At Deerfield, the adult Sunday school classes have been studying for several weeks how to become a more welcoming church. That is some good food for thought for the church to consider. This past Friday at ASU, freshmen move in day, I saw some amazing hospitality in action. At one point Friday afternoon, I counted 52 volunteers who were standing ready to unload each car as it arrived with a new freshmen on board, moving into Gardener Hall. My job was to be a greeter for the students as they arrived. So of course, I would say welcome to Boone when they got out of the car, with a lot of energy. Then the students standing behind me would start clapping and yelling like it was a big deal, a celebration. Then you would see the students face light up like this is the moment they have been waiting for. The parents were in shock. It was tremendous hospitality as the students who were volunteering unloaded the car and carried the items to the new dorm room for the new freshman. The weather was great, about 75 degrees and sunny. We saw lots of hugs of parents and kids, and sometimes students who came alone. We were especially nice to them. What courage it would take to make this step on your own!
Yesterday at Deerfield I told the congregation that these young people at ASU have so much to offer. I could see that they really want to serve. We need to find a way to help them be apart of something spiritually significant while they are here in school. We did have some volunteers from Deerfield who worked the move in day on Friday, and took some goodies for the students with them. It was great for all of us. Wow! I am thrilled to think about the possibilities of helping young people connect with Christ in a way that will change their lives. Deerfield UMC, the task is before us with a ton of new possibilities. As with every United Methodist Church, are we thinking and praying everyday about how we are making disciples for Jesus Christ? Lord Jesus Christ be our guide. We are walking by faith. Amen.
Let's pray our way forward
Let the children come to me. Jesus
Monday, August 23, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Hey, we have some excitement going on here!
OK, this is the 4th time I have written this article and it keeps disappearing mysteriously. That must mean it is really good and must go out, so I am going to keep writing it over again until I can get it to you.
We are actively seeking out ASU students to become part of our life at Deerfield UMC in Boone NC. We have prepared 300 welcome packs for the Wesley Foundation to hand out this coming weekend. Our young people are so in tune with electronics, our webmaster is one of our youth, only 14 years old. That's right. We are going high tech and you can reach us under construction at deerfieldonline.org or reachasu4X.org. The times, they have change, but the church, she has not changed much. If we don't find a way to connect with our young people in the life of the church, we are really going to be participating in a long funeral for the life of our church, because without the next generation, the church dies. We do not want that to happen. We want to make disciples for Jesus Christ. I have seen evidence of the hand of God when local nursing home residents helped us stuff and assemble the 300 welcome packs for the incoming college students. It's a God thing to want to help young people make a connection to Christ. Young people, we want you! We may not have arrived at how we are going to get the young people and keep them, but at least God is growing that desire for them in our hearts and we want what God wants.
We pray God will lead us to have a passion like his for lost people. To give us wisdom and patience to reach kids, youth, and college aged young adults, and to press on into the future with courage. God, come and lead the charge! So from Deerfield UMC, welcome ASU students, welcome to the new Watauga High School students and to all the children who will come through our doors. We want to make a place for you in the life of our church.
We are actively seeking out ASU students to become part of our life at Deerfield UMC in Boone NC. We have prepared 300 welcome packs for the Wesley Foundation to hand out this coming weekend. Our young people are so in tune with electronics, our webmaster is one of our youth, only 14 years old. That's right. We are going high tech and you can reach us under construction at deerfieldonline.org or reachasu4X.org. The times, they have change, but the church, she has not changed much. If we don't find a way to connect with our young people in the life of the church, we are really going to be participating in a long funeral for the life of our church, because without the next generation, the church dies. We do not want that to happen. We want to make disciples for Jesus Christ. I have seen evidence of the hand of God when local nursing home residents helped us stuff and assemble the 300 welcome packs for the incoming college students. It's a God thing to want to help young people make a connection to Christ. Young people, we want you! We may not have arrived at how we are going to get the young people and keep them, but at least God is growing that desire for them in our hearts and we want what God wants.
We pray God will lead us to have a passion like his for lost people. To give us wisdom and patience to reach kids, youth, and college aged young adults, and to press on into the future with courage. God, come and lead the charge! So from Deerfield UMC, welcome ASU students, welcome to the new Watauga High School students and to all the children who will come through our doors. We want to make a place for you in the life of our church.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Is tithing a good deal?
Dear On Fire Servants for Jesus Christ, it is good to be in a place to be able to write an encouraging word to you today. I am getting settled in a new assignment to Deerfield UMC in Boone NC. The people here have been so helpful in getting starting in this new ministry. They have worked tirelessly on a huge parsonage renovation project and the work is really nice. We look forward to a new school year beginning as the Appalachian Students head our way. It is my hope that Deerfield UMC will be a place they can call home while they study here. The church is in a great location only 2 miles from the campus. I have learned that living in the clouds literally means that when driving, visibility may go away at just about any time. I have also been able to apply the old saying may the road rise up to meet you and may the wind always be at your back. On some of the roads, it does seem like the road disappears as it takes a sharp turn or drops off more than you can see. For now, praise the Lord for the 64 degree night here last night. I am loving the break from the heat.
For worship yesterday, the message was on the Luke lectionary passage from Luke 12 about our connection to our possessions. We strive so hard to get more stuff we have to figure out what to do with it. We can always use a bigger barn. Do you own your possessions or do they own you? The point of this passage is to be in a right relationship to our possessions, and not let them have dominion over our lives. It was a good time to teach about tithing and showing God that we sincerely want to make every effort to be in a right relationship with all that He has given us by thanking him with our tithe first. In explaining to the kids during the children's time what a tithe was by using 10 dimes, I showed them that one dime would be God's and the rest would be ours to spend however we wanted to spend them. Then I asked them it they thought that was a good deal. They all agreed it was a really good deal. Then I asked them what they thought would be a better deal, so one of the children said to give God 5 dimes and keep 5 dimes. I hope that when I grow up, I can be just like them. They really preached the sermon yesterday. Praise the Lord for the children. Lift up your hearts.
For worship yesterday, the message was on the Luke lectionary passage from Luke 12 about our connection to our possessions. We strive so hard to get more stuff we have to figure out what to do with it. We can always use a bigger barn. Do you own your possessions or do they own you? The point of this passage is to be in a right relationship to our possessions, and not let them have dominion over our lives. It was a good time to teach about tithing and showing God that we sincerely want to make every effort to be in a right relationship with all that He has given us by thanking him with our tithe first. In explaining to the kids during the children's time what a tithe was by using 10 dimes, I showed them that one dime would be God's and the rest would be ours to spend however we wanted to spend them. Then I asked them it they thought that was a good deal. They all agreed it was a really good deal. Then I asked them what they thought would be a better deal, so one of the children said to give God 5 dimes and keep 5 dimes. I hope that when I grow up, I can be just like them. They really preached the sermon yesterday. Praise the Lord for the children. Lift up your hearts.
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