Sunday, July 30, 2006
From David Fischer of Aberdeen, SD
===
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Dear friend,
Yes, I know I’m stealing lyrics to a song and please don’t prosecute me. “You better sit down, folks. I’ll tell you why, folks. You might not understand folks but give it a try.” Actually, some of the folks who will receive this message will understand all too well.
The first Sunday morning service today in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, for a short while was transformed into something I’m not yet sure what to name. Our senior Pastor, Roger Noer is on Sabbatical and at this time in Europe. We had a guest speaker this morning, a former pastor of our Church, Martin Hasse now retired, I believe, and no longer living in Aberdeen.
Often heard during a sermon message is a reflection on the social situation in our nation and Pastor Hasse took some time to chronologically list many developments in the advancement of equal rights and the elimination of discrimination. He talked about woman's rights, specifically voting rights and their claim to inclusion in church ministry which still falls short of full participation in several faith communities. Of course he also reminded us of slavery and its demise but also of our need to do more. His message also touched on sin in our lives and our exposure to the “trash” in society.
It didn’t take me long to wonder if the topic of homosexuality would also be heard. I imagined all sorts of statements he might make. Believe me, I’ve heard them all, some enlightening and truthful but all too many dreadfully dark and deceitful. No, not one word!
At first I didn’t know whether to feel grateful or forgotten. I wondered if I was invisible. Once again, a missed opportunity to bring people closer.
Following the sermon we sang Amazing Grace and I managed an alternative accompaniment for the final verse on the organ all the while thinking “why again..., who will..., if not me..., can I...? The rest of the service I hardly remember. The Apostle’s Creed, the offering, the prayers, including “the Lord’s Prayer” are a blur. The Benediction was declared and then the time for Announcements. Soon the last hymn would be sung and off we’d all go. Again, nothing was said or changed for me and the silent, frightened “family” of men and women like me. I desperately wanted to shout, somebody help us!
I climbed off the organ bench, stood quietly and crept toward the steps that led to the pulpit under the large wooden cross suspended above. Pastor Chris looked my way when he finished his announcements and said “Oh, oh! Do you have something for us, David?” Others may tell me later of the message I brought and I’m not sure I recall any of the exact words but something about a mini sermon and mustering all the strength I had to come before them. I recognized Pastor Martin's reference to discrimination and the progress so rightfully made to end it and I thanked him for that. I said that today we forget or fail to end the abuse of a certain segment of society, gay men and women and that we (people like me) are used for political and monetary gain and still suffer in many ways. Pastors message used the words of a very old Sunday School song, “Red and yellow, black or white, they are precious in his sight...” I told of my regret that the words should have been written, something like “red or yellow, gay or straight...Jesus loves the little children of the world”, and how much easier my life might have been. Did I say that I wasn't the only gay person in Aberdeen or the only one a member of this church? I admitted my love for many people here in this church, that I have a tremendous capacity to love and that I believe that love is never wrong. There’s not much more I shared, I think, other than something about an apology for my inappropriate timing.
During the final hymn I think we all sang "Here I am, Lord...I will hold your people in my heart". The end of the service finally came and while still shaking in my shoes about 5 people came to me including Pastor Chris with their hugs as I was gathering my things to leave. Another phone call late this afternoon was received offering even more support. In the car after the service I fell apart with sadness again for the tremendous amount of hatred and intolerance destroying lives all over the globe for countlessly absurd reasons . I mourned for the children today and those of tomorrow and my passion to see that not one more child live a lie or live in fear.
Now, wishing, hoping and wondering as I often do, I think of the consequences of my actions. There will no doubt be some good and some bad coming from this. I know I probably won’t do this again at Good Shepherd but I probably should write something down for the next time I feel overwhelmed and unable to leave well enough alone.
You, the recipient, of this letter are valued by me and many of you to highly lofty levels. Thank you for listening to me and rest assured there is no need to wonder of my sanity for I have wondered enough for you all.
===
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Dear friend,
Yes, I know I’m stealing lyrics to a song and please don’t prosecute me. “You better sit down, folks. I’ll tell you why, folks. You might not understand folks but give it a try.” Actually, some of the folks who will receive this message will understand all too well.
The first Sunday morning service today in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, for a short while was transformed into something I’m not yet sure what to name. Our senior Pastor, Roger Noer is on Sabbatical and at this time in Europe. We had a guest speaker this morning, a former pastor of our Church, Martin Hasse now retired, I believe, and no longer living in Aberdeen.
Often heard during a sermon message is a reflection on the social situation in our nation and Pastor Hasse took some time to chronologically list many developments in the advancement of equal rights and the elimination of discrimination. He talked about woman's rights, specifically voting rights and their claim to inclusion in church ministry which still falls short of full participation in several faith communities. Of course he also reminded us of slavery and its demise but also of our need to do more. His message also touched on sin in our lives and our exposure to the “trash” in society.
It didn’t take me long to wonder if the topic of homosexuality would also be heard. I imagined all sorts of statements he might make. Believe me, I’ve heard them all, some enlightening and truthful but all too many dreadfully dark and deceitful. No, not one word!
At first I didn’t know whether to feel grateful or forgotten. I wondered if I was invisible. Once again, a missed opportunity to bring people closer.
Following the sermon we sang Amazing Grace and I managed an alternative accompaniment for the final verse on the organ all the while thinking “why again..., who will..., if not me..., can I...? The rest of the service I hardly remember. The Apostle’s Creed, the offering, the prayers, including “the Lord’s Prayer” are a blur. The Benediction was declared and then the time for Announcements. Soon the last hymn would be sung and off we’d all go. Again, nothing was said or changed for me and the silent, frightened “family” of men and women like me. I desperately wanted to shout, somebody help us!
I climbed off the organ bench, stood quietly and crept toward the steps that led to the pulpit under the large wooden cross suspended above. Pastor Chris looked my way when he finished his announcements and said “Oh, oh! Do you have something for us, David?” Others may tell me later of the message I brought and I’m not sure I recall any of the exact words but something about a mini sermon and mustering all the strength I had to come before them. I recognized Pastor Martin's reference to discrimination and the progress so rightfully made to end it and I thanked him for that. I said that today we forget or fail to end the abuse of a certain segment of society, gay men and women and that we (people like me) are used for political and monetary gain and still suffer in many ways. Pastors message used the words of a very old Sunday School song, “Red and yellow, black or white, they are precious in his sight...” I told of my regret that the words should have been written, something like “red or yellow, gay or straight...Jesus loves the little children of the world”, and how much easier my life might have been. Did I say that I wasn't the only gay person in Aberdeen or the only one a member of this church? I admitted my love for many people here in this church, that I have a tremendous capacity to love and that I believe that love is never wrong. There’s not much more I shared, I think, other than something about an apology for my inappropriate timing.
During the final hymn I think we all sang "Here I am, Lord...I will hold your people in my heart". The end of the service finally came and while still shaking in my shoes about 5 people came to me including Pastor Chris with their hugs as I was gathering my things to leave. Another phone call late this afternoon was received offering even more support. In the car after the service I fell apart with sadness again for the tremendous amount of hatred and intolerance destroying lives all over the globe for countlessly absurd reasons . I mourned for the children today and those of tomorrow and my passion to see that not one more child live a lie or live in fear.
Now, wishing, hoping and wondering as I often do, I think of the consequences of my actions. There will no doubt be some good and some bad coming from this. I know I probably won’t do this again at Good Shepherd but I probably should write something down for the next time I feel overwhelmed and unable to leave well enough alone.
You, the recipient, of this letter are valued by me and many of you to highly lofty levels. Thank you for listening to me and rest assured there is no need to wonder of my sanity for I have wondered enough for you all.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Gotta imagine how proud Johnny Depp is of the Pirates of the McDonald's Happy Meal toys turning him into a creepy mustachioed Beanie Baby. You know you've made it when you can be enjoyed just as much by 3 year olds as you can by their slobbering dogs.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
The other day I managed to get an interesting internet sales commission from a particularly well known website. It was a $10 finders fee on the sale of a leather bound reproduction of the 1611 edition of the King James Version of the Bible. The bookseller keeps unusual statistics and it was curiously noted that one people took a look at this $250 hardcover edition, 3% actually buy it, 72% buy a different $13 edition, and 10% chose one for $3.95. Perhaps my buyer was wanting to make a deathbed conversion and wanted a "really good" copy.
It's both profitable and fallacious to claim one's political enemies are "godless." But the current debate rests more on what one side misstates that the other believes. Having a long public listing of my personal beliefs, it would be relatively impossible for me to run for the state legislature. But were I elected, the laws enacted from my "God's Party" might include legislating such biblical wisdom as banning the worship of false prophets and moneychanging in the temple, jail terms for oppressing strangers "for you know not what's in their hearts," a gag order on all who've miraculously healed, the acceptance of eunuchs, and a reminder on all state documents from Paul that "There is no one who is righteous, not even one."
The Bible is the same one read on both sides of the aisle. Unfortunately those of us who can only afford a 50 cent copy from a thrift store seem to know more about it from actually reading it more than those who do run for office.
It's both profitable and fallacious to claim one's political enemies are "godless." But the current debate rests more on what one side misstates that the other believes. Having a long public listing of my personal beliefs, it would be relatively impossible for me to run for the state legislature. But were I elected, the laws enacted from my "God's Party" might include legislating such biblical wisdom as banning the worship of false prophets and moneychanging in the temple, jail terms for oppressing strangers "for you know not what's in their hearts," a gag order on all who've miraculously healed, the acceptance of eunuchs, and a reminder on all state documents from Paul that "There is no one who is righteous, not even one."
The Bible is the same one read on both sides of the aisle. Unfortunately those of us who can only afford a 50 cent copy from a thrift store seem to know more about it from actually reading it more than those who do run for office.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation," Greg Critser's "Fat Land" and Morgan Spurluck's "Supersize Me" and "Don't Eat This Book" not only got McDonald's to drop "Super Sizing" (add several not-as-healty-as-they-seem-salads and start selling pedometers and bottled water) but got Coke and Pepsi to pull sugared sodas from public school vending machines. ("Energy" drinks with just as much sugar and caffiene will remain.) Several other states had added salad bars to the schools, supplied by crops grown by the students themselves. The problem with books attacking high fructose corn syrup, burgers made from meat from hundreds of cows, and the psychology of "happy" and combo meals is that they've aimed themselves at those most likely to already be stocking up at the Breadrood Food Cooperative, drive a hybrid vehicle, and already know what they're boycotting. While "Fast Food Nation" hopes to broaden its reach at the cineplex this summer, it's Schlosser's newest effort with collaborator Charles Wilson that may really make a difference. "Chew On This : Everything You Don't Want to Know About Fast Food" not only takes his "Nation" research to grades 6-9 readers (at the ages when off campus nutritional habits really take hold, away from the watchful eye of parents) but it's about 70% new research. Of course, grossing out kids with how bad the food they eat really is doesn't benefit them unless they are also taught the benefits of eating better, and enjoying the flavors of real food, and (gasp) learning how to create some of it themselves.
Speaking of Spurlock, his "Supersize Me" followup, FX Networks' "30 Days" returns for a new season shortly, while the first controversial season arrives on DVD July 11th.
