Not every idea is a good idea
12/03/22 00:55
The human imagination is an awesome and wonderful thing. We are capable of coming up with new ideas, new experiences, and new solutions to perplexing problems. Human imagination is a key component in all of the world’s religions. Art and music spring from the imaginations of humans. Theologians have postulated that mean imagination is one expression of being created in the image of God. Not every idea that springs from human imagination is a good idea, however.
This week, on the second Sunday of Lent, the Gospel lesson from the Revised Common Lectionary is Luke 13:31-35. In that passage, Jesus is warned that Herod is trying to get rid of him. Jesus gives a vague prediction about the end of his own life, and repeats his steadfast intention to continue to Jerusalem. Then he expresses grief over the city. He mourns the fact that prophets have died in Jerusalem and says, “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”
It is my job this week, to bring a time with children to our worship service. I have been giving a lot of thought to visual aids for children’s messages over the past couple of years because there are still a lot of children among those who are participating in worship over the Internet. As we live cast our worship, it is important for us to remember that there are more people who are watching online in what we are calling “the bigger balcony” than there are in person in the sanctuary. While we are creating a meaningful worship experience for those who are with us in person, we also have to keep in mind those who are viewing the service over FaceBook live, or watching it on YouTube at a later time. For children, that means that we must communicate with more than just words. Children are used to seeing strong visual images on television and computer screens. They have seen the results of multimillion dollar investments in television production. They know the power of animation. They have seen Sesame Street with its teams of professional puppeteers. The visual elements of a children’s sermon are very important. And unlike the sermon for adults, all ages have their attention focused on the time with children, and we have a very short amount of time - about a quarter of the time allotted for a sermon for adults.
The time with children has taught me that although the human imagination is an awesome and wonderful thing, not every idea that springs from human imagination os a good idea. I’m pretty good at coming up with ideas that are impractical. The audio-visual team at our church reminds me from time to time that they don’t have a production studio and a special effects department. There are limitations. Even some of the ideas I have that are not technically challenging are not what I would call good ideas. This week, the first thing that came to my mind when I read the scripture was that perhaps I should bring a chicken to worship. I could pick up a real hen from our son’s farm on my way to church. I could show the children how even the hen is calmed by the space under her wings. If you tuck a chicken’s head under her wing, she will go to sleep. It is a pretty interesting demonstration if you are on a farm. It isn’t a good demonstration for church. Even if you put the hen to sleep, there is no guarantee that you won’t have a mess to clean up. And the in-person congregation might not appreciate a live chicken in the sanctuary.
I won’t be bringing a live chicken to worship tomorrow. It is probably better for the chickens that I’ve already made that decision. Not every idea is a good idea.
A little over a week ago, on the last evening of February, some people who live on Elizabeth Drive in Point Roberts heard a man out on the water of Boundary Bay which, as the name suggests, spans the US-Canadian boundary. The people were sure they heard the man calling out for help. A couple of people were so certain that there was someone in need of help that they launched their jet skis to see if they could make a rescue. Others called 911 and alerted authorities. It is a good thing that rescue teams were called. The people who went out with their jet skis returned with mild cases of hypothermia. The water is only about 45 degrees in the bay - too cold for long-term survival. Even with a good emergency suit, rescue needs to take place quickly.
The dispatcher soon had the Point Roberts fire department on its way. Unified Command alerted U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Delta police and fire departments and the Canadian Coast Guard. Those agencies notified Whidbey naval air station. The Customs and Border Protection launched a rescue boat, the Canadian Coast Guard dispatched a hovercraft, and Whidbey naval air station dispatched a helicopter. A grid search was performed and personnel aboard the hovercraft found the man adrift, floating on an inflatable chair, dressed in three layers of clothing with heavy construction boots on. He was hypothermic and needed immediate treatment as soon as he was brought aboard the rescue vessel. Authorities said he showed no signs of intoxication. He also gave authorities no details as to why he chose to go to sea in an inflatable chair. The man was transferred on shore to Point Roberts EMTs who continued warming efforts until he could be transferred to a Delta ambulance. Point Roberts fire chief Christopher Carleton said, “It was very strange. We have no idea what possessed him to what he did.”
Not every idea is a good idea.
So there won’t be a live chicken in worship at our church tomorrow. I do have an enlarged photograph of a mother hen that adopted some kittens from Susan’s grandmother’s photo albums. It isn’t as visually exciting as a live chicken, but it will have to do. After all, not every idea is a good idea.
This week, on the second Sunday of Lent, the Gospel lesson from the Revised Common Lectionary is Luke 13:31-35. In that passage, Jesus is warned that Herod is trying to get rid of him. Jesus gives a vague prediction about the end of his own life, and repeats his steadfast intention to continue to Jerusalem. Then he expresses grief over the city. He mourns the fact that prophets have died in Jerusalem and says, “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”
It is my job this week, to bring a time with children to our worship service. I have been giving a lot of thought to visual aids for children’s messages over the past couple of years because there are still a lot of children among those who are participating in worship over the Internet. As we live cast our worship, it is important for us to remember that there are more people who are watching online in what we are calling “the bigger balcony” than there are in person in the sanctuary. While we are creating a meaningful worship experience for those who are with us in person, we also have to keep in mind those who are viewing the service over FaceBook live, or watching it on YouTube at a later time. For children, that means that we must communicate with more than just words. Children are used to seeing strong visual images on television and computer screens. They have seen the results of multimillion dollar investments in television production. They know the power of animation. They have seen Sesame Street with its teams of professional puppeteers. The visual elements of a children’s sermon are very important. And unlike the sermon for adults, all ages have their attention focused on the time with children, and we have a very short amount of time - about a quarter of the time allotted for a sermon for adults.
The time with children has taught me that although the human imagination is an awesome and wonderful thing, not every idea that springs from human imagination os a good idea. I’m pretty good at coming up with ideas that are impractical. The audio-visual team at our church reminds me from time to time that they don’t have a production studio and a special effects department. There are limitations. Even some of the ideas I have that are not technically challenging are not what I would call good ideas. This week, the first thing that came to my mind when I read the scripture was that perhaps I should bring a chicken to worship. I could pick up a real hen from our son’s farm on my way to church. I could show the children how even the hen is calmed by the space under her wings. If you tuck a chicken’s head under her wing, she will go to sleep. It is a pretty interesting demonstration if you are on a farm. It isn’t a good demonstration for church. Even if you put the hen to sleep, there is no guarantee that you won’t have a mess to clean up. And the in-person congregation might not appreciate a live chicken in the sanctuary.
I won’t be bringing a live chicken to worship tomorrow. It is probably better for the chickens that I’ve already made that decision. Not every idea is a good idea.
A little over a week ago, on the last evening of February, some people who live on Elizabeth Drive in Point Roberts heard a man out on the water of Boundary Bay which, as the name suggests, spans the US-Canadian boundary. The people were sure they heard the man calling out for help. A couple of people were so certain that there was someone in need of help that they launched their jet skis to see if they could make a rescue. Others called 911 and alerted authorities. It is a good thing that rescue teams were called. The people who went out with their jet skis returned with mild cases of hypothermia. The water is only about 45 degrees in the bay - too cold for long-term survival. Even with a good emergency suit, rescue needs to take place quickly.
The dispatcher soon had the Point Roberts fire department on its way. Unified Command alerted U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Delta police and fire departments and the Canadian Coast Guard. Those agencies notified Whidbey naval air station. The Customs and Border Protection launched a rescue boat, the Canadian Coast Guard dispatched a hovercraft, and Whidbey naval air station dispatched a helicopter. A grid search was performed and personnel aboard the hovercraft found the man adrift, floating on an inflatable chair, dressed in three layers of clothing with heavy construction boots on. He was hypothermic and needed immediate treatment as soon as he was brought aboard the rescue vessel. Authorities said he showed no signs of intoxication. He also gave authorities no details as to why he chose to go to sea in an inflatable chair. The man was transferred on shore to Point Roberts EMTs who continued warming efforts until he could be transferred to a Delta ambulance. Point Roberts fire chief Christopher Carleton said, “It was very strange. We have no idea what possessed him to what he did.”
Not every idea is a good idea.
So there won’t be a live chicken in worship at our church tomorrow. I do have an enlarged photograph of a mother hen that adopted some kittens from Susan’s grandmother’s photo albums. It isn’t as visually exciting as a live chicken, but it will have to do. After all, not every idea is a good idea.
