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!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Annual Conference 2010
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.
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.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Security
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Strange Day
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.
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.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
There's Good in the World
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.
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.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Jesus Talks about His Birthday
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
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
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Advent
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
