Dr. Jim's Blog

2012-01-13T10:44:00.002-05:00

ThisSunday we will continue our series HowFirm a Foundation on the spiritual disciplines. Already we have covered the two Sacraments ofthe Church: Communion and Baptism. ThisSunday we will focus on prayer and intimacy with God.

Inthe past I have shared with you some very concrete ways to pray:

1. Memorized prayers. Prayers like the Lord’s Prayer, St.Patrick's Breastplate, or other memorized prayers have an important placein our prayer life. Not all prayer needsto be spontaneous. Remember, Jesus as aJew would have prayed the Shemadaily. If it’s good enough for Jesus, it’sgood enough for us!

2.A.C.T.S. of prayer. ACTS is an acronym thatstands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. We come into God’s presence remembering who Heis and praising Him for His greatness; we confess that we have failed to be thepeople God calls us to be; we thank Him for His blessings, and we pray for theworld and those who are hurting.

3. Breath prayers. These are prayers that can be prayed in onebreath. I often hop on my motorcycle,drive around our community and pray for the families in their homes, the peopleI see in our community, our police and firefighters, whatever else God leads meto pray for.

4.Contemplative or Centering Prayeris what brings me the most peace in my prayer life. It is a way of resting in God’s presencewithout speaking. I often do this in mychurch study, the door closed, with some spiritual or instrumental musicplaying in the background.

Thisweek I will not so much be talking about the nuts and bolts of praying as Iwill be talking about how Jesus prayed and some of the words of correction hehas for the way we pray sometime. I hopeyou will join us in one of our five worship services as we think through whatit means to be able to listen and speak with God and enjoy that intimacy.

Father,we want to spend some time with you. Help us to hear your voice, to know your desires for us, and to be thechildren you want us to be. What wewant, most of all is to be in a deep, loving relationship with you, and toplease you in what we say and do. Thankyou for our brother Jesus, who teaches us through word and example how to dojust that. This we ask in his name. Amen.

Czech Republic

2011-09-15T05:09:00.000-04:00

Jeff Jernigan and I are currently in the Czech Republic for our annual pilgrimmage to our sister church in Jihlava and the History Makers and Christian to the Core Conferences in Malenovice.

For ten years McEachern has had a relationship with the congregation of the Methodist Church in Jihlava. Many of our members have traveled to the Czech Republic to lead lead English Camps, Family Camps, weddings, and develop relationships with these brothers and sisters. For the past four years I have come here to preach and assist in leading conferences for the International Leadership Institute. I forget how much I love being here until I return.

We are currently in the village of Malenovice at the foot of Lysa Hora, the tallest mountain in the Beskydy range. It is early fall here; much earlier than we usually travel to this part of the world. Last year we were here in late November, just before Thanksgiving. The year before we were here in early October, but got three feet of snow! This year the weather has been sunny and warm, but after a front moved through with some rain yesterday we are not experiencing clear, sunny, cool weather. It is heaven compared to the summer we have had in Atlanta with ninety days of ninety plus temperatures - a new record.

Aside from the beauty of the place, there is also the beauty of the people. These are some seriously dedicated Christians. The Czech remains one of the most atheistic countries in the world - 40% of its population identifies themselves as atheist, while only 3% describe themselves as Protestant. There are few, if any, cultural Christians here - it is simply too difficult and the downside too steep to be lukewarm.

This is the fourth year I've taught here, and the second year helping to lead History Makers. History Makers is made up of young adult Christians who want to reclaim their country and continent for Jesus. Our job is to help them gain some skills in order to be effective leaders. Being with these young adult Christians refreshes my soul.

And then, it's just good to get away and spend some time with God and fellow brothers and sisters. I have much more time here for Bible reading and meditation. We have some great impromptu conversations about theology and ecclesiology with these young folks, some of whom are pastors and some seminary students. Even with the schedule of teaching, the long days (13+ hours) and the time difference, I find myself re-energized and peaceful.

There is another conference starting today where Jeff and I will also teach while still teaching History Makers. A group from Poland will arrive and we will help teach Christian to the Core. These folks are "E-Coaches" who talk with people after they have made a commitment to Christ via the Internet (check out www.lookingforgod.com).

For more information about The International Leadership Institute check out www.iliteam.org.

Please pray for us as we finish up here tomorrow and start the long trip back early Saturday morning.

2011-09-02T17:12:00.001-04:00

This weekend we celebrate Labor Day. The first Labor Day was held in New York City on September 5, 1882. In 1894 the US Congress named the first Monday of September as the official date that Labor Day would be recognized in DC and the US territories. The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement. Today the holiday is primarily seen as an end of summer celebration. (Thanks to the Department of Labor website for this helpful historical summary!)

But what does God have to say about Labor?

First, labor is a gift of God and was part of God’s original plan for humanity. Before the fall, work existed! In Genesis we read, “The Lord God took man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (2.15) As we will learn on Sunday, work is not a four letter word.

Labor, however, like everything else, became corrupted after the fall. “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat of the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground;” (Genesis 3.17-19a).

Our work, however, can be used to bring glory to God. “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3.17)

I hope you enjoy your day off on Labor Day. More than that I hope you enjoy and give thanks to God for giving your hands work to do. In all we do in offices, classrooms, or in the open fields may we do it as if we are doing it to the Lord.

Lord God, we give you thanks for the work you have given us to do. May we treat our customers, students, co-workers and teachers as if they are you. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Natural Evil

2011-08-25T09:30:00.001-04:00

I was sitting in a large ballroom with 400 of my closest friends yesterday when I felt it; I knew exactly what it was. I leaned over to my friend and whispered “earthquake”. Sure enough, a few seconds later we were on the streets of Baltimore waiting for the tremors to end and get the “all clear” to re-enter the Baltimore Hilton.

Tomorrow we fly down to Orlando to lead a retreat. Can you say “Hurricane Irene”?

When natural disasters strike we often wonder where God is in the mix. Does God cause these things to happen? If so, why? Is God helpless to prevent these things from happening? If so, is God really omnipotent? Is this just the way the world is? Or is it a result of some kind of evil? Here are some of the ways others have described it.

1. Natural disasters are God’s punishment on the wicked. Undoubtedly you have heard someone say that AIDS is God’s punishment on the gay community or that Hurricane Katrina was sent by God to clean out New Orleans. But then again, what about infants who contract the HIV virus or innocents who drown in NOLA? Not very satisfying to say God is just, but those folks are just “collateral damage”.
2. Others say God allows these things to happen so that good can come from it. Take a look at the Church’s response to natural disasters throughout history. We step up to the plate and become the visible presence of Christ in the world. That’s good stuff! People come to Christ through our ministrations and we have the opportunity to flex our missional muscles. But do we really serve a Heavenly Father who will cause death and misery to some of his children so that other children can do good deeds? I don’t think that is the God our Bible teaches us about.

Instead, I think these natural disasters are a result of our fallen state. If you read the third chapter of Genesis you will see that in the fall we become estranged not only from God, but also each other, ourselves, and creation. Simply put, before the fall there were no natural disasters. And to add hope to this message, when Christ returns in final glory and puts all things right again, once again there will be no estrangement between us and God’s creation and hence, no natural disasters.

You and I live in the “in between times”. We live between the fall and the final consummation of God’s kingdom. So, let’s not grow weary in doing good. Let others see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven.

Change

2011-08-03T08:42:00.002-04:00

Things are certainly changing in the Higgins household. Three years ago we sent our oldest, Bo, off to Reinhardt University in Waleska, GA. For the past two summers he has stayed on campus, taken classes and worked. But, we still had three teens at home with our twins and a young man, Dekarius, who lived with us for a little over a year. We moved Dekarius down to Florida last month where he will live, work, and next year attend a local college. Many of you know that Chris left July 5th for boot camp at lovely Ft. Jackson, SC. He’ll graduate in September and go to Ft. Meade, MD for additional training. Carley leaves for Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville at the end of this week. Next week, Pam and I will be empty nesters!

This will certainly be a new chapter in our lives. I know we’ll miss their presence, energy, clutter, and friends dropping by. Dinner will be more of a challenge to prepare as I move from preparing for an always undetermined number of adults and teens to just the two of us. And I know the dinner table will be a bit lonely for a while. But I also know we are looking forward to some of the changes that are coming.

And that’s pretty much life, isn’t it? Our post-modern culture is one of quickly accelerating change. And change is good, but sometimes painful. It has been said that we are either growing or dying, and growth requires change. Think of all the change in McEachern through the years. We moved from a wooden structure to the brick chapel. In 1990 we built the current sanctuary. We embraced new technology like indoor plumbing, electricity, air conditioning, and video. The “old guard” made room for a new generation over and over again through the years so the congregation could keep moving forward. Each generation struggled to be faithful to the Gospel in the context of the changing culture and that led to what we now know as the church we love. As the old preachers like to say, “We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us”. Thank goodness those who went before us embraced those changes.

The good news in the midst of sometimes bewildering change is that God remains the same. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13.8). With all the changes going on in our house these days that may just become my favorite Bible verse for a while.

Doesn't Anyone Read the Parable of the Good Samaritan Anymore?

2011-02-15T15:27:00.010-05:00

This past Sunday Pam and I thought we would take a drive. It was a beautiful day - sunny and warm. The perfect day to put the top down on the Miata and explore the Georgia backroads. So, after three worship services we dashed home, changed clothes, gassed up, and headed out thinking we would make it to Newnan and grab a bite there before heading to parts unknown.

That was the plan anyway.

We got stuck behind someone going slow, r-e-a-l slow. And we couldn't see much, being low to the ground and all. We were stuck for a long time. You know the drill: two lane country highway, few passing zones, and everytime we hit a zone there were cars coming from the other direction.

Finally, we got lucky. I zipped into the left lane, punched it, and then BANG, immediately hit the largest pothole in the state of Georgia. The car limped to the intersection we were approaching. I turned onto the four lane divided highway, pulled over, and got out to inspect the damage.

The front driver's side tire was as flat as they come - a big ugly gash in the sidewall. Oh, you remember we were in the Miata? Yeah, the little cars that don't come with a spare; instead, you get a can of sealant and compressed air. That is all well and good for a puncture, but does nothing for a two inch hole in the sidewall.

Thank goodness for technology. We grabbed the GPS, hit "help" then "where am I?" We were in the middle of nowhere, but it said "Fairburn". Next step, pull out the iPhone, get the Internet, Google "Fairburn Towing". It was a busy day, but they said they could get to us within the hour.

For fifty-five minutes we watched a stream of cars pass by. They stopped at the stoplight and looked at us. Their heads swiveled to look at us as they accelerated through the intersection heading on their way. Dressed in their Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes, heading back from lunch after church, they looked at us. And for nearly an hour, not one person stopped.

Now, this was not some six foot four, three hundred ound, scraggly-bearded guy with a broken down pickup truck with a "Kill 'Em All and Let God Sort 'Em Out" bumper sticker. This was little ol' me, and littler ol' Pam in a MIATA broken down on the side of the road. We were about as unintimidating as you can get.

But no one stopped.

Not even to ask if we needed them to call someone.

Not even the folks dressed in their Sunday finest going home after the lunch following worship.

If a Muslim man from the Mideast stopped it would have made this a sermon illustration down the road. But he didn't. No one did.

I'll remember that the next time I see someone on the side of the road. And I'll stop. Even if only to ask if I can call someone for them.

I hope you will as well.

New Year's Eve

2010-12-31T09:04:00.001-05:00

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, held "Watch Night" services to end each year and usher in the new. For this service he wrote a special service which includes what we now refer to as "The Wesley Covenant Prayer". What better way to end 2010 and begin a new year, and a new decade, than with this prayer?

I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.

A Christmas Poem to the Troops

2010-12-28T11:09:00.003-05:00

Bob Beskar is a Vietnam War veteran who is an active member of the Ft. Snelling Chapel community and a poet. This was shared with me by CH (COL) Ken Beale, the USAR Command Chaplain and fellow United Methodist pator.

To our troops throughout the world...
I’m writing this poem for you...
For I’ve also spent a Christmas...
Serving my “Uncle” too!

It was some time ago...
But it seems like yesterday...
That’s how it will be for you...
As you watch time slip away!

Enough of me already...
Let’s talk some more of you...
And how at Christmas time...
You feel the way you do!

You’re in a far off land...
And home is far away...
But your duty is your utmost
To the good old USA!

You miss all those back home...
It’s a natural thing to do...
Especially during Christmas...
Because they’re also missing you!

So on this special day...
When you have a moment free...
Think of the child Jesus...
Who was born for you and me!

Remember also this...
The love that’s sent to you...
By the millions of grateful people...
Who are supporting what you do!

Faith

2010-12-19T07:55:00.001-05:00

Several friends have shared the following with me. I like it, so I thought I would pass it on to you.

Faith lives in the same apartment building as Doubt. When Faith was out of town visiting her uncle in the hospital, Doubt fed the cat and watered the asparagus fern. Faith is comfortable with Doubt because she grew up with him. Their mothers are cousins. Faith is not dogmatic about her beliefs like some of her relatives. Her friends fear that Faith is a bit stupid. They whisper that she is naïve and she depends on Doubt to protect her from the meanness of life. In fact, it is the other way around. It is Faith who protects Doubt from Cynicism.

"The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament declares his handiwork" Psalm 19.1

2010-08-13T10:16:00.006-04:00

Have you seen and heard all that is going on in the night skies these days? It is truly amazing:

1. Venus, Saturn, Mars, and the waning crescent moon are all aligned. The last few nights as I take my evening stroll around the campus I can see these planets in the western sky. I don't know, right off hand, when this will happen again, but it is a rare and awesome sight.

2. After the planets are no longer visible the real show starts: the Perseid meteor shower. Find a place to lay on your back between 10 p.m. and midnight and you can see 50-60 meteors an hour. These meteors are the debris of the Swift-Tuttle comet which comes out of Perseus (hence the name Perseid). We won't see this again in our lifetime.

From the earliest days humanity has gazed up into the sky and seen the creativity of a loving and eternal God. Now, don't get me wrong; we don't think God is in the creation, that would be animism. And we don't worship creation; that would be idolatry. What we see is evidence of a creating God. It is one of the indirect ways that God speaks to us.

As Jesus said when he was physically present on earth, "let those with eyes see, and those with ears hear". God is still talking, let's chat!

2010-06-21T15:51:00.000-04:00

Happy Summer Solstice!

I’m writing this on June 21st, the summer solstice, that astronomical phenomenon that signals the start of summer and the longest day of the year. Summer is a time when many of us are traveling, going on vacation, seeing family and friends, and that’s a good thing! I can’t wait to get to the beach and spend time with my extended family. Of course, traveling means that we’re not here with each other, so here are a few ways to stay connected to God and one another this summer.

1. Go Undercover. While you’re traveling this summer spy on another congregation. What are they doing right that we could put into practice here at McEachern? Make notes, take pictures and video with your cell phone, and bring a bulletin back. Remember, it’s not plagiarism, it’s research!

2. Take a Good Book with you. Actually, take the Good Book with you. If you take a laptop or an IPhone you can take an electronic copy with you. Bookmark or print this link http://northgaumc.s3.amazonaws.com/Files/Resources/Bible_Reading.pdf for a Bible reading plan that will get you not only through the summer, but the year as well.

3. Stay in touch with your friends. Your friends at McEachern, that is. Sign up on our website to receive the newsletter and midweek letter electronically. Bookmark our website (www.mceachernumc.org) so you can check on what’s happening back home and listen to the sermons that are preached while you are away.

4. Be here when you’re here. I’ll be honest; sometimes I need a vacation from my vacation! But when you’re in town resist the urge to roll back over and get a few extra winks. You’ll be glad you came to worship!

I hope you have safe and happy travels. May our vacations reconnect us to friends and family and the God who created the universe. Stay in touch!

Annual Conference 2010

2010-06-21T15:48:00.000-04:00

Last week 20 pastors and laity from McEachern attended the North Georgia Annual Conference in Athens, GA. Each year 2,500 delegates from 960 churches gather to do the work of the conference. We debate resolutions, hear reports from our extended ministries, commission and ordain men and women for the ministry, remember the clergy and their spouses who have died since our last session, and conduct the work of North Georgia Methodists, including passing the budget and receiving our appointments for the coming year. There are several items of interest that I would like to pass on to you from this year’s gathering.

Over the last two years our denomination has been seeking to raise $25 million to fund a pension program for clergy outside the United States. Many of our retired pastors in the Central Conferences live in abject poverty. It was announced that we have already crossed the $20 million threshold; praise God! This year our conference collected $121,600 for the Central Conference Pension Initiative.

Our mission project at annual conference this year was to assemble food kits for Stop Hunger Now, an international hunger relief organization that coordinates the distribution of food and other life-saving aid around the world. An anonymous donor contributed $50,000 so we could partner with this organization. During conference we assembled 200,230 meals! I hope we will make this project part of our fall missions conference and our spring Great Day of Service.

Several exciting things happened on Friday, the final day of the conference. First, McEachern was one of seven congregations recognized as a Church of Excellence in Outreach. Thank you for your tireless efforts locally and globally that brought this recognition. Secondly, Chris Higgins was presented to the conference as the incoming President of the North Georgia Conference Youth. Chris served as vice-president last year and was elected by his peers the weekend before conference. Finally, all of our appointed pastors were appointed to serve another year at McEachern. Cindy Blocksidge and Donna Goff were appointed to their tenth year; Hur and Lucy Morales and I were appointed to our fourth year, and Charlie Marus was appointed for his second year. We are all grateful to be returning to such an exciting congregation.

Security

2010-02-01T12:15:00.004-05:00

Many of you are aware of the upgrade in our security system a year or two ago. I know there was a period of adjustment, but we all changed our regular way of operating and things got into a period of "new normalcy". We discovered how useful our system is last night when a guitar was stolen from a hallway while its owner was on our walking track.

Immediately upon notification our facilities director, John Spain, returned to the campus and ran through the recordings from our security cameras. We were able to spot the young men enter the building and leave by a different door ten minutes later with the guitar. We were also able to identify the car they left in. One of our recreation workers was able to identify one of the suspects. After being questioned by our staff the young man contacted the person who had the guitar and it was returned to the church campus to be delivered to its rightful owner.

There are several lessons I learned from this incident:

1. We have superb employees who are willing to go out of their way to serve our members and guests, including leaving home late at night to return to the campus.

2. We also have employees who are willing to put themselves on the line, including their physical safety, to find justice.

3. We cannot assume that people will act correctly in our buildings just because it is a church. As a matter of fact, many criminals target churches because we seem to them to be a soft target.

4. The system works. Our security system secures areas that need to be secured at certain times, and we are able to identify and record people who do not have the best interest of the kingdom of God at heart.

I'm glad this story has a satisfactory ending. But be warned: just because we are in a church does not mean that we are safe from the evil of this world. Please be diligent about keeping a eye out for suspicious activity and report it to a staff member immediately.

Strange Day

2010-01-20T21:40:00.003-05:00

This morning I got up and shrugged on one of the uniforms I wore in Iraq. I pulled on the boots I wore first in the Egyptian desert days after 9-11 and then wore regularly at Ft Hood and in Iraq -they're my favorites. I went downstairs to pour a cup of coffee into a travel cup. I pulled one out, and then for some reason, put it back. While I was replacing it my eye fell on another travel cup: one I thought was lost forever. It was the travel cup I had carried for 18 months and misplaced in Tallil, Al-Diwaniah, Al-Asad and numerous other places. But it had my name on it so it was always returned to me. Only to be lost, I thought, in the US.

After a day of keeping the world safe for democracy I met up with a friend for dinner. She suggested Chow Baby, to which I agreed, never having been there before. It's one of those restaurants where you select rice or pasta, veggies, and meat, and they fry it up for you on a big griddle. "Whoa", I thought, "It's Mongolian BBQ night!" That was my favorite night at the chow hall in Balad where I would pile my plate high with spaghetti, shrimp, crushed red pepper, and garlic/butter sauce which would be fried on a big griddle. I loved Mongolian BBQ night.

Then I came home and realized, suddenly, that it was January 20th.

Three years ago I was walking from the chow hall when I received the radio call, "Mustang 2-0, Mustang 2-0, Fallen Angel, I repeat, Fallen Angel". Mustang 2-0 was my call sign. Fallen Angel meant we had a missing helicopter. It was the first word I would hear that we had lost 12 Soldiers on what would become the deadliest day we, as a country, would experience in Iraq. That radio call would begin a whirlwind of grief counseling, planning for a memorial service, and the realization that we would not all be going home.

Here's to the crew and passengers of EASY 40. You were our friends, our comrades, true heroes and patriots. You represent to me all who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom from the founding of our country.

And here's to the spouses, children, grandchildren, and friends you left behind. As long as we live you will never be forgotten.

God Speed.

There's Good in the World

2009-12-24T13:28:00.004-05:00

Many of you are aware that my 17 year-old son was attacked, beaten, and robbed this past week. It was a random act of violence on a busy street in broad daylight, perpetrated by a troubled young man. Chris was taken to the emergency room, where I met him, and we were soon joined by Pam. The CT scan showed no major damage, so with pain meds in hand we took him home.

This is the place where I could go two ways with this post. The easy thing, I suppose, would be to talk about evil, violence, and what kind of world we live in where this could happen to as kind and helpful a person as Chris.

But what has really struck me about this event has been the good in people, not the evil.

A woman driving by saw what happened and stopped. She checked on Chris, called 911, and interviewed the boy who had been with the attacker just before he crossed the road to attack Chris. She stayed until Chris was taken off in the ambulance. I don't know if she knows the story of the Good Samaritan, but she is a Good Samaritan. There were other drivers who also stopped to see if they could be of assistance.

Shortly after I got to the hospital Rev. Jason Jordan and Andy Smith came into the room. Jason is our Pastor to Students and Andy our Middle High Youth Director. What a blessing they were as we hugged and they prayed for Chris.

And what a blessing our community of faith has been. Members of our youth group and college group have beaten a path to our door. There has been a steady stream of calls, emails, and text messages telling us of prayers being lifted on our behalf.

Crises define us. We rise to the challenge or we fall short; they bring out the best or the worst in us. Many of the folks in our lives have shown us that they are people of courage, care, and love in this crisis. And for that, we thank you.

Jesus Talks about His Birthday

2009-12-09T20:52:00.002-05:00

A friend sent me this today. It pretty much sums up where I'm coming from, and I certainly could not frame it better. My friend said it sounds like what I've been preaching lately, and that is high praise indeed!

Letter from Jesus about Christmas --

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up... It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

Advent

2009-12-01T14:08:00.003-05:00

This past Sunday I greeted the three services I led with "Happy New Year!" I've done that for three years here now at McEachern so some people caught on to what I was saying. This Sunday was the first Sunday in Advent; Advent is the beginning of the Christian Year, so this past Sunday was the first Sunday, so I greeted everyone accordingly!

But you know, even for us who know this tidbit, sometimes we don't "get" Advent. And our culture doesn't help, does it? It's hard to stick with Advent in the midst of a culture that thinks Christmas starts with Thanksgiving (okay, Halloween if you're a retailer) and ends with the stroke of midnight on December 24th. For the Christian, Christmas doesn't even start until Christmas Day, then goes on for 12 days (remember the song?) until Epiphany.

Too often our congregations get enculturated into the prevailing culture of celebrating instead of preparing, which Advent is all about. I mean, think about it. If we really followed Advent, we would only be singing Advent hymns, focusing on John the Baptist, and the only real decorations would be the Advent wreath!

I encouraged our folks to think of Advent as an alarm clock. Once a year this alarm goes off, wakes us from our stupor, and reminds us that Jesus came, and will be returning, and we had better be ready! That is why so many of our scripture lessons are apocalyptic - Advent is about both remembering that Jesus came, and that he will come again in power and in glory. We keep one eye towards the past and one eye toward the future - kind of a cross-eyed season, huh?

So, what am I doing to prepare this year? Well I am reading James Moore's study "What Do You Want for Christmas?" for my daily devotional time. I have made it a habit through the years to do something different in my devotional life during Advent. There are plenty of guides and books out there, especially at cokesbury.com. I am also rereading the Gospel of Matthew. Both Matthew and Luke give the stories of Jesus' nativity, so I thought that would make some good reading this time of the year. We have also published an Advent devotional guide at McEachern that I am reading.

I think of Advent and Lent as "sister seasons". In both cases we are preparing for something and paying more attention than usual to spiritual matters. Maybe this year if we spend a little more time preparing we will have the Christmas we have always wanted.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

2009-11-12T14:34:00.000-05:00

Yes, I stole the title from The Clash. . .

It has been nearly a year since I have posted on this blog. I'll admit that I have been (gasp!) spending time with another medium - the social networking site. I'm trying to decide the best way to stay in tough with you; should I continue this forum, or delete this blog and focus on other ways of staying in touch?

It's your decision too; should I stay or should I go?

Advent

2008-12-03T08:59:00.003-05:00

This past Sunday was the first Sunday in Advent and the first Sunday in the Christian Year.

Advent comes from the Latin "adventus" meaning "Coming". In this season we celebrate Christ's first coming to us in the Nativity, and anticipate his coming in final victory when he brings the Kingdom of God to its fullness in the end of this age. As such, it is a season of tension, a season of "already" but "not yet".

The season is made up of the four Sundays prior to Christmas. The central character is John the Baptist, and the liturgical color is purple. During these Sundays we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. I like to think of it as a sister season to Lent. In Lent we prepare ourselves for the joy and celebration of the Resurrection, in Advent we prepare ourselves for the joy and celebration of Christmas. Both seasons are seasons of preparation, not celebration.

Loving God, we give you thanks for these days of preparation. Cleanse our minds and hearts. Help us to prepare in the desert of our lives a highway for the Savior. Enable us to remain faithful disciples as we live in the "in-between" times of your first advent and your coming in final victory. This we ask in the name of Christ. Amen.

Song for a Winter's Night

2008-10-28T19:50:00.012-04:00

What you may not know about me is that I am an incurable romantic. Tonight is an unseasonably cold night for October in Atlanta; the lows are supposed to hover around freezing. I made a big pot of homemade soup and lit a fire. As I was laying the fire I thought of some words from a Gordon Lightfoot song from long ago - one of the greatest love songs around as far as I am concerned.

The lamp is burnin' low upon my table top
The snow is softly falling
The air is still within the silence of my room
I hear your voice softly calling

If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
Upon this winter night with you

The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead
My glass is almost empty
I read again between the lines upon each page
The words of love you sent me

If I could know within my heart
That you were lonely too
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
Upon this winter night with you

The fire is dying now, my lamp is growing dim
The shades of night are liftin'
The morning light steals across my windowpane
Where webs of snow are driftin'

If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
Upon this winter night with you
And to be once again with with you

To view the video click Song for a Winter's Night

Jim & Jeff's Big Adventure

2008-10-10T12:46:00.003-04:00

This afternoon about 4:40, Lord willing, Jeff and I will take off from Atlanta-Hartsfield on our way to the Czech Republic. We have a two hour layover in Amsterdam and should land at Prague Ruzyne Airport tomorrow morning at 10:45 local time. The Czech Republic is at GMT +4 which puts it six hours ahead of Eastern US time. I'll post when I can, but I am not sure when that will be right now. Higgins and Jernigan traveling together - pray for the Czech Republic!

I'm Back!

2008-10-08T09:42:00.001-04:00

I have been remiss in updating this blog recently, but that will soon change. This Friday afternoon Jeff Jernigan and I leave for the Czech Republic. We will be visiting our sister congregation in Jihlava where I will preach on Sunday, then we will both be teaching for the International Leadership Institute Central Europe National Conference. I will be posting about our travels and experiences.

What I'm Reading

2008-05-27T14:52:00.003-04:00

I love to read. I usually have several books going at a time - some for work, some for professional growth, some for fun. So, here's what I'm reading now:

12 Keys to an Effective Church. This is actually a "re-read". I used Ken Callahan's material when I was the pastor at Haygood to get our visioning kick-started. It was great for that church, so now we're using it at McEachern. We are also reading 12 Keys to an Effective Church Leaders Guide.

5 Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Robert Schnase. You've heard me mention this book in my sermons and the Senior Pastor letter. Allen and I will be preaching from this book next Fall. The five practices are Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Risk-taking Mission and Service and Extravagant generosity. I encourage you to pick up a copy and read it yourself.

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. Yes, I'm a Dave Ramsey freak. I read his Financial Peace Revisited last Fall. My kids hate riding in the car with me during the afternoons when his show is on because it's all I'll listen to. We'll be starting Financial Peace University at the church this Fall.

RealLivePreacher.com. Yes, that's the name of a book, as well as a website. Gordon Atkinson began writing (and writing well) on his personal blog. The essays have been collected and published. This book was a gift from my friend and colleague, Dr. Phil Schroeder. It's a great read.

What are you reading?

James A. Hayes

2008-05-03T15:39:00.002-04:00

Pam's Dad, James Hayes, died this past week. We spent most of the week in North Carolina with the family. I was honored to be asked to participate in his service. I thought I would share his obituary with you. As usual, this obit barely skims the surface of who he was, and all he accomplished.

Mr. James Addison Hayes, Jr., 87, of Rockwell, NC left his infirmities behind and was given a new body with Christ on Tuesday, April 29, 2008. James was born August 16, 1920 in Guilford County, NC the son of the late James Addison Hayes, Sr. and Ila Black Hayes. James was educated in the Thomasville City schools, a Veteran of World War II serving in the US Army Air Force. James had worked for Carolina Underwear, Inc. in Davidson County, then transferred to Rowan Industries as Plant Manager and retired in 1986 with 50 years of service. He was a member of the Rockwell United Methodist Church, former Sunday School Teacher, Lay Leader and President of the Men's Club. James was past President of the Rockwell Civitans and a former member of the Rockwell Town Board, and a former member of Peeler Livengood Wood American Legion Post # 448.
Survivors; wife, Bernice Wood Hayes, married in 1943, sons; Jim Hayes, and wife Susan, of Concord, NC, Joe Hayes and wife Jackie of Marietta, Georgia, Ken Hayes and wife Debbie of Granite Quarry, NC, daughter; Pam Higgins and husband Jim of Powder Springs, Georgia, brother; Frank Hayes and wife Judy of Charlotte, sisters; Marian Yarbrough and Helen Bray of Thomasville, NC, grandchildren; Mike Hayes and wife Kelly, Chris Hayes and wife Summer, Scott Hayes, Allison Hayes, Bo Higgins, Chris Higgins, Carley Higgins, great grandchildren; Trey Hayes, Davis Hayes, Addison Hayes, Jack Hayes and Parker Hayes.
Visitation: 6:00-8:00 PM Thursday at Powles Funeral Home, Rockwell, NC and the remainder of the time the family will be at the home of a son, Ken Hayes of Granite Quarry, NC.
Funeral Services: 2:00 PM Friday at Rockwell United Methodist Church, conducted by Rev. John Blalock, Pastor and assisting will be Rev. Bill Curry of Winston Salem and Dr. Jim Higgins. Burial will follow at Brookhill Memorial Gardens, Rockwell, NC with Military Graveside Rites by the North Carolina Army National Guard and the Rowan County Military Honor Guard.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Rockwell United Methodist Church, PO Box 337, Rockwell, NC 28138 or to East Cobb United Methodist Church, 2325 Roswell Road, Marietta, Georgia 30062
Powles Funeral Home is assisting the Hayes family.

New Hymnal

2008-04-23T15:27:00.003-04:00

Over the past few months I have been talking with you about the possibility of General Conference beginning the process of a new hymnal for The United Methodist Church. I gave you the opportunity a while back to be part of that process by participating in a survey. Nearly 20,000 responded to that survey and according to The United Methodist News Service the following was discovered:

The surveys revealed that the top three favorites in the UM Hymnal are “Amazing Grace,” “Here I Am, Lord” and “How Great Thou Art.” The top three favorite hymns from The Faith We Sing are “The Summons,” “I’ll Fly Away” and “As the Deer.” The top hymn (currently in the hymnal) requested to include in a new hymnal is “Eternal Father, Strong to Save.” Seventy-five percent of respondents would like to have healing services in the hymnal. Forty-three percent want more praise choruses in the hymnal; 34% do not. 28% prefer to sing lyrics on a screen; 70% prefer to use a hymnal or songbook. Seventy percent are comfortable using male-only language for God, while 25% are comfortable using female language for God and 42% are comfortable using male or female language for God.

General Conference is meeting for the next week and a half. I'll let you know if they decided to go ahead and start work on a new hymnal. If they do, do not expect to see it for another 5-10 years.

Cadet Ball

2008-03-17T17:35:00.003-04:00

It has been many years since I attended a high school dance, but on February 29th, I did. My son is a cadet in a NJROTC program, and they asked me to be the keynote speaker. I'm not sure if their first choice backed out, or if they just couldn't find anyone else to do it, so I agreed.

I have been speaking to a good number of community groups lately, including Civitans and Rotary. I'm scheduled for Lion's Club and a few other groups in the near future. I always jump at the chance to get McEachern's name out to the public. Anytime our leaders or staff are associated with worthwhile community events is a plus for our congregation as far as I am concerned.

So, it was time to dust off the dress blues and speak to a group of high schoolers who had no interest in hearing me speak! They are a great group of value driven young men and women, and I was proud to talk with them, and even dance a little bit.

Atlanta Tornado

2008-03-16T09:14:00.001-04:00

FROM THE NORTH GEORGIA DISASTER RELIEF COMMITTEE STORM REPORT FOR NORTH GEORGIA AREA

Updates will be posted to: http://www.ngumc.org/ministries/outreach/disaster_response/2008_north_georgia_tornados/
Saturday, March 15, 2008 – 5:15 p.m.Rev. Mike SelleckI’m writing to give readers a quick update of where things stand with the storms yesterday and today. Please note: This data is time sensitive and reflects what has been passed to us at this point.Friday Night Damage--UPDATE From the daylight photos on the news, we can see there is going to be a good amount of cleanup in the downtown area of Atlanta. Prior to checkpoints being set up, Associate Connectional Ministries Director, Rev. Shari Rates was inside the storm corridor early this morning taking photos and assessing the damage. She will be providing us with personal accounts of what will be needed in the days and weeks ahead. Rev. Byron Thomas of Central UMC reports that, despite the fact they are very close to the Georgia Dome, they only received power outages and no wind damage. Saturday Damage UPDATE--Saturday 5:15pm Violent storms continue even at the time of this email. The folks at Aragon UMC were caught in the midst of their Easter egg hunt, but took refuge inside the building--all are fine. There is reportedly a heavy amount of damage in Cedartown. Due to power outages, District Superintendent, Jacquie Rose Tucker, is still trying to learn what the status of things are in that area. Dr. Warren Lathem, District Superintendent of the Atlanta Marietta Distinct, has heard no report of damages in his area.Accessibility UPDATE--Saturday 5:15pm Conference Disaster Relief Committee Chairperson, Mr. Mike Yoder, is on the job. He and a few of additional committee members are in contact with Georgia Emergency Management as well as FEMA and are being apprised of any changes or requests for assistance. According to officials, “all volunteers are being asked to stand down and stay away especially in downtown Atlanta." They request as few people in the area until the storms pass and assessments can be made! Much of the Atlanta area clean up from last night is being done by qualified and properly equipped city crews; car removal, tree cutting, power restoration, rubble pick-up, etc. What is needed--UPDATE--Saturday 5:15pm At the moment we’re asking that you simply be prepared to assist when notification of assistance is issued early next week.Trained crews of UM “early response” volunteers are at the ready if needed. If you have not been trained in early response, please don’t make plans to just show up and see if you can help. One of the lessons from the Katrina and Rita storms is that untrained and unequipped volunteers often become a secondary disaster in an already chaotic situation. Significant steps have been taken to keep random groups of unqualified (untrained as first responders) teams out of a disaster any disaster area.Remember that our strength as a denomination has always been long term recovery – helping people put their lives back together over the months ahead, long after television crews, helicopters, and photographers have moved on. If you are not ready for “early response” work, know there will be many opportunities for all types of volunteers to assist in the recovery phases.If you need to report damage, heed this process: Pastors -- call your D.S.D.S.’s -- call Mike SelleckMike Selleck – call appropriate Disaster Committee folks.(If you’re interested in ‘early response’ or ‘recovery’ training for future disasters, log onto the Conference web site, drill down to Disaster Response, and make plans to get you and a team of folks qualified.)

Finances and Tithing

2008-03-03T17:50:00.003-05:00

I did not realize what would happen as a result of our sermon on giving yesterday.

A little background for you who were not there: During Lent I am preaching a series on the spiritual disciplines. The first week in Lent the sermon was on Bible reading and study. Subsequent weeks were on prayer and worship. Yesterday the sermon was on giving and the biblical standard of giving 10% of our income, or the tithe.

At the end of the sermon I said that many of us are not able to tithe because of the debt in which we have placed ourselves. I have taught my children that if they give God 10%, save 10%, live on the other 80% and do not borrow money, they will not only never have financial problems - they will be rich.

I have been inundated with requests by church members to meet regarding their personal finances. I am not a financial expert by any means. However, I can refer you to two programs that we use at McEachern and that I endorse wholeheartedly.

The first is Crown Financial Ministries. You can find more information about them here.

The second is Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. If you are in debt up to your eyeballs, need help setting up a budget, and want to be inspired by others who have done what you feel you can never do, this is the website for you. I am a big Dave Ramsey fan. We will be offering his Financial Peace University here at McEachern starting in the fall. You can start now by following his baby steps and listening to him on 640 WGST from 3-7 p.m. on weekdays.

Most of all, I want our congregation to find real financial peace. It does not come from following our culture's way of going into debt to buy "stuff". It comes from what John Wesley instilled in the early Methodists: "make all you can, save all you can, so you can give all you can". That's true peace, and abundant joy.

Dinner Tonight

2008-02-23T20:29:00.005-05:00

Those of you who know me know that I love to cook. Last Sunday was "she who must be obeyed"'s birthday.The problem was, one of my children, a girl-child was skiing in West, by god, Virginia, and I had to preach three worship services and then head to the mountains for a week for my rich uncle in DC. So, tonight, we finally did the birthday dinner and presents. The guest of honor was a nice standing rib roast that I had a buddy of mine cut for me. A little EVOO, some fresh ground pepper and kosher salt and it was ready to go.

Next was the sear. I got the egg (Big Green Egg)up to about a million degrees and seared the roast on each side. After that I let the roast rest for 20 minutes while the Egg cooled to a reasonable 350 degrees

Then it was back to the Egg where I took it to an internal temperature of 120 degrees, tented it with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. After that it was a sharp knife and the following:

This was all served up with some extra small English peas that I had seasoned well. I also did some great mashed potatoes. They were Yukon golds that I boiled after cubing them. I took a head of garlic, sliced off the top, drizzled with EVOO and roasted for about 45 minutes in a 400 degree oven. A little heavy whipping cream, a stick of butter, some salt and pepper, and BAM!, fluffy garlic whipped taters.

After a week away from cooking this is as good as it gets!

Happy birthday Pam!

The Lenten Experiment: Bible Study

2008-02-10T19:47:00.000-05:00

Today marks the first Sunday in the Lenten season. We began the season last Wednesday with a great Ash Wednesday service. During Lent I am preaching on the spiritual disciplines. During my sermon this morning I mentioned several study bibles and one "looser" translation.

The looser translation that I mentioned is The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language by Eugene Petersen. You can buy one of the cheaper editions at Cokesbury (the retail arm of The United Methodist Publishing House) at http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=569878

The two study Bibles I metioned are The New Oxford Annotated Bible http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=392577. This is the bible I used for study for many years, and I use a leather bound copy for preaching. However, since the HarperCollins Study Bible has been published that is the bible I have used for study. You can order it at http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=385829

Most of these bibles are also found at your local bookseller. You can find nicer versions of these bibles (hardbound or leatherbound) at Cokesbury, Amazon, or your local book store.

Happy reading!

It's Been a While

2008-02-06T16:40:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's been a while since I have blogged - but I have several excellent excuses!

I have been doing a little traveling lately for some continuing education. The week of January 21st I was in Orlando, a great place to be in January. I was attending The Large Church Initiative National Conference. Each year 600 or so of the Senior Pastors and staff of our largest United Methodist Churches gather together to share best practices and learn from some of the best minds in our denomination. I was able to spend time with Gil Rendle, author of When Moses Met Aaron: Staffing and Supervision in Large Congregations. Gil used to work for the Alban Institute and has great insights on leading a large congregation. I was also able to hear from Dr. Gary Mason about the work he is doing in East Belfast Ireland. Gary recently received an award from the Queen for his work in ending interfaith violence in Belfast. I also heard from Rev. David Beckmann, President of Bread for the World, about his work in overcoming hunger and poverty. I attended workshops on Implementing Your Vision with Wesley Habits, Human Resource Management, and a Senior Pastor's Affinity Group. All in all, it was a most worthwhile week.

Last week I was in Alpharetta at the International Leadership Institute Training. The goal of the International Leadership Institute (ILI) is to accelerate the spread of the Gospel around the world by training and mobilizing leaders of leaders to reach their nations with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Strategically selected leaders receive advanced training in leadership, evangelism, and multiplication. McEachern will be hosting one of the ILI conferences in Venezuela this Fall.

I should be around for a while and have more time to blog. One of the things I will be sharing with you soon is our Vision Forum. I'm excited about it, and hope you will be as well.

Snow!

2008-01-19T12:38:00.000-05:00

For the second time this week Atlanta has had snow! Of course it would have been more fun if the kids had gotten out of school on Thursday. But the roads were clear, and the buses rolled, so it was off to school they went.

It would have been better for us clergy types if the snow had not come on Saturday. Many churches have already cancelled services for tomorrow. Ironically, the bulletin paragraphs that I wrote were about our snow policy!

In a nutshell here's the policy: if the school district cancels school, all church activities are cancelled and the church offices are closed. If it snows on Sunday, we will still have services, but we strongly recommend you stay home if the roads are unsafe.

I live on the church campus, so safety is not an issue for me. I will conduct 8:15, 9:30, and 11:00 services for all who are intrepid enough to brave the elements. It may be an unusual service depending on what staff members are able to make it in.

This morning we sent out an email to over 2,000 people letting them know of our plans for tomorrow. Several outgoing voice mail greetings at the church have been changed as well. The church website should also have an update this afternoon that will let you know of our plans.

If you can't make it in the morning, I encourage you to join together with any family members you may have around you for prayer, and little Bible reading, and maybe a hymn or two. Then enjoy your family and neighbors and the beauty of the snow!

New Bible

2008-01-17T18:03:00.000-05:00

Abingdon Press is developing a new Wesley Study Bible that will be available next year. It's time now, however, to choose the final name for the Bible. Abingdon would like your opinion on three possible titles listed in the survey found in the link below.

Abindon wants to have feedback from a wide variety of people, so they have requested pastors and staff members to have as many laypeople complete the survey as possible. The survey will take only a couple of minutes to complete, and they would love to have a great response from church professionals and lay people alike. I thought I would do my part by posting their request on my blog.

To start the survey, please click on the link below.

http://spss.cokesburyresearch.com/WesleyStudyBibleTitleTest/index.htm

What's On My Ipod

2008-01-09T21:20:00.000-05:00

Tonight at our Wednesday Night Supper I was talking about running with my Ipod shuffle. One of our members said, "That'd be a good thing for your blog, 'What's on My Ipod'".

Now, what you need to know is that I am entirely obsessive-compulsive. I recieved a $50 gift card for ITunes last year for Christmas while I was in Iraq. So, an entire year ago I decided that when I returned to the US I would use the card, over a period of time, to catch up on what was "hot" in the music world in America. So the following list represents my attempt to remain relevant to the youth of our community. I use the shuffle while running, which was a big "no-no" in Iraq, but I did it anyway!

What's on my ipod (at least right now)

Bubbly - Colbie Caillat

It's Not over - Daughtry

Home - Daughtry

Over You - Daughtry

Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie

Paralyzer - Finger Eleven

How to Save a Life - The Fray

The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stephani

Waiting for the World to Change - John Mayer

Pictures of You - The Last Goodnight

First Time - Lifehouse

Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5

Wake Up Call - Maroon 5

How Far We've Come - Matchbox Twenty

Say It Right - NellyFurtado

If Everyone Cared - Nickleback

Who Knew - Pink

Little Wonders - Rob Thomas

Into the Night - Santana

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

Apologize - Timbaland

There's no telling what will be on my ipod in the next few weeks. The terrible thing is that I didn't get the Ipod nano for Christmas that I wanted. I would have settled for the 4 Gig, no need for the 8 gig (like my daughter got!). But I'm not hurt. . .much.

New Year's Resolution

2008-01-01T14:41:00.000-05:00

My New Year's Resolution is to start back to running and get back in shape.

For those of you who know me well it may surprise you that I have not been running. Running became a passion for me over thirteen years ago. At my peak I had run 7 marathons and countless 5 and 10k's and half-marathons. Three and a half years ago I began to slow down, and was unable to run as far as I had in the past. I could still click off seven minute miles, but that was much slower than I had run in the past and I could not sustain it for the 10-20 miles that I had at my peak.

My annual stress echo cardiogram showed why - my mitral valve was failing. Within a week of diagnosis I had open-heart surgery to repair the valve. I thought I would be back up and running in a matter of weeks. The truth is that I did not even feel human for 11 months. But I started from scratch and worked my way up to 12 miles before being called to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

I continued to run in Iraq, but that was somewhat counter productive. I would be a few miles into a run, and mortars would start falling. You can't really get into the groove if you have to stop and run for cover every few miles. Then I had a physical, and discovered I had high levels of CO2 in my bloodstream. Where I served had exhaust from generators, trucks, aircraft, and, oh yeah, an open burn pit the size of New Jersey. My doc suggested I run inside on a treadmill.

So, I'm starting over from scratch. This afternoon Chris and I went out for a mile run. Not far, and not fast, but my first run in three months. My goal is to start slow and easy and build from there. Remembering the acronym SAM (specific, achievable, and measurable) for goals I will set my first goal as the completion of a 10K by this spring. I hope to be able to run it fast enough to be seeded in this year's Peachtree Road Race.

I'm telling you this so you can hold me accountable - that's a good spiritual word. So every time you see me, ask me if I'm keeping my New Year's Resolution!

Tell me yours and I'll be your accountability partner.

A Christmas Parable

2007-12-24T09:53:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas Eve!

Years ago my father shared with me Louis Cassels' "Parable of the Birds". Since that time it has become my custom to use the parable in our Christmas Eve Services; this year will be no different.

Cassels was Senior Editor for United Press International, wrote as their Religion Correspondent, and penned this parable in 1959. It has continued to be reprinted in papers around the world for almost forty years.

The Parable of the Birds

Louis Cassels

Once upon a time, there was a man who looked upon Christmas as a lot of humbug. He wasn't a Scrooge. He was a very kind and decent person, generous to his family, upright in all his dealings with other men.

But he didn't believe all that stuff about God becoming man, which churches proclaim at Christmas. Why would God want to do anything like that?

So when his family left to attend midnight services on Christmas Eve, he stayed home.

Shortly after the family drove away snow began to fall. He went to the window and watched the flurries getting heavier and heavier. Sometime later, as he was reading his newspaper by the fire, he was startled by a thudding sound that was quickly followed by another. Then another.

When he went to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They had been caught in the storm, and in a desperate search for shelter had tried to fly through the window.

"I can't let these poor creatures lie there and freeze," he thought. "But how can I help them?"

Then he remembered the barn. It would provide a warm shelter. He quickly put on his coat and boots and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on the light.

But the birds didn't come in.

"Food will bring them in," he thought. So he hurried back to the house for bread crumbs, which he sprinkled on the snow to make a trail into the barn.

To his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around and waving his arms. They scattered in every direction -- except into the warm, lighted barn.

"They find me a strange and terrifying creature," he said to himself, "and I can't seem to think of any way to let them know they can trust me."

"If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety."

Just at that moment the church bells began to ring. He stood silently for awhile, listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas.

Then he sank to his knees in the snow. "Now I understand," he whispered. "Now I see why You had to do it."

The Real Meaning of Christmas

2007-12-18T15:26:00.000-05:00

I was watching the news and drinking my coffee this morning when the anchors began showing, and talking about, pictures of children sitting on Santa's lap. It was pretty funny, because they were all pictures of children crying, and the anchors were talking about children's fear of Santa. It would have been another fluff piece until one of the anchors made the offhand comment, "Well at least they're learning the true meaning of Christmas".

Huh?

Now, I know I often comment about the culture's values being different from the Christian values. I talk about our need to be "subversive witnesses against the dominant culture". But even this was a shock to me! But I also think it is indicative of what our culture believes. For many, Christmas is about Santa, the temple of the mall, and the priesthood of all shoppers.

I'm not going to bash the culture, or that anchor, or people who celebrate Christmas differently that I do. I am, however, going to say that we need to be better witnesses of what Christmas is all about: the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. I hope you'll join me.

December 30th Worship Schedule

2007-12-17T13:19:00.000-05:00

I wanted to give you all a heads up about a change in our Worship Schedule for the last Sunday of the year. We will have our 8:15 and 9:30 Traditional Worship Services as normal. Our 11:00 Transformation and Traditional Services, however, will be worshiping together in the sanctuary.

This change is due, in part, to the many requests we have had to occassionally worship together. As I discussed this with the Servant Team, the point was brought up that if we do this on "normal" Sundays we would not all fit in the sanctuary, and we don't have enough chairs to all fit in the Christian Life Center! So, we thought this year we would try to combine these services on the Sundays that are traditionally not as well attended as others. The great part about this is that it will give us powerful worship experiences on Sundays when the energy level may be a little low.

I hope you'll be supportive of this change, and enjoy worshiping together at 11:00 or at one of the services at 8:15 or 9:00

I've Ignored You

2007-12-05T16:01:00.000-05:00

I've started writing a blog entry several times this month, but something always happened that kept me from doing it. Here are some snippets of what I have been intending to write, remembering that my paternal grandmother's favorite phrase was, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions!"

I have been asked my opinion on the United Methodist bishops statement that all troops should begin an immediate withdrawal from Iraq. First, I want to remind you that the bishops do not speak for the Church. Only the General Conference, which meets every four years, can speak officially for The United Methodist Church; they do that through The Book of Discipline and The Book of Resolutions. Secondly, I think an immediate withdrawal would be catastrophic, plunging the entire area into conflict. I believe the statement was ill-advised and harmful. I am proud that our bishop, Lindsey Davis, did not vote for the adoption of the resolution.

On to happier matters. Last Sunday was the first Sunday in the liturgical season of advent. The word Advent comes from the Latin "adventus" meaning "coming". There is a dual purpose to this season; we remember Jesus' first Advent in Bethlehem, but we also look for his final coming in victory when the Kingdom of God will be fully realized. The color of purple is used of this season to remind us of its penitential and preparational nature. These four weeks allow us to do some spiritual housekeeping as we journey to Bethlehem. It is the gift the Church gives to us once a year in order to keep our spirits healthy.

Finally, I want to encourage you to sign up on the registration pads to have a name tag made. Then, when we distribute them in January, I want to ask you to wear them. We all like to be called by name, but there is no way we can know all our members, visitors, and constituents by name. Hopefully this will be a way of being a more hospitable congregation. It will help us all learn the names of others. I remember doing this in a congregation of 500 members (we number 3,000). I actually had two gentlemen who had each worshiped together for over 20 years, knew each other by sight, but did not know each others name! That church averaged a little under 200 in one worship service, so they had plenty of time together. They were both very active in the church. They just didn't know each other's names and were too embarrassed to ask!

I'll do my best to be more disciplined in posting to this blog. And if you have a question or a suggested topic, feel free to email me at jhiggins@mceachernumc.org.

Veteran's Day

2007-11-12T17:16:00.000-05:00

By a fluke of the calendar, my first Veteran's Day out of the combat zone fell on a Sunday. So, yesterday during our worship services we honored our vets by projecting the pictures from their years of service during our anthem and had them stand as their service song was sung. Many of our vets wore part or all of their uniforms, and I wore my "blues" instead of the traditional robe.

Veteran's Day this year was different for me. Maybe, for the first time, I felt like a true vet - one who had served in a combat zone. Perhaps for the first time I felt truly like a "Soldier" and not "just" a Reservist. For whatever reason, yesterday was a special day.

In the afternoon I had the opportunity to speak to a group of vets, primarily WW II vets, in Roswell. It's good to still see the inter service rivalry and esprit de corps after so many years away from the service. Our WWII vets are truly a national treasure, and the greatest generation. These are the folks who spent years away from home, had V-mail instead of email, and did not have 15 days mid-tour leave. Unfortunately, we are losing them at a rate of about 1,000 per day. I was also surprised to learn that we still have about 250 WWI vets still living.

I think that when I breathe my last and my eyes close in eternal sleep, I'll look back on my life and one of the things I will be proudest of will be my service over the past year. It was truly an honor to serve with the men and women I was with in Iraq - they are some of the finest people I have ever met.

Happy Veteran's Day.

Then and Now

2007-11-08T10:44:00.001-05:00

This is a picture taken this past summer in Balad, Iraq at the Sherpadome, home of the C-23's we used to fly down to Tallil in when not in rotary wing aircraft. I'm on the left, with CPT Josh McConkey in the center and MAJ Joe Kelly on the right. These are two of the finest men, and greatest medical officers in the U.S. Army.

This is what we looked like this past weekend in Breckenridge, Colorado!

All Soldiers, and their spouses, are given the opportunity to attend a Reunion & Reintegration Weekend after deployment. I led 30 of these retreats in the Southeast for the 81st Regional Readiness Command before being deployed to Iraq. We learn how to better communicate, deal with conflict, and reintroduce fun, friendship, sensuality, and spirituality into our relationships. It was great to get reconnected with Joe and osh, along with so many other Soldiers that I served with in Iraq. It was great to meet the spouses of these Soldiers as well.

And 30-50 degree weather beats 110-120 degrees any day!

Parking Lot Update, Part II

2007-10-31T15:52:00.000-04:00

The paving is complete! It has been a long journey; felling trees, moving dirt, installing underground utilities and irrigation, drainage, curbs, pouring and rolling gravel. But in one day all the asphalt was put out and rolled.

Today the irrigation system is being completed and the landscaping is being planted.

In addition to the parking lot, the retention pond has been reconfigured. The pond has been hydroseeded, and soon the new fence will be installed. By the end of the week the lot should be striped and ready to be used.

Parking is a huge issue for churches. These additional spaces will give prime parking space for an additional 200-240 participants. Thanks to all the folks who had the vision to add these prime spaces.

Speaking of prime spaces - why not save the best spaces at our church for those who need them most and our visitors? It is an act of servant leadership to park as far from the building as possible and walk to the church. Regardless of what I have planned for the day, I always walk to the church so someone else can have my space. I enjoy the weather, some time alone, and the quiet of the predawn darkness. Why not drop off your family at the door, and then park in the upper lot? Or park up there and and walk down together as a family. Also, consider how many cars you bring to the church. Driving together as a family can be an act of stewardship not only of parking spaces, but of God's resources of oil as well.

Neighborhood Meetings

2007-10-29T10:17:00.000-04:00

Over the past two months I have attended 23 neighborhood meetings in our congregation. The experience has enabled me to have some intimate time with 450-500 members and friends of our congregation. It has also helped me learn more about our congregation's strengths, growing edges, and passions. I'll be sharing this with our leadership and using the information gained in the future as we seek to discern God's preferred future for McEachern.

I learned that you are most proud of:

Our Missions Ministry
Our Recreation Ministry
Our Children's Ministry

I learned we need to work on:

Communication
Youth Ministry
Stewardship
Moving from being a welcoming church to an inviting church

A special word of thanks go out to all the folks who opened their homes and prepared snacks, or even full meals, for anywhere from 10-40 people. And thanks to all those who took time from their schedules to attend one of the meetings.

I have loved almost every moment of the Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons and evenings that I have spent with you; but to be perfectly honest, I'm looking forward to having a little free time now that they're over!

Help Us Be Good Stewards

2007-10-25T09:09:00.000-04:00

Most of you probably receive the weekly Senior Pastor letter via email, so this post is not news to you. We are seeking to be better managers of our resources here at McEachern by finding ways to save the resources God has blessed us with without cutting back on the important work we are doing in missions and ministry.

Did you know that each month we send out a 12 page newsletter to over 1,000 households? Think about that cost for a moment: paper, printing, copying, and postage, not to mention the countless volunteer hours spent preparing the newsletter for mailing. The postage alone costs nearly $1,000 per month.

Now, most of the newspapers and newsletters that I receive I get online. We want to do the same with our newsletter, The Vine. You are obviously technically savvy, otherwise you would not be checking this blog. I am asking for all our online folks to email Gwen Harper, Senior Pastor's Secretary, at gwen@mceachernumc.org and ask to be removed from The Vine mailing list. Instead, we will send you a hyperlink each month letting you know that the newsletter is available on line. You can read it online, or print it out at home or your office. You will receive it much faster than through the mail, and know that you are being a good steward as well!

Don't put this on your "to do" list. Do it now!

Autumn

2007-10-18T17:14:00.000-04:00

Fall is without a doubt my favorite season, and always has been. There's something about the cool nights and warm days, the fallen leaves skittering across the pavement, and the smell of woodsmoke in the air that evokes memories of earlier times.

Fall is all about reminiscence to me. There is just something so evocative about the season of things past.

And of course there is nowhere better to be than in the mountains!

Today I traveled to the North Georgia mountains with our Older Adult ministry. We stopped to buy apples, eat meals, enjoy the scenery, and be with one another. It was one of the most relaxing days I have had in quite a while.

As soon as I get the group picture I will post it on the blog.

While I am at it, let me say a few words about our older members at McEachern. These are the folks on whose shoulders the current church stands. These men and women came to our congregation when it was much smaller, and were the catalyst for many of the missions and ministries we have today. They are our institutional memory and have the wisdom of folks who have "been there, done that!" I was proud to be asked to be part of their group today - it was an honor to travel, visit, and eat with them.

Random Acts of Kindness

2007-10-15T13:17:00.000-04:00

Those of you who have heard me preach, or have heard my "stump speech", know that I often talk about being sent out into the world as disciples. I talk about how we do that in organized ways such as with mission trips, but also how we need to go out individually into our homes, communities, and workplaces as disciples. Something happened today that illustrates what I mean.

With the cooler weather I have begun running during my lunch time. I'm not doing long runs, just a few miles to clear my head, enjoy God's creation, and give myself time to think. I usually run two-thirds of the length of my planned run, turn around and run back for the last third, and then walk back to the church for a cool down.

During my cool down today a truck coming toward me stopped, the window rolled down, and a gentleman stuck his head out of the window and asked, "Are you okay? Do you need a ride?" Well, I guess I looked like I was hurting! I thanked him, told him I was fine, and was just cooling down from a run. He said goodbye and headed on his way.

As I finished my walk I thought, "What a great guy!" and I breathed a quick prayer of thanks and asked God to bless him. I don't know who he is, and I doubt he knows who I am. He just saw a possibility to be of help and acted on it. It didn't matter that he was headed in the opposite direction; he was willing to turn around, pick me up, and take me wherever I needed to go.

That's what it means to be sent out as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

BBQ!

2007-10-12T10:33:00.000-04:00

One of the great traditions of autumn is the church barbeque. Our United Methodist Men are out at the BBQ pit even as we speak preparing to cook pork and chicken for tomorrow's event. Saturdays are usually pretty busy times in our families - soccer, errands, fall baseball; you name it, we try to cram it all in on Saturday. Why not make things a little easier by picking up some plates for lunch, and some bulk pork or chicken for dinner? You can stop by a pick it up from 11-4.

Don't forget the Waterless Car Wash as well. Our Youth Choir will be taking donations, and then issuing vouchers for a car wash after the drought ends.

Speaking of drought; are you praying for rain?

See you tomorrow and Sunday at McEachern!

In Memoriam

2007-10-08T12:03:00.000-04:00

Yesterday during most of our worship services we prayed for Carole Smith.

I first met Carole when I was the Youth Minister at Campground UMC in Marietta, now East Cobb UMC. Jimmy and Carole have two daughters, the youngest of whom was in my youth group. I got to know the Smith's well during that time, and later returned to perform the marriage ceremonies of both girls. I regularly saw Jimmy and Carol as we would return to Marietta to visit family during the holidays and other special events.

A few hours after we prayed for her, Carole lost her battle with cancer, but won the race and entered the presence of Christ.

There are several thoughts that I have about all this. First, how good it is to have the kind of connections with friends through the Church that last through decades. It is comforting beyond measure to have a faith that reminds us of resurrection, and the assurance that we are not separated forever by physical death.

It's also good to know that we are willing to pray for people we do not know. I am able to be with the family and let them know that they are not alone, and that there are plenty of people thinking of, and praying for, them today.

I guess what I am saying is this: it's good to be the Church. When we are at our best we are there to support and love one another in the bad times, and rejoice in the good times. And we are there in the in-between times as well.

Lift up a prayer for Carole's family today. And while you're at it, give thanks that God has given us a church family at McEachern.

Wednesday Night Suppers

2007-10-03T20:24:00.000-04:00

Wednesday Nights have been one of my favorite nights for a number of years. Our Wednesday nights suppers are a time when we do what we do best as United Methodists: eat! But it is more than that. Wednesday nights are laid back; there is not the hurry or the formalism of Sunday with all our worship services. I have the opportunity to see folks from the 8:15, 9:s0 and both of the 11:00 services. We are truly inter-generational on Wednesday nights - often there are people from 3 or 4 generations sitting at the same table.

Allen Richburg and his folks discovered the secret: it's about having excellent food and excellent programs. Cindy Blocksidge and her folks have provided outstanding bible studies and programs. It's great to just come, eat, and sit around the tables and talk, even if we're not going on to studies or prayer meeting.

We're regularly running around 200 people on Wednesday night, but I hope we'll soon have it up to 300. Some folks have asked if we can serve until 7, so we're looking into that. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for folks to be a part of this great time. Maybe we'll be able to make reservations on line when our new website is launched at the end of this month. I'll have to talk with our techies about that.

Finally, thanks for checking out the blog. You can check out our stats on the right hand side of the page. But it looks like I need to change the time zone: it's telling me it's 12:20 tomorrow morning!

Parking Lot Update

2007-10-02T14:09:00.000-04:00

Hopefully you have noticed the progress on our parking lot expansion behind our church buildings. The site has been graded and drainage has been installed. The curbs have been poured, as well as the islands. This week the underground work for lighting and irrigation will be done, and, Lord willing, next week we'll start paving! We hope to have the work completed by the end of the month, and have a dedication service the first Sunday in November or thereabouts. We hope to add about 130 spaces, which will accommodate an additional 225 people.

Ken Callahan, in his book Twelve Keys to an Effective Church, writes:

"Parking is a decisive factor in the life of a congregation. There is a direct
correlation between parking and participation. The more adequate the parking,
the more likely there is to be strong participation in church school and
worship.

Moreover, there is a direct correlation between participation
and giving. Indeed, there is a correlation between parking and worship
attendance and a further correlation between worship and giving. The church that
is short on parking may very well be short on worship attendance, and therefore,
on contributions. People who participate in a congregation tend to contribute to
that congregation. Parking, land, and landscaping are more important than many
pastors and leaders of congregations have thought."

Thank God we have an insightful group of leaders who have led us to add this additional parking. Space for 225 more people means we can reach more people for Christ!

Welcome to Dr. Jim's Blog

2007-10-01T18:43:00.000-04:00

As you probably know, I have been attending neighborhood meetings for friends and members of McEachern. I am trying to meet folks, and trying to find out what we do well, and what we need to be working on. One of the constant needs of an organization our size is communication.

We have so many groups, so many ministries, and so much activity, that no one person can "know it all". We have our website, our monthly newsletter, the weekly Senior Pastor letter, and our worship bulletins; but we can do better. This blog is my way of adding (hopefully!) to the solution.

Here I will post late breaking news, great thoughts (ok, mediocre thoughts) and various ramblings. Feel free to tell me what you would like to see on this blog, or announcements or issues you would like to see addressed.

We live in exciting technological times. My prayers is that this blog will help us be more successful in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, and of making disciples.