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Not that bad?

Posted on January 23, 2016January 23, 2016 by William Douthwaite

After worship, a member of the congregation said to me, “I couldn’t say the confession today. I don’t do any of those things. I’d be lying.”

Yes, that got my attention. I wasn’t sure what to say at that moment, don’t remember what I did say but know I wisely said little. I did go back to see what we had corporately confessed at the beginning of the service.

The confession that day was taken from the rite of individual confession and absolution. We said things like

“I have lived as if God did not matter and if I mattered most…my Lord’s name I have not honored as I should…my love for others has failed…there are those whom I have hurt…my thoughts and desires have been soiled with sin.” (Lutheran Service Book, p. 292)

Those words pretty much summed up my life that week. I read those words and think, “Guilty as charged.” But not this person. He sounded just like the wealthy young man who assured Jesus that he had kept all the commandments. Afterwards, I realized I could have told him to sell his possessions, give to the poor and follow Jesus, but that probably wouldn’t have gone over well.

So what was really going on here? Have I been preaching too much gospel and not enough law? Did he really not get it? Or were his failings in other areas than these that we mentioned?

I don’t know. It just caught me off guard. I’ve only ever had one other person object to the words of confession, insisting that they were not “a poor, miserable sinner.” They just didn’t think they were that bad. An average sinner, maybe. But not miserable.

crucifixion-of-jesus-christ We can all use a little more Christ and him crucified. The horrific reality of Jesus’ suffering and death usually makes me marvel, “I’m that bad? I’m that loved? It’s all taken care of? Really?” Then the absolution really hits home when God says, “Yes!”

Life, Ministry

There’s a corpse sitting here.

Posted on January 22, 2016January 21, 2016 by William Douthwaite

corpse I got the call about 11 am. Her sister had walked into the house and discovered her father, seated in his chair, without his oxygen tube, TV blaring, dead. He had struggled with health issues for years, but none of us expected this. In fact, I had just given him a ride home from the hospital a few days before, and he was doing better each day.

It took me about an hour and a half to get home, cleaned up and over to the house. He was still sitting there in the chair as I talked with his daughter and a hospice nurse finished up some paperwork. In some ways, it felt just like the times I went to visit, except he was unusually quiet. He usually did most of the talking. More than once I thought to myself, “You know, there’s a corpse sitting here!” But He looked peaceful, so I waited with his daughter until the staff from the funeral home arrived.

We sat and talked about family, the in-and-out of the hospital routine of the past year, his many friends in the neighborhood and the only thing he really ever wanted to do: go fishing.

Actually, I’ve been in similar situations before. A number of times I’ve stayed with a family member until the staff from a funeral home arrived to take the body of a parent or spouse away. Just part of the job, I guess. It never really bothered me. Though the body was there, the soul had gone to be with the Lord, and that is a very reassuring thing to know.

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Grace, Ministry

A simple greeting

Posted on January 21, 2016January 20, 2016 by William Douthwaite

handshake After the first of the year, a lot of our seasonal worshipers arrive in town, making the first few Sundays of Epiphany a reunion of sorts.

One particular gentleman, usually with his wife, was sitting alone. She was either sick that week or couldn’t attend for some other reason. A few minutes before the worship service began I went over and said, “Hi, great to see you back!” Just a simple greeting and handshake.

The following week he was back, this time with his wife. After worship he came over and said to me, “Thank you for coming over to say, ‘Hi’ last week. I really needed that.” I must have looked puzzled, so he continued, “I don’t like to sit alone and it just meant a lot that you came over. Thanks.”

From this I’ve learned to never underestimate the power of a simple greeting. I also learned a long time ago that there is great blessing in remembering someone’s name when they return the next week or the next year.

Ministry

We ate all the candy

Posted on January 20, 2016 by William Douthwaite

gold nuggets A couple of weeks ago I got together some craft supplies for the Sunday School classes. One project called for some gold foil-wrapped chocolates, part of the Epiphany lesson about the magi who bought their gifts to worship the king of Jews.

I couldn’t find an Hanukkah gelt, but Hershey’s nuggets looked just like little gold bars. Perfect! I got a bag, split them up, and left them in the classrooms two weeks before they would be needed.

I neglected to warn the teachers that these were craft supplies, not merely treats. One teacher came up to me and confessed, “I just looked at my lesson for this Sunday and now I know why there was candy in my room! Unfortunately, we ate it all.” Just hours later a text came from the other teacher: “Umm…got any more candy? We ate it all last week!”

I laughed right out loud. I would have done the same thing!

Ministry

It’s recommendation time again

Posted on January 19, 2016 by William Douthwaite

Screen Shot 2016-01-19 at 1.38.07 PM It’s that time of the year again: recommendation time. As some of our high school students apply for college admission and scholarships, I often get the request, “Pastor, I need a recommendation.”

This has turned out to be one of my favorite things to do for our high school members. In my most recent batch, I’ve known the students for many years, have taught them, traveled with them, served with them, and verbally sparred with them. In so many ways I have grown up with them and they with me. The process of writing a letter to an admissions department or scholarship committee is a time for me to reflect upon their accomplishments and potential, and celebrate God’s faithfulness in their lives.

No, I didn’t actually send the letter pictured here. But I sure wanted to. Why can’t we just cut to the chase?

Life, Ministry

A hard question

Posted on January 18, 2016 by William Douthwaite

“So, how’s the church doing?” confused

That’s a hard question to answer. Maybe the hardest.

That question comes up often at this time of the year, because many of our seasonal visitors are here to escape the harsh winters of the north in the pleasant climate of Florida. Their question is sincere, they care about the church where they worship while away from home and they are part of our church family. Continue reading “A hard question” →

Ministry, Travel

Madagascar (part 6 – clinic day four in Ambohimponana)

Posted on November 4, 2015November 4, 2015 by William Douthwaite

So many people were quietly waiting when we arrived at the fourth clinic site on Thursday, October 15. It felt calmer and less rushed, but we still saw more than 400 patients.

After clinic, we went to see the oldest Lutheran Chuch in Madagascar, established in 1867. They were in a sanctuary build in 1950. The front of the pulpit was a beautiful carved Luther rose. Every church has a Bible verse arching above the chancel.

We then traveled to a community that housed and cared for 140 mentally-ill, addicted and demon possessed people called Toby (TWO-by). Yes, demon-possessed, as described Pastor Bob Bennett’s book I Am Not Afraid. Some were in chains, to keep them from hurting themselves and others. We went in part to give them some rice and oil, but also to experience this unique situation supported by a number of churches. It was clean and well-kept, but not a place where you really wanted to spend time if you didn’t have to. The Church there was beautiful.

Our guides next took us to a small candy making shop where the owners mixed up some Bon Bon Gasy (“Madagascar candy”) for us. We brought home eight flavors.

Upon returning home, Dr. Harison provided a delicious barbecue for all, to say thanks and good-bye. Tomorrow we leave Antsirabe. Altogether we’ve seen over 2,000 patients over four clinic days!

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Uncategorized

Madagascar (part 5 – clinic day three in Ankazomiriotra)

Posted on November 2, 2015November 2, 2015 by William Douthwaite

The preschool children assembled for the morning devotion.

Wednesday’s clinic was the busiest of the week. We saw 650 patients, dispensing over 2,000 prescriptions. When we arrived at the church, all of the preschool children were assembled for the opening devotion, in their pink smocks. (Different age groups wear different colors.)

My breakfast of fried eggs didn’t sit real well this morning, so with a “rumbly in my tumbly” I got to make a few trips to the outhouse. Fortunately, I felt better after lunch and had no other problems for the rest of the trip. Molly, however, did get sick and Donna wasn’t feeling well with. Always a possibility on trips like this.

Our team gets along really well and works well together. About half have been on trips before and have some great experiences to share.

In the absence of the team leader, I got to greet the waiting patients before the clinic opened.

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Ministry, Travel

Madagascar (part 4 – second clinic day in Ambano)

Posted on November 2, 2015November 2, 2015 by William Douthwaite

Tuesday’s clinic ( October 13) was at a Lutheran church in Ambano, only 30 minutes away, a location where a team hadn’t gone before. About 100 people were waiting for us. After a devotion by Pastor Andy, the local pastor, we opened the doors.

We saw 425 patients on day two. Janelle helped us set up a highly-efficient, high volume, assembly-line pharmacy, and we were able to keep up and fill every prescription, finishing up by 3 pm. On this day I had the chance to interact with some of the patients, especially children. Dr. Harison was amazed at how many patients with goiters came through his makeshift office, a concern he would communicate to the local health ministry. Molly had a chance to teach both tooth brushing and hand washing, giving out lots of tooth brushes, toothpaste and soap.

Since we got done a little earlier, we went to a Jewel market, a long row of little outdoor shops, all selling semi-precious gems. We really didn’t see anything we wanted to buy at this location.

Our next stop was a place where artisans made everything and anything you can imagine from the horns of zebu. We bought a few souvenirs here.

We then went to a little shop where a woman made her own paper which she then crafted into postcards and notecards. She also made silk thread and wove beautiful scarves. We did buy some items here.

Supper was a very well done pork tenderloin, noodles, rice and French fries, along with some watermelon and mango.

After supper, it was more pill packing then off to bed.