Rethink Lent: What are the basic needs of our community?

This year Rethink Church has put together this guide for Lent. There are so many things that we could do for Lent and this one is a great option for those social media lovers out there. I talked about some other thoughts in my Pathways article this month, and honestly hadn't planned on participating in this one this Lent. 

But on my home from our Ash Wednesday service last night I was shocked to realized that I remembered what the question was for this first week of Rethink church's guide. And as I pulled my baby out of his carseat, with ashes on his adorable little forehead I started to think about repentance. If you didn't or don't participate in Ash Wednesdays services, a concise summary might be: repent. That symbol of ashes on our foreheads, on my 1 year old's forehead, are a symbol of repentance. Throughout the Bible Jews and Christians alike have used the outward symbol of ashes to represent the inward repentance. Ash Wednesday is the start of the Lenten journey, the beginning of getting our hearts and minds ready for one of the most significant days in the Christian tradition. These thoughts aren't what I'd call "fully formed" so this is really up for discussion, but man, I really felt pulled to this today. 

Someone commented to me that they felt depressed after the service last night, that it wasn't uplifting. To which I replied that Ash Wednesday isn't really a "feel-good" service. But it's necessary.  I guess feeling crappy on Ash Wednesday is kind of necessary in way. 

So what is a basic need of our community? Repentance, I guess. But no, that doesn't quite feel right and I realize it's because the kind of repentance that God talks about has been hijacked. I started to wonder why there's a resistance to repent, why it's so hard for me to repent of some things. I can definitely repent for eating an extra cupcake, or even for being more sassy than I'd like to my husband. But what about these things we really NEED to repent for in order to move forward, for us to be closer to God on Easter than we were on Ash Wednesday? You know, like, manipulating others (and God) for your own purposes, or hoarding resources, or believing and acting like you know better than God or conspiring to do harm to any part of God's creation. You know, those bigger ones. The ones that would really rock our worlds and set us on a completely different Lenten journey than we've been on before. What's holding us back, when what we really need is repentance?

My guess is shame. I learned a few years ago that guilt needs forgiveness, but shame needs healing. guilt:forgiveness. shame:healing. No doubt that there is and should be some guilt that goes with repentance, that's how we know we need to repent, right. But does shame have to be a part of this? Can we liberate repentance from shame? I think that's key for me because I get the sense that the reason that we don't repent of the big things, the things we NEED to repent for, is because we'd feel ashamed. That by admitting that we need to repent of our selfishness/anger/fear/fill-in-the-blank means admitting that we don't have it all together, that we may have a character flaw or two and that maybe our actions and motives haven't been lining up with God's (despite what we've told ourselves). And with that goes not guilt, but shame. Shame that deep down we might terrible people, that deep down we're fakes, that deep down we wouldn't be loved or accepted. See how those things might need some healing, not just forgiveness?

But God calls us to repent to set us free, not to shame us. God calls us to repent because it's part of the journey toward wholeness and life to the fullest. God calls us to repent on Ash Wednesday because God loves us. The basic need is repentance free of shame, the basic need is a way to move towards God, the basic need is freedom from those big things that taint our lives. 

What's your big thing? Can you imagine what it would be like to repent for it? Can you imagine doing that without shame, without the judgments? Can you see the path forward without it in the way? Beautiful, huh? 

praying for peace and wholeness this Lent,

Pastor Jen

(c) Jen Hibben 2014

Youth Strike for Christ 2014

2014 Youth Strike For Christ (January 31^st – February 2^nd)

Youth Strike For Christ, sponsored by the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, is a faith building experience for youth in 7^th through 12^th grades. Youth from all over the state of Iowa (over 400) come for a weekend of music, study, a mission project, and faith development and growth. The United Methodist Youth (“UMY”) from West Des Moines United Methodist Church have participated in YSFC for many years and this year we had 10 youth and our youth leaders represent our church for this energizing and rewarding event.

The 2014 theme was “Hello, My Name Is…” and focused on scripture from Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, “declares the Lord…”plans to give you hope and a future.” The youth initially focused on how society might label them – short, lazy, dumb, or mean. At the end, the youth were tearing up those old “name tags” as they considered how God calls all of us – we are special, we are loved. The small groups looked at the conversion story of Saul to Paul and what that meant for him to be re-named, redefined, and re-created in Christ. In the end, we accept that we are all children of God, the one true King!

This year’s keynote speaker was Kelly Croy – teacher, artist, and speaker. Kelly began each session with a live art performance using chalk and canvas and combined that with music and computer animation to bring inspiration, encouragement and hope. Kelly’s message is simple yet profound, to live a life uncommon by pursuing your dreams relentlessly, impacting the lives of others, and welcoming discipline and challenges as a way to grow.

Thank you to the WDMUMC congregation for your generous donations as the youth participated in the mission activity of packing Meals from the Heartland. YSFC participants packed thousands of meals that will be used for hungry people here in Iowa and around the globe! Thank you for your support and prayers as these great youth change lives in the name of Jesus Christ!