Prayers for the People of Norway

I received the following letter from Bishop Christian Alsted of The United Methodist Church in Norway in an email today. I hope you will join me in praying for the people of Norway. Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Letter from Bishop Alsted on the terrorist attack in Norway



Life in Norway that we usually experience safe and secure was brutally shaken by a violent bomb explosion in the government district in Oslo on Friday, 22 July, and further by an incomprehensible massacre at a national youth camp run by the Labour party on island Utoya. At this time the police have reported more than 90 victims, of which 84 are from the youth camp, and a number of people are injured. The police have arrested a 32 year old extreme right wing Norwegian who while impersonating a police officer shot and killed youth at the camp and is also charged to be behind the bombing in Oslo.
In the past 24 hours we have seen pictures and heard stories of events that we would not have thought could take place in a peaceful country like Norway. Young people on island Utoya have been exposed to experiences so horrifying, that it will impact them for life. This incident affects the whole nation of 4.5 million, and families across the country grieve their loved ones. In this national tragedy the Norwegian people needs the support, care and prayers of the churches.
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg has encouraged the Norwegian people to respond with openness in protection of our democratic society, and the cabinet fully supports this attitude. We know that our churches and pastors will actively participate in the care and support of affected families and friends. Many people will have a need to get together with others to share their thoughts and emotions in coming to terms with this terrible experience, therefore we encourage congregations to make our churches available for conversation, silence and prayer. We have also encouraged our churches to organize memorial services, preferably ecumenically, to give people the opportunity to express their grief and despair and to find comfort and strength in Christ.
The first memorial service will be at the Central Church UMC in Oslo on Sunday 24 July where bishop emeritus Oystein Olsen will preach. At the worship services I all Methodist Churches in the Episcopal area we encourage to prayer for the families who have lost loved ones. We also encourage to prayer for wisdom and strength for the Norwegian government, and to pray that Norway as a nation will not be ruled by fear but that we will be able to continue to live in trust and openness with each other.

Christian Alsted, Bishop of the Nordic and Baltic Area

Mission and Ministry

Today was a really good day of worship at my church. Bishop John G. Innis of The United Methodist Church in Liberia was our guest speaker. It was wonderful to hear about the ministry of the church in Liberia and how God is working through the people there.
We also heard a report from the Awaken the City mission program that is sponsored by my church. It brings church groups from the region and other parts of the country to Cincinnati for a week at a time. The groups volunteer at inner city soup kitchens, food pantries, senior centers, and churches.
We also had an impromptu prayer for one of our pastors who has been receiving treatment for cancer. According to the doctors, his cancer is now in remission. Several congregation members came forward to lay hands on the pastor and his wife and pray for them.
On my way home after worship, I said a prayer of thanksgiving for my congregation and its many ministries. I really feel like I need to get more involved and I felt like this morning was just another sign from God that I need to move forward in taking a more active role in using my gifts to build up the Body of Christ.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Turning Points

I have been watching today a History Channel series on the American Revolution through my Netflix subscription. I always enjoy learning more about the history of our country and this series is well done. I am learning new things about the events that led up to the start of the Revolution and the Revolution itself.
One of the things that has struck me so far is that how many times the cause of American Independence hung by a thread. If events had unfolded in a slightly different way, the United States might never have come into being.
For example, in the Battle of Long Island, New York, the Continental Army was able to resist capture and defeat because of heavy fog that allowed troops to escape from the British who were charging after them. But for the camouflage of the fog, all might have been lost early on for the Americans. Also, when Washington and his troops made their famous crossing of the Delaware River to attack in Trenton, New Jersey, they might have been overwhelmed by Hessian troops but for the fact that reinforcements had not yet arrived because the commander of these troops stopped in Mount Holly, New Jersey to be entertained by a widow whose affection he wanted to win. Along with this, many Continental soldiers' commissions were up at the end of 1776 and most planned to go back to their homes. However, Washington promised them a $10 raise (the equivalent of one month's pay) and many decided to stay. The interesting thing is that Washington never had Congressional approval for this raise. He made it up on the fly with the hope of enticing soldiers to continue fighting. What if Congress had not gone along with this or what if the majority of soldiers would have not thought $10 extra was enough? Again, history would have been very different.
What this helps me to see is that the decisions we make both small and large and the actions that we take both small and large impact the future in ways that we may never realize. While not all of us are going to be leaders like George Washington, we still have the power to influence people and make a difference in our world. For example, I once read that if every member of the United Methodist Church tithed (gave ten percent of their income to the church), all budgets would be met locally, nationally, and globally and there would be enough money left over to end hunger in the entire world. And that's only United Methodists. Think what could be possible if Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Catholics, and all other Christians would tithe. The entire world might be transformed in the name of Jesus Christ. Now that would really be something.
I invite you to join me in praying about how together we can make a difference in the world with the resources with which God has blessed us. It all starts with us. We have the power to change the world if only we will step out in faith.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Letter from Missouri

I received this letter through a United Methodist email list I subscribe to. The letter was written by Bishop Robert Schnase of the Missouri Conference of The United Methodist Church. I thought I would share his words of hope and call to action with you.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Dear Colleagues,


I give God thanks for every one of you for your many kind emails, voice messages, phone calls, and expressions of concern following the devastating tornado that destroyed much of Joplin, MO. Among those killed were several United Methodists, and every United Methodist Church in the area has members who have lost their homes. All our pastors and church staff are safe. We lost two church buildings, including St. Paul United Methodist Church ( a large, strong, vibrant congregation with an average attendance of close to 1000), and we lost the District Superintendent’s Office. Several other churches and parsonages received more limited damage. The hospital and five of the seven schools in Joplin were nearly completely destroyed.
The Missouri Conference Disaster Response team has been active and effective from the earliest hours, and many of our churches have sent trained First Responder teams. Tom Hazlewood from UMCOR was on the ground in Joplin within 24 hours. Many of you have generously offered funds directly to the Missouri Conference and others have expressed your intention of supporting the UMCOR Spring Storms appeal. All of your gifts are appreciated. In addition many have expressed their active interest in sending VIM teams to the area. Please refrain from doing so during the immediate days ahead since only highly trained and professional teams are on-site at this time. However, we shall covet your help during the weeks and months to come.
The city of Joplin was named after Rev. Harris Joplin, an early Methodist preacher who settled there in 1839. For years, he hosted people in his home and led them in worship, prayer, and singing. His ministry was one of hospitality in the truest sense, and he used his own humble dwelling as a tool for ministry. As far as I know, the building he used no longer exists, but the church community he founded provided the seeds from which dozens of area congregations have sprouted. All of us who are Missouri United Methodists are to some degree the fruit of his ministry.
Tornadoes and hurricanes and floods and fires can take away our beloved and sacred places in a moment’s time, but the love of God that binds us to another is not nearly so vulnerable. God’s persistent and persevering love causes us to reach out to help a neighbor and to embrace strangers and to assist one another in the rebuilding of lives. The church is not the pile of lumber and bricks left after the destroying winds and rains; the church is the gathering of people standing above the rubble unified by the spirit of Christ to love and serve others. The church is the people counseling one another through unfathomable grief and loss. The church is people risking lives for their neighbors and opening their homes to strangers. The church is people across the state and nation and world praying and giving and preparing to offer their best and highest in service to help rebuild lives. The church is alive and vigorous and redeeming. It is grace in every gesture and love in every action. The church is the body of Christ doing the things Jesus did in Jesus’ name today.
Thanks to you, United Methodists will rebuild in Joplin. On behalf of others of our colleagues whose areas have been affected by tornadoes and floods, I strongly encourage you to lift up the UMCOR Spring Storms appeal. Funds at UMCOR are extraordinarily low right now, and this severely limits our capacity to act quickly and effectively during times of tragedy. Your help is appreciated.

Yours in Christ,
Robert Schnase,
Missouri Conference

UMCOR

I was reading tonight on the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) website http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.3212391/k.7769/United_Methodist_Committee_on_Relief/apps/s/link.asp
about how United Methodists are responding to the various natural disasters in our nation and around the world. It seems wherever there is need, The United Methodist Church is there making a difference in the name of Christ.
There are a lot of things for which I could criticize The United Methodist Church, but UMCOR is not one of them. When the earthquakes hit, United Methodists are there. When the flood waters rise, United Methodists are there. When tornadoes create huge paths of destruction, United Methodists are there. We feed the hungry, bring healing to the wounded, shelter the homeless, and offer comfort to the downhearted.
For all these reasons, I am grateful for The United Methodist Church. I am grateful for those of us who continue to live out the legacy of John Wesley's vision and ministry. I am grateful to be a part of a movement that has the power to transform the world in the name of Christ.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Prayers for Tornado Survivors

I've had a really wild and crazy day. I thought I would write about the anxiety-filled chaotic day and then I read this news release from the United Methodist News Service about those communities literally ripped apart by the tornadoes.

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5259669&ct=9371889

So, instead of my usual whining, I thought I would share this article with you and invite you to join me in praying for the people impacted by these terrible storms. My anxiety and personal drama pales in comparison to what so many people across the Southern United States are going through and how we can help.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Responding to Great Need

Along with the world, I continue to feel overwhelmed by the aftermath of the earthquake in Japan. It makes me grateful I do not have cable television or I would be doing nothing else but watching the non-stop coverage. The articles I've read online have caused my heart to break.
All I know to do is to pray and to give. I am grateful for the United Methodist Committee on Relief that is already making plans to help those devastated by the disaster. I am thankful that my gifts will help bring a cup of cold water to those who have lost everything in life.
I read this article about what United Methodists are doing in Japan and beyond to make a difference in the name of Christ.
http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5259669&ct=9172069
I invite you to continue to join me in praying for all those impacted by the Japan earthquake.
Thank you for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Star-Child

We sang a hymn today in worship that I have never sung before entitled Star-Child. It's from the United Methodist Church's The Faith We Sing hymnal supplement. There are many beautiful songs in this supplement and Star-Child is certainly among the most beautiful and touching songs I've sung.
The hymn is certainly appropriate for Christmas and Epiphany but today in our worship service it was also quite appropriate as we continue through this season after the Epiphany. The theme of the service related to God's justice and the ways in which Jesus turned the order of the world upside down with his ministry and presence on earth.
I found this You-Tube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTD_Zz829So of a girls choir singing Star-Child but they omit the verse that I think is the most powerful and the one that really touched my heart as we sang it today in worship. It speaks to the sad reality that there are so many children in our world who have had their innocence stolen by the neglect and abuse of others. There are so many places in our world where children will not be given the chance to simply be children because they are dealing with the harsh realities of the brokenness of this world.
And while these lyrics were very difficult for me to sing this morning, I also found power in them as they left my lips. They challenged me to do what I can to be an advocate for those children who are continually marginalized by our society. In my role as the Family Services Coordinator at TriState Habitat for Humanity, I have the opportunity to bring change to the lives of children living in poverty through the reality of safe, decent, and affordable homes for their families. This is one way that I can remind families and the communities in which Habitat works that God is Emmanuel - God with us.
Here's the verse that's not in the video and that touched me so deeply:

Street child, beat child,
No place left to go,
Hurt child, used child
No one wants to know:
This year, this year
Let the day arrive
When Christmas comes
for ev'ryone, ev'ryone alive.
- lyrics by Shirley Erena Murray

May this year, this new year, be the year when Christmas comes for everyone alive. Amen!
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Covenant Prayer

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, adapted the Covenant Service for use in among Methodist Societies. Central to the service we the Covenant Prayer that requires a person to commit oneself to God. In many Methodist churches today the Covenant Service is most commonly held on New Year's Eve or Day and is sometimes called a Watch Night Service.
I invite you to pray with me this Covenant Prayer as we prepare to ring in the New Year:

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.

Welcomed into a New Church Home

This morning I had the honor and privilege of being welcomed into a new church home at the church I have been attending. While I couldn't take the membership vows since United Methodist clergy are members of Annual Conferences, the pastors did invite me to stand before the congregation along with the others who became members. It was a very nice service and a very meaningful time for me.
After the service, we stood in the front of the sanctuary and people came up and welcomed us to the congregation. It was very nice to be able to meet some of the leaders and other members in the life of the congregation. I felt a real sense of being welcomed into a church family. Some might question how this is possible in such a large church (about 3,000 members). For me it all comes down to the spiritual DNA of the church. This is a regional church and so many people are from someplace else. They know what it means to be a stranger in the city and they take the time to welcome newcomers in Christian fellowship.
I am really looking forward to getting involved in ministry in the life of the church. I feel as if God has led me to this community of faith at this time in my journey and I want to give my very best to helping the church to expand its mission and ministry.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Another Family Recruitment Event

Today I attended another family recruitment event in Middletown, Ohio. It was sponsored by the Butler County Head Start program. The usual suspects were there representing several of the area social service agencies. In fact, I recognized some of the people from yesterday's event with the 300 pregnant women.
Today's event caused new anxieties for me. I never got the memo but this health fair had a Hawaiian theme. The tables were decorated with bright green plastic table cloths and they had helium Mylar balloons that looked like palm trees and Hawaiian shirts. In addition to this, a man was there who tried to engage the children in music. He had a box of rhythm instruments that he allowed the children to play. For about fifteen minutes the man led the children around the room with the instruments in a kind of conga line. It was very loud and looked somewhat sticky from where I sat.
The guy who brought the instruments also brought a stereo that was loud enough to fill the gym in which the event was held. He kept playing the same three songs over and over again: a Calypso song, Bang the Drum All Day, and One Love by Bob Marley. These three songs were on a continuous loop of play for over two hours. I can honestly say that I don't want to hear any of those songs again for quite some time.
This event was not nearly as fruitful for Habitat. We only had one request for an application compared to 48 requests yesterday. I'm not sure what the difference is. There were definitely not as many people at this event. However, I was glad that at least one family showed an interest in our program.
Tomorrow is a big day for TriState Habitat for Humanity. We have two house dedications. One in the morning in Lebanon, Ohio and one in Florence, Kentucky in the afternoon. I am looking forward to participating in both events. These are always times of great celebration in the life of our affiliate.
On Sunday, I will be recognized at one of the morning worship services in my new church home. While I can't take membership vows in a local church, I will be introduced to my new church family. I am looking forward to this morning.
I also am looking forward to the coming week. I'm taking some vacation time and will be headed to St. Louis, Missouri to visit with my friends Ian and Sheri for the week of Thanksgiving. I am ready for a break from work and looking forward to spending time with my friends.
I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Reconnecting

I had a wonderful visit on the phone today with one of my friends from Indiana. Terry and I have not talked for a few years and it was good to hear his voice and catch up with him. We seemed to pick up right where we left off. It sounds like God is blessing he and his wife Susan in some amazing ways. I was glad to hear that things are going well for him and there are new possibilities on the horizon for them.
Terry and Susan were God's living grace to me when I was serving as the pastor at Lydick UMC. They were some of my closest friends and confidants. They listened to me whine a whole lot. They helped me to grow in my faith. They held me accountable and loved me through times when I was not so lovable. They helped me to grow in my faith and relationship with Christ in ways that I cannot begin to understand. Some of my best memories of my time in Lydick are of talking late into the evening with Terry and Susan in their home.
So, I'm giving God thanks for my conversation with Terry today. It was a huge blessing to me.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Reformation Day

In the midst of all the Halloween festivities, I think it's important to remember that October 31 is a very important day in the history of the church. In the Protestant church, October 31 is called Reformation Day. It was on this day in 1517 that Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the doors (see photo) of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. It was this single act that most people point to as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
Here's a little bit more about this amazing man of faith from Wikipedia:

Martin Luther (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest and professor of theology who initiated the Protestant Reformation. Strongly disputing the claim that freedom from God's punishment of sin could be purchased with money, he confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517. His refusal to retract all of his writings at the demand of Pope Leo X in 1520 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms in 1521 resulted in his excommunication by the pope and condemnation as an outlaw by the emperor.

Luther taught that salvation is not earned by good deeds but received only as a free gift of God's grace through faith in Jesus as redeemer from sin. His theology challenged the authority of the pope of the Roman Catholic Church by teaching that the Bible is the only source of divinely revealed knowledge and opposed sacerdotalism by considering all baptized Christians to be a holy priesthood. Those who identify with Luther's teachings are called Lutherans.
His translation of the Bible into the language of the people (instead of Latin) made it more accessible, causing a tremendous impact on the church and on German culture. It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation into English of the King James Bible. His hymns influenced the development of singing in churches. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage, allowing Protestant priests to marry.

I hope you will join me in giving thanks for Martin Luther and his faith that helped to transform both the church and the world. For we who embrace Protestantism, in many ways he is our spiritual father. In fact it was upon hearing a reading of Martin Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans that John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, felt his heart "strangely warmed". For Wesley, this would be a turning point in his history and many point to this moment as catalyst for the Methodist church and Wesley's transformational ministry.
I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Introduction to a New Church Home

I am very excited as I sit down to write this blog entry. I returned a few hours ago from an orientation session for the church that I have been attending for the last few months. It was a wonderful experience for me. I was able to meet three of the pastors and two of the program staff members. There were about 20 people who were in attendance to learn more about the church and its ministries. This is a part of their membership class series. While I can't join the church (United Methodist pastors belong to Annual Conferences rather than local churches), they did allow me to attend this series of classes so that I could learn more about the church and discern how I might best use my gifts to serve in the life of the church.
As I listened to the pastors and staff speak, I was filled with a sense of confirmation from God that this is the right place at the right time for me in my journey. It's hard to put into words but I felt as if I had found a church in which I could participate and my gifts would be put to good use and I would find a community of Christians who would support and challenge me in my journey.
One of the things that I have been wrestling with about attending this church is that it's a bit of a drive for me. It's 25 miles one way and I was worried about how I would really be able to participate in ministry other than on Sunday mornings. Driving 30-45 minutes (depending on traffic) to church is something that I have never really done before. I know that sounds like an excuse, but I guess I was worried I would be seen by those living in the church's neighborhood as some outsider who simply commutes in for worship and then leaves never to be seen again until the next Sunday. However, as I began to meet the people who were attending the class, I found out that it is truly a regional church. People drive from all over the Cincinnati area to attend this church. I met people from Northern Kentucky, the northern suburbs of Cincinnati, and all parts of Hamilton County in which Cincinnati is located. I spoke with one of the pastors who told me that it takes her about 25 minutes to get to church from where she lives. When I heard this, I knew that I couldn't use travel distance as an excuse any more.
I am most impressed by the church's mission and context for ministry. They have a true heart for the city and are involved in a number of inner city missions throughout Cincinnati. About ten years ago, the church purchased a former Catholic monastery down the street and have developed it into a educational and retreat center. The church also has a global emphasis and have helped to launch new churches in different parts of the world. The church is located in a rather affluent neighborhood in Cincinnati, but they seem to attract people of all backgrounds and socio-economic groups.
The church seems to be in the midst of transition and God is moving in a powerful way in the life of the congregation. A new senior pastor arrived a little over a year ago who is helping them to put into place new systems that will help them to be more effective in all areas of ministry. We heard some about this today at the orientation session.
What surprises me most about my sense of God's leading me to this congregation is that it has very traditional worship services. The church looks like a Gothic cathedral from the outside and on the inside. It is a beautiful building complete with a gigantic pipe organ. They use the full liturgy from the United Methodist Hymnal whenever they celebrate the Sacraments. It's about as high church as you can get in the United Methodist Church. Why this is so ironic is that in my last church in Knoxville, they were far from traditional in worship style. They had a traditional worship but it was not what I would consider high church. I most often attended one of the contemporary services. When I helped to launch the new campus of the church, this service was totally contemporary. So, I find it strange that I am attracted to this very traditional worship service. However, I think the difference is that this is traditional worship done well. I enjoy all kinds of worship styles and the difference for me is the quality of worship. Most churches that I served and have attended in my opinion don't do worship well. This has nothing to do with the vocal range of the choir or how many electric guitars they have in the band. It has everything to do with a pursuit of excellence to honor God in all that they do. In too many churches the preachers, organists, song leaders, ushers, band members, liturgists, and people in the pews do not take worship seriously. They bring a half-hearted attempt at praise to a God Who give us everything. When I left parish ministry, I vowed that I would find a church home that knows what it means to sincerely honor and worship the living God of all creation. I will not settle for okay. I expect the best because God deserves the best.
Most of all, finding this new church home is an answer to prayer for me. I have been hoping that God would lead me to a community in which I can connect with Christians in order to serve the world. I feel like I have found that place. I need people who will pray for me and with me and hold me accountable to the teachings of my Christian faith. I am grateful for this opportunity to connect with this congregation in this way.
So, here I am at this point in my journey not at all where I thought I would be. I'm doing a job that I deeply love. I am living in a wonderful metropolitan region with much to do and enjoy. I have connected with friends from my past who help me to get out and have some fun. I'm about to start a new adventure through the creative writing course I'm taking beginning on Monday evening. I'm blessed to be a part of my nephew Cameron's life. Now, I'm on the verge of settling on a church home. It is truly an amazing crossroads moment for me. God continues to bless me and bring me healing and hope. God is leading me on an amazing journey that fills me with anticipation and expectation for what may be just around the corner. God is so good to me.
If you would like to learn more about my new church home, you can check them out on the church's website: http://www.hydeparkchurch.com/ It's a great church with a great mission.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Back to Work Tomorrow

After a really nice respite, it's back to work for me tomorrow. I am actually looking forward to getting back to the office and my work with applicants and Habitat Partner Families. I think this break came at a good time. I was feeling a little cranky before my time off and now I feel recharged and ready to do the work to which God has called me.
I also am feeling a sense of renewed peace in my soul. I've shared with you in previous posts that I have been feeling restless and I wasn't sure why. I've spent time listening and I feel like I am ready to take some action steps in response to this restlessness. First, I realize that I need to connect with a Christian community. I've spent nearly a year looking for a church home and I feel like I am ready to make a commitment to share my gifts with a church in Cincinnati. I have contacted the church leadership and will be attending orientation classes in the coming weeks. Also, I will be meeting with one of the pastors to talk about how I might get plugged into the life and ministry of the church. I'm looking forward to getting involved and connecting with others in ministry.
Secondly, I have enrolled in a seven-week creative writing course at a local adult education center. The class begins next week and will give me a chance to improve my writing skills. I also will be able to receive feedback on my writing. I must admit that I feel a bit anxious about receiving critique but I also know that this is the only way to improve my skills. So, while feeling anxious, I also know I need to step out in faith. I also am looking forward to meeting new people in this class. Again, this will be good for me to get off the couch and away from simply watching others live life in movies and on TV. I hope it will be another way for me to express myself and find community.
I ask for your prayers as I take these next steps in life. These times of transition and new beginnings are both exciting and anxiety producing for me. I need to trust that God has good things in store for me in all of this.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

The Gift of Clean Water

When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

- Isaiah 41:17, NRSV

Today is Blog Action Day coordinated by Blogger which are the folks who provide the template and all of resources necessary for me to be able to write this blog. Each year they pick a topic and ask bloggers around the world to blog about the topic as a way to raise awareness about issues facing our world. This year's topic is the need for clean water in the world.
When I found out what the topic was, I did what any good and faithful United Methodist does, I went to the United Methodist Church's Board of Global Ministries website to see what United Methodists are doing to help people around the world gain access to clean, drinkable water in their communities. As always, I was overwhelmed by the current statistics regarding the lack of access to clean water that so many people have. Here are some examples:

•Less than 1% of the world’s fresh water (or about .007% of all water on earth) is readily accessible for direct human use. (World Health Organization [WHO])

•At any one time, more than half of the poor in the developing world are ill from causes related to hygiene, sanitation, and water supply. (Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council [WSSCC], 2008)

•3.575 million people die each year from water-related disease. (WHO, 2008)

•43% of water-related deaths are due to diarrhea. (WHO, 2008)

•88% of cases of diarrhea worldwide are attributable to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, or insufficient hygiene. (WSSCC, 2008)

•98% of water-related deaths occur in the developing world. (WHO, 2008)

I also found myself feeling deeply grateful by the amount of work that UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) is doing to help in this area. UMCOR's work focuses on providing people access to water filtration units, the rehabilitation or construction of community wells, and appropriate sanitation facilities. You can learn more about what the United Methodist Church is doing to help bring clean, safe water to people at this link: http://www.10-fold.org/projects/75/Day-8--Clean-Water-and-Sanitation  There's even a link on this page that will allow you to donate to United Methodist clean water projects.
I hope you will join me in praying for those who struggle from day to day to obtain what most Americans take for granted: clean water. I hope that the next time you turn on your kitchen faucet or take a hot shower or use a drinking fountain, you will join me in giving thanks to God for the gift of clean water.

Methodist Blues

On my drive home from church on Sunday morning, I was listening to NPR and I caught the replay of Saturday night's episode of A Prairie Home Companion. Garrison Keillor was talking about an encounter he had with a man who told him that Keillor shouldn't romanticize mainline denomination churches. The man told Keillor that things were really rough for mainline churches and his radio program descriptions of the church were not helping. I was a bit taken aback by this when I heard this. However, at the same time I wondered if he hadn't run into one of my former grumpy church members.
In response to this conversation, Keillor wrote and performed a song he titled The Methodist Blues. As he began to sing, I nearly had to pull my car over because I was laughing so hard. It was all too funny and just a little too close to home. It's a song I could have written. One of my favorite stanzas was this:

The organ's too loud, the pastor's unhappy
A six-day week and the pay is crappy
Problems? We've got a whole long list
But we can't say cause we're Methodist
Got the Methodist blues

I encourage you to go to this link to listen to the whole song as well as read the lyrics. It is hilarious!

 http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/2010/10/02/scripts/methodist.shtml

Even if you're not Methodist, I think you will enjoy it.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

World Communion Sunday

Today is World Communion Sunday. It's always celebrated on the first Sunday in October. However, I had totally forgotten about it. I was a little embarrassed that I didn't remember. Not that anyone at the church I'm attending would know that I had forgotten or would really care. It was just another realization how different life is for me since I left local parish ministry. Even my sense of the church calendar is off.
I was grateful the opportunity to share in this holy meal. It was just last month in South Bend at my friend Vickie's church that I celebrated Communion, but it seems like it was a lot longer ago.
The church I am attending is very traditional in their worship style. They normally do the full Great Thanksgiving liturgy during the Communion celebration with all of the responsive readings. A particular treat was that today we sang the responses using one of the musical settings in the United Methodist Hymnal. The pastor sang the leader's part. He did a good job. I was never quite confident enough in my singing voice to do this when I was serving in the local church.
It was a time of grace for me this morning. It especially helped me in the midst of my restlessness. God seemed to calm my anxiety and give me assurance of Christ's presence in my life. I'm grateful for this encounter with the God of my creation.
I ask for your prayers for tomorrow night. We are having our first in what I hope will be a series of public meetings for those families interested in applying to TriState Habitat for Humanity's home ownership program. We have sent out flyers to school children in the city of Hamilton, Ohio. We have sent out press releases and distributed flyers at a food pantry in Hamilton. I am hoping for a good turnout. We really need to reach more families who are in need of safe, decent, and affordable housing. I know they are out there. I hope that they will step out in faith to attend the meeting tomorrow night.
Thanks for your prayers and for being a part of my journey!

Summer Transition Time

I've been thinking and praying lately for all of the United Methodist pastors who have moved to a new church this summer. In many annual conferences, this is the time of year that United Methodist pastors move. There is much to do. There's all the normal stress of moving into a new home and figuring out where to put everything. There's the awkward time when you feel like you're living out of boxes. There's also the whole process of getting used to sleeping in a different house. There are new sounds and it's a new environment. It can be a bit disorienting.
On top of all of this, starting a new church can be very stressful for a pastor. There are new names to learn. There's an office to set up. There's all the little details that they never told me about in seminary like figuring out what key works in what lock in the church building and just where in the world everything is in the church building.
This is also a time of real anxiety for pastors and for congregations. They have to get used to one another. Congregation members have to get used to a different voice in the pulpit and often a different style of leadership in worship. Pastors have to learn church traditions and figure out where the hospital is and where to go to visit someone in the hospital. I can remember that also this seems to be the season for Vacation Bible School. In at least half of the churches I served, it seemed like Vacation Bible School started the week I started or the week after. This was always a huge undertaking and felt a bit overwhelming for me.
So, with all of these experiences in mind, I'm taking the time to pray for my brothers and sisters who continue to faithfully serve local churches and submit their lives and their families to the appointment authority of the Bishop and Cabinet. During this time especially they are living examples of obedience and faithfulness to the calling of God in their lives.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!