Wednesday, March 7, 2001
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Wednesday, March 7, 2001 |
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Enrichment comes through shared traditions By REV JOHN HATCHER Last Wednesday, I anointed my forehead with ashes in order to participate in centuries-old practice acknowledging the beginning of Lent. You may ask, can an ole Southern Baptist boy participate in Ash Wednesday? Even Wednesday night, I rubbed ashes onto the foreheads of our church's children, sharing with them lessons of repentance, denial, and self-examination. Most Baptists and other evangelicals have acknowledged Lent (forty days between Ash Wednesday and Easter not including Sundays) by planning and participating in Spring revivals week-long events during which church members judge themselves, seek a higher plane of service, turn from wicked ways, and resolved "no longer to linger, charmed by the world's delights; things that are higher, things that are nobler, these have allured my sight" (Palmer Hartsough, 1844-1932). As my daughter saw me with ashes on the forehead, she exclaimed, "I thought we didn't believe in that." Explaining what the ashes were about, I began to think what disservice we have perpetuated on our children by not enriching their spiritual walk with traditions of the church. We of the church of Jesus Christ worshipping under different labels can enrich one another so much if we give one another opportunity. As we of the Protestant tradition gingerly engage in Ash Wednesdays and Lent, perhaps some liturgical traditions might see the potential of our weeks of revivals. I remember so well when Pastor Roger Powell of the Church of God first experienced a written-out prayer of confession/forgiveness as led by Pastor Justin Kollmeyer, a Lutheran. You would have thought Pastor Powell had just discovered sliced bread. He prayed that written down prayer for and with his church, and from his report afterwards, his folks were super blessed. In recent weeks, I've learned that the Black church tradition can teach us of the White church tradition a whole bunch on ushering and how to treat the Pastor. The Dobson Ministry has set aside the month of October during which churches honor their pastors. In the Black church tradition, however, many churches bestow honor on their pastors every week. The Catholic Church tradition can teach us about the genuine greeting of one another as they participate in giving one another the "kiss of peace." And by the way, the Catholics were using the guitar in their contemporary masses long before a guitar showed up in the evangelical tradition. Yes, we can learn from one another and be better for it. Church, look beyond your own four walls and see what others are doing. It might be just the thing you need!
Rev. Dr. John Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in Fayetteville. |
