I read an awesome story today about the worship services last week of a Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Gadsden, Alabama. Talk about a church that places its trust in the hands of God. I think if I do this right, you can click on this link and it'll take you to the story.
www.sixbrokenstrings.blogspot.com
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Church Camp!!!!
Today is Friday. Finishing up my messages that I will be sharing with the kids at camp. Keep me and our whole camp in your prayers. If you're reading this, you were lucky enough to spend the night in your home and shower without flip-flops on. We need your prayers, you lucky dogs.
Camp. What a powerful week in the spiritual development of a young person, or even us older ones for that matter. I think in today's world, camp is even more important than it was when I was a kid. Back in the 70's and 80's when I went to camp, it was mostly one of those KUMBAYAH sorts of things, kinda like one of those old Coca-Cola commercials where we wanted to teach the whole world to sing in perfect harmony. But today, given what kids live in, camp as an expression of family, and even as an expression of the early church; carries much more weight than it used to. I think camp presents an alternative or maybe better, an ideal for Christian living that so many kids have never gotten to experience as they struggle for survival in their own environments. Sort of like maybe taking the Stars Wars series back to the 30's and showing it instead of Charlie Chaplin.
Some kids are just forced to grow up in crap. Not just economically, but culturally and morally and theologically. So pray with me...Pray that our Father will reveal Himself in ways that meet our kids where their deepest needs reside. Thanks. jeff
Camp. What a powerful week in the spiritual development of a young person, or even us older ones for that matter. I think in today's world, camp is even more important than it was when I was a kid. Back in the 70's and 80's when I went to camp, it was mostly one of those KUMBAYAH sorts of things, kinda like one of those old Coca-Cola commercials where we wanted to teach the whole world to sing in perfect harmony. But today, given what kids live in, camp as an expression of family, and even as an expression of the early church; carries much more weight than it used to. I think camp presents an alternative or maybe better, an ideal for Christian living that so many kids have never gotten to experience as they struggle for survival in their own environments. Sort of like maybe taking the Stars Wars series back to the 30's and showing it instead of Charlie Chaplin.
Some kids are just forced to grow up in crap. Not just economically, but culturally and morally and theologically. So pray with me...Pray that our Father will reveal Himself in ways that meet our kids where their deepest needs reside. Thanks. jeff
Monday, July 16, 2007
Death by Ministry
I read an interesting series of blogs today that deal with the stresses of pastoral ministry and the dangers of being too busy. While it was written by a pastor for a pastor, I think theres some great insight for anyone who's bit off way more than they're capable of chewing.
Here's the link www.unashamedworkman.wordpress.com
When you get there, look for a box on the left hand side of the screen and click on each part of the series to read the text.
Hope it helps ya.
jeff
Here's the link www.unashamedworkman.wordpress.com
When you get there, look for a box on the left hand side of the screen and click on each part of the series to read the text.
Hope it helps ya.
jeff
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Vacation has ended...
Well, the vacation has ended. As vacations go, it was pretty decent. We started out in Virden, IL on the 4th. Quite a bit of my family lives there and they have the BEST 4th of July carnival on the planet. They have a bunch of homemade rides for the kids (tickets are only a quarter) that you have to see to believe. I rode the same rides 30 years ago as a kid. My mom rode the same rides 30 years before that. The SAME rides. They're all pulled by tractors and lawnmowers. The kind of things that if you caught your kids doing in the back yard you'd kill 'em. It was awesome. Our kids had a ball and so did we. Maybe I'll post a picture of the rides when I find the camera.
From there we went to Enfield, IL where Bert's mom and dad live. She had a doctors appointment on Friday and Bert went along to help. Her mom's breast cancer has metastasized in her brain and the prognosis isn't all that hot. But I'm so proud of my wife and my father-in-law for the way that they have been caring for Judy. Especially my father-in-law. It's said that "you cant teach an old dog new tricks," But that "old dog" has taken up housekeeping (which is a new trick for him) along with his other chores. I give him 2 thumbs up! If you're reading this, would you say a pray for the family, we could sure use it.
Friday night we went to Albion, IL which is my hometown. It is known for 3 things.
1. It is the pork production capital of the world.
2. It is the chowder (thick, nasty veggie and meat soup) capital of the world.
3. Champion Labs. (they make oil filters for just about everything on the planet)
Saturday was PORK DAY, USA. It isn't nearly the grand event that it was (or seemed to be) 20 years ago. But the pork burgers were awesome as always and the parade wasn't half bad either. Saturday night I had my 20th class reunion. It was the first reunion I had been to. Some things never change. The class of 1987 can still outdrink all the rest. That part was pretty sad. But it was great to see some folks I hadn't seen since graduation day. Out of a graduation class of 77 we had around 40 there. I was told we even got our picture in the hometown paper...finally in the paper for not doing something bad!!!
We went to church on Sunday with my brother and his family. The Albion United Methodist Church. This was the second Sunday for their new pastor. He did the funniest thing. There was a guy who kept falling asleep during the service. Every time he dozed off, the pastor would shout "WOOOOOO! I'm filled with the Holy Spirit!" And then sleepy would jump up wide awake. It was great. It happened about 4 times during the whole service. I may add that to my repertoire. It was effective.
From there we headed home and hooked the truck up to the camper and headed to KY lake. We camped at Hillman's Ferry and found it to be a little bit of a disappointment. Bert and her family used to camp there when she was a kid. Apparently she made a lot of good memories there. But as with most everything, what used to be is no longer. The campsites were a little too close together and there were a bunch of them. They no longer have an activities director planning things for the kids. And the people didn't seem to be nearly as friendly as they were in 1978. Still we managed to have a few days of fun, though Baylee has yet to learn to enjoy camping like her brother.
It wasn't the Bahamas or Honolulu, but for this pastor who rarely gets to see his family for more than a few hours at a time, it was fantastic. I never dreamed I'd miss them as much as I do. Homesick at 38...what a sissy. I'll keep holding on to the words of Christ:
Mt 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
Anyhow, I thank God for the week that He blessed us with. Exhausted as I feel, I am somewhat revived in spirit and look forward to preaching again tomorrow.
From there we went to Enfield, IL where Bert's mom and dad live. She had a doctors appointment on Friday and Bert went along to help. Her mom's breast cancer has metastasized in her brain and the prognosis isn't all that hot. But I'm so proud of my wife and my father-in-law for the way that they have been caring for Judy. Especially my father-in-law. It's said that "you cant teach an old dog new tricks," But that "old dog" has taken up housekeeping (which is a new trick for him) along with his other chores. I give him 2 thumbs up! If you're reading this, would you say a pray for the family, we could sure use it.
Friday night we went to Albion, IL which is my hometown. It is known for 3 things.
1. It is the pork production capital of the world.
2. It is the chowder (thick, nasty veggie and meat soup) capital of the world.
3. Champion Labs. (they make oil filters for just about everything on the planet)
Saturday was PORK DAY, USA. It isn't nearly the grand event that it was (or seemed to be) 20 years ago. But the pork burgers were awesome as always and the parade wasn't half bad either. Saturday night I had my 20th class reunion. It was the first reunion I had been to. Some things never change. The class of 1987 can still outdrink all the rest. That part was pretty sad. But it was great to see some folks I hadn't seen since graduation day. Out of a graduation class of 77 we had around 40 there. I was told we even got our picture in the hometown paper...finally in the paper for not doing something bad!!!
We went to church on Sunday with my brother and his family. The Albion United Methodist Church. This was the second Sunday for their new pastor. He did the funniest thing. There was a guy who kept falling asleep during the service. Every time he dozed off, the pastor would shout "WOOOOOO! I'm filled with the Holy Spirit!" And then sleepy would jump up wide awake. It was great. It happened about 4 times during the whole service. I may add that to my repertoire. It was effective.
From there we headed home and hooked the truck up to the camper and headed to KY lake. We camped at Hillman's Ferry and found it to be a little bit of a disappointment. Bert and her family used to camp there when she was a kid. Apparently she made a lot of good memories there. But as with most everything, what used to be is no longer. The campsites were a little too close together and there were a bunch of them. They no longer have an activities director planning things for the kids. And the people didn't seem to be nearly as friendly as they were in 1978. Still we managed to have a few days of fun, though Baylee has yet to learn to enjoy camping like her brother.
It wasn't the Bahamas or Honolulu, but for this pastor who rarely gets to see his family for more than a few hours at a time, it was fantastic. I never dreamed I'd miss them as much as I do. Homesick at 38...what a sissy. I'll keep holding on to the words of Christ:
Mt 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
Anyhow, I thank God for the week that He blessed us with. Exhausted as I feel, I am somewhat revived in spirit and look forward to preaching again tomorrow.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Vacation!!!
Enjoying day 2 of vacation. Will have seen all the grandparents by lunchtime on Friday. YIPEE! Hope you miss me.
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