June 2022

Dear Friends of First,

This past week I attended a gathering called The Festival of Homiletics, which was held this year in Denver, Colorado - a great city that I love to visit whenever I get a chance. We gathered mainly at Trinity United Methodist Church, one of two congregations hosting the event. Hundreds of pastors descended on Denver, May 16th-20th to attend the 2022 Festival of Homiletics.

After a two-year in-person lock-down, pastors from across the U.S. and from a variety of denominations shared embraces and were ready to be inspired. This year’s theme was trauma. After two years of living through a global pandemic, the challenges of in-person and virtual worship, a social uprising regarding racial justice and rising political turmoil, pastors are not only exhausted but also have suffered great trauma. David Loose, senior pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, told participants, “Trauma can drive us away from the very communities we need.” Over the last two years, an increasing number of pastors have left ministry due to growing tensions within their churches. Several other speakers told their personal stories. Deanna Thompson, director of the Lutheran Center for Faith, Values and Community at St. Olaf College, offered tools for ministers as they dealt with their own trauma. Acknowledging trauma, identifying it and developing a plan is key to moving forward, she said. One may never fully recover from trauma, but healthy coping skills from a professional counselor can empower people to live healthy and productive lives. While much of the festival focused on trauma, other speakers addressed the situations responsible for the trauma.

Nadia Bolz-Weber, founder of the House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver, preached from Acts 16 where Paul and Silas save the life of their jailer after he thought they had escaped. Revealing that she had recently lost a friend by suicide, Bolz-Weber humanized the text by asking, “What lies did the jailer believe before reaching for his sword?” The jailer was saved by one simple act, she said. From the shadows, as the jailer took the sword, Paul said, “Do not harm yourself.”  When the jailer heard Paul’s voice, he understood he was not alone. While this methodology doesn’t always work, all people – especially pastors need to know they are not alone. Bolz-Weber acknowledged that pastors are facing enormous odds with “fewer people, less money and more problems.” Pastors need not give in to the “lie of autonomy,” thinking they are the only ones that can solve their problems. We are not alone; we hold a place in the sacred community of faith, she said. Community matters; therefore, the church matters. The Festival of Homiletics 2022 was a holy experience. Participating in conversations with fellow pastors reminded me of the importance and struggle of my calling.

In Christ

Pastor Jim