Remembering a modern-day saint, Mary Johnson-Roy

This past Saturday, I had the privilege of attending the funeral of Mary Johnson-Roy at Shiloh Temple International Ministries in north Minneapolis. Mary was a saint—a role model whose actions are inspire awe. Mary forgave Oshea Israel for murdering her son, Laramiun Lamont Boyd.  Not only did she forgive him, she achieved reconciliation with him. Oshea became Mary’s spiritual son and lived near him.

I first got to know Mary when she spoke at St. Joseph’s at the Lakes Catholic church. I was so moved by her impression that I went up to her and invited her on-the-spot to speak for the people of Chain of Lakes. She agreed and in February 2014 she and Oshea shared a dialogue sermon about their story. I asked them questions and they responded.

Chain of Lakes still has the recording of that service. It’s worth checking out at Release - Letting Go Through Foregiveness on Vimeo.

This past Sunday I shared a sermon about the impact each of us can have when we live out our spiritual gifts. Mary was an incredible example. She had the spiritual gift of faith. Spend any time with her or read about her and her faith immediately catapults to the surface. She never would have forgiven Oshea without her faith. About ten years after Laramiun’s murder Mary read a poem called, “Two mothers.” It described an imaginary heavenly encounter between Mary, the mother of Jesus and the mother of Judas. This poem started her journey that led her to meet with Oshea in Stillwater Prison.

I still remember Mary talking about this meeting with Oshea. At the end of the meeting the two hugged. Mary shared often the astonishment that came to her when she realized that she had hugged the man who had murdered her son.

Forgiveness is one of the most important parts of faith and one of the least understood parts of faith. We mistakenly think of forgiveness as something that we do for another person; and we mistakenly think of forgiveness as letting the other person off the hook. When Mary forgave Oshea she was able to let go of the anger and hatred that she had for Oshea. She no longer was hamstrung by these strong emotions. She was released.

Mary never let Oshea off the hook for his act. He was punished by the judicial system. But she was willing to see his humanity and let go of her pain.

The world paid attention to these two.

In April 2011 the producers from StoryCorps recorded a powerful three minute segment that was heard by an estimated twelve million listeners. The link is here: Mary Johnson and Oshea Israel - StoryCorps. I would be very surprised if you heard this segment without welling up in tears.

Channel 4 story on an interview with her and Oshea: Thousands expected to mourn death of Mary Johnson-Roy, Minneapolis woman who forgave her son's killer - CBS Minnesota (cbsnews.com)

Channel 5 had a story on the funeral and Mary’s life: Mary Johnson-Roy remembered for her faith and forgiving the man who killed her son - KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News

She and Oshea were interviewed on the View. Link is here: The View - Mary Johnson & Oshea Israel, A Story of Forgiveness (youtube.com)

The funeral this past Saturday was beautiful. I only decided to go at the last minute. The tributes by her family and colleagues were moving. Having past Mayor, R.T. Rybak speak and current Mayor, Jacob Frey speak were especially touching.

No one should ever have to suffer the agony of burying a child who was murdered. May Johnson’ s story of forgiveness and reconciliation will stand the test of time. Undoubtedly people will still be talking about her example in the years to come.

In being interviewed after the funeral for Channel 5, Oshea shared that a person will be surprised by what one small moment can do for a person’s lifetime. Their hug in the Stillwater prison changed Mary’s life and ultimately changed the lives of thousands of people who heard her story.

Mary is a saint. Her level of spiritual awareness was profound.

I am so thankful that I had the privilege of meeting Mary and learning her story.. May she be a role model for all of us. I hope that all of us can find the strength to forgive people like she demonstrated.

Enjoying an Iftar with people from Chain of Lakes Church

Last night thirteen people from Chain of Lakes, including myself, participating in a Ramdan Iftar dinner at the MAS Blaine Masjid or what I have called the Blaine Islamic Center.  This was an event coordinated by the Minnesota Council of Churches. Last night in twenty-two places across Minnesota a “Taking Heart Ramadan Iftar dinner” took place.

An Iftar is the daily, fast-breaking meal of Muslims in Ramadan.  Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and a holy month of fasting and spiritual renewal. Islamic tradition shares that during one of the last ten nights of Ramadan God revealed to the prophet Muhammad the Quran, Islam’s holy book.

This past January I shared a sermon series called “Faith Seeking Understanding.” Each week I looked at the tenets of a basic religion—Islam, Judaism, and even Atheism—though Atheism is not a religion. I ended the series by preaching on Christianity. During the series a group of people at Chain of Lakes expressed a desire to attend prayers at the Blaine Islamic Center. Last night was the opportunity for many of us to attend.

One of the benefits of this series is my friendship with Zafar Saddiqui, who is co-founder and past president of the Islamic Resource Group (IRG). The mission of the IRG is to build bridges of understanding between Muslim Americans and the broader community through education. Zafar  serves on the advisory board of the Muslim Christian Dialog Center (MCDC) at the University of St. Thomas and is a member of the Minnesota Multi-faith Network (MnMN).

The people of Chain of Lakes first developed a relationship with the Blaine Islamic Center in 2017 when the Dar-Al Farooq Islamic Center was bombed. The Session of Chain of Lakes approved a letter expressing outrage at this bombing, complete support and the commitment to safety of our friends in the Islamic community. I personally delivered the letter to Iman Waleed Shady of the Blaine Islamic Center.

When I showed the picture below to Iman Shady last night he smiled. Both of us were seven years younger, but our commitment to inter-religious connection has not waned.

The gathering last night was beautiful—a community celebration of connection. At least a hundred people attended, including officers from the Blaine Police Department and local political leaders. I had the opportunity to sit at the table with two of the Imans, including Iman Shahid.  I showed him the picture of sharing this letter in 2017.

The evening started with a call to prayer and then the recitation of the Quron by a younger Iman from the Blaine Islamic Center. Two young people shared a talk on Islam 101. We had a friendly competition among tables about knowledge of Islam. We had conversation at our tables. When the time of sunset arrived everyone went upstairs to either pray or to observe the prayers. We then went back to our tables to enjoy a beautiful meal from the Holy Land Deli. Gifts were distributed from the Blaine Islamic Center.

Opportunities to grow in understanding about other religions are rare and important to enjoy. And unfortunately Islamophobia is a terrible reality. Calls to prevent Muslims from entering America are counter to what Jesus would teach. 

I’m excited about the growth of the Blaine Islamic Center. Iman Shaady shared that a new Islamic Center is being proposed in Lino Lakes, on the corner of Main and Sunset. 

As a Christian leader I’m not threatened at all by this growth. My work at Chain of Lakes is to create an authentic, Christian community where strangers become friends who become disciples who impact the world. I don’t see my work in competition with the Blaine Islamic Center. Instead I see us partners in creating the Kingdom that God desires. 

Last night’s Iftar was a wonderful opportunity to live into this Kingdom.

I turned sixty yesterday. Looking forward and backwards at a milestone

I turned sixty yesterday, March 3, 2024.

I had a marvelous day. I woke up with my favorite person giving me a hug and jokingly saying, “You made it.” 

I was part of a lovely picture taken on our family’s deck. Then I was able to receive all sorts of love at Chain of Lakes Church. I knew they were going to do something, but they surprised me. They surprised me by sharing a video of birthday greetings that my sister, Pam shared. It’s worth watching. Go to my Facebook page to check it out. I could write eight hundred words just about her two minute video. Then they shared cards and gifts and ensured that I’ll be doing a lot of golfing this summer. The rest of the day was with Amy’s family in Wisconsin and then talking to my parents to close the day. 

The average life span for a white male in the United States is seventy-five or so.  I’m not sure how much control I ultimately have over my life span—but the way look at it I’d like to live in good health to ninety or make it past a hundred like my Grandma Maxine. 

I live with a Minnesota-developed sense of humility; however I can unabashedly say that I am blessed. My wife told me on Saturday that she wants to go on a date every Saturday; my daughter and her partner, Carter are terrific parents to my granddaughter, Elouise; the congregation I serve is growing fast, and I don’t see this stopping in the near future; even though I have a mechanical valve in my heart, my health is excellent. 

I’m in my prime right now. One of the best cards I received was from Amy’s parents. It basically said that at sixty a person has been around enough to understand how life works and young enough to still have health. This is how I feel. I have the opportunity to work every day at a job I love. Our church is currently experiencing significant growth and are on the verge of something even more special. I’ve been doing this for thirty-one years, so I have a sense of what needs to be done. I think we’re on the verge of something significant. And I have my health. Besides having a mechanical valve in my heart and weighing a bit too much, my health is terrific. 

I can’t wait to see what this decade brings. But before I look forward too much, let me share some significant stories from the last decade. If someone asked me what the significant stories were of being in your fifties in no order of importance I would say this. 

Going to Europe with Amy

I won’t forget getting on a Viking Longboat and traveling on the Rhine River for nine days. We took a long-boat trip from Basel to Amsterdam. I wrote about this on September 21, 2021. Some of the places we docked were Kehl, Rudesheim, Koblenz, Cologne, and Arnheim. I loved seeing the castles on the River. This was a trip of a lifetime and my favorite part of my 50’s. 

Having open heart surgery

I never would have imagined that in the fall of 2015 I would be lying on the grassy knoll adjacent to Quail Creek Parkway while running. Something was wrong with my heart. And I’ll never forget going to a Cardiologist. He started drawing circles and then told me that I had a bicuspid, aortic valve that had significantly narrowed, and if I didn’t have it replaced I would be dead in a year.

Didn’t see any of this coming. The rest was a blur. Having surgery, being in the hospital for about a week, recovering at home.           

I am incredibly fortunate. Because I know that if I was born fifty or so years earlier, I would be dead. This gives me quite a perspective on life. 

Thank God that I am a runner, thank God for terrific medical professionals, and thank God for the terrific support I received from my family and friends. 

Becoming a church, moving into our new church building, and going through a growth spurt

On November 12, 2017 Chain of Lakes became an established church. This was a big deal, and we celebrated. I wrote about this on my blog on November 21, 2017. We then broke ground on our building in August of 2021. I wrote about this on my blog on August 16, 2021. Our first worship service was the last Sunday of May in 2022.

Chain of Lakes has recently experienced a growth spurt. Our worship attendance is almost forty percent higher in 2024 than at the same time period in 2023.  Of the nine services in 2024 four times the worship attendance has been higher than the highest attended service in 2023. We took in nine new people last month and could easily take in another nine before summer. All of this is happening while we are staying very involved in the community.

Becoming a grandfather

I could have hardly imagined the joy that Elouise Ivy Joy Perteet has brought to our household. Pure, unadulterated joy. All of us are having so much fun seeing her go through her different stages. Not long until she will completely roll over, and then get on her knees, and then … watch out world. Seeing Hannah and Carter figure out being parents is also a joy. And it’s not a joy to realize how much childcare costs. Something needs to be done. I have no problem in going out on a limb and saying that low-cost childcare and pre-school is needed. If children can basically go to school without cost, why not provide something similar in their first five years. 

Living through the pandemic    

The pandemic was awful. What made it worse was our country was not able to come together around issues of testing and masks. I’m still dumbfounded by the polarization over COVID. Thank God for the vaccines! 

Those are four significant events of the last decade. I wonder what I’ll write about ten years from today.

It will be a blast to find out!

 

 

 

Jesus does get us. And that's the point

I went to seminary at one of the most liberal seminaries in the country—Union Seminary in New York City. I chose that seminary because at that time in my life the religious leaders who I respected the most went to Union Seminary. I trusted these leaders so much that I didn’t even visit the seminary. If they liked this place, then I knew that I would like it.

While I was in seminary, I ended up being the Youth Director at First Presbyterian Church in Babylon, New York. They identified themselves as a conservative, evangelical Presbyterian church. I led their Junior High youth group, Senior High youth group and helped lead worship.

When I attended Union Seminary, I would frequently hear sermons criticizing conservatives (the people I knew at the Presbyterian church in Babylon) for being homophobic, sexist, and not concerned about issues of race and justice.

When I worked at First Presbyterian Church in Babylon, I frequently heard people complain about liberals (the people who I knew at Union Seminary) as people didn’t believe in the divinity of Christ and who didn’t care about prayer or the importance of worship and whose social justice gospel did not reflect the viewpoints of Jesus.

It took me a while to get used to the venom.

That experience led me to wonder if congregations could be developed that emphasized the best of the conservative tradition and the best of the liberal tradition. Congregations who took worship, prayer, Bible Study seriously while also serving in the community and advocating for justice. Liberals who embrace worship of all forms and conservatives who embraced female and LGTBQ leadership.  

Instead of attacking each other could we find a both/and faith.

The response to the “He Gets Us” Super Bowl has led me to conclude that the church is a long way from this kind of both/and faith.

A week ago Sunday a commercial under the title, “He Gets Us” was run during the Super Bowl. In one of the ads people of different races and viewpoints washed each other’s feet. The ad can be watched here: Home - He Gets Us Another ad was also run.

The point of the ads is Jesus gets us. No matter who we are, how much money we have, who we will vote for in November, no matter our race or gender, Jesus gets us. I loved the ads. I could watch them for a long time. I’ve seen other ads in the “He Gets Us” series. When the ads first came on television last year, I pointed them out to the people of Chain of Lakes.

It took me a while to learn that the organization that funds the commercials has beliefs that are far different from mine. 

I’ve read some of the criticism of the ads from the left. This article in the liberal section of Patheos shares criticism of the article from the left. Jesus Does More Than Wash Feet | James Travis Young (patheos.com)

But not only do those on the left dislike the ads. This article represents the criticism from those on the right.  Christian Super Bowl Commercial Outrages Conservatives (newsweek.com)

On the web site, hegetsus.com this was shared about the campaign.

Throughout our shared history, Jesus has represented the ultimate good that humankind is capable of aspiring to. And though some no longer believe in God, most are still compelled by the idea of a person capable of unconditional love for others despite their differences. But many of us simply cannot reconcile the idea of that person with the way our culture experiences religion today. Whether it’s hypocrisy and discrimination in the church, or scandals both real and perceived among religious leaders, or the polarization of our politics, many have relegated Jesus from the world’s greatest love story to just another tactic used to intensify our deep cultural divisions.

How did we get here? And what might we learn from the example of Jesus to help move beyond the  animosity we feel for one another? How can we rediscover the life and teachings of Jesus, the world’s most radical love activist? That is our agenda at He Gets Us: to move beyond the mess of our current cultural moment to a place where all of us are invited to rediscover the love story of Jesus. Christians, non-Christians, and everybody in between. All of us.

He Gets Us is a diverse group of Jesus followers with a wide variety of faith journeys and lived experiences. Our work represents the input from Christians who believe that Jesus is the son of God as well as many others who, though not Christians, share a deep admiration for the man that Jesus was, and we are deeply inspired and curious to explore his story. We look at the biography of Jesus through a modern lens to find new relevance in often overlooked moments and themes from his life. If you’d like to join us, you’re invited.

The web site also responded to many questions about the campaign. About us - He Gets Us

The point about the ads is “Jesus gets us.” He doesn’t get us because we are pro-LGBTQ or support women preachers or want to end homelessness. (all beliefs to which I have committed my life.) He doesn’t get us because a person is against abortion or believes the United States has a divine mandate or believes that people who give away a lot of money will receive many blessings from God.

Jesus gets us because we’re human.

Jesus knows every part of us—even the parts that we’re too ashamed to admit—and he still gets us.

Jesus promises to always love us. He is the only force in the universe that will never take his love away from us.

Of course, Jesus is much more than the words in those three preceding paragraphs, but I will say “Yay, God” for any ad that points people in this direction.

I went into ministry believing that the world cannot be changed unless the church takes a primary role in leading that change. And I still philosophically believe that. I believe people who are passionate about worship and reading the Bible and prayer can end homelessness and create peace.

And I know I’m naïve. But my naivety comes from my understanding of Jesus. So even if the venom in the church hasn’t disappeared, I’ll still keep working to create the world based on this understanding of Jesus.

I’m not optimistic that the church can come together to make significant change. The response to the ad makes this case.

However I’ll continue to work to build a congregation where people of many different views can be united around the idea that “Jesus gets us.”

Yes, that was a lot of money to spend on an ad. But I have no problem with that. Perhaps the ad can prompt people to work together to build more affordable housing in the United States. Because I do believe that Jesus would encourage people to do that. Or maybe the ad will encourage people who are quite different to pray together. Because I do believe that Jesus would encourage people to do that.

This Sunday I’ll be preaching about Jesus in a Lenten series called, “Essentials.” I’ll be talking about the ads and how Jesus gets us. It will be a privilege for me to share that Word.

Small is beautiful? Really?

I’ve been waiting to write this blog for over a month because I was worried I was going to sound like a crank. And I don’t identify myself as a crank. So if this blog comes across as cranky, then I have miscommunicated. 

In January, the Presbyterian Outlook shared an issue with the title on the cover, “Small is beautiful.” The subtitle is “spirituality vitality is more than size.” Links to some of article are here:

Small is beautiful - The Presbyterian Outlook (pres-outlook.org)

The future of the PC(USA) is pastor-less, and that’s OK. - The Presbyterian Outlook (pres-outlook.org)

The great ends of the (small) church - The Presbyterian Outlook (pres-outlook.org)

I completely agree with the sentiment that “small is beautiful.” Just as I think that large can be beautiful. I believe spiritual vitality and energy in a congregation is much more than the size of a congregation. Congregations can be vibrant and vital no matter what their size.

In the thirty-one years I have served as a pastor, I have served two churches who for most of their ministry were small. I started at Community Presbyterian Church in Plainview Minnesota.  The first year I served we averaged 54 in worship attendance. Our worship attendance eventually grew to be 99 and then we fell back. Only two of those years did our worship attendance decrease.

And these numbers tell a limited part of the ministry that took place there. We significantly grew in the number of youth and children who participated, we started a contemporary service, we served in the community by helping to start a Youth Center and Migrant Council, we bought two parcels of adjacent property and did a million dollar remodeling project.

I came to Chain of Lakes Church in the north Metro of the Twin Cites as a new church development pastor and started with a meeting of seven families. That is the definition of being small! We have grown every year in worship attendance except for the two years of COVID. The past three months have seen us grow rapidly. We have had a large number of new families connect.  Our worship attendance of 85 in 2024 is already up over thirty percent compared to the same time period of 2023. I believe this number will go up for the rest of the year. And trust me I know that for some reading this blog our worship attendance seems tiny. Fortunately, right now it's growing fast.

I know there are many thresholds for being a small church, but it seems like Chain of Lakes is beginning to breakthrough those thresholds. 

The point of this is to say I have served small churches, and I have great respect for small churches.

But I’m not going to glorify a small church.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) has diminished significantly over the past decades. And yes the word, “decades” in that sentence is plural. I find this decrease very hard to bear for I have a great love for this denomination. I share with every new disciple or new member class that that if you cut me open I bleed Presbyterian. And because I’m on blood thinner, I bleed fast.

I think every community in America needs a vibrant PC(USA) congregation. These communities need congregations who take prayer, worship and Christian education seriously while serving in the community and advocating for justice. These communities need vibrant congregations who celebrate female and LGTBQ pastors. This reality originates from our understanding of the witness that Scripture makes to Jesus and what Jesus would want. These communities need vibrant congregations where the governing bodies of the church are elected by people in the congregation.

When Presbyterian congregations decline the wider community also declines.

Having a church grow in numbers is difficult. It’s difficult for many reasons. One reason is less people are interested in God and church. The Pew Research Poll just came out with a study that shows that the number of atheists increased to four percent in 2023 compared to three percent in 2014. A quick Google search told me that 258 million adults live in the United States. Even if that number is not precise, we can see that a one percent increase means that at least two million more people are Atheist now compared to nine years ago.

But the difficulty of growing a church doesn’t mean that Presbyterians should accept decline or even celebrate decline.

When I read articles like the ones shared in the Presbyterian Outlook it feels like at attempt to rationalize our decline. We can’t grow because we don’t have pastors; we can’t grow because we live in a rural area; we can’t grow because of (fill in the blank.)

And when I read articles like the ones in the Presbyterian Outlook, I feel that we’re going to pat ourselves on the back for being small. Sure small churches can be spiritually vital; just like medium size churches can be spiritually vital; just like large churches can be spiritually vital.

I have never met a pastor who has said, “I’m really hoping that my church declines by twenty percent this year. I would really like for this congregation to be smaller.” I have met and talked to many Presbyterian pastors who lament their decline. They would like resources from denominational staff to help their congregations grow and examples from congregations who are growing.

The decline of congregations in the PC(USA) should be a clarion call to leaders in the wider Presbyterian Church (USA). If something similar was happening in the business world that business would change what it is doing. But nothing seems to change.

So I’m disappointed in the combination of these articles.  I’m not looking for articles that justify small churches. Instead I’m looking for resources and examples of congregations who are growing.

Happy 85th, mom!

This coming Saturday, my mom, Jackie Moore, is going to celebrate her 85^th birthday. I’m very grateful that thirteen of us plus three friends were able to travel to Arizona last week—where she and my Dad winter—to celebrate her birthday. What a privilege that I got to be present for her 85^th birthday celebration. As I say often, Yay, God!

I can’t help but write a tribute to her today.

She grew up the oldest of three on a dairy farm, outside of Mantorville, Minnesota. When I was growing up my family went to that farm quite often. It has a special place in our hearts. She graduated from high school and went to college at Mankato State—the name of the school then. She met my dad, fell in love, and got married at the age of 22.

You can do the math to see how long she has been married. Incredible! And that she has been married to my dad that long? Even more incredible!! 

After graduating from college she taught grade school in Paullina, Iowa. When she became pregnant with me, she was forced to leave teaching during her pregnancy. Female teachers weren’t allowed to teach while they were “showing.”

What a different world.

Shortly after I was born I was lying on her stomach in the hospital. A number of names were being bantered about for me. No decision had been made when the doctor came in and asked the name of the baby. “His name is Paul,” she said. I was named by my mom. How cool is that!

She and my Dad moved to Worthington and started a life in that town on the prairie. She stayed at home to help raise my sister, who arrived twenty months later, and me.

When I grew up at 1914 Summit Ave in Worthington, Minnesota, our family had a rich life—and rich not meant from the perspective of wealth. Our life was family, church, friends and community.  Not complicated. Quite rich.

She came back to work and taught children with learning disabilities. She had to receive more schooling to teach. It wasn't easy. But she persevered.

One of my favorite stories of my mom happened when she became upset that a local developer wanted to build a small apartment complex near our home. She was against it. She was against it because of the traffic that it would cause that might cause harm to the many children that lived nearby.

So she went to the Worthington City Council meeting and spoke against it. She went by herself as my dad was not able to join her. I still remember what she said when she came home after the meeting, “I don’t think I made any friends tonight.” She was willing to speak in front of an all-male City Council and share her views. My mom and dad owned a small apartment complex in another part of town. The next day in the newspaper a headline on page three said something to the effect of “woman who owns apartment speaks against apartments.”

The apartment building eventually got built. This past summer I drove by that small building and remembered the story. It’s a story of determination—of a person who was going to speak up even if the resulting actions weren’t what she wanted.  

She and my dad went to every activity of my sister and me. Every sporting event and musical concert; every church program and club activity.  Every-single-one.

Because I share my mom’s determination, we’ve had a few moments of getting in each other’s way. Not significant but heated in the moment in a Minnesota type of way. Today these moments make me smile.

Like others in her generation, she is devoted to her family. When her four grandchildren grew out of infancy she hosted “Grandma camp.” Her four grandchildren hung out with her and my dad for a week. They all enjoyed ice cream and games and food and special projects and band concerts in the park. For many years ahead her grandchildren will look back and remember a woman who took the time to make them her top priority for that week.

Celebrating her 85^th birthday was special. It wasn’t all that different than many of the other family celebrations we’ve enjoyed through the years. The continuity of them strengthens us. People came, ate cake and drank coffee, looked at pictures, smiled and laughed, shared hugs and affectionate words. We’ll remember this special day.

Both my mom and I have more years behind us than in front of us. But no matter. It will always be a privilege to have Jacqueline Ann Moore as my mom. Happy Birthday!