Ugly .. Ugly ... Ugly ... BUT A WIN

WVU looked like they were going to have an easy win but they blew their 17 point lead. When you have 3 fumbles in the 2nd half and as a team you have 150 yards in penalties .. it is going to be a rough road.

Thankfully, with 90 seconds left, White held onto the ball and ran his way for the game winning TD.

I had a headache (not feeling too good) before the game ... that game added the headache on. Pain pills and 8 hours of sleep; here I come.

Circles: Reducing Poverty In Your Community

Today, one of the members of our church stopped into my office to let me know about an initiative that is coming to our community. It is called Circles. Some basic information:

Circles is a coalition already in place in several towns throughout the country, that aims to bring together members of the faith community, social service agencies and goverment groups with the goal of reducing poverty nationwide.

If you want to take a look at their website, you can find it here.

I am looking forward to this opportunity to meet with community leaders and see if we can make a HUGE IMPACT in our community. I want to give praise to the following organizations for making this meeting a reality:

St. James Episcopal in Wooster
Wooster Area Interfaith Peace
Justice Network
United Way of Wayne County

The meeting is on November 26th. After the meeting, I will give you a lot more information and updates. I believe that I will also include this under my WWJDWTC because this is a piece that will be tied in with me being connected to the community.

Gardner Webb

I have got to be honest. I have never heard of the school. They look like they have a very nice school. Here is their web page.

Info On School

Gardner-Webb University is a coeducational, residential, church-related university on
a beautiful campus just outside Shelby at Boiling Springs, North Carolina. The University derives its name from O. Max Gardner, distinguished governor of North Carolina in the 1930s, and his wife, Fay Webb Gardner. The beauty of the campus and the quality of the academic program owe much to their example and leadership.

NO NO NO

I am not putting this on herre because this is where I want my next degree to come from. I put this school on here because they just whipped the University of Kentucky basketball team at Rupp.

Way to go Cats'

Pitiful

*** EDIT: Addition ***

The Wildcats hadn't lost a regular-season game to an opponent in a mid-major conference since falling to Western Kentucky Nov. 15, 2001, in that season's opener.

The tournament had been set up to send four top programs - Memphis, Connecticut, Oklahoma, and Kentucky - to New York next week to play in the semifinals. Last night in Storrs, UConn got past Morgan State, 69-65, behind Jerome Dyson's 20 points. As a result, Gardner-Webb, which finished 9-21 last season, will next play the winner of tonight's game between Buffalo and UConn.

Ooops .. maybe you should have just put those teams in NY :)

Dreaming of Church

Alan over at Assembling of the Church has become one of my favorite places to go and spend 5 minutes as I sip my morning coffee. In a recent post he asked the following question:

What if we met to edify one another ?

I think that it is a great question and a question that we do not put much thought into. As churches, I wish that we would spend more time in that area. Alan through our comments on the post asked if I would go more in-depth about the elements that I would love to see in a gathering. Thus, this post. I absolutely love our church, where we are going and what we are doing THUS this is not a "negative" post about how we are doing church.

I, as Alan, think that we need to be a place where edification occurs. I also believe that we could do this in the midst of our regular gathering (church worship). YES, we would have to make changes but I believe that these changes would help us grow us individuals and as a body of believers and it would encourage us to be more of whom God has created to be and *GASP* we may make a bigger impact on the Kingdom of God.

So, my dream of the gathering .....

A Time of Gathering

Individuals and family would enter into the "space" with music playing. The music would help create a "laid-back" approach and invite members into fellowship. The "space" would be flexible with chairs, couches and tables for people to relax and have the opportunity to have conversations.

Introduction to the Theme for the Day

As the music fades, a leader would get up and announce what the theme of the day will be. In the introduction of the theme, there may be a synopsis of the topic, cultural relevance, a poem or a scripture reading.

Scriptural Reading

I think at times that we do not listen to the voice of God through Scriptures. I think that it is vital that we create an opportunity where the Scripture is read and we have time to meditate / reflect / listen to the words being spoken to us. We may even use the Scripture reading time as a time for Lection Divina.

Sacraments

For myself, these would include baptism and communion. I know that there are individuals who differ over the terminology and some that believe there are more than 2 that should be recognized. For us, though, we would have a time to connect to God through baptism and communion (Eucharist). I think that these are vital for the gathering. I would not call it a "sacrament" but I would also like to have a time for annointing of the sick (some believe this is a sacrament). These elements (or sacraments) are important for community to connect with one another and God.

Sharing Time

One of the things that I would want to see is a time in the gathering for individuals and groups to share about what is going on in their lives and where they have seen the "Kingdom of God" at work in the community life throuhout the week.

- An individual may share about their Meals on Wheels route
- A small group may share about their work on the Habitat House
- An individual may share about their mentoring in the school
- etc .. etc ..

I think that it is vital for us to share where we are seeing god working and the connections and differences that we are making in the community. Remember, this comes from my belief that we are to TRANSFORM the community.

Connecting Points

We will have a time for a message. the message may differ each week (the mode). The thrust of this would be the following: challenge of what we are learning/sharing (weekly theme) to what is happening in the community and how we can be the hands and feet of Christ this week.

Message Board

We would have board in the "space" where all celebrations/prayers of group and individuals are at in their journey and what their dreams / aspirations are. This would be a place for prayer / thanksgiving / encouragement for the work of the Kingdom of God to occur.

Meal

Food, Food and more Food. I think by having a meal as a group is essential. I think that it opens up lines of communication. I think that it provides time for questions and answers. the conversations around the meal can include the theme, what spoke to them today and MORE IMPORTANTLY .... members can apply Ephesians 4:29 (build one another up with your words). As we are eating, we can encourage the work individuals are doing / attempting face-face.

Body Prayer

I think that there is something special when we connect to God through our mind, body and spirit. Thus, I would love to incorporate this as part of our worship services. There are quite a few resources out there. I would suggest this book. by Doug Pagitt. These prayers can help us focus.

Blessing

In closing, we give individuals encouragement / building up / prayer for individuals and groups to have a "successful" week in the community

Thoughts on Edify

To edify means to build up, to strengthen, to encourage. It is to help the members of the church grow spiritually. What are some of the things that edify? God's Word, fellowship, engaging in worship, helping one another, good works, and love.

Scriptural Passages:

Acts 9:31; Romans 14:19; 1 Corinthians 8:1; 14:26; 2 Corinthians 12:19 and Ephesians 4:12 and 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

Where The Church Is At

I think that alot of people come to the gathering and sit. they are in the "space" for an hour and then get up and leave. There is no connection, there is no challenge, there is not direct encouragemt and there is no place for them to receive edification.

I think alot of gatherings may need to be "tweaked" to get back to where God desires for us. Maybe, my dream is off the mark ......

Come & Go

Do we make it too complicated ? In scripture (Matthew) in particular, we see these two words: come / go.

Come to Jesus
Go to the People

It sounds simple, why do we make it so hard ?

Through The Eyes of My MIL

My MIL came and spent 9 days with us. My wife and the kids had a ball with mom and granny hanging around. While here, she took tons of pictures. We dumpped them on my comp and here are a few pics for people to see the family growing up. So, these are pics through the eyes of my MIL.

Here is a pic of Bethany and Granny



Stacey, Isaiah and Jacob carving up the pumpkin:



Does it scare you ???



Stacey prepping Isaiah for Trunk-Or-Treat



Our Pastor at Trunk-Or-Treat



Isaiah & Jacob at T-Or-T



Stacey & Jacob picking on each other ....... endlessly



Our "small" dog with the boys ..

Big Stuf 2008

I received the promo today for Big Stuf '08. I am looking forward to this trip, It is one of the most enjoyable times for me as a youth pastor. Yes, the camp is awesome. The worship is top notched, the speakers really have messages that touch the heart. But, it is spending a week on the beach with students and getting to know them better and hearing their stories. Some of the best times are simply eating dinner at the picnic table over-looking the ocean and listening to the students talk about what God is doing in their lives. Promo Video below:

Christmas Shopping & Helping A Cause

Hey, if you do any on-line shopping, would you like to shop and while you shop (no cost to you) donate money for our students to go on a mission trip ?

If you shop through the link (680 stores) you can do that. Every purchase that you make, the store will give us a small donation. The donations that we receive are going into our mission trip account. There are some great stores that you can shop at.

Also, if you register and shop within 45 days, we will get an additional $ 5.

Hopefully, the plug does not offend too many. But, if you are not already supporting a cause, we would appreciate the support; especially from those who already shop on line. Also, you can get credit for donations (tax deduction - if you want ). Registration takes about 30 seconds.

THANKS A BUNCH !!!

WWJDWTC: My Story: Part 4

It has been two weeks since the original post and I have made a few updates. I have enjoyed reading and seeing what others have been involved in and their strides. I am still trying to find my way through this process.

Let me give you some "progress" as I laid it out in my original post.

1. I am still going to be working with Meals on Wheels a few times a month and it looks like my wife and I may tag-team to do a route together. I have not done the route, yet. This past Friday was going to be my first day. However, I was over in Indy. My wife filled in for me in my absence and her serving in that area has prompted us talking about doing a route and covering it.

2. I went up to the clinic last week. I was in the room filing folders. It is not a tough job but a job that needs to be done. I enjoy the act of serving by placing folders into the correct med files and praying over each file as I put it away. NO, I DO NOT LOOK AT OR IN THE FILE. But, it is an act of prayer for me as I place it in the correct spot.

3. I spent sometime up at the Children Service Center this week. My heart really does break for all the kids who are in foster care. I also thank God for individuals who find it one their art to serve by doing foster care. While I was there, I talked and played (watch mostly) with a kid that is in a rough position. His case is backed up in the courts - soooo many cases. One of the cool things that we are going to be doing is "pen-palling" some of the kids in foster care.

4. The art of presence. In some ways, you would think that this would be the easiest one. But at times, it is the roughest. I am trying to be at events where the members of the church are and I am trying to "meet" people when I am out in the public. The one area where I wish I would do better would be outside the school when I am waiting for the boys. I have also taken up helping with Isaiah's basketball team. He is happy that I am the Assistant Coach. But, he makes sure to remind that I am not the "real coach". It was fun tonight cheering the boys on and encouraging them about their pass or shot (3&4 graders). We also as mentioned in the last post, hosted the dinner for 8 and we are hoping to invite and have more people over.

There are a couple of individuals that I need to be in touch with this week, so hopefully I will be able to practice the art of presence then.

Hospitality

Hospitality is a word that has been ringing in my heart and ears for awhile. I have been trying to figure out what is the best way in our present situation to offer hospitality. In numerous avenues, I have been touched by this concept. I want to share with you a paragraph+ that I read this past week. It comes from a booked called "Christianity for the Rest of us: How the Neighborhood Church Is Transforming the Faith"

An essential part of the early Christian teaching and fellowship was hospitality, a practice that awed even the roman opponents of Jesus' first followers.

A few centuries later, as the Roman Empire broke down amid social chaos and violence, Saint Benedict charged monastic communities to "receive guests as Christ" and to embrace the poor, outcast, strangers, and pilgrims. The heart of Benedictine spirituality is hospitality: a Christian community is not a closed community but extends welcome and shelter to all, regardless of class, status or responsibility. Joan Chittister, a contemporary Cathloic writer says, "Hospitality means we take people into the space that is our minds and our hearts and our work and our efforts. Hospitality is the way we come out of ourselves." Or, as two Roman Catholic writers put it, "Guests are crucial to the making of any heart."

(the paragraph can be found on page 84)

Hospitality changes both the host and the guest. I have witnessed through stories a number of people who are doing great things as "host". We, as a family, have not done much.

A few days ago though, we did "host" a dinner for a few people from the church. We are part of Dinner for 8. We enjoyed having individuals in our homes and having a meal. The cool thing about that was that they were individuals we did not know.

I am going to ponder how we, as a family, can be more open and how we can have a place at the table for others.

What are you doing in the area of hospitality ? What are ways we can extend ourselves to those around us in need ? Maybe, it does not even have to be someone in "need". Maybe, for us, it is having a "set night". We will set aside one night of the week, have a meal and invite a family to join us ....

I am not sure

*thinking*

Last words, they come from Nouwen: if there is any concept worth restoring to its original dept and evocative potential, it is the concept of hospitality. He then continues, hospitality is the creation of free space where strangers become friends.

Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place.