Life’s simple pleasures should never be taken for granted. During this week designated to remind us to count our blessings,  I will certainly be giving thanks for faith, family, friends, and freedom.  But there are a few things popped up in my gratitude inventory that some folks might label as minor blessings.  For me, however, they are a big deal. Some are simple pleasures, others are personal preferences, and a few are stress relievers. These ten represent a longer list of blessings that add richness and meaning to life, serendipitous gifts that I never want to take for granted:

• A multi-colored sunrise over the bay or sunset over the Gulf.
• Hugs from nieces and nephews.
• A timely phone conversation with a friend.
• Oatmeal laced with honey and almonds on a cool morning.
• Hot coffee any day of the year.
• Home-made cards or written notes of encouragement.
• A song that resonates within my soul.
• A refreshing nap.
• An occasional walk for about 18 holes.
• The privilege of dedicating, encouraging, baptizing, marrying, and even eulogizing others…walking alongside them through all of the seasons of life.

This week, as we give thanks for the big things, let’s also take time to give thanks for the little things that bring joy, fulfillment, and affirmation to our lives.  What’s on your list?

On this Veteran’s Day, O God, we are thankful for all the men and women, past and present, who have honorably served or are currently serving in the various branches of our nation’s armed forces.

We are especially grateful for the privilege of living in a land that is rich in resources and resourceful people from “sea to shining sea.”  And we are thankful for every veteran who has paved the way for the unrivaled liberties that allow us to freely make choices about our work, our worship, our political convictions, and our lifestyle. We are forever indebted to these past and present veterans who risked life and limb in the pursuit and protection of these freedoms.

As we observe this Veteran’s Day focused on memories and stories of the past, we are also aware of the challenges and uncertainties confronting us today. As we think about our present predicament, we humbly ask you to forgive our sin and to heal our land. You tell us in an ancient but relevant scripture that, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14)

On this day, we pray for the leaders of our nation, our state, and our community, that they will rise above the divisive rhetoric of partisanship that they may lead with wisdom, courage, and integrity. And we pray for the men and women who are currently deployed to high risk areas, that they will fulfill their mission courageously and effectively, and return home safely and soon.

Just as we have come to know you as a freedom-loving God, send us into the world to be your freedom-loving people. And may every story and every memory inspire us to live responsibly, serve generously, and sacrifice selflessly, as we pursue liberty and justice for all your children. We pray in the name of One who gives freedom that makes us “free indeed.” Amen.

(Barry Howard serves as a leadership coach with the Center for Healthy Churches, and a pastoral counselor with the Faith and Hope Center. He is member of the Baptist Center for Ethics board of directors and recently retired as the pastor of First Baptist Church of Pensacola, Florida)

by Barry Howard

A pastor may be deeply committed, extraordinarily faithful, highly educated, and extremely hard-working, but for a pastor to be effective and durable, a pastor must practice healthy self-care.

Self-care includes developing and maintaining good physical, spiritual and mental health practices. While these three areas of wellness are intertwined and inseparable, in my own life and the experience of many of my colleagues, I recognize that more attention has been given to physical and spiritual health, and mental health is often neglected, causing all three to diminish.

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Every human being experiences highs and lows in mental health. Although some forms of mental illness are genetic, other expressions of mental illness may be related to circumstances or body chemistry, and may be preemptively avoided or proactively addressed by practicing good mental hygiene.

A common, but naïve misconception is that pastors, or persons with strong religious faith, are exempt from mental distress. The Apostle Paul is noted for his courageous ministry but he confessed, “Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches” (II Corinthians 11:28 NIV).

In his book, Surviving the Stained-Glass Jungle, veteran pastor Dr. Bill Self contends that, “Self-care is not destructive self-indulgence, but rather it is being a steward of some rather special gifts— the human body and soul, along with the capacity to bring joy to others as well as to experience it.”

Those in every vocation experience varying levels of stress, distress, and duress. However, because the pastoral task requires remarkable investment in the lives of others, a pastor who neglects mental hygiene can gradually slip into a state of melancholy or emotional chaos, and then compound the dilemma by ignoring the symptoms for fear of stigmatizing his or her ministry.

I have observed at least five areas that commonly place stress on a pastor’s mental and emotional health:

1. Unrealistic expectations– These expectations can be real or perceived, and they can be generated by vocal congregants or be self-imposed by a minister with a “messiah complex.”  Within most congregations there are mix of expectations that fluctuate between market-driven goals (e.g., attendance, budgets, denominational recognition) and mission-driven goals (e.g., life transformation, ministry participation, stewardship practices). The wider the gap between these two categories, the more intense the stress on the minister.
2. Perpetual preparation– The task of perpetual preparation can be a mentally exhausting chore. Many professional public speakers have 4-5 niche speeches that they give over and over to different groups. Professors and teachers have lectures and lesson plans that are updated and revised from semester to semester but they usually follow a core curriculum. A preaching pastor is unique in that he or she is generally expected to prepare and deliver 40-50 different Sunday sermons per year to virtually the same group of people, in addition to devotionals, Bible studies, and speeches for community events.
3. A pendulum of emotional encounters- A minister deals with grief, grace, and everything in between on a daily basis. Perhaps more than any other vocation, a pastor regularly moves in and out of situations with polarizing and intense emotions such as death and birth, divorce and marriage, perversion and conversion, and conflict and resolution. If a pastor is not careful, the residual emotions from these encounters will linger and intermingle creating either emotional apathy or spiritual neuropathy.
4. Problem people- Not to be confused with people with problems, problem people are unusually high maintenance individuals who consume an exorbitant amount of a minister’s time with petty complaints or unconstructive criticisms. Marshall Shelley refers to these “well-intentioned dragons” as “sincere, well-meaning saints, but they leave ulcers, strained relationships, and hard feelings in their wake.”
5. Confidentiality cache- Because the pastoral role is not only prophetic but also priestly, a pastor is entrusted with a lot of confidential information that is locked away into a pastor’s mental storage. The volume of this information can become a heavy emotional weight if it remains in a pastor’s mental inbox and is not appropriately archived.

In light of these factors, how can a pastor preserve good health and promote longevity in ministry by practicing good mental and emotional hygiene? Each pastor has to identify and adopt hygienic habits that fit his or her context and personality. Here are some practices I found to be helpful in my own pastoral routine:

• Establish and maintain a consistent prayer and devotional life.
• Maintain a relationship with a counselor or trustworthy conversation partner, outside of your church.
• Convene a small accountability group, establish a confidentiality covenant with them, and meet with them monthly.
• Read regularly in multiple genres including biography, history, and fiction.
• Pay attention to diet, especially limiting intake of sugar, caffeine, and other foods that can trigger emotional swings.
• Develop a regimen of moderate physical exercise.
• Follow a consistent routine for sleep and rest.
• Periodically disconnect from the work of the church, especially from mental labor (problem solving, conflict management), cellphone calls, and social media.
• Have an annual physical examination, as well as eye examination and dermatology screening.
• Participate in a peer network of pastors who convene with a covenant of confidentiality, and who vent and vision together.
• Learn to delegate, equipping and enabling others to employ their spiritual gifts.
• Be alert to seasons when your mental distress leads to dysfunction, manifested by ongoing and overwhelming symptoms of depression, chronic anxiety, paranoia, and/or insomnia. Immediately enlist the care of a medical professional. To procrastinate getting care prolongs the process of recovery.

Life in the stained-glass jungle has unique rewards and challenges. Self-care is absolutely essential. Bill Self reminds us that, “It takes courage to take care of yourself. One of the hallmarks of a professional is the ability to keep healthy— physically, emotionally, and spiritually. You must take responsibility for yourself and not expect others to take the initiative to care for you.”

Practicing good self-care can strengthen and lengthen a pastor’s ministry, empowering a pastor to be mentally sharp, emotionally perceptive, and spiritually grounded in all seasons.

(Barry Howard lives in Pensacola, Florida and serves as a clergy coach and congregational consultant with the Center for Healthy Churches.)

Yesterday, as Amanda and I visited Ground Zero, my mind returned to where I was 16 years ago.

On September 11, 2001 I was sitting in the home of one of our members meeting with a widow to plan a memorial service for her husband who had passed away the previous evening. As we were finalizing the date and time for the service, a family member interrupted us and asked me to step into the kitchen. There she pointed to the television and began to cry as she said, “I thought you needed to know what is happening in New York.”

My heart sank as I watched the replay of the first plane crashing into the tower one. I returned to the living room, led the family in prayer, and prayed for our nation, not knowing that more attacks were looming.

I quickly made my way back to our church campus, which was only a couple of blocks away. I found our entire staff gathered around the tv in my study, and the second tower was hit just as I entered. After a few moments of shock and tears, our team kicked into ministry mode, shared an emotional time of prayer, and began strategizing about ways we could minister to our church and community in light of these events.

Like every community around the country, members of our congregation had family members and friends who lived in New York or Washington, or who were traveling in that area, or who were serving in the armed forces who would eventually be responding to these horrid acts of terror. Eventually, it seemed that everyone was connected by friendship or kinship to someone directly affected by the attacks of that fateful day.

Although those events occurred fifteen years ago today, our individual and collective memories are still vivid and painful. We remember where we were when we heard the news. We remember bystanders fleeing from the scene and first responders rushing toward the scene. We remember gathering in churches, chapels, temples, and synagogues to pray.

What have we learned about ourselves and our world since 9/11? In particular, as followers of Jesus, what are the proactive steps we can take to be “salt” and “light” in a post 9/11 world?

Our greatest security is grounded in our faith in God. Psalm 46:1 teaches us that, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in our time of trouble.” Our faith doesn’t exempt us from tragedy, disaster, or even acts of terrorism. But our faith does serve as a compass to help us navigate the most difficult and challenging circumstances of life.

Refuse to live in fear. We cannot allow fear to dissuade us from fulfilling our mission. One of the goals of terrorism is to invoke a life-disrupting fear. II Timothy 1:7 reminds us that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Obviously we need to be wise, savvy, and circumspect at home and abroad. However, we cannot let the fear of the unknown keep us from going where we are called to go and doing what we are called to do.

Avoid responding to terrorism with terrorism. We cannot allow terrorists to provoke us into behaving like terrorists. In other words, you cannot defeat terrorism by conducting acts of terrorism. Followers of Jesus are called to respond to adversaries with the spirit of Jesus.

Express gratitude to first responders. The events of 9-11 gave to many of us a deeper appreciation for the valiant service of firemen, police officers, paramedics, and other first responders. As a pastor and community leader, I want to affirm those who serve as first responders and to encourage others to consider these vocational tracks as honorable career opportunities.

Learn the basic tenets of other faiths like Islam. A huge challenge for those unfamiliar with the religions of the world is learning to distinguish between radical Islamic groups, Jihadists for example, and mainstream Muslims who not only reject methods of terrorism, but who also must contend with it. Just like radical “Christian” groups such as the Branch Davidians and the Peoples Temple do not represent the majority of Christians, members of Al Queda, ISIS, and Boka Haram do not represent the vast majority of the Islamic world.

Be careful not to become xenophobic. Xenophobia is the fear of people from different countries, cultures, or ethnicities. Just because most of the terrorists of 9/11 were from the Middle East does not mean that everyone who wears the common wardrobe of a Middle Easterner, such as a burka or a turban, is to be suspected of terrorism.
Pray for our president and national leaders. The task of making decisions during turbulent times is stressful and tedious. No military or political leader in history has faced the type or magnitude of threat posed by terrorist groups. No matter your preferred political party, it is imperative that people of faith pray for those who lead our nation to exercise wisdom and discernment.

One year following the 9/11 attacks, I was asked by a local newspaper reporter, “How has the world changed since September 11, 2001?” The response I gave in 2002 is still relevant in 2017:
I believe the world has changed in so many ways that the majority of those changes are still being realized and processed.   From my perspective, it seems that our nation is going through the various stages of grief (shock, denial, depression, panic, guilt, resentment, and hope), and like any normal family system, not everyone is in the same stage.   Because the assault on 9/11 was a multi-dimensional attack on the spiritual, social, psychological, and economic fabric of our country, our sense of loss is more complex. Not only were thousands of lives lost, but so were many of our presuppositions, especially those regarding personal safety, economic security, and religious superiority. I hope and pray that we will emerge as individuals who are more circumspect, more patient, less acquisitive, and more spiritually grounded than we have previously demonstrated.

(Barry Howard is a retired pastor who lives in Pensacola, Florida.)

Just prior to closing the door, I noticed it. “JESUS” was upside down.

A few days ago, an unexpected wave of emotion swept over me as I was preparing to leave the pastor’s study of First Baptist Church for the final time as the senior pastor. With an open Bible, an inquiring mind, and a listening ear, I have spent countless hours in this room over the past twelve years. This room has served well as a place of reflection at times and a place of refuge at others. It is a place where I have offered fervent prayers and a place where I have heard gut-wrenching confessions. It is a place where I have shared generous encouragement and a place where I have uttered occasional rebuke.

This is the same study where I have prepared sermons, offered counsel, planned memorial services, prepared for baby dedications, brain-stormed with key leaders, and conferred with my trusted colleagues. This is the same study where I have laughed at times and cried at times. These walls have framed treasure memories and have witnessed countless secrets.

With the last of my personal belongings in hand, when I reached the door, I looked back to make sure I had not left anything behind. While scanning the room, I saw it. “JESUS” was upside down. So, my last act upon departing the pastor’s study on Friday was to turn “JESUS” right side up again.

Among the many plaques, trinkets, and gifts given to me across the past 12 years is a sign made of two colors of wood that highlight the name, “JESUS.” Rather than being inscribed or engraved, “JESUS” is revealed by the strategic arrangement of the contrast in wood and color.

I’m not really sure how “JESUS” got turned upside down in the first place. A member of the housekeeping staff could have inadvertently flipped the sign while dusting. I could have overturned “JESUS” in my packing frenzy. Or one of the children visiting my study last week could have reversed the upright position of “JESUS” while playing with him.

My realignment of “JESUS” became rather parabolic for my final weekend. I realized again how easy it is, despite our best intentions, for the church to turn “JESUS” upside down, misrepresenting Jesus to our community:

We turn Jesus upside down when we minimize our faith as a mere formulaic transaction. We turn Jesus upside down when we buy into consumerist Christianity. We turn Jesus upside down when we try to label Jesus as a Democrat or Republican. We turn Jesus upside down when we operate the church as a religious institution. We turn Jesus upside down when we exclude people who are unlike us. We turn Jesus upside down when we veer toward the extremes of legalism on the right or liberalism on the left. We turn Jesus upside down when we contentiously frame worship as contemporary or traditional. We turn Jesus upside down when we take his words and teachings out of context to affirm our own presuppositions. We turn Jesus upside down when we preach partisan politics from the pulpit. We turn Jesus upside down when there is a huge disparity between our words and actions. We turn Jesus upside down when we confess his Lordship but we neglect worship.

To maximize our impact and influence in the community, it is imperative for the church, from the pastor’s study to the pew,

to keep “JESUS” right side up. We turn Jesus right side up when we faithfully share the love of God in word and deed. We embody Jesus right side up when we invest time and resources in “the least of these,” the disadvantaged and underserved in our city and around the world. We proclaim Jesus right side up when we “make more space for grace.” We exemplify Jesus right side up when we leverage our diversity within the body of Christ. We present Jesus right side up when we perceive other churches to be our colleagues, not our competitors. We portray Jesus right side up when we open the doors of our church more widely than ever before, recognizing that many disconnected individuals need to walk alongside us before determining to join us on this journey of faith. We preach Jesus right side up when we refuse to give up on anyone, even those we perceive to be the most hopeless and hardcore of sinners.

And so, as I enter a new season of life and dabble in fresh ways to serve, my last action upon departing the pastor’s study and my last word from the pulpit after 39 years in ministry, is this relevant reminder to turn “JESUS” right side up in a world that is weary of an upside-down Jesus. That is our mission.

(Barry Howard is the recently retired Senior Minister of the First Baptist Church of Pensacola, Florida.)

by Barry Howard

One of the great blessings in my life has been the guidance and influence of trusted mentors.  As one who sensed a call to ministry at a young age, I was surrounded by veteran pastors who shared wise counsel, practical advice, and gentle reprimands along the way.

I remember their names and their influence with vivid gratitude and clarity.  But because many of them shared the same proverbial lines with me, it is difficult to discern the origin of the advice or to recall which mentor first imparted a given line to me. However, the collective wisdom of these trusted mentors has been formative to my personal faith and pastoral methodology.

Here are 12 bits of advice I have assimilated from trusted mentors:

1.    “Immerse yourself in the scriptures, then preach and teach out of the overflow.”

2.    “Preparing yourself is as important as preparing the sermon.”

3.    “Always tell the truth and love the people.”

4.    “People will forgive a lot of bad sermons if they know you care about them.”

5.    “You will encounter problem people everywhere you serve. Be determined to out love them, outlast them, or outlive them.”

6.    “Never underestimate the power of a personal touch.”

7.    “As a pastor, you will be criticized and scrutinized unfairly. Always take the high road.”

8.    “Protect your marriage. If you neglect your marriage while trying to fulfill your ministry, you will likely lose both.”

9.    “Preach and teach the good news the best you understand it, but leave the judging to God.”

10. “Take your off day. Your work will never be finished. The church was there long before you came along, and it will be there long after you are gone.”

11. “Learn to delegate, or else you will wear out, burn out, or give up.”

12.  “Brevity is appreciated in all things, including sermons, wedding ceremonies, eulogies, and public prayers.”

Over the past 39 years I have done a pretty good job of implementing some of this wisdom. If pastoral ministry were baseball, some days I bat .250 and other days I think I bat .500.  But one thing’s for sure: I’ve never come close to batting 1.000. 

I still have a lot to learn, and I am grateful for the wisdom that veteran pastors imparted to me. In the days ahead I hope to pass along a few insights to the young men and women who are beginning their journey into this unique and strategic vocation.

(Barry Howard serves as the Senior Minister at the First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida.)

 

by Barry Howard

Who kept the faith and fought the fight; The glory theirs, the duty ours.        –Wallace Bruce

As a pastor serving in an active military community, I am privileged to serve alongside those who serve or have valiantly served our country.  But I also serve in a community where an extraordinarily large number of residents have lost a son, daughter, father, mother, brother, sister, friend or neighbor on the field of battle. Over the past twelve years I have shared eulogies at dozens of memorial services for veterans or their family members at the Barrancas National Cemetery at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. So for me, Memorial Day invokes more of a sense of observance than of celebration. The last Monday in May does not usually generate as much holiday enthusiasm as Christmas, Easter, or Independence Day. However, we should be careful that the meaning of this holiday does not become lost in the busyness of our activities.

Memorial Day is not just another “day off” but a day to remember those who have lost their lives in the military service of our country. This is a day to remember those who, according to Henry Ward Beecher, “hover as a cloud of witnesses above this Nation.”

In a culture that is increasingly attention-deficient, remembering is a painful but necessary discipline.  Revisiting stories from the battlefield may keep us consciously aware of the harsh realities of war. Exploring the historical narrative may enable us to learn from both the successes and the failures of our ancestors. When we remember the fallen we keep alive the individual and corporate legacies of valor and courage that inspire and challenge us to be responsible citizens of the free world.

When we fail to remember the sacrifices of those who came before us, we succumb to a convenient amnesia that eventually robs succeeding generations of acquaintance with our national heritage.  To fail to remember creates a contagious apathy that leads to a neglect of both our freedom and our citizenship.   To fail to remember can produce a false sense of security and an inaccurate perception that we are exempt from future warfare.  If for no other reason, we should remember in order to guard against what George Washington called “the impostures of pretended patriotism.”

Perhaps our high tech world is at times too much of a fantasy world.  When we pause our trivial pursuits, daring to focus on our unabridged heritage can stir in us both a gut check and a reality check. The kind of remembering we need to do on Memorial Day is an uncomfortable but necessary discipline, a practice that forges vision from memory and distills wisdom from history.

In The Roadmender  Margaret Fairless Barber suggests that “To look backward for a while is to refresh the eye, to restore it, and to render it the more fit for its prime function of looking forward.”

This year, as we observe Memorial Day, let us take time to remember the men and women who served with distinction and made extraordinary sacrifices to establish and preserve our freedom.  By remembering our heritage, may we be better equipped and motivated to engage the enemies of our day with courage, hope, and determination.

(Barry Howard serves as senior minister at First Baptist Church of Pensacola.)

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The word “holy” is a healthy and meaningful word, though probably one of the most misunderstood terms in the English language. The concept of holiness does not suggest “spiritual superiority” or “moral perfection.”   The word “holy” means set apart or different. In the New Testament the Greek word for holy is “hagios,” which means “different,” specifically different from the world or different than the cultural norm.

This Sunday is Palm Sunday which marks the beginning of Holy Week, a week that is to be different from a normal week. For me, Holy Week is a season for soul-searching and contemplating the depth of God’s love. During this week, Christians, all around the globe will be reflecting on the events that led to the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

Why is observing Holy Week important to our preparation for Easter? Here’s a bit of history: The traditional observance of Holy Week seems to have originated in the Christian East, emerging out of the practice of pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Each day of Holy Week is important but at least four days call for specific reflection. Palm Sunday is a day to revisit the royal welcome extended to Jesus by the curious crowd as he entered Jerusalem. On Maundy Thursday believers recall the occasion when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples as he gave them a new mandate to love and serve. Good Friday is a day to review the passion and suffering of Christ on the cross. And Resurrection Sunday, or Easter, is a festive day to celebrate and proclaim that “Christ is risen; He is risen indeed.”

Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, senior minister at Northminster Church in Monroe, Louisiana describes the progressive steps in a meaningful pre-Easter journey: “Holy Week services bring into focus dimensions of discipleship that are missed completely by a simple leap from Palm Sunday to Easter. Worship services which take seriously the truths of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday please God because they challenge a greater commitment and a more comprehensive ministry of compassion among the people of God.”

This year as you navigate through each episode of Holy Week, here are a few suggestions for keeping Holy Week, holy:

• Read the gospel account in John 12-20.
• Listen to the conflicting voices in the crowd
• Meditate on the cruel injustice of the cross.
• Imagine the passion of Christ’s suffering.
• Think on the hopelessness at his burial.
• Celebrate the hope of the resurrection.
• Renew your vows to faithfully follow Jesus.

Such an intentional journey through Holy Week may deepen our faith and inspire us to follow Jesus with unrelenting resolve.

(Barry Howard serves as Senior Minister at the First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida.)

 
Christ the Lord is risen today, Sons of men and angels say. Raise your joys and triumphs high; Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply.     -Charles Wesley
 

Next week is Holy Week, the final week of Lent, and a week for Christians to re-trace the footsteps of Jesus from Palm Sunday to Easter. Here are seven things that are helpful to know as we prepare for Holy Week:

1. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week and serves as a day to revisit the “triumphal entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem.

2. On Holy Wednesday, two important things happened: First, Judas accepted 30 pieces of silver from the chief priests who enlisted him to betray Jesus. This is the reason Holy Wednesday is often referred to as Spy Wednesday.   Second, Jesus was anointed by the woman at Bethany with the expensive jar of alabaster.

3. On Maundy Thursday Christians recall Jesus’ mandate “to love one another as I have loved you.” The word “Maundy” is a derivative of the word “mandate.” Thursday is also when Jesus broke bread and shared the cup with his disciples in the upper room. On Maundy Thursday, believers often participate in acts of foot washing or communion.

4. Good Friday (also called Sacred Friday, Passion Friday, or Holy Friday) is devoted to remembering and sensing the sacrificial and suffering of Christ on the cross.

5. Silent Saturday is a day devoted to waiting. After the crucifixion Jesus was interred in a borrowed tomb. His closest followers were grappling with his death and not anticipating the resurrection.

6. On Easter, or Resurrection Sunday, Christians celebrate and proclaim the good news that Jesus arose from the tomb victorious over death. Interestingly, the term “Easter” was originally the name of a pagan spring festival. Some believe it was named after the Teutonic god or goddess of spring. However, the name was seized by Christian believers and converted to a day of worship and feasting to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.

7. Easter is observed on the Sunday following the first full moon falling on or after March 21. Therefore, Easter cannot come before March 22 or after April 25. The Council of Nicea, convened by Augustine in A.D.325, affirmed the calculation used to determine the official date of Easter and that calculation is still used today.

Holy Week is an optimal time for followers of Jesus to think about and talk about the significance of Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection. One good way to observe Holy Week is by reading and reflecting on the passion narratives, those passages in the gospels that begin with Jesus’ agony and arrest in Gethsemane and conclude with his burial.

A meaningful Easter is filled with scriptures, songs, and stories. And the central story of God’s incomparable love for us is illustrated in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Will Willimon aptly affirms, “I am invited by Easter to interpret my story in the light of God’s triumph in the resurrection.”

(Barry Howard serves as the Senior Minister at the First Baptist Church of Pensacola, Florida.)

My friend and fellow church member, Bill Harden, went home to be with the Lord in 2010. His beloved wife, Louise, joined him last week. They were quite a pair. Bill inspired his family and friends with his cheerful humor, durable smile, and artistic craftsmanship. Louise loved flowers, good food, and quality time with family and friends. Her life was a bouquet of encouragement, love, and compassion.  At the memorial service for Louise, the family chose to decorate the chapel and atrium of our church with spring flowers and birdhouses. 

Although Bill invested much of his career in the travel planning business, as a retirement hobby Bill carefully constructed birdhouses in a variety of shapes and sizes.  In addition to the dozens of birdhouses Bill gave to others as gifts, an assorted collection of birdhouses adorned the mantle and the hearth in the Harden home.

Around 2008, Dr. Jim Pleitz and I were each honored to receive a unique birdhouse as a gift from Bill.  Built especially for the pastor and pastor emeritus, these church-shaped birdhouses were built from the wood removed from the floor of our former education building, affectionately known as the old library building, which was severely damaged during Hurricane Ivan and eventually demolished a year later. 

I have strategically placed my birdhouse in front of the chair where I have my quiet time early in the morning. During my prayer time over the past several years, this birdhouse has become a wooden parable of how I understand church in the 21^st century….not the bricks and mortar of our campus…but our ministry…our mission…our spiritual community.

While most of the wood on this birdhouse came from the old church, Bill also incorporated new lumber into the birdhouse, creating sort of a two-toned effect, a phenomenon that reminds us that our church is a composite of the old and the new, a merger of our heritage and our dreams.  

For the perch, Bill installed an oversized doorknob front and center, which reminds us that a healthy church needs a big door, one that swings both ways, welcoming us to worship and sending out to serve.  And that big door needs to be open wide, perhaps wider than ever, as we welcome old friends and new neighbors with Christian hospitality, else we will become cliquish and stagnant.

Above the door is a cross. Intentionally placed over the entrance in a location similar to the street number or family name on your home, this cross explicitly identifies the occupants as followers of Jesus above all else. 

And finally, Bill went online and ordered a miniature spire which now sits atop the steeple pointing upwards, beckoning us to look heavenward to God for our hope and our strength.

Following the memorial service for Louise, a couple of young family members stood at the chapel door giving to each person in attendance a package of seeds, which they were encouraged to plant in memory of Louise. In ways too numerous to mention, Louise was all about planting seeds for the future and preparing for the next generation. And the seeds she planted will bear fruit for generations to come.

Our friends, Bill and Louise, are now together in their eternal home, but they left behind an ongoing testimony, personified in wooden birdhouses and a few seeds.  Perhaps their story gives us a bird’s eye view of the future, a future wherein a church that merges the best of the old and new, and plants good seeds for the future, flourishes and bursts into full bloom.

(Barry Howard serves as senior minister of the First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida.)