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Tilman Adair
Executive Director
This week I am 'back home' in Nebraska for the wedding of my son John P. Adair. He is part of a long line of John Adairs. Last night, going through the family 'archives', I found a photo that John W. Adair of four generations ago had tacked up in his barn. It is of a 1930s farmer putting a blanket over his John Deere tractor. The caption reads: "If you want to know how a man will treat you, look at how he treats his tractor."
It did allow for a good chuckle wondering if that was the same standard that Great-Grandma used to measure her future husband 80 years ago. Today, it still offers something for me to reflect upon. How do people treat their church building, and what does that say about how they treat their journey? Granted, our church building is not what makes us a great church. It is our members and their desire to embody the good work of Christ for the world that makes Montview 'Our Place'. The church's building does, however, offer our community amazing opportunities to connect to God and to pass that goodness onto others. It brings in many individual parts of our community, so that, as Aristotle said, the whole congregation is greater than the sum of all its parts.
This past month, members have stepped up in numerous ways to improve how our various buildings can better create community and serve communities. Because of specific donations by individual members, we will soon see renovations of Fellowship Hall, the McCollum Room, and the Outdoor Sanctuary. None of these projects could afford to be included in the church's regular operating budget. They required special gifts.
How else can the congregation treat it's home? The annual Building & Grounds Clean-Up Day is May 18th from 8:00 am to Noon. The B&G Committee has a long list of projects that require volunteer attention. The amount of improvement for this year is directly impacted by the number of volunteers that sign up. Please join us! Click here to sign up!
Gratefully Yours,
Tilman
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The Rev.Sheri Fry
John 14:23-29
I have a good friend that lives in Boston and she tells me that the marathon bombings two weeks ago have been met with a spirit known as Boston Strong, a phrase that used to belong to sports teams and their fans, now an umbrella covering for all of us. It appears in a rainbow of colors, chalked on sidewalks, and inked on t-shirts, which, leaf-like, are unfolding on human bodies all over the re-opened Copley Square.
The context of Jesus' sayings in Sunday's scripture includes the earlier promise of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the promise that the disciples will not be left orphaned. While Jesus' departure may involve grief and loss, the passage is about his continuing presence. Anxiety, fear, and troubled hearts are much on Jesus' mind. Jesus names the Holy Spirit to his friends, and to us, as The Advocate: "The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
Advocate is an adult name...a serious, mature, intense worker. An advocate speaks, pleads, argues in favor, supports by argument, urges support...these are the definitions of advocate, and though we can make the connection between them and blessing, between them and enlivening, the connection is not automatic. I think Jesus intends us to engage the Spirit by stopping to think about it. Perhaps Jesus wants us to find in the spirit counsel for wisdom, not just an emotional rush to joy. Perhaps for Jesus, justice discerned in the context of injustice, is an essential part of the work the Holy Spirit is urging us to do. Peace is a work of justice. And justice is a fruit of peace. They will both be the Spirit's prompting, as they are both the essence of all that Jesus taught.
The Spirit is in this world to inspire us to meet our cares with peace and work to address the world's wounds with justice. My friend says Boston so far has been able to stave off raging reactions that would turn them to revenge and instead, set their feet into paths of thoughtful action for healing all their wounded. Faithfulness in human action will, Jesus assures, lead to a firsthand experience of divine indwelling presence. Our daily practice makes real the living presence and love of God. Love in action is the closest we come to evidence of God.
Peace,
Sheri
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