Thanksgiving Learning...

It's always nice to get away...

Since we live 4 hours from Sharon's family and have most weekends tied up, we don't see the family as often as we'd like... so, we always take a couple extra days to spend there around Thanksgiving. This year we left of Wednesday and got home here in Salisbury on last night. I don't like taking those days as vacation, so, I take things along to work on while I am there. This year, I found it to be a extremely productive thing for me. I got some good planning into the 2009 sermon year!

Something, I've known but forgot, was how productive it can be sometimes to change locations. I get tired of the same environment of my office and going some place new can be just the ticket for getting the creative juices flowing!

I had some other learnings or insights as well that I will share later... right now, I must prep for this morning's worship gatherings.... and that begins with drinking lots of coffee and praying I don't get sick. Seems that Friday around midnight, 3 of the family that was together on Thanksgiving day (Caroline was one) all got violently sick....whatever it is it must be HIGHLY contagious and it includes a terrible head ache... got one of those right now... but then it could also be from not having caffeine yesterday as I don't drink coffee when I deer hunt and I usually get a headache from not having caffeine.

Taking a Blogging Break....

We are headed to my Virginia Office! So, I will be taking a blogging break until Sunday.

This is an important Thanksgiving for us to be together with Sharon's family... it's the first since her mother died.

Thanksgiving will be at her sister Emily's like it has been for years. Then Friday, the girls will get up early for the Black Friday deals... actually it's more just spending time with Sharon's sister Dianna... boy they love getting up early to go together! You wouldn't find me in that crowd for $100. I will work at Emily's house. Then Friday night we will journey back, so that I can hunt on Saturday (Maryland's Gun deer season opens) and the girls will sell Christmas Trees at my dad's tree farm.

Hopefully we will come back with several deer to butcher early next week!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Returned Gifts...

One of the greatest challenges I face as a pastor is knowing how to choose themes for Christmas and Easter seasons... and keep them fresh. I always look for ideas and start thinking about themes way in advance... but it doesn't get any easier!

This year, I decided to use the theme "Returned Gifts". Should be kinda interesting. At least I hope so... lots of people stand in long lines on Dec 26 to return gifts that someone thoughtfully chose for them!

Uncanny Experiences....

It seems that 3 out of 4 weeks or more frequently... as I am working on a sermon theme for that week... God provides some first hand experience that illustrates the themes. These experiences are uncanny! I had one such experience tonight... will share about that experience in Sunday's sermon!

It is truly amazing how this works! I really could have done without tonight's experience!

An Age Related Mistake...

When Emma came out on the stage Thursday night, I thought my mother's age was showing.... Mom made Emma's dress and I thought she forgot to make the bottom part of the apron. I wasn't sure how I was going to tell my mom that she messed up... then I got home and looked in the box that mom sent the dress in and THERE was the apron! Guess it was my age that was showing! Oh well!

Emma looks much better in the complete costume! It was neat to share last night with Mom and Dad and for them to see Emma do her thing as Alice! Last night was the better of the two evenings!

One PROUD Papa!

Last night and tonight, my daughter Emma has the lead role in her school's production of The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland... that's right... she is Alice! She did a fabulous job last night and I expect she will do the same tonight!

The actors did a great job! It was fun to watch and makes me one proud papa!

An interesting note... Hannah plays the part of Emma's sister! And the dress Hannah is wearing has been in every Wi Middle Play since Caroline's days in drama there!

The call that got me thinking...

I received a phone call the other day... a guy was wanting to know what CoJ was doing to help families for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I suspect I will get lots of these calls!

The story goes that he just got laid off and wanted to provide his kids with a nice Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, I told him that for Christmas, we were working through Joseph House and some families there. But for Thanksgiving he and his family would be welcome to have a free meal from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at our neighbors, Bethany Lutheran Church. I am sure the meal will be a traditional thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings! After telling him that, it was clear that this was NOT what he was looking for and our call ended.

That call got me to thinking... why is there an expectation on the public's part that churches have an obligation to provide a meal at their home or even presents for Christmas. (I am thinking out loud here.) I don't have a problem with helping people with food if they are in need of that kind of help... in fact, that is why Bethany is doing the meal and why we, together, with them are opening a food pantry. BUT, why should the church be expected to give presents at Christmas? And is it a good thing for us to give presents at Christmas? Or are we just buying into the commercialization of Christmas when we do that! Nothing wrong with organizations in the community helping people in that way, but why the church?

I'm not sure what the right thing to do here is... I enjoyed taking the gifts we gave to one of the families last year and seeing the way it touched them... however, there seems to be an expectation that church's do this, yet these same people don't want anything to do with the church the rest of the year! I guess, I am reacting to the expectation that is present more than anything else!

Scapegoating God!

Spoke to a friend today, who had read my blog... and suggested that the best way to care for leaves is to adopt the God produced them, God will remove them philosophy. While it is impossible to keep God from removing some of the leaves, it just isn't too neighborly to let God remove all of the leaves...though these windy days sure do their share!

That philosophy is not one I want to adopt... for a number of reasons... neither does my friend, I just couldn't resist sharing it!

Christmas 08

Yesterday, on our way to the Mall to walk in the early a.m., Sharon and I heard Christmas music being played on Froggy 99! yep... it sure was!

Our Christmas theme at Community of Joy for 2008 will be " Returned Gifts!"

Visitors/Guests WELCOMED, EXPECTED!!!!

After raking gathering leaves today, I decided to mow the grass at the Ministry Center. The new grass is getting long and would look better over the winter if it was mowed... so, while I was at it, I mowed the whole lot!

I was just about done and was mowing on the corner of Smith Street and South Blvd when a car came out of Smith Street and pulled the wrong way on South Blvd, stopping right in front of the Ministry Center. The lady inside rolled down her window and I shut off the mower. She asked me if we allowed visitors! Yep, you read that right! She's been looking at our church as she rides by (and hoping she would see someone out so she could ask), but wanted to know if she would be welcomed to stop in! I told her ABSOLUTELY! We'd LOVE to have her stop in and visit with us! She then said she had seen on our Marque something about a Bible Study... is that still going on was her question and could she come to that! Again, I told her ABSOLUTELY! We'd LOVE to have her!

Then I told her the worship times and the difference between the gatherings. And just before she was going to go, I asked what her name was and told her that I was Martin, one of the Pastors here... and she said, "well it is my lucky day!"

Guests and visitors are expected and hoped for at Community of Joy!

That encounter just might be the begining of the answer to my prayers! It certainly makes all that knee work worth it!

Spent most of the day on my knees!

Yep, you read that right! I spent most of the day on my knees... putting leaves in trash bags at the Ministry Center. Frank Potvin used the blower to put them in piles and I raked them and put them in 26 trash bags. My knees are soiled from being on them... but that is easier on the ole back than bending over to do it.

While I was on my knees, I spent some time praying for our church's growth and impact.

I also spent some time in deep theological reflection! I just love the fall... and yes for more than deer hunting! I love the beauty of the spectacular colors.... but then those beautiful leaves fall to the ground and you have to do something with them. If you don't, you aren't being a very good neighbor! Any ways, while I was on my knees gathering these leaves, I was thinking... how wonderful it would have been if Adam and Eve hadn't eaten the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil! After all, if they hadn't, we wouldn't have to toil so hard to gather the leaves!!!!


It sure looks nice though with the leaves up and the grass mowed! Who would have thought that the brushy lot we bought looks this nice now!

Our first wedding in our new ministry center.

I officiated our first wedding in our new ministry center today! It was real nice. Congrats to Kelly and David Brown.

One PROUD Uncle...

Took my 10 yr old nephew Benjamin hunting this morning in the rain... It was a GREAT time for us. He ended up having three bucks very close and was able to close the deal on one.. his FIRST ever. And the neat thing is that I shot my first deer there in the same spot, when I was 10!

I don't usually show dead animal shots... but I am so proud.. I've got to do it!

Remembering Mrs. Moon....

Going to a funeral today for Mrs. Virginia Moon. She was 95 years old and until recently (last couple of years), she was the organist at my home church. When I think of her... she was FAITHFUL... can't remember too many Sunday's when she was not behind the organ playing away... even when she would rather have let someone else do it... she was there. You see there were few people who knew how to play the organ and fewer who would make the commitment Mrs. Moon did! For years she and Mrs. Stevens played the organ and piano together! That was a beautiful sound!

Mrs. Moon also was Faithful in prayer and she was a strong supporter of youth. When I made the decision to accept the call to the ministry, she was one of my biggest encouragers and prayer partners. She always wanted to know how it was going. No matter how old she was, she always took an interest in the youth! She will be missed!

Prayers for her daughter Barbara and her family!

Hope...

Working on my sermon for Sunday from the great Romans 8 passage. Here is a great quote about hope... "For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." 8:24-25.

Responding to Evil....

There are two typical responses to evil in our world... 1. IGNORE it! and 2. FIGHT back (respond evil for evil). Paul puts forth another response in Romans 12:14-21. When he says "Do not repay evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all." (NRSV) The third way to respond to evil is to TAKE THOUGHT! Taking thought causes us to pause and opens the possibility of a creative way to solve the struggle.

So, instead of ignoring evil or responding in like manner... TAKE THOUGHT!

The Rut is on...

This is the week that it is anticipated that the bucks (male deer) are rutting (in the breeding mood). It is always a fun time to hunt and usually you see big bucks that otherwise stay out of sight and don't come out until after dark. I plan to hunt as much as I can this week. Have several evening commitments and a wedding on Saturday, that will cut down on the time in the woods... but will get out as much as I can.

It's a lovely time of year to be out observing nature and its beauty. Off to the woods I go!

Dealing with the subject of retaliating evil for evil...

Today in worship we will look at Romans 12:14-21. In it Paul addresses our response to evil in our world and God's response to evil in our world.

It should be a fun time today, as I am offering a "talk back" time after the sermon. I love doing this because it allows us to learn from each other and to ask questions as well as seek answers. Questions are not something to fear... they are the way we learn -- and some questions don't have good answers and in those situations, we must have faith... faith is being certain of something we have not seen.

Great Day!

In spite of the HARD down pours of rain, we accomplished lots of cleaning at our Ministry Center this morning. Most people worked outside, and a few inside. We gathered 3 pickup truck loads of leaves in large bags... TOTALLY cleaning up the downed leaves and now just a few hours later, it hardly looks like we did a thing! Got the flowerbed expanded and mulched, sidewalk edged, new hedge planted, heating system updated so that it will be more efficient and heat the lobby better, closets and cupboards organized, finished insulating the crawl space under the lobby and so much more!

Still had more things to do, but by 4 p.m. those last few were getting tired and all were ready to go home.

Thanks to all who helped out! -- Even had a couple from our sister church in Ridgely, MD come down to help us... what a BLESSING! Thanks Tom and Jo!

Like Old Times Once Again... but we missed Frank

Today, Tri, Jim, and myself spent most of the day at the ministry center working on our to do list. Today we added heat vents in the Library and one bathroom, enlarged the heat vents in the lobby, and began replacing all the downstairs vents that have been painted over and are restricting heat flow. Tri also spent most of the day in the crawl space under the lobby insulating the floor. It was never insulated.

Great day! But we sure missed Frank! I'm told he will join us tomorrow! Then it will be like old times, except we hope LOTS of other people will join us too! Gonna have a clean-up day! Should be a great time for folks to get to know each other and to accomplish the many tasks that are necessary now that we own a property.

Pictures from my Therapy session this morning...

Isn't God's creation BEAUTIFUL!

Headed to Therapy...

Yep, the rain has stopped and the winds settled down... so, I am about to got to the woods to see how the deer are running! It will be my first morning hunt in a spot I've been saving until the wind is right and the rut is on. Should be fun. I love watching the morning light come and the woods come alive! Pooh had it right ... there is nothing more sweeter than the Dawn Chorus!

Surely God Smiles...

When two or more churches work together in mission! I am excited to announce that we are partnering with Bethany Lutheran Church (our neighboring church) to provide a Food Pantry to assist meeting needs that are present in our community. Both Pastor Kevin and I are getting lots of requests! And one day in talking, we decided that it would be awesome to cooperate in an effort to share with our neighbors in need. The location will be in Bethany's house. Both Pastor Kevin and I will have access codes to the Pantry and in it we will have frozen venison as well as non-perishable canned goods.

Community of Joy folks are invited to bring food items every Sunday in November and then the First Sunday of the Month afterward.

Loving our new HVAC system

Yesterday, we got our new HVAC system installed... had no choice. The old one made it 21 years. Went with a York 18 SEER system. It is so QUIET! We hardly know it is running. I am hoping it will help us save lots on our electric bill. Also loving the programable thermostat... can set it to mirror our lifestyle.

Was happy to be able to pay cash for it! Been saving for a new roof next spring. Now, we have to start that process all over, but at least we didn't incur any debt in putting in the system. I don't like debt! In fact in a couple months, I will have paid off my truck early and then will put that monthly payment in an account toward our new roof! And when that happens, the only debt we will have is the house and the van... both are paid ahead a little! Debt is mortgaging your future!

Voted...

Sharon called this morning around 9 to say that there were no lines and she got in and out of the polling place VERY quickly. I went around 10 and had the same experience.... about 20 minutes. But behind me, the lines were forming.... they were headed out the door shortly. Sure was glad that I went when I did! Hope you vote today too!

I have voted in every election since I was old enough to vote! Only once did I vote for a loser who actually won and that is almost over now! Sure hope my vote was part of bringing a great page turn in our country's life!

Props to the poll workers... GREAT job with keeping thing orderly and moving!

Praise Him in the Sanctuary!

Some things fell into place for me today... canceled my men's group because one was sick and I thought I had to pick up Emma from school, but Sharon's meeting was changed and she told me she could get Emma! So,....

I headed to my favorite worship spot! The most beautiful sanctuary ever created! God's sanctuary... the autumn woods. Saw 9 deer... 4 were bucks... took lots of photos of this one spike buck that was under my stand for a LONG time. Even saw two gobblers... will look for them next spring.

It was a beautiful night and a great time and place to pray!

Talk Back

In both worship gatherings today, I had a talk back time after the sermon. I really like doing this... I feel like I learn so much from others and it takes the sermon from a talking head experience to a community experience. It is always good to hear from others!

I never could....

sleep in! It is possible, but RARE for me to sleep past my normal wake up time. So, when the clock read 4:15 this morning... I was awake. Yesterday it was 5:15 but with the time change... it was an hour earlier. Never mind that I could have had an extra hour to sleep. So, I got up and began my routine. Gave me some extra time to pray and prepare for the morning's worship gatherings. I don't like coming into the worship gatherings frazzled! It just sets the wrong tone in my spirit and I fell like it spills over into the gathering!

Looking forward to worship this morning! There is a sermon talk back time... I always like those... love hearing what others are thinking! And then the icing on the cake is the carry-in meal after the second gathering. Love the variety of food and the opporunity to build new relationships.

Enjoying the summer day...

Taking advantage of the heat to get some things done outside...

First, I cut and hauled two pickup loads of pine branches from my pine trees.

Second, started the irrigation at the Ministry Center to water the new grass, especially the part that is taking it's time growing.

Third, winterized the pool, though don't know why... doubt we will put a new liner in this year as it is nearly $3500 and we are getting a new HVAC system on Tuesday and need a new roof in a year or two. Still... disconnected the pump and filter and cleaned them up for storage.

Fourth, filled some holes in the woodwork near the back garage door where mice sometimes come in.

Fifth, put away the window boxes and planters from the summer decoration scheme.

Sixth, getting some arrows fletched so, I can keep hunting.

Seventh, baked some brownies for tomorrow's carry-in.

Eighth, did two loads of laundry and hung them out to dry.

Ninth, made a few church related phone calls.

Tenth, went to the bank for Caroline!

Now, I am tired! If it weren't so hot, I would head to the woods to hunt deer... but it is too hot for that now!