Walking Up the Mountain to Pray

Reflections on My Sabbatical

I think it is true that many great adventures begin with a friendly dare, or perhaps even a sincere suggestion!  When I told Mike Blom we were thinking of traveling to South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore, my friend and his wife Beth, both born in the great Northern state had many a suggestion and maybe even a dare or two!  I am joking, of course, but Mike did encourage me to hike up Black Elk Peak.  At 7,242 feet, it is the highest peak this side of the Rockies, and since I did say that my main objective during my sabbatical was “to go up the mountain to pray,” it seemed more than a dare or even a suggestion.  It was an imperative, one that was God-inspired!

Though we are often accompanied on great adventures with friends and families, this journey was one I was to make alone.  Jan didn’t want to take the 5 hour hike up and down, and the boys expressed doubt and trepidation!  They would rather swim!  And so, after a bit of stretching, a pack filed with water and a few provisions, including the snake bite kit Mike had provided (I think this more than anything dissuaded Jan!), I set off on my journey up Black Elk Peak.

Walking down the path, I thought the first steps were rather easy as I meandered through the countryside on a gentle slope.  I was glad I was starting in the morning, as the first part had much open sunlight, but soon I was surrounded by tall pines and the path took a steeper incline.  I was praying as I walked, thinking of things in my life, both important and mundane.  Even when I am in the depths of prayer, I find my mind can often wander.  I try to stay open to the Lord, even when my thoughts take me to strange places!  Even so, I prayed for my family, especially my wife and her battle with cancer, praying it will be kept at bay; I prayed for my children, giving thanks for their personalities and for blessings on their journeys; I prayed for Hope United, for direction and guidance; I prayed for my parents and sisters, for friends, for our world and its many challenges, for God’s will be done.  And I prayed that the Lord would bring a renewal to my faith, that through this time of sabbatical, I would fall in love again with the One who gives me life, and that I might discern the path of service my Lord begs me to follow.

The thing about journeys, especially when you are walking up a mountain to pray, you need to concentrate on where you are going!  Thank God I was given a trail to follow, and for the most part it was easy to find my way!  But even so, I had to be attentive, look for the signs, and watch my steps.  As on any journey, I was mindful of the need to be aware of my immediate surroundings, to even plan my steps, all with the goal of reaching the top of the mountain.  This was not a sprint!  And given that I’m not in the best of shape, I tried to conserve my strength, take many breaks along the way, and drink plenty of water.  This was a very popular trail, and though I passed several who were coming down, there were a few who found my advancement too slow!  Every time a more enthusiastic traveler passed me, I just reminded myself that the turtle ended up beating the hare!

I also took time to admire the view along the way—to take in the beautiful, rugged terrain of the Black Hills, the jagged peaks of granite, the towering pines and white-barked Aspen, a land of awe and wonder.  Even on my approach, I didn’t want to miss the blessing of the journey.  I knew where I was going, and on one part of the trail, I could even see my goal—a stone building and lookout tower that was used to catch fires before they spread.  It looked tiny in the distance, and it also looked rather high!  But it was helpful to see where I was going, even inspirational.  It let me see that my goal was attainable, even if part of me doubted I could make it.

And so I continued, one step at a time.  The trail got steeper and the terrain more rugged, especially the last bit of the path where two trails converged to go up the final stretch that would bring me to the top.  But eventually, I came to a set of stairs, one last climb.  Instead of pushing myself too much (I was out of breath!), I rested in the shade (a small stone tunnel along the way) before proceeding.

The view was spectacular!  And boy, was I high up!  Despite my fear of heights, I climbed the tower and looked over the edge (while holding on tightly)!

I could see for miles and miles!  I was even told that on a clear day, one could see 5 states from that vantage point!  I must be honest though, when I looked down at the area surrounding the tower, I couldn’t believe how many people were up there with me!  More than that, some of them were much braver than I, getting right near the edge, climbing on rocks that were over 7,000 feet high!

And though I took advantage of the amazing view, I was also grateful for the cool and powerful wind!  And it was really blowing!  After all, didn’t I come up the mountain to pray and isn’t the wind a metaphor for the Spirit of God?  I resolved to embrace the moment, to not rush back down, but to take it all in, to rest and pray, to admire and celebrate reaching the goal of my journey.  I sat down, took a few pictures, and enjoyed a bit to eat, all the while watching the chipmunks that showed no fear of falling, all scrambling around for the latest bit of food dropped by my fellow sojourners.

And in my prayer and discernment, walking this journey, I distinctly heard the voice of the Stillspeaking God, telling me that this would not be the last mountain I walked.  I still have more mountains to climb, more summits to reach, more challenges, some of them just as grueling and difficult.  The sound of the Lord was both adamant and compelling, both literal and symbolic, and I felt blessed that the Lord would invite me on such a journey.

Coming down from the peak, curiously I found that going down was just as hard if not more difficult than going up!  It wasn’t as grueling physically (I was going down after all), but I had to be very careful with my steps.  It was easier to slip, and several times I lost my balance and almost fell.  I was reminded that on any journey, going up or coming down, there was a need to remain attentive.  When we are chasing a dream, it’s easier to maintain your diligence, but after you reach your goal there is a strong temptation to become complacent, to forget the hard work and careful planning that got you to this point.  And so I resolved, with God’s help, to continue to watch my steps, for I know that the Lord still has mountains for me to climb!

Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas.  Click here to visit Hope United’s website.

Halloween

On this Friday, millions of kids and adults will get a chance to be someone else as they celebrate Halloween.  A favorite character from a movie or TV show or book, a character from the past or a future yet not known, something crazy, something funny, something scary.  Who doesn't want to be someone else at some point in their life, even if it's only for a night?

Aaron, obsessed with Star Wars at the moment, decided on a Storm Trooper.  He would have rather been a Roger Roger Droid, but I was not able to find a costume and did not think I'd be able to make one.  We were lucky to find the Storm Trooper!  Most Star Wars costumes deal with the main characters, either Luke or Darth Vader.

Ben was a bit undecided this year, and he considered several possibilities.  Walking around the store, I could tell he was having a hard time deciding.  He almost went with the standard variation of the special agent theme.  He loves electronic gadgets and spy gear, and he is quite adept at putting them together and making electronics work.  But he fell in love with a parrot prop he saw, and so he went with the pirate.  I must say he had a charming costume, with an eye patch, a bandana, and of course his trusted companion sitting on his shoulder.  "Arrrgghh ... Give me some pirate booty!"

According to History.com, Halloween grew out of the ancient Celtic tradition of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).  Quoting the website:

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

Click here to learn more about Halloween from History.com

This, of course, is near the Fall equinox, the time of the year when there is exactly the same amount of night as there is day, a balance if you will.  From the fall equinox on, the days will become shorter as the nights get longer, all the way until the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, which happens near Christmas.

The Christians co-opted the tradition, and November 1 eventually became All Saints Day, celebrating martyrs and saints before us.  Coming from a church with German roots, we would always celebrate Totenfest during this time, "festival of the dead," remembering those who had died.

But really, thinking about Fall and the falling of leaves, the "dying" all around us, what better day to think of the dead and ghosts?  And yet, we often have to experience some kind of "death," before we can really experience life.

On this Halloween, may God's blessing be upon you as you consider who else you might want to be.  May God protect our children tonight, and may this be a positive experience.  Perhaps you will remember a saint who helped you along the journey of your life.  Perhaps you need God's help to put a death to something in your life so you can start again.  Whatever the case, may the God of the living and the dead bless you and make God's presence known to you.

Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas.  Click here to visit Hope United’s website.

A Bike for Ben

Parenting is tough!  So many times I just have to throw my hands in the air and ask God, “Lord, please help me!”  I’m pretty non-anxious person—easy going, respectful, and level-headed.  But my kids can infuriate me!  I’m laughing, because really this shows a level of intimacy and love that is profound.  But though my children can really make me angry by their behavior, I must say, it is amazing to me to witness their growth and development as beautiful children of God.  Being a parent is wonderfully fulfilling.  I would not give it up for anything!

So Ben has been having a tough time learning responsibility and the need to do well in school.  He does not always assert himself.  And let’s face it, at 8 years old, I’d rather be out playing with my friends, riding my bike, having all kinds of adventures that only kids can have, than doing homework!  Yuck!

And as an aside, especially with Hope United’s Focus on Education, I must say that way too much emphasis is put on assessment and tests.  I think Ben has more homework in 3^rd grade than I ever had in high school.  I’m serious.  I personally think our whole education system needs an overhaul.  We should do more to nurture creativity, independent thought, self-motivation, and a love of learning.  I find all the tests and the teaching towards the test counter-productive.  Do we want our kids to be good test-takers or do we want them to succeed in life?  I don’t believe the two always align!

Back to Ben; he does struggle with staying focused on his work, and he sometimes has trouble starting something on his own.  He’s very bright, and I’m not sure I’ve ever met someone so observant.  He has the best perceptive skills of any person I know!  More than that, Ben is kind and sensitive, and I am very thankful for his gentle spirit.

To help motivate Ben, Jan and I came up with a plan.  He desperately needed a new bike.  He loves to play outside and ride his bike, and he needed a new one.  He also was struggling in school because he would not work on his homework and assert himself on his work.  And so we agreed with Ben that if he worked hard he could earn that bike.  We printed off a picture of a bike and then cut it up in several pieces.  Every time he received a good grade, he earned a piece of his bike.

Was this bribery?  Well, yes, I guess so.  I’ve always been against any notion of “paying for grades,” and here I go and set up this bike scheme!  The goal, of course, is to get Ben to want to do well in school for himself and for the inherent benefit of learning, not just because he gets a bike.

I think dividing the bike into pieces was the key.  Ben saw his progress.  He got excited every time he got a new piece.  His work ethic improved greatly because he was working on something over time.  And he was so proud when he finally got that last piece.

Of course, we had to go right after school to find Ben’s new bike!  Ben settled on a blue one with hand brakes.

And after we got it home, and he started to get on it, Ben turned to me and said, “Thank You.”  And I know that he meant it.

But Ben learned something more about life that day, about working on something over time to achieve a goal.  He also discovered that yes, he can do this work.  It might be hard some days, but with patience and perseverance and effort, things can be achieved.

And now the trick is for Ben to learn not to try and do well in school just for some material benefit like a new bike, but to do his best in school for the intrinsic worth of learning.

Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas.  Click here to visit Hope United’s website.

A Walk with Pride

Saturday night, Hope United will be participating in the Austin Pride Parade. We feel that it is important to stand in solidarity with our gay, lesbian, and transgender brothers and sisters, to celebrate our diversity, and to take pride in who we are—who God created us to be.
 

Often, as I look to God’s Word, I speak of the dangers of pride. We can certainly be an arrogant, selfish lot, almost always thinking of ourselves before others, and this stands in direct opposition to our Christ, Jesus the selfless one, who gave up everything, sacrificed all, all in total devotion to the One who gives us Life. And this Jesus asks us to do the same, to follow, to be disciples, to love and give and sacrifice, for God must be our everything.

Our Lord tells us to love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves, but we have learned that we can’t really do that unless we love ourselves. And for some, this is a much harder task than for others. Hence, pride.

I cannot even begin to comprehend the internal struggle of someone who is gay, for our culture is still deeply prejudiced against same-gender loving people. And what is the gravest sin, in my opinion, is that people of faith have often led this charge, doing great harm to a people who God created to be that way.

God does not make mistakes. Period.

It wasn’t that long ago that gays had to suffer through “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and indeed, it is still very tough to be gay and in the military. But even so, I’ve often thought of a slogan for our church if we were targeting military gay folk.

Tired of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” at your church? Come to Hope United where you can be who God created you to be!

Click here to visit the Austin Pride website.

Let me end with a poem by Marianne Williamson, which seems to be fitting for Pride. 

Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be
     brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?
You are a child of God.  Your playing small
     does not serve the World.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that
     other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God
     that is within us.
It is not just in some of us;
     it is in everyone.
As we let our own Light shine, we unconsciously
     give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
     our presence automatically liberates others.
 

For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise. -Galatians 3:26-28

Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas. Click here to visit Hope United's website.

A Walk of Prayer through Our Schools

School Supplies collected by Hope United

As I mentioned before, my church, Hope United, has felt called by God to Focus on Education. We began this journey with an initiative to collect school supplies for Annie Purl Elementary, and our folks responded with kindness and generosity!  Not only did we offer some standard classroom supplies, but we also asked if there were any specific things the school needed that was not on the list—things that normally would not be given.  After a few emails went out, we learned the art department needed tempera paint.  The counselor reported that all her Lego kits had been stolen; these were used with her counseling as well as a very active after-school program.  She also needed paint and play-doh.  And so we were able to give 9 new Lego kits, paint, watercolors, and play-doh!

This Sunday, I’ll be preaching about our responsibility to our children and how that relates to our educational system.  Further, as a congregation, we will covenant, that is make promises before God and each other, to Focus on Education.  We’ve noted three areas.  We promise to:

• Support our local community schools
• Educate ourselves about the issues
• Advocate on behalf of our children.

Also this Sunday, we will offer a prayer for our educational system.  I’ve added the prayer at the bottom of this blog, but we want to recognize, thank, and pray for all the people who are involved at our schools.

This week, I was able to meet with the principal and school counselor at Annie Purl Elementary to talk about the ways that we could partner.  We wanted to find out from them what they needed, and then see if we could assist.   I told them of our Focus on Education and how we were being called by God to get involved in helping and supporting our schools.  Though I understand the need for a separation of church and state and that our children should not be harassed or proselytized to one particular faith (or no faith), as a clergy person representing a church, I felt warmly welcomed.  I even told the principal—we are not out to proselytize or convert or force our views of faith on anyone.  We are simply here to serve.

I learned of the great need for mentors.  I have mentored in the past and know the value of being a mentor for a child, but both the principal and the school counselor practically begged me for volunteers who would commit to giving 30 minutes a week to a child.  They have several kids on a waiting list.  Please consider mentoring a child.  Every child needs to know at least one adult believes in and cares about them.  Click here to learn how.  Related to mentoring, they also asked for volunteers with their morning reading program.  The kids need to read at least 100 minutes a week, and sadly some don’t get the encouragement at home.  And so a volunteer can come at 7:30am and read with a child for about 20 minutes.  Let me know if you are interested.

But what really got me was the way the principal asked me for prayer.  Now, we have been praying for our schools and as I said we’ll be having a special blessing this Sunday, but this principal was passionate about having me come in and pray.

Whoever said they took prayer out of school anyway?  That’s just a bold faced lie.  Here I had a principal ask me to pray.  Now I won’t be praying during the morning announcements or with any of the children directly—that would not be appropriate.  We don’t force our faith on others; we go where we are invited, with respect.  But the principal wanted me to walk the halls, praying.  And if possible, to come in when school was not in session, go around to each and every chair and pray for the person who would be sitting there, so that no one would be missed.  I give thanks to God that these folks care so much about every single one of our kids!

And so, after our meeting, I walked the halls, praying.  I saw artwork outside the classrooms, teachers teaching their kids.  Some of the classes were dark while a projector was used.  There were children walking in an orderly fashion through the halls.  Yes, I saw one kid who was waiting to see the principal!  Names and artwork on the walls, bright colors and friendly faces.  It was a joy to witness dedication and commitment and a willingness to serve others.

Sadly, though things were clean and kept up, Annie Purl Elementary is quite old, built back in the time they used asbestos.  Jan names off all the people, like her, who have faced cancer and wonders if there is a connection.  Jan’s classroom and the one next door kept getting broken into so they had to put cameras outside the windows.  And as Georgetown grows, there are plenty of plans for new schools; but they also need to replace these aging ones.

I do hope you will join with me in supporting our schools, and that you will pray for them.

Here is the prayer I will offer this Sunday:

A Blessing for our Education System

As part of our Focus on Education, today we ask God’s blessing to be upon our schools and education system. Let us pray. Lord, we know that you love us and that you have created each and every one of us with value and intrinsic worth. We recognize that our education system plays a crucial part in helping our children reach their potential as gifted and creative beings. It is at school, where our children learn about this beautiful universe you have created, where our children may experience community for the first time, and where our children develop a love of learning. We ask you, O God, to bless our schools.

We pray for our teachers, thanking them for their service, sacrifice, and commitment. Give them strength and patience and creativity, a compassionate heart and a determined resolve.

We pray for all the administrators, superintendents and principals, school board members, clerical and supportive staff.

We pray for our school counselors, our nurses, and those teachers who specialize in areas of coaching, art, and music.

We pray for all the others who work at our schools in a supportive manner, the cooks and janitors and grounds crew.

We pray for our mentors and those who volunteer at the school, for the PTA and all those who give time, talent, and treasure on behalf of others.

And we pray for our parents, to be a good example for our children in the pursuit of learning, to love and encourage and be supportive, to help our children know how important this is and to hold them accountable.

And finally, we pray for our children, for their safety, for a love of learning, for fun and creativity, for persistence and determination. May our children know that people love them, believe in them, and want them to do their best.

May your hand, O God, be upon our schools, and may we know that you walk with us, always.  Amen.

Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas.  Click here to visit Hope United’s website.

A Conversation with the Log Cabin Republicans

Last night I was invited to speak with the Log Cabin Republicans of Austin, to share about our inclusive God, to listen and answer questions, to be a part of what Martin Luther King Jr. called that Beloved Community, maybe to even help build it.  I was joined with the Rev. Alycia Erickson of MCC Austin.  For those who don’t know, Log Cabin Republicans are LGBT Republicans and their allies.

Personally, I was thrilled to join such a conversation!  What a chance to build common ground!

As many of you know, the Texas Republicans had quite a convention this summer, and passed a party platform that was alarming, even terrifying, to those who believe in full inclusion of all people.  And for LGBT, the platform advocated for the use of Reparative Therapy, which is extremely damaging and hurtful.  I have yet to meet anyone who chose to be gay.  Ludicrous!  I instead believe that we are all beautiful children of God and our sexuality is a gift.

Not only did the platform anger those who fight for full inclusion, but the Texas Republicans also would not let the Log Cabin Republicans have a booth!

As distressing as this sounds, Jeff Davis, president of the Log Cabin Republicans, shared that as their group were deciding what to do about all this, even leaning on doing nothing, he was encouraged that both the Liberty Caucus and the Young Republicans reached out to share their displeasure about the platform and their willingness to fight it.

And further, many in the religious community came out strongly against it.  The Log Cabin Republicans realized they had allies they didn’t know anything about.  Their experiences with religious folk in their own party was quite hostile, and so they were pleasantly surprised and deeply grateful to know people of faith supported them.  And so they felt strongly they should try to build more bridges with these religious allies and learn more.

Like many people on the margin of organized religion, they were unaware there is a great variety of religious expression.

And so we talked.

When it comes to the Christian faith, most people’s views about Gay Rights are tied to their understanding of the Bible.  Ever heard, “God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve?”  They take it all literally.  It’s God’s Word, after all; you should be able to depend on it.  But I certainly don’t take it that way, for I believe God’s Word is much more wonderfully rich and complex, often holding seemingly contradictory concepts.  The bible has and can be used to justify slavery, ethnic cleansing, subjugation of women, the beating and killing of children.  Indeed, the Nazis used religion to justify the holocaust.

Now I could almost see the point of a literal understanding of the bible if people followed all of it instead of picking and choosing those passages which only support their point of view.  What about the sermon on the mount, loving your enemies, giving away all of your possessions?

And then you have Jesus, who often spoke in parable and metaphor.  Not only that, he found fault with the bible thumpers of his day who he thought we’re missing the point of faith and would never receive the grace God offers.  If anyone is using the bible as a sledge hammer to hurt and wound others, they are nothing but a Pharisee.

Now as the bible relates to homosexuality, there are 7 verses which speak against it, most in the Hebrew or Old Testament, a couple from Paul.  Now for me, context is everything and you have to understand the culture in which these were written.  Though we have the Geneva conventions today and we like to think warfare can be more civilized today, back in the Old Testament times when armies fought or sacked a village, the men would often rape the losing soldiers.  They weren’t gay; we’re not talking about a loving relationship.  And you know what, God said male rape was wrong.

You could say the same thing about lust or even promiscuity, which all have their hurtful consequences.  I do not believe those verses (so often quoted out of context)  in the bible speak of love between two people, love to build a life upon, a life partnership, which can happen regardless of whether the two people are of the same gender.

It was a great privilege to have this conversation with the Log Cabin Republicans!  If you would like to learn more about their chapter, click here to visit their website.

Ron Trimmer is pastor of Hope United, a new church in Georgetown, Texas.  Click here to visit Hope United’s website.