Out of Season: Reflections at the Workplace—Using Institutional Values to Apply Kingdom Principles as an Ambassador of Christ

By Rev. James M. Munyi

One of the aspects of my professional practice and which I have truly owned and enjoyed is writing daily reflections for my coworkers. Herein are assorted reflective subjects to encourage identity focus and meaningmaking in places where we are placed for Kingdom representation. Kingdom citizens must carry their identity wherever they are placed, particularly in the workplace.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, the 23rd of May 1973, a Kingdom citizen, Justus Mbulikhe, introduced me to King Jesus because he carried his Kingdom identity with him. This fits well with our Kingdom witness, our new identity in Christ Jesus as Christian believers. St. Paul, quoting Aratus the Greek poet, puts it beautifully: For in him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).

As a professional chaplain in a hospital context, I help patients, families, and staff discover, utilize, and draw from their own spiritual reservoirs. As I offer compassionate presence, I am sensitively careful to respect individuals spiritual state. And while I have no personal agenda, I allow my Kingdom identity to speak for itself. I hope that these reflections will nurture the readers spirit as they have nurtured mine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9781512794083

Rev. James M. Munyi

Rev.James Mwangi Munyi is a Doctor of Ministry, a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains with several Supervisory units of Clinical Pastoral Education. He has served as Moderator of Nyeri and Riverside Presbyteries - PCEA and PCUSA respectively. He received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior while working at the Voice of Kenya in his early twenties. He is currently serving as Staff Chaplain with St. Joseph, St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley California where he co-ministers with his spouse Joyce Mwangi. They both lead Transformation Multicultural Fellowship (TMF) a 1001 Worshiping Communities project with the PCUSA.

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Copyright © 2017 Rev. James M. Munyi, D.Min, Th.M, BD.

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This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-9410-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-9408-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017910990

WestBow Press rev. date: 09/12/2017

ON THE COVER PAGE

In terms of animal characteristics I identify with the Rhinoceros (Rhino). My name Munyi means the rhino in Kikuyu language. Actually it is my father’s name. Mine is Mwangi son of Munyi. I want to honor my father and mother, Eloise Wahito for impressing upon me the values of justice and truth. They encouraged me to resist discouragement, to press on amid both my internal imperfections and weaknesses and the external injustices I would encounter along the journey of life. In direct and indirect ways, they taught me to trust God, to forgive and love people. Together with uncles and aunts, my parents in law, Geoffrey and Gladys Wakaba, they are representatives of many leadership figures-teachers, pastors, supervisors and other influencers in my life.

DEDICATION:

TO THE ‘RHINO’ GENERATION

This book is dedicated first to my children Wega Cleopatra Wahito, Rehema Cynthia Wairimu, Murathi Jesse Munyi and Mutugi Guy Wakaba. Along with all my nephews and nieces, they represent the ‘Rhino’ generation.

Secondly, this book is dedicated to the ‘prodigals’ who have opted to slide away from the protection and dignity of their home, living loosely, spending themselves and their earthly provisions, degrading themselves below their servants. They are coming to themselves and returning home. They too, are part of the ‘rhino’ generation.

This book is also dedicated to all who strive for justice, sons and daughters of righteousness, prisoners of hope who like the rhino have ‘ thick skin’, tough mind and strong hearts. They are loving and humble. They are seekers of truth. These are servant-leaders like Moses and Nehemiah of the Hebrew Scriptures. They hang in there facing their ‘Pharaoh’s, leading many who revolt ignorantly. They are criticized, admit the truth but are unmoved by false accusations. They rebuild the broken ‘walls’ notwithstanding the ridicules of their enemies. These are team leaders, supervisors, managers and directors in the work place who will do what is right, who will live the missions and values displayed on the halls and walls of their institutions. They are part of the rhino generation.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Who Am I And Where Am I Coming From?

Reflection One: On The Spirit And Language Of Hope

Reflection Two: On Pursuing Righteousness.

Reflection Three: Human Dignity

Reflection Four: Advent Reflections

Reflection Five: On Joy: What Is Joy?

Reflection Six: Standing In A Moment Of Opportunity

Reflection Seven: The Healing Ministry Of Jesus

Reflection Eight: Pentecost

Reflection Nine: On Love And More

Reflection Ten: You Are Here

Reflection Eleven: On The Critical Importance Of Community

Reflection Twelve: The Invaluable Value Of Justice

Reflection Thirteen: A Prayer For You In The New Year

Reflection Fourteen: On Divine Immanence…..What Does It Mean?

Reflection Fifteen: Briefly on Faith

Reflection Sixteen: On Expressing Empathy

Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

One of my favorite scriptures is "Preach the word; be instant in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (2 Timothy 4:2 NKJV).

The reflections herein were not written for a church congregation, nor were they read in a religious convocation. They were gathered for a community of workers with sensitivity to different faiths, and social orientations. Yet they bare the truths of the Christian Gospel and mandate. I was on an out of season mission.

These reflections were not written with a clear publishing intent. However, a small inner voice spoke to me about the possibility of publishing. I am no doubt indebted to Westbow Press for guidance towards this end.

I chose the following reflections in prayer and I searched for thoughts and beliefs to support the staff in their daily work at a hospital in Southern California. As a member of the Spiritual Care Resources team part of my duties included sharing in writing daily reflections for the community.

I found that I chose reflections that first spoke to me in all aspects of my faith and life.

The reader will find that I tend to lean on justice and human dignity subjects heavily. That would speak to my theological identity formed by both my upbringing and education in Kenya and United States.

For this reason I want to reveal part of myself by sharing first part of my beliefs and theological /social orientations.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I acknowledge the Holy Spirit for promptings within my spirit that spoke to the eternal value of sharing reflections in my work place. I thank God for my first Director of Spiritual Care, who laid the foundation for sharing reflections with the staff at the hospital where I wrote most of these reflections.

In addition to Westbow Press consultants and editorial team, I want to acknowledge Ann Miner who read and advised on critical corrections on the manuscript. I extend my gratitude to Jennifer Conway for assistance in formatting.

My wife, companion and friend Joyce Mwangi encouraged me in many ways without which this task would have been impossible.

I give thanks to the Rev. Dr. Mark Roberts for granting me permission to use reflections on the seven last words of Jesus at the cross. Also to the Rev. Susi Kawolics for permission to use reflections on Advent, 2014 collections.

Lastly, I am indebted to my three endorsers: John Perring-Mulligan Ph.D. who was VP Mission Integration at the Hospital where I wrote most of these reflections, the Rev. Timm High, M.Div. Presbytery Leader for Mission and Values at Riverside Presbytery and the Rev. Dr. Tina Blair, Ph.D. whom I succeeded as Moderator of Presbytery in 2016. Dr. Blair is also the Author of ‘The Art of Teaching the Bible’.

WHO AM I AND WHERE AM I COMING FROM?

Part of my Ethnic/Theological and Social Orientation

I am of the Wakiuru clan in the Kikuyu tribe, in Kenya and a resident of the United States of America. I am also a teaching elder, Christian Minister in the reformed/Presbyterian tradition. I am a son, a nephew, a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather; a cousin, an uncle, a spiritual care provider and still assuming other identities. I am an embodiment of many aspects of diversity. My understanding of God is an ongoing weaving of personal, traditional and contemporary concepts, which continue to make meaning and purpose in my life. On the personal front, these understandings are born of, and shaped by experiences as a child in family and in communities of faith, education and professions.

God, Eternal Creator, Provider:

I understand God to be the Creator of all creation. Both my African religious teaching and my Christian tradition assert and confess that God is the creator. In Kikuyu tradition one of the names of God is Mumbi. It means the creator, the potter. In the main Kikuyu creation story God created two people, Gikuyu and his wife. God gave Gikuyu’s wife God’s name-Mumbi. While with basic differences with the Genesis story, both stories point to a starting point which is not an ‘it’ but a ‘who’- God the creator.

In my early years, my mother told me of a God who was our Creator, our provider and protector. These particular attributes of God made meaning to me as a young boy. My father had been detained