Brooklyn Hermeneutic Association
![]() by David H. Rommereim One of my deepest regrets is loss of play. Play provides the enthusiasm, laughter, and serious work for the things that may either harm or heal the soul. Play is the force that reconciles our fears and worries while developing courage. Have you ever watched a child 3 years or under play? They are working so hard, diligently, and carefully to make sure they know what and how to make things work. They don't whine if they make a mistake. They don't blame, or shame anything or anyone. They just work hard at play. Then to help them "grow up" we begin to train them differently. Not by teaching right and wrong through adventure, play, and the joy of learning, but the zero sum game of being on the right side. The photo above is one of my favorites. I took it at one of our first Children, Youth, and Family ministry gatherings. It was from a class I was teaching about Baptism. I am fully aware that children and adults learn by the poetic exchange of sound, words, touch, and physical exchange. At the lesson, I had the kids dig into the font at the front of the sanctuary. We then met at Baptism. They dug into the font swishing the water and giggling. I believe that the only way to be a Christian is to be happy. What sort of God do you listen to if you are not filled with the joy and hospitality of grace, forgiveness, and love. Each is God's spiritual and religious nutrient provided for us through the story of Yeshua of Nazareth. Remember, he was a Jewish poet/prophet we later named Jesus, the Christ of God. My goal for the ministry of Children, Youth, and Families at Good Shepherd was to turn the Soul Cafe into a living space for children. It was to be safe, honorable, respectful, and inter-generational. Most of the present members at Good Shepherd do not know that the Soul Cafe was not always the soul cafe. It was called "the transept?" and it was a dark, dreary, dusty, smelly large room with row upon row, wall to wall, pews in a space that needed a flashlight to move from one corner to another. We renovated it to create the Soul Cafe (a name which took three years to change). It became the soul cafe by practice, practice, practice. We used the Soul Cafe so that our neighbors could enjoy a safe place in which to work through tough cultural/political/community issues. It was also designed for our children to be welcomed to church in a joyous spirit. Change was hard but God persisted. I knew the Soul Cafe was becoming safe for kids when I saw many of them come in after a hard day at school, kick off their shoes, jackets, and heavy backpacks, then run and play together. Some of the older adults were not used to seeing that sort of play so close to the sanctuary. They thought that the kids may do something wrong. We had a lot of worry about play. What if they upset an older member. However, I remained faithful to the Gospel by sharing that to understand the experience of Baptism we need to dig our hands into the font of welcome; get a little wet. 1 Timothy 1.7 reminds us about what it is like if you are timid, and it's not good. None of the children in the photo above are at Good Shepherd today. Their families have moved on. At the congregation festival of ministry on June 29, 2014, we welcomed over 23 kids and honored 22 adults who worked in some way in education (teachers, administrators, adjunct professors, etc.). Each one was named and counted in our ministry at Good Shepherd. Some are among us weekly. Some are among us a few times a year. Some are among us rarely. Each is an abiding resemblance of God's love and God's Baptism. Not one was better than the other. All were equal under God's canopy of Grace. I have read an amazing book about some of the things our children are losing. Specifically, the courage of learning through play and imagination. Jay Griffiths is a writer from Wales, Britain. She reminds us that our children and adult community are experiencing the loss of adventure. She calls it the loss of "The Commons." The Commons is the place where individuals safely adventure, walk, and experiment. It is where learning happens in the most humane form, "The fun of learning." The book is called, 'Kith: The Riddle of the Childscape.' Ms. Griffiths' riddle has to do with the loss of the commons where children can no longer play freely. I do not mean organized dance groups or sports. I am not referring to Sunday morning schedules which keep you from sacred sabbath time. I don't refer to the structures we build for families that let kids "go out and play." I used to take my children to those places while living in the South Bronx where we had 1.6 acres of park land developed for 150,000 residents in that part of the Bronx. We would drive into Westchester County and knew all the formal playgrounds developed during the 80s. By play and commons, I am not referring to the designed tunnels, ladders, or swings. I refer to the loss of free play. And I believe the ministry of the church must maintain that sense of free play before we get too smart for our britches and produce clones, or ventriloquists, rather than courageous theologians. The loss of the commons and the loss of a place to freely play, forces the child to stave off imagination, develop less courage, and garner more fear. Jay Griffiths writes that in England kids would always climb trees. That was true for me growing up. I climbed trees a lot.[1] In her book, Ms. Griffiths informs us that in England there were over 2,500 kids per year who were hurt from falling out of trees. So they made a law about climbing trees. It said: "No Tree Climbing Allowed!" However, she then reminded us that, at the same time there were over 3,000 kids hurt by falling out of bed. She wondered whether they should make a law, "No Getting Into Bed Allowed!" The old Beetles song, "When I'm 64" reminds me of my age. But it also reminds me to work hard at play so that I may continue to learn, grow, mature, and resonate with the heart and soul of the ministry of Jesus. Play is the way I do my justice living. Play is the way I preach. Play is the way I visit the hospital bed. There is a way of listening, growing and maturing that will never keep me silent. Play is the way I march on any public issue for policy change. Play is the way I organize with other faithful leaders of the commons. A dear friend and member of Good Shepherd was suffering with terminal cancer. We prayed. We administered the healing ointment of Jesus. We shared stories about the complicated web of medical science. We got the family aligned with significant medial advisers. We discussed the strategic plan needed in confronting his illness. We eventually moved to palliative care. Through it we laughed once hope was regained and the courage could be enjoyed. We embraced death, together, so that life could abide together. {Romans 8}. Recently Rev. Tony Rose and I represented the Good Shepherd congregation at a Faith in New York public meeting on Race. It was at St. Francis Church in Manhattan on January 14, 2016. The session included about 60 persons from four boroughs of our City. They were all persons of faith seeking to regain the justice needed to live in this racially torn city. Four National PICO Staff were there to witness the event. It was a two hour seminar on race relations and the subtleties that that system plays on our subconscious. We laughed. We prayed. We were scared to say the wrong things. We were deeply hurt. We were angry. We were powerfully, wholly, loving. I should also say that it was a massive group of Christians, Muslims, and Jews with various skin tones, cultures, languages, and nations of beginnings (Haiti, Trinidad, British Guyana, India, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Norway, Germany, Eastern Europe}. Each of us are the huddled masses and products of "Lady Liberty." For two hours, Rev. Alvin Herring (National PICO Staff for Race Relations and Racial Economic Justice) allowed us to play and climb this massive tree of disparity that is many colored. We climbed and climbed this tree while most of our community says, "No Tree Climbing Allowed!" when it comes to race. Our culture does not want us to talk about it. We even think everything will be alright if everyone just works hard. We do not know the systemic dynamics of that historic disease of America. And that is why we were there climbing together this tree of life. The Commons, the playground, the neighborhood, the very soul of America is at stake. The tree we seek to climb is the racial harmony tree. It is massive. I cannot climb it alone. I will need all those who went to the meeting this past Thursday at St.Francis. But I will need the communities they represent. Faith in New York represents over 70,000 persons of faith in NYC. Good Shepherd is but a small part numerically, but a large part of Faith in New York because of the latter's powerful voice. We have nurtured that voice as theologians and people of the Cross. Faith in New York has committed to climb this dignified tree together. In the Thursday climb we stood together, one to one. We are all shy, embarrassed, and when the Reverend asked us to look into the other's face he was patient because he knew that it is not normal for people trained with a fear-based approach to common life. After some time of learning how to be comfortable in this unusual way of standing in a group learning about race and racism with intimate and revealing stories, we were relieved to announced to one another a Mayan phrase that set the tone for our future play together, our future climb. The phrase is this: "In lak'ech Alak in" It means: "I am you and you are me, or you are another me." A few with African roots remembered this as Ubuntu or: "I AM because WE are!" And many First Nations Peoples of America call this: "Of Many Names." For me, Rabbi Hillel (30 BCE to 10 CE) and Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth (6 BCE to 30CE), came to mind. Each one said: "Love the other in the same way you love yourself." Rabbi Hillel also reminds us about love-justice by saying: "If I am not for myself, who is for me? Yet being only for my self, what am I?" Quite a tree. Quite a climb. So, let me return to the baptismal photo at the top. It reminds me that I presently see a loss of play in the church. And I see this as a potent harm to our children. For some, the Font is meant to be only discretely touched. I disagree. The font needs us to dive in and swim about. The waters need to be churned up ... Played with. I then invite you to remember that kids need to play. They cannot learn without it. Ultimately play develops deep gratitude. It invites courage. We learn courage only by climbing together the trees that are in our common forest. I leave you with the most significant critique of our Children, Youth and Family Ministry. It came from one of our Norwegian students named, "Nest-lovely" in 2012. When discussing the historic Lutheran and Roman Catholic conflict she said, "The difference between Lutherans and Catholics, is that Lutherans have more fun." What a perfect way to build a lovely nest... a strong faith...with an ability to enter this rough and tumble world with courage and joy. I hope and pray you never lose that theology of play at Good Shepherd. Without it you lose the ability to climb. May God bless your play. I remain, Rev. David H. Rommereim [1] The photo below is our high school age, family tree residence.
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The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd
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