It’s Halloween, and the kids will be out tonight to done their costumes and stock pile hordes of candy that they will never finish eating (and we’ll eat too much of!). I did it as a kid to, and my boys enjoy dressing up to go up and down the street and then to see Grandma and Pop Pop. However, as I’ve grown older I just can’t get into this holiday. Give me guitars, a good beat, and worship music any day and I’ll take it over the ghost, ghouls, costumes, and even the candy. Halloween may have fun at its heart for many people, but it just doesn’t focus on “whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.” (Philippians 4: 
Halloween – Do we have to?
Pray for Prop. 8 (California)
I caught a snibbit of the Focus on the Family radio show this afternoon at lunch. Dr. Dobson was speaking to Pastor Jim Garlow of Skyline Church in San Diego in regards to Proposition 8, the initiative measure on the California ballot for this year’s election. In short, this is a vote on the validity of gay marriage. A vote of “yes” would amend the California State Constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. A vote of “no” would affirm the State Supreme Court’s July 2008 decision upholding the State Constitution’s current gender neutral language and allow same-sex couples to continue to wed.
Without getting into the issue on the ballot (at least not at this time,) I wanted to relate some of what Pastor Garlow said (Focus on the Family has the audio feed on their website.) There has apparently been significant aggression against those who support this ballot initiative – lots of signs supporting the amendment being stolen, pastors’ cars being keyed, car windows smashed, etc.
Obviously this is an emotionally charged issue and that always increases the risk for violence on either side. But it is disturbing to hear of an election being preceded by violence in this country. I encourage you to pray for the vote on this initiative. Pray that the voters and leaders on both sides of this issue will be kept safe, and pray we as a country will be able to disagree without the need for violence to support our position!
Proverbs 16:4a – “The Lord works out everything for His own ends…”
On Thanksgiving:
Life always gets interesting when we enter the fall/winter holiday season…especially in the church. The normally busy process of preparing worship services week to week gets taken up a couple of notches as we begin to prepare for the plethora of extra services that mark the beginning of the Liturgical Year and the end of the Calendar Year.
While it is necessary from a logistical standpoint to start getting ready for Advent and Christmas in October (or earlier if you are looking at drama productions and the like), I personally hate thinking of Christmas before we reach Thanksgiving. In fact, it’s probably one of my bigger pet peeves! Christmas is, of course, a wonderful holiday as we celebrate the birth of Christ. But as I look at our society and the whirlwind of advertising and decorating that we do from mid-October on, I see us becoming more and more ungrateful. Fortunately, while the retail market smoothly (and rapidly!!!) moves from Halloween straight to Christmas, we in the church take a little time to be thankful.
Our Thanksgiving Day worship service will be held this year at 10am on Thursday, November 27. As we only hold one service that day, we would like to make it representative of our overall worship climate. This means blending our traditional forms with some of our contemporary forms. If you attend First Trinity, let me know any thoughts you have about what this “blended” service could be like. If you do not attend First Trinity, maybe you know of some ways that Traditional and Contemporary forms have been blended successfully. Sue Brese – our Director of Traditional Worship – and I will be working to bring together a great time of worship.
Whatever your worship preference is, make sure you take regular time out this season – and not just on November 27th – to be grateful for the people and blessings that God has poured into your life. Maybe we can even show those marketing people a thing or two about happiness! 
Prepare for Worship – Taking Risks (Nov. 1-2)
If I may, I’m going to borrow a quote from Forest Gump: “My mamma always said, life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you are going to get.” As much as we may like to, we cannot see what lies around the corner. It would be great if God would fill us in. But most times, He does not. So the forks in the road come and we find the choices they bring are not always safe. Pastor will look at how to navigate these uncertain waters using God’s word as he starts a 2-part message this week entitled “Taking Risks.”
The readings for this week:
Old Testament: Exodus 14: 5-12
New Testament: Galatians 5: 13-18
Gospel: Luke 14: 27-35
The band from last week is up again. We got feedback from this past weekend that the melody line was difficult to hear, at least in more unfamiliar songs. If you find that to be the case this week, please let me know. It will be helpful to know what you hear instead of the melody – is something too loud, or are the words just garbled? If you are not normally one to provide feedback, then this will be a great opportunity to put Pastor’s message into practice…and take a risk!
Sunday
Gathering: “Come, Now is the Time”
Opening: “Love the Lord”
“How Great is Our God”
Communion: “In Christ Alone”
“Father, I Adore You”
“Breathe
Offering: “Spirit Fall on Us”
Closing: “My Savior Lives”
Sending: “Your Grace is Enough”
Saturday
Opening: “Come, Now is the Time”
“How Great is Our God”
Prayer: “Breathe”
Communion: “In Christ Alone”
Closing: “Love the Lord”
“My Savior Lives”
Worship Debrief – 10/25-26
“Getting Past Pride – Part 2: How to Live a Humble Life.” This was a good message to hear for those of us who tend to live in the spotlight. Even those of us who do not. Pride is something that can filter into our lives before we even know about it. If you missed the message, you will be able to hear the audio file at the church’s blog site sometime early this coming week.
So, what happened with the rest of the service(s)?
Saturday, 9/27 – 7:00pm:
- It was good to be back in the saddle leading worship at this service. I admit, I felt a little rusty after just two weeks off. But hey, we all need a break sometime!
- So, I’m in the middle of our prayer time and just before we go to a time of silent prayer I hear this loud crash behind me. I turn and see my guitar lying flat out on the floor. Matt had tried to get out from the drum set a different way and wound up knocking my guitar stand over. Don’t worry – damage was cosmetic.
- Thanks to Zach, who sat in the booth and watched over the sound board for me last minute!
Sunday, 9/28 – 11:15am:
- I tend to be over critical sometimes, especially of myself (does that put me in the “false humility” area?) The band felt off this morning.
- “Salt and Light” is a great song, but I’m not sure it worked to have the congregation sing it…I think I’ll hold off on calling that one.
- Voices picked right up on “Shout to the Lord”
- Sue Steege used apples as a visual aid in her children’s message. After the service, I found son #3, Isaac, in the hall eating an apple. He was not even in the sanctuary for the children’s message.
- Drama was interesting. The team did a great job, but the character of Satan seemed a little ambiguous. Wasn’t sure I could take the eye brows on Joe Z seriously.
I hope and pray that you were able to meet with God at First Trinity this weekend. That is, after all, why we are there. Have a great week and bring on the feedback!
More on “The Shack”
(This one might be a little longer)
As I finish “The Shack“, by William P. Young, my mind is on some of the criticism that this book has received. From what I’ve read, most boils down to the thought that the author does not give us an accurate – or worse, gives a distorted – image of God. By choosing to focus solely on God’s love, critics purport, Young is denying other essential attributes of God such as His righteousness, holiness, perfect-ness, and even His wrath. In so doing, he is creating a god that is more in line with “New Age” or mystic thought than necessarily with the Bible. God’s word is truth, and they believe that the truth of God’s word is subverted by this story.
For an additional review I found – critical, but well done - click here
“The Shack” is a work of fiction and should not be taken as a theological treatise. Yet, the question could easily (and rightly!) be raised as to whether there is such thing as a fictional image of the real God. After all, we have God’s word to tell us who He is and paint that image for us. To “create” an image of God – even for a fictional story – could minimally be considered adding to His word (spoken against in Matthew 5: 18-19 and Revelation 22:18-19) and more likely considered a form of idolatry. So where does this leave authors who are looking to 1) tell a compelling story, 2) relate their personal experiences, and/or 3) convey God’s Truth – all through the art of storytelling?
I have read that C.S. Lewis viewed The Chronicles of Narnia’s “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” not as an allegory, as many think, but rather as a “supposition.” Suppose there were worlds other than our own that existed in a difference space and time. Suppose one of those worlds was primarily inhabited by animals which could talk, think, and interact with each other and humans. And suppose we could somehow observe or even visit that world and play a part in its history. What would God look like to the animals? How would He interact with them? All of the sudden, the image of God as a Great Lion (an admittedly biblical image) makes perfect sense – animals following and worshipping the ultimate “king of the jungle.” Now suppose you are a church-goer with a rough past who has just been through unthinkable tragedy. How would God appear to you? What would get your attention…especially if you were angry with God?
God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55: 8-9). He knows are most intimate needs – those even we don’t know – and desires to meet them for us. It just might not come in a way that we expect. And that seems to be where this book is going. Yes, it challenges our perceptions of God, and that challenge should be checked against scripture. But maybe a little “supposition” is good for us every now and then. And perhaps we imperfect people can learn a little more about a perfect God in the process.
Prepare to Worship October 25-26
This week we continue looking at pride while eagerly awaiting the ongoing thoughts of Jared during the children’s message (this is the little boy who commented last week: “He’s (God) not in charge off me!”). “Getting Past Pride – Part 2″ brings hope that God can and will change are hearts so that we can put aside our pride to follow His leading.
The readings for this week:
Old Testament: Proverbs 22: 1-6
New Testament: Galatians 6: 1-7
Gospel: Mark 7: 14-23
I’m looking forward to being back in full-swing at both the Saturday and Sunday services. This is now my “normal” routine of worship and when I miss a service, I feel out of it somehow. It will be good to be back. Now, if only the snow will stay away…
Sunday
Gathering: “Enough”
Opening: “Salt and Light”
“Shout to the Lord”
Offering: “Change My Heart, O God”
Closing: “Trading My Sorrows”
Sending: “Holy is the Lord”
Saturday
Opening: “Enough”
“Shout to the Lord”
Prayer: “Change My Heart, O God”
Closing: “Center”
”Holy is the Lord”
“The Shack”
Yes, I’m reading The Shack, by William P. Young. Yes, it’s a fad. No, I’m not really into fads. However, my wife had read it and strongly suggested that I do the same so that she would be able to talk to me about it. Of course, with my schedule it takes so long to get through any book that she’s thinking she’ll need to do a re-read after I’m done.
I had originally started a post to comment on what I’ve gotten from the book so far (it IS fiction, but even fiction can be thought provoking.) But when I looked up the link used above, I found other links, much more critical, related to the book, along with a USA Today article from May that actually remains neutral, but introduces the author and some of the controversy. The one extremely critical piece I read was by a woman named Berit Kjos on her website (well, mostly read – it was long, as were some of the comments) . Even after viewing the site briefly, I still know little about this woman, but her thoughts on the book were an interesting – though very negative – read.
If you are a fan of the book (or not), give some of these a read and see what you think. The ones I linked to are long, but insightful. I’ll post more of my thoughts on the book when I’m finished reading (I’m just about done.) In the meantime, we could have some interesting discussion!
Worship Debrief – 10/18-19
“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Darcy…”
It was Darcy’s birthday this weekend and we had originally been considering heading down to Grove City College for our Homecoming and her class reunion (they do them every 5 years at Homecoming). So I actually wasn’t planning to be here for any of the worship services until early this week. But, there were a bunch of other things going on and we had just had a crazy weekend last week. So we decided to stay here and instead got to worship with my church family…at least on Sunday. Matt covered Saturday again and it was a good thing as the family celebration ended up being later than we were thinking.
Saturday, 9/27 – 7:00pm:
- As mentioned above, Matt was leading again. I spoke to he and Elisa briefly on Sunday about the service and was told it went fine. I have no other feedback yet. So if you were there, let me know how it went!
Sunday, 9/28 – 11:15am:
- I would like feedback on the mix this week. I took a listen right before the service and it seemed fine, but then the opening songs felt like they got a little loud.
- Congregation was singing great again today. I love it when I can hear them over the music in my monitors.
- I had feedback two weeks ago on the issue of the keyboard playing during the confession. It has not been addressed yet, but I thought the keyboard was at least quieter this week.
- Got to take communion right behind Annie this morning. That was cool because her mother, Wendy, was serving the bread. It was a nice touch to see mother serving daughter at the Lord’s Table.
- Joe (sound guy) noted during the children’s sermon that kids will indeed say the darndest things. (reference to a little boy telling Sue “God’s not in charge of me!”)
Let me know what you saw and heard. I’m looking forward to being back in the saddle next weekend for the full ride!
Weddings, Youth, and…regression?
Merriam Webster defines “regression” in part as: “a trend of shift toward a lower or less perfect state: as … reversion to an earlier mental or behavioral level…” I tend to think of regression as the mindset we enter when we get around old high school or college friends, or sit with our kids to watch cartoons, or sit without our kids to watch cartoons, or…
Or, as was the case last weekend, attend the wedding of a former youth group member.
Darcy served for six years as the DCE/Secretary of my parent’s small Presbyterian church after we got married. At the pinnacle of that ministry, the group had a core that was rather tight with each other – maybe a little too tight, but that’s another story! They are still good friends today and it’s out of this group we get this wedding…and some fun regression!
The cast, circa 1998. Youth group officers: Jason – president; Ray – VP; Jennifer – secretary; Tom – treasurer. Youth Leaders: Darcy and I
The cast, 10 years later (same faces, different roles): Ray – Groom; Tom – Best Man; Jennifer and Jason (married to each other for 7 years now) – guests along with their ex-youth leaders (roles reprised by Darcy and I).
The Story: The groom sits down to chat with Darcy and I at the reception and gets pelted with creamer – still packaged – from the…um…youth group table. As we glance over, Jason is quick – too quick! – to blame his wife, Jennifer. And the regression begins.
Darcy, to Jason at the youth table: “Ya know, if this were 10 years ago, I’d have to take you out back.” Laughter.
Tom, also at the youth table: “Come on Darcy, yell at us like you used to…like the good old days.” Lots of laughter.
Darcy: “That wasn’t me, that was Eric. He was the law!” So she strolls back to our table and says, “They want ‘The Law’ to come over and yell them.”
Now Ray and I are laughing. Bowing to the pressure, I stroll over to Jason and Jennifer at the youth and, placing a hand on the back of each of their chairs say in a…um…fatherly(?) tone, “You know, I left my kids at home so I wouldn’t have to deal with this tonight.”
At this point, Tom slumps back to our table where Darcy is now sitting with Ray – laughing, of course – and with a whimpery kind of voice says, “Darcy, I’m so sorry. I know we’re officers of the youth group…” (Darcy told me the rest dissolved into laughter. Lots and lots and lots of laughter!)
This is a group that caused some of the greatest heartache that Darcy and I have had in ministry. And yet God’s grace allowed us to be together, celebrate a new marriage, and have some good, clean fun doing it. It was great to see their friendship, which stayed strong even after High School and will only benefit them in the future.
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