Month: June 2024

The good Lord knows I’m an imperfect soul.

On the morning of Sunday, June 16, I proved it.

I was out for a run. I was on Westham Parkway. My road position was left side facing traffic next to the shoulder of the road.

To my left, I noted a bicycle rider pedaling up a hill on a side street. The rider was an adult and not wearing a helmet.

I curiously shouted out to him, “where is your helmet?”

The rider shouted back to me, “whatever.”

And I responded with “have a nice day.”

I know my original question agitated him. He kept spewing unintelligible words.

As I kept running, I thought about how I might respond if the rider rode up behind me.

Clearly, I was out of line with my helmet question.

But despite my long list of imperfections, I do try to adhere to the well-established basic rules of the road.

And in my attempt to follow the rules of the road, I’m perplexed at how many instances I come across where other drivers, walkers, runners, bicycle and motorcycle riders disregard rules designed to protect all of us.

Thursday afternoon May 23, I was on I-95 north. I was on my way home from a Habitat For Humanity Unity Build celebration. Two motorcycle riders traveling at a high rate of speed were weaving in and out of the narrow openings in the lanes between cars. Seemingly, they had no concern about their unsafe maneuvering.

Saturday, morning May 25, I was at our church in the Veterans Memorial Garden. I was weeding. I looked up, a car had just turned on to Forest Avenue from Rock Creek Road. The driver waved a friendly wave, and I waved back. A few seconds later, I looked up Forest Avenue and witnessed a driver speeding past the friendly waver. To accomplish the passing, this impatient driver crossed over the double yellow lines on a blind incline.

Last week, my wife and I were returning from visiting friends in Maryland. We were stopped at an intersection that had a clearly posted sign—no right turn on red. Three consecutive drivers approached the red stoplight, and made the right on red.

On the same morning, I asked my bike helmet question, I drove up behind a neighbor walking his dog. The neighbor was walking with traffic. I saw him as I came around a slight curve and incline. The wrong driver, and the wrong set of circumstances, my neighbor and his loyal dog could have been turned into pancakes on the asphalt.

I am perplexed at our disregard for basic rules of the road. Why do we want to jeopardize our safety?

How many times have you been at a stop light, stop sign, or yield sign, and witnessed a close call because another driver barreled through in total disregard of the basic rule of the road?

Where does this disregard and disrespect for ourselves and others come from?

Where has our sense of responsibility, cooperation, and compliance gone?

Are these qualities following the same decline as dignity, civility, decorum, and respect?

How much of this erosion comes from our elected officials?

What does it say about a country whose justice system finds a former president guilty on 34 felony counts, and a few days later supporters of this person have raised $52 million dollars toward electing him into office again.

What does it say about a country and its inability to solve its longstanding drug and firearm problems to have the son of our current president convicted of three felonies related to drugs, firearms, and neglect for telling the truth.

What does it say about a country where a representative in a congressional hearing can verbally attack Dr. Anthony Fauci with these remarks: “You’re not a doctor. You’re Mr. Fauci.” Followed by “I don’t need your answer. You should be prosecuted for crimes against humanity.”

No matter if it is a basic safety rule of the road, 34 felonies, 3 felonies, or belittling a fellow citizen, we recklessly and without conscience— disregard.

America has never been perfect in attempting to form a more perfect union. Sooner or later our imperfections surface.

At this moment, our flaws are directly in front of us, and it is as if we are wearing blinders, unwilling to acknowledge their presence.

Helen Keller once stated: “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”

How many times in my life have I had sight, but no vision?

Yes, I was out of line asking the bicycle rider my helmet question.

Yet, his “whatever” response aligns with Helen Keller’s wisdom—the bicycle rider had sight, but no vision for the potential danger he put himself in during his ride.

Our vision can’t disregard the challenges our country is facing.

Nor can our lack of vision let our response to these challenges be “whatever.”

On the afternoon of Thursday, May 23, I was driving toward Mt. Tabor Baptist Church on Fairmount Avenue in Richmond. At 5:30, a celebration related to the Richmond Metropolitan Habitat For Humanity’s (RMHFH) Unity Build would be taking place.

Guided by Richmond Habitat’s Community Engagement Manager, Burdette Robinson, the Habitat Faith Council team has been planning this event for months. Other than an increase in Richmond’s humidity, we had a pretty afternoon for the gathering.

The celebration was being hosted by the congregation and staff at Mt. Tabor Baptist. The church’s parking lot gave the celebration an accessible meeting spot and prime visibility on Fairmount Avenue.

Our team and the church members worked to set up a couple of tents, tables, chairs, and signage in the neighborhood. Food was provided by The Market At 25th.

For entertainment. Richmond’s best crowd pleaser, Jonathan The Juggler, kept us curious with his tricks and made us laugh with his humor. Madelyn Peay, Executive Director for Habitat, provided insightful comments about the organization’s work. Additionally, we met the new homeowner who will be moving into the Unity Build house this summer.

For the Unity Build, 24 houses of worship, nonprofits, and business pledged $42,000 toward this project. Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity serves the city of Richmond, and Henrico and Chesterfield counties. Director Peay shared how RMHFH is working to address the challenges they face in providing affordable housing.

Finding land and the rising cost of construction materials have pushed RMHFH to become even more strategic in implementing their plans. This means making the most of their limited financial resources.

In looking to the future, RMHFH leaders recognize the importance of equity, inclusiveness, diversity, innovation, and sustainability. These attributes apply to their day to day mission in working with homeowners, volunteers, partners, Habitat’s two retail outlets(ReStores), in-house systems, and Habitat employees.

It was clear from Executive Peay’s comments that she and her team are committed to helping solve the housing crisis in our communities. And to experience that commitment firsthand, we had the privilege of hearing from Erica her story about becoming a homeowner.

Erica’s journey is one of determined perseverance. For ten years, she and her family lived in a wide range of housing environments. Challenges with mold, infestation, and unkept properties made life difficult for her family. Despite these hardships, Erica never stopped pursuing her goal to become a homeowner.

As a part of the celebration’s program, all guests along with Executive Peay and Erica had the opportunity to make the short walk to the new house.

The house’s design fits the neighborhood. With the walk through, it was clear to see how the layout will meet the family’s needs in a practical and sustainable manner.

More importantly, we could all sense Erica’s pride in her pending ownership. She talked about the 350 hours of her personal “sweat equity” that she has invested in volunteering on her own house, other Richmond Habitat homes, and in the ReStores.

On the morning of Saturday, June 1, I saw that “sweat equity” in person. I was one of the five Unity Build volunteers with Erica and Habitat supervisor, Zoey. For six hours, we made steady progress working on the house.

Solving our housing crisis in Richmond, Henrico, and Chesterfield will require constant work and cooperation. I’m no expert on housing, but I have questions for the nonprofit housing experts in the Richmond area:

Do the leaders of these housing nonprofits regularly communicate with each other?

Are there opportunities for these housing experts to collaborate on housing projects?

Do these housing leaders communicate with the mayor and county managers about joining forces?

Since land is in demand, what do we know about empty lots, parcels of land, boarded up homes and buildings in our communities? Are there tax incentives that could be offered to land and property owners that would free these areas for affordable housing?

How do our housing nonprofits find ways to work cooperatively with media outlets to tell their success stories while also conveying the urgency of the affordable housing crisis?

And finally, how do housing nonprofits communicate their needs for volunteers?

I sense our housing leaders and their teams have practical knowledge and successful templates in place to continue to address our affordable housing shortage.

Yet, I wonder if the urgency of this shortage could benefit from more collaboration between our established housing nonprofits and our local municipalities.

That Unity Build celebration on May 23, started with a simple conversation between RMHFH and the leaders at Mt. Tabor Baptist.

Could a simple conversation between housing and municipality leaders help us to find the path to meet the needs of more potential homeowners like Erica?

I hope that conversation can happen soon.

As a lifelong Methodist, I feel an obligation to let you know that the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church will hold its annual gathering at the Hampton Roads Convention Center starting June 20.

We are a fairly tame group. Occasionally, we get riled up. If I were you, I wouldn’t fret too much. Navigating a large religious organization is like attempting to turn a battleship in the Norfolk harbor—slug pace.

Since attendance and interest in churches is down across America, you might have missed an overdue tsunami shift in the United Methodist Church. At the church’s General Conference held in May in Charlotte, North Carolina, delegates finally voted to repeal its ban on LGBTQ clergy and now allows clergy to perform same-sex weddings.

In my opinion, this new policy was long overdue. The fifty years of skirmishes within the denomination over this matter significantly divided Methodists causing some to disaffiliate from the church.

As pleased as I am with this decision, and as good as it feels to those who fought the battle, we Methodist still have lots of work to do to turn our battleship.

An article in Christian Century by longtime Methodist leader, Will Willimon, should be required reading for Methodists. In this article, Willimon acknowledges “some good steps” were taken in Charlotte. However, he also states: “but we are too afraid to name certain truths.”

Willimon doesn’t hold back in naming those truths. His points are grounded in how the church loss members related to its LGBTQ stance, the challenges church leaders face in managing this oversized, wobbly body, grim financial realities, massive church attendance decline, and the graying of the denomination.

Despite our efforts, I sense Willimon’s points at my Methodist church where I am a member and an employee.

This year, I will not be attending the conference in Hampton. But I hope that our Virginia Bishop, Sue Haupert-Johnson, her team, and delegates will move us beyond treading water.

While we tread to keep from sinking, I have the following questions:

How is the consolidation of districts in the Virginia conference working? Has this budget shaving move helped?

How many churches in the conference are hanging by their financial fingernails?

If financial instability leads to more church closings, how might these buildings or land holdings be converted into affordable housing across Virginia?

How can the Bishop and her team help local pastors and their congregations address our aging and lack of diversity?

Can Methodist churches in our communities provide leadership to help us address our division and political polarization? Can these church leaders help us to become better listeners and neighbors?

Prior to my church work, I spent 31 years in Virginia’s public schools. Those experiences make me wonder if congregations might benefit from a thorough “self-study/accreditation” process.

This would be similar to the format utilized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. I sense congregations who are willing to ask tough internal questions about finances, programming, data, outreach, human resources, and facilities will be shocked at what they learn about their church operations.

Personally, I believe Methodist churches in Virginia have an opportunity in front of them. At this critical point in forming the church’s future, I hope conference leaders and congregations keep this quote from Thomas Edison pasted to their foreheads: “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

During their three days in Hampton, it is my hope that Methodist leaders and delegates will not fear the work ahead of us and miss an opportunity.

In his article, Will Willimon reminds Methodists that “hope is not a strategy.” He is correct.

To turn our worn Methodist battleship, we will need to work together, with a sense of urgency.

The denomination can’t withstand another fifty years of treading water.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, May 14, our office administrator, Paula Cadden, handed off a phone call to our associate pastor, Daniel Guenther.

The mother on the phone was calling in desperation. She was behind $2,400 in rent. Her landlord had a court date set for Thursday, May 16. Anxiety, stress, and tears rang in Daniel’s ears as he listened intently to the urgency of the mother’s pre-eviction pleadings.

Daniel made one promise. He would have an answer for the mother by midday on Wednesday.

After Pub Theology on Tuesday evening, Daniel and I talked a bit further about the mother’s situation. Interestingly, our guest at Pub Theology, Richmond radio personality, Mike King, made a point about countering the predictable “no” that we often use as a response to a question with an unexpected “yes.”

On my way home, I stopped by Trinity to secure the building. Before leaving, I sent an email to our church treasurer asking how we might fund the mother’s request. I also emailed two members who have expertise in law and housing.

On Wednesday morning, Daniel, our senior pastor, Brian Siegle, and our kids director, Jen Williams, dove deeper into the mother’s needs. In looking at documentation provided by the mother and the landlord, we had a number of questions. So, we reached back out to the landlord for some clarity. While his answers helped us, we continued to wrestle with our own internal debates.

We talked, thought more, considered our options, and gradually formulated a plan. The plan positioned the church to cover a portion of the debt. We also included a referral to a local nonprofit, ACTS, where the mother would receive counseling on how to more carefully manage her income. Perhaps, more importantly, the landlord approved of our plan, and canceled the court date.

Daniel followed up with the mother, and while she was temporarily relieved, the tough work of making this plan work was still in front of her.

I think our staff felt good about the potential of this plan to make a difference for the mother. And while I believe we learned from the situation, maybe the most important question is— what did we learn to help us prepare for the next person who makes a similar request?

This week, one of the devotion writers from the Upper Room cited this scripture from John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Sometimes, I think the greatest challenges we face in this world is overcoming ourselves.

As I was driving out to Pub Theology on Tuesday afternoon, I heard a story on National Public Radio about the primary in Maryland for a seat in the U. S. Senate. David Trone, a Maryland Congressman, and founder of Total Wine and More, has spent $40 million of his own money to attempt to win the nomination for the senate seat.

On that same Tuesday evening, Trone lost the primary election—$40 million dollars gone.

I thought about our mother who was behind in her rent. I wondered—how many mothers in arrears across America could Congressman David Trone helped with the $40 million he spent on a failed bid for a Senate seat?

Anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that our hearts are going to experience trouble in our walk through life.

But how much of that trouble comes from our inability to overcome ourselves?

What does it say about a society where we spend billions on our political campaigns, but continue to be unable to solve our longstanding problems related to mental and physical health, housing, safety, food instability, unemployment, and equity?

Out on Battleground Avenue North in Greensboro, North Carolina, the words “God Can” appear on the outside wall of the sanctuary at Charity Baptist Church.

When we visit our oldest daughter and her family in nearby Summerfield, those words always catch my attention as I drive by while running an errand.

Honestly, there are days in my life when I wonder if “God Can” anymore?

Have we given up on him?

Has God given up on us?

And then a day like Tuesday, May 14 will arrive.

Days like that are an opportunity for a staff to be guided and nudged by God.
God’s nudging led a staff to counter the troubles the mother was facing. Essentially, God led us to respond with the unexpected “yes.”

For those few hours of teamwork, I learned that God Can help us to overcome ourselves.

Time does fly.

I can’t believe it has been one year since the passing of my wife’s mother.

Early on the morning of June 1, 2023 in West Hartford, Connecticut, Liz checked out.

She told that demon cancer where to go.

Liz had too much dignity and grace to really give that evil intruder a good cussing out.

Her family knew this day was coming.

The last few days before June 1 had been tough.

Knowing that you are losing a loved one wears a family down. Her living children experienced this as did the grandchildren who were able to make final visits.

In that year, much has happened.

This old world has become more troubled.

Despite the restless world, in July, thirty plus family members gathered in Falmouth on Cape Cod in Massachusetts to celebrate Liz and her husband, Ken.

Liz and Ken were responsible for introducing us to the Cape. I don’t think the memories created there will ever leave us.

On a beautiful Cape morning, we gathered in Patuisset on a favorite beach to share our love of Liz. Some of her ashes were scattered into the tranquil brine with Bassetts Island as a backdrop.

Then in September, the family had a beautiful celebration of Liz’s life at St. James Episcopal Church in West Hartford, Connecticut.

And as dismal as the world can be some days, there was a special arrival in February. Another great grandchild arrived in San Fransisco. Liz would have loved Ashley and Rob’s new daughter, Bridgette.

I can see Liz carefully studying Bridgette’s beauty. I can hear her sharing Bridgette’s arrival with her friends. I’m sure Liz did this humble bragging in the wild blue yonder with her angel friends too.

With patient perseverance, Betsy, Abby, and Ken have worked to meet the requirements of Connecticut laws, bankers, and lawyers to officially close out the paperwork of Liz’s life.

Earlier in May, Abby flew from California to Richmond for the purpose to sort out framed pictures, photographs, and other family artifacts. One morning, Abby, Betsy, and Ken gathered at our kitchen table sorting through stacks of the snapshots of life.

We’ve continued to live out our lives.

We keep in touch, and I suspect, we all have our Liz moments.

We’ve missed her elegant touch, family stories, and her robust, contagious laugh that always turned to tears at the dinner table for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

On a desk in our kitchen is a digital picture frame.

Some days, Liz will appear in the magic of that technology.

Her smiling face is present. She is surrounded by the family who loved and respected her.

I stumbled upon this quote from James Gates Percival: “There are moments in life that we never forget, which brighten and brighten as time steals away.”

Elizabeth Crosby Cloud was more than a moment in our lives. But our memories of her will only continue to ‘brighten and brighten as time steals away.’