Jesse A. Schroeder

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the season of waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ. I love the Church calendar - Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and now Advent. Advent is perhaps the most recognizable of all the church "seasons" because the rest of American culture changes as well. The stores put out the Christmas decorations and lights, all of the ads have settings of snow with familiar carols for the background music, and it just "feels like" Christmas.

But Advent is about so much more - and I want it to be about more in my life as well. It is about expectant anticipation. It's about eagerly awaiting a drastic change in your life and in the world around you. It's about the person of Jesus Christ - who is so unbelievably different from anything anyone would expect, you almost have to believe he is real.

I hope to post some thoughts about Advent leading up to Christmas - thoughts about anticipation and expectation, where I see God amidst all the American "Holiday" shmooze. I hope that I can tap into a belief and faith that is sub-cultural - it is below the surface of what everyone else is celebrating. I don't eagerly await Christmas day; I eagerly await the birth of Jesus more fully into my life. I really connect with the counter-cultural aspects of Advent.

On that note, two things: 1) Check out Advent Conspiracy, an emerging church challenge to "worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all." They have a great video, connections to helping provide clean drinking water for people across the world, and a place to share Advent stories. 2) Watch the Seinfeld clip below, celebrating "A Festivus for the rest of us!" (there's an invitation to some party at the end....I don't know what that is.... :)

My good friend Emily Sergent, a former student at GCCS, is working for a year in Port-de-Paix, Haiti. She teaches the fourth grade at Sonlight Christian School. She is wanting to collect new and used uniform clothes during her time back in the States for Christmas, to then bring back to students in Haiti. Please watch the video below for more information, and then bring donated items or money to Grove City Christian School. See the facebook group for more information.

...and enjoy singing -

"Get yours today!"

from http://asbojesus.wordpress.com/

I just read this article from Relevant. Although it moves in a slightly different direction, it certainly hits upon that inner chaos I tried to explain in my previous post. Favorite quotes:

Whatever our approach to the Bible, wemust concede that God is big enough to handle our curiosity and ourquestions. In fact, God is calling out to us to ask the toughquestions! I often wonder if He doesn’t feel like a frustrated teacher:climbing on desks, shouting through verses of Shakespeare, dying for usto be curious.

Discouraging doubt, discouragingquestions, offering a perfect formula as the answer to all of ourGod-shaped questions simply does not reflect the immensity of the I AM.In fact, I believe it stunts our spiritual growth and places our God,yes our Jesus, in a very unattractive and limited human-size box.

This is why I think God shows up in the unexpected places and, inversely, is hard to find in the very traditional and typical religious expressions - it keeps us seeking and asking the hard questions. This benediction of St. Francis has been on the surface of my consciousness for a few days now...and I'm almost afraid to continue to pray it, expect I know that I just have to:

May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that we may live deep within our hearts.

May God bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that we may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that we may reach out our hands tocomfort them and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done.

Reflecting on this trip has caused me to think a lot about Christianity, religion, and the whole "God-thing." My day-to-day life is infused with a lot of "Jesus" - from teaching Bible classes, to leading the music in weekly chapel services, to reading the latest Evangelical books. I get a full dose of Jesus every day. But those daily activities, perhaps simply because they are a part of the daily routine, feel like a shell that encompasses and often stifles the living core of my faith. What I have been reminded of as a result of this trip, is that the very core of my faith is not stable or definable, but it is a chaotic uncertainty that is surprised by finding God in the most unexpected places.

I'm not sure how to tie these experiences together in some powerful blog-like prose, so instead I'll just list some of the places I was surprised to find God in the past week:

• The first was certainly the Transgender Day of Remembrance which I was kindly invited to. I had had a somewhat frustrating day, and as I drove onto campus, I felt my latent anger rising up inside of me, as it often does for no good reason. I knew that I really wanted to be around people in a real way. And as I sat in a church sanctuary with about 200 gay couples of every combination imaginable, I was challenged in the deep chaotic core of my being. I saw more courage, strength, faith and perseverance in the lives of those who shared during that hour than I would describe in my entire life. From the simple confession of a teenage male lesbian, "I'm sure being a woman is great, but I'm not one," to the Zen benediction, "The way you do anything is the way you do everything," I knew that the heart of God was beating strong in that room.
  
• Every year on the retreat, we go to Carter Caves and take the students exploring through small crevices and dark tunnels. It's a great time of getting dirty and feeling adventurous. This year I was with a small group of 3 girls and 1 guy. We went to a familiar spot, started crawling back into the cave, and soon enough we were army crawling for about a 1/4 mile deep into the hills. The cave opened up, and we had enough space to roll over onto our backs so we could rest. We started talking, and I found out that the 3 girls - all students of mine at the Christian school for four years - rarely (if every) went to church because neither they, nor their family were Christians in any sense. They simply attended our school because it was better than public school. As we sat there in the darkness, unable to tell the difference between eyes closed or open, a very poignant honesty sunk in, and we realized that we could be honest with one another.
  
• Later that night, back at the camp, it was time for the annual "foot washing" service. This was something I had started about 3 years ago, but now for some reason was really dreading. I didn't want to set it up, talk about it, or wash anyone's feet at all. But moments before I knew I would have to describe what was going to happen, I felt led to give an invitation to wash anyone student's feet who would let me. The result was about 2 hours of conversation, prayer, foot-washing, and praying words of hope for different students. I didn't expect it at all. I didn't think I had it in me - and I still know that I don't. But from somewhere, something powerful happened.
  
• A day later, a group of students got brutally honest with me, sharing that they didn't feel the "Jesus thing" at all. Singing songs, reading the Bible, talking about God didn't do it for them. But as we kept talking for about 2 hours into the night, I think we all felt something very real happen, where we realized that God was real, and really with us, but in a way that was not what the good Christians were singing, writing or preaching about.
  

I guess more than anything, that it is what I'm trying to get across in this ridiculously long and unorganized post. I'm not finding God in the expected places anymore - church, worship music, preaching, small groups - but he is finding me in very unexpected places. I am more convinced than ever that God is real, but I'm hearing him through the music of life in a way that is different than ever before, and does little to calm the chaotic storm within me. Rather, like a beautifully dissonant chord, he is inspiring me to dance and move for some unknown primal reason which cannot be explained any further than that I just have to.

I've received several emails and heard various discussions regarding president-elect Obama's intentions to sign into law the Freedom of Choice Act, which would essentially remove all restrictions and limitations on abortion. There is a conservative movement aimed at preventing this law from being enacted. The emails and the rhetoric is strong, and so I did just a little bit of research. I am still working through my thoughts regarding abortion, because essentially I am realizing that it is not as black and white an issue as many would like to make it. It can't be the one issue to determine my political vote, it can't be equated with the Jewish Holocaust, and arguments can't be won by simplistic thinking.

When I hear accusations against Barack Obama, I try to read his website to what he is really saying about the issue. And it is true that he intends to support a woman's right to have an abortion, however, his words are much more nuanced, and in my opinion make several valid points:

"But we also know that Roe v. Wade is about more than a woman's
right to choose; it's about equality. It's about whether our daughters
are going to have the same opportunities as our sons. And so to truly
honor that decision, we need to update the social contract so that
women can free themselves, and their children, from violent
relationships; so that a mom can stay home with a sick child without
getting a pink slip; so that she can go to work knowing that there's
affordable, quality childcare for her children; and so that the
American dream is within reach for every family in this country. This
anniversary reminds us that it's not enough to protect the gains of the
past – we have to build a future that's filled with hope and possibility
for all Americans."

When I try to think outside of my own perspective on the abortion
issue, when I try to imagine myself as a young, single woman facing the
possibility of raising a child with no job, no health care, no support
from family, church, school or government, I begin to realize that
unless we work to make life a truly viable option, we can't take away
that woman's right to choose what she may see as the lesser of two
evils.

Via Macworld, I found Simplify Media which allows users to stream their iTunes library to connected friends over the internet. I've tried it this week with some close friends, and it's worked really well. Quick access to your friends' entire music library - pretty sweet.

So get the free download (available for all platforms), and then send a friend invite to jaschroeder - and you'll get to listen to all 3,300 of my songs.

In the last few days, I've rediscovered Pedro the Lion, a band that's been playing under the radar for 10 years now. There is something about this song, "The Secret of the Easy Yoke," that is so raw and honest, I had to post it. It might seem depressing or angry, but I know that many days this would be the song that most accurately expresses my heart. I couldn't find a streaming link, so here it is from iTunes if you want to listen or buy

I could hear the church bells ringing
They peeled aloud your praise
The members’ faces were smiling
With their hands outstretched to shake

Its true they did not move me
My heart was hard and tired
The perfect fire anoint me
I could not find you any where

Could someone please tell me the story of sinners ransomed from the fall
I still have never seen you
And some days I don’t love you at all

The devoted were wearing bracelets to remind them why they came
Some concrete motivation and the abstract could not do the same
But if all that’s left is duty
I’m falling on my sword
At least then I would not serve an unseen distant lord

Could someone please tell me the story of sinners ransomed from the fall
I still have never seen you
And some days I don’t love you at all

If this is only a test I hope that I’m passing
'cause I’m losing esteem
But I still want to trust you

Peace, Be still
Peace, Be still
Peace, Be still
Peace, Be still

An article from the NY Times about the exploitation of tin ore resources in Bisie, Congo. I'm sure this situation is common, and it feels like there is little myself or anyone can do. But the first step is for those of us who are on the consuming end of such resources to be aware, and begin to try to consume responsibly, and demand that companies mine and manufacture responsibly.

Interesting statistics regarding US counties that "flipped" this past election: 372 counties flipped, almost half were in the Midwest, and the majority went from Republican to Democrat. Obviously there are many reasons for why an area changes its political color, but this made me think about something Don Miller said back when he visited Ohio Wesleyan.

Don talked about how the swing voter is the person who holds the most power in our system of elections. The candidates spend millions of dollars trying to figure out what swing voters want, how to win their vote, developing programs and initiatives that appeal to swing voters. In contrast, those voters that align themselves with one party for life essentially "put themselves in the pocket of the <insert political party here>." The result is that the party no longer has to work to please these staunchly committed voters, and the party can easily stray from the ideals it once espoused in order to gain the voters in the first place. IMHO, this describes the current Republican party (although I'm no poli-sci major).

That is why I "swung" to Democrat. I felt that they were working harder for my vote, doing more to assure me that the things that were important to me and most Americans really would happen in Washington. And I have no problem "swinging" to another party in the future. Thus is the power of a democrat, multiple-party, political system.

I've been trying to keep up with reading Henri Nouwen's daily devotional book, Bread for the Journey. The readings are short, poignant, and often connect with each other from day to day. Sometimes then I read several entries at once because they flow together easily. Today I found myself reflecting on the Church, and I thought I would share Nouwen's words (added emphasis mine):

"Our faith in God who sent his Son to become God-with-us and who, with his Son, sent his Spirit to become God-within-us cannot be real without our faith in the Church. The Church is that unlikely body of people through whom God chooses to reveal God's love for us. Just as it seems unlikely to us that God chose to become human in a young girl living in a small, not very respected town in the Middle East nearly two thousand years ago, it seems unlikely that God chose to continue his work of salvation in a community of people constantly torn apart by arguments, prejudices, authority conflicts, and power games.

Still, believing in Jesus and believing in teh Church are two sides of one faith. It is unlikely but divine!

Over the centuries the CHurch has doen enough to make any critical person want to leave it. Its history of violent crusades, pogroms, power struggles, oppresion, excommunications, executions, manipulation of people and ideas, and constantly recurring divisions is there for everyone to see and be appalled by.

Can we believe that this is the same Church that carries in its center the Word of God and the sacraments of God's healing love? Can we trust that in the midst of all its human brokennes the Church presents the broken body of Christ to the world as food for eternal life? Can we acknowledge that where sin is abundant grace is superabundant, and that where promises are borken over and over again God's promise stands unshaken? To believe is to answer yes to these questions.

The Church is a very human organization but also the garden of God's grace. It is a place where great sanctity keeps blooming. Saints are people who make the living Christ visible to us in a special way. Some saints have given their lives in the service of Christ and his Church; others have spoken and written words that keep nurturing us; some have lived heroically in difficult situations; others have remained hidden in quiet lives of prayer and meditation; some were prophetic voices calling for renewal; others were spiritual strategists setting up large organizations or networks of people; some were heatlhy and storong; others were quite sick, and often anxious and insecure.

But all of them in their own ways lived in the Church as in a garder where they heard the voice calling them the Beloved and where they found the courage to make Jesus the center of their lives."

I often struggle with the church (visible, lower-case "c"), but Nouwen's words remind me that my faith in Jesus is also intimately connected to faith in the Church (invisible but also visible, upper-case "C"). That means that my faith is also in real people who I have to interact with every day - and that might be the hardest faith to have! Maybe that is why so many people rejected Jesus, even though they saw him face to face. When I look into the faces and the lives of the people who are in the churches around us, I struggle to have faith.

But I pray that the last words of the quote above would describe me - someone who has heard the voice fo God calling me Beloved, and finding the courage to make Jesus the center of my life. And therefore, I believe in this very unlikely, but very divine thing we call "The Church."

These great rockers from across the pond have a new album out, and so as I was checking out their site I found this video of a great song from their last album. Pretty funny stuff, and good music.

The sentiments of this article explain one of the main reasons I voted for Obama -

"...anyone who steps out of the U.S. today, in any direction, quickly sees that the American Century has become the Global Century and that where a generation ago much of the globe was trying to look like America, now it's America that needs to get in tune with the rest of the globe."

TIME has had several articles recently about the fighting, displacements and rapid deterioration of peace in Congo. Like Rwanda, Darfur and the many unknown regions of Africa, the violence is severe and many thousands are forced from their homes into IDP camps.

As I read the article, I was grieved by the continuing strife and the Western world's lack of ability to help. There are already more than ten thousand UN troops in Congo, and the EU is only considering sending a few thousand more, but clearly little is being accomplished. Any treaties or peace agreements have been broken by both sides. I was disgusted by the reports of Western business turning profits by harvesting resources. I was sickened when I learned that one such resource is a mineral that is commonly used in cell phones.

And so as I sit in my warm, safe, home with a full refrigerator, internet access, television and my cell phone only a few feet away, all I can do is learn, grieve, and pray. I pray that God has mercy on the people, especially the children, who are in need right now. I pray that the people of Africa will have mercy on me and other Americans, when we meet in a later life. That they will not judge my inactivity, my greed, or my ambivalence too harshly. That they will know - perhaps even now as they wander across their country - they might know that if I could, I would offer food, shelter and love.

But right now, all I can offer are my prayers.

I love this guy - his books, and you have to love this video of him explaining what it means "to de-center the idea that we can somehow have the answers without it transforming us radically." If you watch this short clip, and get what he's talking about, you will feel enough conviction about your life for the rest of the weekend.
 

For a challenging and mind-bending read, check out "The Fidelity of Betrayal: Towards a Church Beyond Belief" (you can borrow my copy if you want, as long as you promise to read it, and then buy me a cup of coffee while we have a conversation about it :)

In these last few days following the much-anticipated presidential election, the Christian community has been charged with differing responses to the outcome. Some people are hopeful, seeing the opportunity for real changes and recognizing the significance of the first African-American President believe that even greater things are just around the corner. Others are disappointed and concerned, wondering what a liberal Democrat will do in political power. I have heard questions from students about abortion, race, gay marriage, health care, and more.

In talking to students and adults about these issues and questions, I have found that there are very real differences between some of us. And sometimes these differences cause hurt and conflict between us. And so I've been thinking a lot about the conflicts that have come up as a result of this election, and I've come to two conclusions:

1) Being a Christian is - more than anything else - about resolving conflict. On a spiritual level, we resolve our conflict with God and are reconciled. On a personal level, I must do all I can to resolve my conflicts with people I disagree with or whom I have hurt in some way. The implication of Jesus' death on the cross, bringing me back to God through forgiveness, is that I have to be brought back to peace with my fellow human beings. For me, being a Christian means that my relationships with other people should mirror my relationship with God as much as possible - and so I must work to reconcile, forgive, and heal.

2) Standing firm in what you believe to be true is very difficult. It is always easier to run away from conflict. But when a person comes to the conviction that something is true and right, and they take a real stand, the opposition and the conflict will be shortcoming. A very big part of me would rather not have conflicts with other people at all. It would be much easier to go with the flow and not make a big deal out of it. But then I would not be being true to myself, to what I believe and see to be true in the world around me. And so I have to be willing, and expect, conflict - even though I don't like it and my goal is always to be reconciled to those around me.

I can't really say that I have many "heroes" outside of the people in my family who have dramatically impacted my life. But in the last few weeks, I found myself inspired by Barack Obama. I see him as a man who is willing to stand up for what he believes is true and what he believes is possible, regardless of those who oppose him and regardless of the conflict and the attacks. Below are some selections from his keynote address in June 2006, entitled "Call to Renewal" that I find particularly inspiring.

I don't agree with all of Barack Obama's policies, and I don't know how he will be as president. But I know from my own life that it is hard to stand firm in your beliefs and convictions. And I see in Barack Obama someone who shares many of the same convictions I hold at the core of my being, and someone who is dedicating his life to seeing his hopes and visions become a reality. My hope is that I can live with the same type of unwavering dedication.

"Faith doesn't mean that you don't have doubts.

You need to come to church in the first place precisely because you are first of this world, not apart from it. You need to embrace Christ precisely because you have sins to wash away - because you are human and need an ally in this difficult journey....

Moreover, given the increasing diversity of America's population, the dangers of sectarianism have never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.

And even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools? Would we go with James Dobson's, or Al Sharpton's? Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is ok and that eating shellfish is abomination? How about Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount - a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application? So before we get carried away, let's read our bibles. Folks haven't been reading their bibles.

This brings me to my second point. Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason. I may be opposed to abortion for religious reasons, but if I seek to pass a law banning the practice, I cannot simply point to the teachings of my church or evoke God's will. I have to explain why abortion violates some principle that is accessible to people of all faiths, including those with no faith at all.

Now this is going to be difficult for some who believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, as many evangelicals do. But in a pluralistic democracy, we have no choice. Politics depends on our ability to persuade each other of common aims based on a common reality. It involves the compromise, the art of what's possible. At some fundamental level, religion does not allow for compromise. It's the art of the impossible. If God has spoken, then followers are expected to live up to God's edicts, regardless of the consequences. To base one's life on such uncompromising commitments may be sublime, but to base our policy making on such commitments would be a dangerous thing...

...I said a prayer of my own. It's a prayer I think I share with a lot of Americans. A hope that we can live with one another in a way that reconciles the beliefs of each with the good of all. It's a prayer worth praying, and a conversation worth having in this country in the months and years to come. Thank you."

This guy's stuff is pretty funny - and often right on...

Don Miller, with full transcript of acceptance speech

Yesterday, I thought a lot about the beauty of our voting system, and this message from President Bush is a good example of why voting in America is such a privilege.

Good thoughts from Emergent Nazarenes

Is there some intentional irony in this?

The terribly funky CNN hologram

I wish more evangelicals had attitudes like these...

Interesting summary of ballot initiatives, and here on gay marriage

A prayer (and prayer/comments) for President-Elect Barack Obama

Sojourners thoughtful and challenging response to the election outcome

I just saw this video today, but it's pretty awesome (same video below)

Wow - this caught me off guard: Doug Pagitt running for Minnesota State Legislature. Doug is a leader in Emergent Village, author of a couple of great books, my favorite being "Church Re-Imagined".

I guess this raises some interesting thoughts about the relationship between religious leaders and the government. I was just talking with my students yesterday about Shariah (Islamic law, based upon interpretations of the Koran) and I told them, that as I see it, you have religion on one side, and government on the other, and these two come together to shape our society. But exactly how that relationship between government and religion should play out is where the difficulties arise.

I suppose that it is good that someone with the vision, leadership and morals like Doug Pagitt might be a leader in government, but I also wonder what credentials he thinks he has to be able to make policy decisions? An informed citizen? A moral man?

More thoughts on this to come....

reposted from The Corner

This sums it up:

"NPR projects that Barack Obama has won the 2008 presidential election.He becomes the first African-American president in a country whereblack people could not freely exercise their right to vote in manystates less than a half-century ago."

Lark News Report: Christian radio found to be on continuous loop for past 20 years

I think this is true of Christian music radio stations too :)