Our group had our photo taken a lot together throughout our trip, but I can’t stop thinking about this particular photo. The sweet couple who hosted us at Boehm’s Chapel was so proud of our excitement while touring this historic little church. They truly appreciated our visit and were a joy to speak with. They were a bit anxious to get our photo from the moment we walked through the door. Honestly, most of us were just thrilled to be taking in the air conditioning (we were getting used to truly historic churches with no air - it was hot)! After just a moment of cooling off, they gathered us and sent us back into the heat for another group photo. And, indeed they captured our group’s presence on true film, not even with a digital camera. Maxine was our guide for the visit and she truly enjoyed and played her role of hostess appropriately in character. We learned much about this chapel built in 1791 and restored in 1991. Boehm’s Chapel claims to be the oldest Methodist structure built for Methodist worship (not in continual use) in Pennsylvania and the fourth oldest in America. There were many statistics, facts and figures. It was an informative and even entertaining visit with our kind guide. But, my favorite moment to reflect on from this visit is this image of our group. If you look closely, you will notice that our image is framed up perfectly with our hostess looking out at our group from the window of the church. She was anticipating our arrival after the photo was snapped by her husband and this one was taken with a classmate's camera. Maxine couldn’t wait to share her good news about this place that is special to her family, her beliefs and her church. What excites you that you can’t you wait to share with the people just outside your door? It seems that my reflections from this trip have an overwhelming sense of brokenness and sadness. The history of the church is not exempt from pain and suffering, just as people today are not exempt from pain and suffering. It is easy to get discouraged in a ministry of healing when there is so much brokenness seeking healing. So many are asking, "is hope and healing even available to me?". Even the prophet Jeremiah pondered this question when he asked if there was no balm in Gilead to heal his people. Maybe not using these same words, but we have all asked this question at some time in our life. We have each experienced in our own story a sense of hurt and lament. We cry out and ask in our own way, is there a balm in Gilead available to us today? We seek God amidst the turmoil, tragedy, loss, sickness, sadness, war and discouragement. We cry out and lament in new ways today for our families, our churches, and our world. And yet, the song of the same title, “There is A Balm in Gilead” has captured so very much hope for me since returning home. The phrase “There is A Balm in Gilead” was part of my classmate Amanda’s message based on John Wesley’s sermon, “Inefficiency”. Amanda encouraged us to receive God's balm and then see and offer ourselves to others. We are also to share the balm in Gilead. There is hope for healing because we have God's balm offer. At the conclusion of Amanda's sermon, we were led to sing this spiritual hymn together. The words were comforting amidst the discomforts of life. As we reflect on this story from the book of Jeremiah as God’s people seeking His balm of healing, we must have hope that the story of the New Testament delivered that healing for us and is indeed still very real today. We have received the only balm of healing we will ever need. When we are asked in so many words, “Is there a Balm in Gilead”? Indeed there is! YES! There is healing and hope. It is available to us through the story of our savior, Jesus Christ. We are now called to share that balm through our love, our actions and our life. I believe the words of this hymn that has been sung by many before us seeking healing and wholeness speaks great truth and gives us hope. We are called to share the truth that Christ died for each of us to experience healing and wholeness through the ultimate sacrifice, his body and blood. We are called to seek and share this balm of healing as God’s people. And, when we just cannot see God’s presence amongst our own troubles, we can look back to the hymns of early Christians as reminders for the hope and healing that is still available to each of us today. There is a balm in Gilead To make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead To heal the sin sick soul. Some times I feel discouraged, And think my work’s in vain, But then the Holy Spirit Revives my soul again. Don’t ever feel discouraged, for Jesus is your friend, and if you look for knowledge, he’ll ne’er refuse to lend. If you can’t preach like Peter, If you can’t pray like Paul, Just tell the love of Jesus, And say He died for all. “There is a Balm in Gilead” Afro-American Spiritual Controversy was a thread that ran through our time of learning in Philadelphia. It was evident politically and culturally both inside and outside the walls of the church during these times of early America and the early church in America. My classmate, Carissa, offered a sermon on joining together as Christians entitled “Catholic Spirit”. She reflected upon John Wesley’s sermon based on 2 Kings 10:15 and the story of Jehonadab and Jehu reaching out and taking one another’s hand. We are called today to do the same. God wants us to reach out and take one another’s hand, right? Isn’t this what we are called to do as Christians? It is not about our denominations, but we often make it about our denominations by taking sides on social and political issues. Even in our own churches, we often refuse to reach out and take one another’s hand. I was reminded of this the day we traveled to Lancaster for learning at First United Methodist Church. And, I was struck by the carpet in this church because of the clear signs and drippings of red grape juice stains on the carpet. My professor also noted the kneeling benches and small cup holders on the pews. These signs seemed to be contradictory since most congregations take communion in one form or another rather than having options (I have personally received both and do not find that the meaning is in the delivery method but in the action). From what I understood, some members of the church were insistent on receiving communion at their seats while others chose to receive it through intinction. I saw these drippings as just a small example of a missed chance to reach out and take one another’s hand. Carissa reminded us beautifully that Christ came for each of us and we are called to truly love one another, no matter our differences. This concept is hard for us as Christians today. We may not all agree all the time. Actually...we often do not agree. But, I do believe we are called to take one another’s hand. What does it mean to you to take a hand of someone you disagree with? Does it mean posting your opinions on Facebook or being willing to enter into an open and honest face-to-face conversation with them about your differences and why you feel the way you do? The earlier is certainly easier, I'll let you decide which is more transformational. |
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