It's Been Far too Long

It's been far too long since I sat down long enough to compose some thoughts and to send them to the keyboard. I suppose I could cliche' my way through all the excuses, but the fact of the matter is that blogging just didn't work its way up on my "to do" list until today. There were always more important things to do--some of them important and some of them pretty trivial. So, no excuses, just a mea culpa, and some new thoughts for you to ponder.

Thought No. 1: Why am I drinking this cold coffee? Every morning, on the way to church I stop and get a large black coffee to get me through the morning. I put it in my special Methodist thermal cup when I arrive and have just a little left over which I drink right away. Then I start to work, and the next thing I know, I pick up the mug and swallow cold coffee. And even sillier, I keep on drinking it the rest of the morning.
Today it struck me. That coffee is like my faith journey. It starts out with lots of steam, and it really feels good, but as we get into the work of it all, it soon cools off, and becomes the slightly bitter taste of something put off. The only choice is to continue to accept the cold, or re-heat. With coffee that's easy. We call it a microwave. With my faith journey its a whole lot more work. I am working on a sermon about the spiritual disciplines that help us keep faithful, and I hope that by the time it is done, I will have re-commited myself to each of them. Ah!! Hot coffee; hot faith!

Thought No. 2: What will life by like without Harry Potter? One of the really great connections I have had with my eldest granddaughter has been the Harry Potter phenomena. She is 11, and has read every book in the series, as have I. We have discussions about the books, and she has instructed me on the intracacies of wizardy and their world. When a new Harry Potter movie comes out, I take her to the movie, just the two of us, and then to lunch. We were recently discussing the fact that there will be no more books to discuss, when she emphatically stated, "But, Grampy, we still have two more movie dates." I guess that there is life after Harry after all, and I can hardly wait for that next movie (Sept. of 2008 I hear.)

Final Thought: I have been cleaning my desk drawers and desk top today, and trying to throw away the things I really don't need to keep. I have always prided myself on keeping a clean desk, and found it a real mess today. In the process, I discovered a couple of items I thought were long lost and gone. Now they are in their proper place and ready for their intended purposes. Again there is a faith lesson here.
Often we acquire some bit of faith along the way, and lay it aside until it might be needed. By the time it is, so many things have piled up on top of it that we can't find it. And so much of the time, the stuff on top is irrelevant or even counterproductive of our faith. I am going to try to do with my faith what I do with my desk "stuff." I will look at when it comes and if it isn't going anywhere I will get rid of it before it becomes clutter. That way the good stuff will always be available when the right time comes.

Well, thanks for reading my ramblings. And let me know What ya'Thinkin'.

Pastor Realff

Hello, out there! Does anyone care?

This is the 19th of these postings that I have done, and each week, I dutifully check to see if anyone has responded. The answer is always the same. "Nope. No responses again." And then I go to our website for the church (cojumc.net) to see if anyone has posted a prayer candle. and the answer. "Nope. No prayer request again." And then I wonder whether it is because no one reads what we have, or that no one takes the time to respond.

And then I sit down at my keyboard and write another blog in the hope that somehow it will touch just one person. And I put a prayer request on the website, in the hope that it will help just one person. And I keep doing it because, I believe that sharing is an absolutely vital part of our relationship with God and with each other as part of the Body of Christ, both large and small. We are currently studying John Wesley's Methodist Movement in England and in colonial America, and we see the basic root which made that tree grow and flourish were small groups called "classes" which met weekly to account to each other for their lives and to support each other in times of trouble, and enjoy each other in good times as well.

In the 21st century, we seem to have passed by that good old sense of sharing. We often don't even send letters, but instead use E-mail. (And here I am right in the middle of that E-sharing) We don't get to look someone in the eye, hold a shaking hand, and simply share on a personal level, and that diminishes all of us. But if that is the way it is going to be, we can, at least, not isolate ourselves so much that we don't even share electronically.

Thanks for listening, and if you care to respond, I will be glad to hear from you.

Pastor Realff

When Events Change Our Lives

The past week has been one of those weeks where events have swirled around me, without directly affecting me, yet impacting my life in all kinds of ways, both happy and sad. Some of those events were close and some at a distance, yet, they have now become a part, large or small of who I shall be hereafter. Let me explain.

Last Saturday, all six of my grandchildren were at our house. Five girls and one boy, ages almost 11 to 2 1/2. The noise and activity level at our place was incredible, and I don't think I've heard the word "Grampy" so many times and so loudly ever before. But it was an incredibly wonderful time to just observe the wonder of those young lives. My grandson saw the fish on the fishfinder on my boat and then ran over to the side to see if he could see them in the water. The 2 1/2 year old never ever stopped running--inside or out--the whole time and always had a smile on her face. The almost 11 year old was above the fray, preferring to talk to adults than the "little kids." The day ended, but my energy continued long after they were gone.

I also lost two people who were in my life. One was a colleague with whom I had shared time and talk for two years. He was younger than I and chose to deal with severe stress in his life in a very permanent and unfortunate way. Every church leader should be aware of these kinds of situations, which occur with too much regularity and take care of their pastor's before something else tragic appears. I recently found out that anti-depressant medication is the largest single claim on pastor's health insurance in the United Methodist Church in Iowa. The second person to go was my wife's best friend's mother, who passed away at age 96. There is too much in that life to describe, but everyone knew her at Gramma Mary, and she was a person who involved herself in your life--even when you didn't really want advice, you got it. And she will be missed by all of us whom she Grandma'd.

Finally, the news last evening brought news of the Bridge Collapse in the Twin Cities. Since one of my son's lives there, we were somewhat concerned, but he and his family are fine. But what struck me was the almost instantaneous effort of media and others to assess blame for the event. Someone must take the blame and be excoriated for it. When Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, we couldn't blame the act of God, so we blamed FEMA. When wild fires destroy the west, we blame global warming. I guess it is our nature to do that. Instead, I would hope, we could spend some time just standing along side those who lost someone in the tragedy. Hold them up and help them through the dark night. There will be plenty of time later to figure out if something could have been done differently. Now is simply not the time.

I think all of that is enough to let you know how my life has changed this week. How have events changed yours?

The Summer Doldrums

About this time every summer I get the "blahs." Life seems to be just one long runon re-run. Continuity gets lost in vacations and other events that either take folks away from the life of the church, or at least have them tired enough that they don't inspire energy any more than I do. When that happens, it takes something very special to get me rcharged.

That happened this year with what we are calling "Burning Questions" here at COJ. I asked folks to give me questions that they would really like answers for and I would use them as worship themes and sermon topics for the summer. I thought it would be a piece of cake with some nice easy questions; ones I could answer off the top of my theological head. But instead, I got some really tough questions. Who made God? Why can't we just accept that Jesus is a human? How do I forgive myself? Why do good people suffer? Is there Spiritual Warfare? And finally, what is the best Bible?

Suddenly I had work to do. I had to unpack some of those Theology books that I had packed when I moved here, and I had to read, re-read, compare and then outline before I could frame good answers to the questions. But the process has been pretty neat so far. I am only half way through the questions, but I feel like I have a lot more energy than when I started, and I look forward to sharing on Sunday what I have been able to learn. I just hope that it sparks a little energy in those who listen to what I say.

If you have been missing these answers to "Burning Questions" come on to church this Sunday and catch the fire.

Pastor Realff

Changes happen. Get over it!!

The word "Change" strikes fear in the heart of many churches. Sometimes change is a planned thing and sometimes it is totally unplanned, but is forced by circumstances. We are in for a summer of changes of both kinds here at COJ this summer. Some of us will fear the change; some of us will oppose the change; and some of us will embrace it wholeheartedly. But in the end, we will all live with the changes, because change is, in all likelihood, inevitable.



One of our changes is caused by the departure of Rev. Terry Plocher who has been the moving force behind the Youth worship program we have called "Revolution." He is moving on to a new ministry, and the program will take on totally new dimensions after his departure. We will have to re-think, re-shape, and re-vive a new program to take its place. This will take time and it will take patience for us. It will also take leadership which will work with change and will give breath and spirit to the time of re-birth. That will be hard, and it will take both patience and energy. I hope that COJ is up to that challenge this summer.



The other change that is coming to us is that our Worship Leader will be moving forward in his plans for the future during the summer and will be testing the waters of Christian work. This means that we will have to work without him for the next 8 weeks or so. As well, One of the Principal musicians is taking a leading role in music at another facility and will be missed as well. Another change we did not anticipate, but which will give us an opportunity to grow and adjust if we are willing to pray and work toward change. Any musicians out there who love Jesus and want to join a great band on Sunday mornings?



COJ has never been a status quo church. There is no reason to think that we have suddenly become one. Let's see what is happening and go for it.

Off to See the Wizard (or Bishop)

I am in the process of packing up my briefcase and suitcase for a trip to Annual Conference. I have good clothes and comfortable clothes. I have a couple of books to read, and some periodicals I haven't had time to read for a while. I also have the materials I received from the Conference to study before conference begins.

I am starting to get excited. Some folks are neutral about Annual Conference and others can't stand it; but there are a few, and I count myself among them, who love the time we spend in Christian Conversation, debate, and decision. This year is a "Resolutions Year" which means that we will be considering many proposals for stances on social issues. As Chairman of the Conference Resolutions Committee I have overseen the process of review of all of these proposals, and will know get to see what other people think of them. Some will pass and some will not, but everyone will have a chance to be heard.

This is also a year for our Annual Conference to elect delegates to General Conference in May of 2008. We will elect 8 lay people and 8 clergy. There are 26 lay people running for their 8 seats and 40 clergy running for their 8. It will be very interesting to see the process unfold.

There will also be programs approved and budgets to support them voted on, and the final plans for the restructuring of the annual conference will take place. All in all, I am sure that when I get in my vehicle to return home on Sunday evening, I will have been in turn, excited, bored, mad, glad, and sometimes overwhelmed. But somewhere in all of that, there will the subject matter for another blog.

See you all when I get back.

Pastor Realff

May Day--May Basket--May I?

The word "May" with its many possibilities is just waiting for someone to comment on it, so why not me? It is a word with chronological implications, political implications, functional implications and is also a word of high etiquette. Just think about it.

May Day is both a radio trouble call for someone in need of emergency help, but it is also a description of the day celebrated by Communist Governments across the world as their "Independence Day." I'm not sure that the two are connected, but it is, nevertheless interesting.

May Baskets, and the companion May Pole, are symbols in a way of the burgeoning springtime frolicing of young people in the flowers of the field. Handing out posies and candies and dancing delightfully around the brightly colored pole evoke images of hedonistic pleasure as well as innocent fun. Another contrast.

And we spend a great deal of time trying to teach our children to say those magic words, "May I." All to often we have become a culture of grabbing without asking; Of pushing ahead rather than waiting one's turn; of getting somewhere regardless of cost.

For those of us in the Faith Community, this last application of the word is perhaps the most important one. For the Faith Community may be the last place where we can recapture the civility that is wrapped up in "May I..." Can you think of another place?