing stigma and isolation in her community because they do not understand how God is working through her. We remember how Mary endured the hardships of pregnancy and gave her very body in order for Jesus to come to us as our Emmanuel.
Mary was patient and trusted that in God’s time Jesus would come. She may have known the ninth month time frame, but she had to wait and trust to see how the community would treat this child who came to them under a cloud of scandal. Would Joseph remain faithful and stay by her side? Being a single mother in this time was an incredible hardship. Mary faithfully waits with her eyes wide open to see how Angel Gabriel’s promise will be realized.
Many of us feel like we are constantly bearing the weight of a psychic pregnancy but are never able to get to the delivery room. One of my favourite metaphors for the psychotherapy is the image of a midwife. Our therapists and counselors walk with us on our journey to discover who we are and a fuller sense of meaning in our lives. We do not want to spend all this time and money on therapy just to tweak a thing here or there. In reality we are there on the couch to find at least on space and one person who can bear witness to us as we search within to discover a fuller sense of who we are as child of God.
Too many of us have walked through this psychic pregnancy in pain and isolation. We dismiss therapy as something for the weak and sick. In reality, taking the time to search within and learn more about who God has made us to be is as a sign of health and healing. For those of us considering therapy, I encourage to invest in yourself and invite a compassionate midwife to assist you as go through the birthing process of self discovery. Like the lesson of Advent, it will take a lot of patience and waiting. But the promise of self discovery and a fuller sense of God’s love and mystery at work in you is worth the wait.
The lesson of Advent has some valuable teaching points for us as we grow in our spiritual maturity. We don’t want to wait. We want quick fixes. The latest self help guru will do. A couple of tapes or a half day seminar is all I can fit in right now. Our life long journey of learning is like making a soup or stew. Would you rather have a mircowaved soup with cold pockets still here and there? Or, would rather let it simmer in its juices? We wait, with eyes wide open to see how God’s reign is at work in our lives and our communities.
Mark’s community was struggling with waiting for the second coming. Just as Jesus predicted the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD. They were seeing the earthquakes and famines unfold around them. Surely Jesus is coming back and again soon. Mark’s community was struggling with an inferiority complex. If Karen Horney, a prominent psychologist, was to offer her analysis to Mark’s community she may have said that these false teachers and prophets were exploiting some of the disciples neurotic inflated selves. They were struggling with a PR problem. If Jesus is truly messiah why hasn’t he returned when clearly the signs are all around us? We need to remember this point when people are tempted to try to rush Jesus’ return.
God’s creation is still in labor waiting for that glorious day when God incarnate comes to us again. In God’s time, all the darkness will be dispelled and the mountains and valley will be made straight for God’s highway. Like some of our freeways, we grow impatient with the never ending under construction signs and fantasize just breaking through the barrier signs and driving free as a bird.
We gather for Advent knowing that Jesus fulfilled God’s promise and came to us as precious, fragile infant. We savour this expectant hope as our world waits for the promise of his glorious return. We don’t know the day or the hour, but we know God’s promise still stands.
We keep awake, with our eyes wide open to see how the glimmers and glimpses of God at work unfolds in our lives. We are a people charged to be a people of hope. In spite of the anxieties, fears and all the negative object lessons. We know that one day all that is wrong will be made right. God’s creation will finally deliver us into our new lives as citizens of the New Jerusalem. Just as a mom holds her newborn close to her chest, we will breath sighs of relief and appreciate that it was worth it all. We make the necessary sacrifices and wait with our eyes wide open. We will continue to take our Lamaze classes and keep our bags packed for the mad dash to the hospital. We wait, trusting in God’s time that one day this new dawn will come.

Howard's Christmas Letter

Happy Holidays !

After three years of urban ministry in Los Angeles, I’m back in the Twin Cities. I accepted a call to serve as the interim pastor at Arlington Hills Presbyterian Church in St Paul.

www.arlingtonhillspresbyterian.org

I feel right at home here with a multicultural church. Folks here have a heart for outreach in their diverse community. The eastside of St Paul has been an Ellis Island for the Midwest for many decades. We are proclaiming Kingdom of God with our new brothers and sisters who join us from many lands.
I made the long drive east after completing the first residential component of the Doctorate of Ministry program at San Francisco Theological Seminary. My dissertation project will explore how clergy can collaborate with local law enforcement in LA and St Paul so victims of violence can receive timely and effective pastoral care. My work in LA made it abundantly clear that far too many grieving and traumatized families were not receiving adequate emotional and spiritual care. The tears and sobs of grieving mothers have been seared into my heart.
The vigils for peace continue. We have hosted a of couple candle light vigils here in St Paul. Last summer, just three weeks into my new call, Tammie, a cancer patient, was attacked by three Asian gang members wielding bats. This was just a few blocks from our church. This outraged and grieved the community. With short notice, and much needed assistance from the St Paul police, a hundred of us gathered at the site of the attack to pray for Tammie’s healing. Our prayers, songs and candles push back the darkness of violence with the light of love.
Praise God, Tammie has recovered from her injuries and her cancer has stabilized for the first time since she was diagnosed. If you google (Lake Phalen and Tammie) you can see her amazing testimony on Fox 9 and Kare 11. She joined Mayor Coleman to flip the switch for the Holiday Lights in Lake Phalen.
I have brought the tradition of Lessons and Carols that I cherished so much at San Francisco Theological seminary to Arlington Hills. Several local church choirs and Eastside pastors will join us to help transform this British tradition into a multicultural celebration of our coming Prince of Peace. We are honoured that Tammie will be one of our readers. She is a poignant testimony that out of tragedy comes hope!
Another highlight this year was going to Haiti for the Haiti Mission Connection conference. Paul Farmer’s Partners in Health is an inspiration for many of us. Their healthcare model sets the template for our church partners. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. At times, I felt like I was back in Africa. I was surprised that the burden of poverty and political instability was more evident in the Haitian peoples eyes’ than my experiences in Eastern and Southern Africa.
After seeing many depressing houses, I will finally close on my new home next week. It’s a cozy three bedroom home just off of Payne Ave, the heart of the Eastside of St Paul. You all know me, I’m an urban dweller. Several shops and restaurants are within walking distance. It’s a reality check that this house is nearly a tenth of what the average house is going for in LA. Surely, having a house will enhance my eligible bachelor credentials.
Don’t worry folks I’m putting myself out there to see what the universe presents. I’m easing up on the speed dating though. It’s a real conversation stopper. “So what do you do?” When I was seminary, a group of us would go into the city for Karokee. We had rehearsed our answer to this question. “Well, I am a theological anthropologist.” The glazed over look bought us time to move on to another subject. In time she will know, but those first impressions and preconceptions really narrows the romance pool. Now that we have President-elect Obama, maybe I should just say I’m a community organizer!
After three mild LA winters, my veins are still thickening. I keep telling myself, “ It’s cold outside but warm in our hearts.” When I am not running on the hamster wheel, I steal away to the Fitzgerald to enjoy live recordings of Prairie Home Companion. I was thrilled that my shout outs were shared with my fellow SFTS alums and comrades in the First Cav. Division. I miss having an abundance of independent theatres. Part of my Sabbath is going to the movies once a week. The best movie I have seen this year was Changeling. Of course, I am biased because its showcases a prophetic Presbyterian pastor taking on the powers that be and keeping them honest.
I am so relieved that we have a new year upon us that promises to bring change and a greater possibility for peace and reconciliation. I’m looking forward to seeing my chosen families in LA (late Feb) and Bay Area (June). Hey, maybe we can have a Karaoke party. Remember, I’m a community organizer specializing in theological anthropology.

Sending psychic hugs and prayers for peace, Howard

653 Jessamine Ave St Paul, MN (612) 702-3151 hr_dotson@yahoo.com

All African Council of Churches Statement on HIV/AIDS

27 November 2003
All Africa Conference of Churches Yaounde, Cameroon

Covenant 1: Life and HIV/AIDS Prevention
• We shall remember, proclaim and act on the fact that, the Lord our God created

all people and all life and created life very good (Gen. 1-2) We shall, therefore,

seriously and effectively undertake HIV/AIDS prevention for all people Christians

and non-Christiana. married u,, s single, young and old, women and men, poor and

rich, black, white, yellow, all people everywhere-, for this disease destroys life

and it, goodness, thus violating God's creation and will.

Covenant 2: Love and HIV/AIDS Care

• We shall remember, proclaim and act on the fact that love is from God and

everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Those who say ‘I love God,' and

hate their sisters and brothers are liars, for unless you love your sisters and

brothers whom you see, you cannot love God whom you have never seen (I John 4:7-21).

We shall, therefore, do all that is necessary and within our power to encourage both

men and women to love, care, support and heal all those who are infected and

affected by HIV/AIDS in our communities, countries and continent.


Covenant 3: Treatment and HIV/AIDS Drugs

• We shall remember, proclaim and act on the fact that the earth and everything in

it belongs to the Lord and that He has given it over to all human beings for

custodianship ( Psa . 24:1 &Gen. 1:29). We shall therefore, openly and persistently

undertake prophetic and advocacy role for all the infected who are denied access to

affordable HIV/AIDS drugs until anti- retrovirals are available to all who need

them.

Covenant 4: Compassion, HIV/AIDS Stigma & Discrimination

• We shall remember, proclaim and act on the fact that the Lord our God, is a

compassionate God, who calls upon us to be compassionate, to suffer with those who

suffer, to enter their places and hearts of pain and to seek lasting change of their

suffering (Luke 6:36; Matt. 25:31-46). We shall therefore, have zero tolerance for

HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination and do all that is necessary to eliminate the

isolation, rejection, fear and oppression of the infected and affected in our

communities. We shall declare HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination an unacceptable sin

before God and all believers and in all our communities.

Covenant 5: Poverty and HIV/AIDS •

We shall remember, proclaim and act on the fact that the Lord our God, who

created all the resources of the earth, blessed both women and men and gave them the

resources of the earth for their sustenance (Gen.1:28-29). We shall, therefore, work

to empower all the poor and denounce all the cultural, national and international

structures, laws and policies that have condemned billions to poverty thus denying

them their God given rights and, in the HIV/AIDS era, exposing them to infection and

denying them quality care and treatment

Covenant 6: Gender Inequalities and HIV/AIDS

• We shall remember, proclaim and act on the fact that the Lord our God, created

humankind in his image. In his image, he created them mal and female, he blessed

them both and gave both of them leadership and resources in the earth; he made them

one in Christ (Gen. 1:27 -29; Gal. 3:28 -29). We shall, therefore, denounce gender

inequalities that lead boys and men to risky behaviour, domination and violence;

that deny girls and women leadership, decision making powers and property ownership

thus exposing them to violence, witchcraft accusation, widow dispossession, survival

sex – fuelling HIV/AIDS infection and lack of quality care and treatment.

Covenant 7: Children and HIV/AIDS

• We shall remember, proclaim and act on the fact that, Lord our God welcomes

children. He has given his kingdom to them and he is the father of all orphans (Mark

9:33 -37; 10:13 -16; Psa . 68:5 & Psa . 146:9). We shall, therefore, work to empower

and protect all children and denounce all the national and international structures,

cultures, policies, laws and practices that expose children to sexual abuse and

exploitation, HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination, dispossession and poverty thus

exposing them to HIV/AIDS infection and lack of quality care.

Covenant 8: Church, PLWAs and HIV/AIDS

• We shall remember, proclaim and act on the fact that we are one body of Christ

and if one member suffers, we all suffer together with it; that the Lord our God

identifies with the suffering and marginalized and heals the sick (1 Cor . 14:26 ;

Matt. 25:31-46). We shall, therefore, become a community of compassion and healing,

a safe place for all PLWAs to live openly and productively with their status.

Covenant 9: Human Sexuality and HIV/AIDS

• We shall remember, proclaim and act on the fact that the Lord our God, created

human sexuality and created it good (Gen. 2:18-25). We shall, therefore, test for

infection, denounce sexual violence, abstain before marriage, be faithful in

marriage and practice protected sex to avoid HIV/AIDS infection and plunder on life,

for all life is sacred and prevention should be seriously pursued to protect life.

Covenant 10: Justice and HIV/AIDS •

We shall remember, proclaim and act on the fact that the Lord our God, sees,

hears, knows the suffering of people and comes down to liberate them (Ex. 3:1-12;

Luke 4:16 -22). We shall, therefore, declare the jubilee and we shall proclaim

liberty throughout the land and to all its inhabitants (Lev. 25:10), for unless and

until justice is served to all people in the world, until justice rolls down like

waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream, HIV/AIDS cannot be uprooted.

Where Can We Find Jesus?

Nov. 23rd 2008
Where Can We Find Jesus ? Matthew 25:31-46

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will

sit on the throne of his glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and

he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the

goats, 33and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34

Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my

Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for

I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,

I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was

sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37Then the

righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you

food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38And when was it that we saw you

a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39And when was it that

we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40And the king will answer

them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are

members of my family, you did it to me.’ 41Then he will say to those at his left

hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the

devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and

you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked

and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44

Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or

a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ 45Then he

will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least

of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46And these will go away into eternal

punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”


One of my favourite movie scenes comes from Dustin Hoffman in the Rainman. He is a

developmentally disabled man who is fixated on seeing People’s Court at 4 oclock.

Tom Cruise, his brother and conservator, is flummoxed by this need to schedule their

road trip to ensure they can see Judge Wapner at 4. We have many images of our

legal system as part of our entertainment. For one generation it was Perry Mason.

I’ve sat through many episodes with my Dad. I grew up with the comedy, Night Court.

Now we have Allie Mcbeal, Boston Legal and Shark.

What is our fascination with court room dramas? It's right up there with

hospital dramas. Perhaps this stems from an inferiority complex that we never became

the lawyers and doctors that society pushes us to strive for. These are not callings

for everybody, but we have a sacred vocation nonetheless. I treasure Dr. King’s

reframe of our sense of vocation. He highlights the dignity of being a street

sweeper. God calls us to making meaning relationships where we are. God can use in

might ways in the various stations of life where we find ourselves. God can use our

mustard seeds of faith and transform our world into arboretums and orchards.

We often like to see Jesus as our friend, our comforter. I like to joke about

some of the praise songs we call Jesus is my boyfriend songs. There is this tension

between the intimacy of God and the mystery of God’s grandeur. On Christ the King

Sunday, we need to remember that Christ Jesus is the Sovereign judge , and one day

there will be a reckoning for how our world has unfolded. Yes, Jesus is our

comforter but he is also our eternal judge. One day we will have to present our

case, were we are our brother’s keeper? God is all knowing. God sees how our

brothers and sisters are being treated and mistreated. There will come a time when

the sheep and goats are separated. This will be in God’s times and the decision

rests with God.

In our pop psychology era, we need to be careful not to domesticate God and make

our Triune God merely our best friend. Our parents have understood that they could

not just be friends with their children. There were times when they strictly needed

to be our fathers and mothers. They had to practice tough love, regardless of

whether what their preference was. God is our truest parent, holding us in

unconditional love but also holding us accountable. God is the parent who loves us

all uniquely and equally. But God also loves us too much for us to stay stuck as

goats when we were meant to be sheep.

When we look at our world as a family system, we see that we are siblings

trying to vie for God’s approval and blessing. Do we measure our relationship with

God based on our material wealth? Is this the only way God blesses our brothers and

sisters? I know many of us like to think we live in a post colonial world. Do you

think God was blessing the American, British, French, Dutch and Spanish slave

traders who denied our African Brothers and Sisters of their freedom and dignity? I

know and trust that the God of the Exodus and Empty was more present with the least

among us in shackles than the masters above aboard who considered themselves

faithful Christians.

We need to humbly confess that sometimes as a society we have presumed that we

are God’s favorites and trampled on our brothers and sisters who truly are the least

among us. Some of our ancestors may have been wealthy but they grew distant with God

when they oppressed the least among us. Our bigotry, prejudice and mental jujitsu

enabled folks to live with this lie. We need this gospel passage to remind us just

where it is we will find Jesus.


Our Gospel lesson presses the point that we need to broaden our definitions of what

constitutes a blessing from God. The next time you hear a politician say, “God Bless

America”, I want us to remember this point. We need to pray that God blesses us with

the spiritual gifts we desperately need to live out our calling. We are not God’s

favourites just because we have an abundance of comforts in this life. As Jesus has

taught us, we need to keep our eyes on the treasures of heaven, where no thieves, no

rust or moths can diminish.

Having been in several countries in the developing world, I have heard a unique

understanding of what Gospel message is for us. As I mentioned a couple of weeks,

this realized eschatology stresses that the kingdom of God is breaking in here and

now. We understand that ultimately the New Jerusalem will not be complete until

Christ the King is seated on his throne to separate the sheep and goats. If we are

to be faithful sheep of Christ’s fold, we need to commune with the least among us.

I am grateful to see that this congregation has an ongoing ministry in Haiti.

This is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. They have 75 %

unemployment. The average yearly income is only $ 440. Imagine. . . many of us make

more than that in just one week, or even a couple of days. 50 % of Haitians have no

access to drinkable water.

Recently, I spent three hours driving around Port Au Prince trying to find St

Joe’s Home for Boys. I felt like I was back in Africa. The most profound encounter

came when I visited the mothers holding their babies suffering from Spinal Bifida

and Hydrocephila. When I placed my hand on their children’s feet and prayed with

them, I sensed Jesus presence in a powerful way. In spite of the language barriers,

I could tell the parents were receptive to prayers. Yes, Jesus is truly present with

the least of among us, especially parents struggling to care for their sick child.

The least among of us are also here on our doorstep. We need to remember that

the Eastside has a history of different immigrant communities coming to America to

pursue our common dream. Many of the Swedes, Italians and Poles have moved on and

now the Hmong, African Americans and Latinos carry this torch of the making the

American dream a reality. Jesus is present with our brothers and sisters and their

struggle to make ends meet. Parents are having to work two and three jobs to be to

send money home and to still be able to put something on the table for dinner.

We are remembering the least among us when we collect food for our local

pantries and collect the shoe boxes for the children ministered to by Samaritan’s

purse. We find Jesus present with them as they realize that they are not alone, nor

are they forgotten. We stretch ourselves to move beyond mere acts of charity, and to

walk humbly with our brothers and sisters struggling for their daily bread.

In these difficult economic times, we realize that many of our families or only

paycheck or mortage payment away from dire straits. No one needs to feel they are a

charity case, or that our acts of kindness come with strings attached. We are not

waiting to see if you say thank you or demonstrate adequate appreciation. It’s

enough for us to know that God has used us a means to answer prayers and commune

with the least among us.

We serve a God who has a preferential for the poor. This is one of truths that

liberation theologians throughout the world have taught us. God is all knowing, and

God hear their cries for deliverance. Our faithful response is more than just being

a good person or the warm fuzzies we receive. In God’s mysterious economy, we

receive at the very same time that we are giving. God is waiting for us to encounter

the Spirit that dwells in our brothers and sisters on the margins. We let our

hearts and minds be softened so we can hold the pain and sorrows so many of us

carry.

As the holidays approach, we know there will be a lot campaigns and photo ops. As

sheep of the Good Shepherd, we will stay the course long after the holiday season.

Christ will be communing with our brothers and sisters these other eleven months of

the year. We will do our best to find ways staying connected. This is

where the rubber meets in our faithful witness to Jesus Christ. Bearing the light

and salt of Christ requires genuine relationships with people. We are called to be

more than another local non-profit cutting a check now and then.

May people continue to catch glimpses of the New Jerusalem in our ministries.

This is what makes us who we are. Our mission is reach out with love and compassion

to the people Jesus has been waiting for us to join all along. We don’t bring Jesus

to them, God has been there waiting for the sheep of his fold to catch up with him.

On that glorious day when Christ holds court as our eternal judge and King, I pray

that each of us will be among the sheep, side by side, with our afros of wool

touching. Our sheep wool grows, every time we witness to the Kingdom of God, and

fellowship with the least among us. Here, we find Jesus drawing us into his fold.

Howard's Dissertation Project

TITLE: Empowering Clergy to Serve as Crisis Counselors in their Communities

PROBLEM: What is the PROBLEM or AREA of STUDY you wish to explore?
In the North American urban ministry context, gang violence is claiming the lives of far too many young people. In the City of Los Angeles there are forty thousand gang members; most of whom were baptized in Latino Catholic and African American Protestant congregations. In the Rampart Division of LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) it has become evident that many of these grieving families are not receiving immediate pastoral care following a gang related homicide. This is due in part to communication gaps between the Police and the faith communities, but there is also the stigma of being the bereaved parent of a child who is presumed to be a gang member. Like the LAPD, many police departments have clergy councils that could serve as referrals and first responders to provide emotional and spiritual support for these grieving families. Many of the clergy representatives on these councils, however do not have adequate crisis counseling training to serve in this capacity.

PURPOSE: 1. Given the problem what do you want to CHANGE?

Improving the communication and response time between the Los Angeles Police Department and the volunteer clergy councils in Los Angeles, CA, where I've worked for 3 years. Such an arrangement of clergy councils will also be assessed with the St. Paul Police Department and the St. Paul, MN communities where I am slated to relocate within the year. My aim is to facilitate the ongoing training with LAPD Clergy Council members and assess the benefits of this model being replicated with the St Paul Police Dept. An increased number of clergy would be equipped with crisis counseling skills and training to decrease the psychological and social barriers that hinder traumatized and grieving families from gaining access to pastoral care and counseling.

2. What GROUP will join you in bringing about this change?

An interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals, civil servants and pastoral theologians will be enlisted to facilitate the teaching of the psychological, sociological and theological skill sets related to pastoral counseling in a situational crisis. Clergy representatives in both LA and St Paul will be engaged as well.
This program shall serve as a model that can be replicated in other police and fire departments.

3. What will you DO to bring about the desired change?

1. Survey representatives from the St Paul Police Dept and faith communities about the extent and quality of their interactions.
2. Recruit the LAPD trainers and volunteer clergy to attend the ongoing training sessions in Los Angeles.
3. Evaluate the program with the LAPD Clergy Council and revise the protocols for replication in other divisions of LAPD and other police departments.
4. Meet again with St Paul Police and clergy to consider the LAPD clergy council model as an enhancement to their community relations efforts.

METHOD:
1. What QUALIFIES you to do this D/P? (Experiences and/or involvement that have raised this issue for you and make it a current practical and academic concern)
Over the past three years, I have worked with the LAPD and the Mayor’s Crisis Response Team to provide pastoral care and counseling to dozens of grieving families following a gang related homicide in the West LA and Rampart Divisions. The City of Los Angeles and the City Attorney’s have presented several commendations for this work.
My new context in East St Paul does not have nearly the number of violent crimes compared to Los Angeles, but the community surrounding Arlington Hills Presbyterian Church (AHPC) has the highest crime rate for the entire city. The AHPC session has endorsed my community outreach to the Police Dept and the ecumenical community.

2. How is this topic related to YOUR MINISTRY?
Arlington Hills Presbyterian Church in East St Paul is committed to their ongoing transformation as an urban, multicultural congregation. Their surrounding community is comprised of many immigrant families whose children are at-risk of joining gangs. The police and clergy need to be prepared to respond quickly with compassion when there has been incident of gang related violence. We can’t wait until there is an emergency and then try to make a referral. There needs to be some intentional training to equip clergy to respond to these crises effectively.

3. SOCIAL ANALYSIS: What will you do to place the problem in its historical, cultural, and social context? What literature will you read and with whom will you interview or talk to about it?
In our urban centers, there is often mistrust and strained relationships between the community and law enforcement. Many residents are undocumented and they fear deportation if they cooperate with the police. Other family members fear retaliation from the gangs. Clergy often serve as liasons and bridges to the broader community. I will research the historical role of clergy in urban community organizing and examine some of the contemporary models and case studies. In particular, how clergy as crisis counselors can integrate the psychotherapy and sociological literature that addresses the anxiety and stressors associated with urban life and the increased incidents of violence.
To contextualize this problem, I will research the relevant psychotherapy, urban ministry and criminal justice literature.

4. THEOLOGICAL RESOURCES: What are the biblical/theological lenses you will use to examine this problem? Identify 3-5 writers who help you deal with this problem theologically. With whom will you discuss the problem theologically?

Many clergy still narrow their scope of pastoral care and counseling primarily to active members of their congregation. The definition of parish ministry in an urban setting needs to be expanded to include noncongregational members who do not have adequate pastoral care in times of crisis. I will explore how liberation theology and missional models of ministry inform this pastoral praxis in an urban context. Authors will include: Craig Van Gelder, Darrel Guder, Ronald Peters, Stephen Pattison, David Switzer and Howard Stone.