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November, 2011
Messenger
My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers,
there the hummingbird —
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast;
there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.
Are my boots old?
Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young,
and still not half-perfect?
Let me keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,
which is mostly standing still
and learning to be astonished.
~Mary Oliver
Thanksgiving has long been one of my favorite times of the year. In a world with so much need and brokenness, it is sometimes easy to give in to despair. Yet each year Thanksgiving comes along to remind us to pause and reflect, not on what we don’t have, not on what isn’t right, but instead to focus on what we do have and what is right.
Thanksgiving is a day that invites us to move from a glass half empty mindset to a glass being half full, even more, full to overflowing. This is a day which is rooted in our faith. It is a day that asks us to view our entire life and times, through the lens of gratitude.
In Navajo theology, it is taught that the purpose of life, is to ‘learn to walk in beauty’. By this the Navajo invites each person to walk ‘in harmony’ with the Creator, with other people, and with our neighbors in the natural world (the rivers, mountains, animals, birds, flowers). The Navajo teach that as we notice the beauty around us, we learn to be respectful towards all that is and to claim our place in the circle of life.
In the Buddhist tradition, we are invited to ‘live mindfully’, which is to be fully present to each moment in life. In our Judeo-Christian tradition, we are asked to look around and behold the beauty that is all around and to claim our place within it. Martin Luther taught that the birds and flowers were ‘logoi’, little words from God.
Thanksgiving has been largely saved from the American commercialism (think Christmas). Thanksgiving stands on its own as a day that invites us to slow down and savor this gift of life, to pause with our community and say ‘thank you’.
Thank you, Creator, for this gift of life,
for the beauty that is all around.
Thank you, God, for your love
that permeates every aspect of life.
The poet Mary Oliver writes:
“My work is loving the world,
which is mostly standing still,
and learning to be astonished”.
On November 20th, the FBC family will gather at Noon for a Thanksgiving Luncheon. Perhaps you’ll have a slice of Myrtle Fricke’s delicious pie, or a slice of turkey cooked and carved by one of the men of the church, or enjoy Sherill Roberts’ famous brussel sprouts (yes, with Sherill’s recipe, even brussel sprouts are amazing!)
Much more than enjoying good food, we will enjoy good company and we will remind one another to be grateful for this gift of life. We will remind one another to look around and ‘be astonished’.
With you on the journey,
Kent
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October, 2011
The End of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
September 20, 2011 marked the end of a 17 year policy called ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’. It was an awkward compromise policy set during the Clinton administration to allow homosexuals and bisexuals to serve in the military as long as they didn’t reveal their orientation.
During this time 14,346 members of the military were discharged because they either acknowledged that they were gay or were ‘outed’ by someone. According to the Williams Institute at UCLA it is estimated that 66,000 gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual persons currently serve in the military or 2.2% of the military personnel.
On September 19th a Major in the Marines who is gay put it this way: “I proudly serve in the Marines, a service that values honor and integrity above all else. For twenty years I have instilled these qualities in the men I lead. I have led men into combat on two tours in Iraq. Tomorrow for the first time in twenty years, I will fully live out the Marine values of honor and integrity. I will no longer live a lie, I will serve my country without denying an essential part of who I am.”
The end of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, is an important marker in our movement towards justice as a nation. It is a sign of how far we have come as a country. My sense is that there will be a ripple effect in the broader community, just as the desegregating of the military in the late 1940’s was a catalyst for ending legal segregation in our nation.
While this policy ended for the military on September 20th, ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ remains alive and well as the unofficial policy for many churches. Some churches are openly hostile towards gays, or preach the message ‘hate the sin, love the sinner’. Most congregations however have an unofficial, ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. Those who wish to remain a member must ‘closet’ who they are. Parents cannot fully disclose who their sons or daughters are. There are no rituals to honor the commitment between lifelong partners.
Thankfully First Baptist, McMinnville cast off ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ many years ago. In the late 1980’s, then Pastor Bernie Turner took a prophetic stance and led our congregation upon a new path of embracing all God’s children. It wasn’t an easy journey. In the 1980’s there was deep seated resistance towards gays in our society.
In 1995 a lesbian student at McMinnville High School took her life because she felt isolated and harassed. In response, a member of First Baptist, Susie Alin, a guidance counselor at the High School, started a support group for gay/ lesbian/ bisexual/ transgendered students. The school would not allow such a group to meet on campus. Susie had the group meet for the next few years at First Baptist. (Now this group is an official part of the Mac High School community.)
Since I started as your pastor in 1994, FBC has continued to evolve in our understanding and practice of being an inclusive community. Our church is blessed in so many ways by members of deep faith and generous spirit, who happen to be gay. It is heartening to see that several local congregations have also moved beyond ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’: St. Barnabas, McMinnville Cooperative Ministries and Unitarian/Universalist Church.
As a nation, as a county, as a congregation we’ve come a long way. But our work is not over. Prejudice and persecution, both direct and subtle, remain. But we are moving in the right direction. As Martin Luther King Jr. said: ‘The arc of a moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.’
For those who would like to learn more about the journey and inclusive stance of First Baptist go to the page on our website called 'Inclusiveness at FBC ’.
With you on the journey,
Kent
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6/15/2011
Sojourners Petition
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Petition,
We are local pastors. Our lives are committed to our churches and communities. Every day we work to preach and live the Gospel of Christ. We challenge our congregations and parishes to live lives of personal responsibility and encourage them to live good and righteous lives. This also means calling our communities and nation to live up to corporate responsibilities.
In every one of our congregations we have programs that help those in need with jobs, clothing, food, or counseling. We gladly take up the challenge of encouraging our congregation members to give more, but in these past few years, it has been difficult for us to watch the need around us rise while the resources we have diminish. We work, pray, and do whatever we can to remain faithful to the responsibility of every Christian to help the poor. Still, we can't meet the crushing needs by ourselves. We do our best to feed the hungry, but charitable nutrition programs only make up 6% of total feeding programs in the country while the government makes up 94%.
In every one of our congregations we have members who receive much-needed support from government programs. We have seen this support allow young people to be the first members of their families to get college degrees, ensure mothers can feed their children a healthy diet, enable those with disabilities to live fulfilling lives, give much-needed medical care to those who can't afford it, support seniors, provide housing for families, and help people in finding a job.
SNAP, WIC, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Head Start, Pell Grants, and Community Development Block Grants aren't just abstract concepts to us; they serve the same people we serve. There are changes that can be made or efficiencies that can be found, but every day we see what government can do. There is more need today then Churches can meet by themselves. This is why we join in the "Circle of Protection."
As Christians, we believe the moral measure of the debate is how the most poor and vulnerable people fare. We look at every budget proposal from the bottom up--how it treats those Jesus called "the least of these" (Matthew 25:45). They do not have powerful lobbies, but they have the most compelling claim on our consciences and common resources. The Christian community has an obligation to help them be heard, to join with others to insist that programs that serve the most vulnerable in our nation and around the world are protected. We know from our experience of serving hungry and homeless people that these programs meet basic human needs and protect the lives and dignity of the most vulnerable. We believe that God is calling us to pray, fast, give alms, and to speak out for justice.
As Christian leaders, we are committed to fiscal responsibility and shared sacrifice. We want to support you in reducing the deficit. Small business and job growth are essential part of the path to prosperity for all Americans. We are also committed to resist budget cuts that threaten the well-being and, in some cases, the lives of the neediest among us. Therefore, we join with others to form a Circle of Protection around programs that meet the essential needs of hungry and poor people at home and abroad. We urge you to prioritize them, and we pledge our support and prayers for you in doing so.
Affirmed and signed by,
Mr. Kent Harrop
1225 SW Clifton Ct
Mcminnville, OR 97128-5737
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1/14/2011
A Covenant of Civility
Harnessing the emotion generated by the shock and loss from January 8th shooting in Tucson, President Obama spoke at a memorial service to honor the six killed and fourteen wounded, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords. President Obama urged Americans “to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully” and to “remind ourselves of all the ways that our hopes and dreams are bound together.”
While initial reports are that the shooter was mentally unstable and acted alone, these killings have raised a national conversation related to several issues, including: The inadequacy of resources for people with acute mental illness; the easy access to rapid fire weapons; the lack of civility in our public arena.
In a manner that was both presidential and pastoral, Mr. Obama called forth our best qualities. Referring to the death of nine year old Christina Taylor Green, he said: “In Christina, we see all our children, so curious, so trusting, so energetic, so full of magic, so deserving of our love and so deserving of our good example. I want our democracy to be as good as she imagined it. We should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children’s expectations.”
Such a tragic event in the shadow of a contentious election, serves as an opportunity for soul searching. As people of faith we have a particular responsibility to reflect upon how our faith informs our personal and public life.
The Sojourners website has posted a document called the Peace and Civility Pledge. This pledge, rooted in the wisdom of Scripture, invites each of us to commit to modeling civil discourse, especially with people we disagree with. I invite you to join me in signing this pledge online, or signing a hard copy available at the information kiosk on Sundays.
In a divided world each of us can model the peace of Christ. Even those of us who would never consider violence of the fist (or gun) have been guilty of violence in our hearts and with our tongues. This is true of me.
If we wish to honor the memory of those who died and those who struggle to recover, let us recommit ourselves to practicing our faith. Let us strive to live up to our children’s expectations by offering the gift of civility, caring and compassion.
With you on the journey,
Kent
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September 10, 2010
Beyond Fear of Islam
Fear is a powerful force. A pastor in Florida the Rev. Terry Jones and his small congregation are whipping the winds of fear and intolerance by an on again, off again threat to burn copies of the Quran. Their hateful threat, along with a push back in New York City to building a mosque near the site of the Twin Towers attack, is creating a climate of fear and intolerance towards Islam.
This fear is in contrast to our nations historic commitment to religious diversity and tolerance. We are at our best as a nation when we not only tolerate, but also seek to understand and value the distinct wisdom of each group. As a citizen, I say to Rev. Jones: "Your witness is contrary to what makes this nation great, it is designed to provoke violence and divide people." As a Christian, I say to Rev. Jones: "Your witness is contrary to the way of Jesus, which is a way of reconciliation and peace."
In response to the ignorance and intolerance of our time, I have purchased my first copy of the Quran. I am committed to reading this holy book of my Islamic sisters and brothers. I look forward to learning from their tradition and finding the common ground upon which all people can stand.
~ Kent Harrop, Pastor, McMinnville First Baptist Church
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July 15, 2010
An Open Letter to President Obama
Dear President Obama:
Recently I re-read your acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize. As I did so I was drawn to a statement you made early in your speech:
“We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth: We will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations – acting individually or in concert – will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.
I make this statement mindful of what Martin Luther King Jr. said in this same ceremony years ago:
“Violence never brings permanent peace.
It solves no social problem: it merely
creates new and more complicated ones.”
As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King’s life work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence. I know there’s nothing weak – nothing passive – nothing naïve – in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King.
But as a head of state sworn to protect and defend my nation, I cannot be guided by their examples alone. I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people.”
Mr. President, I can only imagine the complexity of the challenges you face in office. I believe your desire is sincere to do what is best for our country and, indeed, for our global neighbors. However as a fellow follower of Jesus, I must question the basis upon which you build your argument for force.
As you know, Dr. King’s life was rooted in the teachings and example of Jesus. Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu, was inspired by the non-violent way of Jesus. We remember that our Lord was crucified upon the cross of empire, because he refused to go along with the way of power. In Luke 19 he wept over Jerusalem saying, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes.”
Mr. President I pray that the way of empire will not blind you to the way of Jesus. The way of Jesus is a way of confronting evil through non-violent means. It is a way that offers limitless, life-giving possibilities for confronting evil. As you say in your speech, “there’s nothing weak – nothing passive – nothing naïve – in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King”.
I agree that there is evil in the world and that it must be confronted - but not through violent means. Violence has led to the killing of many innocent civilians in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Violence serves as an effective recruiting tool for a new generation of terrorists. Violence costs too much in dollars and in the physical, psychological and spiritual price that it always exacts on civilians and combatants.
For the most part, people turn to terrorism because they feel there is no hope. Terrorism declines as hope is restored. Our hopes are universal: access to education, health care, economic opportunity, dignity and security for one’s family.
Mr. President, I respectfully ask that you turn from military solutions to the challenges of our time. I ask that you commit the humanitarian resources of our great nation toward eradicating the inequalities and injustice that create the breeding ground for terrorism. Other nations are looking to us for leadership and will join us in this effort.
Mr. President, by your own admission, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize was not warranted. Yet, you have the opportunity to earn this honor. You will do so to the extent that you choose to walk in the way of King, Gandhi and Jesus. Millions of your fellow citizens and citizens of the world are ready to walk alongside you.
In recent days you have provided leadership worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate through an agreement between the United States and Russia to reduce nuclear weapon arsenals. Your administration also renounced development of new nuclear weapons. Such leadership moves us closer to a world-wide culture of peace. Thank you.
Please know that I am praying for you. God’s grace and peace be with you, your family, our nation and with our global family.
Sincerely,
Kent Harrop, Pastor, First Baptist Church, McMinnville, Oregon.
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