Patience

Tomorrow

That's when they will start moving the rubble away from the site of the church building.

"We have to be patient" 

That's been the refrain of the members of the congregation. And we have been, though it's been hard to see the pile of wood, stone, metal, glass, and plastic sitting there for six weeks. Finally, it looks like things will start to happen. It'll be weeks before they are done.

So we will have more of a chance to practice the spiritual gift of patience.

We hope they find our bell, our time capsule, our two safes. We look forward to having an empty lot rather than the remains of the building.

In the meantime, we are grateful: grateful to the community that surrounds, to the church that took us in, to the fire, police, and DPW, to God. No one was hurt; we remain a church. A lot to be thankful for.

For those who don't know the story, here are links to what happened.

Painting Survives Fire
The Day After

I will post updates as we move forward, with patience.

Wordless Wednesday: Jesus in Flame and Frame

*Photo credit: David J. Parry

Meme-ic Monday: Hurricane Katrina

New Orleans is recovering slowly from Hurricane Katrina. As of last year, the 10 year anniversary, only 34% of residents had returned to their homes in the Lower Ninth Ward, the area hardest hit when the levees broke. 

But that's pretty well known.

My family and I are in New Orleans for the first time, working with a mission team from our American Baptist region. Some members of our team have been coming for years. 

A team member, who started coming shortly after the storm, worked at school today. She said it was wonderful to see schools and children, because in the immediate aftermath there had been so few,

Two small groups worked at construction sites, helping to rebuild homes that were damaged in the storm. One homeowner is still in Texas. The other is living in part of her house, although a member of that team said it "wouldn't be livable by our standards."

Me? I encountered rats. Assigned to a food pantry, I thought I would be sorting, boxing and distributing food, and I did for part of the time. However, we arrived before the food and we were asked to clear out a room, sending some stuff to a thrift store and throwing out garbage. Rat droppings were everywhere. I found a dead rat. Other team members saw more rat bodies and a live one. They moved a huge box of popcorn kernels, the rats' main food source we think, out. 

While the room was swept, I moved over to organizing food boxes and dividing large bags of rice into small ziploc bags. 

But what really stands out about the day was the appreciation. I and another team member were introduced to the food pantry customers as people who had come down to help after Katrina. There was a wave of thanks on the people's faces. 

And then there was lunch. We had brown bag sandwiches, but Miss Brenda figured we would want New Orleans food and cooked fried chicken and jambalaya just for us. Delicious. (Alright we were a tad nervous, because of the rats. but we got over it. That stuff was cooked in boiling oil ,, and, boy, did it smell good!!)

So today's meme reminds us of the slow progress rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward. Behind it there are stories, so many stories. You should visit. These people need to tell those stories. And they are very grateful for the chance to tell them to new ears. And appreciative of whatever work you can do. 

Kids, Parents and Religion

"... parents from religious traditions that in general promote greater commitment and encourage discussing faith outside the sanctuary also were more likely to have children who remained active in their faith as young adults."
 

Check out this article.

Parents are top influence in teens 

remaining active in religion as young adults

Seems we parents are important to our kids faith... and that holding them accountable keeps them more interested. I wouldn't be surprised if that held true in other areas, like education and community service. If we do it, they'll do it. If we encourage effort and commitment they'll respond.

Quite a challenge. Quite a responsibility.

May we prove ourselves up to it!

Blessings on your day!



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The Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park is very willing to help out parents by providing their teens with a two week experience of Christian community. It meets in August, on the beautiful southern coast of Maine. \Check it out... www.cycop.org

Song for Sunday: See this Tiny Baby

It's the third day of Christmas and also a Sunday. The Sunday after Christmas is a low-attendance Sunday at many churches. It's too bad, because it is a great time to be at church. The exuberant joy of Christmas Sunday and the solemn joy of Christmas Eve have given way to a relaxed joy and people are friendly and welcoming.  Advent is over, Christmas has come. There is still the wonder of Christmas carols and the special decorations aren't down yet. It's fun to be there. Try it next year.


I love babies. Everyone who knows me, knows that. So I enjoyed the choir anthem last week, a new one for me. This one about Jesus, in his mother's arms. The King of the Universe, helpless and cared for by a teenage girl and her carpenter husband.

It's a beautiful song, inviting us to look at the baby. And who doesn't like to look at a baby?


Enjoy the song!

Merry Christmas!

Song for Sunday: Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

This morning, the students at the church where I help out with the youth program sang this song and made an excellent Thanksgiving presentation. They were directed by one of the parents who also helped put the program together.

I really like this song and it's message. I hope you do, too.

Song for Sunday: The Blessing

I love babies. I mean really love them.

Today I get to watch one. So I am kinda keyed into them.

At church this morning, two beautiful girls visited from an Episcopal church and performed a sacred dance as part of our worship. In the Episcopal Church, they baptize infants and the dance was originally for a baptism. They song they used is called "The Blessing" and is sung by a parent to a child.

The song was written by Brendan Graham and David Downes and it is very beautiful. It is today's Song for Sunday.

What songs have touched your heart lately?

Inherited Honor

Here at the Judson Celebrations, American Baptists are honored.  Why? Because 200 years ago it was two Americans who brought the gospel to Burma. Really, I haven't done anything to deserve this personally, it's all because of the ancestors.

200 years ago, Adoniram and Ann Hasseltine Judson arrived in Burma sick, discouraged and feeling terribly alone. By the grace of God, they survived and learned to teach and preach in Burma. Now, the Burmese consider them theirspiritual parents. It goes the other way, too. Roy Medley, General Secretary of ABC/USA, spoke . He described the Baptist church as "our first children in the faith, now grown and matured and working shoulder to shoulder with us to build God's kingdom." He also called on them to work for peace and justice.

One of the government speakers also asked them to work for peace and unity. He told them he was excited to see the ethnic groups gathered together for celebration.

Historically, there has been much unrest between the ethnic groups in Burma. Some of them, anyway. The government representive tasked the visitors to work for peace a united Mysnmar. Later, we enjoyed dances and songs from various ethnic groups (plus Japan) and others will perform on the other nights. Because this was the opening ceremony many people dressed in their traditional village clothing. (Jordan and I purchased and wore Karen outfits.) Much of this reminds me of the Intercultural Conference I attended last summer. A different set of ethnic groups but the same goal: unite in Christ while preserving and honoring the various cultures.

Have a blessed day!

Multicultural Experience --Sort of

How did you hear about the Conference? Do you go to this church?

I heard that question a lot today. I was a guest speaker at a conference and was, for much of the time, the only white person present.

I had a great time. I was speaking to (and re-enacting for) a national youth and young adult group. They have a direct connection to the woman I re-enact and their host church had invited me. They are first and second generation Americans. This group was using English, unlike their parents down the hall.  They also dressed like typical American teens and twenty-somethings and their t-shirts proclaimed American interests. This makes sense. They grew up here. They fit in at their schools and colleges. In some ways this was not an intercultural experience because we all share American culture.

 On the other hand, these young folks enjoy their annual weekend conference when they gather as Christians of their specific ethnicity, so much so that they are resisting attempts to make it biennial.

From the moment I walked in this morning, I was welcomed, even by people who didn't know why I was there. I was greeted, directed to the food line, spoken too by everyone. People were curious about my presence, though. I kinda stood out.

Finally, my contact was located, I was given information and shown to my room. Everyone smiled, everyone was friendly. The youths included me in their worship and games.

I couldn't quite get over a sense of being "other", though. Probably because I was.

I mean, yes, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, yes we all live in the same country,  speak the same language and know the same songs. Still, they were gathered because of ethnicity and I was different. Which is part of what intercultural worship, ministry, and cooperation is about. Being different together.

When I was done speaking I stayed for worship and then excused myself when we got to a long break.

I had enjoyed myself and was grateful for the chance to be part of the celebration.

When have you been involved in an event for another culture?

 

Real Diversity

As I mentioned in my last "Song for Sunday" post I spent the end of last week at the Massachusetts Baptist Multicultural Ministries' Intercultural Conference and Multicultural Festival.

I also mentioned in that post we had been reminded there that real diversity is hard. The U.S. is on the way to having no majority ethnic in the fairly near future. The American Baptist Churches USA is already at that point.. We count people of multiple races, cultures and ethnicities in our churches, ministries and missions program. We hope to set an example for the future U.S. and be a beacon of how to manage diversity well.

But it's not easy.

So at this conference, we worshipped and ate together. We enjoyed music and dance from each others'  cultures. We witnessed a beautiful multi-church believer's baptism service, with six candidates making a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. And we talked.

We talked about how to get along, how to share ministry, how to overcome barriers.

Language of course is one barrier. Within the US, English will eventually be the "lingua franca" that will allow us to communicate with each other to a point, but new immigrants and refugees will often need their native languages at first. Also, many people new to English will wish to, and should,  worship in their "heart languages."

Still their is much we can do together, especially outside the doors of the church. We don't need to have the same first language to serve together.

Another barrier is -- well, cultural differences. Sure they are rich and we want to celebrate them, but they can also lead to misunderstandings. Fear of making a misstep, being misunderstood or causing insult unintentionally will sometimes -- often-- keep us from interacting with another culture. At my table at the "Conversation Café" we discussed the need to be willing to take risks and engage with a new group. We also talked about the receiving group needing to be willing to offer grace -- something Christians should be good at.

One speaker talked about what she considers to be the main ingredient for successful multicultural ministry -- maturity. We all need to be willing to step back, especially when we feel we have been hurt. We need to ask ourselves, was that meant to be hurtful or does that action or phrase mean something else in their culture? Are they trying to be difficult or do they just have a different way of doing things, a different view of time or a different method of conversing?

Here's the thing: we aren't trying to make everyone the same. We don't want  a melting pot, we want a tapestry with various cultures maintaining their unique identities even while we are being woven into a whole. So we need to interact with each other on that basis.

And we can. I know we can. Besides, it'll be good practice for Heaven where:

".... I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb[Jesus]. " 
                                                                                                    ~Revelation to John 7:9


God's kingdom will be and already is multicultural.



What has been your experience worshiping, serving and interacting with other cultures?

Respect

A friend of mine recently put out a call for respect. He felt the need to ask people to be courteous on some things he will be posting in the near future. I am actually on the opposite "side" of the "debate" that was the subject of my friend's call, but I back him on the idea of respect. Sadly, some Christians actually need that reminder and, even more sadly, there are some who wouldn't heed it, though I hope my friend doesn't run into any of those.

 

I Peter 3:14-16 tells us:

 

 "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,  keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."

 

Peter is talking about the central message of  the gospel, which is understood by Christians to be  the most important thing that can be brought up in conversation. Eternal salvation depends on Jesus. Even when we are talking about that we are supposed to be gentle and respectful. If we are not we run the risk of giving Jesus a bad name.

 

It seems to me that this means we should do the same in any lesser debates. Nastiness, rudeness and pettiness should have no place. I admit that there have been times I haven't been perfect in this area especially when I have felt strongly about something, but I am trying to improve.

 

Remember, we don't always have to be right. God is, and that's what matters.

 

There are times when we need to enter the cultural debate and do our best to make changes. When there is hunger, slavery, injustice, exploitation of the poor or harm to the innocent we are called to speak up. Other times, we can focus on keeping ourselves and the Church on the right track and not worry about the secular world. We are only called to hold our brothers and sisters accountable, not non-Christians. We also must remember that even within the Church there are "disputable things" and we need to approach all conversations with humility.

 

May God guide us in all our conversations, debates and disputes.

 

 

Have a blessed day!!

 

Song for Sunday: I Sing the Almighty Power of God

I seem to be on a hymn kick for "Songs for Sunday. " It'll be something different next week.


Today was Creative Arts Sunday at our church, during which we celebrate the gifts of handwork and artistry that God has given us. We also honor God as Creator.

I also have had a wonderful reminder this weekend of how God creates humans, knitting them together in the womb, so that they arrive as beautiful babies (and all babies are beautiful, though I saw pictures of an extra-beautiful one yesterday.)

So, today, Isaac Watts wonderful hymn about the creative power of God:

 I sing the almighty power of God, 
 that made the mountains rise, 
 that spread the flowing seas abroad, 
 and built the lofty skies.  
 I sing the wisdom that ordained 
 the sun to rule the day; 
 the moon shines full at God's command, 
 and all the stars obey.  

 I sing the goodness of the Lord, 
 who filled the earth with food, 
 who formed the creatures thru the Word, 
 and then pronounced them good.  
 Lord, how thy wonders are displayed, 
 where'er I turn my eye, 
 if I survey the ground I tread, 
 or gaze upon the sky.

 There's not a plant or flower below, 
 but makes thy glories known, 
 and clouds arise, and tempests blow, 
 by order from thy throne; 
 while all that borrows life from thee 
 is ever in thy care; 
 and everywhere that we can be, 
 thou, God, art present there.

How have you seen God's creativity this week?

Knit Together

I am seriously considering writting a devotional for Christian knitting circles and individual knitters. This post would be an entry in it and I would love feedback.



We use a lot of different stitches when we knit, don't we? Garter stitch, stockingette stitch, basket stitch, moss stitch, rib stitch -- and on and on. There are also yarnovers, knit-togethers and similar things that adorn patterns.

All of these stitches and patterns are based on knit and purl stitches. Without those stitches it wouldn't be knitting.

Churches are somewhat the same. We have different church polities, different worship styles, different views, different theologies. A beautiful variety even if there is some tension between us at times.

Like knitting, we are based on something. Our foundation is Jesus Christ. Without Him, we aren't Christian. In Him, we have unity.

Some projects use one type of stitch, some use several. Sometimes churches work independently, sometimes together. Either way, we are all working to further the Kingdom.

Ultimately, we all be knit together into One church. Until then, let us respect and enjoy the variety.



<sup>From Jesus' prayer for the disciples:

"</sup>I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."       John 17:22-24

How good and pleasant it is
    when God’s people live together in unity!

 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
    running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
    down on the collar of his robe.
 It is as if the dew of Hermon
    were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
    even life forevermore.

                 Psalm 133

I have been participating in the January 2013 Ultimate Blog Challenge. Last day and I haven't finished, but I have increased my readership and been introduced to some great people, wonderful blogs and new perspectives. A win, I'd say, despite my failure.

Teaching Knitting ....not

I can knit and I can teach, but I can't teach knitting.

Multiplication, chemical equations, adverbs, and the significance of political movements I can get across. I can even instruct children in sewing. But I have never successfully gotten a child to move a stitch from one needle to the other, even when they were motivated.

I can demonstrate several different stitches -- I even presented a children's chat once in which I demonstrated knit, purl, knit together, yarn over, etc and likened the stitches to the various denominations that God will someday join together in one kingdom, represented by a completed piece. I know the vocabulary of knitting, too. Still, I can't teach anyone how to do it.

I don't why.

I also don't think I have a point here. I just needed to write a blog post today and this was what came to mind. Maybe because I recently took up knitting again.

Is there something you can do but can't teach to others?





This is my 21st post for the October Ultimate Blog Challenge. I am going for 31 posts in 31 days!

Domestic Violence

I am at a Missions Conference and this evening attended a talk on how a particulary ministry is helping women cope. The speaker lives in a place where 80% of women can expect to experience domestic violence sometime during their lives.

The women of a Baptist church there felt called to help their despairing sisters. The men of their church told them to just preach the gospel and bring the women into the church. The women had other ideas. They birthed a ministry that has now rescued 120 women and their children from horrific situations. Situations in which they were subject to rape, enslavement, and beatings. One woman was hung from the ceiling by a dog collar until she was unconscious. When she woke up, she was beaten.

It is mind boggling to think that such things go on and that many turn a blind eye.

It is inspiring to know that, in Jesus name, there are women working hard to end the fear and horror.


I ask you to pray for these women -- the victims and the rescuers -- and the missionaries who help.

Here is one place of refuge -- Deborah's Home.


Are you aware of any ministries that work against Domestic Violence?

My blog site is currently a "work in progress." I am playing with the look, reducing the amount of advertising and consolidating the labels so that things are easier to find. Comments and suggestions welcome. Look for changes over the next few weeks.

This is my eighteenth post for the October 2012 Ultimate Blog Challenge. I'm trying for 31 posts in 31 days, plus commenting on two posts by other people every day. 

Wednesday Encouragements: Hymn by Adoniram Judson

We have been reading a biography of Adoniram Judson and his wives with the kids. I learned to love the his story and that of his first wife, Ann Hasseltine, at the Christian Youth Conference at Ocean Park, where these pioneer missionaries are held up as vocational models of Christian life to the young people. 

Mr. Judson was remarkable as a preacher, teacher, evangelist and translator. He also wrote this beautiful baptismal hymn. 

Come, Holy Spirit, Dove divine,
On these baptismal waters shine,
And teach our hearts, in highest strain,
To praise the Lamb for sinners slain.

We love Your name, we love Your laws,
And joyfully embrace Your cause;
We love Your cross, the shame, the pain,
O Lamb of God, for sinners slain.

We sink beneath the water’s face,
And thank You for Your saving grace;
We die to sin and seek a grave
With You, beneath the yielding wave.

And as we rise with You to live,
O let the Holy Spirit give
The sealing unction from above,
The joy of life, the fire of love.

Click here to hear the music to this hymn, which was composed by H. Percy Smith and is used for other hymns as well. 

I love this hymn for it's imagery, the beauty of its language and its Christ-centeredness. What is your favorite hymn or song.

For a quick overview of the life of Judson, try this article.  The books Bless God and Take Courage by Rosalie Hall Hunt and To The Golden Shore by Courtney Anderson are recommended for further study. Or if you are a teen come to CYC and learn his story there.

Ultimate Blog Challenge, April 2012 -- Palm Sunday

The Ultimate Blog Challenge has rolled around again and I am going to give it another try. I have attempted it three times and completed it once. This time I am aiming to post 31 times in the month and to comment on at least two other participants' blogs Monday-Saturday. Can I do it? We'll see.


Today was Palm Sunday. This rather minor holiday is one of my favorites. It doesn't really take any preparation, is upbeat and includes a tradition that I love.

That is weaving palm leaves into crosses. My father learned to do that as a child and always did it for the church. I cherish the last Palm Cross he ever made.

Toward the end of his life, I learned to weave the crosses and now I make them for any who wants them. I get a bit of attention and people seem to be glad to have a reminder of Jesus to take home.

This morning an older man of the church approached me as I entered coffee hour. "It's Palm Sunday. I'm waiting for my present from you." I wove him the first cross. It occured to me that he is moving -- about 3,000 miles away -- so in the future I will need to mail him his cross.

Traditions help us to find stability as the seasons of our lives change. Even simple ones like weaving Palm Crosses.


Have a blessed day!!

Long time, no post...

It has been  a while since I added a post to this blog.

I've been busy I suppose, but there is nothing new about that.


Lacking in motivation and inspiration, perhaps. I suppose I need to learn to work through "writer's block." Or just to be more disciplined in my approach to the blog. I'm kind of on again, of again when it comes to that.


Well, I had a really fun evening. Running an event for my favorite community -- CYC -- I worked with people who were diverse in style. And the participants were diverse in age, race, ethnicity and theological perspective. Which goes along with my previous post -- two weeks ago. It was heartening to sense the excitement in the room as we met, ate, played, learned and celebrated our common connection to Christ.

 We had a great time, the event seemed to be a real success. I hope I get to be part of more of them.

But, in that last post, I said that I would soon write about purity in the church -- something sometimes viewed as the opposite of diversity. And I will, soon. Not this evening though.


Goodnight.

The Same Race

While watching a Star Trek episode, we explained to Jordan that that show featured the first interracial kiss on TV, between Kirk and Uhura. His response?

But they're the same race!!

I'm glad he sees it that way. Maybe we've made some progress since that kiss caused controversy back in the '60s.

You know, in some sense, "diversity" and "purity" can be considered opposites. There is a place for each of them. 

When it comes to race, I am firmly in the diversity camp. Groups which seek "racial purity" are rightly seen as a menace. Neighborhoods that are racially, ethnically, linguistically and culturally diverse are rich places. Where we can cooperate, we can mine those riches -- learning and growing together.  As we mix and marry, work and live in such places, we come closer to understanding that we are all of the same race. Also we need a diversity of ages, genders and skills in order to function in healthy fashion. 

The Body of Christ also benefits from these types of diversity. 1 Corinthians 12 tells about the different gifts God has given. Also, Galatians 3:27&28 tells us.  "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,  for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

So celebrate te diversity God has given. Sometime soon, more on purity.

Have a blessed day!

Stuck in My Head

"Take away the love of sinning,
Alpha and Omega be.
End of life, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty."


              -- Charles Wesley
               In the public domain


Love Divine, All Loves Excelling is one of my favorite hymns. We sang it this morning and this phrase from it is on a continual loop in my head. Sometimes I think we don't want to give up the love of sinning because we feel we would lose to much. But it's a good prayer.

Another thing that stuck with me from today's church service is a quote the pastor started his sermon with. "If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then some people must really be fond of the church." It got a laugh, as it was meant to, but it makes a good point and is rather sad at the same time. Such quips won't solve anything, of course. They just make us think.


I suppose it will be when we recognize Christ as the love divine, all loves excelling and living as if that were so that we will begin attracting people more readily.


I pray that may be the case soon.



Have a blessed day!!