I love working Downtown Minneapolis
So today, as I was waiting for my fellow clergy to arrive so we could go to Hell's Kitchen, one of the best restaurants in town, and the best place to get Breakfast in all of the metro, they have the greatest Peanut Butter, the bells in the Bell Tower rang to signal the arrival of noon. At that same moment some guy, who had been sitting at the Red Light at the corner, staring at me, I had my collar on, slams his car in reverse, parks in front of our red doors, and jumps out, saying, "Is Jesus calling us, can I go in? Where is Jesus?" Completely taken a back by this whole thing I simply said, "Not right now, you can't go in, Jesus is out and about, I believe." Don't know why I said that, it was the first thing that came to my mind. He jumped back in his car and sped off and I went to lunch.
So here I sit in my office, trying to get caught up on all the stuff I have to do, feeling quite overwhelmed by the craziness of the job, the joy of this job and the all around challenge of this job when I decide I need to put the Church register back in the sacristy. As I approach the sanctuary I look out the door windows and low and behold, who do I see? The same guy, standing 6 inches away from the wall like he is peeing on the Church. I get frustrated, put everything away and go out to meet him. Luckily he is not peeing, he is just standing up against the wall listening for Jesus, apparently, he had received a message from Jesus, saying, "Bring my people back." He introduced himself as Ken and I let him come into the church for a few minutes and now here I sit watching him walk from place to place in our driveway between the parish house and the Church trying to hear something. Yikes, I just stood up and he is staring into my office window.
Anyway, I have to say, I was really hoping he would HAVE some sort of message, there was a part of me that was hoping he wasn't simply off his meds and randomly trying to find the voices that are in his head. It looks like there won't be any big strong clear message today, that is OK, I suppose we will never really get any big strong clear messages about our future here at the Garden. Just the steady persistent growth I hope we can accomplish over the next few years. It was such a wired message Ken had, Bring my people back, I wonder if it works with the Gospel for Sunday, the blind man who says, Let me see again. We are called to do God's work, to spread the Gospel, and I always wonder if it gets spread or if it stays put in our pews on Sunday mornings. How can we call on God to heal us, to lift us up so we can hear the Good News of God in Christ and take action to bring the inspiration and spirit to those who are stuck or unable to hear or see God in the world.
It looks like Ken is gone now, maybe it is this Church that draws people, but not to simply be spoonfed, this Church exists to inspire people to see Christ in their lives and how they can bring Christ to others. This place has such history, it is such a valuable resource, but how do we keep it from becoming an idol, which for many is what it has become, an obstacle to God's grace. Break down the walls, is the message I hear, Break down the walls so you all can bring my people back.
Be well,
A+
So here I sit in my office, trying to get caught up on all the stuff I have to do, feeling quite overwhelmed by the craziness of the job, the joy of this job and the all around challenge of this job when I decide I need to put the Church register back in the sacristy. As I approach the sanctuary I look out the door windows and low and behold, who do I see? The same guy, standing 6 inches away from the wall like he is peeing on the Church. I get frustrated, put everything away and go out to meet him. Luckily he is not peeing, he is just standing up against the wall listening for Jesus, apparently, he had received a message from Jesus, saying, "Bring my people back." He introduced himself as Ken and I let him come into the church for a few minutes and now here I sit watching him walk from place to place in our driveway between the parish house and the Church trying to hear something. Yikes, I just stood up and he is staring into my office window.
Anyway, I have to say, I was really hoping he would HAVE some sort of message, there was a part of me that was hoping he wasn't simply off his meds and randomly trying to find the voices that are in his head. It looks like there won't be any big strong clear message today, that is OK, I suppose we will never really get any big strong clear messages about our future here at the Garden. Just the steady persistent growth I hope we can accomplish over the next few years. It was such a wired message Ken had, Bring my people back, I wonder if it works with the Gospel for Sunday, the blind man who says, Let me see again. We are called to do God's work, to spread the Gospel, and I always wonder if it gets spread or if it stays put in our pews on Sunday mornings. How can we call on God to heal us, to lift us up so we can hear the Good News of God in Christ and take action to bring the inspiration and spirit to those who are stuck or unable to hear or see God in the world.
It looks like Ken is gone now, maybe it is this Church that draws people, but not to simply be spoonfed, this Church exists to inspire people to see Christ in their lives and how they can bring Christ to others. This place has such history, it is such a valuable resource, but how do we keep it from becoming an idol, which for many is what it has become, an obstacle to God's grace. Break down the walls, is the message I hear, Break down the walls so you all can bring my people back.
Be well,
A+
Comments
I've heard the message in Lavendem, England; Venice, Italy; Costa Rica; and Minneapolis. All over the world the message is the same. Come to this space. Find comfort. Worship. I'm calling you.
Sunburned.
Awesome.