Listen, God is calling.

It has been only two months since I returned from Ghana. In some ways it feels like so long ago but other times it feels so fresh. Especially when I talk with others at length about my time there, my heart longs to be back, back to where my spirit felt free to dance in worship, back to where others are not frantic with worries or stuck to rigid schedules, back to the many close friends I made.

A few weeks ago I spent three days gathering with the PCUSA Ghana Mission Network, a group of representatives from presbyteries and churches in the US that have partnerships with churches in Ghana. As everyone shared about their partnerships, their projects, their joys and their struggles, one major theme has stuck with me: LISTEN. Listen to God, listen to others and listen to yourself.

We should try to always listen to God because ultimately that is whose will we are trying to follow. When we are guilty of listening to only our own desires and thoughts we run the risk of letting our mission work (which should be GOD’s mission after all) become more about making ourselves feel good and doing what we think is right, rather than listening to what is best for others and what God desires. Listening to God is hard because it takes time and patience, two things many Westerners often possess very little of. I myself am guilty of being impatient and being so busy. However, I believe we must take the time to listen and discern if we truly want God’s will to be done on earth. Several times the group of those involved in Ghana missions would be bantering back and forth about something and then someone would speak up, “I think I know what we should do, I think we should pray about it.” Thank God!

Secondly, we cannot fail to listen to others–
In mission work, this especially pertains to listening to the “other” the person/community that is of a different culture, nationality, religion, economic status etc. with whom we are in relationship. Many times we as the westerners think we know what is best and want to “help” those who are “less fortunate” than us but often we fail to listen to those individuals and their stories, to learn how they are fortunate and to learn what needs they perceive to be the greatest before we rush in to do something. Without listening to others, no true relationship and partnership can be formed. We must also listen to those who have gone before us and those with different experiences. I often heard a missionary who lives and works in Ghana giving good advice and caution to those in the US who go to short term work in Ghana.  It’s important to listen to others like this because they have gained insights about what works and what won’t in a certain culture and environment. For instance, why put in heavy duty equipment at a hospital if in order to run it, the whole rest of the town would have to be without electricity? We must listen to others and allow ourselves to be changed by what they say or no real listening has actually taken place.

Third, we must listen to ourselves and critique ourselves, because what starts as good intentions can be morphed into actions tainted by own our desires all too quickly. Do we hear what we are saying or just talking? Do we hear what our actions are saying theologically? We always hope that what we say and do portrays God’s love and grace but we must listen to see if this is true. In sitting in on all of these Ghana mission meetings I have learned about the importance of listening and re-listening to yourself. In re examining our words and actions we can learn from the past and attempt to make amends for the times we have failed.

Listening is so important and this is such a great reminder for me at this point in my life. In Ghana I had so much space to listen. I listened to others and learned so much. I had/made the time to read scripture, to journal and reflect much more often than I normally do here in the US. As I try to discern where God is calling me after seminary, I am reminded that I must listen. I must listen because I know God is calling but if I do not take the time to listen I will never be able to hear and answer the call.

“Listen. Listen God is calling, through the Word inviting, offering forgiveness, comfort and joy.” – Tanzanian song

Christ has set us free to serve

Sunday was my final Sunday in Ghana and now I am only a few short days from departing this beautiful country. It was an amazing day for sure. My host pastor for the past three weeks has been Rev. Vincent Dagadu who is the Youth Programs director for the E.P. Church and also the pastor of a small congregation in Ho, Mawuli Estate. I have been attending church with him and interacting with the church members for about three weeks now. This Sunday especially was a beautiful celebration of my time in Ghana. The congregation may be small but this church and its members impressed me more than any others. When you worship with Mawuli Estate the joy is contagious. This Sunday I finally felt myself lay aside all of my insecurities about being a white lady in an African church, I felt the Spirit move in and lead me on. This time when I was dancing with the music and with the ladies of the congregation I no longer felt awkward but just part of the church family. I have felt welcomed and loved during my entire stay here but there was something different about this time, place and group of people. There was no way you could have ignored the Spirit moving in this place and be wrapped up in all the joy that is flowing through the people. One of my favorite practices of this congregation is their version of the “passing of the peace.” Their version involves the church band playing music and singing and the entire congregation (including the pastors) singing, dancing and walking around and shaking hands with everyone. This Sunday I was also invited to be the preacher for the day (sermon is below). As I usually am before delivering a sermon I was quite nervous and unsure of the message I had prepared, but as the scriptures were read and the choir sang before my sermon I said prayers to God and asked God to be at work. I also sang a hymn in the local language of Ewe as my prayer before the sermon. Rev. Dagadu taught me the song and sang it along with me. It was such a beautiful moment singing about God’s love that never ends. It had Vincent and I and the entire congregation smiling from ear to ear! The sermon experience was amazing as well, especially when I could tell the congregation was even understanding my English (based on there “amens” and other affirmative comments). As I preached about being one in Christ I could sense that we were all one in that very moment. It really is incredible what can happen when you step aside and let God move and work in your midst. I think we are in trouble the moment we stop relying on God and rely only on ourselves to bring the Word, to transform, to heal etc..we are in big trouble if we think that we are the ones that hold the power!

After my sermon the congregation presented me with several gifts. One small gift would have been typical, but this small congregation showered me with gifts. They presented me with a large piece of Kente cloth (woven fabric, traditional in this area). It was not just one strip but over 10 sewn together, enough to make a full outfit. To put this in perspective, this is a very expensive gift and would be considered the nicest type of cloth anyone in Ghana could wear. Then they presented me with two cakes, one that was iced with my name written on it and a goodbye message from the church and another that was wrapped for me to take with me. I cut the cake together with the church elders and the entire congregation partook in the delicious cake (it was similar to banana bread but more like cake + icing). I was overwhelmed with gratitude! Of course the gifts are wonderful but those only stand as symbols of the relationships we have formed, the time we have shared together and how grateful we all are to now be acquainted as brothers and sisters in Christ. What a special, special day. I am beyond grateful to God for all the members of Mawuli Estate who showed me that the love of Christ, when truly displayed, has no bounds. I will never be able to express how deeply touched I have been by all those I have met here in Ghana. I am certain that many here will continue to be my friends, colleagues and brothers and sisters for life. So often we go to other countries or any unfamiliar place with our own agendas, but I came here to Ghana because I felt God was calling me back. Mostly I had no idea who I would meet and what would fill my days. I am so glad that I had no agenda except to learn, experience and form relationships. As soon as I departed, I stepped aside and I have been truly amazed by all that God has shown me and all of the ways I have connected with God alongside the people of Ghana. By coming with no agenda and being completely open to what ever life would bring, I have seen that that has allowed God to be at work equally among myself and my friends here in Ghana. It is not just me who has received blessing in this. My friends and I here are equally honored to call each other partners, friends, colleagues and brothers/sisters. Thanks be to God (Akpe na Mawu)!

 

 

Sermon: Christ has set us free to serve

Mawuli Estate Congregation
June 23, 2013
Allysen Schaaf

Scripture passages:
1 Kings 19:1-7
Luke 8:26-29
Galatians 3:23-29

The theme for today’s sermon is supposed to be “Christ shall set you free,” while there are still many things we may wish Christ to free us from, I believe that Christ has already set us free.  But does this mean we are free to run around anywhere we want, acting how ever we want with no fear of the consequences? Does it mean we are free from judgment or from the responsibility of living lives as children of God? I don’t think so. In dying on the cross, Christ reconciled us to God, forgave the sins of the world and set us free from the ancient laws the Jews once followed. Christ overcame death so that we might have life. I believe that Christ has set us free in this way for a purpose though. So I’d like to add to today’s theme a little and say that Christ has set us free to serve.

When people encounter God, they cannot remain the same or stay in the same place, they are compelled to go out and serve and share what God has done. We can see in our three scripture readings for today. In the text from 1 Kings, Elijah fears for his life and asks to be dead rather than continue to flee, but God provides food for him, enough food for him to travel 40 days and 40 nights. Even after this when Elijah wants to flee, the Lord sends him back. It seems Elijah’s time as a prophet is not over. In Elijah’s encounter with God he is strengthened and fed and sent out to continue his prophetic work, his work of serving the Lord.

In our text from Luke, Jesus cures a man who had been possessed by demons. After the man is free from the demons, he wants to stay with Jesus, but Jesus says to him, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all around town, all that Jesus had done for him (v. 39). Again, an encounter with the living God, who feeds, heals and transforms, does not allow a person to stay the same. An encounter with God does not allow a person to stay in the same place. In both of these stories the men who encounter God are compelled to continue on their journeys and proclaim God’s mighty deeds to others. They are compelled to serve God, each in their own way.

Then we hear in Galatians how all people are now free from the law and that all are one in Christ Jesus. They are set free from all of the boundaries that previously kept them apart- their gender, ethnicity, their wealth or lack of it- in order to be one in Christ as children of God. At the time of this letter, there were many disagreements between the Jews and Greeks who were joining the Christian church. Paul saw how these divisions threatened to tear Christ’s church apart and so he urged the people to be one. I think he knew the church would better be able to fulfill God’s mission if they all worked together.

What great freedom and promise we have received from God that we should be called children of God and heirs of God’s promise. We could be tempted to proclaim this good news, close our Bibles and go home, but as I have already stated, I believe Christ has set us free for a reason. Christ has set us free and made us one not just so we can look around and smile at each other and know that despite our differences, we are one. We are freed by Christ in order to more fully serve and praise the Lord all our days.

     We hear in Galatians that there is neither Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, but I’m afraid this is not the picture we see in our world today. There are so many ways that we let our nationality or our tribe divide us. Just one look at the international news tells us that we have problems with this everywhere around the globe. North and South Korea, Palestine and Israel, Christians and Muslims fighting in the Middle East and Africa.
      In Christ there is neither slave or free, but how many child slaves and child workers still exist? So many. We know that child trafficking is an issue here in Ghana, especially in the fishing communities and Ghana is not the only country where this type of slavery still occurs. Many others are enslaved under poverty, living under a corrupt government or under and economy or justice system that seems to do nothing to free them from their poverty. In the US we too have a lot of poverty scattered across our nation. In our Nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., in this city alone there are around 10,000 homeless persons. This includes men, women and children.
     In Christ there is neither male or female, but how often do we left our gender tell us that we are better or that we are inferior to another? So often we hear of women being abused by their husbands or earning less than men at the very same job, even if they have the same level of qualifications.
     We can look at our world, our communities and our churches and see that in many ways we have not fulfilled our oneness. Of course there are many things we do to support each other and unite in the name of Christ, but there are still many ways in which we fall short. It is like we have been set free by Christ but we are still sitting in the opened jail cell.

We have been freed so that we can all live as partners, as brothers and sisters, who work together to make this world a place where God’s love is realized for all. We are set free to make this world a place where no one lives in slavery, poverty or abuse but where all live and work in such a way that we show that we are truly one in Christ. Each Sunday we enter the chapel to worship and praise God and to hear God’s word proclaimed. Yet, just like the man in Luke who was healed of his demons, we are not called to stay here, we are called to go out and share all that God has done for us. We are called to respond to the word we hear through serving our neighbors and promoting unity. Brothers and sisters, we have heard the radical good news today- for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. How can we not be stirred, changed and moved to go out into the world and share this…to live this out?

     All of this I believe is supported by the prayer we pray every Sunday, the Lord’s Prayer. In the gospel of Matthew, The Lord’s Prayer is given in the context of the Sermon on the Mount. It could seem like this prayer is a secret message for just the disciples but at the end of Jesus’ sermon we hear that the crowds were amazed. So this was a message and a prayer for ALL! This is a prayer for all who follow Christ and for all those who have not joined in following him yet. Every Sunday we stand and pray the Lord’s Prayer together in one voice. But I wonder if sometimes we just say the words without contemplating their meaning or considering the millions of others around the globe who also pray this very same prayer?  The Lord’s Prayer is I think one of the greatest examples of this unity we share in Christ. As millions of believers around the world recite the prayer that Jesus taught us, we share in fellowship and unity. Even if we say the prayer in a different language or in different church settings…this prayer unites us all.

This prayer also calls us to think about the needs of others and of what God’s will for the world is. After all, this prayer does not say..let my will be done, give me bread, forgive me, bring my kingdom here to earth. No, rather this prayer says our father, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, emphasizing that it is never our own humans desires that we pray for but for God’s heavenly kingdom to be fulfilled here on earth. And we don’t just pray for our own needs to be met, we pray give US this day our daily bread, and forgive US, as WE forgive, lead US not into temptation, deliver US from evil. The plural language of this prayer pushes us to knock down all the barriers we may have unknowingly put up around this prayer. This prayer is not just for you or for me, it is not just for men or just women, it is not just for Presbyterians or just for Methodists,  it is for all who are now called children of God through Christ Jesus.

When Galatians says in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, it is true we are all one in Christ. Others around Ho, around Ghana, around the continent of Africa raise up the Lord’s Prayer just as we do here at Mawuli Estate. Believers in Europe, America, Asia, South America, Australia, and Antarctica pray the Lord’s Prayer. Presbyterians, Methodists, Catholics, Christians of the EP Church, PCG, world evangelical church, the charismatic churches…people around the globe pray this prayer. So what if when we prayed this prayer we not only thought of ourselves and our church but of all the others who also pray this prayer? Then we would be praying for the needs of all of God’s children and they would be praying for us. Brothers and sisters, this is the unity that we are talking about when it says all are one in Christ.

Further, Musa Dube, a biblical scholar from Botswana writes that “to pray the Lord’s Prayer as Christian practitioners, therefore, is to pledge responsibility to being active partners in the building of the kingdom of God on earth.” When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we not only pray for all of God’s people we also commit to working to bring God’s kingdom here to earth for everyone.

So what might this look like? What would it look like if we all saw one thing in our community that did not resemble God’s kingdom and God’s promises of life and grace..what if we saw one such situation and did something to change it? Maybe we would speak out against child trafficking and child labor that continues to go on here in Ghana and elsewhere around the world. Maybe we would take the time to visit the sick and elderly of our congregation. Perhaps our singing group, men’s or women’s fellowship or CYB would decide together on a need in the community they would like to try and get more involved with.  

Think of the needs in this country, in this community…and think of your gifts. I know so many of you have the gift of song and dance, the gift of hospitality and friendship, the gift of a mango or maize that you have grown, the gift of a tithe or your physical labor. Maybe you could go to one of the Shepherd centers for the aged and bring them the gift of your songs and in turn fill them with joy and unite with your elder brothers and sisters who are so often left lonely and neglected in their homes. Perhaps this church would decide together on an agency to support in this community, like the youth rehabilitation center for street children, a health clinic, or any of the other organizations here in Ho working to bring God’s love to others. Perhaps the church might choose one of these and decide to pledge a certain amount of the offerings each month to this organization so these organizations could continue their ministry to the community. Or maybe you yourself could go and volunteer at one of such organizations. The possibilities are endless.

Brothers and sisters, there are so many ways we do live out this calling to serve others and live as one body of Christ. I have experienced much of this while I have been here, whether it was in being pulled into your dance circles, being invited to your homes for a meal or just in the way you have accepted me as a sister in Christ. But we know that this chapel, nor even the largest chapel in the world, could ever hold all of God’s children. So, we know there are many out there who we are to serve and share the Good news and joy we have experienced here. We have indeed been set free by Christ, set free to serve. I pray that God would continue to bless you this day and that God might challenge each of us to find one way we can serve others and show with our lives that we believe we are all one. As I depart this week, I will continue to keep you in my prayers and I hope you will pray for me, so that God might use all of us to bring God’s kingdom here to earth. Each time I pray the Lord’s Prayer I will think of Mawuli Estate congregation and I will think of all others around the world who pray this prayer. My prayer is that you will do this same and that together, we might serve our God and serve our neighbors, showing that we believe: we are all one in Christ Jesus.   Amen.

It’s time to start living out the belief: “We are all one in Christ”

The more I continue to talk to pastors here about what church partnerships with foreign churches look like (which to me resemble something far from a true “partnership” most times) and the more I hear about how the church and other institutions continue to be dependent on foreign aid, the more conflicted I become. On top of this I have been reading a book called “Dead Aid” written by Dambisa Moyo. The author is originally from Zambia and her case that foreign aid to Africa is not working and actually harmful to the development of Africa is extremely compelling. In the past 60 years, over 1 trillion US dollars have poured into Africa but for most countries africa, poverty has increased. There are many many reasons Moyo proposes as to why aid does not work- one is that often it gets poor countries into a cycle of debt they cannot get out of. Others reasons are: geographical, historical, cultural, tribal and institutional. Further, corrupt governments often scoop up aid for themselves and it never contributes to the development of a country. 

 

Her book talks about a lot of complicated economic things, some more than I can really grasp in my brief reading of the book. Many of her solutions involve big reforms in international relations. However, I think the issues and concerns she raises are especially pertinent for individual churches, presbyteries and any church of any denomination for that matter. I think her concerns are ones that the churches of the Western world need to stop and think about. I think with the short term mission model that churches often use, especially with foreign missions, that the work of western churches can often do more long-term harm then we realize. Again, it might feel good to take a bunch of old shoes and clothes to another country or to raise a bunch of money and send it over seas, but so often we don’t consider the real effects. Take this story from Moyo’s book as an example:

 

“There’s a mosquito net maker in Africa. He manufactures around 500 nets a week. He employs 10 people, who (as with many African countries) have to support upwards of fifteen relatives. However hard they work, they can’t make enough nets to combat the malaria-carrying mosquito. Enter vociferous Hollywood movie star who rallies the masses, and goads Western governments to collect and send 100,000 mosquito nets to the afflicted region, at a cost of one million dollars. The nets arrive, the nets are distributed, and a ‘good’ deed is done. With the market flooded with foreign nets, however, our mosquito net marker is promptly put out of business. His ten workers can no longer support their 150 dependants (who are now forced to depend on handouts) and one mustn’t forget that in a maximum of five years the majority of the imported nets will be torn, damages and of no further use” (44).

 

She lists one positive alternative that has started with food aid– instead of shipping in foreign food, some have begun to invest in and purchase food from local farmers in the country and distribute the food to the needy. That way, local farmers are not put out of business and actually supported in the process of giving food to those who need it most.

 

Back in 1999 a student at (then) Union Theological Seminary and PSCE wrote a thesis about partnership in Christian mission with the context of mainline churches in Ghana in mind. He writes about the “missionary moratorium” of the 1970s that was called for by a Kenyan Presbyterian which asked for all missionaries to withdraw from Africa for at least five years. This was so younger churches in the third world could be liberated from the era of colonization and such that had been done by westerners in Africa. The All African Council of churches called for a removal of missionaries and funds, aiming to get rid of the church’s dependent state on foreign funds. The Presbyterian churches in Ghana were independent prior to the moratorium, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in 1930 and the Presbyterian Church of Ghana in 1960. However, this does not mean that foreign missionary bodies and churches cease to be involved financially and personnel wise. 

 

Dzakpasu, the author of this thesis, writes that because of how the relationship began between western churches and churches in Africa, most church partnerships are paternalistic in nature, meaning churches are not financially independent from the missionary society (20). 

 

The GOAL he says is for African churches to become self-sufficient so that REAL EQUAL partnership can be realized. This is my prayer for the churches here and my prayer for our western churches too, that we might engage with our brothers and sisters from other churches in ways that do not contribute to this paternal type of relationship but rather aim to establish a real, equal partnership. Thankfully this is what several of my host pastors perceive me to be doing and what I feel like I am trying to do, establish mutual relationships with pastors here and further the relationship that exists with UPSem. I have been honored that this is how many have perceived my visit.

 

It is obvious that the church all over the world is still struggling with this. 

 

In my time here with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Ho, Ghana I have been blessed to witness and hear about the visions and dreams ministers have for their own church here. The EP Church has already been responsible for doing holistic ministry in their communities by setting up health clinics, schools, ecumenical gatherings and ministries for youth and for children who live on the streets. This is in addition of course to the new churches they have planted and all of the prayer and music groups that go on within the church. One pastor started a center to take care of the aging population and his vision has grown into around 90 centers around Ghana that care for the elderly population. He still has many more dreams though. One of his dreams is for more church members to be mobilized to serve their communities, for groups like the women’s bible study or the youth group (which have turned into mostly singing groups) to turn outward and serve others in their community. The vision, the passion and the people with gifts are here…yet many churches and their social ministries continue to be dependent on foreign money. 

 

What if instead of a US church sending over money to support the street children’s ministry for 20 some years (which will help build a residency building for children), the  church partnered with the EP Church and worked with them to set up their own system of fundraising in their own churches? There have to be about 10 or more Presbyterian congregations in the Ho area alone. What if each church pledged to give 10, 20, 50 cedis a month to support the street children project? Then the whole community would be involved in supporting it and they would be more invested in its continuation. As of right now with the money they have, even from the foreigners, they can still only welcome the children to the center 3 days a week because of the expenses. It would be great to have a place for these children who either have no families or families who cannot provide for the to have a place to come each day for spiritual and physical nourishment, for community, play, bible study and meals but it doesn’t seem like the community around the center is being encouraged to support the ministry or even aware of it. A pastor told me that many pastors in their denomination are not even aware that the EP Church has such a ministry.

 

Part of the evangelical nature of Christianity in Africa (evangelical in the sense of the Evangelical Revivals of the 18th and 19th centuries) is the concern for the “moral and social welfare of disadvantaged members of society” (Omulokoli, The roots of the modern missionary movement and the planting of Christianity in Africa, pg 27). The concern for the disadvantaged does exist in the EP Church. The EP Church especially exemplifies their concern for these members of society in their care for widows and orphans and through their many social ministries throughout the country. 

 

Several questions I have been asking myself:

Why would the local churches in Ghana be concerned about supporting the street children’s ministry (or any other) if money continues to come in from foreign sources?

 

If foreign money gradually stopped coming as the main source of support, would the Ghanaians then rise to the occasion to support their own ministry? (I have to think yes, because I have seen them raise $2,000+ cedis in one day to help build a new chapel). 

 

How many international mission trips/projects/”partnerships” initiated by US churches have furthered the paternalistic nature of international church relations and infact inhibited development and prosperity in the other country?

 

How many times have churches gone to another country to “help” without learning anything about the culture, the people, the religion, the history of the country?

 

I think all churches need to stop and deeply consider what their mission practices say theologically. Do our mission practices exemplify that all of God’s children are EQUAL partners, that we all have something to give, receive and learn? Many of the mission practices that I have seen in action here in Ghana have Ghanaians thinking that God has blessed the US or the white people more than God has blessed them.  I refuse to believe this is true. Of course mission and monetary aid is very complicated and indeed many of our own local organizations depend on our financial support too. I don’t think it is inherently bad to give money to organizations and people in need. What I do think is that we need to think about our own motivations and what theological messages our actions carry. In our local and international missions we need to consider first forming relationships with our brothers and sisters and then finding ways we can work alongside and support them and their local businesses etc.

 

Galatians 3:26-29 says that in Christ, all are children of God. “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” We love to speak about this verse, to preach it and make ourselves feel good that Christ has absolved all of the divisions between us but it’s time we start living it. It’s time we start making our mission practices and all our activities within and outside our own church reflect this. It’s time to stop thinking about it and start living it.  One courageous step at a time, I hope you will join me. 

 

Church members presenting me with flowers on my first Sunday at Mawuli Estate congregation

Me and my brother Vincent with the view of the Ho township in the background

Tune my heart to sing thy grace

Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace

As I stood at the foot of the Wli waterfalls in Wli, Ghana I found myself humming the tune of this familiar hymn. I traveled there with two good friends and colleagues in ministry. We all come from different countries (america, Canada and Ghana) but we all stood in awe of our creator, the God who created each of us and this beautiful waterfall that we stood before. As we all enjoyed the beautiful surroundings I noticed that my friends were also singing or humming hymns. I was struck by the simplicity yet magnificence and holiness of the moment that had turned us all to sing praises to God. If God is the fount of every blessing, whose streams of mercy never cease and whose love for us never changes, moments like this where our hearts sing praise to God should not seem unexpected. This is what we were created to do! In fact, as the hymn tells us, these acts of God call for our loudest songs of praise.

Have you ever been in a moment when you were so connected with God that you could not help but sing? Reflect on where you were when this last happened to you. Hopefully it has not been that long ago but maybe it has and it is hard to remember the pure joy of that moment when your heart sung freely, praises to God.

I think we can find these holy moments each day, but i wonder, are we filling our days so much or constraining our spirits with the hustle and bustle of the day that we do not even have a chance to let the moment sink in and have our hearts tuned to the grace of God? Here in Ghana I have been thankfully detached from my usual schedule and routine. In moments that were lonely or scary I have been pushed to rely on God even more. I have left my watch and to-do list aside in order to live life as it comes my way, to go with pastors when ever they say, “let’s go!,” to pray or contribute part of the liturgy of the church service with no more than a moments notice. I have spent more time reflecting, writing and reading scripture (partly because I have made the time now and partly because often leaving at 7am really means 8am here in Ghana!). All of these experiences have shown me how connected I can be with God and the amazing things God does when we don’t restrict God to our schedule or our terms and when we don’t allow our lives to be so consumed and busy that we neglect the most important thing- our relationship with God and our relationship with our brothers and sisters.

I had actually been to this waterfall before, but the scenario was a bit different. I was expecting to enjoy the trip but wasn’t expecting the experience to be that different but it was. with only the three of us there at the falls, we were free of distractions and free to breathe in God’s presence. Even in places we have been before, with people we already know, God’s Spirit continues to blow where it will, gathering in our wandering hearts and sealing them with the unfailing grace that binds us to God always.

I find that reading a hymn that I know and love so well can actually allow the words to sink in a bit deeper. So here are the words for you to read at your leisure and then sing out with your”songs of loudest praise!”
“Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
Come Thou fount of every blessing Tune my heart to sing Thy grace Streams of mercy, never ceasing Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it Mount of Thy unchanging love

Here I raise my Ebenezer Here there by Thy help I come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger Wandering from the fold of God
He to rescue me from danger Interposed His precious blood

Oh, to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be
Let that grace now, like a fetter Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord I feel it Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it Seal it for Thy courts above

“Keep these words..in your heart, recite them to your children”

“Keep these words..in your heart, recite them to your children”

 

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

“Hear O Israel: The Lord is our God, The Lord alone. You shall love The Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorpost of your house and on your gates.”

 

Early on in the Bible we hear this command. Later we hear this reiterated by Jesus as the greatest commandment. Must be important then right? Maybe we sometimes get stuck in our usual routine and we forget how important this command is for our lives and maybe we even lose our enthusiasm and dedication to the ways we were trying to live out this command. 

 

During my time living here in Ghana I have been blessed to witness many of the ways Ghanaians live out this command. Of course people of faith all over the world attempt to live out this command, but one thing about living in a different culture that is wonderful is that you get to see how others live out their faith. From observing and being a part of this lived faith here in Ghana I have also had the opportunity to live out this command in new ways and in ways I have before. I had been blessed with the opportunity from God to reinvigorate my efforts to love God.

 

Though there have been many instances, ill just share a few things I have seen. 

At my last host church I was fortunate to be staying in a room that was located directly next to the kindergarten class rooms. Each morning I could hear the kindergarten children begin their day with the Lord’s Prayer and several songs (something that would never happen in most schools in e US). Then once they went to their classrooms, the teachers would circle up, sing a hymn and pray together. Quite the holy moments to witness each day. 

 

At both of my host churches I have attended morning worship/devotion every week day morning. This has been such a wonderful discipline. These daily services remind us all to refocus the days activities toward loving God with our whole heart, soul and might. Of course this takes commitment, for many weeks it also involved getting up at 4:30am, but this is the kind of commitment and discipline I think is conveyed in the Deuteronomy passage. Whether you are traveling or at home, whether it is early or late in the day, whether you are tired, apathetic, happy, sad, grieving, busy, way too busy, or running around like a chicken with your head cut off…Love The Lord your God with all your heart, soul and might, keep these words in your heart and recite them to your children.  This should be the FIRST thing on our to-do lists, not the last thing, if we have time after running errands, going to work/school, running the kids to sports, doing homework etc….. This should be the first thing on our list at every moment of the day so that all we do will flow from our desire to love God.

 

Recently I attended choir practice at a church here. Young children were running around, some were strapped to their mothers backs, others were watching their fathers drum and a young girl was  even following her mother, joining in on the songs and dances. A live example of “recite these words to your children.” Children learn to dance and sing the church hymns from a young age. Here in Ghana the children have separate Sunday school and worship from the adults but yet there are still many ways that parents and church elders teach the children. The words from Deuteronomy remind us not only how important it is to love God but to make this show of love an intergenerational activity. At all times we can be learning from our youngest and our oldest about what it looks like to love God and love each other. 

The intersection of Traditional African beliefs and Christianity in Ghana

This was written as a reflection on my experiences in conversation with some articles I have been reading about culture and mission in Ghana.

Before I left for Ghana, one of my goals was to learn more about how Christianity in Ghana is shaped, influenced and changed because of traditional religious beliefs and traditional African religions that have existed prior to the arrival of Christianity.

 

Just a few weeks ago I received several firsthand lessons on just that!

 

The first was at a traditional African wedding ceremony. I had no idea what to expect going into this! It turns out that the traditional ceremony, which was held outside, was very Christian indeed. The main purpose of this event seemed to be the giving of the dowry from the groom’s family to the bride’s and both families and the bride and groom all confirming that yes the these two are the people intending to get married. Since the ceremony involved the dowry gifts being accepted (and I’m told the dowry lists can be quite long and expensive!) I wasn’t expecting there to be many Christian elements, but the pastor I was with said prayers, Christian hymns were sung, and a bible was given to the couple. The pastor prayed that their lives as a married couple would involved prayer and bible study and that they would turn to the bible when they had troubles. I have to think that this type of ceremony was very different prior to the arrival of Christianity. 

 

That very same day, a church member came over basically to teach me about African spiritual beliefs, specifically those concerning traditional herbalist healers. Note, the man is a Christian but he has uncles and relatives that are traditional herbalist (who are still used frequently today). When he arrived I was told by the pastor that the man was going to do some “miracles” for us so I was a little skeptical at first. Then the church member began to tell me about how Africans believe so much in the spiritual realm.  Beliefs in spirits, witches and the many different traditional smaller gods that people worshiped etc in African  still have influence on Africans today. He told me that you can’t possibly  talk to people here or try to convert them if you don’t know anything about their background, their beliefs etc. You have to know what other sorts of beliefs they have, their family’s background etc. Many herbalists are Christian and have a bible in their shrines. He said, you cannot just condemn them for their traditional beliefs you have to be able to work with those types of things. I remembered this statement when i went to visit the churches new mission sight, a small village where traditional idols are still worshiped and thus has led the church to desire to put up a church there. In order to evangelize and set up a church in this village, the ministers will most definitely have to tackle the issue of idols. their goal is to get the people to destroy their idols and worship The triune God of Christianity but they will have to help the people cope with the fears they have about turning away from their idols. 

 

Missionaries long ago  tried to convert people in Ghana and then moved them to kpodze, a place they call “mission” here in Ho. The missionaries did this because they wanted to remove people from the environment of traditional religion. Obviously many of the traditional beliefs like belief in evil spirits, witches and herbal medicine still exist today. Many believe herbal remedies work better than going to hospital. I also read a short book written by my host about polygamy in the Eucharist in which he talks about how Christianity is a cultural amalgamation in Africa. Polygamy is just one example of how there has been a combination of cultures and tensions between cultures after the arrival of Christianity in Africa. 

This was all so enlightening and interesting! 

 

The first miracle/magic trick the man showed me involved putting various items into a hollowed out calabash shell. He cut some hemp string/twine into seven pieces and into each he put some hair from the tail of a squirrel and strands from a red feather of a parrot. He also put 7 bugs in the shell, some type of ant that looks more like a tick. He laid a strip of cloth over the bowl and put rocks on top of the cloth. Right then if you would have picked up the cloth the shell would have stayed on the table and the cloth would have lifted the rocks, but he poured alcohol over the rocks and when he lifted the cloth, the shell and all it’s contents came with it! It was really pretty amazing. Now this man said that there is probably some kind of chemical reaction that forms some type of glue or magnetic but that this is commonly performed by healers, then they will hang the shell in the doorway of the shrine to catch spirits. 

The next herbalist trick involved eating a horribly bitter tablet made of crushed plant roots and then holding a live scorpion that apparently would not bite you because of the tablet. I didn’t have the courage to hold the scorpion though!

 

Obviously, even though the rise of Christianity “as the religion of civilization and modernity” has caused traditional religion to be forced out of the public sphere, it still plays a major role in the way people think and conceptualize religion in Ghana (Going and making public, Meyer, 154). You cannot begin to engage with Christianity in Ghana without considering the traditional African beliefs and practices, that is for sure. 

 

The reading of the Missionary linguistics article by Erika Eichholzer was an interesting read that describe the Basel missionary efforts in Ghana and specifically their work with the local languages. Often I see a negative picture of missionaries in my head from this period but I felt that it was admirable that the missionaries aimed to be able to speak the local language fluently. Their “ultimate goal of language learning however, was evangelical work” (pg 77). These missionaries I think at least saw how important it was, to some extent, become part of the community in which they were evangelizing. Without learning the language the scriptures would not have been translated into local languages and the gospel would have very difficult to preach. Even then, there was very much support and acknowledgement from the Basal Mission Committee for the study of the local language (91). This has made me think about how often today churches, denominations and people who support missionaries so often want success stories, numbers, results, or they want to go and do something (build something). Are supporting agencies today just as disinterested in missionary activities that are more about cultural learning and relationship building? It probably depends on each individual case, but still something to consider. Of course there are many wonderful aid projects and examples of people from various cultures working together, but as Ott and Strauss mention in chapter 8 of “encountering theology of mission,” “Good intentions lacking wisdom and missiological insight often result in repeating the errors of history such as paternalism and cultural insensitivity” (214). 

 

Seeing all of the ways paternalism and cultural insensitivity continue almost make me want to not do anything at all because that would be better than continuing this pattern. However, mission has, as Ott and Stauss say, given a “new and unique expression to unity in both the local and global body of Christ” (213). Ott and Strauss argue that the church is the primary agent for mission which not only fuels my hope in the church but also inspires me to continue to engage in not just the global church but the local church as well so that relationships between different communities would be characterized by the unity that Christ himself prayed for. This article has also inspired me to challenge my local congregation and the larger church to pursue mission in ways that are wise, loving, unifying and above all work towards God’s mission and kingdom (not our own mission!). This article paired with all that I have learned about the Ghanaian culture and all of the different religious beliefs that interact here has become such a wonderful source of knowledge for me and will continue to be as I continue into the ministry. Now that I have gained a deeper knowledge about life and Christianity in Ghana,  I know I will want to continue to form relationships with and learn from many other people who are different from me and to carry this with me as I read and interpret Scripture, preach the Gospel and pursue my calling in ministry (where ever that might take me!).

 

 

  

Resist the “Yevu” urge to give, give, give

Resist the “Yevu” urge to give, give give
Examine your motives first

This past week I visited the primary school where my host mom teaches first grade. I simply wanted to go because I was interested in seeing how the classroom worked, the subjects the kids learned and how the teachers taught. For weeks I have been hearing the kindergarten classes of another school outside my window each morning singing their songs and reciting their prayers before each school day, so I was excited to get to visit a classroom. Of course the kids were all excited to see me…children in Ghana love seeing white people (Yevu, as they say in Ewe). This is for many reasons I have learned. It was obviously fun to be with the kids and play games with them at break but on my second day of visiting the school the kids (mostly those older than the first graders I was in class with) started telling me they needed books, coloring books etc… They started asking me to bring them things. One child, who I already knew from my previous visit to Ghana even asked if I could send her a cell phone when I returned to the US.

This was all put into perspective as I told my host mom of the children’s requests. She mentioned that a group of white folks had been there recently and given the children packets of school supplies. Nice gesture, yes, but it is pretty obvious (and I’ve seen this with adults too) that many here have become used to the white people giving gifts. I had fought that urge the very same day. As I sat in the first grade class I wanted to go buy extra pencils and notebooks because those children whose parents didn’t give them money for supplies or lost their supplies, just sit there and are not able to do their work. I’m sure many of you would have the same urge to go and buy school supplies. Even me, a graduate student, could afford to buy almost the whole school of several hundred kids a pencil and a notebook.

But stop and think for a minute. What is going to happen after that notebook is used up? What happens when the pencil is used up or gets lost next week? There won’t be another to replace it…next year there will be more students who don’t always have school supplies. Your gift would have made a child smile for a moment and surely made yourself feel really good inside but that would not fix the problem. But, you may be thinking, at least I helped a child for a day or maybe a week or a month. Yet, is it worth it if people here in Ghana have become dependent and expectant on the gifts from the white people? If they continually see the white people as rich givers and not always just for who they are as a person, a child of God whom God loves just as much as God loves them. Is it ok to give, give, give, if the issues of poverty and other systemic issues remain the same? Is it ok if the white people are seen only as the givers and the Africans as the receivers? This is an issue that is obviously very complex.

What about all of the things that Africans have to give and teach us white folks? The long and complicated history of whites in africa (i.e colonialism, christian mission etc.) has created a very interesting and complex situation in Ghana. Even the pastor i am staying with now has so many generalizations about the US and thinks that everything from a white person is automatically better then anything from an african. God has blessed America more right? NO….God created the WHOLE world and called it GOOD. God created each of us and each place we live in, all in God’s image and called us all GOOD..

Im reading an article now about the motives of mission throughout history. It has made me realize even more how “appropriate” motives for mission like compassion, love, human need and serving God are mixed up with “questionable” motives like pity, cultural superiority, commercial interests, personal fulfillment etc. Sometimes we are unaware of how these motivations get mixed up and twisted around.

The next time you go on a short-term mission trip, do volunteer work in your community, the next time you think about sending shoes/old clothes etc. with someone going to a foreign country….. Stop and think about what your motives are. Ask yourself (or of the charity/mission you support)

Is this more about gaining personal satisfaction?
Is this something that is going to try to force my culture, ideas, expectations and way of life on someone else?
Are you going to give, give, give….without thinking about how you might listen to others, receive from others and learn about the life and culture of someone different from you?
Am I doing something that I THINK others “need” without knowing what is really needed/desired/culturally appropriate?
Have I spent time listening to God for guidance?

Our call to make disciples of all nations and to love our neighbor as ourselves has I think been confused and complicated over the years. It’s not as easy as going to build a church or handing a child school supplies. If there is one thing I have learned in Ghana it is that context makes a difference. The culture here is in many ways so different from the American culture and this cannot be ignored. I cannot presume to know what is “best” for this community because what might seem wrong/different/bad theology/inefficient etc…is the way of life here. There is beauty and struggle in Ghana just as there is in the US. Also, it is not ok for us to give, give, give and perpetuate a cycle of dependency and inhibit empowerment, personal agency, partnership and mutual love.

As Craig Ott and Stephen Strauss write in their book, “Encountering a Theology of Mission,” our obedience to the great commission cannot be separated from love and compassion. Mission and a calling to serve may bring personal benefits but those personal benefits should not be the primary motives for mission. Mission and the Christian calling after all is first and foremost rooted in “GOD’s initiative, God’s plan and God’s gifts” (pg. 190). It is only by Christ’s authority (not our own!) and the presence of the Holy Spirit that we embark on any mission.

I believe there is beauty in learning about another person/place, allowing yourself to be changed by the interaction and not trying to change them. I am still working at this each day I am here and I hope that this might cause some of you to stop and think a bit as well.

My hope, dream and prayer is that Christian mission might become more like a partnership between groups of people. My hope is that someday the distinction between giver and receiver will no longer be able to be made because people were working together to bring God’s kingdom to earth. Ultimately I pray that what Ott and Strauss call the “highest motive” for mission: God’s love for the world, God’s redemptive work in Christ and God’s promise for the world might truly be fulfilled and realized.

Kids singing counting song

The dance of the Trinity, join in!

Trinity Sunday sermon

Ho-Bankoe Elom Parish

May 26, 2013

 

This is the sermon I preached today at my host congregation. I must say that much credit is due to the ideas of theologian Shirley Guthrie, especially the idea about the dance of the trinity. I was pretty nervous to preach in a context so different from my own but it was truly a wonderful experience! I could see so many smiles in the congregation and got some “Amens” too. At the end of my sermon during the second service, the entire congregation all held hands and we said “The Grace” together (the words can be found in the first paragraph of my sermon). It was a beautiful moment that I wish I could have captured on film. I continually feel God’s presence here with me. Years ago or even a few months ago I never thought I would be standing before my brothers and sisters in Ghana preaching. Like we often did in my youth group at Forest Hills, the church here often says, “God is good…all the time…All the time, God is Good!” So true! Yesterday and today I haven’t felt the best physically and so I had to really rely on God’s strength today, as I have every day I have been here! I hope that will be a practice I take home with me when I’m back in my comfort zone. There are many differences between the cultures of Ghana and the US, I continually learn more and more! However, I am also continually thankful for the ways in which God shows me that we are all united and all children of God.  There really are so many things we share in common. I have been feeling more and more while I have been here that it is so good to form relationships, deep relationships, with others who are in some ways that are different than us because this is the only way we can learn to live and work together as God’s people. I am enjoying getting to know my host family and congregation. In one week I will switch hosts and go to another congregation in the area.

 

Also, a humorous/exhausting side note: church services in Ghana are long! The 7-9am service was mostly in English and since I gave the sermon it went by pretty fast. However, today the 9am service ran long, not just the usual 30 min or so past 11, it lasted past 2:30pm! There were a lot of special other things going on like the Women’s Bible Class celebration and of course they did not cut down the normal 30min+ of announcements. In Ghana when the service runs over by more than two hours, everyone stays. In the US when a service runs over five minutes, people get up and leave. I can’t imagine taking home this custom of longer church services but I do admire the way the congregations here LOVE to spend time with each other and love to spend time in prayer and worship. Now I must rest up now before I teach a women’s bible study tonight!

 

Pictures are of me with two of the pastors and a couple choir members in my new hand sewn Ghanaian dress, made by a church member. 

Sermon:

     Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday, a day when we focus on God as father, son and Holy Spirit. Tola, vila, gbogbo kokoe (Ewe for father, son, Holy Spirit). We use trinitarian language all the time probably without even thinking about it. When we say the creed, when we sing, when we say our prayers. One of the things I have grown to love about many gatherings with the E.P Church, here at Bankoe and other E.P Churches is the grace, (the amenuvenya) which mentions the three persons of the trinity. When we depart by saying the grace we say, the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be and abide with us all now and forevermore. Amen. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all mentioned.

     But why is it important for us to talk about God as father, son and Holy Spirit? If we know and believe god is three in one, isn’t that all that matters? The trinity is said to be a mystery that humans cannot fully comprehend..so is there any point of even trying to think about the meaning of the trinity? The doctrine of the trinity is extremely important in our Christian faith though, and I think it is important to consider what the trinity tells us about who God is, what God does and what it means for our relationship to God. Because even though we may never fully understand God, the trinity helps us to understand better who God is, how God works and God’s promises to us.

     The triune aspect of God is one that comes directly from scripture. We have hundreds of texts that describe the creative and ruling working of God the father, the redeeming and saving work of the son and the renewing and transforming power of the sprit. Many of these aspects of the triune God can be seen in our scripture passages for today. We also have many passages inthe Bible that talk about God as father, son and Holy Spirit. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commissions the disciples to make disciples of all nations and baptize in the name of the father, son and Holy Spirit. In 2 Corinthians, Paul concludes his letter with a blessing saying, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

     So you see, this idea of the trinity is everywhere. It is a crucial part of our faith as Christians because the one, true God we believe in is father, son and Holy Spirit. Before we talk about the three aspects of the trinity, I think it is important to emphasize three things about the trinity. First the unity of the trinity because God is one. The father,son and Holy Spirit are united as one God. As Ephesians 4:6 states, there is one God and father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. This I think is best illustrated in the popular adinkra symbol we see all over Ghana, the gye nyame, meaning except for God. We fear, honor and worship no one except God. Just take a look many of the chairs that can be found around the church or around town..most bear this symbol, as do buildings, fabrics and jewelry. The Nyame symbol is everywhere reminding us that the one, triune, living God is supreme over all and deserves all our faith and worship. The second thing about the trinity we should know is that each person of the trinity cannot be divided from the others and third, that there are distinctions between each person of the trinity. So as we look deeper at our scripture passages for today that describe some of the distinctions of the trinity, let us remember that God is one and that each person of the trinity and their actions cannot be separated. 

     In our first scripture reading, proverbs 8:22-31 we hear about God the father of all creation. The book of proverbs personifies wisdom, meaning it makes the concept of wisdom sound like a human being, and we hear that wisdom was with God even before creation and also in every act of creation. When we use this text to tell us about who God the father is, we see that God is one who did not create the world and you and I recklessly or without thought. No, God our creator wisely created the world to be good and to serve God’s good purposes for the world. When I think about God as father, I am awestruck, amazed and moved to praise. I am amazed that the God in whom we trust and worship is the one who rules over all creation, who ordered the chaos, shaped the mountains and divided the land and sea. This might make God seem so big and so far away, but this is where the word father comes to help us. Seeing God as father establishes an intimate, a deeply personal relationship between us and God. Just like a parent and a child, god knows us deeply and loves us deeply.

     Now we should also remember that calling God father is an analogy to help us understand how God cares for us and has an intimate relationship with us. Calling God father does not mean that God is a supernatural male, a man, up in the sky. We typically use father language because this what we hear from Jesus in the scriptures but let us not forget that God is both like a father and a mother to us.  Isaiah 66 verse 13 says that God will comfort the people like a mother comforts her child. Our text from proverbs today describes how majestic and powerful and creative God is and so we cannot confine God to either human gender, male or female, even if we do most often call God father. The word for the spirit is male in Latin but feminine in Hebrew, ru’ach, and it is neuter in Greek, pneuma. The triune God is not male or female, the triune God is the God of ALL. Both man and woman were created in the image of God and everything, proverbs tells us was created by God at the beginning with the guidance of divine wisdom. But God is not so far above us that God cannot care for us and know us because God is our father, our mother, our loving parent who comforts us and loves us unconditionally, in a way that no earthly parent ever could. In ways that earthly parents fall short, God our divine parent does not.

     Next we come to our second reading from Romans, where we hear of God’s promise of grace that we receive through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This grace is not something we have earned but something that has been freely given to us through Christ by the power  of the Holy Spirit. This grace, Romans tells us, is something that gives us  peace with God. This is really miraculous when you think about it. We are all sinful creatures , we could never be acceptable in God’s eyes on our own. Without Christ, the son, in the picture we might be afraid of the creator God we heard Proverbs talk about. For surely this God who created the whole world and each of us could just as easily destroy us as punishment for our sin. But no! God sent Christ Jesus our lord and his son to earth to be with us. Sending Jesus to the earth was the deepest way God could show us God’s desire to be with us and love us. That is why we call Jesus Immanuel, which means God with us. Jesus lived a blameless life and because he died for all our sins, we now can be at peace with God, as it says in Romans chapter 5. Even in times of suffering, this grace we receive from God gives us hope because we see that God’s love has been poured out for us in Christ. 

     Brothers and sisters this is good news! Because just as God did not hold back God’s own son, we can have hope in times of suffering knowing that surely God will not hold back God’s love from us now. We can have hope knowing that the triune God who loved us enough to give up his only son for us has ordered creation wisely, so all must work toward the glory and love of God. We cannot separate the sacrificial love that Christ showed from the powerful and creative father. These two must go together in order to be fulfilled, for no one but the creator of the world has the power to have his son die for the forgiveness of the whole world except God himself.

      So we have thought about God as father and son, so now we turn to the gospel reading from John. As Jesus prepares to leave his disciples he comforts them by saying that even when he is gone, the Spirit will guide them in the truth. By sending the spirit for them, the disciples now share in what the holy trinity shares together, truth, unity and community. The giving of the spirit unites us all with the triune God, father, son and Holy Spirit. 

      So up until now the trinity still has seemed like three pieces but even the scriptures we read today give us hints that all three persons are always involved in all of God’s work. We have seen that we cannot have the sprit without the son or the father, we cannot have the father without the son or the spirit, we cannot have the son without the father or the spirit.  we need the father, son and holy spirit to understand more fully the whole trinity, the whole of who God is. 

      So now the question is, how can we understand the trinity as a whole and what does that mean for us as Christians? One way we could look at the trinity is like a triangle, three parts all connected into one shape. You definitely need all three sides to make a triangle. But this has the tendency to allow one part of the trinity to appear superior to the others, as the top of the triangle. There is a different image that i would like to propose as a way for us to think about the trinity. 

     There is a Greek word, perichoresis, peri meaning around, perimeter, and choresis meaning dancing. So literally it means dancing around. This word I believe gives us a better image for the trinity. Using this word the trinity becomes a circle, not a triangle. Many theologians have described the trinity as three dancers holding hands, dancing around together harmoniously, joyously and in total freedom. This image of dancing is one that I think we can all understand, especially here in Ghana. During my time here in Ghana, I have seen that dancing is a vital part of worship and life. As soon as the choir begins to sing or the drums begin to beat, everyone begins to rise and dance to the music. Dancing is how we praise God with our whole body, yes? Sure one of you could dance on your own but the dancing image of the trinity shows us that all parts are needed to make the circle. Everyone in the dancing circle is united in a loving community where all love and live in harmony. No one acts selfishly but rather sacrifices oneself for the others. The dancing circle of the trinity shows us that there is always interaction between people, each of us are only who we are in relation to others. The son could not offer his saving love without the power of God the father or the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit could not give us words of truth and guide us if the spirit was not given by God through Jesus. God could not have shown his great love for us if he had not have sent the son and continued to abide with us through the spirit.

      The beauty of this dance of the trinity is that God invites us to join. It’s as if God has started the drum beat, given us the tune of the song and read the first few lines of the hymn. Now it is our opportunity and responsibility as Christians to join the dance. The trinity is our model for how to live as Christians, for in the dancing circle of the trinity, all are equal, all are important, all are loved. In the dance of the trinity, there is a community where all work together for the common good of all. If indeed God excludes no one from this holy dance, shouldn’t we do the same in our lives here on earth? We shake hands and dance together here in this chapel, but are there people in our town that we exclude? Are there elderly, sick and disabled people that we neglect? Are there orphans and widows that we ignore? Are there people of other churches, other faiths, other countries that we exclude from our community and fail to show love to? 

     Our goal as members of Elom Bankoe parish, as Presbyterians in Ho, as people in Ghana, as Christians around the world, our goal as people of God, should be to live in a way that there is one big dance circle where children, parents and grandparents join in together; where men and women, rich and poor, African, European, American, Chinese, South American, and all people of the world join hands together, dance freely, live for each other and bring God’s kingdom here to earth…united with God the father, son and Holy Spirit. 

 

Let us close with the grace and as we say it, may we be reminded now and each day that we are united with the triune God in a holy dance and that we are called to open this dance circle to all people.

 

Let us say the grace, the peace of our lord Jesus Christ, the love of god and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be and abide with us all now and forevermore. Amen!

The poor, the “Sacrament of God”

Based on some articles about the church in Africa I have been reading, here are some reflections…

 

Already in my first few weeks here in Ghana I have encountered many ways that the culture and social and economic situations of the people here affect the way ministry is carried out and the way individuals practice their faith. 

 

In Mercy Oduyoye’s article on Christian Engagement with African culture, she speaks about the ways the presence of European missionaries have shaped and influenced the religious life in Africa. In particular she mentions how African Independent Church’s (AICs) arose in part as an attempt to establish a church that does not have European connections (pg 97). Missionaries often claimed their policy was to establish churches in African that were self-led, self-propagating and self-supporting but this was not usually the case on the ground. She talks about how missionaries often failed to be sensitive to the culture of the area.  During my time in Ghana I have seen that you cannot engage in church, ministry or everyday life for that matter, without considering the culture at hand. Even meal time has cultural norms, like eating only with your right hand. The churches here also have to address the traditional African beliefs that are still adhered to today in Ghana like polygamy. Just today I read an article in the Ghanaian religious newspaper by a Presbyterian pastor on why marriages have trouble. One reason he stated was that some men still feel that having several wives simply means he is being an African man. Here in Ghana I have also learned that many attribute psychological problems, among other things, to demon possession. However, I have witnessed in an Al-Anon meeting and other venues, pastors and church members affirming that such issues and illnesses can be explained scientifically and attributed to the brain. Modern science and Christian beliefs have found their way into Ghanaian society and often contradict traditional African beliefs and so many leaders are advocating for more education of the people.

 

Mercy Oduyoye’s article, “Re-reading the Bible from where we have been placed: African woman’s voices on some biblical texts,” also struck a cord with me because I have noticed a significant amount of women involved in the church here. There are numerous women’s groups and choirs comprised mostly of women. Women often outnumber the men at most events. Some of this of course could be that women, who traditionally either sell goods in the market and/or take care of the home and cook, have the ability to come to church for several hours during the morning or evening. However, many women do teach in the schools and hold other jobs and are still expected to cook all of the meals and do all of the housing keeping and yet they still outnumber the men in church most times. This makes Mercy’s suggestions about reading the Bible from a woman’s perspective and promoting equality between men and women that much more important. Unfortunately, the pastors and catechists are mostly male and so they are the primary ones with the platform to preach. I have met a few female clergy but have not seen them in action yet. Here at my local congregation anyway, there are women who have leadership roles but most often the pastors are the ones who preach the Gospel. Oduyoye suggests that the Bible has a “message of liberation for African women.”  However, if the Bible has been used to also deny women their freedom and promote the male point of view, then I am not sure it is always a source of liberation for women in Ghana. Still, church gatherings are a source of support for the women of the church. I can perceive the great joy they feel when they sing songs with each other and meet to talk about women’s issues. If women are confined to certain roles at home, I see the church being a place where women do find liberation through song, dance, reading scripture, assisting with communion, prayer and the many other women who surround them there.

 

Further, in Ghana i have also noticed the poverty that exists and the difficulties that church has in working in the midst of this. In Crisis to Kairos, Orabator argues that relief and charity often exclude the poor, making them only recipients who are dependent on charity. The poor should be seen has full members, not just clients, he asserts (pg 207).

 

Orabator continues by saying that the concern for the poor is not just from the Old Testament, it was a generalized concern in ancient society. However, in the Bible, poverty is caused by structures of injustice, social inequality and oppression, it is not the result of fate. The reform happens through God removing the people from the situation of poverty, the exodus, and then creating a new social order. Prophets also have to make reforms because the care for the poor always breaks down (208). He argues that the church must follow God’s example here. 

 

I was particularly struck by his statement, “An encounter with the poor becomes an encounter with Christ, not merely because they are recipients of the Gospel proclamation, but because out of their condition emanates the radical challenge to Christ,” in that what we do to the least of these we do to Christ (209). The poor become the “sacrament of God,” a powerful statement especially when I think about how most everyone in the churches and streets that I encounter could be considered “poor” in economic terms and maybe even in spiritual or physical terms as well. I have already experienced this type of encounter with Christ in the face of the poor here in Ghana as I traveled around town with the pastor to deliver the sacrament of communion to the elderly, disabled and ill who are confined to their homes. It was a four and a half hour long partaking of the Sacrament as we humbly entered the modest homes of so many and encountered Christ in each of them. A very powerful experience that I was thankful to be a part of.

 

Referencing Gutierrez,  Orobator notes that the church in authentic solidarity with the poor should turn into real acts of protest against poverty (210). The church should also find virtue in listening to the poor. The church in Africa is the church of the poor because  people in the pews are the poor. So Orobator suggests that the often muffled voice of the poor is, in Africa, the voice of the church. I heard the voice of this church speaking during a meditation on tithing last week. After the pastor finished preaching, members raised questions and concerns. One question raised about tithing concerned those days when you sell nothing in market, how much do you tithe then, the woman asked. The pastors response was that God would know and that 10% of 0 is 0. A response that I thought was very relevant to the culture and sensitive to the issues of the poor. If the church in Africa is the church of the poor, than all of the ways church members work to support each other, through their offerings, their gifts of money to the poor on communion rounds, the alms given to widows etc., are ways of being in solidarity with the poor. Being in solidarity with the poor, the church in Africa, becomes complicated when a white, American church/individual attempts to do so. This is something I hope to continue to explore while I am here. The pastor I live with often says that everything from the US is better, that everyone form Ghana wants to go to the US and even that the children see more God in a white lady than in themselves. While we both agreed that we are all equal and created in the image of God, there is still an obvious divide that exists. How can I be in solidarity with the church in Ghana and not just be a distributor of charity that does not fight the causes of poverty? How can the Presbyterian Church USA or a congregation I serve in the future be in solidarity with churches here and not create a relationship that is based on one side “giving” and the other “receiving”?

 

For now, being in solidarity with the poor means to listen to the voice  of the churches  I visit and the people I meet with openness and no judgment. It means that listening to the church in Africa, not just the church of the US or Europe, should be of high priority and not just for pastors but for all Christians. If we are going to claim to be those who follow the example of Christ who was born in poverty and was in solidarity with the poor and included them in his fold of sheep, then we should reflect this in our Christian lives and ministry practices.

 

pictures of my home church here and mama rose teaching me to make fufu!

Finding God…God finding me

Finding God…or God finding me in everyday situations

 

One thing I have continuously been surprised by, overwhelmed by and thankful for is the ways Ghanaians provide for their guests, their friends and those in need. Everyday I am always prepared way more food than I can eat and even when I have had lunch or dinner somewhere else, my hosts still put out food for me. This afternoon after having lunch elsewhere, I came home to plantains, a bean dish and watermelon. Not long after that I was told there was more food ready to eat. Then they asked me about having dinner and even after saying I was too full to eat and could just eat some fruit if I was hungry, they still put food out for me to take just in case I got hungry. 

 

Part of this comes from the hospitality that is embedded in the Ghanaian culture. But this is not by accident, I see this as God continually working through the people of Ghana, showing me what it can look like to completely offer yourself to a guest, to extend hospitality to a stranger, a church member, a friend, or a strange American. This hospitality is also deeply rooted in their faith in God. As I experienced the last time I was in Ghana, religion is such a part of the culture and the lives of people here that you really can’t avoid it no matter what you do or who you talk to. The bread stand near my church has a poster of Jesus and the 23rd Psalm inside, the church is involved in the schools from kindergarten to the university level and there are a number of committed members of my congregation who are at church most every day for something. I have learned that Ghanaians have their struggles too in life and in living out their faith, but everyday I see people doing their best to live out their faith. Whether it be in their hospitality, their rising at 4:30 am to attend morning prayer services, the name of their shop, or the way they so easily connect everything in life to God and faith in Christ.

 

The pastors here are basically on call 24/7. They take no days off, and despite stress, overloaded schedules and demands, all of the pastors I have met are always so joyful. They know they need rest but that people wouldn’t be ok with it. Plus it is such the norm for people to drop by to see the pastor at all times of the day. Yes this means that many burn out and get overworked, perhaps something that happens in the US too. But despite all of this the pastors I have met a invested in God’s work and find great joy and energy in preaching the word and caring for others. 

 

Many pastors, who also work other jobs besides their job at the church, have been so gracious to me. They have taken time out of their day to show me around and introduce me to many people and places around town. Many have invited me to their homes for meals already and many more have extended the invitation.

 

On Wednesday, the entire primary school greeted me when I attended their morning chapel service. I have been blessed by their hospitality as well. Each morning I can hear the kindergarten class starting their day with song and the Lord’s Prayer. From the beginning of school children learn the practices of faith everyday. During chapel over 200 kids sat in the chapel and prayed and prayed for quite a while. They have already learned the Ghanaian way of praying which involves a leader starting the prayer and naming different things to pray for throughout, then there is space to say your own prayers out load. Being in the presence of so many young children who have already learned the discipline of prayer and singing was truly inspiring. It reminds me of the passage from Proverbs 22:6, the teach a child in the way they should go and they will not depart from it when they are old. They welcomed me with lots of clapping and smiles and even sang a song to me that morning. The welcome of Ghanaians is surly not restricted to the adults. I can only hope that I and many others could be inspired by this, to set examples for our children and young people and to also give them the knowledge and freedom to live out their faith. All of you who are afraid to pray out loud for a group…if 5 year olds can do it, you can too! As a future minister, if I hope for the children, youth and yes even the adults to be comfortable and willing to pray in the company of others, if we want them to practice the hospitality of Christ and welcome the strangers then we must not be the only ones to pray and visit the sick etc… of course pastors should also follow Christ’s example but I think we must find ways to bring everyone into these practices. In Ghana is it taught from such a young age and so embedded in all aspects of life that as I said, the practice of your faith becomes almost as frequent as breathing.

 

While I do hope that sabbath and rest time is still a part of my lifestyle and practice of ministry when I return, my experience thus far has made me wonder….am I this open and inviting to others, especially strangers? In the everyday actions of my Ghanaian brothers and sisters I see Christ reflected. When was it that I saw you hungry, thirsty, or naked? When was it that I visited you when you were sick or in prison? I have encountered Ghanaians doing just this, welcoming as Christ welcomed, both to me and to others around them. Their level of openness to others and the lack of reservation they show in showing hospitality is inspiring. How many times have I held back and failed to show the kind of hospitality that Christ showed? No, the Ghanaians aren’t perfect and sometimes they are not able to provide for all of the poor and needy in their community because of lack of resources, but they do with all of their heart, soul and strength seek to glorify God each day in the most simple and grand gestures. Thanks be to God that I am embedded in this now and a recipient and observer of all this wonderful work!

 

Whether or not I have always looked intently for God in all of my interactions each day, God has found me. God has pulled me into this community with songs of praise, dancing feet, and hands out stretched to greet me. I no longer do i feel so much on the outside but on the inside of this community. That is what showing the hospitality of Christ has the power to do I think. When Christ’s hospitality is shown, the outsider is pulled in,  barriers and differences fade away and God’s people are united with each other and their common Creator. Shouldn’t this always be our goal?