Pride goeth before a fall

In my last post, I gave a hard time to Olathe Grace United Methodist Church for being the largest church in the Kansas East Conference without Wi-Fi. Well, when I got home I realized that the domain for this blog had finally been transferred (after several months of waiting) and that the blog was down. We're back up and running now, but the irony isn't lost on me.

No Wireless at Grace

Jenny and I have "Quadrennial Sexual Ethics Training" today at Olathe Grace United Methodist Church. Olathe Grace is one of those little United Methodist Churches* without Wi-Fi. You'll have to excuse the lack of posting.

*Actually, in attendance, it is the second largest church in the Annual Conference, but still no Wi-Fi.

Question and Answer Sunday

We'll be doing another "Question and Answer" session this Sunday for the sermon. People have mentioned that they would like for us to do this again, so I hope there will be plenty of questions. In case you missed it the last time here's a run down of how it works: Members of the congregation ask questions in oral or written form, I answer them as best I can.

"Mythic" Defined

The word "Mythic" is sometimes used in Biblical scholarship. It's usage can be disturbing for those of us who believe the Bible reveals the truth of God. I came across the following definition while searching for a biography of Luke T. Johnson. It's from the "Ancient Evangelical Future" Blog. It's the best most succinct definition of mythic in this sense of the word that I've found.

Note: Mythic here does not mean “fictitious,” but refers instead to the language that transcends the natural world and provides an explanatory framework for why things are the way they are.

Link:
http://ancientevangelicalfuture.blogspot.com/2008/02/christology-luke-timothy-johnson-on.html

You Give but You Don't Take Away

"Newsboys," a contemporary Christian rock group I'm normally quite fond of, has a dynamic song titled Blessed be Your Name that repeats over and over: "You give and take away, you give and take away, but my heart will choose to say blessed be Your name." I'm troubled by this refrain. I've been troubled by it ever since I first heard the song, and my hope is that by putting pen to paper (or keyboard to blog) I can get it out of my system.

I think the scriptural basis for the refrain "You give and take away, but my heart will choose to say blessed be Your name." comes from Job 1.21 in which Job, after losing everything, says “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (NRSV). This seems to be a good scriptural warrant and the same is implied/proclaimed elsewhere in the First (Old) Testament. The problem is that I think Job is wrong. The book of Job clearly has God allowing these things to happen to Job, but it is just as clear that Satan is the one doing them. To allow Satan to take away is not the same as God taking away. The reader has information that Job does not have and can therefore know that Job is wrong, God did not take away.

More importantly in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus Christ, God's fullest self-revelation to humanity, states that "the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices" and those killed by the falling tower of Siloam did not die at the hand of God. Likewise, in the Gospel of John, the man born blind was not born blind because of his sin or the sin of his parents. Jesus makes it clear that God is not in that business of punishing, much less the business of "taking away." There is a lot of evil in this world, but God is never the author of evil. We must remember that the world is not as God created it to be.

If you have any thoughts you're willing to share, drop me a line at john@coffeyvillefirstumc.org.

Update: I do like the song, both because it's catchy and because I like the idea of blessing God come what may. I just don't like attributing evil to God.

Parsons District Celebration to be Held Here

The Parsons District Celebration will be held at Coffeyville First on September 14, 2008. No other details yet.

"Bridges to the Future" pledges top $3 million

From www.kansaseast.org:

"As of March 31, the "Bridges to the Future" capital campaign has surpassed the $3 million mark in pledges toward the campaign goal of $5.3 million."

That would include our church pledge of $25,000.

Spiritual Spendover

The Youth, Jenny, Elizabeth and I all had a great time at the "spiritual spendover" at Manhattan First UMC. We left Friday afternoon about 3:30 and got back on between 10:00 pm and 11:00 pm on Saturday. It was exhausting (at least for the adults), but fun and informative.

Newsletter Up

The latest copy of our newsletter, The Parish Visitor, is now up on our website on the "Newsletter" page.

Newsletter Article

Here's my article for the April edition of The Parish Visitor:

Last Sunday at 2:00 pm two important events occurred simultaneously here at Coffeyville First United Methodist Church. The first was Dick Conklin’s 80th Birthday Party. The Second was a presentation by Marcee Binder (Carter when she was here preaching last) on the “Bridges to the Future” Capital Campaign of the Kansas East Conference. With this Capital Campaign, the Kansas East Conference is seeking to raise $5,350,000 for Campus Ministry, Camp Chippewa, New Church Starts, and Church Revitalization. Of this amount, our “suggested tithe goal,” which is more easily understood as our share is $24,471. This is based on our 2006 expenditures. Over the five years of the capital campaign this daunting sum would break down to $4,894.20 per year or $94.12 per week. With our current average attendance that amounts to less than $1 per person per Sunday. At Monday night’s Church Council Meeting, the Council voted to round up to a commitment of $25,000, which bumps the weekly break down to $96.15. But even with the bump the total per week is still less than $1 per person. You can contribute by writing “Capital Campaign” or “Bridges to the Future,” or even just “Bridges” on your check or offering envelope.

On the expenditures side, the breakdown of the “Bridges to the Future’s” goal of $5,350,000 is: $1 million for Campus Ministry, $900,000 for Camp Chippewa, $3 million for New Church Starts, $200,000 for Church Revitalization and $250,000 for the expenses of the campaign itself. In the weeks, months, and yes, probably years to come we will be telling you more about why each of these ministry areas is important and deserves our attention. At this point I will simply say that all of these areas are in desperate need of the funding they are seeking and all of these areas are key to the ultimate goal of better fulfilling Christ’s commandment from Matthew 28.19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Because they are in line with Matthew 28.19 they also are all in line with the Mission of First United Methodist Church, which is to “Make Disciples of Jesus Christ.”

It is only in recognizing that the ultimate goal of the campaign is to better equip new and existing churches, Camp Chippewa, and campus ministry to make Disciples of Jesus Christ that a second aspect of the campaign comes into focus. That second aspect is prayer. I name it here in this column as the second aspect, but in truth prayer preceded and accompanied everything that has been done so far. A great deal of prayerful discernment has been exercised along every step of the campaign. Indeed, as a member of the Conference Leadership Team I was a witness to the fact that prayerful discernment was a major component of the decision about whether or not to have a campaign at all. Now we’re asking you to pray; for the success of our own church in reaching it’s commitment to the campaign and for the success of the campaign overall.

A Wholly Holy Sabbath

I very much need to be reminded of this on a regular basis:

Sabbath ceasing [means] to cease not only from work itself, but also from the need to accomplish and be productive, from the worry and tension that accompany our modern criterion of efficiency, from our efforts to be in control of our lives as if we were God, from our possessiveness and our enculturation, and finally, from the humdrum and meaninglessness that result when life is pursued without the Lord at the center of it all.

—Marva J. Dawn, Keeping the Sabbath Wholly

The Post In Which I am Revealed to be a Liar

Because of some scheduling problems, "Youth Sunday" will not be held this coming Sunday as was announced last Sunday. Instead, I'll be preaching on the walk to Emmaus (Luke 24.13-35).

"Prosperity Preachers and Personal Planks"

I could have written this article. All of it except for the "my husband and I."

Link: http://blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2008/04/prosperity-preachers-and-perso.html

Linda Still Sick

The church office is closed.

A Slide and a Question ... Continued

From a reader in response to the previous post:

"There will be times that the repeat of a slide is most appropriate and full of impact. But I don't think we want to see all of them again...just like hearing the same sermon. Now how much fun would that be! Although some of us learn best by repetition!!!"

This is very much along the lines of what I was thinking. I will not reuse all the slides, some of them were made for very particular sermons. But others, like the slide for Easter or Baptism of the Lord are less about a particular sermon than about a given liturgical Sunday that repeats itself every year. Next year I may want to do something different, but if I decide that a slide still fits, it is very beneficial to my schedule since I could sometimes save 2-4 hours by using a slide again (This Sunday's slide is an example, I had to orient myself to an updated presentation software program and teach myself how to make things transparent, but most of weeks the title slide doesn't take that long.).

Another line of my thinking is this: I sometimes refer to slides as electronic paraments (non-electronic paraments would include the altar cloth). Both non-electronic paraments and electronic paraments can serve the same purpose, they help us worship, observe the liturgical year and offer visual cues to what is going on for a particular Sunday. When thinking about slides as electronic paraments, reusing a given slide for Easter Sunday or Baptism of the Lord makes a great deal of sense. We use the same non-electronic parament Easter after Easter, and it seems to me that when a slide is particularly attractive it would make sense to use it more than once.

I don't think any of this is in opposition to what the above reader wrote (if it is let me know) and I appreciate the feedback. Thanks.

A Slide and A Question

Above is the main slide for this Sunday. With all the work that goes into these, I'm wondering about the possibility of reusing some of these slides next year. What do you think? Would this be to repetitive, would it go unnoticed, or would the result be somewhere in between? Drop me a note at john@coffeyvillefirstumc.org and let me know what you think.

Linda Sent Home, Parish Visitor Delayed

Linda was here, but she wasn't well, I sent her home early. The Parish Visitor (the church newsletter) won't be put out until next week.

Meet "the Inviting Guy"

"The Inviting Guy" is Ben Scharfstein and United Methodist Communications has a great article on his ministry of inviting people to his church. Evangelism is often times seen as intimidating, but, as Ben demonstrates, it doesn't have to be.

Link: http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2072519&ct=513781

Church Secretary still sick ...

church office still closed.

First UMC and the Journal's Religious Section

Linda has been dutifully sending our church's articles to The Coffeyville Journal these past two weeks even though they have not been printed. We'll try again this week.

Easter Brunch

The Easter Brunch raised $271.81 for Youthville. Thanks to the folks who helped and all the folks who came for the food and fellowship.

Office Closed

I went to the Doctor yesterday. Linda is trying to get in today. For awhile at least, it would be best to call to make sure someone is there before coming in.

New Hymnal Survey

The General Board of Discipleship is taking a survey about hymnal preferences in considering the possibility of a new United Methodist Hymnal. If you have time for a survey of approximately 35 questions go to: www.gbod.org/hymnal.

No Yoga Tomorrow

Our instructor is "anticipating the feast" of Easter.

An Easter Message from the Bishop

From Scott Jones, Bishop of the Kansas Area:



Having trouble playing the video? Want to view the original? A video archive containing this video (and others) in this and other formats is available here.

Link: http://www.kswestumc.org/video_find.asp

Church Office Closed Today

In observance of Good Friday.

Doubts at Easter

Garrison Keillor, finding himself doubting the faith asks the timeless question: "Do we really believe or do we just like to hang out with nice people and listen to organ music." The question of why God left room for doubt in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is one I'll be talking about this Easter Sunday. Keillor makes a different set of points about doubt, but they are good points nonetheless.

Link: http://www.salon.com/opinion/keillor/2008/03/19/easter/

Easter Worship Slide

Above is the slide I'm planning on using in worship Easter morning. The words and picture extending off the edge of the image are meant to convey the fact that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is an event to great to be contained by our usual categories of thought, thinking, and understanding, that it goes beyond the scope of this world and is truly a cosmic event. The resurrection is larger than life. Let me know what you think at john@coffeyvillefirstumc.org.

Cymbals Found

Many thanks to Randi and Shelly for responding to my blog post about the need for cymbals. Wow, I'm really thankful and impressed.

Quote of the Day

Via Sojourners:

To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us.

—Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline

We sometimes talk as if prayer and action are two different things. They are not. They go hand and hand, and to pray is, in a very real way, to do something. I highly recommend Celebration of Discipline to anyone who wants to grow as a Christian.

Cymbal

We need a cymbal (the musical instrument) for the Good Friday Tennebrae service. Doesn't need to be high quality, just loud. Anyone have a drumset? Anyone?

Update to "New to First?"

After going to www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org, you may have to hit the refresh/reload button on your web browser to see the "New to First" button.

New to First?

I just added a "New to First?" page to our website. Surf over and take a look and let me know what else you think is needed.

He May or May Not Have Been the Bomb-maker"

Via the God's Politics Blog

"He May or May Not Have Been the Bomb-maker by Marianne Kehoe

He may or may not have been the bomb-maker.

Did it matter, now that I stood in front of his body, still connected to tubes and vents and drips, but a body that had already breathed its last?

No, it didn't really matter. I stepped to the bed and laid a hand on his still-warm forehead and prayed. I had always wondered if I would know what to say. And as I opened my mouth, I realized I didn't need to know what to say. If ever the Holy Spirit interceded for me, it was then.

"Oh God, as first you gave this life to us, so now we give him back to you. You know the secrets of our hearts and we pray that this soul may find peace with you. Amen."

The med techs and nurses began to clean the body as I went to get the kaffan, the traditional Muslim burial cloth. We can't—and don't—perform the ritual Islamic washing here in the American hospital in Afghanistan, but we do try to prepare the body as best we can for the family. In some small way, the hospital staff tries to make a difference; though they could not save this man's life, they can at least return the body with some degree of respect and dignity. It is the right thing to do. It just might also save someone else's life down the line.

Because he may or may not have been the bomb-maker. Whether he was or not, the exploding bomb killed him. And as his brother hovered nearby in the ICU, I thought about our small part in the cycle of violence that just maybe had a chance to be broken right here, this very moment.

If he was the bomb-maker, would his brother go home and say, "Even though he planned to kill them, the Americans still tried to save his life …. They operated, they bandaged, and when he died, they washed and wrapped him and prayed over him." And if he wasn't the bomb-maker, would his brother go home and say, "There are people who tried to kill my brother and there are people who tried to save my brother and they are not the same people."

I don't have any answers to that question. I don't know what the brother did when he took him home to bury him. I cannot see into the hearts of people as God does. But I pray for them. And if I am honest, I know I do it for two reasons. Jesus commanded it. And if prayer is as powerful as I believe it is, the neck I save might just be my own.

U.S. Air Force Chaplain Captain Marianne Kehoe is an ordained elder in the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church. She is currently serving in a large U.S. military hospital in Afghanistan."

This is one of most Christian responses to a suicide bombing that I have heard of.

Easter Brunch

We'll be having an Easter Brunch at 9:30 am this Easter. We'll be serving biscuits and gravy and a fruit cocktail. This event is sponsored by the Vision Team but volunteers are needed. There will be a free-will offering the proceeds of which will benefit United Methodist Youthville. Because the Vision Team is picking up expenses every dollar donated will be forwarded to Youthville. You can learn more about Youthville's ministry at www.youthville.org.

Quote of the Day: "Power is of God"

Sometimes it seems like power is a bad thing, and people speak as if only in renouncing power can a person do good. But that is not the case. The following comes via Sojourners.

"Power is of God, but like all God’s gifts, humankind has the freedom to misuse power. When this happens, it becomes corrupt, and it violates and dehumanizes others. Powerlessness limits human development and denies persons their promised fulfillment.... We have each been given the power to do what we can do, but are we willing to claim it? To accept it? Or is it safer to ignore or rationalize it away? Is claiming this kind of power worth the cost of change or the risk of rejection?"

Helen Bruch Pearson, Do What You Have the Power to Do

It's worth remembering that Jesus didn't refuse to exercise power, he simply refused to exercise power in the death-dealing ways of the world.

VBS Dates Set

This year's VBS (Vacation Bible School) will be held July 14-18 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Torture Doesn't Work

Whether or not torture works is not a factor in my opposition to it (nor, I believe in the United Methodist Church's), but the fact remains that torture is not only morally repugnant, but completely ineffective. Jack Cloonan, a special agent for the FBI's Osama bin Laden unit from 1996 to 2002, has the most succint explanation of why I have read in his contribution to The Washington Monthly's "No Torture. No Exceptions." series.

Link: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2008/0801.cloonan.html

No More: No Torture. No Exceptions

"No More: No Torture. No Exceptions." is the title of a a series of article in the Washington Monthly. The articles' authors run the gauntlet from conservative to liberal, from Bob Barr to Nancy Pelosi.

Link: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2008/0801.torture.html

Passion Gospel Reading in Parts

We're taking volunteers to help read the passion story in parts next Sunday. There will be no rehearsals and if you're part of first service you don't even need to leave your seat. If you're interested let me know at john@coffeyvillefirstumc.org.

Daylight Savings Time Begins Tomorrow

Don't forget to "Spring Forward" one hour.

Sunday's Sermon

I'll be preaching a sermon titled "Don't Throw Out the Baby" on Luke 18.9-14.

Volunteers Needed

We need volunteers for the Gospel lesson on Palm/Passion Sunday. We'll be reading the lesson in parts. Let Jenny or I know if you're interested.

Effective Congregational Evangelism

The Bishop presented a wonderful workshop on Effective Congregational Evangelism Sunday afternoon. If you had to miss the workshop, but would like a copy of the workbook, they are available in the church office.

Voice of the Day: On Fasting

Via Sojourners:

"There is no need to push yourself to heroic effort where fasting is concerned. If you feel tempted to do so, take a hard look at your motives.... "More" is not necessarily "better" in this matter. Perhaps you are called just to be faithful in the humble practice of a short fast once a week. Do not underestimate what God can accomplish in you through the consistent offering of such a discipline."

—Marjorie J. Thompson, Soul Feast

Bishop's Biography

Kansas Area Bishop Scott Jones will be preaching at a combined worship service Sunday morning at 10:50 am and leading a workshop on Evangelism Sunday afternoon at 1:30 pm. Here's a very short biography provided by his office.

Scott Jameson Jones currently serves as the resident bishop of the Kansas Area of the United Methodist Church with offices in Wichita and Topeka, Kansas. He was born in 1954 in Nashville, Tennessee and was raised in Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana and Colorado. He received degrees from the University of Kansas (B.A. in Philosophy), Perkins School of Theology of Southern Methodist University (Master of Theology) and Southern Methodist University (Ph.D. in Religious Studies). His dissertation research was focused on Wesley Studies and the History of Biblical Interpretation.

He was ordained deacon in the Kansas East Annual Conference and elder in the North Texas Annual Conference. From 1986 to 1997 he served as pastor of three congregations: the United Methodist churches in Prosper, Howe and Commerce, Texas. In 2003-2004 he served as interim pastor at Stonebridge UMC in McKinney, Texas. From 1997 to 2004 he served on the faculty of Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. In 2004 he was elected a bishop by the South Central Jurisdictional Conference and assigned to serve as the resident bishop of the Kansas Area as of September 1, 2004.

His most recent books are United Methodist Doctrine: The Extreme Center and The Evangelistic Love of God and Neighbor: A Theology of Discipleship and Witness, (Abingdon Press). He has been named associate editor of volumes 5 and 6 in the Bicentennial Edition of The Works of John Wesley, the scholarly edition of Wesley’s Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament.

Scott and Mary Lou Reece have been married since 1979. They have three children. Jameson, Arthur and Marynell.

A short (as opposed to the above very short) biography can be found on our website in the downloads section.

Well Done, President Bush

Since my posts in opposition to torture have shown an area of disagreement I have with the current Bush administration, I wanted to highlight an area where I appreciate the president's work: assistance to Africa. The blog Gods Politics has the full story (and the title) by Brian McLaren.

Google Doing Good

Internet search company Google is giving free voice mail to every homeless person in San Francisco. The numbers will be especially helpful for people filling out employment applications or waiting for the results of medical tests. You can read the whole story here at salon.com (Warning, you have to wait a few seconds on an ad.)

I'm Back

It's been more than 24 hours since I registered a fever and so I should be non-contageous. I'll be in the office for a while this morning. Then up to Independence for a LTRO meeting, then back down to First UMC for the Lenten Luncheon.

Voice of the Day: "Do not lose by saving"

Via Sojourners:

Do not lose by saving, but gather in by scattering. Give to the poor, and you give to yourself. You will not be allowed to keep what you have refused to give others.

— Saint Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 43

Tech Post

I know that you don't turn to this blog for technical information, but I thought you might find the Google Advanced Search helpful in your web searching.

Link: http://www.google.com/advanced_search

Marcee Carter to Preach Tomorrow

Jenny, Elizabeth and I all have the flu, influenza, the real McCoy, they took a test and everything. We're been grounded because we are contagious. Marcee Carter, a certified lay speaker from Independence will be filling the pulpit.

Bishop Jones' Sermon

On March 2, we will have only the 10:50 worship service to better welcome Bishop Scott Jones. He'll be preaching on Jeremiah 29.1-14 with a sermon titled "A Future with Hope."

Church Office Closed Today

The church office will be closed today due to ice.

U2 Eucharist Offering

100% of the offering received during tomorrow's U2 Eucharist will go to the United Methodist Global Aids Fund.

Lenten Luncheons

I just posted the following at bricktownblog.com:

The Coffeyville Ministerial Alliance invites you to attend our annual Lenten Luncheons held at the First United Methodist Church in Coffeyville. Doors will open at 11:30 am and a program will begin promptly at 12:00 pm. Our theme this year is “Transforming Lives.” Our first luncheon begins on Wednesday, February 20th. Each week a church will provide a hot meal for $3.00 per person. A sermon will be delivered by a local minister. Please come and join us in worship and fellowship.

John Collins, President, Coffeyville Ministerial Alliance

U2 Eucharist Songs

Songs for Wednesday's Gathering:
Where the Streets Have No Name
Mysterious Ways
Pride (In the Name of Love)
Beautiful Day
Peace on Earth
When Love Comes to Town
Love and Peace or Else
Miracle Drug
Walk On

The article in Interpreter Magazine is back up at:
http://www.interpretermagazine.org/interior.asp?ptid=43&mid=12302

You May Have Noticed ...

That I was in Coffeyville instead of Kansas City today. Elizabeth hasn't been feeling well and I wanted to be ten minutes instead of three hours away.

U2 Eucharist Tomorrow

Carla isn't going to be able to be at tomorrow's Wednesday gathering, so while the pianist is away, the congregation will play U2 music. Interpreter has an article about U2 Eucharist (or eU2charist or U2charist), but their site seems to be down at the moment. So the simple explanation is that a U2 Eucharist is a service of "word and table" (scripture, preaching, and holy communion) where the music of the Irish rock band U2 is substituted for more traditional or contemporary hymns.

Church Office Closed Tomorrow

The church office will be closed tomorrow for President's/Presidents' Day. Does anyone know which (President's or Presidents') it is? In addition, I will be out of town on Tuesday for a continuing education event in Kansas City.

Why this blog Moved

I promised a better explanation of why this blog moved a while back. We moved it from coffeyvillefirstumc.blogspot.com to revcollins.blogspot.com and renamed it from "Blog" to "From Behind the Pulpit" (still looking for a better name). The subtitle of the blog went from "Coffeyville First United Methodist Church" to "Thoughts from a United Methodist Clergy Couple in Southeast Kansas." None of this indicates a change in what this blog covers or who contributes that that's really the point. Initially we intended for many people to contribute to the blog, but we haven't been able to make that happen and the blog became, as it now says, "the Professional Blog of the Revs. John and Jennifer Collins." The changes in location and title really just indicate the recognition of that reality. Different pastors have different interests and skills and we realized that we did not want to set a precedent that might be difficult for a later pastor to follow. (Don't read anything into that I'm simply planning well into the future here and both Jenny and I and the SPRC have indicated to the cabinet that we believe this appointment is a match.)

Additional Heat for 005 and 006

Rooms 005 and 006 in the basement (homes of the "Keystone" and "Rock of Ages" classes, respectively) have been upgraded with the addition of vent-less natural gas heaters. They should be nice and toasty tomorrow, irregardless of the outside temperature.

Note: ever notice how regardless and irregardless mean the same thing?

One Worship Service for the Bishop's Visit

Bishop Scott Jones will be preaching Sunday, March 2, 2008. The decision has been made to try for just one service at 10:50 am. We're doing just one service in order to have a larger congregation present. We're doing the late service so that if someone hasn't gotten the word of the change in schedule they can simply come back later. (E.g. if they come at 8:10 they can just come back at 10:50 and if they come at 10:50 they will be right on time.) Following the worship service we'll have a potluck dinner and after that the Bishop will present a workshop on evangelism.

UMW Sunday was Great

UMW Sunday was great, the women did a wonderful job. Please be sure to tell them how much all their hard work was appreciated.

No Yoga Tonight

Our instructor, April, is both sick and contagious.

Parties and Prostitutes

A link from Tony Wood, Lay Delegate to Annual Conference:
http://tucksdenbighblog.blogspot.com/2006/03/parties-and-prostitutes.html

"Awe" by Frederick Buechner

From Beyond Words:

I remember seeing a forest of giant redwoods for the first time. There were some small children nearby, giggling and chattering and pushing each other around. Nobody had to tell them to quiet down as we entered. They quieted down all by themselves. Everybody did. You couldn't hear a sound of any kind. It was like coming into a vast empty room.

Two or three hundred feat high the redwoods stood. You had to crane your neck back as far as it would go to see the leaves at the top. The trees made their own twilight out of the bright California day. There was a stillness and stateliness about them that seemed to become part of you as you stood there stunned by the sight of them. They had been growing in that place for going on two thousand years. With infinite care they were growing even now. You could feel them doing it. They made you realize that all your life you had been mistaken. Oaks and ashes, maples and chestnuts and elms you had seen for as long as you could remember, but never until this moment had you so much as dreamed what a Tree really was.

"Behold the man," Pilate said when he led Jesus out where everybody could see him. He can't have been much to look at after what they'd done to him by then, but my guess is that, even so, there suddenly fell over that mob a silence as awed as ours in the forest when for the first time in their lives they found themselves looking at a Human Being.

—Frederick Buechner, Beyond Words, "Awe," 31.

Calendar Updated

I inadvertently shut off calendar updates a few days ago. It's back up and running now. You can find it through the calendar page of the church website.

New and Improved Web Address

This Blog has a new address if you are a regular reader your probably best off leaving www.revcollins.blogspot.com as your bookmark or favorite, but if you're at a different computer you can simply type in www.revcollins.com and you will be forwarded to this page.

Update: you can also get here by going to www.revcollins.org, but that's really just for people who forget that it's .com.

UMW Sunday

Just a reminder that tomorrow is UMW Sunday. The UMW will be leading worship during both services.

A Prayer from Thomas Merton

An excellent prayer from Thomas Merton:

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

—Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude
© Abbey of Gethsemani

There are at least two different versions of this prayer on the internet. I found this one at:

www.mertoninstitute.org

In case you're wondering what a Pyxis is

From the Etruscan Art Virtual Museum glossary:
"Pyxis - a cylindrical ceramic container with a lid."

Reward! Have you seen this Ash Pyxis?

Have you seen this Ash Pyxis?

If so please let us know. It contains palm ash for our Ash Wednesday observance. We have more palms that can be burned to make palm ash, so all is not lost, but it sure would be nice to find it. Bob asked me when I remembered seeing it last. I told him last year on Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday Gathering

Tomorrow's Wednesday Gathering will be an Ash Wednesday Service. It will be at the regular time 7:15 pm.

No Yoga Tomorrow

That pretty much says it all.

This Blog Needs a New Name

I plan to post more information about why we moved later. But right now this blog needs a better name. Any suggestions?

What I (John) am Giving Up For Lent

In case you were wondering, here's what I'm giving up for Lent:

1. Velveeta and all processed cheese food products.
2. Absorbing other people's anxiety.

It's that second one that's going to take some work. Now I know fasting should be done in private, but: 1) my negotiations with a certain party over what I should give up for lent have been pretty public, 2) I hoping to set an example of the varieties of things one can give up for lent and 3) Sometimes, in my effort to feel empathy and compassion for others, I take on more of their anxiety than is appropriate. When I do that I don't tend to be a calm leader or the most effective helper that I can be. So, for the next seven weeks I promise that I will focus on being a calm presence for you. I thought you ought to know.

If you want to see what April Foreman is giving up for lent visit www.bricktownblog.com.

Newsletter Up

The January 30, 2008 Newsletter is now up on the "downloads" page at www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org.

A View from the Pulpit

Hopefully, I'll get the newsletter posted to the website soon, in the meantime, here's my article:

Nearly twenty centuries ago, Paul wrote the letter we now know as 1 Corinthians to the church at Corinth telling them:

"12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ...
14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it."

— 1 Corinthians 12.12-26 (NRSV)

Recently I’ve been thinking about this passage and Paul’s metaphor of the church as the body of Christ as I consider the state of First United Methodist Church. In particular I’ve been thinking about the phrase “whereas our more respectable members do not need this.” There are many part of First United Methodist Church. Some of those parts are functioning quite well; these parts are strong and healthy whereas other parts are frail and anemic. As your pastors, Jenny and I cannot attend to every part of the church individually, no matter how badly we want to. For this reason we’ve spent the past two and a half years focusing most of our attention on the parts we’ve diagnosed as frail and anemic, the parts that we believe are in the most desperate need of attention. The parts that are healthy and strong have not needed such attention. We’ve now become aware that some of the healthy and strong parts of the body of First United Methodist church are feeling neglected. Please know that this is not because you are considered unimportant or beneath us, it is rather because those parts of the body of Christ that are healthy “do not need this” attention. If you have felt neglected or underappreciated by your pastors please take it as a compliment, an indication that we believe that your part of the church is spiritually strong and mature enough to look after yourself for a bit while we try to provide acute care to other parts of the church.

We believe that all of this will ultimately serve the good of the entire church. As Paul wrote the Corinthians, all of the parts of the body are needed, all are necessary (the ear cannot say “I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body”), and when “one member suffers all suffer together with it.” Our help is that by focusing our attention on healing and strengthening the weak and anemic parts of the body, the entire body will be better able to experience health and wholeness.

Property Insurance Also Down in '08

The church's property insurance also declined in 2008. From $21,985 to $20,397.

Worthless Physicians

If you've ever felt that you don't have the right words to speak to someone in crisis or grief, you may be on the right track. There is an excellent article here:
http://www.theolog.org/blog/2008/01/worthless-physi.html#

Apportionments Decline in 2008

In 2007 Coffeyville First paid $37,280.80 in apportionments, for 2008 our apportionments are $33,144.

Hearing Assistance Available

A new hearing assistance system has been installed in the sanctuary for people who are hard of hearing. Those who need assistance should ask an usher for a receiver.

Effective Churches

Bishop Will Willimon has a blog entry on effective churches. He names eight characteristics:

1. Love their particularly community. Their pastors have found a way not only to love their congregations but also their neighborhood. Effective pastors help their congregations move beyond love of themselves, turning their congregations outward.
2. Rise above mere contentment with things as they are and do what is necessary to expect and welcome change, disruption, and movement, similar to that of the Risen Christ.
3. Find a way to welcome the stranger and to practice radical hospitality in the name of Jesus Christ. They find a way to be as interested in those who have yet to join the church as those already in the church.
4. Have a clear sense of their primary purpose and keep focused on their primary God-given missions.
5. Enable lay leaders to lead, not just manage. Lay leadership that feels a strong sense of responsibility for the future of their congregation.
6. All have a strong, change oriented, gifted pastor.
7. Make growth a priority and figure out how to grow.
8. Keep focused upon Jesus Christ as the originator of, and the purpose for the church (rather than church as just another human oriented institution).

You can read the whole post at http://willimon.blogspot.com/2008/12/effective-churches.html.

More Copies of "Three Simple Rules" Have Arrived

More copies of Three Simple Rule have arrived. You can pick up a copy for $5 in the front lobby.

Yoga Today Cancelled

Yoga today has been canceled due to a family issue for the instructor.

Voice of the Day

Today's Voice of the Day from Sojourners is from none other than my favorite philosopher/theologian, Søren Kierkegaard.

"A man prayed, and at first he thought that prayer was talking. But he became more and more quiet until in the end he realized that prayer is listening."

—Søren Kierkegaard, Christian Discourses

More Copies of "Three Simple Rules" on the Way

We just sold out this morning, but we have more copies of Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living by Reuben Job, on the way. They should be here Thursday.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

If you would like to remember the day by reading on of Dr. King's sermons I would recommend "The Death of Evil Upon the Seashore." It's available here.

Link: http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/publications/papers/vol3/5605
17.010-The_Death_of_Evil_upon_the_Seashore,_Sermon_at_the_Service_
of_Prayer_and_Thanksgiving_at_Cathedral_of_St._John_the_Divine.htm

Meetings Postponed

Tomorrow's meetings of the Finance Committee and Church Council have been postponed one week while we await budget information.

We Can't Walk on Water

After the sermon this morning, it was pointed out to me that I spoke of our being able to "do no harm" because Jesus did no harm and that just because Jesus can do something doesn't necessarily mean that we can do something (e.g. walk on water, water to wine, etc.). I did not mean to imply that this applied to everything that Jesus did. A better formulation would have been that because Jesus commanded that we do no harm and set the example by doing no harm himself we know that it is possible. John Wesley believed that whatever God commands, God will give us grace to accomplish.

Job's Wisdom for Living

Job's Wisdom for Living from a Lecture by Dr. Alyce M. McKenzie:

• Sometimes the path of wisdom lies in going against well meaning advice of others.
• We are not the center of the universe.
• The best motive for obedience to God is love of God.
• The presence of suffering does not mean the absence of God.
• God will not allow suffering to destroy our relationship with God.
• Offer help and comfort to those who are suffering. [Keep] our theories as to what they did to bring it on themselves [to ourselves].

Three Simple Rules

As announced last Sunday I'll be preaching a three part sermon series based on the book Three Simple Rules A Wesleyan Way of Living by Reuben P. Job. From the introduction:

"There are three simple rules that have the power to change the world. While they are ancient they have seldom been fully put to the test. But when and where practiced, the world of things as they were was shaken until a new formation, a new world was formed. The Wesleyan movement is a prime example of this new creation that is formed when these three simple rules are adopted as a way of living."

This is a large claim for "three simple rules," and I am often suspicious of simple solutions. But while the rules are simple, Job, and before him Wesley, would not claim that they were easy to follow or simple to implement. It's not easy, but the world can be changed by these rules. We'll begin talking about the rules and how to follow them this coming Sunday.

Lay Leadership Report Now Online

The 2008 Report of the Committee on Lay Leadership (previously the Nominating Committee) is now available for download on the "downloads" page of our website. This is the report that tells you who holds what church office and who is on what committee. You can find it here: http://www.coffeyvillefirstumc.org/Downloads.html

Prayer Center Online

The Upper Room (of daily devotional fame) has long had a 24/7 prayer line at 1-800-251-2468. They now have a web form for the submission of prayer requests. When you submit a prayer request your prayer is e-mailed to the Prayer Center within 24 hours and submitted to Covenant Prayer Groups. You can submit a prayer by following this link:
http://www.upperroom.org/prayer_center/

LTRO Meeting

I'm off to Independence First UMC for a meeting of the Montgomery County Long Term Recovery Organization. We're still in desperate need of case managers for flood recovery. The positions are voluntary, but volunteers will be compensated for mileage. We need case managers to access funds available for flood recovery.

Upcoming Sermon Series

Jenny will be preaching this coming Sunday, the three Sundays after that I plan to preach a sermon series on "Three Simple Rules that will Change Your World."

Thanks

Thanks to all the folks who came to the parsonage open house. Elizabeth really appreciated your attendance.

Great Daily Devotional from the Upper Room

The Upper Room had a great daily devotional on giving for January 2.

Violently ill

I thought I was getting better, but my body had a different idea, still I hope to make it in late this afternoon.