Sign Update
Our sign has been repaired. One of our members owned a glass shop and knows the tips and tricks for cleaning spray paint off tempered glass. So other than an afternoon of elbow grease and a few razor blades, the repairs were free.
The county newspaper ran a brief article about the event. They didn't talk to me, but one of our other members, and thankfully the article was short and informative, without any color commentary. People at church are upset about what happened, and understandably so. There was talk by one prominent member about how if it were up to her, she'd find them and prosecute them, but knowing me, I'd probably just forgive them and invite them to dinner. Kudos for knowing me, not so kudo-ish for preferring vengeance to forgiveness. Even if I knew who did it, I'd much prefer to talk with them about their objections to the message, rather than slap them with a petty criminal conviction for an ideological rebuttal and a profound lack of common sense.
Multiple people have asked about the sign and conveyed their support for the church. The online version of the article in the county paper had about 60 or so comments - most of which were supportive, but a few which expressed happiness that somebody was taking a swipe at a church. Pretty expected levels and types of responses, which quickly devolved into name calling. Our campus administrator told me yesterday that a 'very nice atheist man' had stopped by, hoping to talk with me. He didn't leave his name and number, but he said he'd try back another time - and I hope that he does. I'd look forward to the opportunity to talk with him. He apparently expressed concern that our sign was inviting terrorist behavior into our community. Oooooooo-K. The sign has been there for almost 50 years. I don't really think it's a magnet for al-Quaeda. Should be an interesting conversation if and when it happens.
I thought long and hard about what to put up on the sign once it was repaired, knowing that a lot of people would be watching. I ran through a lot of options, focusing mostly on Scriptural quotes. I thought about Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. I thought about other verses that focused on loving one's neighbor. I considered a few Proverbs. Should the next statement on the sign be defiant? Confrontational? Apologetic? Do we ignore what happened, despite the fact that a fair chunk of the city knows what happened? I talked with my wife and a few others, and couldn't seem to come up with much in terms of constructive input. In the end, I erred in the favor of grace - acknowledging that something wrong had been done. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 13:34 ). Accurate, to the point, and appropriate in light of Good Friday's approach. A reminder not only to the perpetrator, to those who have seen the sign, but also to our own congregation. This is what we are called to do - even when it hurts.
I still struggle with a more precise angle on how the sign should best be used. I could follow the style of another church in town with a very visible sign, and simply put the sermon title on it. That would require me to come up with my sermon title a lot earlier, but overall has no real point. With only 60 or so folks in church on Sunday, it's really not necessary to broadcast the sermon title in advance to them. And nobody else is going to swing into church on Sunday morning because of my oh-so-clever sermon titles.
We could use the sign strictly to advertise events at our church and preschool, but there aren't a whole lot of those normally, which would leave a lot of down time on the ol' sign.
The sign has become famous in town because of the witticisms that the member who oversees the sign posts each week. They're churchy in a 1950's sort of Midwestern small town sort of way. Christians might chuckle about them, but that's about it. Non-Christians are feeling more and more comfortable in expressing their disapproval of some of these messages - whether illegally with spray paint, or through phone calls. The messages generally assert the basic assertions of the Bible, though somewhat tongue-in-cheek or through humor. But they are assertions all the same. There is a God. He has some ideas about how things should be. We aren't measuring up. Those who refuse Him and His rescue plan are dooming themselves to separation from Him. Very solid assertions about the nature of reality and the existence of a singular Truth. I'm inclined at this point to allow those statements to continue, at least for the time being.
More and more those assertions are going to evoke angry responses. More and more, pastors and parishioners everywhere are going to need to be prepared to talk to people about those angry responses. Need to be prepared "to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1Peter 3:15). But I would much rather a sign that causes people to think, even to react angrily - than a sign that people ignore because it's pointless and doesn't require any thought or acknowledgment. I'm still open to input on this (eager and desperate for it, actually), but thus far, nobody really has had much to offer.
It will be interesting to see what kind of reaction your new sign gets. I am not sure I would have chosen the same verse. The verse you chose makes the assumption that they are wrong. Of course, you and I know they are, but they would not agree. Thus, I wonder if this will provoke another angry response, and not the dialogue you desire. Sure, Good Friday is coming, and this verse ties in nicely, but these people likely do not know the message of Good Friday, and thus the verse will be wasted on them.
I hope and pray I am wrong. I am interested to see what pans out.
I do agree, however, that the sign is a chance to provoke a reaction. Reactions, even angry ones, are better than just driving by without giving it a second thought. But you do not, I imagine, want the end result to be the angry reaction or vandalism. You want the reaction to lead to dialogue, like the atheist who stopped by the church. This is a tough line to find, like walking a tightrope in high wind.
God bless your efforts!
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It will be interesting. And I share your uncertainty about the verse! Yes, it does make the assertion that they are wrong. Wrong both in the civic sense of vandalizing a piece of property, but also wrong in the theological/ontological sense - wrong in their assumptions that *we* are wrong to proclaim a specific truth that makes no bones about excluding other professed truths, including the profession that there *is* no truth.
They certainly aren't likely to agree. And yes, it might provoke another angry response. I hope for their sake that it doesn't. While I don't have a personal interest in pursuing a criminal investigation, a second attack will likely generate more interest from our members and from the community at large. I wish there was a way to invite these persons into dialogue. Towards that end, I'm working on crafting a letter to the Editor for our local paper and the county paper.
I don't necessarily think the verse will be wasted, though. Hopefully, this calculated response is different from the one they might have expected, an angrier or more judgmental verse. Hopefully it witnesses - not just to the perpetrators, but to the community at large - the essence of the Christian faith in terms of how we deal with one another. Finding someone who will turn the other cheek is rare, even or particularly in churches! Hopefully this verse can convey the truth that their actions are wrong, both in terms of the vandalism and in terms of the philosophy/theology behind it. Hopefully it will also convey the true nature of the God they seek to reject - one who desires mercy, not sacrifice, and who doesn't delight that any are lost, even those least able or willing to understand that they *are* lost. Time will tell though, I suppose! I wasn't completely satisfied with the verse, but I needed to say something, and I figured that while there are undoubtedly better verses, there are also plenty of worse ones! With such a broad audience, it was tempting to remain bogged down in waffling over what to say! How does Luther put it? Sin boldly ?!
The winds blow, the rope sways, so we keep our eyes fixed on the cross at the other end of the rope and seek the surest footing we can with each step. Missteps are inevitable, and I take great solace in the grace of God that covers not only my honest mistakes or lack of judgment, but also my most blatant acts of rebellion and selfishness. It's a great God we serve, and I pray that He continues to sustain you and your family and your peers in your work in Vietnam! You'll be receiving another small donation from our congregation sometime in the next few weeks. The freewill offerings from our Lenten soup suppers on Wednesday nights are being donated for your support.
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I like the verse for the sign. Goes with the season and it includes forgiveness. Much better than my suggestion on your last blog entry. Good job.
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Welcome to the fray, Mike!
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Yes, I think any verse you choose has strengths and weaknesses, especially since the medium allows no explanation. They will hear it how they will hear it no matter what you do.
You are right--this is one of those times where you pray, make the best decision you can with the information you've got, and pray some more.
I am glad to hear that you are writing a letter to the editor. Please be sure to post it on your blog!
Blessings!
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