Moving Away from the "Silo" View

As one looks out an airplane window over Central and Western Nebraska, assuming it is a clear day, one can see the lush green "circles" of the fields that are being watered by "center pivot" irrigation systems. What is clear is the contrast between the circle that has been watered and the areas in the corners of the square field that have not been watered. Lush greens contrast against the more arid browns and tans. These sprinkler systems are set up with some concern about territory, property boundaries and water rights. The result is incomplete watering.


In contrast, I think of my lawn irrigation system. While those sprinklers work in circles too, they are arranged to "overlap" in ways that allow the whole lawn to receive life giving water. When we set up lawn sprinklers we aren't so concerned about territory. We are more concerned about getting water across the whole lawn and for most of us it doesn't matter much if we get some water on a neighbor's lawn or theirs on our lawn. The result is usually a nice green lawn for all involved. No dry lifeless corners.



I have a colleague who speaks of the "silo" view. The view is like what is seen from the airplane over central and western Nebraska. Areas are covered with life but other areas are left dry and more lifeless. My colleague applies the "silo view" to ministry. That is, sometimes we get so concerned about our "territory", our "property rights" or the area of our responsibility that we only act for and in a particular "circle". When groups, committees, ministries, work with a "silo" view, there are spots of life, but there are also areas where ministry isn't being provided, or if it is, the ministry is only "run off" from the areas inside the "silo" circle.

To move away from the "silo" view, ministries need to overlap, link hands together for a common goal, be aware of the places where teaming up could be more life-giving to the whole community, the whole of God's people. Moving away from a "silo" view benefits all with better use of resources, opportunities to "team up" (see previous post) and places to break down the barriers growing out of differing personal preferences and experiences.

The ultimate result is that a larger area of life, community, city, state and world is well watered -- watered with the life giving water of Jesus the Christ, who is living water for our lives, our faith and out spirit.

One of my goals for ministry is movement away from the "silo" view. I'm looking for others who will walk with me to link hands to life giving to all.

Overcoming Differences with Team Work

The last couple of days I've been giving considerable thought as to how it is that working side by side on a project (the more sweat involved the better) will break down barriers and build relationship even between people with dramatically different personal preferences.

While in the middle of these ponderings I received the devotional called "Team Up" by Max Lucado. He says it much better than I, even though I'm likely to weigh in on this theme again soon.

Check out what Max Lucado has to say at: http://www.maxlucado.com/static/email_archive/2010/09.13.html

Blessings and Peace,
Pastor Tom

October, 2010 Sketchings

“THE A-B-CS OF HANDLING MISTAKES”

A grizzled old sea captain was often spotted by his crew opening a small, locked box on the bridge, peeking inside at its contents, and shutting the lid before anyone might glimpse inside. The crew's curiosity grew and, on the day he retired, they rushed to the bridge, cut the lock and looked inside the box. There they found a sheet of paper that read, "Left -- port. Right -- starboard."

If you’ve ever sailed or been on a boat you’ll understand this even more acutely. Probably no one who has sailed can keep port and starboard right every time. Probably every one who has sailed has yelled out “obstacle to port” when they meant the opposite. I’ve done it several times my self, and even more often in some other life calls I’ve made.

One such mess us up, gives us nightmares about making a mistake. Some people won’t act because they are afraid to err. Others feel as if no one is listening until a mistake has been made!

For we humans, who make mistakes and err – we simply can’t help it, here’s the story of Roy Riegels.

The story is told about Roy and the 1929 Rose Bowl championship football game between Georgia Tech and the University of California. Shortly before half-time, a man named Roy Riegels made a huge mistake. He got the ball for California and somehow became confused and started running in the wrong direction! One of his team mates outdistanced him and tackled him after he had run 65 yards just before he would have scored for the opposing team. Of course, Georgia Tech gained a distinct advantage through the error.

The men filed off the field and went into the dressing room. All but Riegels sat down on the benches and on the floor. He wrapped his blanket around his shoulders, sat in a corner, put his face in his hands and wept.

Coach Nibbs Price struggled with what to do with Roy. He finally looked at the team and said simply, "Men, the same team that played the first half, will start the second." All the players except Roy trotted out to the field. He didn't budge. Though the coach looked back and called to him again, he remained huddled in the corner. Coach Price went to him and said, "Roy, didn't you hear me?"

"Coach," he said, "I can't do it. I've ruined you; I've ruined UCLA; I've ruined myself. I couldn't face that crowd in the stadium to save my life."

But Coach Price put his hand on Riegels' shoulder and said, "Roy, get up and go on back; the game is only half over." Roy Riegels went back and those Tech men will tell you that they have never seen a man play football as Roy Riegels played that second half.

From this story I’ve learned to apply this A – B – C process to the mistakes I make:

A - Acknowledge the error and accept responsibility for it. Don't try to fix the blame on other people or circumstances. Fixing the blame never fixes the problem.

B - Be gentle. The game is only half over. This is not the first ever made, nor will it be the last. I am still a good and caring person. Besides, later I’m likely to tell wonderful stories about this blunder, so I try and lighten up a bit for now.

C - Correct it and move on. "Those who are wise don't consider it a blessing to make no mistakes," says Wang Yang-Ming. "They believe instead that the great virtue is the ability to correct mistakes and to continually reinvent oneself."

So, we make mistakes. Go ahead and make some mistakes – it means one is not sitting still. And though some may be no less than spectacular, if practicing the A – B - C method, we’ll live to tell about all of them and laugh about most of them.

The Crosses in the Tree

I found myself standing in the chapel of Morning Star looking out at one of the large pine trees. I wasn't looking for or at anything in particular. But suddenly it struck me. The ends of several of the branches had a cross on them. I looked more closely. Many branches had a cross at the end of the branch. The cross. Our salvation. The cross once made of a tree. A tree full of crosses.

I know that upon closer examination I really wouldn't find crosses at the end of the branches. I'd find an arrangement of new growth, probably 5 or 6 new "spears". But from the vantage point I had, the branches were aligned so that I saw crosses.

Now, I don't want to put any particular significance to what I saw. It was just a sense of my salvation and the presence of God in a simple place and in a simple way. For the moment in which I stood there, it was a miracle.

You see, God doesn't always become evident in the dramatic, the over whelming or the newsworthy. God more often becomes evident in the simple things. God often is revealed in the unexpectedly mundane things of life. And that's a miracle too.

The Power of a Smile

Teresa and I went to visit our Dads yesterday. During our time with my Dad, he was talking about how few people say good morning at his assisted living residence. Even though he is legally blind, he is aware of some of the "sour" attitude among the 25 or so people that he lives with.

My Dad's attitude is far from sour. Every morning on his walk, he smiles and says "Good Morning" to everyone he meets. Same is true the rest of the day too -- though the greeting changes depending on the time of day.

As I was driving home I got to reflecting on this thing of smiling and saying "Good Morning." Specifically, I got to thinking about my morning bike rides of late when I greet those I meet along the trail/sidewalk. Many are sour and glum and give nary a glance my way. Others are bright and bubbly with with a hearty greeting or perhaps even a wave of the hand. Never-the-less, I greet each one with some sort of a verbal greeting.

My reflection lead me to an interesting insight. That is that my greetings and smile are at least as important for me as for the other. My smiles and my greetings have a tendency to change my perspective and attitude. They release warm feelings. They hook up great chemistry. They plant in me a wonderful outlook for the day. Even when I'm not feeling so positive (remember I'm not really a morning person) in the morning, my smile and greetings perk me up and give me positive feelings. I suspect some good things happen for the other too, I know they do for me when the other gives a hearty good morning greeting.

So, I think, it is no coincidence that my Dad's attitude is what it is. He starts his day with smiles and "Good Mornings" to all around. Maybe it is no coincidence that his home mates are more dour and glum -- they don't seem to warm up to those smiles and "Good Mornings." Maybe it is no coincidence that my feelings and attitudes change when I offer those warm greetings with a smile.

So, I'm thinking, more smiles. More "Good Mornings". Not so much because the other person needs them, but because I need them.

Blessings along your journey.

In Memory of Pastor Martin C. Ashley

September 5, 1925 - August 30, 2010

Today would have been Pastor Ashley's 85th Birthday.

Pastor Ashley came from Kansas to Omaha in 1955 as a Mission Developer for the Lutheran Congregation that later became Morning Star. Pastor Ashley was Pastor of Morning Star until 1977. Morning Star was a significant part of Pastor Ashley’s 61 years of ordained ministry, a milestone celebrated at Morning star with the planting of a tree in his honor – it is the one near our mail box. And, on the flip side, Pastor Ashley has been a significant part of the 53 years of Morning Star’s life and the lives of a significant number of Morning Star people.

I didn't have the privilege of knowing Pastor Ashley very well. But what I did get to know is that Pastor Ashley was tenacious in his work to build the kingdom of God and to build Morning Star. In those years developing a mission congregation meant “door knocking”. I’ve heard dozens of stories of Pastor Ashley coming to the door, being invited in and “before he left we had become among the members of Morning Star Lutheran.” And there is Pastor Ashley's preaching. He was gifted with a wonderful speaking voice. He used it to present a strong clear message of the gospel of Jesus Christ and was compelling for the faith in believing in that same Gospel. And, Pastor Ashley was always generous, complementary and kind.

Marks of Pastor Ashley's ministry are all over Morning Star. In her people and in the building itself. If my understanding is correct, Pastor Ashley had a hand in the design of our stained glass windows. His passion for Jesus is clear all around us.

Thank you, Pastor Ashley for your witness, your ministry and your life of faith.

And on today's "new birthday" rest in God’s full arms of grace in your heavenly home, in the victory of the Gospel you preached so faithfully.