My Impact Statement

I was asked to write a statement about how the vandalism to the chapel impacted me, I added some about the impact on the community as a whole, but this is what I have submitted.

I am part of the chapel community or as I like to call it the chapel family.  I have been a part of this community since I stepped foot on campus my first year and I have come to love and be loved by those who call the chapel home.  The chapel for me was and is a safe place to go. It has been a refuge in times of heartache and a place where I can simply be in the presence of God without fear or worry.

Saturday morning I received many messages from my brothers and sisters in the chapel community.  I was sent pictures, I had people driving to my house and I eventually to campus to be those who were deeply hurt by what they found Saturday morning. Our house, the chapel, is an open space. It is a space where one can go and be who they are without worry of judgment.  In our house we have a table where we gather to share a simple meal, sharing the bread and passing the cup serving one another.  To find our table desecrated was heartbreaking, angering, and sorrow. 

In our house, we have many pews, our form of a chair.  In these pews I have held friends, been held by friends, and often times sat alone having arguments with myself and God.  The questions left on our chairs Friday evening hurt many members of my family.  They caused pain, they caused us to feel violated, they caused me to think about the time I have spent in silent reflection sitting in those seats.  In our house we have one of the most simple and beautiful stained glass windows where we can sit and see the sun shine through and penetrate a dark place in our home and often times in our lives.  To find black crosses, upside down beside an image that brings light into the darkest places of my own faith journey made me angry.  It upset me that darkness seemed to have a hold of our house.  Thankfully I remembered that darkness does not overcome the light.

The fear and worry I had came from a place of not knowing why the chapel, a home for many, was desecrated.  What had my family done to bring this about? What could we have done to prevent it? Are we safe in our own home. These questions are not just mine, but have been echoed by my brothers and sisters over the last few days.  In the end I am thankful that if it had to happen, it happened to a community that stands on love.  For I fear other groups, communities, or families on campus may have acted out of revenge of some sort. 

I am still hurt when I think back to what we found on Saturday morning, but I am not angry, I am not vengeful. I have hope because love of neighbor has won. I have faith that the chapel is a sacred and safe space regardless of what took place Friday evening.  I am proud that my family of brothers and sisters has come together in support for one another in a very uncertain time for us. But I do wonder if anyone-  besides our family- noticed the pain? Did a thought cross the mind of the person who entered our home and violated our space of how it would affect us? 

In the end our feelings of being violated and having our home vandalized effected each of us differently, for me it was a feeling of violation and as if my home were no longer welcoming.  For some the space still feels that way. But we stand together as a community and a family ready to move on and continue being love to this campus.

Respectfully Submitted,

Krista

Advent First Friday 12/3

Today I stray from the lectionary. I am spending the night in Louisville with my family. After hearing of my brothers desires to enlist in the military I thought I should come home and talk to him and be here with my family in a rather difficult time.

While talking to my brother I realized he is doing this. He has thought it through and feels like this is where he is going in life. Bible verses started running through my mind and I started sharing them with my brother.

I have to say that I am 100000% anti-violence, anti-war, and 10000000% prayer warrior for peace in our world.
BUT Knowing that this is what my little brother is going to do I want to be supportive so I shared with him these two verses...

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. -John 15:13
We know that all things work together for goodGod makes all things work together for good, or in all things God works for good');" onmouseout="return nd();">^* for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28

In the John passage Jesus is giving a reminder of his commandment to love one another and says that there is no greater love than laying down your life for a friend. My brother whether I agree with him or not is doing something very noble, very loving for the sake of his country. He is willing to risk his life.

Before he finishes his enlistment we are going to get a tattoo together. Romans 8:28 and I'm going to remember him every time I see it. I will remember that God does work all things together for the good of those who love God and who are called according to God's purpose...My brother (again whether I agree or disagree) is doing what he feels called and led to do. And I believe 100% that my brother will be turning to God as a rock and as his salvation.
My brother is one of my best friends, he always will be. I love him and as much as I really...really...really don't want him to do this...I have to trust that God will work all things together for good, I have to trust that my brother will be okay (whatever that means) I have to trust that this is what is right for him, I have to...I have to.

Advent First Thursday 12/2

For God alone my soul waits in silence,
for my hope is from him.
 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
 On God rests my deliverance and my honor;
my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.

Psalm 62:5-8

I'm having a rough day today.  I found out that my younger brother wishes and plans to join the military and wants to be in basic training by spring.  This is a complete shock to me and I can't help but worry.  I'm sad, I'm frustrated, and I don't want him to do this.  I spent most of the day pondering his decision, the decision to leave, to risk his life, to take a chance that he might have to take the life of another human being, and what for?  

I'm still frustrated and upset, but I'm going to be supportive.   My brother is someone I care about deeply.  Our relationship has grown since I've moved away to college and I respect his decision making...I don't like it one bit, mostly because he's my baby brother, but I love him and I will support him.  

So with my frustration I turn to today's lectionary.  I know that in all things I will be praying for my brother from the day he signs papers until the day he retires.  I know that God hears my prayers, God hears my cries, and God is still God.  My hope is in God.  My hope for peace, my hope for safety, my hope for life, all lie in God.

I've always kind of chuckled when I come to that line "I will not be shaken."  Mostly because on days like today I feel like the world has been shaken, but then I remember that my faith is not shaken, my hope and my trust are always in God, my roots are firm in Christ and nothing on this earth will shake that.

My refuge is in God. In realizing that today was a struggle, and that this week has been long and rough, I look forward to Saturday because it is my Sabbath.  It is the time where I stop and rest, it is when I take refuge where no one can get to me, I go to God and stay there.  I look forward to Sabbath this weekend more than ever because my body, my mind, my soul, they need it.  

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
  God is a refuge for us.

Pour out your heart before God...I think I've done that a couple of times today and I'm trusting in God, that my brother is doing what he should be doing, that he is thinking clearly, and that he remains safe.  God is my refuge and I am thankful for that.  

During this Advent season while I am waiting for Christmas, while I am anticipating the birth of my Savior...I will be thinking about my brother.  I will be thinking about his future and I will be doing my best to be supportive of him by being there for him, praying for him, and loving him.  Cherishing each moment we have together in the here and now and looking forward to his future with him (and throwing in a few prayers for world peace of course).

Peace be within you,

KP

Advent First Wednesday 12/1

Today we finally made it to December.  When I crawled out of bed this morning I looked out the window to see it snowing.  This made me happy and sad at the same time.  Happy because in one sense I really love the snow and how it covers the earth with this pure (well white, we wont talk about all the minerals and what not in snow that are bad for us) blanket of fluff, and sad because about this time every year it gets too cold to hike, the sun goes away, and it gets dark and gloomy.  I share this because as I pulled into my driveway this evening, it was dark, I was tired, maybe even a little cranky, but the Christmas tree in the front room was lit and it brought a deep joy to me to know that no matter how dark and gloomy it gets, no matter how tired and cranky I am, no matter how cold it is, the light of Christ shines on in the world to pierce the darkness and bring life to the world.

In today's lectionary I pulled out the verses from Isaiah 2 and then the beginning of the text from 1 Thessalonians 2...

Isaiah 2:1-4

  The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and
Jerusalem.

   In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be
established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above
 the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall
come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the
house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we
may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
 and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between
the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat
their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they
learn war any more.


1 Thessalonians 2:13

   We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you
received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not
as a human word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at
work in you believers.

"They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."  I think I have heard more than a handful of sermons on this text, and yet, even so each time I read this passage from Isaiah I feel as if I could listen to twenty more sermons.  Today as I reflect on issues of oppression, on issues of justice, on what in the world is going on in North & South Korea, as I look for hope, peace, joy, and love in the world, I look at this text and I see hope.  I see a future of peace. I am overcome with joy, and I can feel the love of God for the world to desire this peace for God's creation.  

I had a conversation early this week about this passage and was reminded at how our words can often become swords. Our actions can feel like spears when we attack others.  I was reminded that as a follower of Christ I too am called to turn my swords, my words, into plowshares or something that is used in planting a harvest, a tool that is used in providing food for a community.  My words should cultivate a love for Christ, my words should reflect my beliefs as a follower of Christ, and my words should be used to build others up in love not to declare war on others.  My actions should be more like a pruning hook than a spear.  I shouldn't be making stabs at people but I should be like a pruning hook that leads to the bearing of fruit.  My actions should bear the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control...I hope you just sang them like you learned them as a kid).

It is when we learn to be plowshares and pruning hooks, that the world will see peace at work and learn war no more.  I don't believe that we are to sit back and wait for world peace to happen, I believe that God is working in, through, above, around and in between us to use each and every one of us to work for a world that lays its weapons down.  And I love that the passage from 1 Thessalonians 2 is in the lectionary alongside the Isaiah passage because Paul is getting at this notion of working in the here and now.

We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you
received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not
as a human word but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at
work in you believers.

Paul uses this idea of accepting the word of God as God's word not human word more than once in scripture, and this is important.  It is important because when God's word is at work in us as believers it holds power. When God's word works in us we are able to do more than we could ever imagine.  Because God's word is at work in us, we become plowshares and pruning hooks today instead of years from now.  Because God's word is at work in us we live the Gospel of Jesus Christ bearing light and life to the world.

I love scripture.  I love scripture because each time I read it I learn something new and I see that God is working in the world, I see that God created and loves this world and yearns for it to be peaceful and whole again.  I love scripture because it brings the hope of unity and reconciliation to the world.  I love scripture because it is the word of God which is at work in me.  

Peace be within you,

KP

Picture: PAX is the Latin word for peace.  This is an ornament on my Christmas tree! 

Don't worry? Why Not?

This weekend a group of us went on a retreat to Brown Co. Indiana, more specifically a little town called Bean Blossom. In short, we were in the middle of NOWHERE! It was pretty awesome!

The focus of the retreat was self care, not worrying, making sure our focus was not on the troubles of the world but instead on God and Christ. This is a challenge for college student during this time of the year because we are in "dead week" or some are in finals week. All that we have worked for all semester comes down to taking these final exams and being at the mercy of our professors! Emotions are high, stress is an understatement, and we feel like there is no way in the world that everything we need to get done will get done. The light at the end of the tunnel is there but for many during this time of the year it is very dim.


So to share a little thought with you, I use the passage we talked about on the retreat...

Matthew 6:25-34 (NRSV)

Do Not Worry

25 ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? ²⁸And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” ³²For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.34 ‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

I have heard this passage interpreted in many different ways. This weekend when Laura asked us what images came to mind in this passage, I could not help but see a person going around gathering and trying to store up everything that they thought they needed to get through in this life. While doing this God is trying to show them the birds of the air, the lilies of the field, the grass, the food, the drink, the clothing, and the person is so caught up in trying to do all alone that they neglect to see the God who created them and cares for them.

How often do we get so caught up in providing things for ourselves and our loved ones that we neglect to see what God is showing us or we neglect to hear what God is telling us? I don't believe God says don't worry so that we will spend all of our time telling God our problems, I believe God is saying "don't worry, because when you get caught up in worrying about the things of this world, you lose sight of the promise I have given you of hope and of peace. When you get caught up in worrying about these things you fail to remember that I created you and I love you and that I am here for you. You spend so much time doing, doing, doing, and going, going, going, that you miss the glimpses of heaven in everyday life."

So do not worry, not during this advent season and not ever. Not because God wants you to spend all of your time in prayer asking God to make your burden light, but because God is calling and God is revealing, open your eyes and ears to the wonders of God's love and God's work in the world around us. Slow down, take time to just be, take time to look at the stars and to watch the sunrise without thinking of the 101 things you have to do later. Do not be afraid to get caught up in the overwhelming majesty of God.

Saturday night on the retreat we all laid on the picnic table and stood around looking at stars, watching shooting stars and just being in awe of the small amount of the universe that we could see. Then Sunday morning I woke up to a most simple but gorgeous sunrise. The sunrise was a reminder that though night sand darkness surrounds us, but instead that the sun does rise again. Just as the sun rose this morning the Son rises in all of our dark days, bringing us hope, peace, joy, and love. The sunrise this morning was a reminder of the Advent season. Just as we long for the dark and dreary days to end, we long for the coming of our Lord and Savior. Just as we light candles to remind us of Christ's light in the world around us, we see the sun brighten the sky and are reminded of the ever present Emmanuel, God with us.

This is a new week, a week where we are reminded of God's peace while still holding to the hope of the Christ child we are awaiting. How amazing is the promise we hold in Christ? The hope that says because of the birth we long to celebrate in just a few short weeks, we have eternal life with the God who created the universe, this galaxy, each star, each animal, and each of our lives. In the weeks to come, don't worry, don't forget to see God, don't forget to stop and listen. Christ came, Christ lives, Christ is coming again, thanks be to God!!