These letters from Pastor Harry and church leaders explore the challenges we face as people of faith in a complicated and fearful world, not unlike the world that Paul faced, and not unlike the world that Dr. King faced down.
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December 21, 2024
Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places:
Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ!
Well, so that is that.
These words are tucked in the middle of a poem by British-American poet W. H. Auden (1907-1973) written in the early days of World War II. They refer to the day after Christmas and how we get right back to our lives and leave Christmas behind and Baby Jesus still in the manger. The poem continues:
As in previous years we have seen the actual Vision and failed
To do more than entertain it as an agreeable
Possibility, once again we have sent Him [Christ] away . . .
I don’t know about you but I am not ready to send Jesus away. With a few days left before Christmas we have a chance to rewrite the poem. Might it read something more like “Well, so that was utterly magical and amazing and life-transforming!” I hope it will!
We all have a chance, right now, to “see the actual Vision” of Jesus as he grows into a man, into a teacher, a healer, a peacemaker, a revolutionary who gets in trouble with systems and authorities, and one who lives so deeply and so holy that we see God in him.
We all have a chance, right now, to rewrite the ending of Auden’s poem so that it is more than an “agreeable possibility” but rather a way of life that challenges not only us and our ways, but the ways of the world.
We all have a chance, right now, to follow this Christ child into the world.
It is far too easy to assume the “well, so that is that” posture. The world expects us to do just that again this year. To again forget about the Christ who is born. To again go on our own way. To again live as if nothing happened in Bethlehem.
I am done doing that this year. The world and all that is in it is far too sacred to let Jesus go so quietly and for us to go back to our own places unaffected.
If we say we follow Jesus Christ, then let’s actually follow Jesus Christ. Embody his words. Live them out as best we can and keep trying. Isn’t that why we are part of Christ’s church?
One word of caution, though, if we do: There will be pushback. People won’t like it. We will astound many (and probably ourselves as well). We will upset some systems which are accustomed to having their way. We will be seen and talked about. And we will make a difference in this world.
So, that is that! Christmas will be here soon. The opportunity is again before us. What will we do when we leave the manger? Where will we go and when will that be?
Grace and peace and joy to you this Christmas, and the days that follow.
Harry
Recent Letters
December 14, 2024
Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places—
Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ!
“Who will celebrate Christmas correctly?”
This was a question asked by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, celebrated German pastor and theologian who stood up to Hitler and the takeover of the German church, and lost his life doing so in the waning days of WWII. When Bonhoeffer speaks, I do my best to put everything else aside and listen.
I didn’t know, though, we had to celebrate Christmas correctly. It was never right or wrong growing up and growing older. It had always been about family and carols and Christmas Eve services and candles and gifts. Right?
December 7, 2024
Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places—
Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ!
I want to be lifted up on butterfly wings.
The Rev. Dr. Mary Kuhns, Parish Associate for Pastoral Care, Presbyterian pastor, youth minister, chaplain, Associate for Justice for Women for the Presbyterian Church (USA), licensed therapist, teacher, inclusive language advocate, singer at nursing homes, lover of dogs and cars and people. Mary, who helped start the Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) Program, who sat at hospital bedsides and listened to our stories, and played the ukulele…
I could go on and on. You probably could as well. Mary died November 24th, after a somewhat brief illness and hospital stay. …
November 30, 2024
Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places:
Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ!
When has the Church ever been out in front?
Right now, actually. Each year Christianity gets a head start on the new year with Advent, our New Year, beginning at midnight this morning, exactly one month before the world catches up with its own.
So what shall we do with this month grace period? Work harder, comes to mind. Get better at being church? Nice. Do more? Surely. Go more places? Why not? But honestly, these words don’t feel right and sound exhausting the more I repeat them. Such a pace may be what the culture does, but no, not us, not right now.
November 23, 2024
Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places:
Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ!
“It reminds me of when the Israelites were caught between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea . . .”
I am part of a monthly Clergy Spiritual Direction group in Albuquerque where four of us, sometimes five, share the challenges and joys of being pastors, under the care of a psychologist/spiritual director who is accustomed to lives like ours. It has been an amazing and supportive group for more than a decade.
This past week we talked about the election and what it might mean going forward. It was here when my colleague finished his sentence: “. . . and God told the people to keep still.”
November 16, 2024
Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places:
Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ!
These days of uncertainty have me scrambling for insights and wisdom. A few days ago, quite by accident, I found it in some of the oldest words, if not the oldest, in Scripture: Miriam’s Song in Exodus 15:20-21.
Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister,
took a tambourine in her hand;
and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing.
November 6, 2024
Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places:
Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ!
Let us be the church today.
I woke up in darkness this morning, after a fitful night, to the news that our world has changed. Now I do not presume to know how you are feeling right now. If you are fine with the election results I welcome the invitation to talk with you and the vision you voted for. We all need to be in conversation.
November 2, 2024
Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places:
Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ!
What if we took All Saints Day seriously?
Oh, I know we do already. It is one of my favorite services as we celebrate those who have died in the past year and lift up their names in the midst of singing. How meaningful and important this is. We will do so tomorrow in our one worship service at 10 am.
No, what I mean is, what if we took seriously the meaning behind All Saints Day and acted upon it?
October 26, 2024
Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ!
My mom gave me a dime to give away.
I was five, it was Sunday morning, I was probably running late again, and as I raced out the back door to cross the alley to church, my mom gave me a dime.
“Now remember to put this in the offering plate when you get to Sunday School,” she told me. I said I would, and I did. Every Sunday.
Mom gave me a dime to give to the church which would then be given to someone else…
October 19, 2024
Dear Saints in Santa Fe, and other far-off places:
Greetings in the name and spirit of Jesus Christ!
Jesus sends before him seventy of his followers into every town and place (Luke 10:1-12). This is the first time in the gospels we go first.
Here’s why I would go:
My earliest memories have church in them. Magical Christmas Eve services. Running around the church feeling it was my second home. Sliding under the pews. Being surrounded by people who always smiled at me. …
