Five years ago a new pastor of a small ‘struggling’ church in the urban core of St. Louis, had this really crazy idea. “Let’s host a pumpkin patch on the church parking lot.” She had heard it was a great fund raising opportunity, and since the church was somewhat cash strapped at the time, this seemed like an easy way to break out of the financial bind. Oh, there were some concerns…”Someone might throw a pumpkin through our stained glass window….What happens if someone steals the pumpkins (after all we are located in the big, bad city)….someone might smash them on our lot, and make a great mess.”
However, this small church stepped out in faith, and hosted its first pumpkin patch. One day a woman in a van stopped by the patch. She was from an agency that cares for children who have been severely abused. “Would it be possible for the children to come and play in the patch, even though we do not have money to buy pumpkins?” “Of course,” said the person working at the pumpkin patch and then they began to seek sponsors for children without money, so that every child could leave with a small pumpkin of their own. Even though the patch didn’t earn the huge amount of money that the church anticipated that year, the patch was rich in the joy and laughter of the children, children who had been traumatized, children enjoying a care free morning. It really was rich a return on the investment.
There is a saying, “mighty oaks from small acorns grow.” This crazy idea of a pumpkin patch grew and grew, and grew. Now the church is known as the Pumpkin Church. In just a few days the semi-truck will arrive and a group of people will help unload pumpkins that a Navajo tribe grew this summer. There will be volunteers who will share the grace of God and the beauty of pumpkins with our community. There will be children’s parties and animal blessings. There will be pumpkin pies, pumpkin bread, and maybe even rolls this year. There will be new friendships created, more lives touched. There will be lots of pumpkins sold and lots of pumpkins sponsored. We make money to help the Navajo tribe, and even some to support the ministries of the church.This church isn’t small anymore, and certainly isn’t struggling either. It isn’t even as financially strapped anymore. However, there is one thing that hasn’t changed….our patch will once again be rich in the joy of children’s laughter, rich in the sound of children experiencing the carefree grace of God.
Won’t you please consider playing with us on our patch as we live out our vision of being “A church without walls creating a visual sign of Christ’s presence in our urban community, and beyond.”
~Pastor Kathleen of the Pumpkin Church
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Time with Sharon: Traveling in the Darkness
Time with Sharon: Traveling in the Darkness
October 2009-
Today, I spent two hours getting my headlights replaced on my car. They couldn’t find anything wrong with them, but they had completely shorted out twice this week while I was driving home from church after dark. This was worse than if, when I first started the car, they had simply just not come on at all. I would have called my trusty friends at AAA , and we would have dealt with the issue before I found myself hurtling down the highway in total darkness at (or near) the speed limit.
After some time of checking, and making phone calls, the dealer agreed to replace the headlights. Their machines couldn’t find a problem, but they concluded that the risk of leaving them in place was too high. I agreed.
It’s a good thing when your lights turn on when you need them...but it’s a better thing that they stay on when you are trusting in them.
So it is with our faith, our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. How often have we taken it for granted, expecting that, because we have once had a transformative experience in our life, our faith, will just be there for us and we’ll know how to access it when we need it? That transformative experience was catalytic, for certain, and probably propelled us into a deeper relationship with God. But if we don’t attend to our faith through connecting with others in prayer, Bible study, Christian conversations and fellowship, and reaching out to others, then we may have difficulty connecting with God just when we need it most critically. In other words, our faith might short out, just when we find ourselves hurtling at high speed in darkness.
A few weeks ago, that’s what happened to me. I was in route to see my critically ill brother, who had been hospitalized with a high fever and a mysterious and aggressive infection. It didn’t look good at all….in fact it looked really bad. I was driving numbed, filled with dread. I couldn’t even form the words of a prayer. But I had made a few phone calls before leaving, asking others to pray. And pray they did. The church prayer chain kicked in, and prayers started flying heavenward. A friend called and prayed over the phone for and with me for miles as I drove on. I was covered, drenched, saturated in prayers, as were my brother and his family. I felt the love, the assurance, the peace that surpasses all understanding.
My faith held me up through a connection with God via my church family. My headlights blazed on in the darkness, because of people of faith that surrounded me in prayer. I never felt alone.
Coming to worship is very good. But I encourage you, my friends, to stay after, talking and sharing. Come back in the middle of the week for bible study and prayer. Join others on a Saturday in risk taking a mission and service. Attend to your faith through the energy you pour into engaging with your faith family.
It will serve you well. For these people will remind you that God is right there; embracing you, loving you all the way. And you will never be alone in the dark.
Peace,
Pastor Sharon
October 2009-
Today, I spent two hours getting my headlights replaced on my car. They couldn’t find anything wrong with them, but they had completely shorted out twice this week while I was driving home from church after dark. This was worse than if, when I first started the car, they had simply just not come on at all. I would have called my trusty friends at AAA , and we would have dealt with the issue before I found myself hurtling down the highway in total darkness at (or near) the speed limit.
After some time of checking, and making phone calls, the dealer agreed to replace the headlights. Their machines couldn’t find a problem, but they concluded that the risk of leaving them in place was too high. I agreed.
It’s a good thing when your lights turn on when you need them...but it’s a better thing that they stay on when you are trusting in them.
So it is with our faith, our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. How often have we taken it for granted, expecting that, because we have once had a transformative experience in our life, our faith, will just be there for us and we’ll know how to access it when we need it? That transformative experience was catalytic, for certain, and probably propelled us into a deeper relationship with God. But if we don’t attend to our faith through connecting with others in prayer, Bible study, Christian conversations and fellowship, and reaching out to others, then we may have difficulty connecting with God just when we need it most critically. In other words, our faith might short out, just when we find ourselves hurtling at high speed in darkness.
A few weeks ago, that’s what happened to me. I was in route to see my critically ill brother, who had been hospitalized with a high fever and a mysterious and aggressive infection. It didn’t look good at all….in fact it looked really bad. I was driving numbed, filled with dread. I couldn’t even form the words of a prayer. But I had made a few phone calls before leaving, asking others to pray. And pray they did. The church prayer chain kicked in, and prayers started flying heavenward. A friend called and prayed over the phone for and with me for miles as I drove on. I was covered, drenched, saturated in prayers, as were my brother and his family. I felt the love, the assurance, the peace that surpasses all understanding.
My faith held me up through a connection with God via my church family. My headlights blazed on in the darkness, because of people of faith that surrounded me in prayer. I never felt alone.
Coming to worship is very good. But I encourage you, my friends, to stay after, talking and sharing. Come back in the middle of the week for bible study and prayer. Join others on a Saturday in risk taking a mission and service. Attend to your faith through the energy you pour into engaging with your faith family.
It will serve you well. For these people will remind you that God is right there; embracing you, loving you all the way. And you will never be alone in the dark.
Peace,
Pastor Sharon
Welcome to our new Young Adult Minister!
October 2009
It is with great joy and anticipation that I bring in the new school year (and the Jewish new year) by starting my ministry here at Lafayette Park UMC. As many of you already know, I am a student at Eden Theological Seminary entering my second year of studies for a three-year masters program. I had the privilege of working with Kathleen last year at Centenary, and decided to continue our working relationship at her other “charge,” with a particular focus on building young adult ministries.
In addition to long walks on the beach, I enjoy singing, and my wife Caroline and I have already been fitted with choir robes. The community we have encountered through its central practice of worship here has been extremely warm and affirming. Instead of saying, “I have to go to work today,” it is my privilege to say, “I get to go serve the people of Lafayette Park!” The soil is indeed fertile for Jesus to sow new seeds, guiding our feet and opening our eyes in the presence of one another and the greater community.
Sincerely,
Aaron Ban
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Wilder View - September 2009
Do you feel it? There is an extra energy and a certain excitement in the air, and it happens every year. It is the beginning of the ‘Back to School Season.’ Everyone gets a chance at a new start. With this new experience, there are new changes for everyone.
As our children move into new levels of learning at school, we will be offering a new learning opportunity for our adults with our Adventures in Faith experience starting September 17th. We will meet on Thursday evenings for 6 nights and offer several choices of learning opportunities. The goal of this time together is to provide opportunities for people to connect and build relationships with each other, while strengthening our love relationship with God. There are several choices for you to choose from; Basic Bible Study, an Adult Confirmation Class, and Enough (learning to live simply in a complex world.) Please prayerfully consider participating in one of these three options to develop and strengthen your faith.
In October, I will begin a Leadership Development team training time that will help us think beyond our horizons to see how we can reach out to the people in St. Louis. We will read a book a month from October through May. We will gather to discuss the parts of the books that excite and interest us, as well learning how we can apply these lessons to the ministries of the church. I am really excited about these books. I think they can help us make great strides in connecting people with God.
Also we have some exciting new people joining us to build stronger ministries at Lafayette Park UMC. Aaron Ban will be joining us as an intern from Eden. He will be focusing on creating our young adult ministry and helping us build a connection between our church and St. Louis University. I have worked with Aaron for the last year over at The Bridge and have found him to be deep, thoughtful and creative. He preached here at the beginning of the summer and many of you told me how impressed you were with him.
We have also expanded our child care staff to make sure that we are always in safe sanctuary compliance of having two safe sanctuary certified people caring for our children during worship and other church meetings. Please welcome Latoya and Marie Claire (you will see more information on them in another article).
I am excited also to announce that Maria Lawrence has joined our staff as our new Office Administrator. Her normal hours will be 9am to noon, Monday thru Friday.
God truly is doing great and amazing things at Lafayette Park UMC! I hope you join us in this great opportunity to grow and expand the impact we can make in our community.
Happy new start!!
Pastor Kathleen
As our children move into new levels of learning at school, we will be offering a new learning opportunity for our adults with our Adventures in Faith experience starting September 17th. We will meet on Thursday evenings for 6 nights and offer several choices of learning opportunities. The goal of this time together is to provide opportunities for people to connect and build relationships with each other, while strengthening our love relationship with God. There are several choices for you to choose from; Basic Bible Study, an Adult Confirmation Class, and Enough (learning to live simply in a complex world.) Please prayerfully consider participating in one of these three options to develop and strengthen your faith.
In October, I will begin a Leadership Development team training time that will help us think beyond our horizons to see how we can reach out to the people in St. Louis. We will read a book a month from October through May. We will gather to discuss the parts of the books that excite and interest us, as well learning how we can apply these lessons to the ministries of the church. I am really excited about these books. I think they can help us make great strides in connecting people with God.
Also we have some exciting new people joining us to build stronger ministries at Lafayette Park UMC. Aaron Ban will be joining us as an intern from Eden. He will be focusing on creating our young adult ministry and helping us build a connection between our church and St. Louis University. I have worked with Aaron for the last year over at The Bridge and have found him to be deep, thoughtful and creative. He preached here at the beginning of the summer and many of you told me how impressed you were with him.
We have also expanded our child care staff to make sure that we are always in safe sanctuary compliance of having two safe sanctuary certified people caring for our children during worship and other church meetings. Please welcome Latoya and Marie Claire (you will see more information on them in another article).
I am excited also to announce that Maria Lawrence has joined our staff as our new Office Administrator. Her normal hours will be 9am to noon, Monday thru Friday.
God truly is doing great and amazing things at Lafayette Park UMC! I hope you join us in this great opportunity to grow and expand the impact we can make in our community.
Happy new start!!
Pastor Kathleen
Time with Sharon: Risk-taking Adventure
Recently, my family and I took a vacation to the Great Smokey Mountain National Park in Tennessee. We stayed in a cabin there, and enjoyed the sights and sounds of a beautiful forest. We also did what I will refer to as “The craziest thing I may have ever done in my life”. It has a name. ZORBING.
Zorbing is when you dive head-first into a giant rubber ball that is suspended inside another giant ball, and then topple down a hill while sliding around in about 10 gallons of cold water inside. You bounce and slosh, and find yourself swishing around like you’re in a washing machine set on the “super turbo” wash cycle. And yes, you pay for this experience.
While I was on my downhill ride, thoughts went screaming through my mind. Mostly, it was “YIKES! WHAT WAS I THINKING?!” But it was exhilarating too, and I felt so alive! When I reached the bottom, the attendant opened my zorb, and found me laughing with delight (ok-and a little relief). What an adventure!
You know there just seems to be something both scary and wonderful about adventure. We sometimes take all kinds of risks in our pursuit of experiencing something new and life affirming. That’s what risk-taking mission and service in the church is about. Stepping out, taking a risk, putting ourselves in a new place, with new people, doing something that we’re not all together sure about. Our bishop, Robert Schnase, wrote about it in his book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. He said risk-taking ministry “moves us beyond our comfort zone, and presses us to follow Christ into more adventurous encounters with people. As we do so, God’s Spirit changes us, changes others, and changes our church.”
“Adventurous encounters with people”. Lafayette Park UMC engages in “adventurous encounters with people” when we build houses in Juarez, Mexico, send emissaries to build relationships in Mozambique, feed hungry people at The Bridge, and offer our Hands In Mission rehabbing buildings in our local community through the United Methodist connection. But there are also less physical ways that we embark upon mission adventures. When we devote 45 minutes a week to read with a child at the elementary school, or we tell funny stories to children in our Pumpkin Patch, or we assist underprivileged folks as they pick out presents at the Kingdom House Christmas Shop, we are stepping out of our daily routine, and offering ourselves to another, not knowing what will happen, but trusting that God will make something good of it. We can find ourselves feeling closer to God, emotionally exhilarated, and freshly alive! Now that’s an adventure!
This September 26th, we will be stepping out in risk-taking mission and service again. As part of Mission Blitz, we will join a vision for 10,000 people of faith to reach out to their community in big and small ways, making a difference for Christ’s sake. Unlike my experience in the zorb, you will be more than just wet and giddy. The adventure of loving God through loving others will leave you drenched in God’s Spirit, filled with wonder, and changed forever.
Look for more information for how you can jump into Mission Blitz on September 26th. I hope you will join me in a new “adventurous encounter”!
Peace,
Pastor Sharon
Zorbing is when you dive head-first into a giant rubber ball that is suspended inside another giant ball, and then topple down a hill while sliding around in about 10 gallons of cold water inside. You bounce and slosh, and find yourself swishing around like you’re in a washing machine set on the “super turbo” wash cycle. And yes, you pay for this experience.
While I was on my downhill ride, thoughts went screaming through my mind. Mostly, it was “YIKES! WHAT WAS I THINKING?!” But it was exhilarating too, and I felt so alive! When I reached the bottom, the attendant opened my zorb, and found me laughing with delight (ok-and a little relief). What an adventure!
You know there just seems to be something both scary and wonderful about adventure. We sometimes take all kinds of risks in our pursuit of experiencing something new and life affirming. That’s what risk-taking mission and service in the church is about. Stepping out, taking a risk, putting ourselves in a new place, with new people, doing something that we’re not all together sure about. Our bishop, Robert Schnase, wrote about it in his book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations. He said risk-taking ministry “moves us beyond our comfort zone, and presses us to follow Christ into more adventurous encounters with people. As we do so, God’s Spirit changes us, changes others, and changes our church.”
“Adventurous encounters with people”. Lafayette Park UMC engages in “adventurous encounters with people” when we build houses in Juarez, Mexico, send emissaries to build relationships in Mozambique, feed hungry people at The Bridge, and offer our Hands In Mission rehabbing buildings in our local community through the United Methodist connection. But there are also less physical ways that we embark upon mission adventures. When we devote 45 minutes a week to read with a child at the elementary school, or we tell funny stories to children in our Pumpkin Patch, or we assist underprivileged folks as they pick out presents at the Kingdom House Christmas Shop, we are stepping out of our daily routine, and offering ourselves to another, not knowing what will happen, but trusting that God will make something good of it. We can find ourselves feeling closer to God, emotionally exhilarated, and freshly alive! Now that’s an adventure!
This September 26th, we will be stepping out in risk-taking mission and service again. As part of Mission Blitz, we will join a vision for 10,000 people of faith to reach out to their community in big and small ways, making a difference for Christ’s sake. Unlike my experience in the zorb, you will be more than just wet and giddy. The adventure of loving God through loving others will leave you drenched in God’s Spirit, filled with wonder, and changed forever.
Look for more information for how you can jump into Mission Blitz on September 26th. I hope you will join me in a new “adventurous encounter”!
Peace,
Pastor Sharon
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