{"id":4509,"date":"2022-09-11T16:28:11","date_gmt":"2022-09-11T16:28:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/2022\/09\/11\/are-we-lost-based-on-luke-151-10\/"},"modified":"2022-09-11T16:28:11","modified_gmt":"2022-09-11T16:28:11","slug":"are-we-lost-based-on-luke-151-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/2022\/09\/11\/are-we-lost-based-on-luke-151-10\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cAre We Lost?\u201d based on Luke 15:1-10"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nIn
\nsimpler times I have heard the parables of the lost coin and the lost
\nsheep in simpler ways. \u00a0One can take the perspective of the 99 sheep
\nor the 9 coins and be rather irked at the ways the 1 is celebrated.
\nOne can take the perspective of the seeker, and join in the joy of
\nfinding the one. \u00a0One can take the perspective of the outside
\nobserver and wonder if leaving 99 sheep unattended is really the best
\nway to move towards having 100 sheep, or if throwing a party worth
\nmore than the found coin is the best use of money.\n<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nOf
\ncourse, there is the most obvious option of taking the perspective of
\nthe lost sheep and being grateful for the shepherd who comes looking
\nand rescues one from peril (or perhaps pulls you out of a great
\ntasting meadow, who knows?) \u00a0Identifying with the sheep is a little
\neasier than the coin, but nevertheless, the awareness that when we’re
\nlost we need help is an easy one to turn to.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nThese
\ntimes, beloveds, are not simple times.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nIn
\nthis time when I read the story of the lost sheep and the lost coin I
\nthink to myself, \u201care we lost or found?\u201d and I find that the
\nanswer is \u201cI don’t know.\u201d \u00a0Or, more honestly, the answer is \u201cYes,
\nwe are lost. \u00a0Yes, we are found. \u00a0Yes.\u201d \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nI
\nremember preaching in 2016 about the articles I was seeing about how
\nthe 2016 election cycle was doing heavy damage to \u00a0our country’s
\nmental health, and therapists were urging people to engage in breaks
\nfrom the news, in meditation, in breathing exercises. \u00a0They were
\nworried about the stress destabilizing us individually and
\ncollectively. \u00a0I remember seeing what they were talking about, in
\nmyself and in this church. \u00a0Tempers were shorter, nuance got lost,
\nthere was more right\/wrong and \u00a0us\/them thinking. \u00a0Schenectady Clergy
\nAgainst Hate grew out of that the time, because of the radical
\nincrease in hate crimes.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nHere
\nis the bad news. \u00a0At this point I think of 2016 as a simpler time.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nSure,
\nthere were oodles of stress. \u00a0Sure I saw myself, others, and the
\nchurch community get worse at basic functioning. \u00a0Sure, The United
\nMethodist Church was a dumpster fire. \u00a0Sure, polarization was at all
\ntime highs. \u00a0But, that level of communal chronic stress was at that
\npoint relatively new. \u00a0(We didn’t know it then.)<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nFor
\nme, the Trump presidency was a daily kick in the gut, or more
\nspecifically in every value I hold dear. \u00a0And, because I’m not
\nactually interested in dismissing people because they think
\ndifferently from me, I’m aware that for those whose values were
\nupheld by the Trump presidency, the squeals of horror and outrage
\nabout everything he did ALSO shook them to the core. \u00a0And, let us
\nnever forget, that foreign adversaries have taken advantage of
\ndifferences between us to further polarization, because it benefits
\nTHEM for us to have more HATE in our society. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nSo,
\nthe stress of the election didn’t settle down. \u00a0Things kept getting
\nworse. \u00a0Then there was the 2019 General Conference of The United
\nMethodist Church when our denomination doubled down on homophobia and
\nit became clear that our church at large is not centered in the love
\nof God. \u00a0That was a blow, at least to me.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nThen
\nthe COVID pandemic began, and we’re sure sick of talking about it,
\nnot to mention living it, I know. \u00a0But it is relevant here. \u00a0The
\npandemic shook every single part of our society and our lives. \u00a0And
\nnothing is the same. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nAnd
\nquite often we HATE that. \u00a0Fine, quite often I hate that. \u00a0It is
\ndisconcerting. \u00a0It is depressing. \u00a0It is overwhelming. \u00a0And then
\nthere are the STILL present challenges of determining where the right
\nbalances are between risks of infecting others with a serious illness
\nand risks of disconnection and loneliness (which itself can also be
\ndeadly), and the simple deciding is exhausting.\n<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nThe
\nstress level has been rising since 2016, sometimes just a slow steady
\nbeat upwards, sometimes in leaps. \u00a0There are PHYSIOLOGICAL facts
\nabout stress. \u00a0It makes us less creative. \u00a0It makes us less
\ncompassionate. \u00a0It pushes us into black and white thinking. \u00a0It leads
\nus into in-group thinking, and making enemies of others. \u00a0It makes us
\nselfish.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nNone
\nof which look anything like following Jesus. \u00a0Right?<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nThat’s
\na little squirmy for me. \u00a0That the impacts of stress impede the
\ncapacity to follow Jesus. \u00a0 \u00a0Because I don’t really get to control
\nthe world and the stresses it throws at me, nor at us.\u00a0 All
\nof which gets me around to why I think the answer is \u201cyes, we’re
\nlost.\u201d \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nBut
\nperhaps you’d like to hear why I think the answer is ALSO, \u201cyes,
\nwe’re found?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nThe
\nstarting and ending point of \u201cwe’re found’ are quite simple: I do
\nnot believe it is possible to wander away from God. \u00a0Or, at least, it
\nis not possible to wander beyond the reaches of God’s love. \u00a0And, as
\nGod is everywhere, anywhere we are is with God, and God knows where
\nwe are, so we are found. \u00a0(By God.)<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nBut,
\nin case that isn’t actually enough for you (although, it is rather a
\nlot), I’d like to point out what you are doing RIGHT NOW. \u00a0You are
\nlistening to a sermon. \u00a0Now, I don’t know all of your personal
\nreasons for why you do that, but I know some things. \u00a0I know you have
\nlots of other things you could be doing, and when you do this you are
\nmaking a choice. \u00a0There seems to be strong evidence that you would
\nlisten to a sermon because you are interested in what makes a good
\nlife and\/or in how to live a Godly life and\/or in considering how to
\nget from the world as it is to the world as God would have it be. \u00a0It
\ncould be you are looking for reasons for hope, or looking for
\nanalysis of what’s going on, or to make meaning of the world, or to
\nmake meaning of life, or maybe you are mostly doing this because
\nother people you like also do this and you want to connect with them.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nThose,
\ndear ones, are really beautiful reasons to do a thing.\n<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nI
\nremain shocked that this thing we know as church exists. \u00a0Hear me
\nout! \u00a0So, a bunch of people connect with each other and are connected
\nby their shared commitment to God and living as followers of Jesus.
\nSo they create spaces to work together and worship together. \u00a0They
\ngive significant gifts of time to caring for the needs of the church
\nand the community, to learning together and playing together and
\ndoing important things together. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nThen,
\nand this is the one that keeps on shocking me, they give MONEY to the
\nchurch. \u00a0Enough to PAY STAFF even (AND take care of the building,
\nanother miracle). \u00a0Staff to help take care of the resources (sexton,
\nbuilding), staff to take care of the community (breakfast cook),
\nstaff to take care of the communication and connections
\n(administrative assistant), and even staff to take the time to listen
\nto the world and the Bible and the people and try to help make sense
\nof things (pastor.)<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nI
\nam amazed that you all do this. \u00a0It is INSANE.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nYou
\nrealize how much time, energy, money, and frustration you’ve given to
\nthis place right? When people say \u201cchurch family\u201d they may in
\nfact be reflecting that some of the demands family puts on our lives
\nis similar to the demands church puts on their lives.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nBut
\nthis is also GOOD NEWS. \u00a0Because in the midst of this world, people
\nare giving of themselves in hope that what we do together is part of
\nbuilding better lives and a better world. \u00a0Lives are changed here, by
\nfriendship, by theology, by study, by singing, by hope. \u00a0We are more
\ntogether than we could ever be apart.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nAnd
\neven now, even when everything is different, even when showing up is
\nin multiple mediums and often feels SO strange compared to what we
\nknew in the past \u2013 even now, you all keep on caring enough to
\nlisten, to try, to work towards good. \u00a0And that’s about as \u201cfound\u201d
\nas I can imagine existing. \u00a0I am, quite honestly, profoundly moved
\nthat you exist and keep on keeping on.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nThere
\nis a final piece to this though. \u00a0It isn’t just that we are lost and
\nwe are found, as two separate pieces. \u00a0It is also that we are lost
\nand found, both at the same time, and that has its own truth. \u00a0This
\nweek I got an email from a clergy coach who talked about this, and
\nwhile I want to share everything Rev. Lauren Stephens-Reed said, I’m
\ncondensing to this:<\/p>\n

\n

\nleading
\ninnovation is about getting people to co-create the future with you.
\nThis
\nkind of approach is warranted when your purpose is clear but the
\nfuture is not. Is there any better descriptor of – any greater need
\nin – this time in the Church, in the world?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nI
\ndo believe our purpose is clear. \u00a0We are co-creating the kindom of
\nGod with God. \u00a0We work together to promote the idea that the kindom
\nand its values are important, to help each other learn in order to
\nbuild the kindom, and to help each other live its values. \u00a0We don’t
\nknow everything, but we do know that some of the prime values of the
\nkindom are love, justice, compassion, and inclusion, so we work on
\nthose. \u00a0We are going it TOGETHER because we believe we are more
\ntogether than apart.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nSo,
\nwe don’t know how to get to the future.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nThat’s
\nOK.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nGod
\ndoes, and God will lead us, TOGETHER.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>\n

\nWe
\nare lost dear ones, \u00a0and we are found, dear ones. \u00a0And it is hard but
\nit is OK. \u00a0Thanks be to God. \u00a0Amen <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Rev. Sara E. Baron
First United Methodist Church of Schenectady
603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305
Pronouns: she\/her\/hers
http:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/<\/a>
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FUMCSchenectady<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

September 11, 2022<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In simpler times I have heard the parables of the lost coin and the lost sheep in simpler ways. \u00a0One … Continue reading \u201cAre We Lost?\u201d based on Luke 15:1-10<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[34,12,42,38,28,39,33,1570,155,1265,1571,425,1574,1573,372,1576,1575,1484,56,1565,1572],"class_list":["post-4509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-fumc-schenectady","tag-homecoming","tag-inclusion","tag-progressive-christianity","tag-rev-sara-e-baron","tag-thinking-church","tag-umc","tag-are-we-lost","tag-compassion","tag-first-umc-schenectady","tag-its-complicated","tag-justice","tag-lost-coin","tag-lost-sheep","tag-love","tag-love-justice-compassion-inclusion","tag-not-simple-times","tag-pandemic-preaching","tag-schenectady","tag-sorry-about-the-homophobic-umc","tag-yes-and-no"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4509","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4509"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4509\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}