I have been waiting patiently, and finally it happened. Finally the tulips by the side door of the manse bloomed. Each year I await them as a sign that spring has really come. I had tulips at the manse in Merrick as well. There they faced two yearly enemies.
Enemy number one was the squirrels. They loved to eat the tulip petals. At the suggestion of a friend, I even put moth balls around the tulips – to no avail.
Then there was enemy number two. The gardening service for the church and the manse was staffed by several young men who loved digging around the plants in the flower beds and making everything neat and tidy. Their cultivating often led to the destruction of the more fragile plants. Certainly cultivating is necessary, and not just for looks. It loosens the soil and makes it more porous, encouraging growth as well as deeper rooting. It must be done, however, with care.
I have come to realize how important cultivating is in our spiritual lives as well. Furthermore, I have come to realize that one aspect of my ministry is cultivating. But it must be done with care. The dictionary offers several meanings for the word 'cultivate' and I feel each is appropriate to spiritual growth.
First of all, to cultivate is to loosen the soil and kill weeds. For many of us the Christian Faith was planted in us a long time ago, maybe even back in the days of childhood. The ground at that time was cultivated in a manner in which the Faith could take root. But for that Faith to flourish consistently and continually as we mature there is the need to dig up the ground around that plant. To such a task I feel called as your pastor, and to such a task I felt called in my years as a campus minister. In my preaching, in my teaching, in my pastoral counseling, I seek to cultivate the soil, stir up your thinking, question the old and encourage one to be open to the new. But this needs to be done with a great deal of caution. I must not injure the plant. I must not cut off its roots. Yes, cultivate the soil. Yes, prune and remove that which is dead, all done to permit the plant to bloom.
The word 'cultivate' means also to “foster the growth of.” We speak of cultivating one's musical taste (I am being stretched by the music of Philip Glass) or art appreciation (I am grateful for Malcolm Morley's patience with me). We speak of cultivating our taste buds. To such a task I feel called: to expose you to new ways of looking at the Christian faith; to assist in allowing your personal faith to grow deeper, constantly being enriched.
I am well aware this task of cultivating is not limited to your pastor and other 'men and women of the cloth.' YOU can play that role in someone else's life as well as in your own. I am sure friends and others have done the same for you. It is a rewarding job; it is a necessary job; but it is one that needs to be done carefully and with a great deal of respect. You and I are called to cultivate but not destroy another's faith.
Our family moved to Brookhaven from Mount Sinai in 1957. After visiting several churches in the area, we joined Old South Haven Church. Charles Kellogg was the minister and the congregation was friendly and welcoming. I remember Edna Tooker and Pam's parents, Sue and Earl Light, as active members when we joined.
Besides Charles' and the church's emphasis on the Arts, Peace and Civil Rights, which my husband and I heartily supported, I also found the adult study group, led by Charles, to be a stimulating experience. The books we read and discussed were by contemporary writers about their faith. I continue to find the writings of contemporary as well as early religious thinkers interesting and thought-provoking.
Since I joined Old South Haven, I have become more and more appreciative of the friendship and support of this church family. I am thankful for Tom Philipp's sermons and leadership and for the companionship and strength of our church members as we seek to be guided by the Holy Spirit and to witness to God's love in the way we live our lives.
On April 16, Pastor Tom and Catherine Kellogg attended a 3-hour program at Molloy College in Farmingdale entitled “Energy Efficiency for Religious Congregations.”
It was sponsored by the L.I. Interfaith Environmental Network which is made up of various faith organizations, including the L.I. Council of Churches.
Attending were representations of Christians, Jews, Unitarians, adherents of Islam and other faith groups. In response to Global warming, its mission is to promote stewardship of the earth through energy conservation and use of renewable energy.
A panel of speakers from NY Interfaith Power and Light, LIPA, National GRID and the Solar Center described how their respective companies can provide ways and means and incentives for church congregations to conserve energy and reduce costs. It concluded with an inspiring talk by Reverend Fletcher Harper of GREENFAITH, NJ. He explained that GREENFAITH has figured out a way to finance these projects so that congregations can “Go Green” without an initial outlay of money. Inefficient heating systems are replaced with fuel-efficient models and they are paid for out of cost savings, through a system of rebates over time.
Each participant was given a Green Canvas Carry-All bag to hold the dozens of giveaway fliers and pamphlets, books and magazines. This literature describes the breath of options available to churches for “Going Green” and the rich diversity of resources. Anyone interested to see this material can ask Pastor Tom or Catherine.
