Saturday, May 26, 2012

    Minister’s Musings – March 2012

    During the first few Sunday’s of January, our congregation participated in the research portion of  Kim Burke-Cole’s graduate project, entitled, “Passing the Peace of Christ– Is it a social gesture or a sacred act?” Passing the peace is not a new practice for our congregation. But it is one that is done infrequently. Kim interviewed several volunteers about how they experienced this practice at Grace United. Kim also repeated the process with another congregation that passes the peace regularly. On March 7th Kim presented her graduate project at AST. For those who are interested, the presentation will be posted on U-tube. (I will publish link in the bulletin once it is uploaded).
    I attended Kim’s presentation and was impressed with her work and the way she presented her findings. Kim talked about a lecture given by AST professor, Dr. David Deane in 2008. The lecture started her on the quest to discover how the passing of the peace is experienced in United Church congregations. Her “personal transformation” came as part of a realization that the act of passing the peace is intended to embody the act of reconciliation. She said,
[David Deane] highlighted how passing the peace had moved from a sacramental act as in early Christianity, where it embodied the act of reconciliation with one another … this meant that if you were hungry, I would feed you; if you were thirsty, I would give you something to drink; …. I passed you peace, now to a time of social greetings. 
Whoa!  You mean this handshake means something more?  I am actually passing peace to another!  This was transforming and life-altering for me.  I no longer saw it as a social greeting "Hey, how are you doing?" but something very profound.     

    You may recall that when we celebrated communion on February 5th our Bible playshop was just before communion and it included the act of passing the peace of Christ. The intent of the playshop was to convey a similar message, that passing peace to another means something more profound, it means becoming involved in a persons life.
    In her presentation, Kim, said that the data she collected had three significant themes. “First theme was connection which manifested itself as physical and spiritual, the next theme was transformation and the last was sacredness.” Kim said that her research indicated that one  very important part of the act of passing the peace is the opportunity to connect, to touch another.

    We know that touch is important for our well being. Unfortunately we live in a culture were are aware that touch can at the same time bring, comfort, pleasure, healing and on the other hand cause pain at so many different levels.
    But touch is so important. I remember early in my ministry visiting with an elderly shut in and when I took her hand in mine to pray with her she broke down. I prayed with her, the whole time wondering and worrying about what I had done. Did I squeeze her arthritic hand too hard?... After a few moments of silence, she noticed my discomfort and apologized for her tears. And then she told me something that was personally transformative. Still holding my hand she said thank you and told me that I was the first person in quite some time who had held her hand.
    This is one of the important messages imbedded in the story of Peter and John encounter with  the lame man from birth (see Acts 3:1-10). In this story they embody the passing of the Peace and Healing of Christ. They take the lame man’s hand and look him in the eyes and they are moved to get involved in his life. And in their ordinary act of touch something sacred happens.
    Is touch important? Absolutely. The way that we use it can bring healing and hope.
    As Christians are we aware of the importance of passing Peace and Healing of Christ in our words and in our touch? The next time you shake a hand, or give someone a hug, remember that you are called to be Christ for the world.
    Remember the words of the popular hymn.
Take my life, and let it be consecrated, all for thee;
take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of thy love;
take my feet, and let them be swift and purposeful for thee.