Several times this week, I found myself discussing how our beliefs about God affect how we view the world. When there are so many different denominations and churches - especially protestant churches in the U.S. - it is easy to say that the differences between them are minimal. In the grand scheme of things, the difference between two protestant denominations is not worth losing sleep over.
We do, however, come from different theological traditions, some of which result in us believing different things about God and about the world.
Those in the Reformed tradition (Presbyterians fall in this category) believe in the sovereignty of God. Almost all major doctrines and beliefs we hold come back to this: God is God. God is in charge. We are not God. Believing that God is sovereign affects the way we talk about salvation, the Christian life and even what a pastor does.
What we believe doesn't just affect church-y things. Believing that God is sovereign also means that I do not believe rich people deserve to be rich or poor people deserve to be poor. I believe that the life we were born into is out of our own control, which affects the way I view individual and systemic economic struggles.
Beliefs about God and the world are not just for those in church. We all have them, whether we acknowledge it or not. With other Christians, I have the opportunity to engage what I believe with what is going on around me and seek to follow God's will in everything I do. That's one reason I go to church.
I ran across this article about churches making do with the status quo. In fact, the lessons apply to any organization that struggles with innovation or stagnation.
The greatest strength of a start-up business is that they have nothing to lose. They are ready to risk it all for the sake of a new idea. Once that new idea succeeds, the tone of the business changes. Now, they have everything to lose. The very thing that made them successful - innovation - is the very thing they fear once they reach success.
What would the church be like if we had nothing to lose?
See this clip from Shane Claiborne about what he would say to a future church. 
Shane will be speaking in Albany June 22 and 23, and I look forward to our Westminster youth hearing from such a compelling Christian.What would you say to a future church?
This past Saturday, the confirmation class and I joined people from all over the presbytery to work in the village of Schoharie, which had been devastated by hurricane Irene.
 Part way through the day, I asked my confirmands why they thought this work day was part of their formation. Of course they all passed with flying colors, saying that helping people is part of what Christians are supposed to do.
What I hope they took away from the day is that we are all in this together.
There's more to being a part of the Body of Christ than helping people in need. It also means sitting with people who are crying, or trying to understand people who are angry. Church gives young Christians opportunities to practice being in community with people through the highs and lows of life.
These young people know that God is alive in their lives, even if they are not always enthusiastic about answering adults when they ask them questions. How do I know? I can tell by how they have love for others.
On this day of celebration across the world, we remember all for whom today is not a happy one – all people who are in need of your loving presence and who cry out to you for help.
We pray for those in need of care. Draw near to those who are lost, alone or afraid. Be with those who are sick in body, mind or spirit. We especially lift up to you those known to us who are in need of your healing touch. Be with people in institutions of care and their families. Bless all people recovering from addiction and their families.
We pray for those in need of forgiveness, for anyone who carries a heavy burden of guilt from the past. Relieve them of their burden. Let them know the power of your redemption to cover any sin of the past, no matter what it is. Forgive your beloved children; forgive us all.
We pray for those in need of justice, for those who are poor, unemployed and underemployed, those who have no voice. Be with those who work for peace in the world and in our streets, particularly an end to gun violence. Bless our beloved city that divisions would crumble and that unity would prevail.
Jesus, on this day of your resurrection, surprise us with your grace and your unexpected love in our lives. Jar us out of cynicism with the awe of the empty tomb. Make us anew so that we may be your agents of change in the world.
In the blessed name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
It's Holy Week - kind of a big deal around here.
Yeah, sure things are busy: extra services to plan, preparations to be made, people to visit.
Aside from the busyness, Holy Week has a kind of stillness about it, especially at the beginning of the week. Anticipation hangs in the air for the events of the coming days. Life and death, deepest sorrow and ultimate joy - we will experience all of these this week.
As I join with Christians all over the world to remember these events that took place long ago, I also remember significant Holy Weeks in my life. In India, Good Friday is the most observed day of the Christian year, bigger than Easter and Christmas. I remember the Easter I sang "A Toi la Gloire" in France and the Maundy Thursday stations of the cross at Nunraw Abbey in Scotland. In college I attended a Holy Week service at an Orthodox church in Chicago and in seminary preached at a Seven Last Words service in inner city Trenton.
This week has found me in many different places in my life, both geographical and spiritual. Where does Holy Week find you this year?
Last week, the young adults of Westminster got out of the church building and worked in a vacant lot in the South End of Albany. We hope this will be the beginning of many more opportunities to partner with our neighbors.
_"God created humanity in God’s own image, in the divine image God created them, male and female God created them." Genesis 1:27 (CEB)
All of these people are made in the image of God. All means all!
Pray over these faces, over the places they are from and the lives they lead. Pray for the people around you as you read this.
Pray for yourself and the eyes to see the image of God in everyone you meet.
While the Occupy Movement may not be in the national spotlight these days, the movement continues. A new initiative underway may not be what you think of as radical social upheaval.
A group within Occupy Albany is mobilizing significant momentum for urban farming.
You may be wondering what the Occupy Movement has to do with the labor-intensive, patience-demanding work of farming. Aren't these people about yelling in the streets and trespassing in parks? When did they become so pedestrian?
Local farming is a catalyst for diverse social change. If you don't believe me, ask Michael Pollan. He comes at the issue from a different framework than the Occupy Movement, but they end up in the same place.
He cites that during the 1940s Victory Garden movement, 40% of produce consumed in the US was grown in home gardens. People in their backyards or neighborhood parks shared the work to produce enough food to share. If that's not good news for the 99% I don't know what is.
If you would like to get involved in Occupy Albany's gardening initiative, please let me know. An organizing meeting will take place in the next few weeks.
At Night Church, worshipers interact with prayer spaces throughout the sanctuary. This past Friday, one prayer space in particular invited worshipers to take sustenance for their journey of faith.
Several foods are on a table, each labeled with a different characteristic of Jesus: honesty, compassion, humility, grace and love. Here is an excerpt from the directions-
When we choose to follow the path of Jesus, we begin to live how Jesus tells us is the best way to live. The Holy Spirit starts to change us from the inside out, making us into the people God meant us to be.
Look at the different characteristics of Jesus on the table before you and think about which characteristic needs the most work in your life. When you have chosen the one you need most help with, go to that area and follow the directions.
It just so happened that a lot of people needed more grace in their life (chocolate represented grace on this table).
This prayerful action has really stuck with me these past few days. Lent is a journey, a journey where we walk alongside Jesus through his most difficult days.
Jesus also walks alongside us when we are going through difficult times in life and gives us sustenance for the journey.
What do you need most in your life now? During these 40 days, reflect on your faith journey and your relationship with God. Ask God for that particular food you need to get through today and the length of your journey of faith.
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