Trunk-or-Treat a Success

It's impossible to know with precision how many trick-or-treaters we had tonight. But based on how many VeggieTales Movie Event invitations we handed out, we know we had at least 208. Thanks to everyone who made this event so successful.

Website Back Up

We're back and up and running at www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org. Many thanks to Tony Wood for his efforts.

Website Woes

We're currently having some trouble with our web hosting. Mr. Tony Wood is already hard at work on the problem. In the meantime you can find our entire site at:
http://web.mac.com/jcollins11/iWeb/coffeyvillefirstumc.org/Welcome.html

Taking all of ourselves through the door.

I'm don't know who Kari Jo Verhulst is, but I found this quote in Sojourner's daily "Verse and Voice" email exteremly apt. I think what she has to say about the Psalms is extremely important not only for that book, but for all of the Bible.

The Psalms defy our notions of profane and sacred, proving that everything we feel, witness, do unto others, and have done to us is acceptable subject matter for conversing with the Divine. They invite us to bring every part of ourselves into our houses of worship. If we omit expressions of faith lost, of rage, of disdain, and of the desire for revenge, we leave parts of ourselves at the door.

- Kari Jo Verhulst

Church/Charge Conference

We had a great church/charge conference this afternoon. I'll post more as soon as I start to feel better. Thanks to all the folks who showed up to support Travis Walker.

Help Wanted

The painter is done with the children's Sunday school room (Room 104) and will finish the fellowship hall tomorrow. We'll need some volunteers to put things back in place before the Church Conference Sunday. If you are willing and able let us know Sunday morning.

Latest Edition of the Newsletter Up

The newest edition of the Parish Visitor newsletter is now posted on the website.

Hanging Around the Palace

"If I had been a journalist at the time of the crucifixion, I would have been hanging around Herod's palace talking to Pilate and disregarding [Jesus]."

- Malcolm Muggeridge, via Sojourners

I think this is true of most of us. We find ourselves drawn to power, position, and prestige, meanwhile we want avoid poverty and suffering. May the great reversal of the passion, death, and resurrection always serve to remind us that God calls us to the opposite.

Sickness

Linda is out of the office today. I sent her home because she was sick. And I mean I sent her home, she did not go willingly. Jenny and Elizabeth are also unwell. All this at a time when I'm listening to the audio edition of The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History by John M. Barry. My timing is bad, but the book is great. I highly recommend it, although Barry's scientific viewpoint is expressed in a manner that is slightly hostile to faith.

Church/Charge Conference this Sunday

This coming Sunday at 4:00 we will have our Church/Charge Conference. Our new District superintendent, Rev. Janet Maxwell will be leading this annual business meeting of the church. We'll have a carry-in dinner following the meeting. Drinks will be provided.

On the Nature of Christian Community

Good thoughts on the nature of Christian community (a.k.a. the church):

"Community is first and foremost a gift of the Holy Spirit, not built upon mutual compatibility, shared affection, or common interests but upon having received the same divine breath, having been given a heart set aflame by the same divine fire, and having been embraced by the same divine love."

Henri Nouwen, via Sojourners

Altar Flowers for November 5

We're still looking for someone to sponsor altar flowers for Sunday, Novemember 5. We have a deal worked out with a local florist to provide flowers for $25. Call the church office if you are interested.

Gideon: Tuba Warrior

We got an email from Big Idea, the creators of VeggieTales today. Their new video is coming out soon, so we'll be having another movie event. This video is about biblical story of Gideon. You can learn more at http://www.bigidea.com/company/news/gideon_announce.htm.

The Reality of a Personal God

"There are some who still find the cross a stumbling block, and others consider it foolishness, but I am more convinced than ever before that it is the power of God unto individual and social salvation. ... The suffering and agonizing moments through which I have passed over the past few years have also drawn me closer to God. More than ever before I am convinced of the reality of a personal God."

- Martin Luther King Jr. via Sojourners

Preaching Seminar

Jenny and I had a great time at the preaching seminar today. Toward the end of the seminar, someone asked Dr. Lowry about his views on screens in worship. He said he believes they are more important to liturgy than to sermons. He also said that in the future there will be two kinds of churches: those that have screens and those that are museums. I'm glad we're working on becoming the former.

Meetings Postponed for Preaching Seminar

Jenny and I recently learned that Dr. Eugene Lowry, ranked as one of the top 12 preachers in the United States, will be presenting a seminar on "The Current State of Preaching" at Topeka First UMC tomorrow. Because the pastor chairs the committee on lay leadership (formerlly the nominating committee), and because I've been told I'm important to the committee that is planning a visit from the bishop, we've postponed those two meetings. I'm sorry about this, but I feel the seminar tomorrow has a lot of promise for teaching me how to serve the church better through my preaching. The committee on lay leadership will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday and the committee for the bishop's visit will meet a week from Monday at 6 p.m.

Free and Odd

"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you odd."

I've been thinking about this quote from author Flannery O'Conner, ever since I received it in the daily "Verse and Voice" email from Sojourners, I've decided to put some thoughts down. I'm pretty sure she's giving us her take on Jesus' statement found in John 8.32:

"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

But it strikes me that she may be very close to the truth. The truth of the good news of Jesus Christ sets us free, but it also make us odd. To believe in Jesus Christ, to believe that the poor, the hungry, and the weeping are blessed, to believe in turning the other cheek and going the extra mile, to believe that the last will be first, to take up our cross and follow Jesus; all of these things make us odd. We shouldn't be worried about being odd. Christ was odd. It's when we find ourselves blending in perfectly with our society, that we should be concerned about our faith and our souls.

Foolishness and Fools

Quote of the day from Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple:

"People do not wish to appear foolish; to avoid the appearance of foolishness, they are willing to remain actually fools."

via Sojourners

Trunk-or-Treat

The Vision Team met last night and decided to host Trunk-or-Treat again this year. It will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 31 in the front parking lot of the church. Bring your treats to share, come in costume if you like.

The Trip to Fanning the Flame

Independence First has 5 or 6 seats available on their van for the ride up to Fanning the Flame this coming Saturday. Let the church office know if you are interested.

Email Links

Apparently, they don't give out email addresses for Senators and Representatives, but they do have webpages that allow you to contact them. When I try to link, I'm getting rerouted, but you can still find them. Try here and here. If you're from Oklahoma, just enter your address to look up your legislators.

Contact Information

Since I encouraged you to contact our representatives in today's sermon, I thought the least I could do would be to post the addresses. Here's the contact information for Coffeyville's national lawmakers. I haven't been able to find email addresses yet.

Sen. Pat Roberts
109 Hart Senate O.B.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-4774

Sen. Sam Brownback
303 Hart Senate O.B.
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-6521

Rep. Todd Tiahart
109 Hart Senate O.B.
Washington, DC 20510
202-225-6216

Tony Campolo weighs in on Torture

Tony Campolo has a blog entry titled "Duplicity on the Right" that is very much in line with me thinking about torture, though I would argue that this kind of thinking is not limited to the religious right. You can take a look here.

The Strength of Mennonite Faith

I receive a daily email from Sojourners. About a week ago they had this quote that I really liked from Menno Simons, founder of the Mennonites:

True evangelical faith cannot lie dormant. It clothes the naked, it feeds the hungry, it comforts the sorrowful, it shelters the destitute, it serves those that harm it, it binds up that which is wounded, it has become all things to all people.

Today Sojourners had this quote of the week:

"We will forgive you."

[Attributed to an] unnamed Amish neighbor, while embracing the father of Charles Carl Roberts IV, the gunman who killed five Amish schoolchildren and injured five others before taking his own life Monday morning. (source: Lancaster New Era)

Members of the community have established funds both for the families of those killed and wounded (the Amish do not have health insurance), and for the family of Roberts, who leaves behind a wife and two young children. Mennonite Central Committee and Mennonite Disaster Service are also coordinating support for those affected.

Sermon on Torture

I'm planning to preach on torture this Sunday. In a nutshell, my argument is that as followers of a crucified, and thus tortured, savior, Christians cannot countenance torture under any circumstances. I would appreciate any feedback, or counter-arguments you want to share.

Magic and Religion

I've noticed some confusion in our society over the difference between magic and religion, namely that people tend to attach to religion the chacteristics of magic. I found the following under Frederick Buechner's entry on "Magic" in Beyond Words:

"Magic is saying 'Abracadabra' and pulling the rabbit out of the hat, is stepping on a crack to break your mothers back, is a dashboard Jesus to prevent smashups. Magic is going to church so you will get to heaven. Magic is using mouthwash so everybody will love you. Magic is the technique of controlling unseen powers and will always work if you do it by the book. Magic is manipulation and says, 'My will be done.' Religion is propitiation* and says, 'Thy will be done.'
...
If security's what you're after, try magic. If adventrue is what you're after, try religion. The line between them is notoriously fuzzy."

The adventure of religion is really our only option. The God who gave us free will also remains free.

*Wikipedia currently has a good defintion of propitiation at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propitiation

Multi-media Fund Balance

We've collected almost $2,000 in the last few weeks for the multi-media fund. That brings our current total to over $7,350 toward our $20,000 goal.

Childcare for Yoga

Childcare will be provided for the Yoga class tonight at 6:00 p.m.

Sermons and Newsletters Online

Just a friendly reminder that we now have sermons (in audio format) and newsletters available at our main website: www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org.

New Time, New Dates for Yoga

The yoga time has changed. Dr. April Foreman will now be offering free yoga classes at 6:00 p.m. on both Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'm reposting April's description below.

April Foreman will be offering a restorative yoga class. Restorative yoga focuses on breathing, deep relaxation, and stretching as a means to improve health and reduce stiffness and tension. The style of yoga April teaches is fitness based and does not focus on the religous or spiritual aspects of the discipline. Loose clothes or clothes that allow a wide range of movement are appropriate attire. You don't need to have any experience with yoga to participate. Bring a mat if you have one. Appropriate for a wide range of age and fitness levels. It is the participant's responsibility to ensure that they are physically able to participate in this class. April has experience teaching yoga to Senior Citizens, pregnant women, people with a range of health concerns, as well as younger adults with a broad range of phyical fitness. If you have special fitness needs that should be considered during your participation in class (like hypertension, pregnancy, pain/injury joint injury or replacement, etc.) it is the participant's responsibility to notify April before you begin.

The best explanation of the intended effect of a restorative yoga class was given by a first time participant in April's class who said, "I feel more relaxed and rested than if I had laid on the couch and watched TV all night like I usually do."