Polygamy and a Banquet

Early this morning I began my walk down to Broadway. Not down the middle of Fall Creek this time (like usual) -- but along Sutherland. As I walked to the church I thought about the day ahead. The Bishop's coming to preach today. What shall I say to introduce him? As I think about the passage about doubting Thomas (the gospel for today) I wonder how the prayers of the people will go. What do I need not to forget? Though I know by the time I reach the church it will all have disappeared! In between worship services I've invited a few folk from Broadway to sit and chat with the Bishop - get to know him informally. And then after the 10:45 worship we'll have a Celebration Luncheon of the gifts, talents and dreams of our neighbors (here in the midst of our wonderful neighborhood).

And so the day begins...little did I know what it would bring along the way.

In between worship a few of us gather to talk with the Bishop -- get to know each other. He asks how people came to be at Broadway. We chat and laugh. He tells us a bit about being in the Dakotas. Troy brings up that he teaches Sunday School class and that one of the children in the class asked him why his two mom's couldn't be married in the church. What should I say to them, he asked? The Bish replied that we have put our pastors in a terrible situation. We tell them in the Discipline that they are to minister to the congregation -- but then we tie their hands. Not exactly an answer -- but it could have been worse. It sets us off on a wide ranging discussion. In the midst of which the Bishop explains that one of the reasons that the vote comes down as it does is because of the block of folks from the Methodist Church in Africa (the bishop used the term "Central Conferences"). He then went on to say that in Africa they have the power to make their own discipline (at least somewhat) -- which is how it is that polygamy is allowed in the Methodist Church in Africa ("though there are limits put on it" he says -- only two wives per bishop I wonder?). Hmmm, now there was something that I didn't remember. And I must admit it was a little confusing. Troy immediately piped up and asked "how do we become a Central Conference?" That got a good laugh. But it certainly made you think. Okay...in worldwide Methodism polygamy is allowed, but celebrating the love and fidelity between two people of the same sex -- is not allowed.

After the 10:45 worship we gathered downstairs for the banquet. By the time I stepped into the room they were already having to set up more tables (having had more people show up than they planned for). Neighbors and others milled around the table and the buzz of conversation was thick in the air. It was great. Maya was talking with Mark. They had never met before. Mark goes to church here at Broadway. Maya doesn't. Mark tutors a child in the church's tutoring program. The child is having problems with literacy. Maya runs her own tutoring program out of her home here in the neighborhood. She focuses on literacy. She has some ideas for Mark. Others are talking about gardening. Some are talking about health. Some are talking about arts and music and theater. Others are talking about housing. De'Amon gets up to talk and he tells them how he has been overwhelmed and surprised, himself, at the outpouring of gifts he has run across in this neighborhood. As I stood there I realized that I had never been at such a gathering before. I'd been at lots of meetings in lots of neighborhoods -- many of them in church basements like this one -- but I'd never seen a meeting quite like this.

It wasn't a meeting about problems. It was a meeting about hope. It was a meeting that came about because the resurrection is alive and happening in the lives of people all around us. And it was the first time I can ever remember a whole group of people coming together and acting like that was true. Ms. Anita and Stephanie had prepared the food. Smart food (for children and adults)-- finger food mostly -- tuna salad and chicken wings and meatballs and chocolate cake that made you know that there is a God (made from scratch and so rich that it filled you with every bite). Ellis was over in the middle of the community room with his pencil and pad drawing portraits for people. Krystal had her massage machine there and people were taking turns sitting down on it and getting a massage from her. The kids were running around and playing. It was an incredible time.

The question for Broadway at this gathering it seems to me is are we committed enough to keep up with what is happening in the hearts and lives and spirits of the people around us? Are we committed to truly investing in the folks around here?

Here's another question for me -- we gathered around tables of common interests. When do we get to cross pollinate our interests? I saw a sign this past summer advertising "strawberries and jazz." We need to think of that -- to allow such cross pollination to happen again and again. It's good to find those who share our interests, but it is really cool when we get to blend things together in new and unusual ways. That's when the Spirit's presence seems to really break through and be seen. What would it look like for the health care folks to get together with the music people? What if they started holding front porch concerts? What if we could somehow find out if that was making people more healthy? What about the gardeners and the artists and the economic development folks -- what if the photographers would do a calendar on the Gardens (and gardeners) of the Mapleton Fall Creek neighborhood and sell them to make money for the gardeners? Or what about the gardeners selling fresh herbs (being organized to do so) to the local upscale restaurants? In thinking about the artists -- and those who are interested in young people -- what about hiring wondering/roving artists and musicians to wander the neighborhood with backpacks full of art supplies or musical instruments and stopping wherever young people are gathered and "creating art?"

The question for the Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation is what does this mean for their strategic planning process? How does this information of the gifts of our neighbors -- of what our neighbors care enough about to act on -- help them know and understand their role in this neighborhood? I'm not sure of the answer -- but I think the question is a good place to start.

At worship among other things we read from I John chapter 1:

the Word of Life appeared right before our eyes: We saw it happen! And now we're telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. (The Message)

Everywhere I look around here -- in the gracious presence of gay and lesbian folk who feel (rightly so) that the church treats them with a tremendous lack of grace (thus making them the most graceful people that one can possibly imagine -- and we can use such overflowing graciousness around this place -- who can't?) to folks in the low-income neighborhood around our church who have been treated as poor and needy people rather than beloved children of God who have gifts overflowing to share -- we are seeing the Life of God taking shape before us. Too cool.