Reflecting God's Light

I shared with the United Methodist Men’s group recently about the values of companionship and compassion. The previous day a colleague and I had taken a long morning hike in the desert, catching up and sharing how our lives were going. Our relationship spans a couple decades. Michael, who is four years my senior, jokingly asked, “Will you still go hiking with me, Jeff, when I’m 70?” But of course! How important it is to have companions to share our journeys with.

We were joined for lunch by a friend of mine named Gerardo. (Did you know that the word ‘companion’ is derived from the Latin meaning to share bread with?) As we broke bread together, I encouraged Gerardo to tell Michael his story.

Gerardo is an undocumented Mexican National who has lived and worked – and paid taxes – in the U.S. for over twenty years. I met him years ago when he joined a church I was serving in Phoenix. “I was a police officer in Mexico, but I couldn’t take the corruption,” Gerardo explained. He also happens to be gay, and he had hoped the U.S. might be more accepting than Mexico. His application for citizenship has been thwarted time and again. As you know, the waiting list is exceedingly long for folks from Mexico and Central America. But he remains hopeful for himself and the six million other undocumented immigrants in our land, and has become an activist. As he says, “I’m out of the closet and out of the shadows.”

As I shared with the men’s group, Jesus invites us to extend our circle of compassion beyond our families and loved ones and close associates to include the outsider. Ironically – and this was not lost on my colleague – Gerardo is a brother in Christ. Of course, the Gospel knows no borders. We were deeply moved by Gerardo’s plight. I invite you to join your prayers with mine as our country finds a way forward with comprehensive immigration reform. I also invite you to consider whom Christ is calling you to be a companion to on your journey!

Blessings,

Pastor Jeff

Nearly fifteen years ago my close friend and colleague in ministry Rev. David Felten and I conceived of “Living the Questions,” a video & internet-based introduction to progressive Christianity. As we interviewed and taped leading religion voices the project began to unfold, and Via de Cristo UMC and Asbury UMC (my previous appointments) served as “incubators” as we developed and “beta-tested” a curriculum that has now been used in over 5,000 churches in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain and Australia. Our aim has always been to help resource local church communities – beginning with the ones we’re serving – to discover together what it means to be faithful followers of Jesus in our day. A couple of years ago, HarperOne published our book of the same name, with the subtitle “The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity.”

On Thursday mornings beginning September 4 (10am-noon) and Monday evenings beginning September 8 (6:30-8:30pm) we’ll start the first “flight” of Living the Questions 2.0 in the Adult Room at Dayspring (see box at left). It’s called “An Invitation to Journey.” Let this serve as an invitation to see your life as a journey of faith where the questions can be as rich and meaningful as any answers — indeed, perhaps more so. I hope you’ll join me!

Pastor Jeff

I want to thank the people of Dayspring for your love and support around the death of my father, John E. Murphy, Jr. I am deeply grateful for your understanding and prayers, your cards and condolences. I especially want to thank Rev. Chuck Winkler for filling in for me on my second Sunday, and Rev. Michael Kelley and our church secretary, Jill Moyer, for going the extra mile for me in my dad’s final days. You all allowed me to be present to my father and family during that precious time, and I am profoundly grateful.

Now begins the process of mourning.

“Blessed are those who mourn,” begins the Second Beatitude, “for they shall be comforted.” No one is a stranger to grief. Grief is the pain we experience because of some loss. Whether the loss is experienced because of death, divorce or distance – or the loss of a dream – loss produces pain. Mourning is what we do with our grief.

I find comfort and strength in these words from a prayer by DeWane Zimmerman:

If so much that is precious
can be so quickly lost,
Let me cherish my present relationships
even more.

The love I can no longer give –
to this one who has died –
help me, O God, to give
to those who are alive.

Make my compassion deeper,
my sympathy wider,
and let me not be blind
to all that is good and lovely now.

This congregation knows all too well the sting of loss. With you, I still mourn the tragic death of Dr. Jane Tews. And I know, of course, that each one of you has experienced profound personal loss. I am privileged to be on this journey with you. Thank you for sharing in my own grief. I hope to be present for you in your times of need as well.

Blessings,
Pastor Jeff