January '10 - Pastor to the People
Who would have ever thought that a burro and a donkey would land ERPC in national and international news! How ironic that our major goal as a church during the Christmas season (to proclaim the good news of the birth of the Messiah) would receive its platform in such a humble and unexpected way. In fact, it reminds me of how the giving of God’s son first occurred.
Our news story began with the Vail Daily and 6 hours later was across the globe on AP. In it I referred to a letter I sent to our “parishioners”. The actual letter was to a group from the Denver Presbytery that I help lead. We had been dealing with a stressful situation. To provide relief and put it all in perspective, I wrote the following:
“I wanted to share a draining but enlightening distraction I had today that I hope cheers you all. Our church puts on a "Living Nativity" which features our weekly community dinner but with the whole cast of characters present (kids in costume), outside in the snow, shivering in a manger, with our choir leading carols and hot chocolate warming everyone. A local rancher donated a donkey and a burro this year and other animals are on their way.
My wife had driven my little shepherds and wisemen to a TV station to do a promo for the event. The donkey and the burro stayed the night at the church in a fenced in area. With an already full 'to-do' list, I received a call that my wife had locked the keys in her car. That was followed by a call that our burro and donkey had broken loose!
Now imagine a pastor, his wife and kids and a few helpers from the church running miles (literally!) down some railroad tracks in snow...chasing a burro and a donkey. Eventually with the help of three policemen, a parishioner and I got hold of the animals. My family had already returned to the church and in the quiet walk back to the church (more miles!) and with snow falling all around...I had time to ponder how Mary and Joseph must have felt on their long journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. I thus renamed the two animals "Mary and Joseph". I pondered all the weight that must have already been upon Joseph and Mary and how they must have asked time and time again, "what is God up to with us". I pondered whether, amidst the pressure, Joseph ever had to run down the family burro with Mary yelling out instructions! All of these little distractions with so much going on already. But finally, in a humble manger, God was “with them”. The word became flesh and was dwelling in their midst.
It will be a draining few days for us all but in the midst of the distractions I hope that God will find all of us in a still, quiet moment (whether walking upon a railroad track or stuck in a traffic jam), and that we will be able to sense "God being with us" amidst the busy-ness.
Merry Christmas and May God be with us in 2010, during this “wonderful” and yet “challenging” time of year.
Blessings, Rob
Blessings, Rob