Simul justus et peccator- What it means to be a Lutheran in my eyes today (part I)

I woke up this morning inspired to start a new series in this blog.  Over the next week or so, I will offer some different thoughts on what I believe it means to be a Lutheran Christian today.  Each post will try and focus on one theological (or other type of) idea.  I admit that I am not doing this as part of a seminary class, but more so as a way to work through some understandings of my own in the hope that they will help you think about your own understandings of these ideas.  Further, this in the hope that such beliefs will be understood in shaping who I am as a worship coordinator now at a local Lutheran Church.

Today, let us begin with the paradox known in the Latin as "simul justus et peccator."  First of all, as much as Lutherans are comfortable in paradox, I think our comfort here is actually a disadvantage for us in the way we talk with and engage in the rest of the world who wishes things were more clear (ie- politics, Washington D.C., etc.).  But, that said, we are comfortable in our paradoxes as Lutherans, and there is no greater paradox then this one, that we are "simultaneously saint and sinner."

In good Lutheran fashion, I might ask, "what does this mean?"  I am not going to go and quote the catechism here.  Rather, I will offer my own observations.  On the one hand, we believe that we are all children of God and redeemed through Christ in grace and love.  This understanding is that we are saints because we are the people of God.  However, we are sinners because we are "enslaved to sin and cannot free ourselves," as we confess.  This is why having some sort of understanding of the significance of Christ and atonement is important, because without Christ's saving act for us, the "sinner" reality would be the dominant one, and our relationship with God would be much more terrifying and probably negative.

On the other hand, this might be interpreted as we are both "good and bad."  I would not go here for a Lutheran argument, because I don't think I could make a very compelling case.  But, this could be argued that one is good because God works through us, in our callings and vocations, in guiding and sanctifying us, and leading us as we are justified by faith alone to engage in the world around us and love our neighbor.  One is bad because we perpetually come up short, especially when we allow ourselves to focus on our selves and not the needs of our neighbor, and that which God might have us do or call us to do; so when we seem to put ourselves first at the expense or pain of another person, God, a thing, or any part of creation, this would then be bad.

Perhaps this idea of "simultaneously saint and sinner," raises more questions then it answers, but I think it is a good place to start for contemplating what it means to be a Lutheran today.  How does it shape our practice of worship? Our practice of serving our neighbor, of walking with them, and being a part of this world while also of the world to come? (There is another Lutheran paradox for you)... We will keep these questions alive throughout the following posts, in the hope that they spark some ideas, imagination, wondering, and if necessary, some reevaluation and action if my own practices seem inconsistent with my beliefs and understandings.

Drucker as a Writer

Reading through Innovation and Entrepreneurship by Peter F. Drucker, and I think to myself... what if theologians wrote like this?  I have found Drucker's work to always be accessible, engaging, and well explained. He is not circular, but he is not making stuff up out of thin air, either.  If only all theologians took writing lessons from Drucker, perhaps we would have a better understanding of their theological ideas, and perhaps their ideas would be more accessible.  At the very least, complicated trains of thought might be a bit more clear.  What do you think?

Good Bye Summer!

The rain has come.  The temperature has dropped.  The leaves are falling.  I guess summer was not going to be able to hold on forever.  Oh well.  It had a great run!

Now that Fall is here, perhaps its time to really start blogging again.  

Starting tomorrow, I intend to provide a new post daily.  They may not be that most insightful, but perhaps they will make for a fun read. 

Peace and Blessings

Welcome Back!

This will be a short post, but an important one.  The blog ended up taking an unintentional vacation over the summer.  For those of you regular readers who were disappointed, I greatly apologize.  I am happy to announce its return today though with the beginning of a new semester.  The blog will be covering a number of topics throughout this year, so I hope you enjoy.

For those of you who are a part of the seminary community, the Luther Seminary Student Council is accepting nominations for those interested in serving on the council this week.  So, nominate or be nominated!

Also, at some point this week, I will offer a detailed and "off-the-cuff" analysis and prediction of college conference Armageddon for those of you who are college sports fans.

Thanks for being loyal readers of the blog!

Letter of Thanks to First Lutheran

It has come to my attention that First Lutheran Church did not include the majority of my letter in its June "Visitor" and rather only took a couple sentences.  If you would like to see the letter in its entirety, please read below: 

Dear First Lutheran Family,

It is with a heart full of joy and appreciation that I write you!  I am so grateful for your continued love and support- in thoughts, prayer, encouragement, and of course by monetary means as well.  Allison is grateful as well, of course.  Together we thank you for the offering you raised to help support our studies, ministry training and discernment back in March.  You can trust that your gracious gifts will be well used in supporting two married seminarians.  Your support and continued support helps make our studies possible.  It also gives us hope that we will be able to follow and live out our vocational callings in the world while not being burdened with insurmountable debt. 

It is probably about time for an update on how we are doing.  Our first year here at Luther Seminary in the Twin Cities is coming to a fast close.  As we are entering our ninth month of married life, this past year of crazy changes and transition is thankfully starting to slowly settle down.  Allison continues to be a Master of Divinity Student, discerning a call towards the parish, an undergraduate professorship, or some other ministry working with young women.  My degree has changed slightly here, as some of you may know.  I am now officially a Master of Arts student here, working towards a degree in Congregational, Mission, and Leadership.  This degree will couple well with the degree I earned from Claremont (MA in Management in 2010), in following my vocational and ministerial call towards work in Lutheran (or generally faith-based) social organizations such as Lutheran World Relief or Lutheran Social Services, etc.

Allison and I have found a nice congregational family to be a part of.  It is located on the border of the northern suburbs and rural Anoka County (north-northwest of Minneapolis) at Cross of Hope Lutheran Church in Ramsey.  We are doing our contextual education components of seminary there.  This means that Allison is able to work with women and youth ministries, and I am doing work designing and redesigning their leadership structures and models, as well as their congregational communication.  In addition to these contextual education components, I am on-staff there, serving as the church’s Music Ministry Coordinator (to be renamed Worship Coordinator this summer).  As part of this job, I coordinate the church’s musical ensembles, as well as direct its adult choir, and occasionally play piano.  Allison currently works at Dining Services at Luther Seminary (in its cafeteria), and also will be working at the church beginning this summer to help with leadership in Cross of Hope’s summer youth program. 

We are looking forward to being home for a brief time in mid-May through early June.  This will be a bit longer of a trip then we were able to make over Christmas, and we look forward to more time to spend with family and friends while also celebrating Thomas’ graduation from PLU.  We will be at First Lutheran on Sunday June 5^th, and hope to see you then.   If you end up passing through or visiting the Twin Cities, please let us know.  We always love to see and spend time with familiar faces.

Thank you for your continued support, prayers, and love!

In Christ’s Service,

Allison and Timothy Siburg

Big News of Change for PLU

The Press Release from PLU:  http://www.plu.edu/ucom/email/andersons/leaving-plu/home.php

I will be offering a tribute of appreciation from my own experiences with the Andersons in an upcoming blog post.  But for those of you who have not heard, President Dr. Loren Anderson and MaryAnn will be leaving PLU at the end of the 2011-2012 Academic Year.  This means that after next spring's commencement, they will be ending their 20 year term together as the leadership couple at PLU.  Much great things have been done while during their time, and they will be greatly missed.  However, their legacy of helping create the Wild Hope Project and so many other things will certainly live on, as it has become a part of the DNA of what it means to be a Lute.  Thank you to the Anderson family for your hardwork, dedication, passion, and service.  And also for your friendship and support. 

Lute Legacy

I was blessed and priviledged to be present for the 2011 Pacific Lutheran University Commencement festivities over the weekend.  You can watch it here.  My brother Thomas graduated, earning his BA in Economics and Global Studies, with minors in Political Science and Religion.  He is one well learned, and traveled global citizen, leader, and advocate who really understands what it means to live a life of thoughtful inquiry, service, and care; as well as to live in a sense of vocation, neighbor love, and on behalf of the other with true empathetic understanding.  I am so proud of him! 

It got me to wonder... so how many Lutes are there in our family?

Family Who Have Graduated from PLU
1. Dave Siburg (my dad)
2. Tricia Siburg (my mom)
3. Jeff Tengesdal (my uncle)
4. Mark Tengesdal (my uncle)
5. Mark Siburg (my uncle)
6. Suzy Siburg (my aunt)
7. Paul Jackson (my uncle)
8. Timothy Siburg
9. Allison Siburg (my wife)
10. Thomas Siburg (my brother)

"Family" Who Have Graduated from PLU
11. Margo Holm (earned her masters); basically my mom's adopted sister
12. Jenna Grubbs (my aunt's niece; kind of a cousin-in-law)
13. Joanne Erickson (my "second mother" growing up)
14. Elise Erickson (my "older sister" growing up)
15. Svea Erickson (my "older sister" growing up)

Family Who are Currently Attending PLU
16. Tamara Siburg (my sister)
17. Erin Parks (Allison's and my cousin)

Family Who Have Attended PLU (or its earlier name, of Pacific Lutheran College)
18. Bob Siburg (my grandpa)
19. Pat Jackson (my aunt)
20. Danny Tengesdal (my uncle)

Even if you cut-out the "Family" section, that still leaves 15 direct family members who have attended or are currently attending PLU.  Wow!  No wonder that we feel a special connection with this place. 

Anyway... Attaway Thomas!!  Attaway!

This Week's Links

So, well on vacation, the blogging has understandably taken a back seat.  But here are a few links you might find interesting.

1) Luther Seminary's, and my advisor, Dr. Matt Skinner has a new post up with the Huffington Post which you might enjoy.

2) An interesting reflection on what it means to walk with our sisters and brothers in the world in the wake of disaster is offered by the ELCA Bishop of the Central States Synod.  It is a post obviously about Peace Lutheran Church in Joplin, MO..

3) Finally, for some sports... Jerry Crasnick reminds Mariner fans of what might have been, had Bill Bavasi not been our General Manager.  Oh well.  The Mariners are playing well now, and let's hope they keep it up!

Have a great week!

From Washington With Love

This post is specifically for all of my friends elsewhere in the country, who do not have the pleasure of currently being in the Evergreen State.

Imagine yourself flying on a Boeing 737, on a beautiful sunny and blue sky type of day.  The clouds are few and far between, and mainly just in one spot to the south.  They are gathering around the mid-level of a majestic peak.  This peak, overlooking the clouds is seemingly trying to get up on its tippy toes to see someone or something in the distance.  It wants to get a first glimpse of the return of its friends. 

This is how it felt to fly in to the Puget Sound area on Wednesday afternoon.  Over Eastern Washington, the skies could not have been clearer.  The Columbia beamed in all its radiance.  Lake Chelan shimmered to the north.  And there, on our side of the plane to the south, was our friend, Mt. Rainier.  The smile on my face could not have been bigger.  It's always my favorite part of flying in or out of SeaTac.  The ability or hope to see the beautiful summit that graces our little piece of heaven.  Allison was ecstatic!  We got to circle around and land out of the south, so we also got to see PLU and Tacoma from the air, as well as much of the South Sound and across to the Kitsap Peninsula and the Olympics.  I always enjoyed this when flying home especially a year+ ago from Claremont, but this time was more special.  This was the first flight Allison and I had shared completely alone together.  And it was so wonderful to feel like we were coming home, without worrying that we would have no time to breathe like we did the week around Christmas.

We have been back a few days already, and feel so blessed to be here.  We have had the chance to spend a day at the place where our relationship all started and grew, at PLU.  We have had the pleasure of hearing my brother's global studies capstone presentation.  We have gotten to spend time with my sister, and hear a little about her semester in Namibia.  And so much more.  This trip home has only just begun, but its all ready been worth it and SO MUCH MORE. 

To all of you not as fortunate to be in the Northwest, know and trust that Mt. Rainier says hi to you too, and it will be here along with all the Cascades to greet you when you come or come back. 

Video Project on Poverty

This video was my final project, for my "Proactive Ministry in Media Culture" class with Dr. Mary Hess at Luther Seminary.

This video can also be found at Vimeo.  Additionally, if you would like to see all of the projects from our class, they can be viewed here.  

Finding the Lost Coin...I mean, Ring

Many of you are probably familiar with the biblical parable of the woman and the lost coin.  It can be found in Luke 15:8-10.  The parable reads as follows: 
"Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?  When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.'  Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." 

Obviously the parable has deep theological signficance, which I would usually take the time to unpack.  But in this case, this is not why I am writing this post. 

Last week was a flat out, ODD, week.  Perhaps it had something to do with the weather- Tuesday there were tornadoes and storms in the Twin Cities with a high of 90 degrees and 90% humidity.  The next day was a beautiful 80 and mostly sunny.  This was followed by showers and 70, the next day rain and gray and 55, and Saturday, down right chilly at 44. 

Aside from the weather, it was an odd week too.  The Faculty and Staff of Luther Seminary took on the Students in an annual softball game, in which the students lost for the second time in five years I guess.  It was a sad moment.  It would have been the most sad, until I realized at about 9pm that night that I was not wearing my wedding ring.  [cue- dramatic music sound]

Like most people I presume, I flew into a panic trying to find it.  Could I have left it somewhere in the apartment?  Might it have fallen off when showering after the softball game?  Perhaps it fell in a dresser drawer?  No.  The answer to all these places and more were "No."  I knew what this meant.  The sun had gone down about a half hour prior, and my ring was almost certainly outside some place. 

I had spent the game playing third base, and I could only reckon that the ring must have come off at some point when I took my mitt off between innings.  I went out to the field with a flashlight, knowing full well I was likely embarking on a "needle in a haystack" type of quest.  I started by searching the dirt area of the infield, primarily around third.  Deep down, I didn't think there would be any likelihood of finding it on the dirt.  I knew it was probably on the grass in the area around where I took my glove off and had put my stuff during the game.  I searched there too, but its pretty hard to search through glass with a lone flashlight at night.  Just lots of dark green and worms all over the place, let me tell you.  I temporarily abandoned my search, only to be joined by friends who came out without my asking to help search.  Allison, Amanda, Jeremy, and Kaitlyn were outside searching with other flash lights, and together we searched for over a half hour.  No luck.  We decided to go back, and work on final projects that were due the next day, with the intention of getting up early in the morning to search again before class.

Understandably, I did not get much sleep that night.  Later I would come to find out that Allison dreamed that she found the ring.  Anyway, I was up by 6am, and out searching by 7am.  The forecast called for rain by 8am, and I was determined to find that ring with light outside.  If the rain came before I found it, I knew the difficulty in finding it would have only grown.  I was out on my own for a half hour, I went over the entire field, but gravitated back to the grass.  I figured it had to be in a certain 10 foot or so area.  Allison and Amanda came out and joined, and just about five minutes before we were going to have to head off to class, my prayers were answered.  I was circling a spot on the grass I had walked on at least four times in the past half hour, and found something shining up at me under a blade of grass.  There it was, my wedding ring. 

You can only imagine the joy I felt after this.  The whole rest of the day could have been awful, but it would still be an amazing day!  I couldn't help but break into such a big smile, as did Allison and Amanda.  Our search was not in vain.  The ring that had been lost, was now found.

The moral of the story- obviously, a wedding ring does not make a wedding.  But the next time I am going to play softball, I am going to be very careful wearing my wedding ring.

This Week's Links

In the midst of finals, I was not sure how much I would be blogging.  But to keep this being the "weekly links," I have a few things to share.

1)  Doing some research for my feminist theology class led me to discover this interesting church, and its website.  The website includes lots of interesting information, unique prayers, etc.  If you are looking for what an alternative ELCA congregation might look like, this definitely fits the bill. 

2) An interesting blog post takes stock of this week's vote in the Presbyterian Church, and offers a check on our church and society through a lens informed by Galatians 3:28. 

3)  Finally, this week's sports story, for a Pac-10 (soon to be Pac-12) fan, has to be the news that Fox Sports has hired long-time great CBS announcer Gus Johnson to be its lead Pac-12 college football announcer.  I'm excited to hear such an excited announcer calling my favorite Huskies.  Go Dawgs!

Best of luck with finals everyone!

A Reminder of Childhood

Most of you probably do not know this about me, but growing up I had a huge fascination (and still do actually) with airplanes and flying.  I am kind of a nerd when it comes to knowing airline routes, and different airlines and their places of service.  Anyway, this nerdiness aside, I used to love to build cities and airports using building blocks and other things around the house, and playing with hot wheels cars and diecast airplanes. 

While skimming one of my favorite aerospace blogs which I monitor every once and awhile, I came across this video.  You should check it out, because its pretty amazing!  A childhood fantasy turned into a $5,000,000 project.  WOW. 

Facing the Big Questions

This past weekend was also an interesting one for me personally.  Do you remember your first experience with a fire?  I mean, not like a bonfire or a fire going in a fireplace.  No, I mean, when something is burning that should not be burning. 

For me, I hearken back to an experience in the middle of winter growing up, when our chimney caught fire.  My dad, in his "macho" state refused to call the Fire Department.  He successfully extinguished the fire, but only after we ran around finding the pets and important things in case we needed to get out of the house.  That was an emotional and frightening experience.  But it taught me at an early age of what really matters in an important sense.  We always talk about how material things don't matter, but you never fully realize this until you face that "abyss" of trial. 

I think learning this early on certainly helped me in my moment of fears over the weekend, as our oven caught fire.  Now, I did not panic, I simply went around opening windows and trying to work on ventilation to get the smoke out.  Another friend ended up using a fire extinguisher.  It was an accident in the oven, and it might well have ended up going out as it was contained in the oven.  However, the size of the flames and the amount of smoke billowing from the oven did not make me want to see if the fire would go out on its own. 

The true trauma of this experience, however, did not emerge until after the fire was extinguished.  I did not think too much of this, I was just thankful it didn't spread and that everyone who was here was just fine.  But I was wrong.  My experience with a fire in my past, was not the same as that of my partner.  Allison had never experienced a fire, and this experience made her go through the swath of emotions associated with that "abyss" that I talked about.  So, I got to use my experience as a way to help console my wife.  She is doing better, but as you can understand, the first time one experiences something like this, you are forced to deal with all of those big questions.

Anyway, this is how April ended, with a lot of flames.  Ironically, May started with some flakes.  Go figure, light snow showers on our drive to church on Sunday, May Day.  If there is any positive to this, we will be making a return to the homeland, "God's Country," as I like to call it (mocking my Midwest friends and family) in a couple weeks.  We are certainly looking forward to seeing loved ones, terrain that has differences in topography (more like, elevation and mountains), and salt water. 

Here's hoping for a less eventful week, and that maintenance is able to help us out with our oven this week.  Until then, we won't be using it as there is fire extinguisher extract all over it. 

Have a great week!

This Week's Links

Given the fullness of this past weekend, I believed it was probably time for some links.  It's hard to remember a weekend as full of "news" as this past one.  There was a Royal Wedding, the worst Tornadoes since the Great Depression, and a "successful" mission to track down Osama bin Laden. 

1)  In talking about the last event, I am not one who usually is a proponent of violence, but I appreciate when a perpetuator of hate is brought to justice.  Was this the kind of justice I would have liked?  Of course not, I would have preferred a fair trial, etc.  But perhaps that would be asking for too much given all that might be at stake.  I will likely not write anymore about this in my blog.  However, if you would like two interesting faith based responses, you might check out the following:

A.  Celebrating a death?
B.  Hate Osama, but do not rejoice in his death.
C.  Praying and a Range of Responses
D.  A Lutheran Response

2) Friday's worldwide phenomenon of being glued in to all things Royal in England, even earned one of Allison's and my bridesmaid's a spot on the news.  Our bridesmaid Cori Jo, is currently serving in the PeaceCorps in Micronesia.  Their story as it appeared on CNN can be found here.

3) Finally, for our weekly sports story, the Mariners have started to figure out what "winning means."  A big part of that success comes from their rookie pitcher, Michael Pineda.  Jim Caple offers an interesting look at him. 

Have a great week!

This Week's Links

As has become standard procedure here, I will offer a few links to things that I have found particuarly interesting or thought-provoking in the past week.

1. I must admit, I am not too proud of a few of my fellow Northwesterners, who have taken "political correctness" to the extreme.  To call "Easter Eggs," SPRING SPHERES seems to not only be ludicrous, it also seems to possibly set up young students for failure in geometry.  Plus, Easter Eggs really are not religious, but perhaps this is beside the point? 

2. Bishop Mark Hanson has made my links two weeks in a row, this has to be an unusal achievement.  I really appreciate the thoughts he provides linking the hope of Easter with the hope of finding life in the aftermath of destruction, such as the earthquake in Haiti.  It is a good hope filled Easter reflection, with a call to respond.

3. My alma mater, PLU, recently had an important dedication on a small but meaningful project with its mission to be sustainable and a place of good environmental stewardship.

4. And on a final note, also in the PLU sphere, I really wish that I was going to be home in time to join my Lute friends and family in hearing the great Desmond Tutu in Tacoma on May 13th.

Glimpses of Grace from Easter Sunday 2011

The night before Easter got off to a questionable start when I found a bug in my bed.  This one bug ended up costing Allison and I any quality sleep on our short night.  But oh well, all was made well the next day. 

You know that you have to be excited in order to have energy and smile when being up at 4am on a Sunday morning.  But this was no problem for me, I mean, after all Easter is my favorite day of the year.  It always has been.  Why you ask?  I just think its so great- to spend so much time in devoted worship and celebration at church, and then to have time with family and friends to spend in quality fellowship out in the hopefully beautiful spring day filled with sunshine.  In years past this has meant hiding Easter Eggs on my family's property of woods in Washington.  This year, that was a bit different, but it still could not have been a more beautiful day. 

On our early morning drive to the church, we saw the sun begin to rise over the one little hill near Mounds View.  Obviously, this is no comparison to watching the sunrise over Mt. Rainier and the Cascades, but for one spring morning it was a beautiful thing.  The four services at Cross of Hope went fantastically, and I heard so many people say they were fun and powerful.  I am taking a little pride here (a terrible sin, I admit), since I crafted them all.  But it was good feedback overall.  The services included a lot of singing, the choir sounded great, and the duet I was in turned out nicely too.  Plus, singing "Happy Birthday" to Allison four times wasn't so bad either. haha ...

I was not sure what to expect from Easter in a different church this year.  I have been spoiled in year's past with how special its felt at my home church, and with how the cross is always in full bloom of beautiful flowers by Easter morning.  At Cross of Hope, they create a life size display of a tomb and cross, which on Easter Morning are surrounded by Mums and Lillies, and the cross is all draped in white and gorgeous.  The way the sanctuary is oriented, the sun shines at sunrise directly from the back of the sanctuary to the front on the cross.  It was just so stunning and inspiring! 

We were blessed by so many friends at church who helped us celebrate Allison's birthday, and then further blessed by a dear friend's invitation to spend Easter with her family.  All in all, it was not quite an Easter back home, but it was special all the same.  The most important thing, the message of hope and love was the same... Christ is Risen, Christ is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

This Week's Links

The forecast calls for sun and 62 on Sunday for Easter.  I trust that this will be the case, though its kind of hard to believe it necessarily, as winter has returned this morning.  Its snowing big and wet flakes like it does usually back home in Western Washington.  Its sticking to cars, rooftops, grass, and trees, but it appears the sidewalks and roads are too warm.  So I guess its the typical "snow for scenery" sort of snowfall.   That said, its still only 33 degrees out in the morning of April 20th.  A word that comes to mind for this.. RIDICULOUS.
That said, its time to share some links.

1) Jim Wallis has an interesting blog post up in the realm of social justice, and faith and economics. 

2) ELCA Presiding Bishop Rev. Mark Hanson has issued his 2011 Easter message.

3)  There is an interesting story on a current Mariners rookie pitcher, that even the non-sports fan might appreciate.  Its a good tale of a crazy life journey.  If you have seen the movie "The Rookie" this has a lot in common with that sort of tale.

4) Finally, if you do not have a home to worship in during Holy Week, you are wholeheartedly invited to worship at Cross of Hope Lutheran.

Worship Schedule:
Maundy Thursday Services (4/21)  6pm and 7:30pm
Good Friday Services (4/22) 12pm and 7pm
Easter Sunrise Service (4/24) 6:30am
Easter Festival Services (4/24) 7:45am, 9am, and 10:30am

That will complete this week's version of the links.

Holy Tuesday- Reflections

I was asked recently about what I would recommend for one to focus on during Holy Week.  They wanted to hear something a bit different then the usual sort of "atonement" linked progression towards the cross and crucifixion.  So, I thought for a moment, and I said, focus on relationships.

This week, with all of our reflection and worship, we consider, hear, and remember the acts of the passion.  The entrance with Hosannas, the supper, prayers and betrayal, and the jeers of the world.  Through this all, there is a relationship of God and the Son.  There is also the relationship of the Son and the World.  Some people use this sort of logic to call others to "bear the crosses" in their lives.  I do not advocate for such an approach, because I believe this logic has often helped continue a cycle of violence and unsafe environments for many in the faith, and no doubt some that sit next to us in the very pews we share each week in worship.

Rather, I told this person who asked me, to focus on the relationships that that person shares with others.  With family, friends, fellow congregants, and the strangers they pass on the street.  At the heart of the cross is the idea of Christ wanting and choosing to be in relationship with and for us.  We cannot do anything to stop Christ in this act, nor can we do anything to deserve it.  All we can do is accept it, I believe.  This acceptance then, leads us to respond out of love, joy, and thanks.  Because its really all we can do.  Our response then is how we love our neighbor as ourself.  Its how we create and build relationships with our family and extended family, and its how we serve and meet the stranger in the world wherever they may be. 

If Lent is a journey, just as Holy Week is as well, I believe this journey is something we can all relate to a little bit, at least in the sense that we all are in a journey of life- full of the unexpected twists and turns.  This journey is full of opportunities and relationships as well.  We may not know where we will be led and called, but we trust that we are being led and called some place.  We just hope to hear that call, and some times the best way to do this is to focus on our relationships with others, because that call certainly could be coming through them.   

This Week's Links

Back with a few highlights of some interesting things in the news.

1) In the vein of "Theology on Tap" like Humble Walk coined, there is a new similar ministry being formed back in the Pacific Northwest.  It sounds like an interesting outreach with a possible new calling for some pastors "behind the bar."

2) For those of you who missed the great conversation earlier today with LSS Minnesota President and CEO Mark Peterson and Executive Director of Redeemer Center for Life, Marilu Thomas, Luther Seminary recorded it.  I will link to it when I find the video available on the Luther Seminary website.

3) And finally, this week's sports story.  So, the Mariners started the year 2-0, and then proceeded to lose 7 in a row.  That all ended in the most exciting of ways last night.  For a highlight of last night's game, you can check it out here.

One Wonderful Week

I alluded to my brother coming to visit a couple weeks ago, and he was here this past week leaving on Friday.  It was a wonderful week!  It was so great to have my one and only brother (and now Allison's one and only bro) here.  His being here, helps explain the relatively low amount of blog posts over the past week.

I was debating blogging about this, but I figured it would make for a fun post and reflection.  So here goes. 

What Happens When Your Brother and Best Man Comes to Visit

He flies in, expecting it to be Minnesota.  He arrives and realizes its sunny and 45, so he is perfectly happy that he decided to travel in typical fashion of wearing shorts.  He was greeted by a surprise of a couple friends joining us in our trip to the airport in order to make an IKEA run afterward.  I don't think he much liked the idea of going shopping but it worked out okay with a great dinner as well.

The weather decided to cooperate amazingly while he was here.  He happened to pick the first full week of warm weather.  We got some quality walks in and exploration.  We got to walk across the Mississippi and visit the Witches Hat on the Hill.  We even got some quality frisbee time. 

He was inspired by the church we are at, Cross of Hope in Ramsey.  He enjoyed meeting the pastor, Sunday and Wednesday worship, and even choir rehearsal. 

He even had the chance to come sit in on a class or two, especially enjoying the Feminist Theologian class which had a guest speaker, Dr. Mary Lowe present and talk this past Wednesday. 

And in the true measure marking that my brother was visiting, we went through nearly 4 gallons of milk in one week.  Yep, typical Siburg fashion of skim milk consumption. 

It was, admittedly a different spring break then say going some place warm and tropical, but I like to hope and believe that it was still a great spring break for him.  It certainly was a well-needed visit for Allison and I, and it was a great joy and blessing.  We are looking forward to going home for a few weeks in late May to help him celebrate his graduation from PLU. 

An Opportunity for MA Students

As per the announcement sent out this past week via Luther Seminary e-mail: 

Curious about professional career options, job opportunities, or what fields best suit your degree?
Join Prof. Gary Simpson, Mark Peterson, Executive Director of Luther Social Services, and Marilu Thomas, Executive Director of Redeemer Center for Life, on Tuesday, April 12th as they discuss "How To Apply Your Degree"!  They will share personal experiences, professional knowledge, and practical guidance to help with your vocational discernment.

So bring your questions and appetites!
We will gather from 11:30 to 12:30 in Stub Lounge and LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED

I must say, that I am very excited for this conversation and will be going.  I had to provide this update to show that some of my concerns which I have expressed previously are being heard and met.  To that end, I was even included in some of the preliminary conversations regarding the potential for this meeting opportunity to occur.  For any of you who have interests in working in the non-profit/NGO sector, this hour on Tuesday will be a true blessing and I hope you can make it and be a part of it.

The Poverty Line

I am working on a project that is considering the ramifications of the nation's poverty line.  For a family of four, the poverty line is set at an annual family income of $22,050.  This, it is believed, is the minimum amount of money needed to survive for a family of four.

What do you make of this figure?  I am trying to tell a story about this, looking at why this is so difficult and problematic.  But I am wondering if any of you might have your own thoughts or ideas to share that might help spark my own story or details?

For some perspective:
This boils down to:  $1,837.50 per month for the family; approximately $424.04 per week; and $60.41 per day for the family.  For an individual this means, one has to live on approximately $15.10 a day.

In Minnesota, the average family of four spends $771 a month on food.  This averages out to $6.34 per day, per person for food.

A two-bedroom apartment runs for approximately $900 a month, costing about $11,100 annually to rent. 

Base utitilies for water, power, and basic phone service runs approximately $3360 per year.

These figures alone add up to more than $22,050.  So, the family would likely need to cut back on food consumption to save money.

An allowance would need to be made for gas and transportation expenses to get to and from work and or school.

And health care costs are yet another figure to consider. 

Based on these quick estimates and areas of a basic budget, what do you think?  What does the poverty line mean to you?   I would love to hear your thoughts.

This Week's Links

This is the second edition of some links to enjoy around the web.  I think I am extra excited this week.  Maybe its the sun outside?  Maybe its the start of the baseball season tomorrow (a sign that Minnesota Winter has to be on its last legs, I hope)?  And maybe it has to do with the fact that my brother is coming to visit for a week on Friday!!

Anyway, outside of this, there are some interesting things out on the Web this week:

1) My advisor at Luther Seminary, Dr. Matt Skinner, is now a contributor to the religion section on Huffington Post.  He provides an entry about once every three weeks, and his latest issue came out on the topic of the apocalypse.  It's a fun and interesting read.

2) With it being the start of the baseball season, hope springs eternal.  But as a Mariners fan, there is a great sense of sadness for us all.  We are entering our first year without the voice of the Mariners, Mr. Dave Niehaus.  It will be different, that's for sure.  There will no longer be the man saying "Get Out the Rye Bread and Mustard Grandma, it's Grand Salami Time,"  or "My Oh My," etc.  A nice blog entry appeared today on ESPN.com from Duff McKagan, which I highly recommend.

3) My friend (and one of Allison's and my groomsmen) from PLU, Tim Chalberg, had the distinct honor of having his baseball blog be connected to by a national sports blog this past week from NBCSports.  Congrats Tim!  (If you are a baseball fan, I highly recommend checking these out)

We'll end it there for today.  Time to go out and enjoy the sun!

And- playball!  [The Mariners open the season on Friday in Oakland; and the Twins begin on Friday in Toronto]

Copyrights and the Church Musician

A case study is offered in "Love to Share":
"A music director in a small church in the United States must spend a large percentage of her time on copyright issues.  To help with the issue of copyright, her congregation bought a license through a licensing agency that allows the church to use hymns for an annual fee.  As part of the licensing requirements, she must document the music used each Sunday.  But not all the songs the director wants to use are covered by the license.  To use them, she must contact the original copyright owners to seek permission, which takes times and costs additional money.  Sometimes it feels like she spends more of her time and the church's money on copyright issues than on ministry."  (30-31)

This is certainly true.  I have seen it from my time growing up with my mom as a music director, and I see it now myself as a Music Ministry Coordinator at Cross of Hope Lutheran.

My time has taught me though, that the vast majority of hymns or worship songs that might be used in either a traditional or contemporary music setting are covered under CCLI (Church Copyright License).  If wanting to supplement this license further, holding OneLicense and CCLI together usually cover better than 95% of songs from experience that I would want to use. 

These license agencies/groups make it easy for the church musician to have access to the proper rights to use music- whether in music notation form, printed lyrics or projected lyrics.  Having central locations and resources such as these can take some of the worry and angst about copyright issues away, and allow those in these areas of ministry to be able to more deeply focus on making music and praising God rather than if they have permission to use a certain hymn/song to do so.

Additional Note:  There are also options which give denominational permission to use a certain church's worship materials and liturgies.  For the ELCA, this is Sundays and Seasons. 

Denomination Publishers- the bane of church musicians?

Mary Hess writes, "In the past many churches simply looked to their denominational publishers for authoritative content, assuming that whatever the publisher sold must be doctrinally sound and educationally appropriate.  Setting aside for the moment a judgment about whether or not that process has worked well, we can say that it does not work at the current moment.  Communities of faith are simply too diverse, and situated in too many different contexts, for print publishers to be able to produce such materials in a timely, cost-effective, theologically sound, and pedagogically appropriate way."  [Mary Hess, Engaging Technology in Theological Education:  All that We Can't Leave Behind, (Lanham, MD:  Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2005), 127-128.]

This discussion sparked some thoughts and memories.  I have mentioned on this blog about my church music ministry position and background some.  For a little more background, I was part of an exploratory committee in junior high/high school as my congregation's youth represenative on a committee exploring whether or not to begin a contemporary worship service and what this might look like.  Ultimately, the church decided to offer a contemporary worship service each Sunday morning along with two more "traditional" worship services.  This may not seem like much to many of you Minnesotans, but to have 3-services in an ELCA congregation in Western Washington is a big deal, and automatically places your congregation in a special group of congregations. 

The contemporary service was constructed in such a way that it was different then usual praise and contemporary services at different churches of different denominations.  The service at First Lutheran was ultimately called "Celebrate the Walk," and was intended to have a consistant flow and common thread throughout the worship each week tying the confession and litany and music with the lessons and message for that given Sunday (usually following the common lectionary).  The model for our contemporary service was distinctly Lutheran (and remains so today at FLC).  It was such a welcome addition and example of worship that the Synod bishop asked that our setting becom the informative norm for what a Lutheran contempoary service might look like, and so First Lutheran for a time was widely engaged in helping other churches discern whether their context might benefit from such a uniquely Lutheran service in a new way. 

Now, the point of this blog's subject is denomination publishers.  My opinion of Augsburg Fotress in the realm of academic and scholarly work is high.  In music, not so much.  Augsburg approached FLC about possibly using the church's created settings for examples for the larger church, but then after FLC had prepared the materials Augsburg decided not to make them available nationally.  They believed that the model of contemporary worship was a "fad" and that the FLC take would not work in the larger church. 

They are welcome to their opinion, but this act I believe restricted the church's ability to make its resources and ideas available to more churches and congregations, thus restricting open access.  I also believe the decision was short-sighted.  As the service now enters its eighth year, and has helped the church continue to grow its attendance and membership.  Augsburg's version of contemporary music is including "Shine Jesus Shine" in the ELW.  (Not to point out, that "Shine Jesus Shine," is arguably not contemporary anymore as it was published in 1987).  This sad recognition can be seen when searching for contemporary music materials in the Augsburg bookstore at Luther Seminary.  My mom, was here visiting in the fall.  She is the music director at First Lutheran, and is the worship band leader.  She wanted to check what materials Augsburg would have on hand.  It turns out their contemporary music offerings are limited to worship books such as "The Other Song Book II" which was published over a decade ago. 

I offer this series of thoughts to show a case study of how, in our very own church, the ELCA, with our very own publisher, Augsburg Fortress, we are just as guilty in not being able to keep up with the church in its musical diversity, and as a way to provide open access to new and creative ways of worship. 

[Note:  Lutheran Songs Today is a nice exception to this problem, but, the record shows, it is not affiliated with Augsburg Fortress in anyway.]

Great Conversation Today

This morning I had a chance to meet with the Lutheran World Relief's Director of Social Media!  Rev. Dan Ruth is the director, and he is based right here in the Twin Cities at the Minneapolis office of LWR.  We chatted about a number of things over coffee/hot chocolate (those of you who know me, know that I was the one drinking the hot chocolate) at Dunn Brothers.  It was a great way to pass an hour this morning while the snow came down in buckets. 

To those of you not here in the Frozen Tundra, we had nearly gotten rid of our entire snowpack until last night/today, where we got about 8-10 new inches of snow.  The ground is all nice and cleanly white again, so much for seeing the grass. hahaha

Anyway, our conversation covered how Dan got to where he is, and what he does.  He was formally a student at St. Olaf, and Luther Seminary.  It was an interesting conversation, not just given Dan's position's relevance for our class on Media Culture, it was a great first conversation of many between the two of us hopefully.  Dan will be a good contact to maintain, but also a great conversation partner as I explore and develop my topic for my MA Thesis this coming year, and hope to some day work in the NGO/Non-profit field. 

Use of Media and Information to overcome Poverty Traps

This week in the Proactive Ministry in Media Culture class, we are considering media education in a more focused way.  To this end, we have been given access to a number of policy statements, and working reports.  These are primarily the work of different non-profits, research institutes, and religious denominations. 

Now, awhile back, I was asked to speak more about the concept of a "poverty trap."  This week seems like a good week to focus more deeply on what this means.  Especially given one of the documents we were directed to, "The No-Nonsense guide to Media, the Right to Information and Poverty Reduction."

According to the document, "Strengthening the voices of people living in poverty improves understandings and actions aimed at addressing poverty, injustice, and inequality and can inform and influence public agendas locally, nationally, and internationally" (page 1).  This seems consistant with the local response to the problem in Minnesota, through the actions of A Minnesota Without Poverty.  But more importantly to me, it underscores why I feel such a passion in my calling to help in organizations who do economic development, relief, and poverty alleviation related work. 

Regarding poverty traps, education and open access to information are required to get out of poverty.  As the document says, "In a vicious circle, excluded people are more likely to fall into poverty and the poorer they become, the more vulnerable they are to social exclusion and political marginalization" (page 1). 

Economists Michael P. Todaro & Stephen C. Smith define a poverty trap as, "A bad equilibrium for a family, community, or nation, involving a vicious cycle in which poverty and underdevelopment lead to more poverty and underdevelopment, often from one generation to the next." [Michael P. Todaro & Stephen C. Smith, Economic Development, (Boston, MA:  Pearson, Addison Wesley, 2006), 824.]

Without access to information, people are at a disadvantage just as they are without infrastructure (such as power, transportation, etc.).  This is in part why I feel its a no-brainer to consider broadband access and internet access as essential in today's world to not only be connected, but to be able to communicate and learn.  (After all, the UN has declared that "Freedom of information is a fundamental human right...")  As more and more of our knowledge and resources are placed in digital locations and provided over the internet, if one's access to such is limited, so is their access to information in general.  Without adequate access to information, not only is one at a disadvantage, they are "cut-off" or "trapped."  People without this access are excluded and marginalized. 

As Christians we are called to speak out about injustice and to identify and reach out to the margins.  One great way to do that today is to speak out for those who cannot speak for themeselves because they do not have the resources to do so.  The best outcome of course, is that we can provide these tools to all people and show them how they can use them to share their insights and perspectives.  Therefore, there might be communal learning and collaboration.

The Dance of Redemption

Dr. Mary Hess presents and makes reference Dr. Katie Cannon's "The Dance of Redemption" in her sixth chapter of Engaging Technology in Theological Education:  All that we can't leave behind (Lanham, MD:  Rowman & Littlefiled Publishers, Inc., 2005). 

Dr. Cannon's model can be found on page 108.  She "has developed a process called 'the dance of redemption,' that provides a way to approach a specific problem while yet engaging diverse resources and ensuring connections to cmmunity(iesa).  This process has seven steps, envisoned as cyclical and ongoing.  There is no way to 'finish' this process; one can only move through it with various questions and from various standpoints.  Yet it is explicitly designed to provide ways to assess and celebrate progress, thus nourishing one's continued journey in the 'dance'" (108-109).

I am going to walk you through the model below and offer my thoughts on what this might look like.  My thoughts will be in italics after the different portions of the model in bold. Now, imagine a model that is a circle with arrows going in a clockwise fashion.  These arrows are connecting the following:

Conscientization:  When reality does not fit into what is normative; cognitive dissonance
This might be when one makes a discovery, or observation that is unknown, previously unrealized, or challenges one's assumptions, world view, or faith convictions (among other possibilities).  Such as, recognizing oppressive structures in one's every day life.

Emancipatory Historiography:  What are the systems/logic which hold the structures of oppression in place?
What are the socio-economic realities?  What are the assumptions in the institutions, organizations, or structures?  What might the church or one's faith have to say?

Theological Resources:  How do the theological disciplines as well as your spiritual community uphold and/or hinder the structures of oppression?
What does your church or faith community have to say?  Does the way we worship or shape our worship practices reinforce a sense of oppression or "othering?"  Is there a sense of insider-outsider, or "insider knowledge?" 

This theological reflection might be well served by using Dr. Patrica O'Connell Killen's The Art of Theological Reflection, (New York, NY:  Crossroad Press, 1996).  We alluded to this framework in class last week while disecting the SuperBowl commercial about the child in the DarthVader costume.  I was ecstatic to use the framework because Dr. Killen was my religion advisor at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU).  She is a fantastic scholar in religion and theology, who has recently taken on a calling towards academic leadership.  She served as provost at PLU, and last year left PLU after over 20 years on the faculty to become Academic Dean at Gonzaga University. 

Norm Clarification:  How are your values clearer?  To whom are you accountable?  Where do you come down?
Has the act of theological reflection, and the use of your resources help clarify who you are and more importantly what you believe?  Are you responsible to anyone?  If in a church as a leader, to a church council?  We are all accountable to God of course.  But beyond God, are we only answerable to ourselves?  Or, do we allow others: individuals, groups, communities, etc., to hold a sort of responsibility over us?

Strategic Options:  Brainstorming:  How can I use my conscientization, what have I learned, what are the possible consequences of the options to consider?
As Peter Drucker would ask as one of his "Five Questions," "what are my results?"  Where are we going?  What sort of trajectory will this decision or idea possibly take?  Do I know what I need to know, or do I need to know more still and be better informed? 

Annunciation and Celebration:  I can't do this...by myself.  Together remember, name, and celebrate the presence and power that sustains struggle.
This is a place for further reflection, but this reflection requires communal conversation and discernment.  For example, this is where the new student group at Luther Seminary, "Transformers:  Theologians in Disguise" is in, as it grows and reflects on why it feels it needs to exist.  The group feels a desire to engage in weekly conversation regarding critical theology- such as feminist. liberation, economic, ecological theology, etc.  It is a student group which has grown each week it meets, and its always open for new participants. Faculty and staff are welcome too, and we have been joined by the likes of Dr. Martinson, Dr. Malcolm, and Dr. Marga already.  The group's origins were in response to the "Transformative Lutheran Theologies" book alluded to in my previous post.  

Re-reflection/Strategic Action
Okay, this is where you are able to look back and see how things have changed, but also to see what kind of work still needs to be done.

Conscientization
The process repeats from the beginning.

Overall, this model seems very helpful, especially for thinking and reflecting critically on any topic from oppression, to other wondering about injustice, inequality, etc.

Tuesday's Links

I have decided to try out some thing some of my favorite blogs do often.  They simply provide a basic synopsis of interesting news and events.

Mine will not be nearly as lengthy, but hopefully interesting.

First, Allison and I had the priviledge to attend a panel discussion with some of the authors of Transformative Lutheran Theology.  The panel was held at St. Olaf yesterday evening, and featured the amazing theologians Marit Trelstad (one of our absolute favorite professors at PLU), as well as Deanna Thompson (quickly become a friend and supporter of our's at Hamline), Kris Kvom, and Cynthia Moe-Lobeda.  I think I was most excited to meet Dr. Moe-Lobeda, because I have used her models and ideas in my research for nearly 5 years now.  She has had a profound effect on my own theology and theological viewpoints, and to finally get to converse with her one-on-one was such a blessing.  (It's kind of ironic that I had to wait until she was at a panel in Northfield, MN, though.  I have had conversations with her for years via e-mail, but never the chance to meet her.  Even though she is a professor at Seattle University back in my neck of the woods near home).  Anyway, if you would like to see the panel, St. Olaf provided a video of it.

Second, in the lines of videos, friend and former Lute, as well as former Stuenite, Erik Bergs was on the local news here in the Twin Cities yesterday.  Erik is currently teaching in Japan, and was interviewed about his experiences since late last week.

Finally, what would links be without some sports news. Geoff Baker has this interesting story on Mariner's phenom prospect Michael Pineda, and his chances of making the rotation.  And, "Fangs Bites," provides a good primer for the broadcast teams for the first rounds of March Madness starting this week (today in fact).  Also, GO SOUNDERS!  They start the 2011 MLS Season tonight on ESPN. 

Follow Up To Last Week's Seminary Education Thoughts

In reading Proverbs of Ashes:  Violence, Redemptive Suffering, and The Search for What Saves Us for my Feminist Theology class this past weekend, there was a particular passage which seemed helpful after my wondering and questions from last week.  Particularly, in regards to what seminary might look like when its truly a place of discovery- both for the individual and the community.

Rebecca Ann Parker writes about when she was approached about being one of the first female seminary presidents in the country.  She had been serving as a United Methodist pastor in the Seattle area, when she received an offer to become the President of the Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California.  This school is one of the schools that is a part of the GTU (Graduate Theological Union), in which among others include PLTS- Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary.

Parker writes:

"Starr King's approach to education involved individual attention to each student.  Authenticity and wholeness were encouraged.  Evasion and self-delusion were challenged.  Students were trusted.  The exercise of their agency and self-direction in charting their educational course was expected.  The school avoided approaches to education that might disempower students,t hat might teach people to disregard their knowledge and experience of the world, in the service of ideals or agendas of the educator.  In this atmosphere my own instincts for honesty in religious questions were welcome.  And, later, when I would struggle to more fully face my own life, the school would prove hospitiable to my searching spirit" (Parker and Brock, 169).  

I am not saying that Luther Seminary should be like this entirely, but from the sounds of it, this approach might be helpful in considering if Luther is compatible as a whole institution to this approach or not.  (Obviously, the larger church that is a part of these separate seminaries is very different from one another though, one a seminary of the ELCA, the other affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Church.) 

If you are curious, and would like to check out this book, or if you would like to give it a read:

Rita Nakashima Brock & Rebecca Ann Parker, Proverbs of Ashes:  Violence, Redemptive Suffering, and The Search for What Saves Us, (Boston, MA:  Beacon Press, 2001). 

I warn you, this book is well written in that its raw.  It let's the reader in to experience the extent of human brokenness in the world.  Never, have I read such a powerful book that hints at the great complexity and extent of human brokenness.  At the same time, the book itself is a journey which leads towards hope, and redemption.   

Tensions, Persistance, and Networking

Scharen discusses the tension one faces between one's vocation and passion and the idea of submission to God, in his chapter 7 "Leisure and the Arts."  He offers the story of Makota Fujimura, whose story really resonates with me, because Makota refuses to give into assumptions in the face of conflict and tension.  He believes that he can do both- live out his passion, and be faithful in his submission and service to God. 

Scharen writes, "Mako has the support of his faith community so that while his integration of faith with his art has come at some cost to his success in the art world, he has had the strength of conviction to endure.  Despite the fact that he cannot resolve the tensions, he has not given up struggling to make his faith and work in the arts into one life.  For him, the struggle has been possible because he has been intentional about building a network that will support his work and encourage, rather than prevent, this melding of faith and the arts.  Building on Mako's story, we can consider the resources of faith needed to overcome the divide between faith, arts, and culture, and to lead communities in which such integration can be practiced with vigor" (Scharen, 116-117).

This network building and integration is not easy.  But its something that has become much easier to do with the rise of media and primarily the tools of social networking.  Because of e-mail and Facebook, I am able to have a network of peers that only a decade ago would seem impossible to maintain. 

The act of networking also helps build bridges.  Its through networking, that I hope, as an MA student I will be able to find a job in the ministry/industry I feel called towards (the NGO/non-profit/social-sector).  I do not have the same "luxury" that my fellow students at seminary have as part of an M.Div. program with a pre-built structure through which they will be called and given a place to work.  This part, will fall to me without the resources of this "call structure."  So, it will be important for me to use and continue to build a network which includes friends, teachers, professors, and people whom I have met through various functions across the country and around the world.  Though some say that social networking is eroding our sense of community and place, I think its merely changing it.  For those that are willing to use it, its creating a community of intentionality.  Mako is intentional in finding a way to meld his gifts and passions with the service of God in art.  He is having to develop this on his own, but is not alone, as he has the resources of his friends, family, and the goodness of strangers to help build a network where his story and dreams can be realized. 

Leadership as Learning and Meaning-Making

I preface this post with the caveat that this one is more of me just offering some random thoughts which come into my brain while process what Cormode writes about. 

Scott Cormode cites Peter Senge, when saying that Senge calls the process of communal understanding "'the development of collective meaning' and argues that it 'is an essential characteristic of the learning organization.'" (Cormode, 96)

Cormode takes this idea and then creates his conception of the "gardener," as a leader or person who can evoke learning and the process of making meaning.  He writes, that "the gardener tills the soil and prepares the environment.  But the growing itself is often beyond the gardener to control.  Thus to evoke learning is like cultivating a garden.  It comes when the environment is right.  Cultivating these learning environments becomes the principal work of ministry." (97)  WOW!  Now, not only is cultivating learning and knowledge an act of leadership, it is a part of one's vocation and ministry! 

This builds off his explanation which he offers of Symbolic Leadership.  He refers to the work of Bolman and Deal who explain this form of leadership as centering "on the concepts of meaning, belief, and faith." (94)  During situations of challenge and uncertainty, then it is up to the symbolic leader to create meaning.  Cormode writes, "During periods of significant social change, society looks to such symbolic leaders to weave troublesome events into a coherent narrative of hope." (94)  If you are looking for some historical examples, consider the way Martin Luther King Jr. worked for Civil Rights by weaving together the narrative of Moses leading God's people out of Egypt. 

Multi-Layered Leadership

Reading this 2002 article, "Multi-Layered Leadership:  The Christian Leader as Builder, Shepherd, and Gardener," almost convinces me that its author must have been in conversation with Peter Drucker.  It's not that hard to believe that this would be possible, since Scott Cormode, its author was the chair in Church Adminstration and Finance at the Claremont School of Theology, about a 5 minute walk to the Peter F. Drucker School of Management.  Plus, it would explain the references to Peter Senge, Max DePree, and Ron Heifetz. 

But outside of this pondering, a number of things have been going through my head.  This model which Cormode proposes of the "Gardener," is what other leadership people would seemingly call connective leaders.  In that, they recognize that there are different leadership skills requied for different situations, and that they are able to meet these situations with the appropriate skills or know how to let another person with the certain required skills, frames, or training take the lead.  It's an example of shared and empowering leadership, which is able to make meaning.  When Cormode writes that "the good pastor will begin to acquire skills to work with each of the models.  At this point, the models stop being styles and become 'frames'" I wonder, if he was aware of the connective model?  (If you click that link, you will be taken to an explanation of it, and to its diagram showing the interdependence and interrelationship of the different areas of leadership.)  They seem to compliment each other well.  If I had known about this article a year ago, I might have referenced it in my masters work on developing a leadership model for cultivating leadership in Haiti. 

The case study which is discussed about a congregation facing a difficult situation would be a useful example of how to implement my tweaks to the Connective Leadership model below.  When there is a situation or challenge, an organization, group, or person will be faced with needing to respond.  When there is no challenge, and life is in a state of "status quo," this might be a state of "routine."  When ideas or assumptions are challenged, rebuilding or remaking one's approach or understanding might be called for.  This is where leadership as a way to cultivate meaning is so important.  Recovery then, is a way of responding to a challenge, and restoring order.  The extent of the challenges might categorize them as "simple, chaotic, complicated, or complex."  I, with the help of the work done by Jean Lipman-Blumen and David Snowden and Mary Boone, hypothesize that these states of challenges might require different leadership skills or sets. [1]  [2]

---

 

A direct approach (what Cormode would likely call the "builder" approach); an instrumental approach (what he terms the Shepherd approach); and a relational apporach (closely resembling his conception of the gardener).  I could say much more here, but for now, I will leave it with this background.  If there is more interest by you, the reader, I would be hapy to continue to explain the model or even provide you with my paper from last year where this model comes from.

 

[1]  David J. Snowden & Mary E. Boone, “A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making,” Harvard Business Review, November 2007, pages 68-76. 

[2] Jean Lipman-Blumen, The Connective Edge:  Leading in an Interdependent World, (San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1996), page 112. 

Vocational Affirmation in the Classroom (??)

In continuation of the post I provided yesterday, I wonder if I didn't come across a bit to harsh?  I hope not.  But having read it again, I think it is a fair display for healthy criticism. 

Today, Luther Seminary hosted its third community forum of the academic year. It considered the way the Bible is taught and studied here, and how that looks in the curriculum of the community. I believe this is a valuable endeavor, and important. 

However, out of the questions and conversation that was sparked, questions ranging from: why we do not get taught the Deuteronomic Historical Books?;  what does this mean for Biblical Authority?; to, are we learning what we need to learn out in the real world?; came a question to me.  In the "so what" portions of classes at Luther Seminary there tend to be applications of what we are learning to the pastoral ministry, and pulpit setting.  These applications of vocation are affirming to M.Div. students, but what, I wonder can be said for those of us who are M.A.'s?  I am not only speaking to those who feel a calling to continued learning and perhaps Ph.D. studies, but also those of us who are here for other ministry calls?  Such as, those of us called to be leaders of non-profits and NGOs?  Are there applications that can be applied in class?

I hope so and I believe so.  This class excites me, for that very reason as we will be able to work with a non-profit, A Minnesota Without Poverty.  I also hope though, that such applications could be more wide scale.  Otherwise, the lack of their application, seems to challenge or somewhat question why on earth people like me have decided that seminary study is an integral part of our call. 

I wonder then, could this be a valuable and worthwhile consideration for Luther Seminary to use in curriculum construction?  Could it be a way for Luther Seminary to be out front of the church, as the church is sensing that its changing on a national and global scale and that forms of ministry are changing to become more fluid and less rigid and structured?  Hopefully these are more good questions to consider.  At the very least, they are what my head is spinning around at the moment.

"Victims" in our Post-Modern, Information Age Society

Continuing in the trend of thought from the previous post, I had to add one last quote from the text which I think is quite insightful. 

Scharer and Hilberath write that, "As a rule people become victims in our culture when they differ from those viewed as 'normal.'  The differences may be in language, lifestyle, clothing, social relationships, and many other things.  There are numerous forgotten victims in our society:  those who fall short of the modern economic and communication system because they cannot keep up, because they are unemployed, sick, disabled, or simply because somewhere they 'lost the connection.'" (135)

If we the church are called to speak out as Christ did for the disadvantaged, and oppressed, we now have even more neighbors and sisters and brothers to speak up on behalf of.  It gives new perspective to what it means to be a "victim" today.  It also gives new importance and significance to the voice of the faithful, in our call to give voice to the voiceless. 

Text: 
Matthias Scharer & Bernd Jochen Hilberath, The Practice of Communicative Theology:  an introduction to a new theological culture, (New York, NY:  The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2008).

Equal Access to Information and Infrastructure

A further discussion in the Scharer and Hilberath book got me to thinking about how I believe that people should have equal access to the Internet.  I believe that in our information age, how everything is reliant upon updated information and access, not having access to the Internet is comparable to not having clean drinking water or electricity.  A lack of any of these components puts someone at a distinct disadvantage not only in an economy, and society, but also life in general today. 

How much of what we do now is reliant upon Internet access?  A few things that come to mind:  this class; readings for class; staying in contact with family, friends, and professors; monitoring one's finances; doing one's taxes; finding answers to questions we have; finding directions; purchasing airline tickets; ordering gifts/presents... the list is obviously never ending.  But it serves a point, could you live in today's society without some kind of access to the Internet?  It would be pretty difficult. The same goes for electricity.  Could you imagine not having electricity in today's society? 

The writers of the book comment, "On the one hand, we have the economic and cultural 'real' space of the Northern Hemisphere, propagating the hope of boundless communication, but at the same time aggressively excluding the 'unnetworked' from a fair share of world resources and reducing them to virtual illiterates" (42).  This is a new creation of the "have-nots" in our world.  We have long had economic poverty, and resource poverty.  Now we seemingly have information poverty.  This is a poverty confounded by unequal access to education, or secondary education for people because of prohibitive costs or extenuating circumstances, but also, unequal access to the information world of the Internet itself. 

This is why there have been a number of initiatives to correct this.  I know in Washington State, the  Northwest Open Access Network was founded by a number of public utility entities with the hope of being able to provide access to all.  This model then was taken by former Washington state governor Gary Locke, who is now the Secretary of Commerce.  It can be seen also in the initiatives that President Obama has encouraged.

I think this is valuable work, and something that is important ministry as well.  Providing access to all, is not only social justice, its about giving people an opportunity and meeting them where they are.  By doing this, we are living out the call to serve our neighbor.

If, however, we do not reach out and help provide these opportunities to people, communities will be left behind.  The authors of The Practice of Communicative Theology rightly claim, "the greatest losers will be people in the so-called third and fourth worlds, the nonnetworked laborers, whose potentialities will thus lie fallow" (47).  In order for the gifts of God to be realized most fully in our sisters and brothers in Christ, they must have the tools and ability to access the information needed, not only for discernment and discovery, but also to communicate to those in other sectors and ministry services around the world.  If they do not, the disadvantaged and oppressed, will only sink further down the "ladder." 

I realize this is turning into an essay, so I should probably wrap it up.  I just have a lot to say, since the bulk of my economics study was on development economics.  The situation of the "greatest losers" in the paragraph above is what is often called a "poverty trap."  This is where there is a cycle of systemic poverty which cannot be conquered without a major change, such as the provision of infrastructure and open information and knowledge access.  Its a point where I feel my vocational calling strongest towards, to not only speak out about it, but to do something.  Hence the passion in this post.

Co-Learners in the Process

I just finished reading Matthias Scharer and Bernd Jochen Hilberath's The practice of Communicative Theology:  an introduction to a new theological culture.  It is an interesting read.  And I will have a couple posts here about thoughts that are running through my head after reading it.

This first one, is actually fitting after an enlightening conversation I had with the some friends at seminary last night after dinner.  Regarding communicative theology, "It is much more a question of taking into account the fact that teachers are also learners and that learners provide the teachers with something to teach," and that for this theology "it is a matter of taking seriously the fact that people are involved in reciprocal relationships and have distinctive though not firmly fixed roles" (12).   

These quotes seem fitting today because in our talking last night, we made some interesting discoveries.  Collectively the group I had dinner with shared the insights that:

1) We are tired of seemingly being treated like "kids" or "highschoolers" while in class here at seminary/grad school.  We feel disrespected by some of our professors in the way they structure class and "speak at us."  We miss the days of undergrad, and other grad school studies where we were able to count on true seminar discussions of learning by profs from students and students from profs. 

Now, this class for whom the blog is a requirement for (Proactive Ministry in Media Culture) is not one of the classes where this has been a problem, let me make that clear!  In fact it has been quite the opposite to its credit, and to Dr. Hess' credit as well. But there have been a number of classes where we, the group of us friends, feel this way about.  Some professors we have seemingly believe that they know the "truth," and that our quest for inquiry or questions are pointless if we are "wrong," in their eyes.  Thus, if we disagree with them, we are seen as disrespectful, rather than as people who are here to try and learn and grow.  Where is the discovery in this?  It seems completely opposite of the spirit of what a school or place of study should be.  It also seems to go against any conception of vocation affirmation.  

2) The conversation we had last night was really fruitful too in the sense that we openly and freely wondered about our own sense of vocations and call, and how these could look in the future of this greatly evolving church of ours.  It was a conversation that left us wondering, why don't these sort of conversations occur more often in the classroom?  They were the sort of conversation that I had once in awhile not only in my undergraduate classes, but also within my graduate school classes last year.  They are conversations of "visioning" and "wondering," some thing we talk a lot about in the Reading the Audiences class, but ironically does not seem to get employed much in the curriculum at Luther when wondering about ourselves.   I wonder why this is?

These are just two big questions which I am wondering today out of last night's conversation, and I was reminded by the book about them.  What might the seminary look like if it was created in such a way that some of its structure was shifted to promote more "wondering" and "self-discovery."  I know that in a seminary context, those that are M.Div. students are supposed to get this opportunity through contextual education, CPE, and internships.  But I wonder, why can't this be more broadly integrated in the curriculum?  Or maybe this is just my MA bias coming through?  There are lots of questions running through my head, which I believe is a good thing for students to have and to ponder.