Pastor Paul's March Newsletter Article

Dear Friends in Christ,

Sometimes people ask me why I wear a black pulpit robe and stole in worship. The answer is as easy as saying it’s my work clothes.

Jerry and Robbie are great examples of guys who have particular work clothes. The clothes they wear have distinctive elements that show the world where they work. The patches and colors identify where they work. The grease they wear is a less formal kind of identifier; it shows that they work under the hoods and not in the corner offices.

As for me, I have choices about what I can wear in worship. Those choices I made are in the picture on the right. I wear a black pulpit robe. The origins of the black robe are from Scotland and Switzerland and point to the role of the Minister as a teacher. I believe one of the roles I am best suited to perform in the worship setting is teacher.

Something else I wear is a stole. The stole represents a yoke. Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” To me, the stole the yoke of Christ.

 

The symbols on this cloak have specific meaning too. The stole itself is green. The colors around the sanctuary on most Sundays are green. I wear this stole on those Sundays. On the left side of the stole is a font and on the right side is a chalice. These are the symbols of the sacraments—baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The sacraments tell the world who we are, what we believe, and how we are nourished in the life of faith. I wear these not just to show the world, but to remind myself who we are.

On a side note, I often wear hiking boots on my feet. I wear them for comfort, sure, but also as a reminder that our faith is lived on our feet. Our faith is in motion in the world.

Friends, this is how I put on my faith every Sunday. How we wear our faith everyday, now that’s a good question. Ephesians 6:10-17 teaches us the how’s to and why’s of getting dressed in the morning:

Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The next verse adds something very important, what we need to do first as soon as we are dressed:

Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

When we prepare to meet the day, when we prepare to meet life head on, we need to be prepared in every way possible. I thank God that not only has he given us this wondrous armor, but a place to wear it. We need to suit up. We need to pray at all times. We need to keep alert. We need to persevere. I’m thankful that we are here in the sight of God to do it together.

See you in Church,

Paul

Another Bar Story

Here's one you likely haven't heard...

When I became manager of the Buzzard Beach, we needed someone to take my place at the door. After a couple of weeks we found Jerry. His nickname was "Clubber" and he decided it was time for a career change. He was the Sound Man for a rock band from Iowa called "Loud." I always imagined when someone asked what kind of music they played someone would yell "loud music!"

Anyway, Jerry met a woman in KC and he decided his road days were over. So he got a night job and bought a car from one of our regular customers who sold used cars. In Missouri, you had to have a car inspected before you could get plates, so he took the vehicle to the GoodYear place on Broadway in Midtown KCMO. He asked how long it would take and he was told it would be a couple of hours.

So what does Jerry do? Does he go down the block to the Grand Emporium for Cajun food and reggae? No. Does he go across the street to Club Royale for country music? No. Does he go down the block to Davey's for their "All Grateful Dead-All the Time" fest? No. Jerry goes across the parking lot to The Pink Garter Strip-O-Rama (not making this up) to get a beer.

So Jerry goes in and gets a bottle of beer and started watching a young lady shaking what her momma gave her on the stage. (By the way: Drink bottled beer in a strip club, you know the bottle is clean and it makes a weapon if you need one. We're here to teach the children... now where was I...) With Jerry standing against the wall, this young woman approaches him after she finished her time on stage. Jerry is bummed. He doesn't want to be rude, but he has a new girlfriend and a new car and no money. He doesn't want or need a private dance.

So she walks up to him and as he prepares to smile and say "sorry" she points at the right side of his chest, right where the bar logo is on his new bar jacket. She asks, "Do you know Paul?"

This was the last thing Jerry expected the woman to say so he laughed with relief and said, "Yeah, he's my boss."

She added "Isn't he a sweetheart?"

Now for the life of me, I don't know who she was. Jerry described her to me and I didn't recognize her at all. We had a lot of dancers come in and out of the bar so she could have been any one of a half dozen women, I just don't know. Still, it left me a question: What do you have to do in this life to get a stripper to call you a sweetheart? Honestly I don't know the answer... and I did it.

Preparing for our bible study tonight I was reminded of this story. Jesus hung out with the tax collectors and bouncers and strippers. Together they were all welcomed in fellowship with the Lord. I'm not going to say that I'm the Lord and everyone hung out with me, thank God I'm not that conceited.

The truth is that I worship a risen Lord who by his good grace calls me and every other sinner to come to the table to taste and see that the Lord is good. The Lord welcomes us all, even the tax collectors and bouncers and strippers.

Oh, what did I do that was so special that she thought I was a sweetheart? Hopefully, it was the same thing I did for all customers. I welcomed her and treated her with dignity and respect hoping she had a good time at the Buzzard. That's all I can imagine. Thanks be to God.

Happy 50th Podcast

On the side of this post, you will see a widget from Podbean.com that has my sermon podcasts. Last night, I posted my 50th  podcast. The first and the most recent are both from Ash Wednesday. All in all, it's an easy date to remember the liturgical anniversary. God bless and check out all my podcasts at this link.

Love Today and Love Tomorrow

Just a few minutes ago I was leaving Walmart. Marie needed feminine hygiene products and pure corn starch baby powder, preferably lavender scented. I went in at the Garden Center entrance because the stuff was closest to that entrance and it usually has a very short line. So I got the stuff and headed to checkout.

A moment later, a man got in line behind me. He couldn't have been older than 24 or so. He had a single stem rose, Hallmark card, and two bean bag style stuffed animals. I looked at the scene and started laughing. And in the Garden Center my laugh roars. I looked at him and smiled.

Finally I looked at him, nodding toward his purchases and said, "Valentines Day today," and holding up my purchases, "Valentines Day in fifteen years." We enjoyed the laugh... until he wondered if it would happen to him and I told him not to worry, it will.

On a side note, I got Marie a lovely card, one of the best I've ever seen, and two compact discs she has wanted for months. I gave them to her this morning. On top of that, when she says "pads and baby powder" she trusts I'll get the right stuff, now that's love.

And yes, I did get the right pads and baby powder. Happy Valentines to all you lovers out there--whether it's been a short time, 15 years, or 115 years. God bless and enjoy the love of your life.

Standing Up for a Super Model

Yeah, I'm defending a super model. You've seen this somewhere either on the tube or online, I'm sure. Here's the take from TMZ...

Well, let me make a couple of points.

• It was a private moment in a public space.
• Yes, she was being goaded.
• She didn't "know" she was being recorded.
• Yeah, she should have known better thank to think she wasn't being recorded but...
• Frankly, she wasn't completely wrong.

In the end, she was doing what any guy can hope his Brazilian super model wife would do for him. She was standing by her man in the face of rowdy hooligans (an American football version of hooligan, mind you). If your teammates can't handle that your wife doesn't know "the code" of not talking down your teammates then apologize for her. Tell them you're sorry she lit the fuse, but she's just a feisty, long-legged, hot-blooded Brazilian super model and you can see her apology "in full" in the next Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

So in honor of Gisele standing by her Tommy, I give you The Blues Brothers. Enjoy.

My Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show Review

First, congratulations to the New York Giants for their Super Bowl victory. Congrats too to Eli Manning as MVP. While he deserved the acclaim and the award, I want to throw some love to Giants Defensive End Justin Tuck. Tuck had three tackles, two sacks, and forced the Safety on the first Pat's offensive play of the game. Justin Tuck did much to set the tone of the game and deserves props.  Now for the Halftime Show Review...

Two words: Hated it. Again, let's give props--it was a spectacle. If you were looking for a spectacle this was for you. As for me, I prefer when performers perform, give me Roger Daltry (whose performance I reviewed here) crackly voice and all over spit and polish.

If you want Cirque de Madonna, then just have the dancers to Madonna music. Having Madge there "performing but not singing" was just redundant.

One more note, an informal poll of my facebook friends loved the Halftime Show. As for my friends who are professional musicians, they hated it. As far as I'm concerned, that split says it all.

Another Bar Story, This One with Extra Grace!

One of the truest reasons men work in bars is to meet women. That may seem shallow and it may seem short-sighted, but that's what makes it true!

One night when I was managing Buzzard Beach in Westport, Kansas City, Missouri, USA, one of my doormen came up to me after the bar closed. I was sitting on the back bar with my legs crossed much like a modern day Buddha. He started to apologize. He was sincere but he was also waiting judgement so he might have been a little on edge.

You see, he had begun seeing a waitress from a bar and restaurant across the street so after her shift ended, she would come over and see Scott. She was a cutie too, curly blonde hair, great legs and a so-on that was before its time.

Something you probably don't know but need to for this story is that Buzzard Beach was a saloon, a tavern-we had beer, cocktails, and popcorn. To work in a tavern you had to be 21. Well, she worked in a restaurant that served drinks. You only had to be 18 to work there. Thus my doorman's dilemma, he met her at our bar, but it wasn't until after a couple of weeks that he discovers she isn't 21.

Let me add that minors in a tavern could get you closed and the person who serves a minor could loose their liquor card-a license that allows a bartender to dispense. So you see, as Ricky Ricardo would say, he "had some 'splaining to do."

He walked up and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't know she wasn't 21. As soon as I found out I took care of it. She won't be back until she is 21. This won't happen again."

Well, let's just say that I took the high road on this one. I said, "First, I accept your apology. Second, you did find out she wasn't 21, and that's big. Third, as soon as you did find out you fixed it. Fourth, I believe you, this won't happen again. Fifth" and at this point I addressed the assembled staff; the three bartenders, three doormen, and bar back who were also working and asked, "fifth, guys, how many of us met a girl here at the Buzzard and didn't discover until later that she wasn't 21?" Everyone of us raised his hand. The guys who had been there ten years, the owner's brother, and even me, everyone of us raised our hands.

I ended my lesson for the day saying, "Finally, you're in good company." Grace over hypocrisy is a winner every time, and we always carded his paramours in the future.