Monday, April 30, 2018

Judith Rhan: An Extraordinary Remarkable Woman

It's hard to believe that Judith Yvonne Rhan passed away five years ago - April 26, 2013.

She was a very unassuming person. To meet her you would never know that she held positions of leadership within the national organization of the Church of God in Christ. She wouldn't tell you that before she started a soup kitchen at her home church Upton Ave. Original Church of God in Battle Creek, she worked for 32 years for the State of Michigan's Department of Mental Health as a Human Resource Developer.

Or that she graduated from Byrd Pillerman High School (in Virginia) with high honors. That her education included two years at Bluefield State College (in West Virginia), the University of Michigan and Western Michigan University.

She and Arthur Rhan, Sr. were married on March 21, 1958. He eventually became the pastor of the Upton Ave. Original Church of God in Christ and Judith served in a variety of leadership positions, including church clerk.

Besides these activities, Judith was instrumental in raising two children.

But it was in her capacity with the church's soup kitchen that I got to know Judith.

She was in her glory in the kitchen, along with the other volunteers.

Each Tuesday Judith and her team  put together a home-cooked meal, from scratch, in the fellowship room of the church's basement. And for all practical purposes, for a two-hour piece of time the fellowship hall was transformed into a magnificent, all-you-can-eat restaurant. Complete with the aroma of food that seemingly wafted down from heaven.

During the course of a dozen years, three times I was privileged to be part of a small team that interviewed willing participants while they were eating their lunch at the Upon Avenue Church of God soup kitchen. One of the important questions we asked was: "How are you usually treated when you come to this place?"

Without exception they all had positive things to say. Not one could offer up anything negative about the soup kitchen, the food, or the volunteers. (I remember this well because every four years we took teams to many other emergency food sites - sometimes over a hundred.) People being people, there were always a few disgruntled folks. 

But not at Mrs. Rhan's soup kitchen.

She and her crew greeted each person coming into the fellowship room. Oftentimes by name. And it was Mrs. Rhan who set the tone for the meal.

The church also ran a Fresh Food Initiative (FFI) every Friday morning during the spring through the early fall. It was here that I got to know yet another side of Mrs. Rhan.

She was easily identifiable because of her height (she stood, physically, at less than five feet tall) and her hat. The fresh produce was delivered early in the morning before the heat of the day. And at least an hour before the truck pulled into the church's parking lot, there were neighborhood folks lined up.

The FFI volunteers worked together as a team. Each knew their assigned duty, but primarily, each also knew how to welcome those coming to the food line. Many times I arrived before the delivery truck to find Mrs. Rhan walking the line, talking with the families and individuals as if they were family members. In the course of working for the Food Bank of South Central Michigan,  visited all twenty or so of the FFI sites we served. Her FFI site set the gold standard for treating people with dignity.

It was while visiting the FFI at Upton Ave. Original Church of God that I got to know Mrs. Rhan's affection for Tony the Tiger (of Frosted Flakes fame). The Kellogg Company, each spring or summer, would send out the company's mascot (Tony) dressed in full tiger-gear to some of the FFI sites. It got to the point that, after several years of this happening, that come spring Mrs. Rhan would routinely, eagerly ask: "Is Tony coming today?"

When Mrs. Rhan passed away, there was a memorial service held at the church. When I turned the corner onto Upton Avenue, I had to park half-way down the block. The church itself was overflowing. In fact, if a good friend hadn't spotted me and beaconed me in to sit next to her, I would have been in the standing-room-only section that was backed up to the entrance of the church.

The MC for the memorial service began by saying: "Brothers and sisters. This isn't a day for mourning. This is a day of celebrating Sister Rhan's joyous completion of this life's journey and entrance into heaven. She would be the first to point out that this is a homecoming!"

And then the singing commenced as well as several testimonies of what Judith Rhan had meant to her husband, her family, her church and her city. I stayed for two hours and when I left the church, the service was still going strong! In the church that day were members of the Church of God in Christ from Michigan and all over the Midwest. A testimony for how much love and respect they had for Mrs. Rhan.

This was yet another side of her that I hadn't seen. Mainly because Mrs. Rhan was not one to boast or bring attention to herself. She was, quite simply, extraordinary in the way she lived a life of service. 

Happy Homecoming Anniversary Mrs. Rhan!

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Arthur Rhan, Sr., Judith's husband, passed away on January 31, 2015. Arthur and Judith were married for 56 years and together led the Upton Avenue Original Church of God in Christ. Rev. Rhan was a very thoughtful, purposeful person. He wasn't one for "small talk." A conversation with Rev. Rhan was filled with wisdom and insight that flowed from him in a very unassuming way. Just like Judith.





Monday, April 23, 2018

The Beatitudes & Living Simply...

Elaine St. James
Back in 1994 Elaine St. James' book Simplify Your Life made her a leader in the simplifying movement.

Her book was filled with practical tips on how to slow down and untangle the mess we call the pace of modern living.

Almost a decade before the 21st Century hit us, St. James had set the tone for taking a deeper look at the way we in the Western world live.

In a nutshell, her tips amounted to slowing down (work wasn't meant to be obsessive), removing clutter (who needs 10 pairs of shoes?), be mindful of your purchases (the 'latest version' isn't always what you need). Begin to appreciate the moment, the journey we are on in life.

But twenty centuries before St. James, Jesus of Nazareth came up with his own version. Even if you aren't a follower of his, what he had to say is worth a listen. 

According to Matthew, Jesus was speaking to a crowd made up of individuals from the Ten Towns region of Galilee, Judea and even as far away as Jerusalem (Matt. 4:25). Jesus had just finished giving the crowd the Beatitudes. Remember those tips for living?

Like: God blesses the poor, those who mourn, the humble; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted for doing the right thing (Matt. 5:3-11).

But Jesus was just getting started. After handing out these gems to the crowd, he kept on.

He continued: "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and destroy them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven." Jesus makes the point that non-material things (like peace, love, relationships) are more lasting and important than any "stuff" we could buy. He sums this portion of his conversation, with these words: "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (Matt. 6:21)

Wow! Way to get to the heart of things Jesus!

He's basically saying, invest in non-material (spiritual, eternal) things because they're more important. And if you want an insider's look into a person's character, pay attention to what they value (i.e. where are they investing their time, money and other resources?)

Jimmy Carter
Jesus kept on talking about character. "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matt. 6:24. The New King James Version of the Bible uses the word "mammon," for money - which roughly translated means wealth, money or property.)

At this point, Jesus is definitely on a roll. He tells the crowd: "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life..." And he gets specific about it, he tells them not to worry about food, what to drink, or clothing.

And this portion of Jesus' conversation ends with this summation. "These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." (Matt. 6:31).

As a sidenote, it needs to be said that by "kingdom," Jesus was not referring to a political solution to anxiety. Jesus wasn't talking about a "back to the land" movement (although that isn't necessarily a bad thing). And he wasn't talking about a new economic theory. He was talking about a different way of life. A way of life that has a different social and economic order than what we are currently experiencing in Western culture.

I don't know about you feel about him, but, even if you don't "believe" in Jesus as a religious figure, he sure has some outstanding things to say about how we should be treating each other. 

Just think, by Jesus' standards, if we treated each other fairly, with morality guiding us, there wouldn't be sixty-five million refugees in the world today. The US wouldn't be responsible for almost fifty-nine percent of all global weapons sales, adding up to hundreds of billions of dollars. (In fact military spending takes up about sixteen percent of the entire US budget, coming in third place, right after spending on Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security, at $605 billion.)

Simply put, Jesus encouraged us not to worry. Worry leads to second-guessing, decision-making fraught with fear, and alienation from others and ourselves. He knew that fear is a very, very expensive emotion.

Bible quotes are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.

Photo of Elaine St. James, Getty images.

Monday, April 16, 2018

The Perks of Being a Congressperson vs. We The People...

According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the average yearly compensation for US Representatives and Senators is $174,000. The Speaker of the House receives $223,500. The Majority and Minority leaders of the House and Senate receive $193,400.

Members of Congress elected in 1989 or thereafter are eligible for enrollment in the Federal Employees Retirement Program. As of October, 2016, there were 611 retired Congresspeople. Those retiring under the FERS system are receiving an annual pension of $41,076. Those retiring under the CSRS system (alternative system set up prior to 1989) are receiving an annual pension of $74,028. This is in additional to receiving Social Security income.

Besides basic salary and pension, the average US Representative's yearly "Representational Allowance" is $944,671. This includes personnel, office expenses and official mail. Senators receive a $3.4 million yearly Senators Official Personnel & Office expense account. Presumably, the hike in the Senators' expense accounts is due to the fact that they have a much larger geographical area to cover back in their home states.

According to CNBC, Senators and Representatives have gold-level health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Seventy-two percent of the premium is covered for them. Additionally, they have free or low-cost health care available through the Office of the Attending Physician.

While this may sound, to many of us, like an incredibly good deal, we need to remember that previous to the ACA, these same Senators and Representatives had an even better health care deal. They were covered under the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) which gave them access to a five-star plan.
Paul Ryan (center) after voting against the ACA

(Perhaps this is why there has been such an angst-driven move to gut the ACA among the more Republican-leaning folk on Capitol Hill.)

As you might expect, it costs a lot to get elected. According to Maplight, in 2012 the average House campaign for those elected cost $1.68 million. The average Senate campaign for those elected came in at $10.4 million.

According to OpenSecrets, for the most recent election, Democratic Representatives received $1.9 million from lobbyists, while Republican Representatives received a total of $5.1 million. All told, lobbyists contributed $7.1 million to the campaigns of current Representatives.

The same source reports that Democratic Senators received a total of $3.4 million from lobbyists, while their Republican counterparts received $1.9 million. All told lobbyists contributed $5.3 million to current Senators.

That's a grand total of $12.4 million spent by lobbyists to influence elections. To state the obvious: Congressional elections are very, very expensive. To make another obvious statement: One wonders as to who actually has the ear of our Congresspeople.

Take, for instance the NRA lobbying efforts. The New York Times recently published a listing of the top ten Senators and Representatives receiving NRA funding in their careers. The list was published in response to the Las Vegas mass killings, which was followed by the Valentine's Day mass killings of children at a high school in Parkland, Florida. 

The NRA money totals out to over $44 million. That's just what the NRA spent on twenty congresspeople. And they're one of thousands of lobbying organizations. And the NRA isn't even the top money-giver in town. The Hill reports that last year the top fifty companies and industry groups paid more than $716 million in lobbying Congress and the federal government.

So, what's the point of all these statistics?

Is "big" government bad?

Do we need to "drain the swamp?"

Are term limits for Congressional representatives a good thing?

None of those things will necessarily create a more effective government.

It seems we need a more efficient government, not a smaller one. With stricter rules limiting lobbying. We need to encourage voter participation, including among people of color. We need to end gerrymandering.

Efforts could include getting out the vote campaigns. (Routinely US national elections draw between 50-60% of the eligible voters in a presidential election year; around 50% in midterms. According to Pew Research, the US ranks fourteenth out of eighteen developed countries in getting out the vote.)

But there is hope on the horizon. The Women's Marches on Washington have sparked off a level of political activism not seen in decades. Across the country many women, especially minority women, are committing to run for elected offices - at the local level, state, and on up to Washington. The Black Lives Matter movement is a significant part of this activity.

In early April, The Atlantic reported that eleven Democratic and twenty-seven Republican Congressional representatives had either resigned or announced their retirement. That's thirty-eight open slots already - and more are sure to follow.

This presents a possibility for significant change - if we stay alert and keep informed, focusing on the midterm elections in November.

Already in my home state I've seen non-profit organizations soliciting signatures for petitions that would make it easier for individuals to register to vote.

New ideas. New energy. Staying informed. Making it easier to vote and have a say in our federal government - all of these things are hopeful signs that things are changing.

I've often wondered at all the political polarization and negativity found in abundance since the last election. It strikes me as odd that tone (both from the right and left) is as if somehow the "government"(be it local, state or federal) has gotten out of control and it isn't "ours" anymore.

The fact is, we still live in a democratic republic. Our Constitution is still in effect. That means our government reflects who we are. If we feel that it doesn't, we need to become involved in active, positive change.

Photo Credits: Photo of Paul Ryan by Kevin Lamarquel/Reuters

Monday, April 9, 2018

What does Jesus have to say to the disinherited?

Howard Thurman
A few weeks ago I was at a small group meeting of a church I'm attending. We were discussing Howard Thurman's book Jesus and the Disinherited.

It was first published in 1949. Almost two decades before the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. And almost seventy years before religion in the US became increasingly polarized and politicized. 

In the preface to his book, Thurman wrote: "The significance of the religion of Jesus to people who stand with their backs against the wall has always seemed to me to be crucial... My interest in the problem has been and continues to be both personal and professional. This is the question which individuals and groups who live in our land always under the threat of profound social and psychological displacement face. Why is it that Christianity seems impotent to deal radically, and therefore effectively, with the issues of discrimination and injustice?..."

Thurman goes on to discuss four key concepts. Three of them (fear, deception and hate) are components in building the wall of social injustice. One of them (love) is key to offering hope in breaking that wall down.

But before Thurman gets into the heart of the matter, he writes about Jesus.

He begins by taking a look at Christian missionary activity. While Thurman appreciates the basic human instinct to share with others what you have found meaningful, he quickly offers a caution. "It is the sin of pride and arrogance that has tended to vitiate the missionary impulse and to make of it an instrument of self-righteousness on the one hand and racial superiority on the other... [F]or decades we have studied the various peoples of the world and those who live as our neighbors as objects of missionary endeavor and enterprise without being at all willing to treat them either as brothers [or sisters] or as human beings."

He asks us to consider the masses of people who live "with their backs constantly against the wall. They are the poor, the disinherited, the dispossessed. What does our religion say to them?"

Writing from almost seventy years ago, Thurman says "The search for an answer to this question is perhaps the most important religious quest of modern life."

Given the current state of affairs in the US and across the world, the question remains extremely relevant. 

What does Christianity have to say to "Dreamers" now that DACA has been disabled? What does Christianity have to say to about the plummeting refugee/immigrant resettlement quota in the US? What does Christianity have to say about social injustice, in general, in the 21st Century?

Thurman begins his discussion by turning to Jesus. What do we know about the historical Jesus?

Jesus was a Jew. It could be argued, writes Thurman "that God could have expressed himself as easily and effectively in a Roman. But he did not." Jews living in Galilee under Roman authority were living as a minority culture. Jesus was one of them. 

Jesus was poor. He wasn't even middle class. During his three years of ministry as a teacher, he had no permanent home. As such, Jesus had infinitely more in common with poor folk than he did with the religious leaders of his day. (In fact, his economic and social status were two things, among many others, that irked the Pharisees and Sadducees).

To sum up his assessment of Jesus, Thurman notes "Jesus was a member of a minority group in the midst of a larger dominant and controlling group. In 63 BC, Palestine fell into the hands of the Romans. After this date the gruesome details of loss of status were etched, line by line, in the sensitive soul of Israel, dramatized ever by an increasing desecration of the Holy Land." 

Jesus came onto the scene in the middle of a sociological mess that bore tons of consequences. "In the midst of this psychological climate," Thurman points out, "Jesus began his teaching and his ministry. His words were directed to the House of Israel, a minority within the Greco-Roman world, smarting under the loss of status, freedom and autonomy, haunted by the dream of the restoration of lost glory and a former greatness. His message focused on the urgency of a radical change in the inner attitude of the people."

Jesus knew, full well, the pressures that his culture group were facing. "With increasing insight and startling accuracy he [Jesus] placed his finger on the 'inward center' as the crucial arena where the issues would determine the destiny of his people."

Jesus experienced the oppression of the people he walked with. He knew the effects of oppression - both on those being oppressed and on those doing the oppressing. And what Jesus said and how he lived was a direct response, a clear answer to the disinherited.


From this starting point, Thurman goes on to examine the main instruments of oppression - fear, deception and hate. And he then takes a look at the power of love.

Thurman asks us to consider the example of the Roman Centurion [captain] who came to Capernaum for help with healing one of his servants (Matthew 8:15).  Jesus responds by asking the soldier if he wanted him to come to his home. The captain says, "I am not worthy that you should come to my home; but speak the word and my servant will be healed."

Jesus recognizes the stripping away of pretense and social status contained in that statement. So Jesus says to the crowd surrounding him and the captain, "I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." 

Thurman writes, "The Roman was confronted with an insistence that made it impossible for him to remain a Roman, or even a captain. He had to take his place alongside all the rest of humanity and mingle his desires with the longing of all the desperate people of all the ages. When this happened, it was possible at once for him to scale with Jesus any height of understanding, fellowship and love. The final barrier between the strong and the weak, between ruler and ruled, disappeared."

"The crucial question," asks Thurman, "is, can this attitude, developed in the white heat of personal encounter, become characteristic of one's behavior even when the drama of immediacy is lacking?"

Thurman felt that it could. And the love that he was writing about was grounded in forgiveness. A forgiveness that does not ignore the root causes of injustice. He says that such forgiveness is mandatory, for three reasons:
1. God has forgiven each of us "again and again for what we do intentionally and unintentionally."
2. An evil deed does not represent "the full intent of the doer." 
3. Evil-doers do not go unpunished. "Life is its own restraint. In the wide sweep of the ebb and flow of moral law our deeds track us down, and doer and deed meet... At the slow burning fires of resentment this may be poor comfort. This is the ultimate ground in which finally a profound, unrelieved injury is absorbed."

In order for love to do its work fear, deception and hatred must be recognized and dealt with. This is the fertile ground upon which hope blossoms. 

This is Thurman's answer to the question: What does the religion of Jesus have to offer to those who stand with their backs against the wall?"
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Click here to get a copy of Jesus and the Disinherited via an independent bookseller.

Monday, April 2, 2018

Paul Apostle of Christ: A Review

Luke (James Caviezel) and Paul (James Faulkner)
"There is a terrible evil in the world... I know you suffer persecution...Faith is being tested... I know you question The Way. But I've come to Rome to find Paul. To write his story. To bring hope, to bring light to this present darkness. And to remind us all how God changed a hateful man."

Thus begins PAUL APOSTLE OF CHRIST.


The opening moments of this powerful film paint a very bleak picture. Following a horrendous fire, Nero, emperor of the Roman Empire, is going full throttle in his persecution of followers of The Way (as early followers of Jesus were called).  Among the various theories as to what caused the fire, the film focuses on Nero blaming Christians, thus setting up the first wide-spread persecution of them.

(The fire, by the way, happened in AD 64. And it was quite extensive - with only four of Rome's fourteen districts escaping damage.)

Regardless of the cause, it's a bleak time for those living in Rome, and especially for followers of The Way.

In response to such active persecution (being burned alive as torches, being fed to animals for entertainment) followers have gone into hiding.

James Faulkner as Paul the Apostle
Despite the danger, the evangelist Luke, who had traveled previously with Paul on missionary journeys, feels compelled to come into Rome to visit his friend. Luke (played by James Caviezel) is anxious to record Paul's thoughts, in preparation for writing Acts of the Apostles. At this point Paul has been arrested as an enemy of the state, and is in the Mamertine prison in Rome awaiting execution.

PAUL THE APOSTLE does an excellent job of showing us some of the conversations that take place between the two friends as Paul is facing his final days.

Paul (played by James Faulkner) knows his life on earth is almost complete. As any of us would, he looks back reflectively. This includes his quite active persecution of followers of The Way. Luke's Acts of the Apostles doesn't hold back in this regard.

The first mention of Paul in the Acts of the Apostles happens after Stephen is arrested and stoned for his faith. The eighth chapter of Acts begins with: "Saul [Paul] was one of the witnesses [to Stephen's being stoned to death] and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen."

It was the earthly end of Stephen. But Saul was just getting started. Chapter nine of Acts tells us: "Meanwhile Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord's followers. So he went up to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of The Way."

And it was on the way to Damascus that God knocks Saul to the ground, striking him blind and beginning Saul's conversion to The Way.

James Caviezel as Luke
Those pre-conversion persecutions were weighing heavily on Paul's heart while he was spending time in Mamertine prison.

Into this emotional whirlwind, Luke comes to Rome to visit his old friend behind bars.

Outside the prison walls, followers of The Way are frightened and understandably anxious as their world seems to be closing in on them. Inside the prison, Paul is finding some comfort being with his friend.

PAUL THE APOSTLE includes the very real concern of Pricilla (played by Joanne Whalley) and her husband Aquila (played by John Lynch). These two stalwart followers of The Way are mentioned a few times in Acts of the Apostles. They are remembered as being active leaders in their faith community. Paul's letter to the Romans mentions the couple by name, commending them for their service. Pointing out that they helped save his life.

Priscilla (Joanne Whalley) & Aquila (John Lynch)
In PAUL THE APOSTLE, Pricilla and Aquila are harboring a group of followers of The Way, before making the heart-wrenching decision to leave Rome for their safety.

And there is another relationship, most likely fictional, but nonetheless powerful, that develops between Paul, Luke and Mauritus, the warden of the Mamertine prison. Mauritus (played by Oliver Martinez) is a Roman soilder who despises followers of The Way, believing they are the culprits responsible for burning much of his beloved city to the ground. However, Paul and Luke begin to soften his heart. (I won't spoil the film by letting on how this happens).

Oliver Martinez as Mauritius
Martinez does a great job as Mauritus, putting flesh and bone to despair, loyalty and thankfulness.

Jim Caviezel does a remarkable job portraying Luke. (Caviezel was equally effective in THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST.) In real life, Caviezel makes no secret that he is a devout believer. James Faulkner brings a humanity to Paul that somehow, I never seemed to grasp. I suppose it's because I saw Paul's boldness as empty brashness, without seeing much else of his character. But PAUL THE APOSTLE offers a very real and world-weary faithfulness, fraught with inner turmoil. The film also, ultimately, shows us Paul's rich faith.

Kudos also go out to Andrew Hyatt, who directed and co-wrote PAUL THE APOSTLE with Terrence Berden. They have written an well-crafted screenplay. Hyatt's direction consistently brings out the best of each actor in every scene.
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Images taken from: National Catholic Reporter, Landmark Cinema, GodTube, Fandango, Edmonton Movie Guide. All are from PAUL APOSTLE OF CHRIST.

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!

Pinocchio: Art Credit, Disney If ever there were a time for a national "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire" award, it's now. And certai...