"One Bread, One Body" Slide

Above is one of the hymn slides for this coming Sunday. I'm working on the others.

Wireless Hotspot Upgrade

We just upgraded the free wireless hotspot in the church from wireless-g to wireless-n. If you're not a geek like me and that doesn't make sense, let me just summarize that the free wireless service we provide at the church is now faster and extends farther.

VeggieTales Movie Event Reminder

Our next movie event will be shown Sunday, October 14, 2007 at 4:00 pm.

We'll be watching The Wonderful Wizard of Ha’s, the latest edition in the VeggieTales series by Big Idea. The show is based on the parable of the prodigal son. Big Idea provides the following description:

“Meet Darby, the son of a Kansas floss farmer who just wants to have fun! When he learns about the Wonderful Land of Ha’s, where you can do whatever you want, Darby is determined to go –– even against his father’s wishes.”

“But when Darby reaches Ha’s, will he find all that he searching for ... and at what price? Will it be worth everything Darby has given up –– his home back on the farm? His father’s love? Harvesting floss? Find out in the all-new family adventure that reminds kids everywhere that there’s nothing like forgiveness and there’s no place like home.”

This movie event is open to everyone. As always, admittance, popcorn and juiceboxes will be provided free. You're encouraged to bring blankets, camp chairs, pillows, etc. Send us an email if you have a question or would like more information.

Congratulations UMW Members

Congratulations are due to all our local United Methodist Women for the event they put on today. By all accounts it was a great event.

September's Newsletter Now Online

The September edition of the Parish Visitor is now online. You can download a copy from www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org. Just go to the "Newsletter" page.

Now You See It, Now You Don't

Now you see it.


Now you don't.

Please note the speaker array has been raised by 15". The present screen doesn't go quite low enough, it will be extended by 16".

Sanctuary Screen Installation

Above is a picture of the scaffolding that will be used to install the main screen for the sanctuary.

Note about the Cross in the Chapel

The cross in the chapel has been taken down to facilitate painting the wall behind it. It will be put back up after the wall has been painted. I'm posting this because I don't want anyone to worry.

Screens Mounted in the Chapel

The screens in the chapel haven't been hooked up yet, but they have been hung in place. Below is the screen on the north side of the chapel (there is a matching screen on the south side).


Below is the confidence monitor in the back of the chapel for the pastors and accompanist.

Youth Test 42" Screen for Multi-Media Project

Tonight the youth tested one of the 42" screens that will be used in our Multi-Media system. It passed handily.

John Wesley's Sermons Online

I'll also be studying John Wesley's sermon on "The Use of Money" for this Sunday's sermon. This sermon is one of the relatively few sermons by Wesley that can be well understood without a thorough introduction to Wesley's frame of thought. The General Board of Global Ministries has many sermons by John Wesley, including "The Use of Money" available online at:
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/.
"The Use of Money" is sermon number 50.

Sermon This Sunday

I'll be preaching on Luke 16.1-13 this Sunday if you want to study the scripture lesson. The bulletin insert will contain the following introduction from the notes on Luke in The New Interpreter's Study Bible by Joel B. Green.

This parable illustrates well the problem of trying to read the parables in Luke in an allegorical way––that is, by trying to identify God or Jesus or someone else as characters within the parable. Like so many parables in Luke, the point is simply that Jesus’ audience should learn lessons from “the real world” about how the new age works. Crucial for reading this parable is noting the parallel between v. 4 and v. 9. Just as, in this age, one might engage in business practices that guarantee one’s security in the future, so also, with regard to the age to come, one might engage in practices that guarantee one’s heavenly home.

Projector Box Completed

Above is the completed projector box for the sanctuary. Once again, Dave did a great job. It will be mounted front and center on the balcony. The bottom of the box, which will be visible, is finished the same way.

Title Slide for World Communion Sunday

Below is a picture of the title slide I've been working on for World Communion Sunday, which will (hopefully) be the first Sunday that the multimedia fund is up and running. The globe is obviously for World Communion Sunday, the color green is because World Communion Sunday falls within the season after Pentecost when the liturgical color is green.

Calendar Update

The following meetings have been added to the church calendar:

Monday, September 17, 2007, 7:00 pm: Church Council

Wednesday, September 19, 2007, 5:15 pm: Vision Team

Monday, September 24, 2007, 7:00 pm: Finance Committee

$2.50 Repaid

Just in case you were wondering, I remembered to pay the $2.50 I borrowed for the children's story back into the pop fund.

The Gospel According to Pat Benatar

Listing to the radio on the way home from hospital visitation, I caught the following on the radio:

"I believe there comes a time when everything just falls in line.
We live and learn from our mistakes,
the deepest cuts are healed by faith."

—Pat Benatar, "All Fired Up"

I don't know (and I doubt) that this was meant in an explicitly Christian manner, but it can certainly be taken that way.

The Wonderful World of Ha's

Our next movie event will be shown Sunday, October 14, 2007 at 4:00 pm.

We'll be watching The Wonderful Wizard of Ha’s, the latest edition in the VeggieTales series by Big Idea. The show is based on the parable of the prodigal son. Big Idea provides the following description:

“Meet Darby, the son of a Kansas floss farmer who just wants to have fun! When he learns about the Wonderful Land of Ha’s, where you can do whatever you want, Darby is determined to go –– even against his father’s wishes.”

“But when Darby reaches Ha’s, will he find all that he searching for ... and at what price? Will it be worth everything Darby has given up –– his home back on the farm? His father’s love? Harvesting floss? Find out in the all-new family adventure that reminds kids everywhere that there’s nothing like forgiveness and there’s no place like home.”

This movie event is open to everyone. As always, admittance, popcorn and juiceboxes will be provided free. You're encouraged to bring blankets, camp chairs, pillows, etc. Send us an email if you have a question or would like more information.

Multi-Media Installation Date Set

Installation of our new multi-media system has been set for October 5th through 7th, 2007.

Can God Love Darwin, Too?

Newsweek has a current article titled "Can God Love Darwin, Too?" I didn't find any new insights, but I thought it did touch on several important points. Two points that I think need to be kept in mind that the article does make are: "... more and more researchers are fighting the "godless" rap, emphasizing that evolution does not preclude a deity (though neither does it require one)." and "One approach is to interpret evolution as the mechanism by which a creator creates."

One of the things we must avoid is fear. I see, hear, and read of many Christians responding to a perceived "threat" of evolution not out of love but out of fear. This was the opposite of the approach taken by many early Christian apologists (primarily of Justin Martyr) who empasized the Logos, the "word" of the Gospel of John, and the presense of God in all true wisdom. If we, as Christians, believe Jesus' words that he is "the way, and the truth, and the life" then we have nothing to fear: either evolution is not true and will be replaced by a better scientific explanation or it is true, and simply the means by which God acted in creation.

But what about the differences between evolution and the Biblical accounts of creation? I think it's important to note that the book of Genesis contains not one, but two accounts of creation in its first chapters. The order of creation varies from one story to another, but both assert the main point that humanity is the beloved pinnacle of God's good creation. I think it's important to remember that at the time these accounts were being written no one on earth would have been able to understand a modern scientific explanation. Furthermore, the truth conveyed by the Genesis accounts, that humanity is the beloved pinnacle of God's good creation, is ultimately far more important than any detailed scientific explanation.

The Newsweek article is here.

Control Booth

Above is a close-up picture of the new media control booth that Dave Larimore built. It's located in at the center of the balcony.

9-11 Family Devotional Guide

The General Board of Discipleship has a Family Devotional Guide for the Anniversary of 9-11 if your looking for guidance in your prayers today.

Sign Posted on the Front Door

I came into the office this morning and found a sign on the door for a "Healthy Aging Fair." Neither Linda, Jenny, nor I know anything about it. If you put the sign up or know anything about it please contact us to let us know that it is legitimate and we'll put it back up.

Passing the Peace: I Was Wrong

Yesterday, I mentioned before the "passing of the peace" in the first service that I had recently read some statistics in The Christian Century that said the majority of people didn't like passing the peace. I went back looking for what I had read and found that I was wrong. The article was in The Christian Century, it did say that the majority of people don't like passing the peace, but it was Garrison Keillor and not statistics that provided the data. Here's the bit I read in the September 4, 2007 edition of The Christian Century:

"PASSING THE PEACE—OR NOT: Thee are two kinds of Americans, according to humorist Garrison Keillor. One is the kind who, when a big and smilely preacher says from the pulpit, "How about everybody turn around and shake hands with the person behind you and give them a big howdy!" will do what the preacher says and feel uplifted by it. The other is the kind who will do anything to avoid this, even miss church entirely. Even though the world thinks the first kind of American is typical, there are actually more of the second type (Chicago Tribune, August 15)."

I know that there are members of our congregation who attend regularly but don't like "the passing of the peace." My concern now is: what if Garrison Keillor is right and we have people who don't attend, or don't attend regularly, for that reason.

Community Harmony Pot Luck Dinner

We received the following Announcement from Judy Bredesen:

COMMUNITY HARMONY POT LUCK DINNER
On September 30, 2007 at 2:00 P.M. at the Youth Activity Center, 502 Walnut Street in Coffeyville the people of your congregation are specially invited to attend this unique opportunity to eat with and greet people from other Coffeyville congregations.

Because we are so separated and segregated on Sunday mornings, PINCH is organizing this occasion to bring us together. It is said that Sunday worship is the most segregated hour of the week. This is a rare event and we hope the people of your congregation will plan to attend. PINCH stands for People for Institutional and Communal Harmony and is an organization of which persons from your congregation are founding members.

Please let Judy Bredesen (252-1813) know by September 23rd if you plan to attend. Please bring a dish to pass and your own place setting. Cups, drinks and napkins will be provided.

Reading and Praying

Via Sojourners:

"I have not placed reading before praying because I regard it more important, but because, in order to pray aright, we must understand what we are praying for."

—Angelina Grimke, 1836
U.S. abolitionist and feminist

It is also important to learn what God would have us pray for.

New (Front Only) T-Shirts

Cafepress.com, where we have First United Methodist Church t-shirts available for purchase has increased their prices for all t-shirts printed front and back by $3. So I've put up some t-shirts with our logo on the front and nothing on the back. These are still starting at $13.99. You can access them through the "t-shirts" page of our website.

Anyone have a landscaping bent?

The new beds at the front of the church really need some help. My landscaping activity tends to be limited to mowing and, sometimes, weedeating. Is there anyone out there who enjoys landscaping and would be willing to give us a hand?

Travis Walker's Preaching

We received a note from Rev. Warren R. Schoming, pastor at Fairbury United Methodist Church in Fairbury, Nebraska who wrote:

"We were thrilled to have Travis Walker preach for us on Sunday July 29th. He did a great job! My children, wife, and self are all McPherson College Alums. We enjoy Travis a lot!"

Reminder: Potluck Dinner

While I'm issuing reminders, I should mention the potluck dinner this coming Sunday immediately following the second worship service.

T-Shirt Sunday: Reminder and Clarification

A reminder: the Vision Team is encouraging everyone to wear their First UMC t-shirts to worship this coming Sunday, September 9. A clarification: you're allowed, encouraged, but not required to wear a First UMC t-shirt. We want you either way.

Vocation Defined

The word "vocation" has long received a significant amount of usage in Christian theology. Defining it, however, seems to be a difficult task. This is perhaps the best definition of vocation that I have come across:

"Vocation comes from the Latin vocare, "to call," and means the work a person is called to by God.

There are all different kinds of voices calling you to all different kinds of work, and the problem is to find out which is the voice of God rather than of society, say, or the superego, or self-interest.

By and large a good rule for finding out is this: The kind of work God usually calls you to is the kind of work (a) that you need to do and (b) that the world needs to have done. If you really get a kick out of your work, you've presumably met requirement (a), but if your work is writing cigarette ads, the chances are you've missed requirement (b). On the other hand, if your work is being a doctor in a leper colony, you have probably met requirement (b), but if most of the time you're bored and depressed by it, the chances are you have not only bypassed (a), but probably aren't helping your patients much either.

Neither the hair shirt nor the soft berth will do. The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."

Frederick Buechner,
Beyond Words: Daily Readings in the ABC's of Faith, "Vocation."

Help Vera Peace Celebrate 106 Years

I just got a call asking that we announce that there will be a reception for Vera Peace's 106th Birthday next Tuesday evening, September 11, 2007 at 7:00 pm. Vera requests no gifts, only your presence.

U2 Eucharist

I'm interested in this. Is anybody else?

Late Update: Wikipedia has an order of worship.

Digital Camera Needed for Multi-Media Installation

If you've seen the new "sound booth" that Dave Larimore built for the sanctuary, then you know that we're doing our best to hide the new multi-media system in ways that blend in with the sanctuary. When not in use, the main screen will roll up out of site, but we cannot do that with the confidence monitor (the monitor that will allow the pastor and the choir to see the same image that is on the main screen). Justin Thiesing came up with the idea of hiding the confidence monitor in plain site. We'll take a picture of the front of the balcony rail and use it as a screen saver when the multi-media system is not in use. To make this work, we need a digital camera with a high pixel count (probably 7 or 8 megapixels) and a zoom lens. If you have a camera that meets the above description please drop us a line.

Later Addition: I know that megapixels aren't everything  as far as photo quality, but the screen we're trying to make a screen saver for is 42".

Recycling Page Now on the Website

I've just added a page about our recycling program to our Website.

Thanks

Thanks to all the people who had questions during the question and answer sessions in this mornings worship services. They were good questions all, and I really appreciate the help.