It is the beginning of the holiday season…a time when people think about going home. Through our ministry at The Bridge, I find myself thinking about home, and what actually is home. I have had conversations with guests about home. For some, it is a physical place where their family lives. Others think of home as the community where they were raised, and some consider home to be where they are at the present moment. There is something really powerful about the feeling of being home. For most, it is a place that is safe, nurturing, and hopefully full of love.
One of the most joyful aspects of serving our ministry at The Bridge is being able to help many people go home. Whether through helping with transportation home, or providing referrals to places which provide transitional housing, or helping women escape a domestic violence situation and find safety in a new home, helping people go home is exciting!
This past month, our Juarez team built a new home for Jesus, Carmen, Jonathan, Candy, and Jose. I hope you hear some of the wonderful stories they have about how important it was to this family to help them build their home. Both Jesus and Carmen (husband and wife) worked along side of our team to build their home. Jesus took off two days of work. On the third day he worked from 8 am to 1 pm, dashed off to the factory where he worked a ten hour shift at his factory job. After returning home he mixed cement and put two more courses of block on top of his home and was waiting for our team when they arrived the next morning.
We have helped several families experience the joy of owning a home through our Juarez VIM teams. We have built 7 homes in Juarez in the last five years. Each year we visit the last year’s family (after all, they are now our friends.) It is always a great joy to see the improvements they have made over the ensuing year.
Back in the late 1980’s Lafayette Park was a home for people who had a strange illness, which was later named AIDS. People who were abandoned by their families of origin found deeply caring families and a home at Lafayette Park. The people of Lafayette Park adopted people who were struggling with AIDS, and lovingly cared for them as they lived and died with dignity.
I guess all these thoughts about home make me realize that I truly feel like I am at home at Lafayette Park. As I begin the season of Thanksgiving I am reminded of how thankful I am to be at home at Lafayette Park. Wherever your travels may take you this holiday season, I hope that you always feel the warmth and love of being home.
Grace and Peace,
~Pastor Kathleen
Monday, November 9, 2009
Time with Sharon: Thanks”—giving
November 2009
It’s that time of year again. Time to begin thinking about sending my letter. Most of my writing happens through texting or email these days, but this special letter I actually write long-hand. Yeah, can you imagine? Here’s how it happened…
Some years ago, I began sending letters of thanks to folks who had offered me a hand of friendship somewhere along the way, provided care or comfort, or inspired me by their example. This practice began with our first next door neighbor, who 15 years earlier, had come over and mowed the lawn of newlyweds who couldn’t yet afford a lawnmower. With our first fall frost, this dear man came into our basement to show us how to light our furnace after we had slept in our coats and mittens. We were a couple of dopey kids who didn’t know squat, and he thoughtfully looked over us as we bumped through our first year of home ownership. Our first wonderful neighbor has long since moved away, and we have too. But every year, when it’s time to light the pilot light on the furnace, I think of his kindness, and wished we could thank him again for his care to us. I decided if I could not tell him, I would appreciate others in his honor. So I began writing letters.
One year I wrote to the man who taught me how to gently share my Christian witness with others, freeing me from the fear that had always kept me silent. Another year, I sent my thanks to my most memorable Sunday School teacher, who made every kid in the class feel like they were her family. Of course, I was family, but Aunt Marjorie never played favorites. Then there was my knee surgeon, who gave me back the hop in my skip, enabling me to take VIM teams to high places to build churches and provide medical care. There have been many letters over the years, and each time I finish one and post it, I giggle just a little inside to think of the surprise the recipient will feel upon receiving heartfelt thanks for long-past deeds. Moreover, it has blessed me to be able to remember their goodness, and to thank God for the gift of their presence in my life.
During the Thanksgiving season, we are prompted to think more about our blessings, and make a special point of saying thank you to God. Is there someone who has cared for you when you needed a helping hand? I believe God urged that person to help you, through the Holy Spirit working in their heart (even if they didn’t know it). That’s surely what prompted our good neighbor years ago to leave his warm house to go check on the two young goofballs living next door. I believe that God connects people with needs together with people blessed with resources through this Spirit-prompting. So if you think about it, for every good turn we receive, we really have two thank you’s to deliver. One to the person, and another to thank God for answered prayer.
So, whoever I send my thank you letter to this year, I’ll also be thanking God for sending them into my life.
Who does your heart yearn to reach out to with a letter or phone call of thanks? Do it…it feels as good to send these letters as it does to receive them!
Grace to you,
Pastor Sharon
It’s that time of year again. Time to begin thinking about sending my letter. Most of my writing happens through texting or email these days, but this special letter I actually write long-hand. Yeah, can you imagine? Here’s how it happened…
Some years ago, I began sending letters of thanks to folks who had offered me a hand of friendship somewhere along the way, provided care or comfort, or inspired me by their example. This practice began with our first next door neighbor, who 15 years earlier, had come over and mowed the lawn of newlyweds who couldn’t yet afford a lawnmower. With our first fall frost, this dear man came into our basement to show us how to light our furnace after we had slept in our coats and mittens. We were a couple of dopey kids who didn’t know squat, and he thoughtfully looked over us as we bumped through our first year of home ownership. Our first wonderful neighbor has long since moved away, and we have too. But every year, when it’s time to light the pilot light on the furnace, I think of his kindness, and wished we could thank him again for his care to us. I decided if I could not tell him, I would appreciate others in his honor. So I began writing letters.
One year I wrote to the man who taught me how to gently share my Christian witness with others, freeing me from the fear that had always kept me silent. Another year, I sent my thanks to my most memorable Sunday School teacher, who made every kid in the class feel like they were her family. Of course, I was family, but Aunt Marjorie never played favorites. Then there was my knee surgeon, who gave me back the hop in my skip, enabling me to take VIM teams to high places to build churches and provide medical care. There have been many letters over the years, and each time I finish one and post it, I giggle just a little inside to think of the surprise the recipient will feel upon receiving heartfelt thanks for long-past deeds. Moreover, it has blessed me to be able to remember their goodness, and to thank God for the gift of their presence in my life.
During the Thanksgiving season, we are prompted to think more about our blessings, and make a special point of saying thank you to God. Is there someone who has cared for you when you needed a helping hand? I believe God urged that person to help you, through the Holy Spirit working in their heart (even if they didn’t know it). That’s surely what prompted our good neighbor years ago to leave his warm house to go check on the two young goofballs living next door. I believe that God connects people with needs together with people blessed with resources through this Spirit-prompting. So if you think about it, for every good turn we receive, we really have two thank you’s to deliver. One to the person, and another to thank God for answered prayer.
So, whoever I send my thank you letter to this year, I’ll also be thanking God for sending them into my life.
Who does your heart yearn to reach out to with a letter or phone call of thanks? Do it…it feels as good to send these letters as it does to receive them!
Grace to you,
Pastor Sharon
Young Adult Ministry Update
November 2009
God truly is doing great and amazing things at LPUMC! This week, a group of young adults gathered to pray, converse, plan and dream for the future--and of course, eat. We will meet every 1st & 3rd Tuesday at 6:30 in the parlor. However, because we are dedicated to our mission of "being a church without walls," we will be discussing other opportunities for gatherings outside of the building. At our next gathering on Tuesday, Nov. 3, the topic of discussion will be outreach.
Some of the earliest European settlers in North America came to the frontier of this continent in order to establish a life in faith that would be free from the constraints of the old world churches. The founders of the Salem colony arrived in what would become Massachusetts as a community dedicated to God and one another. Their covenant to one another was "to walk together in all God's ways, known or to be made known to us, at whatever cost." This mission statement was a tall order, and one that they eventually would corrupt with power struggles and the notorious "Salem Witchcraft Trials."
But the ideals of this first generation were not that different from our own. The Salem pilgrims did not have to travel across the Atlantic, but were drawn to the promise of greater freedom and a deeper walk with God. The people of Lafayette Park UMC do not have any obligation to become part of the church, but are drawn here for similar promises of liberty of conscience and a spirit-filled community that walks in faith. As we gather together in Sunday worship and in smaller groups throughout the week, we think of all of our spiritual ancestors that had the same drive toward community that we have today.
Aaron Ban
Young Adult Minister
God truly is doing great and amazing things at LPUMC! This week, a group of young adults gathered to pray, converse, plan and dream for the future--and of course, eat. We will meet every 1st & 3rd Tuesday at 6:30 in the parlor. However, because we are dedicated to our mission of "being a church without walls," we will be discussing other opportunities for gatherings outside of the building. At our next gathering on Tuesday, Nov. 3, the topic of discussion will be outreach.
Some of the earliest European settlers in North America came to the frontier of this continent in order to establish a life in faith that would be free from the constraints of the old world churches. The founders of the Salem colony arrived in what would become Massachusetts as a community dedicated to God and one another. Their covenant to one another was "to walk together in all God's ways, known or to be made known to us, at whatever cost." This mission statement was a tall order, and one that they eventually would corrupt with power struggles and the notorious "Salem Witchcraft Trials."
But the ideals of this first generation were not that different from our own. The Salem pilgrims did not have to travel across the Atlantic, but were drawn to the promise of greater freedom and a deeper walk with God. The people of Lafayette Park UMC do not have any obligation to become part of the church, but are drawn here for similar promises of liberty of conscience and a spirit-filled community that walks in faith. As we gather together in Sunday worship and in smaller groups throughout the week, we think of all of our spiritual ancestors that had the same drive toward community that we have today.
Aaron Ban
Young Adult Minister
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Wilder View - October 2009
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
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
