Humility

Blogging has been spotty at best for a couple of months…it’s been a busy time, and somehow, blogging has been ‘the next thing in the priority list…’ for awhile now.

Nothing like a good story to get one writing.  Right now, I will write about Claudine Leary and the inspiration her life has been to me these past few months.

Claudine Leary, in her dorm room at Africa University near Mutare, Zimbabwe

Interesting thing is, she would specifically not take credit for inspiring me – she would give God that – because she defines the word humble.  I write about her story tonight because I believe the Holy Spirit is at work in the Africa University Choir tour of WV that begins at Annual Conference on June 14.

There’s this number floating around:  $160,000  to raise in support Africa University.  The idea is to help send people living in Africa, folks who have lived through hell on earth in some cases, to college.  And, to give the folks that teach them decent housing. The tour is one way we as a conference hopes to help raise those funds.

But I digress, I want to write about Claudine.

I met her for the first time during quadrennial training in Jacksonville, Fl in late January.  I was impressed by her quiet, steady strength.  She rolled with the punches and never complained.  She ate and slept whereever we were – gratefully.  I also noticed she ate less during an average meal than all of us.  Not because she was sick, but because ‘being full’ means something different to folks who have spent any amount of time as a refugee, which she has.

I didn’t see her speak during the training, but from what I have heard she connected with many folks from around the country over the four days we were in Jacksonville.   She touched people (and again, I can hear her correcting me…telling me that God touched people, she just happened to be there).

Humility is a word I for one, don’t see lived out every day. and sometimes we Christians are far from it.

That’s where we could learn a thing or two from Claudine.  Or as she would gently remind me, from God.

A Warm Welcome

Post below submitted by Rev. Amy Shanholtzer as a reflection on  a recent trip to Peterstown.

It was so cold Sunday. By the time I arrived in Peterstown, I wished I had worn a jacket. I made the mad dash from my car to the entrance of Peterstown United Methodist Church, wishing I’d chosen a closer parking space. My crossed arms provided little protection from the chilly breeze.
As I came through the entrance, I was greeted by a warm smile and an outstretched bulletin. The young man introduced himself as Micah. He asked if came to church often. When I told him that this was my first visit, he immediately said, “Then let me introduce you to the pastor.” He escorted me down the center aisle before I had a chance to say that Melissa, his pastor, and I were friends.

Micah handed me off to Rev. Melissa Shortridge, who began introducing me to Bonnie, who had invited me to the congregation for Daughters of the King Tea that afternoon. As we were going back up the center aisle, I was greeted by a gentleman from the church with an outstretched hand, strong grip and a twinkle in his eye. He welcomed me to the church and then said,

“You look so pretty and sweet this morning.” Then, he gave me a quick hug.

I realized that I didn’t need that jacket anymore. I’d been surrounded by the warmth of God’s love through the special greeting of the folks at Peterstown UMC. The twinkling-eyed gentleman found me after worship too. Another handshake, another hug and an invitation to the evening worship service and dinner told me that there is a culture of welcome here and folks who are willing to take responsibility for it.

Thanks Peterstown, for welcoming me and all of the people who are seeking God’s love through you!

Travelling Day

Yesterday was an inspiring day.  It began in Ripley where the United Methodist Women were wrapping up their 50th Spiritual Growth Retreat at Cedar Lakes near Ripley.  Pictures follow below:

A full house Sunday morning at Cedar Lakes with the United Methodist Women

Bruce Reed speaking at UMW Spritual Growth Retreat.

Listening

Moved by the Spirit

It was an inspiring way to spend a Sunday morning. Tomorrow, look for pics from Faith UMC Fairmont’s Faith in Action Weekend.

Gleanings…

Closing things out here in NYC during the national meeting of Congregational Developers. It’s been good to be here as a Communicator in the church and cover it.  I’m not a congregational developer, but there’s been plenty I’ve gleaned.  An initial, stream-of consciousness list of how Congregational Development (church transformation and new church plants) happens follows: 1.  Love of and passion for God; desire to do kingdom building work. 2.  Willingness to take risk, bump up against status quo. 3.   Hear and include resistance as best you can;  but  push things forward. 4.  We, not I. 5.  Begin by looking outward into the community.  See what they need.  Base church around this.

Matthew 18: What it means to be the Church…

And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
Matthew 18:5

The meeting of Congregational Developers kicked off at GBGM in New York City this afternoon with an exercise focusing on the Gospel of Matthew, ch. 18.

It was interesting to hear folks from all over the country discuss this…and we had an idea that came out of the experience.   Here goes:

Read all of Matthew 18 and come up with a theme and three or four words to describe the theme.  Here’s mine:

Always Seek (theme)

search

open

forgive

We’d love to see your ideas posted here.

Seven Stations of the Cross

I walked across the street last night to check out The Seven Stages of the Cross Display at Christ Church UMC in Charleston.

Got some great interviews with the three artists below. I’ll be putting this together for future use, but couldn’t resist putting the pictures up. Hope they bring meaning to the Lenten/Holy Week season…they sure did for me tonight.

Note: the captions are my interpretations – not official names of the work. The artists are attributed.

Jesus on the Cross - Chris Dutch and Robin Hammer

Light, even in death - Joe Bolyard

The Compassion of Simon - Jeff Pierson

Music Mondays: Jeff Ellis

It’s where I go home and I always will. – Jeff Ellis ‘West Virginia Hills’

West Virginians are highly spiritual people.  Jeff Ellis (originally from Huntington, WV) captures who we are pretty well.   Check out this video on YouTube for ‘West Virginia Hills’:

It’s also worth your time to visit Jeff on MySpace, where you can hear more of his music, including the emotionally charged  The Men of Sago Mine. In the song, he speaks candidly of praying for the men and families who were victims of the January 2006 disaster.

By the way, I’ve launched a new music blog called ‘Spinbeat’.  I’ve done this for a couple of reasons – mainly it’s to let the folks know who have been coming here looking for music a place to go where music is the focus. This blog will continue to focus on the story of our Annual Conference.  Certainly, music is a part of that, but it’s just that:  a part of our story as United Methodists in WV.

The Power of Prayer

Lt. Col. Bruce Reed, Army Chaplain

I had a chance to sit and talk with Rev. Bruce Reed on Tuesday.  He’s a chaplain in the WV Army National Guard and an elder in the WV Annual Conference.  He’s leading the Spiritual Growth Retreat with the United Methodist Women of our Annual Conference April 16-19 at Cedar Lakes (you may download the retreat brochure from our website).

We visited for over an hour and a half, and Bruce’s generous spirit and genuine presence were a blessing.  I can see why he’s such a good chaplain, and I have a greater appreciation for the folks in our armed forces because of my visit with him.

I asked him what he thought solidiers had to teach us about spirituality. You can hear his answer and reflection by clicking the link below:

Bruce Reed talks about Prayer

If you have trouble listening to this piece of audio, you can download a free version of Quicktime here.

Being the Church…

This past Saturday, the Covenant Council of the WV Annual Conference met at John XXIII Pastoral Center in Charleston.   The featured speaker was Rev. Dr. Bener Agtarap with the General Board of Global Ministries (GBOD). There’s a story on his presentation on the Conference website if you’d like more context for what follows here. Hearing Rev. Agtarap caused me dig deeper on what Congregational Development is all about.  There’s one theme that is sticking with me four days later:

“It’s not about us or our institutions, but about building God’s kingdom (Matthew 28:18-20 and 22:37-39).”

Sometimes the most obvious things are the hardest to do.  But, there are some real success stories out there -  in our own Annual Conference. Faith UMC in Fairmont, WV is one of them.  Last fall their ‘Faith in Action’ program launched after a series of sermons from Rev. Aslam Bakrat, and a study resource called Just Walk Across the Room. The idea:  reach out to others, to be the church in the community. Nearly 100 people showed up for the first project day last October.   It was so successful, the church has scheduled a weekend in April (4/18-19)  to do it again.  People will be painting, landscaping, and building – doing whatever is asked of them for a variety of non-profits, including the Fairmont Public Library, the Mannington Food Pantry, and the Wesley Foundation. We’ll be covering this story in the April and May editions of the WV United Methodist.  April’s paper will feature an interview piece, and in May, we’ll have photos and a story from the weekend itself.  In the meantime, you can read more about this program through the General Board of Church and Society.

Ash Wednesday Musings

I think my daughter was about five the day she asked, “Mommy are you going to die?”

The question stopped me in my tracks. How could I give an honest answer, without scaring her? How could I tell the truth, without scaring myself? I pondered the question a bit, knowing that the moment for answers passes quickly with a five year old. And, then I said, “Not today.” It was as honest as I could be.

It’s Ash Wednesday and again I’m pondering my death. I am, truly, dust. And, to dust I will return. Probably not today but one day. All my striving and worrying and fretting will one day come to naught and I will be dust, just as all of humanity began.

Perhaps then, and maybe only then, I will finally truly yield to the hands of the Creator. It is good to pause and to ponder the end of one’s life. It is good to remember that we are dust, and that the hands of the Creator God long to fashion us into what we strive so hard to create ourselves to be.

For me, Ash Wednesday is a reminder that the hand of God is still at work – and all that is to be is a mystery – including my last day.