pastor john's Weblog

disney

I finally found some wifi coverage, intermittent, but up right now...Beth and I just got back from the "illuminations" fireworks at Epcot. The show is about how "we are one," meaning the whole world, all of us on planet earth. We were sitting in the middle of several large youth groups from South America, who would break out into chants and cheers every once in a while. It was really neat. When the fireworks started I was more impressed with the literal sea of cell phones and cameras recording the event than anything else....view screens are what really illuminated the night. It truly is a new age where what is digital rules...the analogue world I grew up in is no more. As I watched those kids I thought about how hard it is going to be to reach this new generation for Christ...they communicate in very different ways with each other, ways that are hard to comprehend like "twittering," I am open to suggestions!

God winks

On the right side of this blog are a list of some books I am reading. One of them is called, "When God Winks at You." This is a collection of stores about "coincidences," that turn out to be God working in peoples lives. 

I know that God is working in everyones life, even if that is unrecognized. What I am looking for are some "God Wink," stories from you. How has God touched your life in surprising, wonderful or awesome ways?? If you want to share a story you can leave it in the "comments," section or e-mail me personally at pastor@warrentonumc.org.

What I am going to do is use some of these stories on Sunday, July 6th. So, please send me your experiences of God! Thanks!!!

Annual Conference 2008

This years Annual Conference we passed a sweeping emphasis on establishing new congregations in Virginia. The goal is to plant 250 new congregations in the next 30 year, about eight churches a year. These churches, however, do not have to be traditional plants (brand new congregations with new pastors), but can be, and here is the exciting part, any of the following also (from the part of the pasted motion)

o Progeny Congregation: A new faith community which has a separate 

and independent administrative and ministry structure from the Anchor 

congregation. 

o Satellite Congregation: A new faith community whose administrative 

and ministry structure is connected to the Anchor congregation.  

o Church Within a Church: When a new, and separate, worship service and 

discipleship system is created in order to meet the needs of a radically 

different population than the existing church currently serves (e.g., 

Korean, Hispanic, youth, recovery, etc.) 

o Partnered Congregations: Two or more churches partnering in a new 

expression of worship and disciple making ministries that do not 

currently exist. 

o House Church: A community of disciples multiplied by intentional small 

group focus in multiple settings. These communities meet weekly 

with leaders who are trained, supervised and nurtured by a pastor. 

Communities have a stated purpose of multiplying and engaging in 

mission individually and/or as a group. The sacramental life of the 

community is provided by an appointed pastor. 

o Virtual Congregation: An on-line (e.g., “Second Life Faith Community”) 

that is an extension of a sponsoring congregation. This community 

of disciples meets virtually with members who covenant to receive 

sacraments and engage in mission of a local sponsoring congregation.

This just one of a multitude of ideas to expand outreach to the unchurched in our communities. I find it very  interesting and exciting...our 6/16/10 (see below post) is very much a part of this push by our Annual Conference!!  

Shame

Probably one of the worst feelings in the world is shame. Some cultures are called honor/shame societies where people would just as soon die than live in shame. We are not that extreme in the U.S., but still we know how deeply shame cuts into our hearts and lives. Shame makes it impossible to be fully present to others and to God. There is always a shadow there pulling us back into the darkness of what we have done, of what we can't let go of...of what is slowly killing us.

Paul confessed that he did what he did not want to do. 

Romans 7:15  I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

He also said something else that is very interesting.

Romans 7:21b When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.  

There are some powerful things we have let get ahold of our lives that are impossible for us to get free from by our own efforts. There are substances we abuse that enslave us. There is pornography that becomes many men's secret, uncontrollable obsession. There is food that we can end up continually over consuming for comfort or protection that ends up doing neither. 

This week in worship we are going to examine this part of life we try to ignore, but has an iron grip on many of our lives. There is an answer here...

sunday mornings

There is something special about Sunday mornings. They are quiet, almost like the world is taking a collective breath before heading into another week. I love that quiet, that anticipation of something new, and all of that is summed up for me in worship. Sunday without worship is a sad waste of a day set apart for us at the beginning of time. I look forward to the renewal of worship, that sense of purpose it brings, that sense of connection it harbors, the Holy that I encounter there. New life is what it is all about in those quiet moments, and the author of that resurrection waits for me, for us to come and see, and hear, and experience what is best in all of life. 

It is another quiet, beautiful Sunday here in the Piedmont of Virginia. What a blessing.

ponderings

I have been reflecting on the Saddleback conference...Rick Warren said that he is tired of the church being defined by what it opposes than by what it is for. Certainly there are things that need to be opposed, but we lose the power of the cross if we constantly go there. In the cross and resurrection is the most positive and powerful event that humankind has ever known. We need to be acting out of that awesome place, doing what is overwhelmingly loving and caring no matter what.

It is easy to lose that focus. I know that it is easier to be political than loving in my life. It is easier to dwell on personalities and gossip than to actively care for others. It is easier to struggle against others than to live in forgiveness and grace.

I am going to try and change my focus and start lifting my eyes toward worthy things like the P.E.A.C.E. plan mentioned below. 

You know life is too short to make yourself miserable over things that, in the end, matter very little. 

P.E.A.C.E.

The Saddleback Conference was wonderful and Pastor Rick was challenging all churches in the world to pick a fight with the five giant problems that effect billions of people on our planet. They are:

Spiritual Emptiness which causes violence

Self-serving leadership who are about serve us instead of service for others

Extreme Poverty which keeps billions of people on the edge of life and death

Pandemic diseases which have known cures but billions of people do not have access to

Rampant Illiteracy which creates a leadership vacuum for the future

Rick sees answers as:

Promote Reconciliation

Equip Servant Leaders

Assist the Poor

Care for the Sick

Educate the next generation

Rick believes that churches can work with churches in third world and other areas where these giants are killers. If there isn't a church in an area we can help create one and built up their leadership and do the PEACE model with them. The object is to help produce sustainable and reproducible church to church missions to tackle these enormous issues.

Rick is not looking for experts here, just other Christians who are willing to take a risk to help promote PEACE in the world.

Very exciting stuff...more later.

at saddleback

In sunny California for a few days at a Saddleback conference. Today was about renewal and Rick Warren covered these things:
       Learn to enjoy the grace of God
       Be authentic
       Remember it is not about you
       Accept human limitations
       Do everything out of love
       Make time for renewal
       Learn to live in the light of eternity
I like the last item especially...it give perspective to everything else.

disasters, natural and otherwise

As you, I too have been deeply concerned/disturbed by the natural disasters in Burma and China. Sometimes we get so much information that it is hard to take. Marshall McCullen years ago said the electronic media would get so connected (to our nervous systems) to our lives that we would live in a state of continual shock as one after another event happened in the world.

That seems to be happening as the news media flashes images of emaciated survivors struggling in the rubble of cyclones, earthquakes and tornados. What can we do? It seems so hopeless that it is easy to start becoming desensitized to horror, or overwhelmed emotionally by it.

The good news here is that a United Methodist organization funded by our weekly offerings can transfer 100% of donations to affected areas in our area and throughout the world. It is called the United Methodist Committee on Relief http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ and is ready and able to help as much as its resources allow.

That is where the frustration comes in...a natural disaster is unfortunate, but other governments response sometimes, like in Burma, are making the human suffering worse by cutting off relief workers who know what to do and how to get supplies to stricken areas. UMCOR would make sure that boxes of food and water are not marked with generals names and delivered to their doorsteps. That is the second disaster in Burma, and another cyclone is on the way to those already devastated shores.

However, UMCOR knows how and when to work all over the world and I trust their judgement.

May God bless the afflicted and may relief truly get to the people in need.

Moms

I have been thinking a lot about my mom this week. She will be 87 later this month and I feel extremely blessed that she is as close as a phone call away. Her voice on the phone always soothes me because she has been a constant in my life for nearly sixty years. That doesn't mean we haven't had ups and downs in our relationship, but one thing I have always known is that when it comes down to it, she would be there for me without reservation no matter what.

I was talking with another mother this week who is having to let her rebellious son go so that she can get him back one day...letting go with grace and love, like the father of the prodigal son...but always ready to receive him again.

I know I have hurt my mom like that in years past and I am sorry for causing that kind of pain for the one who has always been there for me. She has been like a rock, someone I knew loved me no matter how foolish I had become. For that I am eternally grateful.

So, as mothers day approaches I stand in thanksgiving and awe for a mother who has stood in there with me. I know I am fortunate. I know I am blessed with a special person who just happens to be my mom.

I think I'll give her a call right now.