tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62997440574394270352024-03-14T09:12:51.011-05:00Dave's Faith BlogDSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-37784223042747425732010-10-25T01:45:00.003-05:002010-10-25T01:57:05.801-05:00Imagine the Possibilities!<span style="font-style: italic;">For the 2011 Stewardship kickoff dinner we were asked to reflect on the question "What could Faith Outreach do with unlimited funds?" Here is the response I offered to the congregation...</span><br /><br />What could Faith Outreach do with unlimited funds?<br /><br />Wow, unlimited funds!<br /><br />I suppose Dr. Jenny Chapman could stock and staff a full service clinic in Haiti? Maybe even build a hospital?<br /><br />I suppose we could fill several South African preschools with books and music? Wouldn’t that just fill Miss Shan’s and Nancy Hamilton’s hearts! And while we were at it we could assure adequate care for the children in eGoli’s HIV/AIDS orphanages? Kaylynn Campbell would be ecstatic!<br /><br />I suppose we could eliminate the debt for the Presbyterian Home for Children? Maybe even start an expansion? That would bring tears to Anne Whitfield’s eyes!<br /><br />Every child at Morris Elementary could go home with food for the weekend. Whitesburg Elementary could have full after school care and tutoring. Libba Nicholson and Sara Curtis’ dreams would be fulfilled!<br /><br />Maranatha could have up-to-date facilities and year long programming. Gene Joiner and a long list of us would see dreams fulfilled.<br /><br />And just how many Habitat houses can Doug Franklin build?<br /><br />This is just a short list of dreams come true for only a few outreach ministries that are near and dear to Faith Church.<br /><br />Now the chances of us achieving unlimited funds are pretty remote. But you may have noticed that each one of those ministries have people that are passionate about them. People that understand these are things that God is calling and equipping them to do. Actions they undertake just because they love God and want to share God’s love with others.<br /><br />That’s my dream. My dream is that we can nurture folks along in their faith so they can grow into the servanthood that God wants for them. My dream is to develop that sense of calling in each of us so we can establish team based ministries that don’t over burden or burn out a few. Respite care and Downtown Rescue Mission worship are very successful examples of such ministries. They rely on teams of volunteers and require essentially no money. My dream is that we don’t spend all our “church” time within these walls. My dream is for us to be joyful givers and a sent people and to understand how that comes as a natural response to God’s grace; not as obligation.<br /><br />To get to that point, I’m afraid, will require us to pledge something more precious than money. We are going to be required to pledge our time and ourselves. We will be required to challenge ourselves to step out in faith to seek, learn, and try. Are you ready?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This entry prompted me to look back at this one: </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/imagine.html">http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/imagine.html</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> from June 2009. Not that much different.</span>DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-58576003543285618462010-10-09T11:18:00.003-05:002010-10-10T00:04:52.209-05:00Church ScarsDuring the visit from our South African friends I had the pleasure to be their driver for their trip to Cullman. Besides the Ava Maria Grotto we also visited a Catholic shrine down there. It was a most impressive place; huge, beautiful, spiritual. But it left me with a very uncomfortable feeling I can’t put my finger on. Obviously I must still have some unresolved Catholic issues from my youth. I have had these feelings before; see “<a href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/pew-time.html">Pew Time</a>.”<br /><br />I have also been struggling with my attitude toward Faith Church. Struggling with some scars and resentments left after the great turmoil. That is going to happen when a family of faith that has been so deeply instrumental to my faith development acts so uncharacteristically un-Christian. It shook my foundations. Even now as we move forward, I know there will be scars that get reopened. Will we be able to work through those scars or will they prevent Faith Church from becoming what God wants it to be? I suspect church scars are the deepest for just that reason. The relationships where you trust the most, open up the most, and love the most are the ones that cut the deepest.<br /><br />I have also been attending one of Rev. Maricarmen Castro’s small group meetings. I have truly enjoyed these meetings. The meetings are still young, fresh, and full of Christ’s love and promise. I can see how they can be welcoming oases for many folks struggling with their faith or their church. But my pessimistic side can also see how, as these groups grow, they will be subject to the same human temptations that often turn churches into less than hospitable places.<br /><br />And finally I have been attending Jerry’s Companions group. It has only been a brief time as it just started, however I feel very at home there as it is full of folks I have known for a long time and trust easily. We have been discussing God’s grace. The daily reflections concerning God’s grace in Companions as well as God’s holiness and grace in the Old Testament for Maricarmen’s group have highlighted the many, many instances of grace I have experienced. Experiences of grace I have had through friends, family, Faith Church, mentors, Maricarmen’s group, and other churches in the Presbytery. But I am also reminded of many instances when we, and I, turn away from grace; instances that are part and parcel of the human condition.<br /><br />So, how do we deal with our scars and the wounds that are still to come? Yes, there will be wounds to come, because we can’t stop loving. If we stop loving we die.<br /><br />It all rests in God’s grace. The grace that:<br /><ul><li>Brought me to Faith Church and <a href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/faith-and-emerging-culture.html">found my faith</a>.</li><li>Brought Marilyn and I together.</li><li>Nurtured me through raising a family.</li><li>Sustained me during Faith’s turmoil.</li><li>Brought me to a Rescue Mission worship that showed me <a href="http://faithreach.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-witnessed-love.html">true service</a>.</li><li>Took me to Big Cove First Light for a <a href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/full-court-press.html">message</a> I needed to hear.</li><li>Found me in a Companions group that has quickly become a place of grace and healing.</li><li>Found me naturally making the Catholic “sign of the cross” as we remembered our baptisms by placing our hands in water.</li><li>Brought me to participate in a baptism that reminded me of our unity through Jesus Christ.</li><li>Urged me to connect with Maricarmen’s missional group of other scarred and searching folks.</li><li>Brought substance to the concept of incarnationally loving others in that group.</li><li>Brought me, as I was struggling with this entry, to a Sunday of serving communion to folks I love as well as ushering to folks I have grown distant from.</li><li>Reminded me why I love those folks too!</li><li>Repeatedly keeps me at Faith Church for whatever God has planned there.</li></ul>It all rests in God’s grace. The list goes on and on each day. And the question is the same each and every time, “Do I accept this grace or do I turn away?” Like the prodigal brothers (Luke 15:11-32), what happens after the text? Do we accept the grace given and find forgiveness or do we reject the grace to live separated from God?<br /><br />What will you do today with the graces you will be given; accept them, turn away from them, share them?DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-65619625417750867352010-09-08T22:50:00.004-05:002010-09-10T04:21:44.561-05:00Missional Church: Small is BigI had the pleasure of attending a panel discussion last evening about what “Missional Church” means. This was a joint discussion with a group visiting here from the eGoli, South Africa Presbytery. The discussion was led by Pastor Maricarmen Castro and three of our eGoli guests.<br /><br />Maricarmen started off with some definitions as she tried to contrast the meaning of missional with what most of us in church think of as missions. In my experience this has been a difficult challenge and last evening was no different. The major difference is that each of us is individually called to be a missionary in sharing the Gospel; it is not just the Pastor’s or the Church’s job. This was summed up well with the concept of taking the Gospel outside the church, not just inviting others into the church. The other key point was that sharing the Gospel missionally is not to be confused only with acts of service in our efforts to combat social injustice and poverty. As you can tell from my description this concept is hard for us to grasp and convey, particularly to those steeped in church tradition. But I think it might become clearer if I tell you what I heard unfolding in the following discussions.<br /><br />Questions from the floor centered on two things, the first being “How do we do this?” To me this revolves around our feeling inadequate to explain and teach the Gospel. The second question centered on “How do we get our church to do this?” To me this revolves around us still thinking in terms of this being a church program. One gentleman’s question about how to convince his church to continue in an effort when there were only a couple of individual “successes” generated a good deal of follow on discussion. As this was playing out it became obvious to me that, in true American fashion, we were thinking BIG. Individually we were thinking we are not equipped to convert anybody. Corporately we were striving for the big program.<br /><br />The answer popped out to me; <span style="font-weight: bold;">in the Missional Church small is big!</span> God is not asking us to convert anybody. He is only asking for us to share “what we’ve seen and heard.” (Acts 4:18-20) Individually we are called to share what having a relationship with Jesus has done in our lives, period, God will do the rest. You can’t convince your church to change or to continue seemingly inefficient ministries with grand rhetoric. But you can tell the simple story of how you’ve seen God change lives. Our stories are as small as the boy who faithfully offered five loaves and two fish (John 6:9) and with that Jesus fed 5000! It is as small as Maricarmen’s challenge to doing something nice for a neighbor and watching how God can use that.<br /><br />So be God’s messenger. Go out and do something SMALL and let God do the BIG lifting!DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-18510823849280419442010-04-04T06:16:00.002-05:002010-04-04T06:22:25.010-05:00Revolution or Reawakening?Our Sunday school class is just finishing up our study of the book, “The Irresistible Revolution,” by Shane Claiborne. A very interesting and thought provoking read!<br /><br />Claiborne basically relays his spiritual journey through stories that have shaped it. Admittedly Claiborne’s journey is much more intense than the average Christian. He also phrases many ideas and questions in shocking, thought provoking ways. I think Claiborne can rightly be considered a prophetic voice for Christians today in much the same way as the prophets of old were to the people of Israel. In Claiborne’s autobiographical approach to this prophecy, the early chapters have a deeper more cutting edge ring to them. It is an edge that possibly turns off more folks than it really should. However, for those open and brave enough to continue reading, the last three chapters find a message that is mellowed by experience and more practical in tone but still just as prophetic. This experienced tone makes it an even more compelling prophecy that is just as dangerous to ignore as it is to acknowledge. This puts us readers in a very challenging position.<br /><br />Chapter 11 challenges both professing Christians and secular altruists with some compelling words.<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">Just as “believers” are a dime a dozen in the church, so are “activists” in social justice circles nowadays. But lovers are hard to come by. And I think that’s what our world is desperately in need of – lovers, people who are building deep, genuine relationships with fellow strugglers along the way, and who actually know the faces of the people behind the issues they are concerned about. We are trying to raise up an army not simply of street activists but of lovers – a community of people who have fallen desperately in love with God and with suffering people, and who allow those relationships to disturb and transform them.</blockquote>Chapter 12 challenges particularly American Christendom to meaningfully reassess how we do church today. From the mega churches that turn Christianity into a neatly consumable, schedulable product to the fortress mentality churches that are defending dogma and tradition to the last dying member, “Church” in America today is dying. In my mind these approaches treat “mission” as something that is done to somebody else. Claiborne and a number of other sources these days are calling for a reawakening to the ways of the 1st century Church. This is a much more organic approach that works through building relationships that intertwine and reach throughout the community. This approach treats mission as a partnership where all parties grow. This chapter has particular application at this time in Faith Church’s life. In our healing process we need to struggle with the question of what kind of church does God want Faith Church to be; this, or that, or some hybrid?<br /><br />Chapter 13 brings us back to unity. This is somewhat ironic given Claiborne’s often shocking approach but is certainly biblical and demonstrates Claiborne’s growth. This chapter emphasizes that we are not alone in any of these struggles. God is ever present and we need to be humble and respectful to each other.<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">…we have to remind ourselves to stay anchored in the church, for we need roots and wisdom.<br /> <br />It seems to me that God could surround us with elders as we bring new energy into an aging body, but it will take tremendous courage from old folks to dream new dreams and allow a new generation to make their own mistakes. And it will take great humility from the new generation of the church to listen to the wisdom of our elders and know that we can learn from other’s mistakes. </blockquote>In one word, from over two centuries of history and from at least one wise Pastor, it all boils down to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Agape</span>.DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-80176527623399476392010-02-26T03:42:00.001-06:002010-02-26T03:44:25.163-06:00A Story ...A man, let’s call him John, has just settled into his new life. He could be new in town, starting a new job. He could be divorced and starting fresh. He could be part of a young couple or a young family. He could be newly retired, unemployed, or widowed. There could be many reasons why he has reached the point of being settled in a routine that gets him through the daily must do’s. Now it’s time to branch out and seek out other things and other people.<br /><br />One of the many places John could look is to volunteer at something? After all he’s always felt like he should give something back or make things better for folks less fortunate. He doesn’t even consider a church. He’s had bad history with churches. They’re either judgmental or hypocritical or both; no that’s not on the list. So John goes online through VolunteerMatch.org and finds a HUD sponsored community learning center.<br /><br />John settles into a routine of volunteering at the center one night a week. He helps different clients with computer skills. Some kids working homework, some adults learning computer skills, some seniors with emails and researching medical info. He has a number of regulars that he actually looks forward to seeing. One night a group of three new volunteers shows up. The center does have a big turnover in volunteers so John doesn’t think much of it.<br /><br />The group introduces themselves, they’re from XYZ Church. OK, John has seen a number of church people come and go. They usually are a Youth group that only comes once as some kind of “project”. Or others come for a while, don’t seem to act any different than any other volunteer and lose interest after several weeks. But there is something different about this group? Before they start their work they form a circle and say a prayer? John notices these folks really try to get to know their clients. They talk and laugh. At the end of the evening before they leave they form another prayer circle, a couple clients actually join them.<br /><br />The weeks go by and the XYZ people become regulars. They generally have a nice chat with John each evening. They ask John if he is involved with a church. He says no, waiting for the “sales” pitch, but it never happens. The XYZ folks always start with their prayer circle and they always invite clients to join, but never push. John notices them really getting to know their clients. Many times he sees them praying with their client and frequently hugging and tears are shed occasionally. John notices their clients smile a lot more than most?<br /><br />After a couple months John joins in the prayer circle …DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-70754873749674531802010-02-21T03:34:00.002-06:002010-02-21T03:40:32.102-06:00Thankful for a Cloud of Witnesses*Once again I am brought to a feeling of thankfulness for the place Faith Church has been in my life. I read this posting in a blog that I follow; <a href="http://www.halfwaytonormal.com/?p=644">http://www.halfwaytonormal.com/?p=644</a>.<br /><br />I like following this blog because it is written by a woman that is deeply Christian. Yet, somehow, she can walk that thin line where she has credibility and influence on the lives of very spiritual people that have become fearful or disenfranchised from the Christian church. Exactly the place where Christ’s church needs to be these days.<br /><br />In this particular posting she talks about our children and where they learn about their faith in a kaleidoscope world but one that has, seemingly, black and white rules on where faith can be discussed. I was compelled to share this comment:<br /><blockquote>As “sad but true” as it is, our children are amazingly adaptable at being who they need to be for different people they come across. Perhaps that’s even truer in today’s world where they are constantly coming in contact with people with different worldviews. Our children, and my wife and I, have been blessed with a strong faith family. A church that not only teaches but develops strong relationships. This affords our children access to a large group of faith mentors they can turn to when those difficult questions come up. Questions they don’t necessarily feel comfortable talking with us about. And it gives my wife and I an incredible sense of comfort knowing they have that “large cloud of witnesses.”</blockquote>This is one of the things that Marilyn and I value most about Faith. It has been, and I pray will continue to be, one of Faith’s bedrock missions. Once again, Thank You Faith Church!<br /><br />* Hebrews 12:1DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-10849565045385394442010-01-23T03:02:00.004-06:002010-01-23T06:36:42.542-06:00Ressurection2010 has started out to be a downer of a year; apparently? In the last week I have seen a lot of discussion on things that are dying.<br /><ul><li> Obviously there is the earthquake in Haiti.</li><li> A new blog acquaintance who’s Grandmother has passed away, which made me think about my Mom and Dad.</li><li> Another blog acquaintance ruminating on the slow decay of a couple small steel towns near Pittsburgh, an area and experience I’m familiar with.</li><li> A blog post commenting about three different focal missional groups reacting strongly to changes they are experiencing.</li><li> And of course there is looking back over the last year of Faith Church that could have gone either way and is still precarious.</li></ul> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Yet each one of these also carries with it a strong sense of new life!</span><br /><ul><li> There was a parallel story of how a town devastated by the 2004 tsunami has rebuilt better than before.</li><li> The grieving granddaughter passed on stories to her young daughters about the great life of their great-grandmother. And I remember how my daughter at five years old still had a sense of what she needed to deal with losing her Grandma.</li><li> The blog of the decaying town focused on the coffee shop that offered a spark of life through “splashes of color” and a community garden.</li><li> The missional movement blog commented about how things we hold onto too tight, trying to keep them the same, makes it all about us instead of the mission. Which made me think, if these are truly organic movements then some things die to give way and nourish the new things.</li></ul> Most folks simply learn to accept these ups and downs as part of the circle of life. But as Christians shouldn’t we have a much more positive outlook? Christianity itself is rooted in the fundamental belief that out of death rises new life! Christ died and is risen! Paul continually talks about dying to sin and being reborn in Christ!<br /><br />Faith Church has at least stopped the decline and has a lot to look forward to as we do the hard work of nourishing the things that will bring new life in Christ. There may be some pruning necessary as well but we will all discern those things together, when the time comes, as the Body of Christ.<br /><br />Agape,<br />Dave<br /><br />PS.<br />These are just some of the many “new life out of old things” I’ve noticed. Maybe sometime I’ll give you my thoughts on the US Post Office or NASA…DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-37608461406345579142010-01-17T10:23:00.003-06:002010-01-17T10:35:44.354-06:00Comfort in the Aftermath?In the aftermath of a disaster like the Haitian earthquake where could comfort possibly come from? Does it come from the millions maybe billions of dollars in aid beginning to be amassed and directed toward relief? Does it come from the multitude of relief organizations as well as the US Army responding and gearing up for future response? Does it come from the billions of prayers offered up for those suffering, affected, or responding? Does it come from the words of the Gospel shared by relief workers?<br /><br />I was struck by this news article from Reuters, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60D0NP20100114">“Hymns, Children's Cries Fill Haiti's Night,”</a>.<blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">"The chanting and clapping, mainly by women, echo from hill to hill, street to street, as Haitians pray for their dead and ask God to spare them more suffering after an earthquake that has killed thousands and flattened much of the capital.</span><br /><br style="font-style: italic;"> <br style="font-style: italic;"> <span style="font-style: italic;">While the widespread singing provides comfort, the jarring shrieks and sobs of injured children -- some lying in the street clutching bloody gashes -- are a haunting reminder of the untended suffering in Haiti." - Reuters</span></blockquote><br /><br />The faithful inclination of the Haitian people (predominantly Catholic) to reach out to God in a uniquely Haitian way moves me.<br /><br />The shear enormity of such a disaster overwhelms. It certainly overwhelms those physically affected. But it also overwhelms the rest of us who feel the natural human desire to help. Yet we all respond differently to that initial reaction. Some simply cannot deal with it and block it out. Some create some protectionist rationalization that allows emotional detachment. Some jump in full bore. (Those that have prepared for that will be of benefit, those unprepared may not? But that might just be my personal rationalization?) Some respond out of guilt, or a sense of reciprocity or karma.<br /><br />As Christians our first and foremost response should be prayer. We pray first that God covers those affected with his grace. We do this out of a sense of and acknowledgment that God is sovereign over all. We know that God did not cause this. Yet we know in a fallen world, separated from God, that these things happen and God will use these events to bring us back together with him. We also know that a significant part of God's grace on those affected will be worked through us, his church established through Jesus Christ. We therefore secondly pray for instruction on what each of us individually and as a church are supposed to do.<br /><br />It is through this comfort of God's sovereignty and unity in the church that Christians are able to function so effectively in times such as this. In this faith comes comfort that the donations of a single pair of shoes or the simple act of assembling a hygiene kit are adequate responses in overwhelming times. It is this prayer for discernment made in faith that those with the gifts of resources, or those with the gifts of organization, or those with the gifts of healing and comfort are given their marching orders in God's army. All these things flow together within God's church to allow all of us to feel his comfort and become a world wide force that provides comfort in overwhelming times. It is also in times like these that individuals and churches are drawn in to recognize their individual missions even after this catastrophe has passed. This is reflected in the work of thousands in developing denominational disaster response teams, such as the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Agency or the Catholic Relief Services or any of the many other denominational organizations. These larger groups again demonstrate how God flows individual gifts and efforts into a world wide responsive force.<br /><br />So I urge you to use this opportunity to develop a relationship with Jesus. Talk or pray with him to find out what you are supposed to do right now and take comfort that whatever that may be is enough even for something as overwhelming as this. I also urge you to continue developing that relationship to learn what Jesus wants for you in the future and to find your place in his church that continues to provide assistance and comfort even after the news agencies grow weary of reporting this disaster.<br /><br />Blessings of the Peace of Christ,<br />Dave McGheeDSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-65152992321194388612009-12-30T05:27:00.011-06:002009-12-30T06:50:59.559-06:00Dave's Top 3 Questions for Faith Church 2010The New Year is time to take stock of the past and look forward to the future. Here are my top 3 questions for Faith Church moving into 2010. There are only 3 but they are big questions. Three questions of discernment I feel are fundamental for Faith Church to reconnect with it's foundation of benevolence and move forward to growth in less traditional ways.<br /><br />1) How do we provide the training necessary to nurture folks in their understanding of and growth in mission? Exploring what mission means. What the bible says about mission. The importance of mission to what it means to be Presbyterian. Developing a deeper personal sense of mission. Developing the tools necessary for discerning what God’s call to mission is for each of us personally and as a congregation.<br /><br />2) How do we transform ourselves into a congregation that reaches out to the new generations of folks that see no need, or simply don't have the time, for a church home or anything beyond a personal spirituality? The experience of Maricarmen, the presbytery’s new minister of New Church Development, is a wonderful new resource available to us. <br /><br />3) How do we engage ourselves in demonstrating Kingdom living to our local neighborhood? Recent actions by the Huntsville Housing Authority as well as community reaction to them have deepened divisions within the Huntsville community. Huntsville schools are undergoing increased growth along with shrinking budgets and significant demographic changes. How do we respond in action and partnership?<br /><br />Please pray with me over these questions over the coming year. What are your questions?<br /><br />Agape,<br />DaveDSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-63006689301382725582009-12-30T00:23:00.002-06:002009-12-30T00:26:54.419-06:00Pew TimeOver this Christmas weekend I’ve racked up a lot of “pew time.” I’m not saying the amount of time one spends in a pew has any correlation to ones holiness or degree of being saved! However I’ve had the opportunity to experience several different forms of worship this weekend that have been quite enlightening and refreshing. Of course I attended Faith’s Christmas Eve service and traditional Sunday worship; unfortunately I missed our contemporary worship. I have also been attending our 12 Days of Christmas Prayer devotionals. All of these worship experiences have been wonderful, spiritual, and fulfilling! But probably the most eye opening was my attending two Catholic Masses with my brother who has been visiting this Christmas.<br /><br />Now I have attended Mass with my brother before when he’s visited, but this visit included two Masses within 48 hours. You may or may not know that I grew up Catholic and had drifted away from “the Church” after I left home; until Faith Church <a target=_blank href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/faith-and-emerging-culture.html">found me</a>. However, attending Mass twice within 48 hours along with the recent tension we’ve had at Faith over our style of worship put these visits in an entirely different light.<br /><br />There was very little in the Mass in the way of word, action, or song that I could not accept or rejoice in as a fellow Christian! Oh, I had to watch myself with “trespasses” rather than “debts”, and who could argue about kneeling in the presence of the Lord? I did have to deal with some personal baggage when it came to making the “Sign of the Cross.” But that was only dealing with my personal issues from leaving the church in the first place and recognizing my trouble with that sign was a remnant of rebellion that has no place in my life anymore. I did have to deal with the fact that I was not welcome at the Communion Table along with some theological differences about exactly what Communion means. But I recognize those issues are as much theirs as they are mine and that in the Glory After that will all be cleared up. In the meantime I can be a polite guest and respect their customs. And I can tell you I experienced Communion just as much as they did!<br /><br />All this just drives home to me even more what a waste it is to argue over differences in worship styles! We are called to celebrate our relationship with the Lord in worship. There are ways of celebrating that are unique to each of us. But we are also called to celebrate each other’s relationship with the Lord. As the PC(USA) Book of Order (G-4.0401) states: “Thus the fellowship of Christians as it gathers for worship and orders its corporate life will display a rich variety of form, practice, language, program, nurture, and service to suit culture and need.” We should respect each others choices and rejoice in the Lord “all ways”.<br /><br />When I joined Faith I made a statement to the congregation that I had found a relationship with Jesus and that I could have gone back to reconcile myself with the Roman Catholic Church. But I also said that I felt I needed to stay at Faith where I was surrounded by the love of the people that had brought me into that relationship to continue to grow. That statement has been tested in recent years, and a couple more times in the past, but it still holds. It holds because Faith Church is bound together by the love of Christ! Faith Church, by grace, always seems to re-find that core truth; even if sometimes it takes a while longer. As long as Faith Church remembers and rests on the rock of Christ’s love it will thrive. There will surely be pieces of baggage we’ll need to deal with but I am looking forward to rebuilding upon that foundational rock in the coming year!DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-63128748833102179032009-12-27T02:22:00.002-06:002009-12-27T02:28:02.604-06:00Joy, Both a Feeling and an ActionThis is my offering to Faith's "12 Days of Christmas Prayer" devotions this year...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Joy, Both a Feeling and an Action</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Opening Prayer:</span> Lord God, open our hearts and minds that we might come into greater communion with you in this time of prayer and reflection. Amen<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Philippians 4:4-7</span> (New Revised Standard)<br />4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.<br /><br />As Christians I think that is the feeling we feel when we talk about Joy, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.” Yet that is often a feeling that eludes us. But if we read earlier in the passage we find that it requires an action on our part, to rejoice! Rejoice, the action verb of joy. We are to rejoice, revel if you will, in the fact that the Lord is near and approachable. We rejoice in the true meaning of Christmas, Emmanuel, God is with us.<br /><br />From the Blog: <a target=_blank href="http://solitarybroomtree.blogspot.com/2009/12/promise-of-joy.html">Solitary Broomtree</a><br />“There are times when rejoicing is down right easy – when finding joy in the Lord is almost a natural response. We receive good news about the health of a loved one, and we praise the Lord. We get reacquainted with an old friend we haven’t seen in years, and we rejoice in one another’s company. Our family arrives for a visit, and we rejoice in their safe travels.<br />[…]<br />And finally, there are those times when rejoicing seems counterintuitive – almost insulting or inappropriate – like when a loved one dies. Or when they receive dire news of a terminal illness. Or when we learn that our position in the company is being eliminated, and we’ll be out of a job. Or when someone we care about is convicted of a crime and sent to jail. What is there, at times like these, to rejoice in? <br />[…]<br />Rejoicing in the Lord isn’t about finding a treasure in life’s trash heap of bad news. It’s about being joyful because of our relationship with God. It’s about giving thanks for the hope that we have in God’s love for us, proven in Jesus Christ. If all of our hope is found there, and “the peace which surpasses all understanding” emanates from Him, then we will be filled with joy in the Lord regardless of our present circumstances.”<br /><br />But wait, it gets even better than that!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Zephaniah. 3:17</span> (New Revised Standard)<br />The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing<br /><br />God rejoices in US! What more could we ask for to give us that feeling of joy?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Silent Prayer</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Closing Prayer (read together): </span><br />Lord God, Abba Father, you came to be with us to share new hope in the form of a tiny baby. That baby grew up with us to lead us in your ways. And finally that baby sacrificed himself for us that we may be free to rejoice in you eternally. Halleluiah, Amen!DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-11321245384314058952009-12-17T20:52:00.003-06:002009-12-17T21:02:40.025-06:00Advent 2009 – Faith and Hope!It’s been well over a month since I posted anything to my blog. So many things have been happening at work, at home, with family, at church, and spiritually.<br /><br />This year Faith Church most certainly embodies the feelings of anticipation and hope that Advent brings! With our new pastor, Pastor Tom, in place, the Fellowship Hall reopened, and folks comfortably back in two worship services, things are starting to feel more normal. There is now an excitement about the tough work the Lord has ahead for us to complete our healing and discern our call for moving forward! I have seen so many parallels between Faith’s journey and the journey of God’s people in the bible this last year. The up and down relationship with God, the feelings of <a target=_blank href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/shame-exile-hope.html">exile</a>, and now the sense of something new coming just as those that were graced with the awareness that the birth of the little Christ child signaled a momentous new beginning revealed in such a humble setting. (No Tom, I do not think you are the second coming, but your arriving here in record time is surely a God thing. :-) <br /><br />Spiritually my biggest event is that I decided to heed the call to become an Elder. I wrote about that struggle back in August (<a target=_blank href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/difficult-day-of-discernment.html">8/7</a>, <a target=_blank href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/full-court-press.html">8/12</a>). Wow, that long ago? Faith responded by electing me! Training has been abbreviated this year but the North Alabama Presbytery training day was fantastic! Houston discussed the PC(USA) Book of Confessions and you haven’t lived until you’ve heard Rosemary rap about the Book of Order! Rosemary also shared some of the actual beauty of the Book of Order infused in the first 4 chapters; a beauty that I recognized when I read it during my discernment (<a target=_blank href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html">9/6</a>). We also had a short talk from Maricarmen the presbytery’s new minister of New Church Development. I believe we all have a great deal to learn from Maricarmen about church transformation! We also had some training at Faith with Pastor Tom. It is going to be a joy to work with him as well as the other elders and deacons!<br /><br />My other spiritual adventure has been launching the <a target=_blank href="http://hs.presby.org/">Faith Reach</a> website. Faith Church started with a call to mission and that call is as steadfast as God’s love. We are called to reach out to those outside our walls as well as within. Faith has been active in many ministries yet it has always been hard to keep track of them without having to hunt down Frank. I felt the call to offer my time to set up Faith Reach as a place where information on those ministries can be easily found. It is intended to be a place of information, encouragement, and education in mission. The Faith Reach website has also recently led to starting a Faith Facebook fan page! Establishing this website and researching its ministries has shown me the vast array of outreach and mission opportunities available! The next logical step is to find an avenue to provide the training necessary to nurture folks in their understanding of and growth in mission. That is something I am looking forward to working on with Tom, Frank, and Philip over the next year!<br /><br />May we all be enveloped in the warm glow of hope over this Christmas season and prepare ourselves for the work God would have us do in the coming year! And to start us out right please consider attending the 12 days of Christmas Prayer series starting Christmas Day!DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-7104949863774810202009-11-01T01:35:00.014-05:002009-11-01T07:20:59.075-06:00Can We Part Friends?Things are looking up for Faith right now. We have a new pastor coming, the Fellowship Hall will be reopening imminently, and the budget is more stable. With a new and much anticipated sense of normalcy present there are also strong forces to restart a contemporary worship service and un-blend the traditional service. I have spoken several times in this blog about my support for multiple format worship services. Particularly <a href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/who-ever-said-that-unity-means-being.html" target="_blank">September 2009</a> and <a href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/coming-together_02.html" target="_blank">November 2008</a> and maybe a few more times in between.<br /><br />I suppose this entry's title should more correctly be "Can We Part as Brothers & Sisters in Christ?" I have concerns that we are not quite ready to part into two services in a healthy way. I get the sense right now that the parting is based on dividing rather than multiplying. I could be wrong and I pray that I am, but I would like to pose several questions each of us needs to prayerfully consider.<br /><br />Are we multiplying with a sense of new mission to address a need?<br /><br />Are we dividing to get back to something we are comfortable with?<br /><br />Who would you invite to the service you feel more connected to?<br /><br />Who would you invite to the service you feel less connected to?<br /><br />Are you willing to serve the service you feel less connected to? Usher? Read? Child care? Flowers? Sound booth? Media operator? Attend? Children's sermon? Setup? Cleanup?<br /><br />Are the plans inclusive or exclusive?<br /><br />Do you look forward to a regular "joint" service as an opportunity of sharing, experiencing, and learning?<br /><br />Can or should this wait just a little longer to give God and the new pastor a chance to work on healing our hearts so we can part as Siblings in Christ?<br /><br />Some important things to pray about!<br /><br />Agape,<br />DaveDSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-62335399591116279042009-10-25T03:07:00.002-05:002009-10-25T03:12:58.189-05:00The Spirit just keeps on showing up...I think this prayer is going to become a personal thing with me...<br /><br />"<span class="bodytext">Lord, it is so easy for us to lose sight of your vision for us in the world. You have required that we do justice, but we are more comfortable when it’s “just us.” You have required of us a kindness, but we are most at peace with our “own kind.” You have asked us to walk humbly beside you, but our self-centeredness refuses to keep the pace. Forgive us. Amen."<br /><br />From: <a href="http://www.pcusa.org/missionyearbook/Oct/25.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pcusa.org/missionyearbook/Oct/25.htm</a><br /><br />The Spirit just keeps on showing up...like a guided missile...<br /></span>DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-89658421254201775462009-10-15T07:55:00.000-05:002009-10-15T07:57:28.046-05:00Studying the Word of GodMy thoughts have been turning to bible study lately. Bible study will play a pivotal role in reestablishing Faith’s identity. Without studying the Word of God we can’t know the Will of God. Without knowing the Will of God how can we expect to form an identity that seeks to follow and glorify God?<br /><br />Now I will admit right here that my knowledge of the bible and my skill and diligence of studying it are seriously lacking. My knowledge has come in fits and starts along the way, being mostly driven by third party commentaries or books that essentially tell you what the bible says. Actual study of the Word itself has mostly been prompted by mentors from Church for which I am grateful. And I honestly must say it has improved with the use of online study tools and search engines that help me find the connections needed between the various parts of the bible. Adding a prayer that the Holy Spirit guide me on seeing what I need to see has been the most important addition to my process!<br /><br />I believe the older generations in the church take for granted that the younger generations have the same knowledge and understanding of the bible that they do. And they over estimate the degree of understanding that the younger generation, as a whole, have of the bible. I believe that leading and/or participating in bible study with the younger generations is a key gift and responsibility the biblically mature hold within the church.<br /><br />While I’m in a confessional mode, I also regret the way that the University of Faith Sunday School concept panned out. Sunday school classes were seriously flagging already at that time and it was an honest attempt to restructure in a way to provide the variety of options that the current enrollment seemed to desire. The team understood that it was ignoring the social aspects of Sunday school but was not staffed to address them. It turns out those social aspects were the driving force of the Sunday school hour. The following discipleship groups were an attempt, I believe, to re-gather and re-mix the membership into groups around a common study. This effort had mixed success but has lacked staying power also. Both of these efforts should be considered constructive attempts, with successes and failures, which should inform future efforts to get a handle on the social/study dynamic within our congregation.<br /><br />Just like in worship, one size does not fit all when it comes to bible study; probably even less so. Here is a metaphor. Think of the Word of God as rain that falls on the Earth. Just like rain it falls on every individual at some point. Everybody enjoys a rainy day sometime and when an individual responds to the rain it is like a personal bible study. As people collect the rain they gather together in little tributaries or small groups; you can’t help but share the Good News. The groups then gather together into brooks, creeks, small rivers or congregations and worship together. As these creeks and rivers join they form larger rivers or denominations. And finally these large rivers flow into the ocean which is Jesus’ Church Universal on Earth. The Word of God runs through a cycle of Living Water! So each of those groups (individuals, small groups, congregations, denominations, and the Church Universal) responding to the Word are each of different character and an important part of the whole cycle.<br /><br />So as a church we should be encouraging this flow of Living Water. We should be encouraging personal bible study, particularly for those that are new to it, or even afraid of it. We should be encouraging group studies. Sometimes this means channeling them as in studies among elders, or deacons, or mission teams so these groups can come into communion with the Word and each other enabling their ministries. Sometimes this means encouraging groups to form on their own seeking their own level. And as a congregation we encourage by sharing the Word in our worship.<br /><br />Personally I feel the Sunday school hour should lean toward introduction to different levels of bible study, a welcoming nurturing approach to usher folks into both the study of the Word itself and the community of Faith and eventually some small group. Small group studies of more committed folks can better handle the difficulty of supporting alternate meeting times.<br /><br />I personally feel it is important for the different leadership teams within Faith to have bible study time in addition to committee meeting time. How can we lead if we aren’t connected as a group to the Word?<br /><br />And finally, I also believe that varied styles of worship usher different folks into the Word. I feel these different worship styles should flow together regularly as a whole. Perhaps that should be on Communion Sunday rather than every Sunday or a fifth Sunday?<br /><br />All of these different tributaries work together culminating in a church community that is reflecting the Kingdom of God. How do we nurture and encourage meaningful bible study? We’ll have to study on that…<br /><br />Agape,<br />DaveDSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-18754683044538231482009-10-11T22:40:00.004-05:002009-10-14T04:32:34.174-05:00Hope!I went to the informational meeting held by the Interim Pastor Search Committee (IPSC) today. They are recommending that we call the candidate they have selected as the “Designated Pastor”! The congregational meeting is next week, October 18th.<br /><br />There are two primary differences between an Interim and a Designated Pastor.<br /><ul><li>An Interim may only serve 1-2 years; a Designee may serve 2-4 years</li><li>An Interim cannot be called as the permanent pastor; the Designee may</li></ul>The primary reason for the recommendation is the time factor. The possibility of becoming permanent was a distant second. The difficult work required of us during this transition encompasses three major areas.<br /><ul><li>Coming to terms with our history</li><li>Discovering a new identity</li><li>Developing new leadership</li></ul>During the time of discernment and interviews the IPSC along with the Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry (COM) concluded that Faith’s transitional work could take two years or more. The Designated Pastor option provides the time, stability, and continuity of trained leadership required for this work before us. <br /><br />We are now a short time away from being able to start in earnest the difficult work of healing that Faith has been praying for! Praise God! And praise the presence of the Holy Spirit during this process!<br /><br />Watch for today’s <a href="http://presby.org/share/SearchCommitteepresentation.pdf" target=_blank>meeting notes</a> to be made available on Faith’s website. A letter detailing the candidate and nature of next week’s meeting will be mailed this Wednesday.<br /><br />Agape,<br />DaveDSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-40122009566945118412009-10-09T01:58:00.003-05:002009-10-09T02:07:35.342-05:00More Questions than Answers 1<h3 style="text-decoration: underline;">Who are Our Neighbors?</h3>Who are Faith's neighbors? Who are our neighbors? Some brainstormed questions to stir...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmXO0tRNJCHZ1EAvPLoFbs85JSxyKzpCDRjElVDcWadDkt85pf7w86omkqTu7AVr2SqLWprw6bM1KnUshjOTz4YGCiI4OgNv3yx9IAidX7bnYpeKAizRUwqICY5X5GoF8KXqaBbw_D32Y/s1600-h/Neighbors2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmXO0tRNJCHZ1EAvPLoFbs85JSxyKzpCDRjElVDcWadDkt85pf7w86omkqTu7AVr2SqLWprw6bM1KnUshjOTz4YGCiI4OgNv3yx9IAidX7bnYpeKAizRUwqICY5X5GoF8KXqaBbw_D32Y/s320/Neighbors2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390491886556691666" border="0" /></a><br /><ol><li>Who are the people that live to our south, north, west, east?</li><ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"><li>Are they elderly?</li><li>Are they young families?</li><li>Are they single?</li><li>Do they believe in God?</li><li>Are they active spiritually?</li><li>Are they lonely?</li><li>Are they comfortable? Or struggling?</li><li>Where do they fit economically in Huntsville?</li><li>Hunters ridge?</li><li>Johnson Road?</li><li>Walton’s Mountain?</li><li>Etc.?</li></ol><li>Who are the people that regularly commute or drive by Faith?</li><ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"><li>Where do they come from?</li><li>Where do they go?</li><li>What do they think about Faith when stopped at the intersection?</li></ol><li>Who are the people that patronize the business district around Faith?</li><ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"><li>Do they live locally?</li><li>Do they work locally?</li><li>Do they travel farther to shop or dine?</li></ol><li>Who are the people that work in the business district around Faith?</li><li>Who works in the Crestwood medical district?</li><li>Who uses the Crestwood medical district services?</li><li>What would it be like to hold a bible study in one of the restaurants in the area?</li><li>Or a prayer service in the hospital chapel?</li><li>What are the needs of our neighbors?</li><li>How do we get to know our neighbors better?</li><li>What could we offer commuters during the morning rush? Evening rush?</li><li>What could we offer our neighbors during lunch hours?</li><li>Car wash and prayer circle?</li><li>Fair Trade coffee and news of PC(USA)'s self development and justice efforts?<br /></li><li>How is God already working in the lives of our neighbors?</li><li>How do we join in with what God is doing?</li><li>What would it be like to offer a worship service on Sunday afternoons for all those resturant workers that serve all us church goers at 11:30? With invitation card left with a tip?<br /></li><li>Do the businesses around Faith have an association? Do we participate, have a presence?</li><li>Are you aware of our Faith@School efforts?</li><li>Are we present in our PTAs?</li><li>...</li></ol>What are your questions? Where will God lead us?DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-88974079950286487732009-10-04T21:09:00.005-05:002009-10-05T01:52:23.159-05:00I'm not going to say the M-word...The following are some very good conversations by some "notables" in the M-word area. A bit high-brow at times but the speakers do try to identify jargon when they can’t avoid it. I think these are particularly appropriate for Faith right now. Not because we are at one end of the spectrum or the other. Actually we're probably nowhere right now. But we are in a phase where we are trying to reestablish our identity and are being pulled by these forces. And at the same time trying to find a pastor that will help us achieve ... what?<br /><br />The key to listening to these is not to side with one idea or the other. The key is to also remember our circumstances (history, people, place, and present) and to try and discern what combination of bits and pieces of these ideas is God trying to put together in a unique way at Faith?<br /><br />Part 1: <a href="http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/stetzer-and-fitch-missional-conversation/" target=_blank>http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/stetzer-and-fitch-missional-conversation/<br /></a><br />Part 2: <a href="http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/can-megachurches-be-missional/" target=_blank>http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/can-megachurches-be-missional/</a><br /><br />Part 3: <a href="http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/telling-an-alternative-missional-story/" target=_blank>http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/telling-an-alternative-missional-story/</a><br /><br />The last part is where the rubber hits the road; how do we allow ourselves to experiment with actual examples without tearing ourselves apart?<br /><br />(Of course the answer to that is easy to say but hard to do. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to imitate Jesus and keep God's Kingdom first.)<br /><br />Watch, Listen, and pray...<br /><br />Agape,<br />DaveDSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-46768726547613484722009-09-06T14:23:00.004-05:002009-09-06T20:54:07.588-05:00Who Ever Said That Unity Means Being The Same?<p>We folks of Faith Church are an odd lot!</p><p>When it comes to worship we seem to be on this road of everyone having to worship together all the time and we all have to like the same type of worship service? However, when it comes to outreach or ministry, it is impossible to get more than a handful or so to come together in any particular ministry? When it comes to worship, if the service or the message aren’t to our liking we tune out or leave? When it comes to benevolence the outreach budget is heavily biased with directed giving rather than a general benevolence fund? </p><p>Wait a minute - maybe we’re not that odd after all? Isn’t that the way of the world we live in? We all want what we want and we want everyone else to want the same thing? We all want to belong but we don’t want to change who we are? We all want to feel good about ourselves and help others, but we want that on our terms? I’m sorry but these behaviors reflect a “me first” attitude, and I’m as guilty as anyone. Yet, we are all in church because, deep down, we know there is something better. And somehow we all ended up in a place called Faith Presbyterian Church. So what is this place called Faith? Who are we? Who should we be?</p><p>The Church created and headed by Jesus Christ, in its worship, and mission, is supposed to be our best imitation of what God’s Kingdom is like. It’s supposed to be the place where we bring each of our God given individualities to multi-faceted worship of our one true God. And the Church is supposed to be the place where we bring each of our unique, God given talents together to help each other carry on God’s outward mission to this world. It is one of those paradoxes that we are supposed to show a “visible oneness” of being a united God’s people at the same time as we demonstrate the uniqueness of the Christian faith that recognizes the diversity of people in the world. From the Presbyterian constitution:</p><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">G-4.0203 Visible Oneness</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Visible oneness, by which a diversity of persons, gifts, and understandings is brought together, is an important sign of the unity of God’s people.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">G-4.0401 Variety of Forms</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The church in its witness to the uniqueness of the Christian faith is called to mission and must be responsive to diversity in both the church and the world. Thus the fellowship of Christians as it gathers for worship and orders its corporate life will display a rich variety of form, practice, language, program, nurture, and service to suit culture and need.</span><br /></blockquote><p>So, how do we accomplish this? We do this by living up to the mission we are called to and modeled by Jesus, the head of the Church. That mission is to spread the good news of the Gospel and be humble servants. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">We start by rebuilding Faith Church’s identity by being</span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> servants to each other.</span></p><p>We start by communicating and understanding what each other needs in order to worship and serve God in a meaningful way. We demonstrate that in a mutual combined and blended worship.</p><p>We start by engaging as a community in the internal and outward missions and prayer of the church. We demonstrate that by getting personally involved through participation, either working in nurture, prayer, and outreach efforts or sharing in the decisions of how our outreach dollars are spent. </p><p>We start by engaging in the personal and communal study of God’s Word, preparing ourselves for the spreading of the good news. We demonstrate to each other the continual nature of learning and understanding the Word by studying with and teaching each other.</p><p>As we do these things we will recognize our common foundation in the resurrection and reestablish our common identity as Faith Church. Once we have regained that foundation and identity then we will be able to offer varied styles of worship services, not as divisions but as offerings of service and support to others. Once we have regained that foundation and identity the outreach life of Faith church will thrive, grow, and not be the burden of a few. These things will then be rooted in an eternal foundation with a common and current identity, not a nostalgic one.</p><p>Easier said than done, you say? You’re right! We cannot do this alone. Through what power can this be achieved? The Presbyterian constitution says it best:</p><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">G-3.0103 The Holy Spirit<br />God’s redeeming and reconciling activity in the world continues through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, who confronts individuals and societies with Christ’s Lordship of life and calls them to repentance and to obedience to the will of God.<br /><br />G-3.0400 Called to Risk and Trust<br />The Church is called to undertake this mission even at the risk of losing its life, trusting in God alone as the author and giver of life, sharing the gospel, and doing those deeds in the world that point beyond themselves to the new reality in Christ.</blockquote><p>I strongly urge everyone to read Chapters G-3 & G-4 of the Presbyterian constitution also called the Book of Order; <a href="http://www.pcusa.org/oga/boo/boo-online.htm">http://www.pcusa.org/oga/boo/boo-online.htm</a>.</p><p>Agape,<br />Dave</p>DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-26742192935257300482009-08-15T04:19:00.005-05:002009-08-17T17:47:56.354-05:00"Grounded" in the Holy Spirit!This is a repost of a Note from Joanna Caldwell on Facebook. Healing IS taking place in the life of Faith Church. Amen.<br /><br /><span><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Holy Spirit and Coffee</span><br /></span>At the GMA Conference, I was introduced to the best coffee ever: "Land of a Thousand Hills" coffee. I'd never had coffee two days after it was roasted before! The aroma was deliciously tantalizing and it tasted every bit as wonderful as it smelled. It's also coffee with a conscience and not just because it's "fair trade" coffee where the workers receive a living wage. This coffee is evidence of the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit! Coffee? Yes! The flyer I picked up at their table tells the true stories of two young women whose families were brutally hunted down and murdered during the 100 days of genocide 10 years ago by a man named Jean. The country was so devastated by the violence that when everything was over, the government turned to churches to bring healing and reconciliation. Through the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit working through them, these two young women FORGAVE the man who massacred their families and now they are working side by side with him growing coffee beans. So as I drink this coffee, I'm thinking about the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit and I wonder, if these young women and the hundreds of others like them, can forgive the people who murdered their families, how can we have any excuse to refuse to forgive each other for canceling our favorite church programs, changing the style of worship, hurting our feelings, or anything else? Jesus told us to forgive our brothers (and sisters) without limits. We have been forgiven much, we have no grounds to refuse to forgive others.....in fact, just the opposite, my coffee grounds remind me that by the power of the Holy Spirit, anything is possible.<br /><br />Reposted with permission.DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-10895668078655493272009-08-12T05:36:00.002-05:002009-08-12T07:24:43.576-05:00Full Court PressIn my last entry I related that I was having a hard time dealing with repeatedly bouncing between good and bad news about Faith; struggling with the realities of power and money in the church; and discerning if I’m called to be an Elder. I even found myself searching for other churches. Well God was doing a full court press on me last Saturday and Sunday. Three things came together that have started to put things in perspective.<br /><br />First on Saturday, I started reading the <a href="http://www.pcusa.org/oga/publications/2009-2011-boo.pdf">Book of Order</a>. Over and over again, it stressed the sovereignty of God, and the call to unity as a church in mission, worship, and fellowship; all the while stressing diversity and openness to the continual reformation of a church and its people.<br /><br />Secondly on Sunday I felt a strong pull to attend the contemporary service at Big Cove. Not necessarily seeking a new church but just to see what was there. Well it was apparent I was meant to hear their message that day! They had just started a series on Acts and happened to be covering Chapter 2 about Pentecost and the Holy Spirit. They talked about the transformative power of the Spirit to change people in ways they could never hope to change themselves. They talked about the need to expect and look for this power to change the circumstances of any problem.<br /><br />Thirdly I went on to attend Faith’s Sunday service. It was a wonderful service! Being Disability Sunday, the focus of the worship was on the abilities and disabilities we all have. The sermon text, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204:5-27&version=31">John 4:5-27</a>, was about the Samaritan woman at the well. Despite the woman’s many “disabilities” of sin, infidelity, prejudice, and ignorance, Jesus patiently ministered to her. He ministered to the tiny point of faith she carried, "I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." (John 4:25)<br /><br />It was at that point I couldn’t help but realize the disabilities we at Faith are experiencing right now! The disability we all have of wanting “our” service, “our” church, back rather than seeking the presence of the Holy Spirit in God’s worship and church. The disability of disharmony and disunity we are all experiencing as we seek what we want rather than what God wants for us. The disability those of us that “see clearly” have when we are fed up with those that “don’t see” and we all discount the power of the Spirit to transform all our visions and actions into His plan. Disabilities just like any others that need to be met with love, making way for the transformative power of the Spirit.<br /><br />These three have come together in my mind as a sort of Trinity. The Book of Order, particularly Chapter 3, informs us about God’s plan for the Church. The Disability Sunday worship demonstrates our brokenness and Jesus’ unfaltering love for us that we are supposed to imitate. The Pentecost message tells us where the power comes from that will transform us into the church God wants us to be.<br /><br />Pretty amazing to experience all that in one weekend!<br /><br />What is your tiny point of faith?DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-9205966859179857822009-08-07T00:03:00.001-05:002009-08-07T05:16:44.543-05:00A Difficult Day of DiscernmentI have been struggling to figure out if I am being called to become an Elder at Faith Church. It is evident in the many previous entries in this blog that I have tried to see both sides in our conflict and keep my eye on where God wants to direct us. I go from positive days to negative days regularly and with increasing frequency. Today was a difficult day.<br /><br />Today I received more evidence that we are a divided congregation. The details are irrelevant, they are the same issues that have plagued us and seem not to want to go away. It’s just that when you try to stay focused on the positive and then the negative jumps back in view it hurts all over again. I suppose today could be described as a Scrooge moment. The way ahead appeared very clear and bleak, unless we do something to change that. That something must rely exclusively on our dependence on God. Yet the ponderous weight of earthly power seems stacked against experiencing that dependence.<br /><br />At the same time as I am struggling with the call, I also find myself searching the web for another church. I wish I could say this was for research purposes to see how others are doing things; I cannot. I was searching for a place to go.<br /><br />It sometimes seems clear that if I cannot find enough faith in Faith’s future to accept a call to be Elder, then it is time for me to move on. Other times, if I put my faith in God, it seems I need to stay and accept the call. That is difficult, because I’m not sure if that is to see Faith through these tough times and keep pointing to God on the way or is it to help others see God’s grace in hospice as we wither away.<br /><br />And to make this decision even worse, the time to make the decision is either before or just after we anticipate getting an interim Pastor. Just like God to force the decision to be made in faith and not based on visible evidence.<br /><br />I have many more thoughts and questions. But I’ll lay those down at His feet for tonight and try to get some sleep.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOfoXDymFZA" target=blank>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOfoXDymFZA</a><br /><br />Today was a difficult day.DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-12240474497396781802009-07-18T03:32:00.006-05:002009-07-22T01:26:22.439-05:00Life at Faith These Days - Part 2<p>In <a href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/life-at-faith-these-days-part-1.html" target=_blank>Part 1</a> of this blog entry I told about several good things happening at Faith these days. However, I was also telling you about my friends that are really wrestling with what has happened at Faith and where Faith is going.</p><p>Bad things have happened at Faith. Things that have been done by people still at Faith. Things that were allowed to happen by more people still at Faith. There is no escaping this. My friends, and I, and many of us struggle with many questions.</p><blockquote>"How many times are we to forgive our brother (or sister)? Jesus' answer is understood to mean indefinitely....as many times as they sin against you. What happens when we let the sun go down on our anger? (in other words we hold a grudge and refuse to forgive, work it out, let it go) We give the devil a foothold....each time."<br /><br />"What is THE commandment Jesus gave us? To love each other like he loves us and gave his life for us... The kind of love defined in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2013;&version=31;" target="_blank"> 1 Corinthians 13</a>."</blockquote><p>How can we have missed that we failed this commandment? Why is it so hard to follow this commandment? How do we come back together as Christians when we know we have sinned? How can we come back together as Christians with people that don't know they've sinned? How do we deal with our feelings of injustice and that sin must be punished? How do we recognize, confess, and deal with our sinfulness?</p><p>My friend found the verses that encapsulate the problem and the answer; <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205:19-23;&version=31;" target="_blank">Galatians 5:19-23</a>. "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy...I warn you as I did before that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."</p><p>The first thing that popped in my head as I was reading my friend's note was the parable of the sower. Read <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mathew%2013&version=31" target="_blank"> Matthew 13</a>, yes the whole thing. I did and I believe I will be reading it a number of times now.</p><p>Here is where I am now in finding my way through all this. After I found out Steve was leaving I was angry. But the Spirit quickly put me in the place where the only thing I could do was to forgive and forget the past, wipe the slate clean and hand it to God. That meant forgetting the hurts of the past and not seeking punishment or retribution. A good parent knows you cannot punish a child for something that happened two weeks ago. BUT that does not mean ignoring new transgressions! So I promised myself to try to address things as they happen. This keeps me from imagining or embellishing things in the past or listening to rumors. I am trying to focus on now and moving forward.</p><p>Reading my friend's note and having those parables placed in my head I understand much clearer. Faith is God's garden. It is our job to tend the garden. But God is still the one in charge. There are good patches and bad patches and patches that need cultivation. I've been all three! There are also weeds in the garden, but it is not for us, at this time, to pull them up and risk the budding plants (As seen in Part 1 of this blog entry). Jesus tells us in Mathew 13 that the weeds will not hear the Word and will remain weeds. God will take care of that in his time.</p><p>BUT, the gardener in me says, if one of those weeds pops up a seed head above the other plants it's time to take care of it; before it can spread. But how? My friend said it best…</p><blockquote>"Loving each other doesn't mean we only speak sweetly to each other saying only "nice" things. Speaking the truth in love can be hard to say and hard to hear, but it's the attitude of the heart that is important when we speak the truth in love. […] We love because God first loved us so it makes sense to me that our focus needs to be on loving and knowing God more. As we know God better, we learn how to love and we are filled with GOD'S LOVE which is different from human love. God's love is 1 Corinthians 13 love. It is a love that is sacrificial, unconditional, dying to self, submitting to God and one another. That is the love we are to extend to one another. Bible study, fellowship, and worship are good things to encourage this."</blockquote><p>I have a couple more comments to the Session on life at Faith these days before I finish. I encourage the Session to actively watch for the seed heads and deal with them in a loving and timely manner. I also applaud the Session's efforts in dealing with our budget shortfall in a timely manner. Finally I encourage the Session to understand that the budget is not the problem, it's a symptom. The problem is our spiritual budget. It is easy to get distracted by the easier problem of the money budget but we have a lot of folks hurting and confused and in need of spiritual guidance through these times.</p><p>As my friend pointed out; "We've heard excellent, pointed, sermons from Warner, Bob, and Kerry [and Mel] but I haven't felt the pall lift over my heart and I think I am not alone. I think in order to heal from this grief we're in, we need an opportunity to make an active corporate response." I agree, but I don't think we're there yet, and it may be awhile.</p><p>Agape, (As Rev. Grigsby would say.)<br />Dave</p><p>I hope my friend doesn't mind my quoting much of their note. My friend was worried about presenting these things. I'll take the heat.</p>DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-59214821690440528712009-07-17T04:17:00.004-05:002009-07-18T06:33:21.950-05:00Life at Faith These Days - Part 1<p>It's been a month since I blogged. Life at Faith has been getting better! Last Sunday was amazing!</p><p>Worship was fantastic! I had dropped my daughter off at the airport for the adventure of a lifetime; a semester studying in Costa Rica! I then went on to worship. There were many more folks than usual! There was a delegation of folks from Africa that were in town and came to worship with Frank! That morning and previous evening the church had just hosted two mission teams crossing paths to and from the Gulf coast. Our contingent of folks was back from a South Africa trip! Some friends from work that have been church hunting showed up at Faith that day! The music (all the music) hit a chord with me! Kerry's sermon was fantastic! I wept.</p><p>I have been working hard to put up a new Faith Reach webpage; <a href="http://hs.presby.org/">http://hs.presby.org</a>, and it is reaching a stable point and is generating a bit of excitement! The page sprung as a personal response to a list of tenets that Faith's Outreach committee is working to.<br /></p><ul><li>A team ministry that oversees the total missional arena at Faith</li> <li><b>A team ministry that lifts up, communicates policies and interprets</b></li> <li>A team ministry that develops, approves, oversees and implements a budget</li> <li><b>A team ministry that links members with complementary gifts with ministry of service</b></li> <li>A team ministry that manages a dynamic relationship with 15 to 20 local ministries</li> <li><b>A team ministry that provides a Theological foundation and understanding of missions<br /></b></li> <li><b>A team ministry that serves as a primary bridge interfacing with laity, church and world<br /></b></li> <li>A team ministry that will provide leadership for Faith into the mission era<br /></li> <li>A team ministry that uses sound infrastructure, accountability and regulates implementation.</li></ul><p>The site has three major thrusts. A news and invitation feature that keeps folks informed on opportunities to get engaged. A series of background pages on different ministries that Faith is involved in. A blog where Faith folks can share their stories and experiences of reaching out with God's kingdom.</p><p>My vision is not only to inform Faith members, but attract seekers, and attract non-religious seekers to Faith's work through Faith's friendships. The latter then provides the opportunity to usher them into a relationship with Christ in God's time. Much the way Faith ushered me into that relationship. I strongly feel Faith's future depends on involving people in Faith's ministries and THEN involving them in Faith, not the other way around.</p><p>One of the other facets is that I'm funneling the announcements and blog stories to Faith's friends on Facebook through my account there. I've been found by a number of Faith folks already!</p><p><b>BUT...</b> Faith church is still hurting.</p><p>I hear reports of some folks complaining about the contemporary music in worship. Which is OK, but not actually during worship disturbing other worshipers!</p><p>I talk frequently with a friend who is struggling with the changes at Faith and the way those changes were brought about. They are hanging in with Faith but the hold is tentative and seeking indications of forward movement again.</p><p>And I just heard from someone who is really hurting. Someone who has been distancing themselves, painfully, from Faith because of their need to find an active youth program for their child. (They made it clear they were not placing specific blame on Kerry!) This is a situation we all have responsibility for. A situation faced by a number of families at Faith who have made the hard choice. Oddly, or by design, that connection was reestablished though the outreach into Facebook. A bittersweet highlight of that effort's purpose.</p><p>(<a href="http://davesfaithblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/life-at-faith-these-days-part-2.html">More on this later ...</a>)</p>DSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6299744057439427035.post-20398462253154556072009-06-16T01:17:00.005-05:002009-06-20T02:50:09.386-05:00Big Tent?Unless you're Frank or Bob Hamilton I bet you only have an inkling of what the "Big Tent" is, if you have any idea at all. <a href="http://www.pcusa.org/bigtent/" target="_blank">http://www.pcusa.org/bigtent/</a> We do such a poor job of communicating...<br /><br />I didn't really know anything about it until my RSS feed from PCnews started coming alive in early June. Now this is normally a pretty slow, and boring, news feed. Unfortunately much like the general impression PCUSA gives on a normal basis; yawn. (Sorry, but its the truth.) But the stories that started coming from the Big Tent show a new, exciting, and engaged PCUSA!<br /><br />Here is a link to this June's PCnews archive. Take a look at the articles coming from the Big Tent, there are many and they are still coming. I think you'll be surprised; hopefully pleasantly.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/june.htm" target="_blank">http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/june.htm</a><br /><a href="http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/bigtent.htm">http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/bigtent.htm</a><br /><br />Bob Hamilton actually went. Ask him about it!<br /><br />DaveDSM35803http://www.blogger.com/profile/06710917417000005806noreply@blogger.com0