Getting Comfortable at the Table

By Jessika Perez, Hatchery Innovator

 

I was sitting at an otherwise empty table waiting for a group of DOC ministers to arrive so I could talk to them about my experience with Hatchery LA. Saying I was nervous would be an understatement. It would probably be more accurate to say that I was seconds away from hyperventilating. For some reason, my anxiety does not schedule appointments to meet with me at convenient times. Thankfully, another Hatchery person noticed and asked if I wanted to go over a few things. He started going through some general networking tips before I interrupted him.

“Thanks, I appreciate that. But, what I’m worried about right now is that I don’t know what to do with all this.” I pointed to my place setting. There was more silverware in front of me than I had ever seen in my life. I’ve had the standard knife, spoon and fork. But nothing like the hoard of silverware mocking me smugly just then. Obviously, that wasn’t really the issue. It was really how I interpreted and related to it, influenced by my own experiences. The silverware became a symbol of how I felt that I probably didn’t belong in that room. That was clearly not the silverware’s fault. It was what I brought and projected onto the silverware.

The guy seemed a little taken aback for a second but then replied, “Oh… well… I wouldn’t really worry about that.” I was relieved that no one else seemed to focus on silverware technique when they arrived. It ended up being a wonderful evening and I really appreciated the opportunity to have some meaningful conversations. For me the takeaway was not, “just try new things and all obstacles are really in your head.” No and no. But it was helpful to realize what was influencing me in that moment. Also, I’m not saying that if we just sit around a table together, all problems will be solved. That wasn’t even true for this friendly, low-stakes situation. Here’s another story from the very same dinner.

One of the people at the table began talking about a “unique call to ministry” that someone had received to a particular church. Some context, I grew up in the Assemblies of God, a pentecostal denomination. I was interested and asked not only about that person’s call to ministry, but several people around the table. The expressions I received seemed a little confused. But they kindly listed for me the different churches in which they had served. I’m sure that I also had a confused look on my face. I felt like we were misunderstanding something, but didn’t know exactly what. Later, I asked about the situation and was told that the “call” being talked about in this specific case was a phone call. A phone call from a committee letting the pastor know they had the job. Sure. That seems obvious and makes complete sense. But my automatic and unconsciously made assumption was that the phrase, “call to ministry” is talking about a personal, spiritual experience where a person senses God's direction. Now, I've heard some DOC folks talk about a calling from God... and growing up pentecostal, I still distinctly remember having a phone. It was a classic case of misunderstanding.

In the dinner stories I shared, the worst thing that happened on my end was that I felt awkward. Twice. At least for me, that's a good dinner though! Hopefully it sets a quirky and still relatable scene. Being a human with other humans means being with the various relationships and events, past and present, that influence how we experience and understand the world. Not the world abstractly. But like getting a little freaked out by large amounts of formal silverware. Or like understanding a seemingly simple phrase or word in very different ways. It gets messy. I think that's what is hopeful about sharing our meals and stories. There's the possibility to be welcome, known and loved. It's essential and beautiful. Whenever I'm asked about the Disciples, I always talk about an open Communion Table. It'sa challenge to work toward “our daily bread” rather than settling for “my daily bread.” It's making sure I'm showing up at tables where I may be uncomfortable and making space for others as well. I've loved the opportunity to be able to sit down at different tables in the South Bay and LA region. I'm looking forward to this next year as I'll be creating a platform to share these stories and working alongside neighbors in addressing food system issues locally. If you'd like to know more... and especially if you'd like to share your story and and a meal or coffee with me, I'd love to connect. My e-mail is jessika@hatcheryla.com.

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AuthorAlisa Mittelstaedt
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Mile Marker #81: Seek Higher Ground

By Revs. Don and Susan Dewey, Co-Regional Ministers

 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

~ Matthew 5:43-48

 

This perhaps is the wildest, craziest and certainly the scariest election year in our memory. Just when you think you’ve heard or seen it all, something else pops out to totally stun you and make you wonder what is going to happen to this country? Why are so many people filled with anger, hatred, and vitriol toward one another?

At the same time we are again witnessing another historic event happening in our lifetime. The first was in 2008, when we elected the first African-American President and now a major political party has named the first woman as their Nominee for President! Whatever your political persuasion, this is historic.

We are also seeing significant fractures in both major parties as we move further down this election road. Both parties are asking for unity, but as yet it seems elusive within these two battling parties and certainly far out of reach for our country as a whole. One wonders if we are seeing the beginning of our country’s implosion? Will we ever be able to see ourselves as “one nation under God” again?

As Disciples of Christ, we have boldly claimed that “unity is our polar star” and yet we too have experienced fractures throughout our history as a movement. Even now, under the leadership of our General Minister and President Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, we proclaim, “We are a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.” We have to admit that sometimes as wonderful as that sounds, it too seems very elusive.

Twenty some years ago, at a gathering of city leaders in San Diego, Jim Wallis, President of Sojourners, speaking then about the polarization occurring in our political arena, was trying to offer a Christian perspective for bringing unity to our political divisiveness. He said the problem was that both parties, in trying to find common ground, refused to compromise and find ways to work together for the greater good. He then said, as Christians, our call is not just to support one side or the other in hopes of finding common ground, but rather to rise above and challenge both sides to seek higher ground. He went on then to name important values that are found in all major religions, and challenged us to hold one another to these values if we truly sought unity and wholeness for our country.

We will never forget the sermon years ago that the Rev. Dick Friedline shared as an Interim during an election year. He told his congregation that the next Sunday he was going to tell them how to vote! You can imagine the controversy that stirred up and the conversations that occurred all that week. There were some who threatened to have him fired if he told them how to vote and others who were hoping he would be supporting their perspective.

When that Sunday came, the sanctuary was full and everyone was anxious to hear what he would say. He began by acknowledging everyone’s concerns and then said he was not going to be endorsing a particular candidate. He did however say, I do want to tell you how to vote, or more importantly, how to decide how to vote. First pray, then study the issues, read your scriptures and pray again.

He said, as Christians, we are first and foremost to be guided by love. He went on to name other Christian values like caring for the poor, the weak and the vulnerable in our society, welcoming the stranger and praying for our enemies. Dick shared that these are the values to look for in any candidate that you might consider voting for.

We think Dick had good advice then, and for us now. This is a crucial time in the life of our nation. How do we select the next President who will guide and lead our country? What do we look for in this person who can help heal our division, our brokenness and our distrust of the other? We believe, like Jim Wallis, that we are being invited to seek higher ground, to call upon our better natures as we enter this election to build one another up, not tear each other down.

Our nation seems to be in the grip of fear, which leads to distrust, suspicion, hatred and violence. Unfortunately, there are those in our political and religious arenas that are flaming the fire of fear. Yet our scriptures tell us “perfect love casts out all fear.” We must not let fear control or paralyze us into inaction but rather let love embolden us to choose what is good, to speak with kindness, to act with graciousness, and to seek justice.

Last week at the Democratic convention, Disciples of Christ Pastor, Rev. William Barber II called for moral values to prevail over partisan politics. He expressed concern for the “heart” of America, and called us to become the “moral defibrillators” that must “shock” the nation’s sick heart to its best moral values of love, mercy, and justice. It was a call to seek higher ground.

Jesus too calls us to seek higher ground. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”

Friends, as you contemplate your vote this November, you are invited to first pray, then study the issues, listen carefully to each candidate, see where they hold up our Christian values, read your scriptures, and again pray for God’s guidance. Let us strive to seek higher ground.

 

Together on the journey,

Don and Susan

Your Co-Regional Ministers

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Mile Marker #80: What's Going On?

by Don Dewey, Co-Regional Minister/President

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. John 13:34

Have you ever stopped and ask yourself, “Shat’s going on here?" Lately I have found myself asking this question again and again. Since the beginning of this year's presidential race and listening to several of the proposed candidates spewing angry, hateful and derogatory words toward others in our communities, and I have had to stop ask, “What’s going on here?"

I pick up the morning paper and almost everyday I read of bombings, killings, ISIS, police shootings and horrible stories of kidnappings and more, and I have had to stop and ask, “What’s going on here?"

Then, like the rest of the world I woke up on a Sunday a couple weeks ago to hear of the horrific tragedy in Orlando where 49 innocent people were gunned down by a person who I can only believe was not in his right mind, and ask, “What’s going on here?”

And perhaps the most mind boggling of them all was to later read about Pastors in this country, who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ make outrageous statements that they wish all the survivors of the Orlando shooting would die or that our government should “round up all gays” and shoot them in the head, and I have had to stop and ask, “What’s going on here?"

Perhaps as the writer of Ecclesiastes said, “…there is nothing new under the sun.” Yes I know we human beings have always known of persons who have done good things and those who have done bad things. We have had evil personified through hatred and war and killings and more throughout time. I also know that it is always (most always) the terrible tragedies that capture our media’s attention and that everyday good people doing good things that never make the news.

However, it just seems that we have devolved into a more hateful, distrustful and fearful place in our world and our communities than I at least remember or have known. It can feel like all civility and human value has been cast aside and a “Lord of the Flies” mentality has taken over.  So I stop and ask, “What’s going on here?"

In a much more significant way, I wonder if this is in part what many of our Jewish brothers and sisters were asking during the Nazi reign when millions were being killed and hauled off to concentration camps. No, we are nowhere near that right now, but it is scary times.

Perhaps because the question “What’s going on here?” can often lead to the next question “Where is God in all this?” Some may be asking this today. Certainly many dying in those German concentration camps began questioning God’s existence and whether or not God had abandoned them. Some may have in fact believed that German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche was right when he wrote in 1882 “Gott ist tot," God is dead.

Yet for those of us who not only believe in a God who is in fact alive and well, but also one who has created and loves all of humanity, we cling to light amidst the darkness and do not lose hope. The extravagant love of God revealed in the life and teachings of Jesus remind us again and again that love and life and goodness ultimately triumph over hatred and death and destruction.

I remember sitting in New Testament class and studying the book of Revelations, a book in scripture that many people find troubling or confusing. The professor said to all of us, “Actually the book of Revelations is the easiest book to understand. In the end," he said, “Love wins!”

This may sound somewhat simplistic but I do think it is a simple truth found throughout our scriptures. This is in part why the cross is such a powerful and transformative symbol for Christians. Out of the horrific tragedy of the crucifixion (the worlds NO to life) comes the joy and power of the Resurrection (God’s YES to life). Out of the worst we can do to a human being God redeems it to become the means of grace and love for all humanity.

So maybe asking the question, “What’s going on here?” or even “Where is God in all this?” is not the right question(s). Instead I want to invite you, along with myself, to ask “How can I be the voice of love and grace, how can my life, my actions lead others to love and grace?” I think this is more in line with the life and teachings of Jesus.

President Jimmy Carter has said, “What is needed now, more than ever, is leadership that steers us away from fear and fosters greater confidence in the inherent goodness and ingenuity of humanity.”

Let’s add more love, more grace, more forgiveness, more understanding, more kindness, more hope into our world. Let’s not be guided by fear, or mistrust, or suspicion or anything that can lead to destruction and hate. Let God’s goodness flood our world in and through us, God’s resurrection people, as a hope-filled healing balm in our hurting and troubled world.

Together on the journey,
Don & Susan

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Hatchery Innovators

By Spencer Burke, Executive Director of Hatchery

 

As the first year at the Hatchery winds down it is hard to believe how much has happened. Just nine months ago I was arriving in LA, not knowing anyone, and not knowing what to expect. I've since met many wonderful people and developed deep relationships. Plus, my common cause community is actually starting to take shape - something that seemed an impossible task last September.  

On Sunday, June 12th was the second ArtWalk in downtown Culver City. They toured the city visiting historic buildings, busy shops and restaurants, tree-lined sidewalks, and interesting architecture. There were some new people, as well as familiar faces, this time around. Everyone had a blast! Everyone even got a little wet playing in a pretty cool water feature outside of the historic Culver Hotel. 

The ArtWalk came from a desire to provide a space for persons with disabilities to capture their perspective of the world and make visible, through sharing their art, those whom society has rendered invisible. Not only did this provide a creative outlet but it was also an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends!

Once all of the pictures are printed and framed, there will be a pop-up gallery sometime in mid-July to showcase the photographs. This will be a chance for the artists to share their photography not only with their friends and families but with the wider community as well. 

The ArtWalks and pop-up galleries are the first iteration of my common cause community. It will naturally grow and change depending on the needs of the community, which is a good thing. In many ways, this next year is just as mysterious as the first - and I am excited to see what's in store!

For more information about Nathanael and his common cause community visit nathanaelwelch.com or send him an email at nathanael@nathanaelwelch.com

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