Lent 2014
March 8, 2014

 Read: Isaiah 58:1-12 

Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.

If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. 

The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.  

Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in. – Isaiah 58:9-12 

The first sentence in the scripture quoted above is actually portrayed in the NRSV Bible as the last sentence following the subject covered in the previous eight verses. It is the first part of verse nine and the translators have separated it from the last part of verse nine. Now the entire scripture deals with the same subject that could be tagged “doing justice.” For some reason, I just could not leave that first sentence out. I even thought about repeating it at the end. My perplexity comes from the realization that we need to hear God say “Here I am” at the beginning, in the midst, and at the conclusion of everything we do—particularly when our pursuit is to do justice. Make no mistake when we are talking about the education of our children, we are talking about doing justice!

 I lived in the same farm house for the first 18 years of my life. My brother lives in it now. I cannot even image what it might be like to have to move as many as four times during the school year—much less not having any place to live at all. No child in my school spoke anything but English. In fact, the only people I knew who spoke another language were the grandparents of my classmates. They migrated from Germany during the potato famine in the late 1800’s. Because of the fear associated with the First World War, they would not let their children speak German and thus neither did their grandchildren. I wonder if that still happens. I took my $1.25 lunch money to school each week tied in a cloth handkerchief. Some of the kids did not pay for their lunches when they went through the line, but not many. We did not have anything like special education when I was a child.  Those children were institutionalized.

 Prayer: God of Justice, help us to see the gaps of injustice that impede our children’s learning in school and help us find ways to fill those gaps. Amen.

The identities of students, families, or staff in stories that are shared in the devotions have been altered to protect their privacy. Any similarities between these stories and the experience of others are coincidental. No stories about students, families of students, or staff from Putnam Heights Elementary School are included in any of these devotions.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Lent 2014
March 7, 2014

 Read: Romans 1:8-17 

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. –Romans 1:8-12 

Paul began many of his letters with a statement that he was praying for the church to which he was writing. Prayer is not only our linkage with God but, along with the Lord’s Supper, it is the fiber that holds the whole Body of Christ as one. Communing with God toward a common vision of service helps us identify our common goals and discover talents and skills among the community of faith that may not have been appropriately tapped yet. It also develops new resources or dusts off old ones that may not have been fully actualized. Praying together, whether physically in the presence of each other or during the same time span or both, adds synergy to our communion. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’—Matthew 18:20 

Thus during Lent this year we are called to pray for our children and specifically for their wellbeing as students. Wellbeing takes in all aspects of life. It is sometimes also referred to as “wholeness”. So while we pray for all children to prosper in learning, we must also pray that:

• Parents have what they need to foster a home life that is supportive of the child’s learning experience.
• Teachers are well trained and prepared and have the appropriate resources to meet whatever educational challenge may come their way.
• School facilities are safe, welcoming, and designed to help children learn.
• Other support services such as counselling and various remedial therapies are readily available, affordable, and accessible.

Finally we as concerned partners in education must be prepared to do whatever is in our power to make these four items a reality. This is a tall order and we can only succeed if we first seek God’s guidance and grace to make it happen. 

Prayer: Hear our prayers, O Lord, and when necessary show us what we need to pray to help us be conduits of your love to the school children in our neighborhood. Amen.

The identities of students, families, or staff in stories that are shared in the devotions have been altered to protect their privacy. Any similarities between these stories and the experience of others are coincidental. No stories about students, families of students, or staff from Putnam Heights Elementary School are included in any of these devotions.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Lent 2014
March 6, 2014 

Read: Psalm 51 

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.–Psalm 51:1-2, 10-12 

It is hard to face reality. I have my own preconceptions of much in life and I would rather like to keep them, thank you very much. Through years of experience, I have carefully built up filters of protection against things that may challenge me to see the world as it really is. This prayer of the psalmist has become my old friend in trying to keep my filters as clean as possible, because, I fear; only God is strong enough and wise enough to break through that crust. As we start our season of prayer for education let us recognize our need for mercy and the restoration of the joy of our salvation so that we might be willing spirits in God’s service. 

Reality for me is that school was and still is one of the best experiences I have ever had. Consequently, the vast majority of my filters regarding school are positive, and most of the negative memories I had, ended in positive outcomes. That is not the case for more and more of the children of our city, state and nation. I am going to target one school, Putnam Heights Elementary, because it is the intercity school with which my church has had a partnership for the past several years. I believe what is reality for Putnam Heights is reality for too many of our schools across this land. Putnam Heights serves a total of 478 children from preschool through 5^th grade. Regarding those students:

• the turnover rate is 41%,
• 92% qualify for free or reduced lunches,
• 32% are English language learners,
• 9% receive special education, and
• 4% are classified as gifted and talented.

While there is no PTA at the school, 243 participated in parent-teacher day and 514 attended open house. The school has a majority of minority students. Among all the students:

• 34% are Hispanic,
  6% are American Indian,
  9% are Asian,
  25% are Black,
  20% are white, and
  6% are Multi-racial

These students scored an F, 56, on the overall state school test and that score includes an extra ten points for good attendance. Are our children failing or are we failing them? How can we make their reality of school better? 

Prayer: God of Vision, over these next six weeks help us to see the future of your little ones as You would have us see it, and more importantly help us make Your vision their reality. Amen.

The identities of students, families, or staff in stories that are shared in the devotions have been altered to protect their privacy. Any similarities between these stories and the experience of others are coincidental. No stories about students, families of students, or staff from Putnam Heights Elementary School are included in any of these devotions.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Lent 2014
Ash Wednesday—March 5, 2014

Read Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near—
Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing…. 

Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing….Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep. Let them say, ‘Spare your people, O Lord, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, “Where is their God?” ’–Joel 2:1, 12-13, 17 

The prophet Joel looked out over his nation and saw the many, many parts of that society that did not seem to be in synch with what he knew of God. He writes to warn them about how they are straying, and to tell them that God is still there to help them find their way out of the darkness. First they must stop pointing the finger of blame at everybody else and look deep within their own hearts reestablishing their relationship with God. At that point they can turn around and get in step with the One who can save them and their land. 

We here in the United States who call ourselves Christians can readily identify with Joel and his neighbors. We too see many parts of our society out of synch with God’s plan for all. This year during Lent I invite you to join me in delving deeper into one such challenge—the problems that face our children regarding education. Our hope is that we can find God’s guidance out of the darkness that has enfolded our educational systems.  

Jesus loved the little children of his world.  He welcomed them, taught them, and saw the potential in each of them even when they were physically disabled or mentally ill. He understood parental love and responded to the concerns of parents. He recognized the importance of continuous learning. He was a teacher. I wonder what he would say about our care and nurturing of children today.  

This is a call to a season of prayer this year during lent regarding the education of our children. These daily devotions based on lectionary scriptures will provide some food for thought for your prayers. Please join me and wait with great expectations for God’s guidance. 

Prayer: Dear Teacher, open our eyes and help us extend welcoming arms and sharing hearts as we listen for Your words as You teach us along the way. Amen

The identities of students, families, or staff in stories that are shared in the devotions have been altered to protect their privacy. Any similarities between these stories and the experience of others are coincidental. No stories about students, families of students, or staff from Putnam Heights Elementary School are included in any of these devotions.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The story found in John 8 regarding the woman caught in the act of adultery is a good illustration of real time justice.  Apparently added to the book of John at a date later than the original manuscript, the story highlights the response of the woman’s community to her law breaking. While  this story has been studied primarily to show how the leaders of the temple were trying to trap Jesus, it also is an example of how justice may be abused.  There were laws against adultery but they required witnesses. None were forthcoming.  It was just as illegal for the male participant in adultery as for the female.  Why is the man not included in the stoning? Those bringing judgment were using a situation that they knew would draw Jesus’ attention without regard to the one condemned.  The woman really did not matter.

It seems we still are doing this today.  We throw stones of word and deed at one another trying to prove who is right and who is wrong about the issues of the day while all but ignoring who is in need of justice or who is caught in the web of our society’s injustice or what is precipitating injustice. 

While this story may be a later insertion, it seems to fit snuggly between first, the report of a dispute between the ruling authorities of the temple and the temple police. The  police are sympathetic to Jesus’ teachings; the authorities are threatened by them. However, Nicodemus is quoted as saying “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” (John 7:51) And then we have the story of the woman caught in adultery.  A story that clearly indicates the answer, in action at least, to Nicodemus’ question: society does judge without a hearing.

The next scene is Jesus’ being confronted for being a witness about himself.  Jesus responds by saying, “You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.” (John 8:15,16)

Two witnesses are here. But Jesus is talking about more than individual judgment, oversight of whether individuals are or are not obeying the letter of the law. Jesus is talking about justice—God’s justice. Judgment has a limited focus; justice is panoramic and multifaceted.