 Guess who left Rome on the same day as Bonnie and I? None other than Colonel Muammar Qaddafi, the unpredictable leader of the North African nation of Libya. This nation, an Italian colony for 30 years, sits just a short jump from the heel of the Italian boot across the Mediterranean Ocean. Colonel Qaddafi, followed by the ever present paparazzi, strolled through the same piazzas recently habited by Alex, Bonnie and me.
Two years ago Libya and Italy signed a friendship treaty. Italy apologized for its colonial attitude and pledged millions of euros in reparations for the next 25 years. In return Libya is pouring oil money into Italy, staunching the flow of illegal Libyan immigrants into that nation and giving Italian companies preferential treatment in commercial relationships.
Who cares about this, you ask? And in some ways I agree, although Qaddafi’s ham-handed effort to convert Italian women from Christianity to Islam might make one take notice. But if Qaddafi’s trip had been anywhere other than Italy I surely would have ignored it.
One member of the Pont Sant’ Angelo Methodist Church told me that her first hand experience with Americans is that we are sadly lacking in international perspective. I have heard this before from citizens outside the United States. We Americans have a poor grasp of world geography and a marked disinterest in international news. It is as if we can only see things from within the context of our own national boundaries.
To some extent this phenomenon is understandable. We are thousands of miles from most other nations of the world. We do not need to be conversant in multiple languages to live our daily lives. Furthermore, we are the most powerful nation in the world. Perhaps we secretly harbor the notion that other people must understand us, but not the other way around.
Having returned from a Methodist congregation that, though small, was international in membership, and having spent a month among the Italian people, I am more aware today that Americans must cultivate an appreciation for and understanding of the peoples and nations of our globe. We live in one world.
I look forward to being with you once again this Sunday!
Creede Hinshaw
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"ALONG THE VIA"
Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church
27 Agosto 2010
The days are speeding by so very quickly. Soon we will return to Savannah to be with you and involved in your lives again. God has blessed us so richly here, and we pray that we have been of use by God for the small flock of the Methodist Church of Pont San Angelo. I type these words from the parsonage of this congregation, breezes blowing into the flat from the Tiber River. Every night we sit on the rooftop terrace surveying Rome, enjoying the full moon, admiring St. Peter's Basilica bathed in light just a few blocks away.
Today we we had two very moving experiences. First we took a bus to the Catacombs of Priscilla, where early Christian martyrs and even 5 early popes were buried. The popes wanted to be buried there because they wanted to rest near the martyrs. Even a pope could recognized that those who die for their faith are in a class all of their own. Not only was this visit inspiring, but the temperature in the catacombs, well beneath the streets of Roma, was 13 degrees Celsius, somewhere near 58 degrees.
Then we visited a tribute to Mother Theresa. Yesterday (August 26) was the 100th anniversary of Mother Teresa's birth. Observances are being held all of the world in her memory. Last night we attended a mass in her honor, presided over by a cardinal from the Vatican. Although much of it was in Italian, we understood the Great Thanksgiving and prayed the Lord's Prayer with the congregation and also passed the peace. A chorale sang movingly in English and Italian. The exhibit we saw today reminded us of the utter humility and servant heart of this tiny woman, used of God, who received over 700 honors in her life, including the Nobel Peace prize, all because she followed Jesus.
This Sunday will be our final Sunday with our new Methodist friends in Rome. We have much to say to them. After one month in their midst, our parting will be sweet sorry. Then we will return, joyful, to be with you again. We will have much to share with you over the coming months.
Creede Hinshaw
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“ALONG THE VIA”
Just a note to let you know we are having a wonderful time here in Roma. Two dear British friends arrived last night and our son Jeremy and his wife Brandi will arrive in an hour or so. Since Bonnie and I have already been here 9 days we can show them around like real experts!
Here is one thing I miss about the United States...it is something that might surprise you. It has nothing to do with food or convenience or ice in the drinking water at restaurants.
What I miss is having lost the ability to make "small talk" with shop keepers or other pedestrians. To be sure, I can mispronounce a couple of words of Italian, which always leads to hilarity on the part of the Iocals, who usually reply in English right away. But to be able to say to other people, "It's hot today...why is the bus so slow...isn't that a lovely sunset..." is a pleasure we rarely consider. God has made us to communicate, even if some of our conversation is pleasantry.
And so I will look forward, upon returning to the States, to greeting the lady at the dry cleaners, checkout clerks at the grocery and tourists in the beautiful Savannah squares. And I am grateful that, though separated by miles and oceans, I can communicate with you. You remain in my prayers.
Well, our British friends have boiled up a spot of tea, so I'm signing off for today. I rest assured that you are in God's will and that the staff of our congregation are serving you well and faithfully.
Creede Hinshaw
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As Bonnie and I settled into our airplane seats last Monday afternoon the flight attendant offered me a selection of newspapers. Taking the New York Times, I was startled to discover - on Page One, Section One - a story about clergy health (and lack thereof). Written by Paul Vitello and headlined "A Break From Work is Healthy (Even if it's the Lord's Work)," the article documented what I have long known: we clergy as a group are pretty unhealthy people.
Citing statistics from a Duke University study of 1,726 UM clkergy in North Carolina, the clergy have significantly higher rates of arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma. Obesity was 10% higher in the clergy group. The article focused on the need for clergy to take sabbaticals and vacations.
So there I sat, reading this article on a jet taking Bonnie and me to Rome for an entire month. Now I am writing these words overlooking the Tiber River, windows to our flat open and a cool breeze blowing into the 5th floor. The English speaking Methodist church where I will preach this Sunday is 4 stories below us in the same building.
Following in the footsteps of Alex, Bonnie and I have explored the city over these past few days, getting lost in the charming and narrow streets more times than I can remember. We have eaten pasta, pizza and much gelato. Now I turn my attention to this Sunday's sermon.
I debated about whether to send this weekly message. It's a little bit more work than I want these days! But we want to stay in contact. I can't guarantee I'll write something weekly, but consider this a postcard from Rome, sent with love from Bonnie and Creede. You have been so gracious in your eagerness for first Alex and now the Hinshaws to experience time away from Savannah. I know your worship service at Wesley Monumental will be stirring this week, and thank you in advance for your prayers for the Methodists in Rome.
Creede Hinshaw
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I found myself inspired right on the asphalt parking lot at Best Buy last night. Yep, right there with the 90 degree heat and the shopping carts left carelessly in the middle of the lot.
I was headed inside to buy a new camera to take with us to Rome (so I can show you 800 photos when we return.) But before I could get inside the store I glanced into the sky and stopped in my tracks. The most glorious cumulus cloud was suspended in the heavens, the color of ripe cantaloupe. The cloud appeared to be miles high, the outlines puffy like cauliflower florets, glowing in the most incredible orange hue. I stood there in wonder.
Psalm 105:4 (in Robert Alter’s fresh translation) says,
“Inquire of the Lord and His strength,
seek His presence always.”
I have been trying to live by that verse these days…to seek God’s presence always. The goal would be that – by day’s end – one should be able to review many ways in which God has become visible.
And so, on Thursday evening, July 29, which was the 100th anniversary of the birth of my father, I saw a glorious cantaloupe cloud crowning the day. Thank you, God, for your strength and your presence.
P.S. I look forward to being with you this Sunday, August 1st. We are keeping Alex in our prayers as he preaches a second Sunday in Rome. Bonnie and I are almost packed and will be leaving Savannah on Monday.
Creede Hinshaw |
Bonnie and I recently returned from a trip to Washington, D.C. where we attended the wedding of the grandson of Hamp Watson (former senior pastor of Wesley Monumental). John and Greta got married on the Potomac River in a beautiful evening cruise.
While in Washington we toured the United States Capitol, home of our Congress, the branch of government closest to the people. Each state has the privilege of erecting in the Capitol two statues in tribute to native sons or daughters. Can you name Georgia’s two honorees? (See next to last paragraph.)
I wish I’d had time to study each statue; it would have been quite a history lesson. Some statues were immediately recognizable: Ronald Reagan, George Washington, Dwight Eisenhower, and Jefferson Davis. But most of the men and women represented could not be identified without the name beneath the statue. Many of these persons are icons for a particular state or region, although some of them made a difference for our nation and world. Five Native Americans (Po’Pay, Sequoyah, Sakakawea, Washakie, Sarah Winnemucca) are memorialized in this group.
I was impressed with the number of statues commemorating religious leaders. Father Damien, one of Hawaii’s honorees, was a Belgian Catholic priest who gave his life in the service to the leper colony on Molokai. Marcus Williams was a physician and Methodist missionary who with his wife Narcissa helped settle Washington. Washington state’s other monument pays tribute to Mother Joseph, a Catholic missionary who founded 11 hospitals, 7 academies, 5 Indian schools and 2 orphanages in the Pacific Northwest. She was also the first architect in that area. Hers may be the only figure in the Capitol depicted as on her knees in prayer.
Father Eusibio Kino, born in Italy and a missionary with the Society of Jesuits, established mission schools throughout the Desert Southwest. This scientist, cartographer, astronomer, explorer, historian and builder is remembered by a grateful Arizona. His statue seems ironic, somehow, considering how he was one of the first “illegal immigrants” to enter that territory.
Other persons with religious backgrounds include Roger Williams (Rhode Island), Jason Lee (Oregon), Brigham Young (Utah), Jacques Marquette (Wisconsin) and John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg (Pennsylvania). One can find sketches of all 100 honorees on the internet, including photographs of each statue.
Georgia’s statues commemorate physician Crawford W. Long and Confederate States of America Vice President Alexander Hamilton Stevens. A bust of Martin Luther King, Jr., designated “a hero of this nation” is also proudly displayed in Statuary Hall, authorized by Congress.
I’ll see you Sunday in our sanctuary where we give praise, honor and glory to the One who cannot be depicted by stone or metal.
Creede Hinshaw
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I want to reflect this morning on what is unique about a downtown congregation. Why will people drive from the suburbs and beyond to find their way to Calhoun Square, sometimes scrambling to find a parking space?
There are many answers to this question. Today I want to explore one of the most obvious: there are no new churches being built to match these historic downtown congregations.
The architecture, the stained glass, the spires, the pews announce that the downtown church stands within that larger tableau of the salvation story instead of as a new congregation that might be very contemporary but has no sense of place yet. The downtown church conveys a sense of continuity with Christian history. The downside of the traditional setting, of course, is that the downtown congregation is in constant danger of being frozen in one particular era. But the urban congregation, in its setting and with its building, if there is a proper sense of past, present and future, can offer what few other congregations have.
One interesting confirmation of this truth comes in the wedding requests we receive from couples who attend other churches right here in town. Some of them worship in a church building with theatre seating and a weekly praise band playing in their auditorium, but when it comes time for the wedding, they want a pipe organ, stained glass, an altar, a setting with permanence and gracefulness. Wide screens and folding chairs just don’t convey that feel.
Stone, glass, wooden pews arched ceilings and a pipe organ cannot preach Christ crucified. Or can they? Though few of us would rank a physical setting as the most important way of spreading the new creation, upon reflection, the physical setting of a church can powerfully testify to the love of God in Christ Jesus, in a sense communicating the truth of Jesus’ words, “If you were silent, even the stones would cry out.”
I’ll reflect more in weeks to come about the uniqueness of the downtown congregation. I suspect you have your own observations about this subject, too. Let me know what you think, either by email or at our incredibly lovely and grace-filled church on Calhoun Square.
Creede Hinshaw
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Justice John Paul Stevens, 90, retired from the Supreme Court as the end of this week’s term after 34 years of service. He and I began our callings at just about the same time.
Appointed by President Gerald Ford, Stevens will be remembered as a leader of the liberal wing of the court. Attired in his bow-tie he was one of the more humble justices. Jess Bravin reported in The Wall Street Journal (June 30, 2010) that whereas other justices would interrupt attorneys to assert their points, Justice Stevens would often begin with these words, “May I ask you a question?”
What most caught my attention in Mr. Bravin’s article was this observation by University of Oklahoma law professor Joseph Thai, a former clerk to Stevens, “He approached every case like it was the most important case in the world.”
That’s high praise. For every high profile case involving gun rights, immigration, abortion, etc., there are 5 or 10 other cases dealing with obscure but highly important matters of law. Surely it must have been tempting to let things slide every once in awhile in hopes the other 8 justices would pick up the slack on a particularly obscure case. It would take a rare person over the course of 34 years to be faithful to the conscientious practice of the finer points of the law in season and out of season.
I mention this virtue of faithful consistency because it is equally important in ministry…mine and yours. Every person is created by God, made in God’s image, and every person is worthy of our respect and attention. Though these words are quite easy to write they are much more difficult to practice. To treat others with dignity and respect, to serve one another as brother or sister, to become slave to one another (Galatians 5:13) over the long haul is the glorious privilege and continuing challenge to every follower of Jesus.
Let’s be honest: there are some days (or weeks) when it is extremely hard to relate to people as Christ would have us. One can (usually) do okay when the other person is kind, gracious, shares common opinions/theology/political positions: you get the picture. But many people don’t fit that profile! Our calling, God willing, is to relate to all persons with the same Christian demeanor.
Thanks, Justice Stevens, for your consistent attention to the law, and for reminding us that the same principle holds in the far more complex and rewarding endeavor of loving others.
About this Sunday: fire up the grill, enjoy the spectacular fireworks, celebrate our nation’s independence…and come to worship!
Creede Hinshaw
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What if one had to survive - to use a sports metaphor – a qualifying round before being eligible to receive the love of God? The World Football (oooops, “soccer” to Americans) Cup, taking place for the next month in South Africa, provides the backdrop for these thoughts.
In the F.I.F.A. World Cup thirty-two national teams were originally invited to the tournament, nations one does not always think of as sports powers: Slovakia, Slovenia, including Nigeria, Switzerland, Cote D’Ivoire, and even bad boy North Korea.
Where are the other nations of the world, you ask? Answer: the soccer world has gone through a couple of years of qualifying rounds to weed out the mediocre teams and allow the top 32 teams in the world to fight it out accompanied by the background buzz (do I dare call it musical?) of that curious South African instrument called the vuvuzela.
Sixteen teams still survive as of this post…and those teams going home early include the shocking departure of 2006’s world champion Italy and the mostly welcome loss of the petulant, immature French team.
If soccer isn’t your game, we could consider the same question from the standpoint of Wimbledon tennis, where only the top “seeds” have been invited to play, having qualified by virtue of world rankings. The big news of the week is that heretofore unknown American John Isner defeated Frenchman Nicolas Mahut of 70-68 in a marathon 3-day, 11 hour, 5 minute match.
Now back to my question…what if we had to qualify for the joy of basking in the love of God? What if there were a whole set of harrowing, precarious qualifications…Bible verses memorized and understood, perfect attendance at worship, a certain level of contributions to the church, a working knowledge of words such as “justification” and “election,” service on the Finance Committee, etc., etc.
My guess is that, were such qualifiers necessary, most people wouldn’t even try, knowing that the effort would end in failure. Those who did qualify would out-Pharisee the originally holders of that title.
Here’s the good news: There are no qualifying rounds to receive God’s abundant love. Christ gave himself up for us, Paul says, and that’s all that matters. We are included in God’s love because of the faith of Christ and our subsequent trust in Christ. No qualifiers, period. Can you accept this? Sound the vuvuzela!
P.S. Our children have had a fabulous time in Bible School this year. I am impressed with our teachers and leaders. We are teaching living faith at Wesley Gardens. An encore for the vuvuzelas, please!!
Creede Hinshaw
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A photograph in the Savannah newspaper this week revealed a 60-80 year old laurel oak that collapsed beneath its own weight in Ardsley Park just a few blocks from the parsonage. I wouldn’t have wanted to have been sitting on a nearby park bench when that tree suddenly self-destructed. You can see the photo at:
http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-06-10/decades-old-tree-falls-ardsley-park
The photograph reveals the shocking remains a once vital tree that now looks like a thick, savagely twisted 10’ high totem pole, raw inner wood exposed to the elements, the jagged core of the tree pointing violently towards the heavens.
Oaks represent strength, stamina and permanence, providing comforting shade on these hot days. They aren’t supposed to splinter and snap like that! But the article indicated the catastrophe may have happened because the tree was quite lopsided due to trimming it to avoid power lines. Another crucial factor may have been that the tree had a hollow core near the tree trunk.
I’m sure they’ll eventually cut the tree down completely, leaving only a stump that will cause the curious to wonder what happened to that tree. I have an alternate suggestion. Why not leave the tree right like it is with a word of explanation/warning posted near the trunk? The interpretation could go something like this:
Here once stood tall and proud a laurel oak until June 2010. It seemed healthy right to the very end, but the tree suddenly snapped of its own weight, having grown lopsided and hollow. Let the readers ponder how this might apply to your life.
Is life out of balance? Feeling lopsided these days? What about that inner core, the soul/spirit that informs your life? Feeling secure and steady, or is the hollowness eating at you? Nobody stands perfectly straight and the vitality that defines all waxes and wanes. But you and I have a pretty good idea whether or not we’re in danger of disaster.
Love God; love your neighbor; love yourself: these things make for strong, steady disciples. I’ll see you in morning worship, where God refashions those who are in danger of snapping.
Creede Hinshaw
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