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The Democratic and Republican primaries are in full force at this point. Words are starting to fly. Campaign staffers are looking to pull dirty tricks (I’m looking at you, Hillary), and battleground states are up for grabs. This is politics in America, and it makes me feel sort of queasy at times.

When I was in South Korea over the Christmas break, elections were going on in full force there too. At one point, when Eunice, her mom, and I went to the local department store, we came upon a crowded intersection filled with banners, political supporters, noise, and flyers. The sheer audio pollution was overwhelming. Supporters on opposite sides of the intersection were using bullhorns and PA systems to speak about the greatness of their candidate and lead in patriotic songs. In Korea, the system is quite a bit different - there were 10 candidates, and you just voted once for the one you liked. It really was chaotic, though one candidate (MK) came out on top, despite the fact that this was a candidate hit heavy just before the election by a scandal in which it was pretty apparent he was lying about some shady business deals.

I think the one thing that disillusions me most about political campaigns is the dishonesty. When asked what his greatness weakness was during a recent debate, Barack Obama answered truthfully - he has a cluttered desk. John Edwards and Hillary Clinton both rattled off dishonest answers that resembled the job interview scene from season 3 of the Office. When asked what his weaknesses are, Michael Scott answers - “I work too hard, and I care too much.” John Edwards cares too much, and Hillary is too impatient for change. Thanks for the goofy answers, folks.

On the Republican side, compassion is apparently a weakness, revealing how farther and farther into the extreme that party drifts. For example, Governor Huckabee suggested that the compassionate thing to do was allow children of illegal immigrants to get access to financial aid for college. Heck, it wasn’t their fault they are here in the US illegally. But for Republicans, such a show of compassion means being weak on immigration. Later, Huckabee backpedaled on this assertion, rather than stand up for what is right.

I guess what I am watching for in this election is honesty - candidates who stand up for what they believe and aren’t afraid to express it. Like many Americans, I’m tired of politics that is about pandering for votes and pulling some sort of centrist triangulation. I’m ready for change. I’m ready for honesty.

On Saturday, September 8, from 3-5 PM, our region’s Connections worship gathering is happening at North Chevy Chase Christian Church (8814 Kensington Parkway, Chevy Chase, MD). We are starting a series focusing on the hit NBC TV show “The Office”. We’ll use it as a way talk about life, work, relationships, words, purpose, and so on. It should be fun. Each discussion time includes fresh cappuccino and fair trade coffee and is followed by a time of worship - song, prayer, and communion.

Anyway, I wanted to make sure I invited readers of my blog to it this time - it’s going to be real interesting and a lot of fun.

Michael Scott, for me, is one of the funniest characters on TV. I wrote on the Facebook group for Connections that he is like a trainwreck - he says the worst thing at the worst moment and we (the viewers) get to see it coming in slow motion. We cannot turn away. At times, it makes us squirm in our seats, and at other times, we can’t help but just laugh.

But yet, for the character, there is this deep care and concern that manages to break through at times - ultimately, Michael Scott cares about his employees and wants to do the right thing. It’s just he seems mostly misguided and sometimes sidetracked by his own immaturity and pride. But there are times when he does seem to wise up a bit and deal with an issue in a constructive way, and when that happens, everyone takes notice. It really does mean something.

I think that is what we will be looking for as we begin this series at Connections, and then maybe to ask each other how we can get that goodness within each of us to rise up and make a difference for someone more often.

Here is our worship guide. I’m listing it below just so anyone who is curious can see what we are up to. Note: Some of these are half-formed ideas.

Connections Worship Guide (9/5)

3:00 PM
- delicious fair trade coffee/cappucino (Eunice)
- spanish tortilla (Beth)

3:20 PM
The Office Episode (Season One)
“Downsizing”
We’ll watch the “Downsizing” episode from season one, which really deals with the breakdown of relationships. You have Dwight trying to get Jim to form an alliance, you got Jim and Pam working together to trick Dwight, you got Michael Scott (the boss) totally mishandling office relations by trying to throw an unnecessary party to boost moral, and so on. It’s chock full of dishonesty, avoidance, well-meaning intentions gone awry, division, hearing what you want to hear, lack of reality, and so on.

4:00 PM
Discussion Time

Scripture Readings:
Matthew 6:19-23
During Jesus’ first sermon, called the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew, he begins a section on the piety (lived out faith) that God rewards, and he talks about the internal things, deep down, that define you.

Matthew 12:33-37
After casting out a demon, Jesus is confronted by Pharisees, who claims he uses evil to do good. He responds about the words from your mouths. There is something at stake in what you say and how you say it.

Matthew 18:15-20
In Jesus’ fourth sermon in Matthew, he switches gears and gives instruction about the church (ekklesia), an important theme in Matthew. This section talks about how to deal with conflicts with each other. If the conflict cannot be resolved, you are to treat your offending brother or sister like “a Gentile and a tax collector” - which means as an object of mission. In other words, relationships should be different since we are Christians.

We will discuss how each of these words from Jesus might offer light to the characters of the show and to our own lives… And finally, what are we going to do about it?

4:30 PM
Worship Time

Opening Song/Lighting of the Candles
“Everyone Wants to Know Love” (tentative)

Psalm Reading
Psalm 139
(with slideshow in the background)

Time of Prayer and Reflection
Prayer Stations (reflecting relationship, honesty, words, etc.)

Prayer Songs
“Bless Be the Tie that Binds”
“Jesus Remember Me”

Communion
Laura Arico leads it

Closing Prayer
St. Francis’ Prayer (make me an instrument of thy peace)

End.

Communion Idea:
Let’s do the divide by 2:
Two people cut the piece of bread in half and offer it to others.
Then those two cut the piece of bread in half and offer it to others.
Until everyone has bread. Then we dip into the cup.

Ideas for Prayer Stations:
Some of these are CRAZY.
- A hand mirror and you write lipstick on it… hold it up to your face, and use the lipstick to write a heart over your mouth… A strange way to pray.. but perhaps a way to meditate and ask God to use your lips for good, not evil?
- Friendship bracelets???
- Signs of relationships to touch, hold, and use in our prayer… perhaps rings, necklaces, bracelets, etc, etc… any other ideas?
- Maybe a prayer quilt on the floor, made out of different patches.. that we may sit on and pray for the wholeness of the world
- A truth wall.. to write things of truth, love, and honesty on.. ??