Urban Church, Global City: Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

9/12

a gathering in Colonia del Sacramento

The City of Colonia (del Sacramento), Uruguay is one of those cities that lives larger than its actual  numbers. This is a reflection of both its historic and current reality. Historically, Colonia bounced back and forth between Portugal and Spain until Uruguay finally gained its independence from Brazil.  This historic colonial port city is cosmopolitan by its very nature. Today, less than an hour across the river from Buenos Aires, it can almost feel like a part of the metro area. The city is constantly  filled with tourists taking in  the narrow colonial cobblestone streets,

Narrow streets

the old city

dating from 1680,

Historic archway

fortifications, convents, lighthouse with sweeping views, etc. as   well as the sharp corner of Uruguay.

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Such is the context for ministry here.

Colonia the southwest corner of Uruguayserves as the center of pastoral  activities for  four more communities including  Riachuelo, San Pedro, El General y La Barra all under the leadership of Pastor Ariel Charbonnier. A single newsletter publicizes the activities of the various communities including worship, Christian Education, Bible Study and the Women's League. 

Pastor Ariel has brought together a gathering for conversation including members from the "other" Colonia, Valdense, and their pastor Oscar Geymonat.

Iglesia Valdense de Sacramento and Pastro Ariel

There is some joking about the  that in Colonia Valdense, todo el mundo son valdense... everyone is a Waldensian. 

We focus in on the particulars   of church and city, seeking to understand  the context of ministry. We talk about history, the tree most important events, etc. And especially why be a Waldensian now? And then began to talk about the importance of paying more attention to gifts than needs. 

As is true elsewhere, the Waldensians here seem to have a greater social and cultural impact than thier  numbers would seem to indicate. it would seem to be important moving forward to ask what special call the cosmopolitan reality of Colonia del Sacramento maybe making on the church. 

Urban Church, Global City: Dolores, Uruguay

10/10

"El Granero de Pais"

The city of Dolores, Uruguay, calls itself el granero de pais, that is the barn of the country. It is the center of the surrounding agricultural  area and sits on the left bank of the San Salvador River before it empties into the Uruguay River. 

Dolores' true claim to fame is it's annual celebration to welcome spring every October. For one weekend a year, every other activity  stops and .the  city fills with visitors from all over. 

Festival float

While there are many accompanying activities like carnival games and rides, music, food and drinks, the center piece of the festival is a grand parade that passes through the city's streets.

A grand parade

Ostensibly organized by the lcoal high school students, the hands of the  parents are clearly visible and the students joke abut their parents' intensity about the event. (Something strikes me as universal about that...)One can imagine the fathers who drive the vehicles that haul the giant decorated floats gathering for a beer after. 

The festival is so all consuming if the city that even church  services set aside for the weekend. La Iglesia Valdense, however prides itself  on the massive barbecue it produces. Thanks to a member who donates a whole   cow, and the dedicated  work of a crew of volunteers, it is truly a church activity of another kind truly building...and serving...community.  And that is typical of this congregation. 

One important strategy for most successful urban ministry is to be engaged in one's community in integral ways.  And this is very much a reality of the way this congregation lives out its ministry. A year ago a tornado touched down in Dolores, a virtually unheard of climatic event. Four people died and some 200 were injured. A third of the people lost their homes A high school was destroyed.

School destroyed by tornado

And the  church itself was blown away.  A terrifying experience for the community.

In talking about the church's response, Pastor Carola Tron quotes Isaiah 44:26:
26 who confirms the word of his servant, and fulfills the prediction of his messengers; who says of Jerusalem, "It shall be inhabited," and of the cities of Judah, "They shall be rebuilt, and I will raise up their ruins"; 

Even while devastated itself,

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the church gathered for worship among the ruins of its sanctuary and turned to serving their neighbors. Only when the neighbors were taken care of did the church turn its attention to its own needs. 

with the people of La Iglesia Valdense de Dolores

Eventually a new functional multipurpose building was constructed making use of what was still usable from the existing community house.  The new bulldog houses worship, fellowship, education and meals. The congregation though small, feels vibrant and united. The response to the tornado and yes, the annual barbecue, show an urban church actively engaged in its community.  (And it was a joy to be accompanied by Juan on cajon when I sang ).

Joined by Juan on cajon

Pastor Carola ...and her sister Claudia in Parana, Argentina...are typical of the dynamic  and creative leadership of women pastors I have met on my visit. Pastor Carola Tron is also currently serving as Moderadora of la Iglesia Valdense del Rio Plate. Such leaders are a rich resource for the Waldensians of the Rio Plate. 

Urban Church: Global City: Paysandu, Uruguay

10/9

With the congregation in Paysundu

The city of Paysandu sits on the banks of the Uruguay River just south of the General Artigas  Bridge that connects Uruguay to the Entre Rios Province of  of Argentina.  The 4th  largest city in Uruguay, it's surprisingly cosmopolitan for a city of its size. It is famous for a battle that turned back  an invasion  from Brazil 253 years ago today. (2/12/1864). 

We have come here to visit with the  local Waldensian  Church

Pastor Nicolauand its  Pastor Marcelo Nicolau

and visit. Driving  around the city with him, the tensions of the city are clear. On the one hand, there is the thriving Brazilian owned  Norteña brewery, well located  because of the  proximity of the agricultural raw products needed for brewing.  The Azucarlito sugar factory , and  Paylana, a producer of world-class woolen fabrics, and Paycuero, a leather company. . Paysandú is also the centre of plantation forest industry. The forest plantation  industry is controversial because of the demands of a massive paper plant built near the river. Even with these, the effects  of deindustrialization can still be seen and life can be extremely difficult for those on the margins of society, the edges of the city. 

The neighborhoods on the edges of the city come close to what some describe as shanty towns. Horses are very visible throughout the neighborhoods as a vital part of a family's economy. Pastor Marcelo laughs and says, "Argentina has its dogs and Uruguay its horses." And I was happy to learn that the Church had begun a Bible Study in a home in one of the marginal  neighborhoods. 

i was also surprised to learn for the  first time of the high rate of suicide in Uruguay. It is surprising in a country known to be "safe and secure" , secular and progressive. (Or maybe not.) At any rate this would seem to be a spiritual issue worth pursuing by la Iglesia Valdense in Uruguay. 

Back at the church, the community is gathering. There is still a number of traditional programs continuing at the church in addition to worship. These include women's group, youth group, Bible school and a special sales program to support mission. There's also a  choir.

The choit

Tonight after I shared my music,an original "Rest Awhile" and Bob Dylan's "Blowin in the wind,"

"Blowin in the Wind...''''

the choir shared their music accompanied  by the pastor on guitar. (Nearly every Waldensian pastor I met played the guitar. Not all, but nearly.)

Pastor with guitar

And when they began to sing "Blowin in the wind" in Spanish, I came up an joined them.

Among  the challenges facing the Paysandu community will be :
1. Overcoming a certain weariness just from keeping things going. 
2. responding to the social,political, psychological challenges that exist in the context of the city.
3. Bringing together people from the marginal neighborrhoods with the more established middle class congregation.

The continuing youth group is a sign of hope, once again with friendships, espcially from summer camp, leading to occasional new members. 

Time for food and refreshment before the long ride back to Dolores.  

Urban Church, Global City: Parana

10/14/17

Gathering in Parana

Parana, Argentina is the provincial capital of Entre Rios, that land between the Parana and Rio Plate rivers. One of the oldest Argentine cities with  a colonial feel and a still strong manufacturing center as well as a valuable port. Both Parana and its cross river neighbor Santa Fe  have active Waldensian congregations.

We gather at a community house, a kind of an intentional community. 
Pictures of Che Guevara ...still very present on the 50th anniversary of his death, and the ubiquitous Santiago Maldonado are on the walls. 

Che

The community that gathers, though small, is very vibrant and alive.  And diverse. The living room is filled with the sound and energy of playing children, the most we've seen yet. 

Gathering at Parana

There is a good number of young adults. With strong theological and philosophical convictions and a probing interest and curiosity. They challenge both church and society. And several are new to the family and tradition. In planning for the future, it's really important to know what attracted  these young people. Friends, relationships for sure. Old summer camp relationships contribute here as they do elsehwhere. And also the opportunity to be in a faith community with other families with small children.  And the core Waldensian values that seem to connect so well with young, passionate educated people who want to make a difference. And like the similar Flores community,  the Parana worshipping community ,is not burdened by a building and shares  in space use (and mission) with the nearby Methodist Church 

And the night turns into  a good party with food and guitars and songs being shared 

Sharing music

another song

and celebrating the recent ordination  of one of the church's newest pastors.  In typical Argentine style, the party continues into the night....

Celebrating ordination

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Parana is where we gather for day long  conversation about urban ministry with representatives from all the communities. There were two key questions:
* What are the basic dynamics and demands of urban ministry?
* Given a still overwhelming Roman Catholic majority with a rising tide of Pentecostal churches, what is the unique role of an historic church within the Reformed  tradition?

• 

  Sharing in conversation

  
  

  

  Where do we go next?

To begin to answer these questions, we looked at the current  trends in urban ministry globally, e.g.: 
* The collapse of sustainable rural life due to mono crop farming and international agribusiness and resulting movement to the cities
* The flow of refugees and migrants around the world
* The impact of gentrification
* The conflict between economic austerity  and justice

They  discussed which were relevant to their contexts and which were  not. While gentrification has not had much impact here, on the other hand there is  the phenomenon of shanty towns that is not common in the Global North.   The migrant and refugee issues in South America has historically been an internal one shifting and changing with the politics..

We then  worked further  on context and defined  the unique characteristic  of each congregation.  We sought to discern what the passions were within the communities. Having discovered that needs assessments tend to discourage and disempower, we being by doing a capacities, or assets, assessment. In this we seek  to discover what the unique gifts of of each group are to bring to the unique work to which God calls us.....

Gifts that were discerned included:
* Being a celebrating community
* Willingness to search for meaning
* Serving older people

* Sunday school and work with children
*  Interfaith commitments and involvements
*   Public demonstrations

      *Especially a march against femicide

What would come next would be to agree on projects that would be:

.* Defineable
* Achievable
* Measurable and
*Verifiable

We finished our day of work by breaking bread together.

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Columbus Day has long  been  a controversial subject  in. South America. Whereas in the United States it has been a celebration of Italian culture, in South America it's long been known as el  dia de la raza because the vast majority of South Americans are mestizos, especially poor campisions, who are descendants  of Europe coming to the Americas .  In recent times we have become more aware that in many cases that encounter led to genocide of indigenous peoples so in some places the day has become more a day celebrating their story of courage and survival in the face of hostility and their continuing reality..  Parana has become the location for an annual popular Anti -dia de la Raza fiesta. The Parana fiesta has a unique character in that it consciously recalls and celebrates an all but forgotten and now rediscovered Afro-Argentine community that lived in the very streets where the fiesta takes place. 

Celebrating the indigenous people

Anti-Dia de la Raza fiesta

One of the guitar players in our party was playing  in one of the bands so we all came to downtown to  a sector where a historic blask community once lived, for a celebration of music and dance, candumble drumming and  even hip hop. It was a great way to end our time together. And the Argentina part of my journey. 

Many big thanks to Dennis, Carola, Alfredo and Yani for all their work....

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The Heart of the Matter

11/5

Back to Beverly 

What a week it’s been….

There was Halloween Day…the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther and his 95 theses and the beginning of the Protestant Reformation that changed the world…(although I spent time in Argentina and Uruguay  with our Waldensian  brothers and sisters ,our official Presbyterian partners in Argentina and Uruguay, who started a reformation 343 years before Luther…hunted, persecuted, oppressed, they hid in the mountains and valleys...when they saw Luther they decided that they could join in)…

The annual Halloween/All Saints/All Souls day cycle…Some of our church friends  are celebrating All Saints today…the church recognized how powerful riutalswere this time of year and tried to baptize these holidays and make Christians out of them.I think I can safely say the fact is the pagans won…but this Halloween was different…at 4 PM while handing our candy, I saw the crawl on the bottom of the TV screen…8 dead…Stuyvestant High Schoo locked down…and soon learned of the terrorist attack… what’s really sad to me is how quickly I turned to wonderiing how it would affect the subways…from terror to inconvenience...

The Astros won the World Series, giving Houston, a city that’s  been through so much, something to feel good about…

About earthshaking things, last night was  the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution….another event that changed the world…and how the Soviet Union that scared us so much didn’t even last 100 years…

And of course, today is Marathon Sunday….

Take a breath….

Where’s Jesus today?

Talking with his disciples about the scribes and pharisees..and he says something very strange….do what they say, not what they do…what’s up with that?

1. He is affirming that their teaching is STILL valid…their interpretations still appropriate…remember …remember…as he said in Matthew 5: 17-20

   17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

   19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
   20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
   
   
   
   So he’s talking with his disciples about the scribes and pharisees..and he says something very strange….do what they say, not what they do…what’s up with that?
   
   

   1. He is affirming that their teaching is STILL valid…their interpretations still appropriate…remember …remember...
   2. What they do drives him  crazy….
   1. Tying up people by judgment …..how many years did we do that?
   2. They love the fanciest clothes, fanciest vestments, stoles, etc…(in the cathedral at Lima, I saw the incredible wealth and beauty of the church reflected in its vestments….perhaps paid for with Inca ransom gold
   3. They want seats of honor at banquets…charity fund raisers, getting to do the invocation, sitting with the top business leaders, politicians, celebrities, etc…
   4. They like to be greeted in the marketplace…like the first  pastor I worked for ….with church paid for membership in the best  clubs, downtown and country..

   
   
   Now here’s something for us…call no one father? How do Roman Catholics? Anglicans? Feel about that?
   But we’re not off the hook either…we are officially called teaching elders? And Jesus says call no man teacher…
   
   
   What????  
   Remember these words:
   5 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
   

   We are to heart of the matter..
   11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
   
   
   it’s like when the scribes and pharisees came and tried to trip Jesus up about divorce...(see Matthew 19:3-12/Mark 10:2-12)…here’s the thing, and he’s always consistent…he wants us to go to the heart of the matter…
   
   
   Stop all the quibbling about strict interpretations of things..go to the heart of the matter…when I was a soccer coach, and teaching kids, when it came to rules it was always like , “well what if I…” and I was no, forrget it …go to the heart of the rules, play there, not on the edge..
   Remember when Bill  Clinton said it al depends on what “is”means? Here's what Bill Clinton said to the grand jury about why he wasn't lying when he said to his top aides that with respect to Monica Lewinsky, "there's nothing going on between us." ... "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is’ is,…
   
   
   All well and good and maybe important in a court of law, but not in day to day living…Christian living is not about how close you can get to the out of bounds line…the question is what is at the heart of the matter…
   
   
   And that heart is serving one another, with humility…knowing that we all fall  short….and as we accept ourselves as we are, and act accordingly,God loves us for that…those who do the most menial jobs  here are the most important…so let us not be confused…go to the heart of the matter...
   
   
   
   
   
   

Urban Church, Global City: The Flores Neighborhood, Buenos Aires

10/5

With the Flores community

Flores is a Buenos Aires neighborhood perhaps now best known as the home parish of Pope Francis. The Roman Catholic basilica

The Basilica in Flores

is first place I’ve seen statues of modern saints like Pope John Paul II

John Paul II

and Mother Theresa

Mother Theresa

as well as paintings of Francis.

Pope Francis

But there are other churches on the Plaza as well. The Flores Valdensians share in the diaconal ministry of the Methodist Church

La Iglesia Metodista de Flores

that so openly shares its life in every way with the community around it. When more homeless people came to the plaza, the Methodist church resisted the fencing of the plaza. But even after the fence, it has kept it's doors open. The pastor

a visit with the pastor

warmly greets those who have come for food and and joins in the casual conversation, at ease among friends. The open space beside the church is shared by children and sports activities.

An open space to play

Here is a classic example of an urban church whose walls are porous, where there is no boundary between church and community. And the pastor knows well that often ministry is defined buy how you respond to the knocks on your door.  And when the doors are open….so much more so.  

This is truly ministry in context, with a social worker, outreach to children and single mothers, and a market for artisans. The church is navigating creatively the reality of living in a middle class neighborhood which is not comfortable withth people who gather on its plaza. 

A symbol of that ministry is the annual  Christmas Eve service held outdoors in the plaza with. persebre viviente (live manger scene) with members of the  plaza community as the holy family and visitors…Christmas Eve ends with some and then breaking of bread together..

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Perhaps its a sign of the dedication of the Flores community of la Iglesia Valdense

a dinner conversation

that we meet on a night when Argentina is playing for its survival against Peru in a World Cup qualifying match. We gather in their space at CAREF  for a dinner and conversation. 

Even though small in number, the Flores community is young and diverse with a richness of skills and talents and a passion for ministry. It is highly educated with a large number of  current and recent students. There are, for example:

• A young man who has lived in voluntary simplicity and is committed to solidarity with the poor
• A young  woman who describes herself as “an atheist and a theologian”
• A church journalist and communications expert
• Musicians, singers

  

  a song before dinner

• Young professionals
• People who ask serious questions about faith and society

The community has also recently opened  its arms and embraced a woman who has a very complex, challenging and emotionally trying  set of circumstances related to immigration and status.  As she seeks to get her feet on the ground and find an effective strategy, she feels welcomed and accepted as a member of la familia.

This small but vibrant group is attracting young adults from outside the Waldensian tradition, including former Catholics. Not burdened by having to maintain building, there is more energy for an engaged living out of the gospel. There would seem to be a bright and open future for this Flores community. 

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Oh...and the Argentina team is still alive!