What do you hear?  What are you listening to?

Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God who is Creator, Christ and Comforter.  Amen

So…what do you hear these days?  What are you listening to?  What gets your blood boiling and what gives your heart peace?  I think as leaders of congregations, we need to know these things about ourselves to be more effective leaders. 

At this stage in our life, our two cats are the source of much enjoyment, but once – not so long ago – it was our children as they grew up.  I think that’s why Mitch Albom’s story in the book “have a little faith” struck me so poignantly.  He quotes a sermon written by his rabbi, Albert Lewis, that I’d like to share with you.

“A little girl came home from school with a drawing she’d made in class.  She danced into the kitchen, where her mother was preparing dinner. 

‘Mom, guess what?’ she squealed, waving the drawing.

Her mother never looked up.

‘What?’ she said, tending to the pots.

‘Guess what?’ the child repeated, waving the drawing.

‘What?’ the mother said, tending to the plates.

‘Mom, you’re not listening.’

‘Sweetie, yes I am.’

‘Mom,’ the child said, ‘you’re not listening with your eyes.’”

What are you listening to these days?  What do you hear?

We hear all kinds of things, don’t we?  We hear bad news on the television, on the radio, in social media.  We hear experts telling us:

1.   The church can’t survive the current decline in worship

2.   Why millennials are leaving the church in droves

3.   The rise of the “Nones” in our country who have no religious affiliation at all

4.   The church’s waning influence on society as a whole.

And, in this election year….

What do you hear?  Are we listening to?  Really listening to…listening with our eyes?

I’d like to share with you what I am striving to listen to these days…listening with my heart and ears and eyes:

1.   people whose lives are changed because of the generosity of our congregations – locally (like through LSS and COA), in our greater community, our city, state, and country, and globally.

2.   people who sit in our pews and share with us their life-changing stories of God’s amazing, saving, redeeming love.

3.   people who come to our places of worship and live differently as a result of having been there. 

4.   people who are changing the world for the good of all humanity through the use of their passions, talents and abilities

It is my prayer that as we work together in our congregations, for the sake of this world for which Jesus died, that we will scatter seeds. 

Seeds of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, hope and grace – every day in every way we can. 

I also pray (especially for my own ministry) that we listen.

Listen to Jesus talk to us through study of the Bible. 

Listen to Jesus talk to us by listening to those people whom God places in our path every day: neighbors, family, friends, parishioners…and that we can listen with our eyes and see:

·        someone God loves with all of God’s heart

·        someone for whom Jesus died

·        someone, who by the Spirit’s urging, is with us in that very moment

·        someone who needs to be heard.

For, as Jesus said, “Let anyone with ears to hear, listen!”

And as my dad said, “Pammy, the good Lord gave you two ears and one mouth.  Use them that way!  Listen twice as long as you speak!” 

Dad, I’m really trying!     Blessed epiphany to us all! 

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen