In Sunday School this week the question was asked: "What's on top of your Christmas Tree?"
Apparently, the hands-down winner is a star, followed distantly by an angel. It occurred to me that these two favorite tree-toppers were yet a further demonstration of our being caught between two stories. The star, of course, is from the Matthean birth narrative (it's not mentioned in Luke at all), while the angel is clearly Lukan (it appears only in dreams in Matthew's version of the story).
Anyhoo, Happy Christmas to all!!!
Monday, December 24, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
A Reflection on the Birth Narratives
I recently offered a three-week Bible study at my church on the Stories of Christmas. We did a close reading of the Matthew and Luke accounts of the birth of Jesus. About a half-dozen people gave up their Monday nights to attend. I hope they enjoyed it, I certainly did.
Too often we fall into the Trap of the Well-Known. We hear something so often that it no longer registers on our consciousness. Our brain just clicks off, because it knows what's coming (and it knows that it knows). We go on auto-pilot, as when we recite the Pledge of Allegiance or (heaven forbid) the Lord's Prayer. This is one reason why reading common Bible stories in new translations is important. The new words cause our brains to actually pay attention. What we discover may be surprising.
When we really pay attention to beloved stories, what we discover is that our memory is faulty. We think we remember, but often the details escape us (and God is in the details). So, our Bible study group came to these familiar stories with fresh eyes and ears. We wanted to find out what they actually said, not what we thought they said.
Overall it was a good exercise. Most modern re-tellings happily conflate the two stories, so that we have wise men tripping over shepherds on the way to the manger. A simple reading of the texts, however, reveals two very different stories. Each author has to conform to a few known facts, e.g. that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but grew up in Nazareth. Each chooses to conform his story to these facts in a different way. The early Christians were comfortable with these differences, and made no attempts (well... few attempts) to join them. Literal-minded moderns are not so content; we've stitched the two stories into one big (non-Biblical) story. I find the greatest value, however, in the differences in the two accounts, rather than the similarities.
Matthew's account (chapters one and two) is a tale filled with images and references to the Hebrew Bible. Every step in the story is a re-telling of a familiar story, from the dreams that God sends to Joseph (like the patriarch, Joseph, whose skill at dream interpretation was renowned) , to the flight to Egypt (another Genesis story) and the slaughter of the innocents (as Pharaoh ordered the slaughter of the Hebrew babies in Exodus). First century Jewish hearers of this story would be on very familiar ground, the story of the birth of Jesus would appear to rise out of the history of God's work in the Hebrew Bible.
What's more, the author of Matthew explicitly references the story to Israel's past. Five times in the first two chapters we hear the phrase "this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet..." The idea of fulfillment is a key theme in the Matthean story. The birth of Jesus is rooted in the stories of the Hebrew Bible. Careful observers (like the wise men) would not be surprised by the events. Rather, Israel's history seems to point to the coming of this child. From the settings and actions of the characters to the multiple citations from prophetic texts, the story is deeply rooted in what has come before, and is an expected consequence of it. The way the story is told shows the reader not only that the events were expected, but that they were (in retrospect) obvious.
In Luke's Gospel, the account of the birth (chapters one and two) is quite different. Central to the Lukan story are images of the improbable and the unexpected. It opens with the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and elderly, barren couple. This is a familiar image from the Hebrew Bible, and like earlier accounts ends in the miraculous and unexpected conception and birth of a child. When told by the angel that he and Elizabeth would have a child, Zechariah's first reaction is disbelief, "I am and old man, and my wife is getting on in years" (Luke 2:18). We're reminded of Sarah, overhearing Abraham and his (divine) visitors speaking of their future child, "I have grown old, and my husband is old" (Gen 18:12). Neither, at first, believes that it can happen.
The events of the Lukan birth narrative point to improbability and unexpectedness. That the Son of God would be born in a stable, to an unknown young girl, is shocking in itself. And who does the angel of the Lord choose to tell of this miraculous event? Kings? Priests? Prophets? No. The angel appears to the shepherds guarding their flocks by night. Not to the highest, but to the most lowly. The reversal is predicted in Mary's song, the Magnificat, "He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly" (Luke 1:52). At every turn, the birth is presented as unexpected, just opposite of the Matthean story.
What are we to make of these two stories and their differences? Matthew's Gospel tells of the long-foretold coming of the Savior, with attendant wise men and rich treasures. Luke's Gospel shows God working at His most mysterious. The coming of the Savior is improbable and unforeseen--so much so that he was born in a stable. No one came looking for him in the cold stable except the shepherds to whom the birth had been announced. What do these differences reveal about the communities among whom these stories came to be told? Are they self-portraits? Have they written themselves into the story of the birth of Jesus?
Where do we put ourselves in these stories? Are we careful observers, keen for clues to the coming of the Saviour? Or are we going to be just as surprised as everyone by the Saviour's miraculous and unexpected return? Which characters speak to us? Who are we most like and unlike? Most importantly, are we capable of holding on to these stories simultaneously, while resisting the impulse to squish them together?
Too often we fall into the Trap of the Well-Known. We hear something so often that it no longer registers on our consciousness. Our brain just clicks off, because it knows what's coming (and it knows that it knows). We go on auto-pilot, as when we recite the Pledge of Allegiance or (heaven forbid) the Lord's Prayer. This is one reason why reading common Bible stories in new translations is important. The new words cause our brains to actually pay attention. What we discover may be surprising.
When we really pay attention to beloved stories, what we discover is that our memory is faulty. We think we remember, but often the details escape us (and God is in the details). So, our Bible study group came to these familiar stories with fresh eyes and ears. We wanted to find out what they actually said, not what we thought they said.
Overall it was a good exercise. Most modern re-tellings happily conflate the two stories, so that we have wise men tripping over shepherds on the way to the manger. A simple reading of the texts, however, reveals two very different stories. Each author has to conform to a few known facts, e.g. that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but grew up in Nazareth. Each chooses to conform his story to these facts in a different way. The early Christians were comfortable with these differences, and made no attempts (well... few attempts) to join them. Literal-minded moderns are not so content; we've stitched the two stories into one big (non-Biblical) story. I find the greatest value, however, in the differences in the two accounts, rather than the similarities.
Matthew's account (chapters one and two) is a tale filled with images and references to the Hebrew Bible. Every step in the story is a re-telling of a familiar story, from the dreams that God sends to Joseph (like the patriarch, Joseph, whose skill at dream interpretation was renowned) , to the flight to Egypt (another Genesis story) and the slaughter of the innocents (as Pharaoh ordered the slaughter of the Hebrew babies in Exodus). First century Jewish hearers of this story would be on very familiar ground, the story of the birth of Jesus would appear to rise out of the history of God's work in the Hebrew Bible.
What's more, the author of Matthew explicitly references the story to Israel's past. Five times in the first two chapters we hear the phrase "this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet..." The idea of fulfillment is a key theme in the Matthean story. The birth of Jesus is rooted in the stories of the Hebrew Bible. Careful observers (like the wise men) would not be surprised by the events. Rather, Israel's history seems to point to the coming of this child. From the settings and actions of the characters to the multiple citations from prophetic texts, the story is deeply rooted in what has come before, and is an expected consequence of it. The way the story is told shows the reader not only that the events were expected, but that they were (in retrospect) obvious.
In Luke's Gospel, the account of the birth (chapters one and two) is quite different. Central to the Lukan story are images of the improbable and the unexpected. It opens with the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and elderly, barren couple. This is a familiar image from the Hebrew Bible, and like earlier accounts ends in the miraculous and unexpected conception and birth of a child. When told by the angel that he and Elizabeth would have a child, Zechariah's first reaction is disbelief, "I am and old man, and my wife is getting on in years" (Luke 2:18). We're reminded of Sarah, overhearing Abraham and his (divine) visitors speaking of their future child, "I have grown old, and my husband is old" (Gen 18:12). Neither, at first, believes that it can happen.
The events of the Lukan birth narrative point to improbability and unexpectedness. That the Son of God would be born in a stable, to an unknown young girl, is shocking in itself. And who does the angel of the Lord choose to tell of this miraculous event? Kings? Priests? Prophets? No. The angel appears to the shepherds guarding their flocks by night. Not to the highest, but to the most lowly. The reversal is predicted in Mary's song, the Magnificat, "He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly" (Luke 1:52). At every turn, the birth is presented as unexpected, just opposite of the Matthean story.
What are we to make of these two stories and their differences? Matthew's Gospel tells of the long-foretold coming of the Savior, with attendant wise men and rich treasures. Luke's Gospel shows God working at His most mysterious. The coming of the Savior is improbable and unforeseen--so much so that he was born in a stable. No one came looking for him in the cold stable except the shepherds to whom the birth had been announced. What do these differences reveal about the communities among whom these stories came to be told? Are they self-portraits? Have they written themselves into the story of the birth of Jesus?
Where do we put ourselves in these stories? Are we careful observers, keen for clues to the coming of the Saviour? Or are we going to be just as surprised as everyone by the Saviour's miraculous and unexpected return? Which characters speak to us? Who are we most like and unlike? Most importantly, are we capable of holding on to these stories simultaneously, while resisting the impulse to squish them together?
Friday, December 7, 2007
Holiday Housekeeping!
We're holding an Open House next Friday (in one week!) and I have lots to do to get ready. There are some small, home improvement projects (like replacing our porch light with a more traditional model) and lots of putting away and straightening up. We still have loads of pictures that need hanging on the wall. We also have a large quilt hanger and really want to start displaying our quilts. So, I should have my work cut out for me in the next seven days!
The end result will be a house that looks much more Lived In, which will be nice. We've got lots of company coming in the weeks to come, so it'll be good to get ready.
The end result will be a house that looks much more Lived In, which will be nice. We've got lots of company coming in the weeks to come, so it'll be good to get ready.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Plans for the Season
Happy Hanukkah!! Last night was the first night of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. You know the story: the Maccabees drive out the foreign oppressors and cleanse the Temple in Jerusalem. They need to rededicate the Temple to the Lord, a ceremony which will require eight days worth of oil for the lamps. They don't have that much, but the begin the ceremony anyway. Miraculously, their insufficient oil supply lasts the eight days and the Temple is cleansed and rededicated! Yeah!!!
This is a great story for many reasons. Chief in my mind is the role of scarcity in our lives and God's answer to it. They didn't have enough oil to finish their rededication ceremony. God saw this and what did he do? Did he miraculously provide rivers of oil--enough to light the world? No. He provided enough to get through the ceremony. God's answer to scarcity is not abundance, but sufficiency. They have enough. In our culture, where so much value is placed on abundance, this is an important lesson!
With the change in the seasons, I've been thinking about sustainability. As we beat back the cold, I'm thinking about both the price and the cost of our lifestyle. I've got an old programmable thermostat that I bought 20 years ago. I've NEVER been able to install it anywhere, but I think It can go in our house now, so I'm going to look into it this week. We're also starting to talk about planting a modest garden in the spring.
Think Green!!
This is a great story for many reasons. Chief in my mind is the role of scarcity in our lives and God's answer to it. They didn't have enough oil to finish their rededication ceremony. God saw this and what did he do? Did he miraculously provide rivers of oil--enough to light the world? No. He provided enough to get through the ceremony. God's answer to scarcity is not abundance, but sufficiency. They have enough. In our culture, where so much value is placed on abundance, this is an important lesson!
With the change in the seasons, I've been thinking about sustainability. As we beat back the cold, I'm thinking about both the price and the cost of our lifestyle. I've got an old programmable thermostat that I bought 20 years ago. I've NEVER been able to install it anywhere, but I think It can go in our house now, so I'm going to look into it this week. We're also starting to talk about planting a modest garden in the spring.
Think Green!!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
More Snow! Doggie Cold!
This past Sunday was the church's annual Hanging of the Greens service. It was held in the evening and has beg a big draw for the surrounding communities in years past. I went out Sunday morning to take the dog for her morning outing and was pleasantly surprised by six inches of perfectly-powdery snow. It's been snowing lightly ever since, a beautiful drifting of big, perfect flakes in the air most of the day.
It's also been quite cold. We bought that film you put on your windows and blow-dry. Our upstairs is quite a bit colder than downstairs, so we're weather-proofing it a bit. Since she's an indoor dog now, Baby has not developed a winter coat, which mean she get a bit cold on out outings. Kristen's looking into buying or making a jacket for her. She seems content to wear clothes. Kristen took her for a test walk yesterday with a t-shirt on (the dog, not the wife).
It's also been quite cold. We bought that film you put on your windows and blow-dry. Our upstairs is quite a bit colder than downstairs, so we're weather-proofing it a bit. Since she's an indoor dog now, Baby has not developed a winter coat, which mean she get a bit cold on out outings. Kristen's looking into buying or making a jacket for her. She seems content to wear clothes. Kristen took her for a test walk yesterday with a t-shirt on (the dog, not the wife).
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Snow, Wonderful Snow!
We've had some flurries over the past two days. Nothing serious, but a harbinger of things to come! Erie got 5 inches and places to the west of us got more than that. The Canisteo Valley (where Arkport lies) is not really in the Lake Effect Snow zone. That's more to the west of us. Apparently, we get bitter-cold winds from Canada screaming down upon us. Nice!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Brrrr...
We had our first hard frost on Monday. I took the dog out in the morning and everything was coated with a thick layer of shimmery and spiky frost. When I scraped the windows of the car, I really had to work to get through it. Since Monday, we've had smaller frosts. Winter's definitely coming! I hope we get snow in time for Thanksgiving; my family's coming up from Virginia and would love a white Thanksgiving.
At the moment, we're trying to do some home improvement projects and I'm trying to kick-start some guitar projects that I have. I'm hampered by lack of some tools, but I'm trying to improvise. I may need to get a drill press, which is a must-have for some luthier projects. My main project at the moment is my Stratocaster. It's mostly in parts and in need of a drill press to proceed. I'll keep you posted.
At the moment, we're trying to do some home improvement projects and I'm trying to kick-start some guitar projects that I have. I'm hampered by lack of some tools, but I'm trying to improvise. I may need to get a drill press, which is a must-have for some luthier projects. My main project at the moment is my Stratocaster. It's mostly in parts and in need of a drill press to proceed. I'll keep you posted.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Rain, Rain
It rained all day yesterday. It's a good thing, as we need the rain. It did put a damper on a visit from Kristen's parents. Still, a good time was had by all. Our dog, Baby, doesn't like to go out in the rain.
My mom's visiting this week. As a home improvement project, we're hemming some curtains and installing new rods downstairs. We we doing lots of sprucing-up in anticipation of Monday's home visit. The place is looking better all the time. I still need to install more orange Halloween lights on the porch.
We're not buying any candy until next week, otherwise it'll all get eaten.
My mom's visiting this week. As a home improvement project, we're hemming some curtains and installing new rods downstairs. We we doing lots of sprucing-up in anticipation of Monday's home visit. The place is looking better all the time. I still need to install more orange Halloween lights on the porch.
We're not buying any candy until next week, otherwise it'll all get eaten.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Home Visit Tomorrow
The people from the country are coming tomorrow to look over our home. We're in the process of being certified as foster and/or adoptive parents in the county. We're taking classes this fall and the home visit is part of that. We're cleaning up and making the place more presentable. I'm looking forward to their visit; we know the people who are coming and like them.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Indian Summer
Fall may have fallen, but summer's holding on! We've had some wonderfully warm days recently. Not hot, mind you, just pleasantly sunny.
We've been having company lately. A few weeks ago we hosted friends from Virginia who came to see us. This weekend my Mother arrives for a visit. It's great to have company. This is Fall Festival Season in Western New York, so there are different events in small WNY towns every weekend. It's apple season, as well, which adds to the fun. We cut our lawn this week, hopefully for the last time this year!
The dog has discovered that she can just jump over the baby gates we had blocking the entrances to the kitchen. Now we can't keep here there at night. We could lock her up on the laundry room (which has a proper door) but we're letting her roam free for the moment. It's been working fine, but she does come in and wake us up around six o'clock each morning. I take her out and feed her and she lets Kristen sleep for a few more hours before she wants to go for walkies.
We've started decorating the house for Halloween. We got some light-up bats and orange strings of lights. We'll take some pics. More soon!
We've been having company lately. A few weeks ago we hosted friends from Virginia who came to see us. This weekend my Mother arrives for a visit. It's great to have company. This is Fall Festival Season in Western New York, so there are different events in small WNY towns every weekend. It's apple season, as well, which adds to the fun. We cut our lawn this week, hopefully for the last time this year!
The dog has discovered that she can just jump over the baby gates we had blocking the entrances to the kitchen. Now we can't keep here there at night. We could lock her up on the laundry room (which has a proper door) but we're letting her roam free for the moment. It's been working fine, but she does come in and wake us up around six o'clock each morning. I take her out and feed her and she lets Kristen sleep for a few more hours before she wants to go for walkies.
We've started decorating the house for Halloween. We got some light-up bats and orange strings of lights. We'll take some pics. More soon!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Fall has Fallen
I can't believe I haven't posted since August. I'll try to do better!. Life in Arkport is grand. The seasons are beginning to change. It's still in the seventies in the afternoons, but it's getting colder and colder at night. On Sunday morning it was 38 degrees! It's fabulous.
I've been doing some visiting this week. Coming from a community with no expectations of pastoral visitation to a community with high expectations has been a wake-up for me. I'm getting out there more and more. Our church has begun its planning for the Christmas season -- the Hanging of the Greens is only 10 weeks away! Ack! We gotta get cracking! I'm hoping that Christmas at Arkport UMC is an opportunity to really reach out into the community with a welcoming spirit.
Baby continues to enjoy life in her new family, and we love having her. I generally take her out for her morning constitutional, so i get to face those morning temperatures first-hand. Brrrrr... She's a great dog.
I've been doing some visiting this week. Coming from a community with no expectations of pastoral visitation to a community with high expectations has been a wake-up for me. I'm getting out there more and more. Our church has begun its planning for the Christmas season -- the Hanging of the Greens is only 10 weeks away! Ack! We gotta get cracking! I'm hoping that Christmas at Arkport UMC is an opportunity to really reach out into the community with a welcoming spirit.
Baby continues to enjoy life in her new family, and we love having her. I generally take her out for her morning constitutional, so i get to face those morning temperatures first-hand. Brrrrr... She's a great dog.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
New Baby in the House!
Well... not a baby, exactly, but a dog named Baby! Life happens sometimes and this week we got a dog. We'd planned on getting one eventually, but were going to get a cat first. Baby is about a year-and-a-half old. She's a black lab-looking mixed breed. For the past year she's been living on our friend's farm. He rescued her after being abused and abandoned as a puppy.
She's very people-focused, likes to be in the middle of things. We're laying down House Rules (e.g. stay off the people furniture, no people food) and trying to enforce them. Kristen loves having a walking partner. When she gets a job, I may bring Baby to the office with me. We've been taking her on car trips. She's not used to it, but is getting better.
More Adventures with Baby to come!
She's very people-focused, likes to be in the middle of things. We're laying down House Rules (e.g. stay off the people furniture, no people food) and trying to enforce them. Kristen loves having a walking partner. When she gets a job, I may bring Baby to the office with me. We've been taking her on car trips. She's not used to it, but is getting better.
More Adventures with Baby to come!
Time Flies
We had a great week with my Mom, sister and nephews. The weather was all over the place. It was so cold when they got here that they had to go buy warmer clothes. By the time they left, it was boiling. That's part of the excitement of Western New York.
We took the boys swimming at Stony Brook State Park, where you swim in a carefully-controlled dammed river. The water there is usually quite cold. It was great. We went to a friend's farm, where the boys got to see horses, goats, bunnies and other things. We also went to the Corning Museum of Glass, which was very cool.
We took the boys swimming at Stony Brook State Park, where you swim in a carefully-controlled dammed river. The water there is usually quite cold. It was great. We went to a friend's farm, where the boys got to see horses, goats, bunnies and other things. We also went to the Corning Museum of Glass, which was very cool.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Visitors Expected
My mom, sister and two nephews are coming into town today. We're excited about showing them the sights. They'll be taking an overnight trip to Niagara Falls. It's cool and rainy now, but should be hot and summery by week's end. We want to take the boys swimming at Stony Brook State Park if it's warm enough (though the water will be freezing, no matter what!).
I'm trying to decide whether or not to go to Homecoming in Annapolis this year. It's the 20th anniversary of my graduation. which means extra fun at Homecoming. I do need to be back by Sunday morning, however, which limits my time to Friday night through Saturday afternoon. It might not be worth it.
Church has been going well. I'm starting a short-term Bible study on the Book of Jonah in September. Two seminary friends and I are working on a translation that I hope to have finished before I begin the study.
I'm trying to decide whether or not to go to Homecoming in Annapolis this year. It's the 20th anniversary of my graduation. which means extra fun at Homecoming. I do need to be back by Sunday morning, however, which limits my time to Friday night through Saturday afternoon. It might not be worth it.
Church has been going well. I'm starting a short-term Bible study on the Book of Jonah in September. Two seminary friends and I are working on a translation that I hope to have finished before I begin the study.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Lawn Care, Continued...
Well, I finally know how long it takes to mow my lawn in one go: about two hours. I got interrupted mid-mow a few weeks ago, and today was the first chance I've had to get back to it. It's been alternating between rain and sun all this time, so it was quite a lawn. There are places where it's mostly weeds, but it's all the same height right this moment.
My lawn mower (the one that comes with the parsonage) is not the mightiest cutter in the world, unlike my new weed whacker (q.v.). I have to nurse it along a bit. I think there a part or two missing. I downloaded all manner of manuals today for the mower and engine and am going to do a bit of preventative maintenance. I bet the air filter, for example, has never been changed. It feels good being handy.
For some reason, we have a single rhubarb plant in the backyard. It may be the last vestige on an old garden. I mowed over it today. Kristen's allergic to rhubarb and it looked pretty dodgy, anyway. I avoided mowing over two small toads in the yard. I didn't really stop for the countess crickets and the like. I draw the line at vertebrates. Well... I did pause for a few proper grasshoppers. One was pale green, another dark brown, and a third was a beautiful red-brown. I didn't mow them over.
We've got a good-sized crabapple tree in the back yard. When mowing over the fallen apples, it smells nice and apple-y. Mmmmmm...
My lawn mower (the one that comes with the parsonage) is not the mightiest cutter in the world, unlike my new weed whacker (q.v.). I have to nurse it along a bit. I think there a part or two missing. I downloaded all manner of manuals today for the mower and engine and am going to do a bit of preventative maintenance. I bet the air filter, for example, has never been changed. It feels good being handy.
For some reason, we have a single rhubarb plant in the backyard. It may be the last vestige on an old garden. I mowed over it today. Kristen's allergic to rhubarb and it looked pretty dodgy, anyway. I avoided mowing over two small toads in the yard. I didn't really stop for the countess crickets and the like. I draw the line at vertebrates. Well... I did pause for a few proper grasshoppers. One was pale green, another dark brown, and a third was a beautiful red-brown. I didn't mow them over.
We've got a good-sized crabapple tree in the back yard. When mowing over the fallen apples, it smells nice and apple-y. Mmmmmm...
Monday, August 6, 2007
Sad News: No Baby
It's been over a week since I last posted and it's been pretty crazy. We got the call Sunday night/Monday morning that our birth mother was in labor. She delivered a healthy baby boy at 4:45am on Monday. We packed up the cars and caravaned to Alexandria (an epic journey in itself).
On Tuesday morning, we went to the hospital to see the mother and meet the baby. When we got there, she told us that she had changed her mind and couldn't give us the baby. It seems that, after the baby was born, the birth father and the mother's family stepped up with promises of support. It was very disappointing. We knew it could happen, but thought things would go differently. Kristen was very upset by this, just another in a long chain of loss.
So, we came home to Arkport baby-less, wondering what to do next. We've gotten through the lion's share of the standard adoption paperwork, which means we won't have to do it again! That's a blessing. Still, we'd rather have the baby!
On Tuesday morning, we went to the hospital to see the mother and meet the baby. When we got there, she told us that she had changed her mind and couldn't give us the baby. It seems that, after the baby was born, the birth father and the mother's family stepped up with promises of support. It was very disappointing. We knew it could happen, but thought things would go differently. Kristen was very upset by this, just another in a long chain of loss.
So, we came home to Arkport baby-less, wondering what to do next. We've gotten through the lion's share of the standard adoption paperwork, which means we won't have to do it again! That's a blessing. Still, we'd rather have the baby!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Busy Day
It's been a busy day. I had my annual interview with my District Superintendent in Olean. I was able to go early and have a yummy lunch at the Beef & Barrel with a pastor friend in the area. The meeting went well.
It's been alternating sun and rain for the past week, so things have been growing like mad. That means I needed to mow the lawn (well. the front lawn). My neighbors all have great lawns. We bought a line trimmer, which is essential, but I think we may need an edger, too. We'll see. I know it's not a competition, but my next-door neighbor has a sweet lawn. Ah well...
Kristen's been cleaning up and putting away the house in anticipation of a visit with our social worker tomorrow morning. The SW will look over the house and interview Kristen and me about parenting stuff. Adoption is kind of like doing your taxes, getting a mortgage, interviewing for a job and going on a blind date, all rolled up into one.
It's been alternating sun and rain for the past week, so things have been growing like mad. That means I needed to mow the lawn (well. the front lawn). My neighbors all have great lawns. We bought a line trimmer, which is essential, but I think we may need an edger, too. We'll see. I know it's not a competition, but my next-door neighbor has a sweet lawn. Ah well...
Kristen's been cleaning up and putting away the house in anticipation of a visit with our social worker tomorrow morning. The SW will look over the house and interview Kristen and me about parenting stuff. Adoption is kind of like doing your taxes, getting a mortgage, interviewing for a job and going on a blind date, all rolled up into one.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Finally, It's Official!
We went to the DMV and got our New York driver's licenses. New York takes your identity seriously, and you need to provide many ironclad proofs of identity to get a license. I had my US passport, my original Social Security card, and my Virginia driver's license. That was enough, apparently. I couldn't register my car, since I didn't know the odometer reading. I'll do that tomorrow or Friday. Fun, fun, fun!
Actually, the DMV in Hornell is pretty cute. It's in the old country courthouse building. They had us in and out in a pretty short time.
Actually, the DMV in Hornell is pretty cute. It's in the old country courthouse building. They had us in and out in a pretty short time.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Getting Our House in Order
We got the first huge batch of paperwork out yesterday--financial data, personal histories, etc... Soon we expect the next batch to arrive, including fingerprint cards for our criminal background checks.
In the meantime, we're getting the house more organized, which included unpacking and organizing the as-yet-unpacked junk. We've decided, for example, not to unpack 100% of our (my) books. We've got some bookcases put together and we're going to fill them with a selection from out collection. We'll rotate things in and out periodically.
I just assembled a piece of IKEA furniture on which to put our huge TV (parting gift from my mother). Then I had to hook up the cable, DVD, amplifier and speakers. Whew!
The saga continues!
In the meantime, we're getting the house more organized, which included unpacking and organizing the as-yet-unpacked junk. We've decided, for example, not to unpack 100% of our (my) books. We've got some bookcases put together and we're going to fill them with a selection from out collection. We'll rotate things in and out periodically.
I just assembled a piece of IKEA furniture on which to put our huge TV (parting gift from my mother). Then I had to hook up the cable, DVD, amplifier and speakers. Whew!
The saga continues!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The Joys of Yardwork
I mowed the lawn yesterday. It's the first sizable lawn I've mowed since 1983. It was pretty cool. I hated doing it as a kid, but this time wasn't so bad. Actually, I'll bet that Kristen mowed over half of it, so I guess I should say "I mowed half the lawn yesterday." It was starting to look a bit shaggy, and we didn't want the neighbors to give us the eye!
We needed to do some trimming, so we went and bought a Craftsman weed whacker. It's gas-powered and TONS of fun! Kristen loves it, as well. We were contemplating a sensible, petite, electric trimmer, but we have a big house. If we added in the price of a 100-foot extension cord, it was close to the gas model. We have no regrets!
Adoption paperwork is taking up our time this week, plus getting the house more presentable for a home visit.
We needed to do some trimming, so we went and bought a Craftsman weed whacker. It's gas-powered and TONS of fun! Kristen loves it, as well. We were contemplating a sensible, petite, electric trimmer, but we have a big house. If we added in the price of a 100-foot extension cord, it was close to the gas model. We have no regrets!
Adoption paperwork is taking up our time this week, plus getting the house more presentable for a home visit.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
New Baby on the Horizon?
I's been too long since I've posted. Many things have been going on that are very exciting. Kristen and I are settling into Arkport nicely. It's a totally different way of life that the hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia. I've got to mow the grass today, something I haven't done since 1983!! This morning, at 6:45, it was 52 degrees! Take that, DC!!
The big news is on the adoption front. We've been approached by a woman who would like us to adopt her baby. She's a friend-of-a-friend and has heard about our difficulties. It's all very sudden and wonderful. We met her face-to-face last week and are moving ahead at full speed. The catch is that she's eight months pregnant! Normally, this process takes months and months (often over a year), but this one's going to take much less.
We're expediting the paperwork as much as possible, but some things can only be rushed so much. If the baby arrives before it's all done, we can take temporary legal custody until it is. The catch is that the baby can't leave Virginia! Kristen may need to go and live with my mom for a few weeks while things are sorted out. We'll see how it goes. It's happening crazy-fast!
With all the last-minute adoption preparations, we decided that we could not afford, time-wise, to go on the mission trip to the Navajo. That was disappointing--for us and for our friends on the team--but the decision was really a no-brainer.
So, we're filling out forms and deciding on baby names.
The big news is on the adoption front. We've been approached by a woman who would like us to adopt her baby. She's a friend-of-a-friend and has heard about our difficulties. It's all very sudden and wonderful. We met her face-to-face last week and are moving ahead at full speed. The catch is that she's eight months pregnant! Normally, this process takes months and months (often over a year), but this one's going to take much less.
We're expediting the paperwork as much as possible, but some things can only be rushed so much. If the baby arrives before it's all done, we can take temporary legal custody until it is. The catch is that the baby can't leave Virginia! Kristen may need to go and live with my mom for a few weeks while things are sorted out. We'll see how it goes. It's happening crazy-fast!
With all the last-minute adoption preparations, we decided that we could not afford, time-wise, to go on the mission trip to the Navajo. That was disappointing--for us and for our friends on the team--but the decision was really a no-brainer.
So, we're filling out forms and deciding on baby names.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Internet At Last!!
We got hooked up to the Internet this afternoon, so this is my first post in about a week. We arrived in Arkport, New York, safely on Thursday evening. The truck was unloaded in about an hour by a stalwart team of volunteers. Since then, we've been going through boxes and trying to put our house in order, so to speak.
My first Sunday at Arkport UMC went well. I preached two services in the morning.
The people have been wonderful and the weather has been nice and cool (47 degrees this morning!).
More very soon!
My first Sunday at Arkport UMC went well. I preached two services in the morning.
The people have been wonderful and the weather has been nice and cool (47 degrees this morning!).
More very soon!
Monday, June 25, 2007
Transitions
I preached my last sermon at Saint James yesterday. It got a little emotional at points, but it went very well. My prayer is that things at Saint James continue along the path they've been on for the past year. It's going to be exciting. Now my energies are focused on packing and getting ready for this week's move to New York.
It's general practice in Arkport for the pastor to use a P.O.Box for mail delivery. The parsonage doesn't even have a mailbox. But, since I need to be there to get a P.O.Box, I don't have one. That means I'm unable to give my new address to folks like my bank, credit card companies, etc... It's a little frustrating. I have now idea how long it will take us to get phone, Internet and cable TV established. Not too long, I hope.
Gotta go, must pack...
It's general practice in Arkport for the pastor to use a P.O.Box for mail delivery. The parsonage doesn't even have a mailbox. But, since I need to be there to get a P.O.Box, I don't have one. That means I'm unable to give my new address to folks like my bank, credit card companies, etc... It's a little frustrating. I have now idea how long it will take us to get phone, Internet and cable TV established. Not too long, I hope.
Gotta go, must pack...
Friday, June 22, 2007
Moving Day Approaching
I haven't posted in a while, but I hope to be doing so much more often. I want to start using this blog to keep friends and family up-to-date on what going on in my life.
This week, we're getting ready to move to Arkport, New York, where I've been appointed as Pastor of Arkpoprt United Methodist Church. It's sad to leave Saint James, where I've been for the past eight years, but God is doing something new!
Right now, Kristen and I are adrift in a sea of boxes. We're packing up for this week's move. More details to come, stay tuned...
This week, we're getting ready to move to Arkport, New York, where I've been appointed as Pastor of Arkpoprt United Methodist Church. It's sad to leave Saint James, where I've been for the past eight years, but God is doing something new!
Right now, Kristen and I are adrift in a sea of boxes. We're packing up for this week's move. More details to come, stay tuned...
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Article About Our Trip in Local Paper
This article appeared in the Chattanooga Times Free Press the first Saturday we were in town:
Saturday, January 06, 2007
A Ministry Education
Wesley Theological Seminary students learning urban ministry at St. Andrews Center
By Clint Cooper Staff Writer
Eight students from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., are in Chattanooga trying to soak up the how-tos of cross-cultural urban ministry.
The urban immersion is a requirement of students seeking a Master of Divinity degree at the school, but the two-week local placement is new, according to the Rev. Mike Feely, director of St. Andrews Center.
"It’s not as much learning about a place as it is about cooperative models of ministry," he said. "We’re not as big as Atlanta or D.C., but it’s a place to sink your teeth into."
St. Andrews Center, a former Highland Park United Methodist Church that is now an urban community center, hosts 16 ecumenical ministries and people who speak more than 20 language groups.
More than 700 people worship in the center and more than 1,200 come through it in a given week, Mr. Feely said.
The students in the urban immersion program range in age from 24 to 53, come from various faith traditions and have a variety of post-degree career plans. The seminarians are learning "how to have the church work outside itself," said Lory Cantin, 53, pastor of Solomons United Methodist Church in Solomons Island, Md.
"We’re being intentional about working with other ministries, about learning how to partner," said Yvette L. Twiggs, who is working with the start-up Temple of Healing Waters Church in Herndon, Va.
During their time in Chattanooga, the students are spending time with the core congregations who worship at St. Andrews Center; participating in discussions and reflections with urban ministers, planners and visionaries ; meeting neighboring black and Hispanic families; and observing and investigating social-service providers and others who provide services or make decisions in the urban area.
They are learning how to relate urban ministry to, among other things, grant writing, foundational giving, economic development, storytelling and the arts.
Mr. Feely, a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary, said St. Andrews Center has hosted individual pastors and interns from Sewanee Theological Seminary and Tennessee Wesleyan University who wanted to learn more about urban ministry, respectively, but has never provided a program such as the immersion.
Other Wesley Seminary students may take immersions in areas such as South Africa, Korea and Arizona, or they may design their own, the seminarians said.
All of the immersions allow the students "to look at a realworld range of models" and give them "some different ideas how to reach out and work with people," Mr. Feely said.
On the last day of their stay, the Chattanooga guests will visit the Upper Sand Mountain Parish, a United Methodist cooperative rural ministry in northeast Alabama.
A rural area, with often dwindling congregations, crumbling buildings and a lack of funds, can be quite similar to an urban setting, Mr. Feely said.
"They have some real commonalities," he said.
The program participants said they value the experiences they’re getting.
Linda Morton, 44, an intern at Arlington United Methodist Church in Arlington, Va., said too often in ministry people get put in boxes.
"The focus should be on Jesus, not on denominations," she said.
Mark Erhlichmann, 49, an intern at Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf in Silver Spring, Md., said he hoped to gain "the ability to improve understanding" in urban ministry and the importance of finding a common theme.
While pulling together the ministry immersion program was more difficult than he expected, Mr. Feely said he hoped it will continue in the coming years.
"It reflects St. Andrews’ real ecumenical spirit," he said.
E-mail Clint Cooper at ccooper@timesfreepress.com
Saturday, January 06, 2007
A Ministry Education
Wesley Theological Seminary students learning urban ministry at St. Andrews Center
By Clint Cooper Staff Writer
Eight students from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., are in Chattanooga trying to soak up the how-tos of cross-cultural urban ministry.
The urban immersion is a requirement of students seeking a Master of Divinity degree at the school, but the two-week local placement is new, according to the Rev. Mike Feely, director of St. Andrews Center.
"It’s not as much learning about a place as it is about cooperative models of ministry," he said. "We’re not as big as Atlanta or D.C., but it’s a place to sink your teeth into."
St. Andrews Center, a former Highland Park United Methodist Church that is now an urban community center, hosts 16 ecumenical ministries and people who speak more than 20 language groups.
More than 700 people worship in the center and more than 1,200 come through it in a given week, Mr. Feely said.
The students in the urban immersion program range in age from 24 to 53, come from various faith traditions and have a variety of post-degree career plans. The seminarians are learning "how to have the church work outside itself," said Lory Cantin, 53, pastor of Solomons United Methodist Church in Solomons Island, Md.
"We’re being intentional about working with other ministries, about learning how to partner," said Yvette L. Twiggs, who is working with the start-up Temple of Healing Waters Church in Herndon, Va.
During their time in Chattanooga, the students are spending time with the core congregations who worship at St. Andrews Center; participating in discussions and reflections with urban ministers, planners and visionaries ; meeting neighboring black and Hispanic families; and observing and investigating social-service providers and others who provide services or make decisions in the urban area.
They are learning how to relate urban ministry to, among other things, grant writing, foundational giving, economic development, storytelling and the arts.
Mr. Feely, a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary, said St. Andrews Center has hosted individual pastors and interns from Sewanee Theological Seminary and Tennessee Wesleyan University who wanted to learn more about urban ministry, respectively, but has never provided a program such as the immersion.
Other Wesley Seminary students may take immersions in areas such as South Africa, Korea and Arizona, or they may design their own, the seminarians said.
All of the immersions allow the students "to look at a realworld range of models" and give them "some different ideas how to reach out and work with people," Mr. Feely said.
On the last day of their stay, the Chattanooga guests will visit the Upper Sand Mountain Parish, a United Methodist cooperative rural ministry in northeast Alabama.
A rural area, with often dwindling congregations, crumbling buildings and a lack of funds, can be quite similar to an urban setting, Mr. Feely said.
"They have some real commonalities," he said.
The program participants said they value the experiences they’re getting.
Linda Morton, 44, an intern at Arlington United Methodist Church in Arlington, Va., said too often in ministry people get put in boxes.
"The focus should be on Jesus, not on denominations," she said.
Mark Erhlichmann, 49, an intern at Christ Lutheran Church of the Deaf in Silver Spring, Md., said he hoped to gain "the ability to improve understanding" in urban ministry and the importance of finding a common theme.
While pulling together the ministry immersion program was more difficult than he expected, Mr. Feely said he hoped it will continue in the coming years.
"It reflects St. Andrews’ real ecumenical spirit," he said.
E-mail Clint Cooper at ccooper@timesfreepress.com
Still Catching Up!
It's been three days since I've posted -- I'm still recovering from the trip. Near the end of the immersion, people started to fall prey to various ailments. I was feeling fine (and feeling a bit smug about it) until Friday night. Mike Feely had gotten a stomach bug on Thursday and I came down with it on Friday. It was not fun.
Friday night was an eleven-hour endless night. I went to bed early, because I felt so miserable, but was never able to actually sleep. By the time I gave up at 6:30 Saturday morning, I think I'd managed to get about three hours of fitful sleep.
So, with just a few hours sleep -- and still feeling a bit dodgy -- I got in the car for the marathon drive home. I dropped Linda Morton off at the airport and went to Mike Feely's house to pick up my passenger, Jeanet. She hails from Mexico and does not drive, so it was all me!
We left Chattanooga at nine o'clock in the morning. I dropped Jeanet off at Wesley at eight o'clock that evening. We pretty much drove straight through, making only brief stops for necessities. I managed to stay awake and alert through the lively conversation of Bill Moyers' Genesis: A Living Conversation. I've had the ten-tape audiobook of this awesome PBS series for years and have listened to it often. It's like being a fly on the wall at the best Bible study ever. It kept us on the road all day!
So, I've had a few nights in my own bed and am feeling like myself again.
Friday night was an eleven-hour endless night. I went to bed early, because I felt so miserable, but was never able to actually sleep. By the time I gave up at 6:30 Saturday morning, I think I'd managed to get about three hours of fitful sleep.
So, with just a few hours sleep -- and still feeling a bit dodgy -- I got in the car for the marathon drive home. I dropped Linda Morton off at the airport and went to Mike Feely's house to pick up my passenger, Jeanet. She hails from Mexico and does not drive, so it was all me!
We left Chattanooga at nine o'clock in the morning. I dropped Jeanet off at Wesley at eight o'clock that evening. We pretty much drove straight through, making only brief stops for necessities. I managed to stay awake and alert through the lively conversation of Bill Moyers' Genesis: A Living Conversation. I've had the ten-tape audiobook of this awesome PBS series for years and have listened to it often. It's like being a fly on the wall at the best Bible study ever. It kept us on the road all day!
So, I've had a few nights in my own bed and am feeling like myself again.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Urban Research
We had a great lunch meeting with David Eichenthal from the Community Research Council. They are interested in the future of the mid-sized American city. They are committed to gathering the best data they can, and putting it in the hands of conscientious, well-meaning people with a passion for change. They have been tracking population, employment, economic and social issues and trends in Chattanooga and regionally. Their news is mostly promising. Chattanooga has been able to stem several alarming trends, such as population loss and education. Looking deeper into the statistics, however, they are concerned with those who the statistics leave behind.
Overall education level, for example, is rising. This is coming, however, from an influx of college-educated young people. While this is great -- every city want to attract such people -- what does it say about the people who have been here all along. They are remaining flat or, what is worse, falling behind. Thinking deeply about the data and testing its implications can lead people to make more well-informed decisions about how to change the community for everyone's benefit.
Hearing David talk about trends in American city life, such as the Growth Imperative in American cities, I was reminded of issues in the Detroit of my youth. It's been said that Detroit is the first major American city to die. It had been a ruin for decades. Last year I read Devil's Night and Other True Tales of Detroit by Ze'ev Chafets. It's the story of Detroit's decline from American megalopolis to ghost town. It's a fabulous book.
I was also reminded of the book that I've been reading here in Chattanooga, The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization by Tom Friedman. I've been able to make numerous connections between this book and the urban coalition-building ministry that Mike Feely's doing here in Chattanooga. In the fast past future (i.e. the present) we rise and fall by our ability to make connections. This is the heart of the Saint Andrew's Center. I highly recommend this book.
Overall education level, for example, is rising. This is coming, however, from an influx of college-educated young people. While this is great -- every city want to attract such people -- what does it say about the people who have been here all along. They are remaining flat or, what is worse, falling behind. Thinking deeply about the data and testing its implications can lead people to make more well-informed decisions about how to change the community for everyone's benefit.
Hearing David talk about trends in American city life, such as the Growth Imperative in American cities, I was reminded of issues in the Detroit of my youth. It's been said that Detroit is the first major American city to die. It had been a ruin for decades. Last year I read Devil's Night and Other True Tales of Detroit by Ze'ev Chafets. It's the story of Detroit's decline from American megalopolis to ghost town. It's a fabulous book.
I was also reminded of the book that I've been reading here in Chattanooga, The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization by Tom Friedman. I've been able to make numerous connections between this book and the urban coalition-building ministry that Mike Feely's doing here in Chattanooga. In the fast past future (i.e. the present) we rise and fall by our ability to make connections. This is the heart of the Saint Andrew's Center. I highly recommend this book.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Community Economic Development, Oh My!
We spent the morning with Steve Corbett of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College on the top of Lookout Mountain, Georgia. It was a great meeting. Steve walked us through the basics of community building. His experience is largely international, but his work at the Center applies to foreign and domestic situations. We discussed different models of poverty--different ways in which it saps the strength of individuals and communities.
"What causes poverty?" Steve asked us at the beginning. Our answer to that question will shape our response to poverty. Is it a matter of [poor] personal choices or is there a systemic component? Some of each? How we tackle the issue determines what we will do to ameliorate it. Our discussion ranged into theological waters as we discussed Christian responses to poverty. We all want to help, our Christian hearts desire to relieve suffering, but can we actually do more harm than good when we reach out to help?
Steve emphasized (repeatedly) that the way we offer help is just as important as the help that we offer. Through the way we offer assistance, we can isolate and devalue those who seek to lift up. We must take care with our process as well as our product.
Overall, a very informative session. Steve offers an online development class, which I'd love to take. The next time it's offered I'll be in licensing school, so I may have to catch a later course.
In the afternoon, we visited with Bethlehem Center, in downtown Chattanooga. We met with the Director, Lurone Jenkins, who shared his experience in this vibrant United Methodist community center. They run after school academic programs, athletic programs and leadership training for young people in the adjacent public housing. They also partner with churches to develop their own programs to lift up at-risk youth and show them the love of Christ. The work they're doing seems to be faithful and effective.
"What causes poverty?" Steve asked us at the beginning. Our answer to that question will shape our response to poverty. Is it a matter of [poor] personal choices or is there a systemic component? Some of each? How we tackle the issue determines what we will do to ameliorate it. Our discussion ranged into theological waters as we discussed Christian responses to poverty. We all want to help, our Christian hearts desire to relieve suffering, but can we actually do more harm than good when we reach out to help?
Steve emphasized (repeatedly) that the way we offer help is just as important as the help that we offer. Through the way we offer assistance, we can isolate and devalue those who seek to lift up. We must take care with our process as well as our product.
Overall, a very informative session. Steve offers an online development class, which I'd love to take. The next time it's offered I'll be in licensing school, so I may have to catch a later course.
In the afternoon, we visited with Bethlehem Center, in downtown Chattanooga. We met with the Director, Lurone Jenkins, who shared his experience in this vibrant United Methodist community center. They run after school academic programs, athletic programs and leadership training for young people in the adjacent public housing. They also partner with churches to develop their own programs to lift up at-risk youth and show them the love of Christ. The work they're doing seems to be faithful and effective.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
WOW!
I've had quite a day so far. We went this morning to the Chattanooga Community Kitchen, which serves three meals a day to the city's homeless population. They've expanded their ministry into providing health care, life skills, a thrift store, etc... We ate lunch there, then we went to work moving a bunch of donated dry goods from a small storage room to another storage room.
After the kitchen, we went to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus and met with the minister of the Wesley Foundation. We had a great discussion about the challenges facing campus ministries today.
After that, we went to The Sanctuary, an Episcopal ministry that helps women who come from addiction, homelessness, prostitution and incarceration transition to stable, permanent lives. They provide free housing, rehabilitation counseling, health care, job skill training, etc... to women for a period of at least one year and up to two years. They have room for seven women in their housing and the women begin working in the greeting card business run by the Sanctuary. They've had some successes and some women who have relapsed.
We did get to meet four of the women who have been living in the shelter and working, going to school, and getting their lives back in order. We chatted with the women for ten minutes or so, learning a piece of their stories. I must say, that of all the amazing things we've seen here, these women might be at the top of my list. As I was in the facility, I wished that my wife could have the opportunity to volunteer with these women. It seems like a place where she would have a wonderful experience.
We've got a little downtime here at the Saint Andrew's Center (where I'm writing this). I'm going to look in on the group of Guatemalan and Mexican children in a few minutes.
After the kitchen, we went to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus and met with the minister of the Wesley Foundation. We had a great discussion about the challenges facing campus ministries today.
After that, we went to The Sanctuary, an Episcopal ministry that helps women who come from addiction, homelessness, prostitution and incarceration transition to stable, permanent lives. They provide free housing, rehabilitation counseling, health care, job skill training, etc... to women for a period of at least one year and up to two years. They have room for seven women in their housing and the women begin working in the greeting card business run by the Sanctuary. They've had some successes and some women who have relapsed.
We did get to meet four of the women who have been living in the shelter and working, going to school, and getting their lives back in order. We chatted with the women for ten minutes or so, learning a piece of their stories. I must say, that of all the amazing things we've seen here, these women might be at the top of my list. As I was in the facility, I wished that my wife could have the opportunity to volunteer with these women. It seems like a place where she would have a wonderful experience.
We've got a little downtime here at the Saint Andrew's Center (where I'm writing this). I'm going to look in on the group of Guatemalan and Mexican children in a few minutes.
Monday, Monday!
Today we drove up to Knoxville, to the Holston Conference Center. We met with Jim Sessions, who had been [hyper]active in social justice issues for the last thirty years. He spoke with us about grass-roots advocacy and coalition building around labor and children's issues. He currently works for the Children's Defense Fund, and told us about some exciting things they are working on. In February, a bill will be introduced in Congress to guarantee health coverage for all children in the United States--documented or not--until they are nineteen years old.
I immediately began thinking about ways I could get involved in making this happen. Two things are needed: the votes are needed in Congress and the President must not veto the bill, if it passes. I've done some personal letter writing to my representatives in Congress. I've started wondering about doing that on a larger scale. I'm going to find out what's required to get a petition going. If I want to take a page from Mike Feely's book, I'll start looking for groups with whom I can partner on this issue. Jim Sessions recommended local health concerns (doctors, nurses, etc...) as potential partners, as well as other churches. I've got good relations with our neighbor church, maybe I need to reach out when I get home.
We also spent a few hours with the Bishop of the Holston Conference, James E. Swanson, Sr. and three District Superintendents in the conference. We had a rousing conversation about preaching, life in ministry and what we might face as pastors in the twenty-first century. Bishop Swanson told us of the exciting things going on in the Holston Conference--he made it sound pretty enticing, I must admit.
Lots of time in the van today, two-and-a-half hours each way. When we finally got back to Camp Lookout, we were tired and hungry. Fortunately, an excellent dinner was waiting for us (I can't seem to get enough mashed potatoes). I'm getting ready to turn in for the night. Tomorrow, we're starting our day serving in a local soup kitchen, followed by meetings in the afternoon.
I immediately began thinking about ways I could get involved in making this happen. Two things are needed: the votes are needed in Congress and the President must not veto the bill, if it passes. I've done some personal letter writing to my representatives in Congress. I've started wondering about doing that on a larger scale. I'm going to find out what's required to get a petition going. If I want to take a page from Mike Feely's book, I'll start looking for groups with whom I can partner on this issue. Jim Sessions recommended local health concerns (doctors, nurses, etc...) as potential partners, as well as other churches. I've got good relations with our neighbor church, maybe I need to reach out when I get home.
We also spent a few hours with the Bishop of the Holston Conference, James E. Swanson, Sr. and three District Superintendents in the conference. We had a rousing conversation about preaching, life in ministry and what we might face as pastors in the twenty-first century. Bishop Swanson told us of the exciting things going on in the Holston Conference--he made it sound pretty enticing, I must admit.
Lots of time in the van today, two-and-a-half hours each way. When we finally got back to Camp Lookout, we were tired and hungry. Fortunately, an excellent dinner was waiting for us (I can't seem to get enough mashed potatoes). I'm getting ready to turn in for the night. Tomorrow, we're starting our day serving in a local soup kitchen, followed by meetings in the afternoon.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Sightseeing and Stuff in Town
We spent Saturday wandering about Chattanooga. It's a lovely little town and we had terrific weather. We've only been here for five days, but Mike had connected us with so many movers-and-shakers in town that we ran into three of them on our walk through the downtown area. Adera Causey caught up with us on the Walnut Street bridge. She pointed us in the direction of great ice cream (Clumpeys!). Where we were talking with Adera, Chiquita Bass pulled up, with her two daughters, and greeted us. Walking back over the bridge, we ran into one of the people we'd shared dinner with on Wednesday night. He and a friend were playing (guitar & harmonica) and singing. They were pretty good. It's a small world, and we seem to be pretty well-connected Chattanoogians, even after just five days.
This morning (Sunday) I'm worshiping at First-Centenary UMC's contemporary service, The Vine. After that, I'll grab some lunch and check out the Chattanooga Valley Railroad Museum. Tonight we are relocating our living quarters from Tennessee Temple University to Camp Lookout, on nearby Lookout Mountain. This coming week, we'll be relaxing at Camp Lookout and coming back to the Saint Andrew's Center daily to continue our work.
This morning (Sunday) I'm worshiping at First-Centenary UMC's contemporary service, The Vine. After that, I'll grab some lunch and check out the Chattanooga Valley Railroad Museum. Tonight we are relocating our living quarters from Tennessee Temple University to Camp Lookout, on nearby Lookout Mountain. This coming week, we'll be relaxing at Camp Lookout and coming back to the Saint Andrew's Center daily to continue our work.
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Grants, etc...
Friday was busy and productive! We spent the morning meeting with Angie Sledge from the Center for Non-Profits. Angie gave us a general overview of writing grant proposals. There is a lot of money out there, if you know how to get it. Angie knows, and now so do we (a little bit). It was a fantastic class. I wish she could teach it at Saint James. We were asked to come up with an idea that we might use for the practical parts of the class. I used Miriam's Gift. Searching through databases of grant-funding agencies, I found lots of places that might fund Miriam's Gift. We might need to actually put Angie's class to work finding funding.
The grant class highlighted something that's run through my entire experience in Chattanooga: the need to forge links to other passionate individuals/organizations who share your vision. This builds synergy, avoids duplication of effort, cuts down competition and shows the world (i.e. funding agencies) that you are serious about your project/mission. This kind of broad coalition-building is exactly what Rev. Mike Feely had done at the Saint Andrews Center.
We spent Friday afternoon talking with a few local pastors and meeting with one of the people pushing for the creation of a new homeless center downtown. This, apparently, is an issue of some controversy -- it's come up in several of our discussions. The neighborhood is wary of the center, thinking that it will attract the homeless. What perhaps they don't realize is that the homeless are already these (I had dinner with them last Wednesday) and the center is a step in getting them on their feet and OUT of the neighborhood!
We wrapped up the day at Rev. Mike's house, enjoying some fine barbeque (watch out for the HOT sauce, Yvette!) and meeting some friends to discuss storytelling in ministry. A good time was had by all!
The grant class highlighted something that's run through my entire experience in Chattanooga: the need to forge links to other passionate individuals/organizations who share your vision. This builds synergy, avoids duplication of effort, cuts down competition and shows the world (i.e. funding agencies) that you are serious about your project/mission. This kind of broad coalition-building is exactly what Rev. Mike Feely had done at the Saint Andrews Center.
We spent Friday afternoon talking with a few local pastors and meeting with one of the people pushing for the creation of a new homeless center downtown. This, apparently, is an issue of some controversy -- it's come up in several of our discussions. The neighborhood is wary of the center, thinking that it will attract the homeless. What perhaps they don't realize is that the homeless are already these (I had dinner with them last Wednesday) and the center is a step in getting them on their feet and OUT of the neighborhood!
We wrapped up the day at Rev. Mike's house, enjoying some fine barbeque (watch out for the HOT sauce, Yvette!) and meeting some friends to discuss storytelling in ministry. A good time was had by all!
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Long Day, but Fruitful
We've had a long day today, meeting with a variety of folks from different sectors. We started with some strategic planning folks, who consult on development projects for cities. We got our first look at the political side of things. Our discussion got a little heated, but was very good.
Education was a theme for the day. We met with people passionate about early-childhood literacy issues. School-access issues dominated the afternoon and evening, with a panel discussion about special issues confronting the growing Hispanic community. Chattanooga is home to growing Mexican and Guatemalan communities, and they face issues regarding literacy and access to the education system.
Access is something we (I) tend to take for granted. For non-English-speaking communities, the ability for parents (who may not be literate, even in Spanish) to navigate "the system" is extremely limited. How are we, as the church, to respond? What can we do to change the futures of entire families? It begins, I've learned, with the children. It does not end there, however. Getting parents more education (language, job skills, etc...) can get them more involved in their children's education.
Putting together coalitions of people committed to changing their city means finding committed, passionate individuals. Meeting the people we've met so far, I'd say that's the sine qua non. If you find those people, other things fall into place. What is my passion? What is my community's? What is yours?
Education was a theme for the day. We met with people passionate about early-childhood literacy issues. School-access issues dominated the afternoon and evening, with a panel discussion about special issues confronting the growing Hispanic community. Chattanooga is home to growing Mexican and Guatemalan communities, and they face issues regarding literacy and access to the education system.
Access is something we (I) tend to take for granted. For non-English-speaking communities, the ability for parents (who may not be literate, even in Spanish) to navigate "the system" is extremely limited. How are we, as the church, to respond? What can we do to change the futures of entire families? It begins, I've learned, with the children. It does not end there, however. Getting parents more education (language, job skills, etc...) can get them more involved in their children's education.
Putting together coalitions of people committed to changing their city means finding committed, passionate individuals. Meeting the people we've met so far, I'd say that's the sine qua non. If you find those people, other things fall into place. What is my passion? What is my community's? What is yours?
Coalition-Building and the Sugar Bowl
Wednesday was a busy day. We met with a series of people involved in the revitalization of Chattanooga. We lunched with a group of pastors who work to improve their city. We also met with the presidents of two large foundations who have been steering change in Chattanooga for decades. The reason for these meetings: to learn about coalition-building. A critical part of starting and maintaining a vital social-service ministry is being part of a larger group that shares the same vision.
Here at the Saint Andrews Center, Rev. Mike Feely has done just that. He has forged partnerships with all kinds of local agencies, churches, foundations, etc... to do the work that the SAC is doing. It's pretty impressive.
We dined at a local United Methodist Church that holds a Wednesday night supper and Bible study for the area's homeless population. There were about fifty homeless folks along with the eight seminarians enjoying a wonderful chicken dinner. I passed the night with my neighbors talking about the upcoming LSU/Notre Dame match-up in the Sugar Bowl (LSU pounded the Irish, it turned out). After eating we had a quick Bible study, working through a few verses of Philippians. The whole evening was wonderful.
Here at the Saint Andrews Center, Rev. Mike Feely has done just that. He has forged partnerships with all kinds of local agencies, churches, foundations, etc... to do the work that the SAC is doing. It's pretty impressive.
We dined at a local United Methodist Church that holds a Wednesday night supper and Bible study for the area's homeless population. There were about fifty homeless folks along with the eight seminarians enjoying a wonderful chicken dinner. I passed the night with my neighbors talking about the upcoming LSU/Notre Dame match-up in the Sugar Bowl (LSU pounded the Irish, it turned out). After eating we had a quick Bible study, working through a few verses of Philippians. The whole evening was wonderful.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Spiritual Disciplines while on this Immersion Trip
This Immersion Trip is all about serving the needs of marginalized communities: inner-city, rural, immigrant, homeless, uneducated, etc... Every day, we are meeting people who are changing the world from the bottom up. To go along with our daily activities, I've chosen a few spiritual disciplines to do on this trip that match its goal.
I'm reading the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church. These are the official statements of the church on matters of social policy. They state the church's position on such issues at conservation, energy use, child labor, human sexuality, gambling, and the Internet, just to name a few.
At the same time that I'm reading the Social Principles, I'm also reading the Book of Isaiah. I hope that these two readings will fit will the the things I'll be doing each day.
I'm reading the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church. These are the official statements of the church on matters of social policy. They state the church's position on such issues at conservation, energy use, child labor, human sexuality, gambling, and the Internet, just to name a few.
At the same time that I'm reading the Social Principles, I'm also reading the Book of Isaiah. I hope that these two readings will fit will the the things I'll be doing each day.
Arrived! Safe and Sound
It was an exciting day in the car yesterday. I left the house before 9:00am and arrived in Chattanooga around 8:00pm. I ran into two separate rush hours (Washington and Knoxville). I listened to a lot of music on my MP3 player (the radio on my car is starting to go). After Knoxville, the batteries died on the MP3 player and it was me singing to myself to stay awake. Lots of bad road food. Ug.
When I got to the Saint Andrew's Center, there was a presentation already underway. Andy Mendonsa, the founder of Widow's Harvest Ministries, was telling of his experiences. Twenty years ago, Andy found that God was calling him to serve the widows of his community. In turn, he discovered their deep, dependent faith in God and their power as partners in prayer.
Andy has gone back to the Bible and found that the "office" of widow in Scripture is one of prayer. Rather than being overlooked and forgotten, they must be cared for (or course) and honored as valuable members of the faith community. It was a great presentation. We'll be seeing Andy again today.
When I got to the Saint Andrew's Center, there was a presentation already underway. Andy Mendonsa, the founder of Widow's Harvest Ministries, was telling of his experiences. Twenty years ago, Andy found that God was calling him to serve the widows of his community. In turn, he discovered their deep, dependent faith in God and their power as partners in prayer.
Andy has gone back to the Bible and found that the "office" of widow in Scripture is one of prayer. Rather than being overlooked and forgotten, they must be cared for (or course) and honored as valuable members of the faith community. It was a great presentation. We'll be seeing Andy again today.
Monday, January 1, 2007
Hello 2007
It's officially the New Year. I hope this one brings more peace and less suffering to all the people in the world. "War is over, if you want it."
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