Sunday, September 10, 2006

9/11 - Five Years and Counting...

I have to give credit to my pastor for this one. But I'll paraphrase:

Five years ago, nineteen hijackers carried out a plan which was intended to scare the hell out of America. Many innocent lives were lost. But it didn't work. Instead, we became more united than we had been in at least a generation.

Shortly after, and since then, America has attempted to bomb the hell out of those responsible. We've overthrown the governments of two countries in the process. Many innocent lives have been lost. Yet it hasn't worked. Instead, those who seek to destroy us are more united than ever.

The real truth is that both sides have been fanning the flames of hell that burn in our hearts. This certainly is not the fate that God intended for us.

Mercy triumphs over judgement - every time. Isn't it about time to let mercy reign?

Busyness, Reflections, and Opportunities

I seem to be apologizing for my hiatus from posting more than I'm actually posting. So here are some reflections on what's been going on in my busy life lately.

Our new pastor has been with us just over two months. Almost immediately I started to notice a change in our church. It seems more alive and full of the Spirit. The response to him from our congregation has been quite warm - and I truly believe the healing has begun. Now perhaps we can start to focus on growth again.

I had been away from the praise band on Wednesday nights, but I returned shortly after Pastor B started. It's been a blessing to be back, and to watch the attendance at that service grow.

I claimed a new ministry for myself. Our youth director resigned back in mid-July. He was the one who also led the pastoral prayer during our contemporary service. The Lord put it on my heart to volunteer to lead the prayer during that service - hey, I was available - why not? Besides, extemporaneous prayer is not one of my strengths - what better way to develop that skill? It was a step of faith, to be sure, but one that has opened my eyes to new opportunity.

Serving as head cook for the upcoming Walk to Emmaus (just 25 days from now!) has been a tremendous blessing for me. To think I avoided this job for so many years! But I wasn't really ready to be a head cook until now. Whatever concerns I had melted away when we had our first team meeting. I felt I was in my element when I met with the entire cook team, giving out instructions and fielding their questions. I have been blessed to work with an awesome team of men who just do what needs to be done at the moment. I'm not so much a supervisor as I am a teacher and encourager. It really hit me when I was praying with our lay director, M, before he gave his talk to the team. "I'm not here to be head cook - I'm here to be [M's] prayer partner." That was an awesome feeling when I realized that. Currently we have just three more preparation meetings and then the actual Walk itself. It will be here and done before we know it.

Meanwhile, I hit a minor snag with the prayer time during the contemporary service last week. We have had this one gentleman show up at this service who is, well - odd. He's not a member of our church (not that it matters) who shows up with a veil over his head (thereby his odd appearance) and when he shares a prayer, it's long and full of words that the congregation is perhaps not used to (thereby completing his oddness), and then he leaves. At the weekly staff meeting it was decided that he was perhaps too disruptive and that it would be perhaps better if I didn't take the microphone to him. I didn't agree with that decision, but I abided by it. As it turns out, it was more dispruptive not to let him share. I was quite embarrassed with the whole situation, snubbing this man in front of everybody. It reminded me of the passage from James 2:1-4 (which we happened to read today!). I let Pastor B know of my discomfort. He and I agreed to play it by ear, but that it would probably be best to let him share next time.

In the days following, my wife had mentioned the incident and how she thought it was odd that I would do that. Her friends had also mentioned it. But they all agreed it wasn't my own doing. So by all accounts, nobody blamed me. That's nice. But it only made me feel more like I was under a microscope, as well as the church I was representing. I was even more embarrassed. I resolved that in the same situation, I was not going to exclude anyone from this ministry.

I made the decision mid-week that I would not attend the contemporary service today. I felt it more necessary to step away at least just this once while I contemplated not coming back at all. But even before this morning I had decided I'll be back next week.

That decision was in large part due to a conversation I had with one of the men I'm serving with on the Walk to Emmaus. He serves as prayer coordinator at his own church. I described what happened last week (he jokingly and dramatically said, "You let Jesus have the microphone?"). He assured me - whether I agreed with it or not - that I was obeying authority. So, I pretty much shook the dust off of my feet of the whole matter, and I'm ready to move on.

I did get to sleep in an extra hour this morning. And as I got ready for church, the Lord touched my heart and a new ministry opportunity presented itself to me. We have a prayer ministry at church which is okay. But it could be better. And I could facilitate that.

It would eventually involve the following:
  • prayer cards that people fill out during fellowship times
  • having people available to pray with during fellowship
  • having prayer cards read during the contemporary service
  • posting of prayers to a website linked to the church's website
Oh, and the fellowship time? Just today, he administrative board approved a new Sunday worship schedule that would facilitate fellowship time. Is that great timing or what?

So there it is.