I Read in the News Today ...

In last month’s “Rick’s Reflections,” I commented on the epidemic of violence in our country – gun violence, in particular. Shortly after making those comments, I came upon an interesting Associated Press article. The headline reads “Doctors Target Gun Violence as a Social Disease.”

The doctors in the story propose that gun violence be considered a social disease and therefore a public health issue. This makes sense to me. What if we addressed the issue of gun violence with the urgency and priority that we would if there was an outbreak of some new deadly virus that was spreading rapidly? To be sure, such an event would mobilize researchers and public health officials. Public awareness campaigns would gear up rapidly to educate people about the virus, the conditions in which it spreads, and how to avoid contact with the virus. Money would be no object as government and health institutions rushed to find a cure. I realize this is not an “apples to apples” comparison, but it makes me wonder why this issue does not take on more urgency, even as thousands of people are killed each year in the United States by gun violence. Thank God for congregations who are taking this issue seriously, including those mentioned in last month’s reflections whose new ministries to prevent violence in their communities have been seeded by Wheat Ridge Ministries.

I also found another recent headline interesting, especially in light of our continuing efforts to assist congregations and other faith-based organizations that are developing new programs that bring health and healing to others. The headline read, “Now the Presidential Race is about Nonprofit Issues.” This appeared in the online edition of the Chronicle of Philanthropy. The author of the article, Mark Rosenman, makes the case that the non-profit sector will be deeply impacted by the results of the upcoming elections, especially as the results influence federal and state budgets. His fear is that funding to provide services to people in need, including children, the frail elderly and those challenged by disabilities, is more at-risk than ever as government officials face difficult choices about where to downsize federal and state budgets and as those advocating for human services struggle to match the influence of advocates for other parts of the budget. He predicts that non-profit organizations will be expected to bear a greater and greater share of the responsibility to fill the service gap.

I suppose it’s natural to assume that the non-profit sector will be able to step it up, as it always has, to provide even more. However, since many non-profit organizations, including most of our Lutheran social service agencies, are able to provide services because they receive government contracts and grants, it’s hard to imagine where they will receive the needed funding if those funds decrease. Add to the equation that fundraising in the human service and religious segments of the not-for-profit sector are recovering slower than other sectors. Last, but not least, leaders of congregations and other faith-based non-profits already seem to have their hands full as more people are in need of the services they offer and as they struggle with capacity issues related to increasing regulations and accountability. To be sure, our elected officials need our prayers as they are faced with extremely difficult decisions related to budget priorities. Hopefully, the current political races will provide an opportunity for meaningful debate and conversation about our priorities as a nation.

May God be with us as we respond to His grace and mercy by sharing the healing touch of Christ through our discernment of political issues, our efforts to save lives, to give voice to the disenfranchised, and to care for all those in need of healing of body, mind and spirit.

Be Inspired – Make an Impact!

Senseless Violence – Endless Hope

As I write this, I’m still trying to comprehend the recent terrifying news out of Aurora, Colorado, about the gunman who killed 12 people and wounded another 58 in a movie theatre. What is it that compels a person to cause such harm to innocent people? Is this person beyond our care and compassion based on the terrible acts committed? What must it have been like to be sitting in a darkened theatre when this man started shooting? How much harm has been done through this act to the community that still grieves the terrible loss of young lives from the Columbine massacre that happened just a few miles away?

Unfortunately, the loss of life by violence is not limited to crazed gunmen. In Chicago, so far this year, over 300 people have been killed through gang-related violence. And, of course, domestic violence continues to impact the lives of so many, especially women and children. We don’t need to look to places like Syria and Afghanistan to see or experience the horrible results of violence; it is abundantly evident every day here in the United States.

Listening to interviews with people after tragedies, I’m totally puzzled by the logic of those who advocate for violent measures to stop violence. Several people who called into a radio talk show in Chicago the day after the shootings suggested that if only Colorado had a less restrictive concealed weapons law, more people in the theatre would have had guns and the man who started the shooting could have been stopped by a bullet. How would gun crossfire in a crowded theatre have decreased the loss of life and injury? In Chicago, a letter to the editor of one of the major newspapers proposed that the city hire military vets, arm them, and put them on the streets of Chicago with orders to shoot on sight any gang members they see.

I don’t mean to make light of these reactions. We are afraid of the violence we experience and see around us. We see it amplified by the media, glorified in movies, and we end up petrified as we live our lives. These situations bring us face to face with the reality of how fragile life can be.

Of course, God’s vision for our world and our lives is most certainly not this. Fortunately, God’s message of life – health and hope made possible in Christ – is proclaimed and inspires people to share the Good News in word and deed and make an impact by serving others. So, as I try to comprehend the reality of violence in our world, I’m also filled with hope as I see the church in action through people addressing issues to prevent violence so that the norm becomes love, honor and care for their neighbors as unique members of God’s creation. The Wheat Ridge community is regularly blessed by the opportunity to help seed some of these efforts. Among those that come to mind today are …

• The McClintock Partnership in Charlotte, North Carolina, that engages large numbers of volunteers from Christ Lutheran Church to serve at-risk students and their parents in an under-resourced public middle school;

• The Initiative Against Bullying and Violence at Concordia Lutheran Church in Chicago;

• The HOPE Schools and St. Marcus Lutheran School, where inspired teachers transform lives and bring hope to children and teens in inner-city Milwaukee through high-quality education;

• The S.H.A.P.E. Center in Detroit, established by Immanuel Lutheran Church, to provide wellness programs for inner city youth;

• The Pailalen Parental Training to Prevent Violence Program developed by Lutheran Child and Family Service of Michigan to help parents learn skills that can prevent violence by their children against self, family and others;

• The Domestic Violence Survivor’s Project, led by King of Kings Lutheran Church in Milwaukie, Oregon;

• The Living Room at Redeemer Center for Life in Minneapolis, that provides a safe place for individuals, youth and families in an underserved community to gather and to receive assistance.

Please join me in praying for leaders of these efforts and those they serve even as we ask the Lord to help us all be more effective as individuals and as the church to end the scourge of violence in our homes and communities.

“I came that you might have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:10

How Time Flies ... For Some

A recurring theme in the conversations I have with friends and colleagues is how quickly time seems to fly by. Summer is here already. For those of us who live in climates with significant seasonal change, summer is a time when we wish the clock might slow down so that we can enjoy the warmth and longer daylight hours. But, only yesterday we were gathering for Thanksgiving dinner. Or so it seems. We look at events six months or a year forward on our calendars, knowing that they will be here before we know it.

I sometimes forget that the sense of time passing quickly is a result of being blessed with a sense of purpose, meaningful work and many, many options for how I invest my time each day. I also tend to forget that, for many people in the world, the problem is not that time moves too quickly; it’s that it moves too slowly. I recently heard an interview on public radio with a young woman who grew up the child of very poor parents in a developing country. When she was six years old, her parents sold her to a wealthy family, where she worked as a servant. During the interview, she described her early morning to late at night routine of chores … the same routine every day. No time for school, play or relaxing on Sunday. I imagine she must have felt like time stood still – nothing to look forward to and no hope for a change in routine.

There are countless others for whom days must not pass quickly enough. People in prison waiting for the day of their release; the person suffering from an illness or recovering from an accident who must endure weeks or months of lying in a hospital bed; the frail elderly person who spends her day in a nursing home; young people in our cities who can’t find safe places to learn and have fun during the summer months; the underemployed person whose work brings no joy, or the unemployed person waiting for the phone to ring with the offer of a job. 

The desire to serve people in these circumstances and help them experience hope and healing is the reason inspired leaders come to Wheat Ridge Ministries for assistance as they envision and develop new human care ventures. It is a great privilege for us to engage in the seeding process with our friends and donors, so that young mothers in Ghana, cancer patients throughout the United States, ex-offenders in Nebraska, grandchildren of Alzheimer's victims in Wisconsin, homeless people in Florida, students in inner city Milwaukee and many, many others who are served by creative new ministries can experience the healing touch of Christ.

Thank God for the gift of life and the time we are given on this earth to share God’s love with others. Whether time seems to be moving quickly or slowly for you today, may Christ’s loving presence be apparent along the way!

With a Little Help from My Friends

I thought about this great Beatles song recently while attending a gathering on the occasion of my good friend John Nunes’ graduation ceremony. John is now officially “Dr.” Nunes, having completed his PhD from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. Way to go, John!! During a reception in his honor held after the graduation service, John thanked the group assembled and shared that earning this degree wasn’t his accomplishment, but the result of a joint effort that involved many friends, colleagues and family members who took the journey with him and supported him in many significant ways.

The staff and board of Wheat Ridge was blessed by a little help from our friends a few weeks ago as we began a very important strategic thinking and planning process with a “Future Summit.” In fact, what our friends provided was much more than a little help. Twenty four very talented, perceptive and wise people from our various stakeholder groups – donors, grant recipients, supporting congregations, church bodies and partner organizations – gave of their time, talent and treasure to join us for two days of deep thinking and discernment. The focus of our conversation was the future of our mission – how Wheat Ridge will impact the world through our seeding mission and what “business” model we need in order to sustain and grow our impact.

Our journey through the summit began with a look at our past. Then we explored the present, considering our internal and external environments, including trends that impact the pursuit of our mission. Participants shared “proud ofs” and “sorries” about Wheat Ridge from their perspective. Teams developed several scenarios and descriptions about the work of Wheat Ridge in the future. From all of this work emerged a series of “common ground” statements that captured the collective wisdom of the participants. The statements address concepts and strategies such as long-term equity investment in new ministries, crowd funding and other means of digital engagement, strategic partnerships, high impact grant making and creative outcomes-based funding models. These statements will provide direction as our planning efforts continue. The Summit participants have agreed to continue to pray for our efforts, encourage and help us along the way, and hold the staff and board accountable for action moving forward.

The Summit would not have happened without a little help from many other friends. Generous donors who understand the importance of our strategic efforts are providing significant funding for our planning process. Great friends Chuck Dull, Kurt Bickel and Les Stroh, who are such talented consultants and facilitators, provided outstanding leadership, guidance and structure for the Summit. Another great friend, Gary Hubbell, is using his skills as a planning consultant to help us move from the Summit through the formulation of our strategic plan. Of course, what friends Wheat Ridge has in its office staff, who make meetings like the Summit successful by their careful arrangements and caring attention to the needs of participants, and who keep our ministry moving forward today, even as we plan for the future.

Getting this help from our friends during the Summit is a great blessing and reminds me that helping people get by with a little help from their friends is the work of Wheat Ridge Ministries. We help those with generous hearts and resources become friends with people who have inspired ideas for changing lives so that together they can help others experience the healing touch of Christ and wellness of body, mind and spirit. What a blessing it is to be a friend maker!

Aren’t you glad that God determined early on in the creation story that “it is not good for man to be alone?” Thanks, God, for giving us friends who help us get by, and for creating us to be friends to others. A world filled with friends is a world filled with health and hope!

Viva TACO!!

Our annual President’s Circle Retreat took place earlier this month in San Diego, California. This event is always a highlight for me. It’s an opportunity for our donors to come together to be updated on the seeding work they are supporting, to grow personally by exploring topics of common interest, and to enjoy Christian fellowship anchored in devotion and prayer.

One of many highlights of this year’s retreat was worshipping with the family of believers at First Lutheran Church in San Diego. It was one of those times when the Scripture lessons seemed especially matched to the occasion. The New Testament lesson for the day was from Acts 4: All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. How wonderful it was to hear these words while in the midst of our retreat attendees. These inspiring people reflect the special qualities of our friends and donors - great generosity and willingness to serve and share freely of their time, talents and treasures in order to ensure that new ministries of health and hope are established that touch lives in Christ’s name.

The Gospel reading at First Lutheran was from John 19. Pastor Wilk Miller reminded us that this is always the Gospel reading on the Sunday after Easter. How interesting that so soon after the joyous celebration of Christ’s Easter victory we’re already reminded that doubt is so much a part of our lives as we read the story of the disciple known as “doubting Thomas.” Perhaps Thomas is a distant relative of mine as I can sure be a doubting Rick. Our Easter days at Wheat Ridge this year are filled to the brim with important work related to budget preparations and strategic planning. It’s so easy to let doubt get the best of me during times like these instead of trusting God’s promises and living the joy of Easter.

Rick Herman (right) with
Jim Lovell, Director, TACO

First Lutheran Church has a long history of serving the homeless and other “underserved” people in downtown San Diego. In the 1970s, First Lutheran was typical of many urban churches. Their membership was rapidly declining as people moved out of the downtown area. God’s Spirit led them to make a bold decision to serve the people who remained, no matter what their circumstances. Today, they provide meals for hundreds of people each month. Several years ago, they created the Third Avenue Charitable Organization (TACO) to expand their services to the homeless to include a wide variety of medical and legal services. They are led by an inspiring leader, Jim Lovell, who cares deeply about the welfare of people in the city.

Wheat Ridge has had the privilege of helping seed the work of TACO. Most recently, we provided a grant to pilot a wonderful program called Simon’s Walk. Imagine being a homeless person and, after visiting a free clinic or emergency room, you are told that you have an incurable disease and have only weeks or months to live. It’s very likely that you have no family or friends to rely on and to confide in as you contemplate the final days of your life and as you experience the pain and discomfort that often accompanies the dying process. There are many such people in downtown San Diego. Simon’s Walk trains volunteers who accompany homeless people along this difficult journey. The volunteer helps them experience the final days of life with dignity and helps them identify and access community services that are available to them. Word is put out on the street to friends and acquaintances who otherwise may not know that their friend is dying. After death, a memorial service is held at the church. More information about this beautiful ministry of care and compassion is available on the TACO website.

It must be very easy to doubt God’s presence when you are homeless and hungry. What a blessing it is that congregations like First Lutheran Church and organizations like TACO help people in these difficult circumstances “touch” the hands of Christ as they serve in His name. By doing so they are proclaiming the Good News that Christ is Risen! He is Risen, indeed. Hallelujah!

Where Have You Gone, O Britannica?

The recent announcement that the Encyclopedia Britannica will no longer be available in hard copy sure caused a stir. Those of us who are a bit older remember that having this set of books on the shelves at home used to be a sign of parental commitment to quality education. Not everyone could afford these books, however. My parents settled for a nice set of Time-Life books on world history and geography. I liked the pictures. I’m glad to see the Britannica can still be accessed online. I’m not quite ready to accept Wikipedia as a trusted alternative.

So, encyclopedias join a large and growing number of resources and tools that have disappeared during the past 30 years as technology has advanced. When I taught school in the 1970s, mimeograph machines were the most valuable device in the school office (and the paper smelled so good, too!). Eight-track tape players and cassette tapes came and went quickly and eventually LP records as well, although they seem to be making a comeback among young music fans who are impressed with the sound quality of “vinyl.” I’m no longer adding many books to my shelves at home, having become a fan of the convenience and portability of my iPad for downloaded books and reading the Chicago Tribune.

Even churches come and go. The recent disclosure that the Crystal Cathedral in California, home of the televised worship service, “Hour of Power,” is being sold to the Catholic Church after the ministry declared bankruptcy is a case in point. Robert Schuller’s daughter is trying to grow a new congregation. I read somewhere that 100 people attended the first service.

These examples are, among other things, a reminder to all of us who care about the effectiveness and success of the organizations and institutions we serve about the importance of recognizing and adapting to change. A world in which technology advances so quickly, with microchips getting twice as small and twice as fast every six months, in which unlimited amounts of information is instantly at our fingertips, and in which communication with almost anyone at anytime and anywhere is possible, requires us to be nimble, creative and adaptive in the pursuit of our mission.

A significant conversation about change and the future will take place very soon among the leaders of Wheat Ridge Ministries. I’m very excited that our board of directors and staff are gathering with two dozen other thoughtful people for a “future summit.” This meeting, which is part of a larger strategic planning process, will bring together people with a variety of expertise, perspectives and experiences to consider the effective pursuit of the Wheat Ridge mission in the years ahead. We’ll be discussing what the changes around us mean for how we seed new ministries and for our business model. Please keep this process in your prayers as we seek God’s blessing on our conversations and decisions. I look forward to sharing more about this after the summit.

Wheat Ridge has the advantage of being able to draw from its past when considering future opportunities. Our history as an organization includes significant experience in organizational change. I was privileged to recently attend the memorial service for Rev. Dr. Edward May, who served as the director of the Wheat Ridge Tuberculosis Sanitarium and as the president of Wheat Ridge from 1958-1973.

During Ed’s years at Wheat Ridge, medication became available to treat people with tuberculosis, thus reducing the need for the tuberculosis hospital that had been operating for over 50 years in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Rather than “fold up shop” at that point, Ed and his colleagues decided to sell the sanitarium and invest funds from the sale in a foundation to provide resources to assist in the development of new health ministries in the United States and around the world. They called it the Wheat Ridge Foundation. Given all of the jokes that I’ve heard over the years on the theme of Lutherans and change, I imagine there were many people in Ed’s day who thought this shift of strategy and focus would never work. Thank God for Ed and for his vision and persistence that set the tone and direction for the next 50+ years of Wheat Ridge’s service to the church, service that continues today and, God willing, for a long time to come.

We know that God’s love and presence never changes, even in the midst of our changing times. We are assured that even though heaven and earth will pass away, God’s Word will never pass away. (Matthew 24:35) This is Good News as we conclude another Lenten journey with a celebration at the empty tomb. Talk about transformative change!

Thank God for Conference Planners!

I recently returned from Phoenix where a great gathering of Lutheran congregation leaders convened. Of course, it’s a sacrifice for any Chicagoan to have to leave the “windy city” in February to go to Arizona! I must admit that our strange “winterless” winter here made the usual draw to the south less compelling than it is most years. That said, Arizona was as beautiful as ever.

Participating in the “Best Practices for Ministry” Conference has me appreciating, once again, the skills and service of people who know how to put together conferences and meetings with excellence. I know from personal experience at Wheat Ridge Ministries what a challenge this can be. We are fortunate to have several individuals on our staff who are great at event planning. In fact, they are engaged at the moment planning for two major spring events – our annual Seeds of Hope Awards Dinner here in Chicago and our President’s Circle Retreat that will be held in San Diego in April (see our website for further details). In this month’s “reflections,” I’d like to focus on one example of the impact of good conference design as a way of praising God for all those who are called to this unique service.

Clearly, Christ Church – Lutheran in Phoenix knows how to host a conference. It’s also a congregation with an exciting vision for ministry that reflects their serious intent to share the love of Christ in word and deed. Their outreach is multi-faceted and includes a very large Christian day school. Their most recent venture is the establishment of the Christ Cares Clinic, designed to provide medical services to the many uninsured individuals and families who live in Phoenix. Wheat Ridge awarded a seed grant to Christ Lutheran to assist with the start-up of this important ministry.

One of the unique features of this national conference is that it was conceived, sponsored and hosted by the congregation itself. Pastor Jeff Schrank and the leadership team at Christ Lutheran decided to invest the revenue earned from their summer camp program by serving leaders from other congregations across the United States. If you could get there and find a place to stay, the conference, including all of the food, was free (really!). Keynoters and workshop leaders volunteered their services, too.

The purpose of the conference, quite simply, was to gather inspired Christian leaders for two days of sharing “best practices” in ministry and engaging in mutual support and encouragement. All sessions were led by practitioners … pastors, teachers, lay leaders.

Is there a need for yet another conference when there are already so many? Apparently so. I was told that the original vision was for a couple of hundred people to attend. If you’ve sponsored or helped lead a conference recently, you know the usual quandary is what to do if the turnout is lower than planned. Guess what? Almost 500 people showed up! As an example of their conference hosting abilities, the good folks at Christ Lutheran stepped up, seamlessly and graciously providing, for the needs of all of these additional attendees. Even with the unexpectedly large numbers, great food was provided in abundance throughout the conference – sort of a “five loaves and two fishes” experience. Facilities were made available, volunteers showed up and workshops were added. Impressive!

There was a point on the first afternoon of the conference when, within a span of a couple of hours, 400 school children were picked up by their parents, followed shortly thereafter by the arrival of 250 people coming to attend Christ Lutheran’s weekly addiction recovery program, which includes dinner. The 500 conference attendees enjoyed presentations in the family life center while these folks made it through the buffet lines in the lobby and went to another location to eat. Then it was our turn at the buffet. It was amazingly seamless from a participant perspective. Wow!

As impressive as all of these arrangements were, of course, they were not provided for their own sake. Rather, they helped set the tone and the spirit for the conference. God’s spirit was indeed present in and among these inspired leaders as we discussed ways to serve others and impact lives, as we worshipped together, and as we encouraged and supported one another. It was a celebration of hope, health and healing made possible in Christ.

So, thanks to Pastor Jeff and all the good people of Christ Church – Lutheran for their servant hearts and for investing time, talent and treasure so that those who came to Phoenix could leave with new ideas, new connections, and especially renewed energy for ministry.

And, thanks to all who plan and lead conferences that inspire, educate and encourage others – challenging work that requires the special gifts of planning, hospitality, creativity and extra measures of patience. You are a blessing to many!!