Rethinking Smartphones in the Sanctuary

For the past few years, I've become increasingly convinced of the value of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and so many others.  These kinds of sites are, without a doubt, the way in which youth and young adults communicate.  That said, I've also been very clear that there are times and places where using FB etc. are not really appropriate... times of worship, for example.

However... however... I saw this the other day on - well, okay - I saw it on Facebook!  But it got my attention.  Even more, it has made me rethink my almost-instinctive desire to want to ban smart phones from the sanctuary.  Here's how one congregation is addressing this question.  On the welcome screen when people enter the sanctuary, this was showing:

Now, if you're not sure what any of that means, don't worry; you're in good company.  However, ask your children or grandchildren or youth around your church and ask them to "translate."

This seems to me to be an incredibly good and effective way to help communicate the Good News that is in each and every one of our worshiping congregations, letting the broader (and younger) community know that you're open and people are there with you in worship.  That makes a lot of sense to me... and it has changed my mind about how I might react next time I see someone on their smartphone or tablet in worship or at a church meeting.  True, they might be playing solitaire or angry birds, but they might just be letting their friends and family know what's going on. What do you think?  How is your congregation using Social Media sites?

Blessings and peace,
Steve

Learning a New Rhythm

For a little over 36 years I have served the Church as pastor of congregations.  To be sure, over those years I also have done other things:  Fire Department chaplain, college instructor in philosophy, Stated Clerk, and many community activities where I've lived.  However, the thing that has been consistent in my vocation has been serving as a pastor.  I have loved doing that... at least most of the time! :-)  What I know is that when you are a pastor, your primary focus is on preparing to lead folks in the worship of God on Sunday mornings.  Other things come and go - weddings, funerals, pastoral visits, crises, leaky roofs, boiler problems, etc., etc. - but that Sunday morning thing comes around every week... week in and week out.  And at least for me, that has led to a definite rhythm of my weeks.  I know each day where I'd like to be in terms of finishing the worship liturgy, writing my sermon, selecting hymns, and putting the bulletin together.  That rhythm affected and defined my work schedule, my devotional life, my time for study and meditation, and time for writing.

Now, however, for the first time, I am serving in a larger Council of the Church - as the Stated Clerk/Communicator for the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse - and things are different.  I absolutely love my new position!  Yet it is a change for me... not just a geographical change (I've never lived in the Northeast before), and not just a change in presbyteries and synods, but a change in how I structure my weeks.  As a result, I'm having to adjust to "Learning a New Rhythm."  No longer does the press of an approaching Sunday drive me to my books, to writing, to prayer, to reflection, to wrestling with biblical texts.  Yet what I am doing is so clearly ministry, and is a ministry I am enjoying to the fullest.  It's just that there's this different rhythm to my life and my work now.

Change is good... even for someone my age! :-)   And what change can do is to be that impetus to find our ways through life when we are "Learning a New Rhythm."  It's not a bad thing at all.  It's just, well, "different."  And so I'm adjusting to find my way into a new normal, a new routine, a new rhythm for praying, meditating, Bible reading, study, writing, and being in ministry with others.