| 2007 First Congregational Church of Fall River All Rights Reserved |
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Weldon grew up in the southwest, in Oklahoma and
Texas, but has lived in the northeast since the 1970s. He
holds a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological
Seminary in New York City, and a Ph.D. in the field of
religion from Columbia University. His specialization
was in American religious traditions, especially the
history and thought of Congregationalism.
He was most recently Interim Pastor of East
Weymouth Congregational Church and Interim Senior
Minister of the Federated Church of Hyannis, and has
held pastorates in Massachusetts and Connecticut. He
is married to the Reverend Tricia Hazeltine, also an
ordained United Church of Christ minister. They have
two children ages 14 and 12.
Texas, but has lived in the northeast since the 1970s. He
holds a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological
Seminary in New York City, and a Ph.D. in the field of
religion from Columbia University. His specialization
was in American religious traditions, especially the
history and thought of Congregationalism.
He was most recently Interim Pastor of East
Weymouth Congregational Church and Interim Senior
Minister of the Federated Church of Hyannis, and has
held pastorates in Massachusetts and Connecticut. He
is married to the Reverend Tricia Hazeltine, also an
ordained United Church of Christ minister. They have
two children ages 14 and 12.
 |
Most of the world’s Christians will soon enter upon the season of Lent, a time of spiritual discipline
intended to prepare us for the coming of Easter. Traditional practices of preparation include reflection,
study, prayer and works of charity. The season is one of self-examination and introspection, intended to
help us discern our failings, our shortcomings and our outright sins. Yes, sins, those of our actions that
call for repentance.
Here is the problem, as I see it in my daily practice as a pastor. Many people don’t want to hear about
either sin or repentance –but not for the reasons you might suppose. One might think people are wary of
such talk because, well, because they are sinners --and don’t want to acknowledge the fact, don’t want to
be made to feel guilty, much less to be told they should repent of those sins.
No, that is not the problem, for the most part. Yes, of course, there are some people whose lives are so full
of wrongdoing that they want no talk of repentance. But most people are not like that.
intended to prepare us for the coming of Easter. Traditional practices of preparation include reflection,
study, prayer and works of charity. The season is one of self-examination and introspection, intended to
help us discern our failings, our shortcomings and our outright sins. Yes, sins, those of our actions that
call for repentance.
Here is the problem, as I see it in my daily practice as a pastor. Many people don’t want to hear about
either sin or repentance –but not for the reasons you might suppose. One might think people are wary of
such talk because, well, because they are sinners --and don’t want to acknowledge the fact, don’t want to
be made to feel guilty, much less to be told they should repent of those sins.
No, that is not the problem, for the most part. Yes, of course, there are some people whose lives are so full
of wrongdoing that they want no talk of repentance. But most people are not like that.
 |
Most people are basically decent, hardworking and responsible. They love their kids and community and do what they can to make
things better. Moreover, many people do so while struggling to make ends meet, holding down more than one job, just doing their
best to get by. Frankly, most of the people I deal with as a pastor don’t have the time to get into all that much serious sinning! Really,
who’s got the time?
Beyond that, many Christians have had grueling experiences at the hands of churches or clergy who seemed to care about nothing so
much as making their parishioners feel guilt or even shame, on account of their supposed “sinfulness.” The good Lord only knows
how many people, small time sinners at most, have left the church because some grim-faced clergy insisted on treating them like big-
time sinners, who “ought to be ashamed” of themselves.
When, by God’s grace and guidance, some of these folks return to church, they are in no mood whatever to hear about sin, much less
repentance. And I don’t blame them for having that feeling.
But, as understandable as their feelings may be, the fact remains that all of us, even the very best of us, are subject to weakness and
failure. The most admirable of us do things the Christian faith calls sins, and those sins make us less than we could be. They
compromise our relationships and divert us from the things God would have us do.
In the end, it will not do for any Christian to live reactively, to avoid serious talk of failure and wrongdoing because we may once have
been harmed by clergy or churches who imagined a God more wrathful and punishing than loving and forgiving.
If we ever fully understand the love that is the very nature of God, and if we commit ourselves to serving all the children of that great
God, we will surely embrace the disciplines of self-examination and introspection; we will search ourselves with care for those things,
those common human failings, that diminish our love of God or impair our service to God’s children and God’s creation. We will do so
because God first loved us, and because we seek a greater and more perfect love of God.
The Christian faith has bequeathed to us the season of Lent as a yearly opportunity to undertake the kind of focused, sustained
spiritual reflection that will help us see the things wherein we are falling short, the things of earth that keep us from the things of
heaven. It is a season intended to help us love God more dearly. For Christians, all that we are and all that we do comes from that.
In Christ,
Weldon Palmer
things better. Moreover, many people do so while struggling to make ends meet, holding down more than one job, just doing their
best to get by. Frankly, most of the people I deal with as a pastor don’t have the time to get into all that much serious sinning! Really,
who’s got the time?
Beyond that, many Christians have had grueling experiences at the hands of churches or clergy who seemed to care about nothing so
much as making their parishioners feel guilt or even shame, on account of their supposed “sinfulness.” The good Lord only knows
how many people, small time sinners at most, have left the church because some grim-faced clergy insisted on treating them like big-
time sinners, who “ought to be ashamed” of themselves.
When, by God’s grace and guidance, some of these folks return to church, they are in no mood whatever to hear about sin, much less
repentance. And I don’t blame them for having that feeling.
But, as understandable as their feelings may be, the fact remains that all of us, even the very best of us, are subject to weakness and
failure. The most admirable of us do things the Christian faith calls sins, and those sins make us less than we could be. They
compromise our relationships and divert us from the things God would have us do.
In the end, it will not do for any Christian to live reactively, to avoid serious talk of failure and wrongdoing because we may once have
been harmed by clergy or churches who imagined a God more wrathful and punishing than loving and forgiving.
If we ever fully understand the love that is the very nature of God, and if we commit ourselves to serving all the children of that great
God, we will surely embrace the disciplines of self-examination and introspection; we will search ourselves with care for those things,
those common human failings, that diminish our love of God or impair our service to God’s children and God’s creation. We will do so
because God first loved us, and because we seek a greater and more perfect love of God.
The Christian faith has bequeathed to us the season of Lent as a yearly opportunity to undertake the kind of focused, sustained
spiritual reflection that will help us see the things wherein we are falling short, the things of earth that keep us from the things of
heaven. It is a season intended to help us love God more dearly. For Christians, all that we are and all that we do comes from that.
In Christ,
Weldon Palmer