I am thinking about people who show up early for church. Back in Winchester it was Dwayne and Mike and Roy.
In Louisville, i'd see Carl Recke, Rick Rittenhouse, and Dan Stokes.
Here on Sundays it's Jim Azbill, who tells Jerry Clower jokes, Dick Anderson, Don Ellis.
On Mondays, some folks come in at 3, even tho the service does not start until 5:45, and we won't get out until 7.
It's a quiet warm place to sit and get a cup of coffee.
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Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Live from The Rock Staff Meeting
Martina led us thru Acts 13:42-52, how those you expect to rejoice at the Gospel react oppositely.
I dovetailed Galatians 4:21-31, this persecution of those who have freedom in the Gospel, who work on the margins described in Acts 13.
And then a staff member talked about the role jealousy plays in churches, esp when we welcome the marginalized ("Gentiles") into leadership. It's a tough time.
We started the mtg with recognizing the difficulties of ministering to kids when they go back to hard times at home and at school.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I dovetailed Galatians 4:21-31, this persecution of those who have freedom in the Gospel, who work on the margins described in Acts 13.
And then a staff member talked about the role jealousy plays in churches, esp when we welcome the marginalized ("Gentiles") into leadership. It's a tough time.
We started the mtg with recognizing the difficulties of ministering to kids when they go back to hard times at home and at school.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Martin of Tours
A couple of days ago, I blogged about Martin of Tours, a prominent saint. I used to think his "cult" primarily was in SW Germany and NE France, but if you go into a Mexican restaurant, look at the space behind the cash register, and you may see a man on a horse cutting a huge cloak and giving it to a naked beggar. That's Martin on the horse.
Reading the lives of the church Fathers, some of the founders of so much we know today as Christianity might prove embarassing. That is, if we expect a bunch of doormats. The culture at large wants Christian doormats, and plenty within the church want it too.
I wonder how many bishops would be as bold as Chrysostom to drop the hammer on the Empress?
We love it when we find out that Chrysostom turned things upside down, giving the Bishop's palatial dining room and choice food to the hungry while reserving a cell and simple meals for himself and his retinue. I suspect he did it so that no one would come thinking he was going to put on the dog for them.
But we're not so sure what we think about Chrysostom tearing down pagan shrines. We're into "tolerance." We've placed that above Truth. And there can be no prophets where there is no hunger for Truth, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us.
We're blown away by Martin and his simple lifestyle that was a reproach to a clergy that wanted to live like lords. Hugo immortalizes Martin in Father Bienvenu, the bishop in Les Miserables-- not so loosely based on Martin and his exploits.
And then we're "disappointed" when he scolds farmers for entertaining pagan rites. Or when he tears down or burns down pagan shrines and grinds the idols to dust.
Like I said, I am inclined to think we need more Martins.
But he is with us to day in such a plain and simple and ubiquitous way.
The cloak he cut to share with the naked beggar is called a "capus." All across Europe there sprang up monastic houses and hospitals, and Martin was one of the chief founders of such monasteries. Over time, they would have a scrap of cloth, a bit of the cloak of Martin, which they called a "capellus," or "little bit of cape." The small space set aside for worship in these monastic houses became known as the "capellus," which when it got transliterated into English became "chapel."
Reading the lives of the church Fathers, some of the founders of so much we know today as Christianity might prove embarassing. That is, if we expect a bunch of doormats. The culture at large wants Christian doormats, and plenty within the church want it too.
I wonder how many bishops would be as bold as Chrysostom to drop the hammer on the Empress?
We love it when we find out that Chrysostom turned things upside down, giving the Bishop's palatial dining room and choice food to the hungry while reserving a cell and simple meals for himself and his retinue. I suspect he did it so that no one would come thinking he was going to put on the dog for them.
But we're not so sure what we think about Chrysostom tearing down pagan shrines. We're into "tolerance." We've placed that above Truth. And there can be no prophets where there is no hunger for Truth, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us.
We're blown away by Martin and his simple lifestyle that was a reproach to a clergy that wanted to live like lords. Hugo immortalizes Martin in Father Bienvenu, the bishop in Les Miserables-- not so loosely based on Martin and his exploits.
And then we're "disappointed" when he scolds farmers for entertaining pagan rites. Or when he tears down or burns down pagan shrines and grinds the idols to dust.
Like I said, I am inclined to think we need more Martins.
But he is with us to day in such a plain and simple and ubiquitous way.
The cloak he cut to share with the naked beggar is called a "capus." All across Europe there sprang up monastic houses and hospitals, and Martin was one of the chief founders of such monasteries. Over time, they would have a scrap of cloth, a bit of the cloak of Martin, which they called a "capellus," or "little bit of cape." The small space set aside for worship in these monastic houses became known as the "capellus," which when it got transliterated into English became "chapel."
St. Anthony's, Feb 1, 2010
The little flock last night at St Anthony’s... we had a blessed time.
This is a group that, as a group, cannot sing. I am not even sure if they like to. There are a few individuals who can sing.
But there are a few who cannot read and so don’t like to open the hymnal.
Some are deaf.
Some are handicapped in various other ways.
I think some are so freaked out and beat down they don’t raise their eyes, heads or voices to speak, much less sing.
And of course, their song leader last night, yours truly, does not help!
But like I said, there are some real song birds.
But off key, our of rhythm, we somehow praised the Lord.
I had great freedom in preaching on the Exodus, and if the Word has indeed become flesh, the Lord has set us free.
We had soup beans and corn bread for dinner.
We keep experiencing that the folks who come for dinner are quick to get up and help clean up. It’s strange, it’s what we hoped for; that the volunteers from church could quit and move on to something else because the people we did ministry to now do it with us.
The next step is ongoing discipleship and leadership training so that the service will become “indigenous.”
Sitting around the tables, there was sweet fellowship. One guy came in from wandering the streets and all he wanted was a warm, welcoming place to sit down. Are you kidding me? A ministry of just sitting down? “The Son of Man has no place to lay His head...”
This is a group that, as a group, cannot sing. I am not even sure if they like to. There are a few individuals who can sing.
But there are a few who cannot read and so don’t like to open the hymnal.
Some are deaf.
Some are handicapped in various other ways.
I think some are so freaked out and beat down they don’t raise their eyes, heads or voices to speak, much less sing.
And of course, their song leader last night, yours truly, does not help!
But like I said, there are some real song birds.
But off key, our of rhythm, we somehow praised the Lord.
I had great freedom in preaching on the Exodus, and if the Word has indeed become flesh, the Lord has set us free.
We had soup beans and corn bread for dinner.
We keep experiencing that the folks who come for dinner are quick to get up and help clean up. It’s strange, it’s what we hoped for; that the volunteers from church could quit and move on to something else because the people we did ministry to now do it with us.
The next step is ongoing discipleship and leadership training so that the service will become “indigenous.”
Sitting around the tables, there was sweet fellowship. One guy came in from wandering the streets and all he wanted was a warm, welcoming place to sit down. Are you kidding me? A ministry of just sitting down? “The Son of Man has no place to lay His head...”
Sunday, January 31, 2010
A Blessed Week
A lot of my childhood came back this weekend.
First off, there was lots of snow, and the boys got to go sledding.
I was shocked at how few kids were out playing. I guess video games and cable tv really are rotting our minds! Who would not want to be out in the snow! Snowballs! Speeding down hills!
I had to talk my boys into it too, sadly. But when I said no wii and no tv, it suddenly seemed like a good proposition.
We busted out my old sled from Germany. We got in the winter of 81, best I can remember. I bet we bought it at Otto Stefan, a store in our village. Those were some happy days. In the dark of winter, we kids would be out on the street, a good, hilly street we lived on, Elisabethenstrasse. Our village was on a hill, which made it great for sledding. This sled really has a lot of pleasant memories for me, so I was only too happy to have the boys on it.
We waxed the runners with a candle an off we went. Here’s some video of the event. Ok so maybe there isn't any video. I'll work on the glitch...
We got to go back out today, but I think that’s it. The sun is out and it is well above freezing.
Church was pretty good today, about 60, which was way more than I expected after whatever 3 or 4 inches of snow that we had. In preparation for the sermon this week, I also went back to life in that small village, Schoenenberg-Kuebelberg. I was looking up some stuff from the early church bishop, Hilary of Poitiers. Along the way, I remembered that he was Martin of Tours’ bishop, someone who really encouraged that great man to found new monasteries.
In our village, Martin was very popular. There were two boys my age named Martin and one of my friend Urban’s countless sisters was named Martina. He had left a great legacy in that part of Europe.
I think we could use a few more Martins today. But we would not know what to do with him. He was not particularly liked by the church establishment in his day. They didn’t like the way he dressed-- like a peasant. They said his hair was ridiculous. He was a bishop who lived in a monk’s cell, not the usual palace. He stood up for the poor, converted criminals. And he preached Jesus as the only way, to the extent that one thing he is known for is burning down pagan shrines. Everything about him was a reproach to anything but following Jesus. Yes, I bet Martin would not be received well by the castrated church running around today.
All in all, it has been a blessed week-- I cannot find a higher honor than being able to kneel at the altar with the BIble and some other books spread out, seeking the words for Sunday; reading a bit in the Fathers, and admiring their courage; remembering Martin and the pleasant things about life in a village where November 11 (Martin’s feast day) was a day when we got lots of candy; hanging out with my little men on an old sled.
Today, after church, the Crissmans, old friends, came over with their two children, we had soup grilled cheese and brownies. Before we came back, the boys and I went to Kroger, and John and Joe wanted to get Jessie flowers. They agreed on sunflowers, and said it was to thank her for being there during some hard times in their lives.
First off, there was lots of snow, and the boys got to go sledding.
I was shocked at how few kids were out playing. I guess video games and cable tv really are rotting our minds! Who would not want to be out in the snow! Snowballs! Speeding down hills!
I had to talk my boys into it too, sadly. But when I said no wii and no tv, it suddenly seemed like a good proposition.
We busted out my old sled from Germany. We got in the winter of 81, best I can remember. I bet we bought it at Otto Stefan, a store in our village. Those were some happy days. In the dark of winter, we kids would be out on the street, a good, hilly street we lived on, Elisabethenstrasse. Our village was on a hill, which made it great for sledding. This sled really has a lot of pleasant memories for me, so I was only too happy to have the boys on it.
We waxed the runners with a candle an off we went. Here’s some video of the event. Ok so maybe there isn't any video. I'll work on the glitch...
We got to go back out today, but I think that’s it. The sun is out and it is well above freezing.
Church was pretty good today, about 60, which was way more than I expected after whatever 3 or 4 inches of snow that we had. In preparation for the sermon this week, I also went back to life in that small village, Schoenenberg-Kuebelberg. I was looking up some stuff from the early church bishop, Hilary of Poitiers. Along the way, I remembered that he was Martin of Tours’ bishop, someone who really encouraged that great man to found new monasteries.
In our village, Martin was very popular. There were two boys my age named Martin and one of my friend Urban’s countless sisters was named Martina. He had left a great legacy in that part of Europe.
I think we could use a few more Martins today. But we would not know what to do with him. He was not particularly liked by the church establishment in his day. They didn’t like the way he dressed-- like a peasant. They said his hair was ridiculous. He was a bishop who lived in a monk’s cell, not the usual palace. He stood up for the poor, converted criminals. And he preached Jesus as the only way, to the extent that one thing he is known for is burning down pagan shrines. Everything about him was a reproach to anything but following Jesus. Yes, I bet Martin would not be received well by the castrated church running around today.
All in all, it has been a blessed week-- I cannot find a higher honor than being able to kneel at the altar with the BIble and some other books spread out, seeking the words for Sunday; reading a bit in the Fathers, and admiring their courage; remembering Martin and the pleasant things about life in a village where November 11 (Martin’s feast day) was a day when we got lots of candy; hanging out with my little men on an old sled.
Today, after church, the Crissmans, old friends, came over with their two children, we had soup grilled cheese and brownies. Before we came back, the boys and I went to Kroger, and John and Joe wanted to get Jessie flowers. They agreed on sunflowers, and said it was to thank her for being there during some hard times in their lives.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Sermons Online
Off to the right, there, scroll down to Links to Other Cool Places. Click on sermons. I am posting sermons online. Still kind of rough. I'll get better at this technology stuff.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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