Kairos & Ambiguities

Memory Refreshed

I have been working with Rev. Bill Saxman to help a young woman explore the possibility of entering the ordained ministry. He was kind enough to give me a copy of Lovett H. Weems and Ann A. Michel's book on The Crisis of Younger Clergy. An excellent read and it address a problem I have poured my energy since first attending Exploration 98 in LA.

The book outlines the dramatic decline in young clergy in The United Methodist Church. It also lifts up several solutions including:

1. Creating a Culture of Call
2. Challenging Young People about Vocation
3. Supporting Youth Ministry
4. Financially & Emotionally Supporting Young Clergy

 

I am packing up for SPARK (the WPA Conference Youth Retreat). I hope that we will challenge young people to give their life and vocation to Jesus Christ. I hope that the weekend will be an encouragement and support to local church youth ministry leadership and provide fruit in local churches that youth ministry is worth the effort! I hope you will pray for this with me as well.

One of the most satisfying opportunities I have had in ministry is to administer the clergy debt reduction program that the conference afforded clergy out of seminary who were struggling with educational debt. I hope that the opportunity will come again quickly when a program similar to this will be offered again. We need to help young clergy who have taken on such a load of debt to meet our educational requirements. The future fruitfulness the UMC depends on it.

Until Next Time...Grace & Peace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something Drastic

Well I just finished sending out my Christmas Cards for the season and I did something drastic. I included my dusty blog page in the newsletter with the promise of a New Year's Resolution to post a little more often. So I thought I better start out well anyway. I do hope that you and yours have a wonderful Christmas celebration. To help I have included a video from Youtube a friend posted on facebook, Chris Eversman. It flooded my minds of Christmas in Desert Storm and my rejoicing at the troops coming home as well as remembering those who still keep watch.

 

Until Next Time....Grace & Peace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

803 and Psalm 5

    I just returned yesterday from watching Laura graduate from Baldwin Wallace with her degree in Music Education.  She did a great job and graduated with honors.  I can hardly believe my little girl is that grown up!

    There were 803 students that graduated on Sunday and the received their degrees in the order of Arts, Science, Education, Music and Music Education.  Laura was the last to graduate so as she raised her arms to cheer, we all cheered with her. 

    Once again, I found The Upper Room's reading comforting on that day.  The reading was from Psalm 5 which is annotated "To the leader: for the flutes.  A Psalm of David."    My prayers for her and the other graduates revolved around verse 12, "For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover them with favor as with a shield."

 

Until next time...Grace & Peace

An Invitation to a Community of Prayer

    One of the struggles my family has been dealing with is that my mother-in-law has temporarily (we hope) lost the ability to drive.  This is difficult as she lives in her own home in the country.  Amy went down to her place last weekend to try and help settle some things.  She is going through some tests and we are hoping for the best. 

    I have been using The Upper Room as part of my morning devotions.  What moves me the most is that this is not so much a devotion as it is a spiritual community that gathers for prayer.  Today's prayer focus was "Families Facing Tough Decisions" and the devotional reading was from a daughter whose mother was losing her independence and the reminder that when we don't know how to pray the Spirit helps us pray.  Thousands and thousands of people were praying for my mother-in-law, my family, and me today.  What a blessings. 

    This blessing has been received many times.  The Prayer Focus was for those recovering from hip surgery the day I picked up Amy from the hospital from her hip surgery.  The Prayer Focus was on those who are suffering from sleep disorders the day I was seeing the doctor about a sleep test.  Again and again I have received the blessings of the spiritual community's prayers.  And again and again I am reminded when the Prayer focus doesn't include my needs (which is most often), I am praying for someone else to have the same blessing that I had today.

    I want to praise God for this blessed community and invite you to join it.  Upper Room Devotionals are available at the church (many churches) or by checking out this link to The Upper Room.  May you be blessed.

Until next time....Grace and Peace

Praying on Ash Wednesday

I am pulling out the ashes again for tonight's service and have said my prayers for David Frantz and others who have touched me and others in Western Pennsylvania in significant ways for Jesus Christ.   I have been reminded again this year that although we may no longer be working together in the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference, many are working in other places in God's Kingdom.  This year I am rejoicing that Andy Verner has returned to ministry among us on the Baden Charge!  Praise God! 

As I have written beforeI used the money I received from helping a friend David Frantz move away from Pennsylvania and ministry in the United Methodist Church.  As I remember these folks again, I remember that each left for different reasons, but I again give thanks for what they have done for us here in Western Pennsylvania and pray that as they work for the Kingdom in other places and in other positions they may be blessed.

1999 David Frantz

1999 Mary Catherine Haldeman (she received the cloak for my ordination class)

2003 David Lee

2003 Joe Wilcher

2004 Jay Tennies

2004 Niel Leftwich

2004 Clark Kerr

2004 Chris Heckert

2005 Cristen Decious

2005 Gary Shockley

2005 Jack Roble

2005 Randy Roda

2006 Martha Orphe

2006 Vivian Waltz

2006 Douglas Heagy

2006 Rich Nulph

2006 Ron Geisler

2007 Tim Emmett

2007 Jeff Greenway

2008 Paulo de Silva

2008  John Shaver

2008 Maria Baugh Barontini

2008 F. Jayne Verner

2008 Paul Wilson

2008 Lee Moore

2008 Keith Cutshall

2009 Ernie Perry

2009 Brett Probert

2010  Matt Johnson

2010  Aaron Kerr

2010  Sue Sphar-Calhoun

May God bless them where ever they are are working and living, they are missed.

Until next time...Grace and Peace

Halle, Halle, Halleluja

     We had a real blessing last night hosting the World Day of Prayer Service at Lakeside.  It was wonderful to gather and pray with people around the world for Chile.  The service is prepared by a World Day of Prayer Committee in Chile.  The theme was "How many loaves have you?"

    Nancy Williams from our church did a wonderful job at organizing so many wonderful folks from our church and the community.  The music was especially nice.  The service was sponsored to be on the radio and so it was interesting to see how they hooked up our sound system for broadcasting.

    I hope you will take a moment and pray with me once again for the people of Chile.  It is a blessing to be joined together with them in the body of Christ.

Until next time....Grace & Peace

Woodchucks and the Seasons

    Last week I was grateful that the groundhog didn't see his shadow and we had an early spring.  This week however there has been plenty of snow to shovel and one snow day at school.  But an even better sign of the changes of the seasons was noted yesterday at Lakeside UMC's after school program with the arrival of Wesley Woodchuck.

    Wesley Woodchuck played a great game of sherades and the kids talked about all the different camping opportunities.  It was fun to hear what the kids remembered most about summer camp.  Their list included swimming, campfires, stories, kickball.  Don't miss out on a great life changing week this summer....let's go to camp!

Until next time...Grace & Peace

Christmas Cards

    We finished our Christmas Cards and they are in the mail today!  My family says I get a little crazy putting them together.  Well we all have our faults.

    One of my favorite things about doing Christmas Cards is working on the address list.  I normally say a little prayer for each person on the list and about any changes that are in their lives.  If they address changes, I pray for blessings in their lives in their new place.  I pray for those who are grieving when I remove someone because of death.  For those that move to a nursing home, I pray for comfort and good care.  For those that are added, I praise God for new friendships.

    When I receive a card in the mail, my heart rejoices and I pray for that person and their family as well.  These prayers are really a joy to my heart.

Until next time....Grace & Peace    

A Solo, a Cane, and Six Points

    We had a wonderful day on Tuesday.  Amy managed to graduate from a walker to a cane.  It was a good thing because we were in Clearfield at 5:00 p.m. where Robert had his first wrestling match.  He is starting on the Jr. High Team at 210 lbs.  Before the match Amy wasn't sure who looked more nervous Robert or me.  But once the whistle blew he was all business.  He managed to pin his first opponent!

    As soon as he finished we were out to the door racing for DuBois and the Christmas Choir concert.  We all made it in time to hear Polly's solo in "All I Want for Christmas is You."  The concert was really well done!  Cheers to everyone who participated!

Until next time....Grace and Peace

 

Out and About

    Just an update that Amy is healing well.  We got out yesterday and attended the Mother's Day Out Thanksgiving Program at Lakeside.  Amy was excited about breathing fresh air and it was a joy to see all the kids sing and dance with such joy.

    The Mother's Day Out Staff did a great job this year.  It was such a joy to see about 250 kids, friends and family members celebrating God's blessings together.  The turkey feast was fantastic and I know many of the lay persons from the church helped this go so smoothly.  Thank you so much and what a wonderful witness to the blessings of our Lord!

Until next time...Grace and Peace.