tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89061922894684778482024-03-15T20:09:38.636-05:00Spiritual Musings from the north MetroChainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.comBlogger608125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-78501189864928454252024-03-04T15:46:00.002-06:002024-03-05T14:54:52.828-06:00I turned sixty yesterday. Looking forward and backwards at a milestone<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
turned sixty yesterday, March 3, 2024.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
had a marvelous day. I woke up with my favorite person giving me a hug and
jokingly saying, “You made it.” </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEij-ZY4HdKdj5dmi_wryakMnUhPLN21erpLvBs9l64KhhiWfEZYNjIh12CAjRgv2fkX1RAZB9vSYjY9yAlUW6bhw1j52J4Qpr0AmmrwjvrsECdz4CWa3ZZyUk_7yHZx9IBRMWXHJLLDpL-DcMtVYdv1fGVjN73hqfXQMLbSr1xtaE_mURFtWp5rc-42elU" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEij-ZY4HdKdj5dmi_wryakMnUhPLN21erpLvBs9l64KhhiWfEZYNjIh12CAjRgv2fkX1RAZB9vSYjY9yAlUW6bhw1j52J4Qpr0AmmrwjvrsECdz4CWa3ZZyUk_7yHZx9IBRMWXHJLLDpL-DcMtVYdv1fGVjN73hqfXQMLbSr1xtaE_mURFtWp5rc-42elU" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was part of a lovely picture taken on our family’s
deck. Then I was able to receive all sorts of love at Chain of Lakes Church. I
knew they were going to do something, but they surprised me. They surprised me
by sharing a video of birthday greetings that my sister, Pam shared. It’s worth
watching. Go to my Facebook page to check it out. I could write eight hundred
words just about her two minute video. Then they shared cards and gifts and
ensured that I’ll be doing a lot of golfing this summer. The rest of the day
was with Amy’s family in Wisconsin and then talking to my parents to close the
day.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
average life span for a white male in the United States is seventy-five or so. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure how much control I ultimately
have over my life span—but the way look at it I’d like to live in good health to
ninety or make it past a hundred like my Grandma Maxine.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
live with a Minnesota-developed sense of humility; however I can unabashedly
say that I am blessed. My wife told me on Saturday that she wants to go on a
date every Saturday; my daughter and her partner, Carter are terrific parents
to my granddaughter, Elouise; the congregation I serve is growing fast, and I
don’t see this stopping in the near future; even though I have a mechanical
valve in my heart, my health is excellent.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
in my prime right now. One of the best cards I received was from Amy’s parents.
It basically said that at sixty a person has been around enough to understand
how life works and young enough to still have health. This is how I feel. I
have the opportunity to work every day at a job I love. Our church is currently
experiencing significant growth and are on the verge of something even more
special. I’ve been doing this for thirty-one years, so I have a sense of what
needs to be done. I think we’re on the verge of something significant. And I
have my health. Besides having a mechanical valve in my heart and weighing a
bit too much, my health is terrific.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
can’t wait to see what this decade brings. But before I look forward too much,
let me share some significant stories from the last decade. If someone asked me
what the significant stories were of being in your fifties in no order of
importance I would say this.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Going
to Europe with Amy<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
won’t forget getting on a Viking Longboat and traveling on the Rhine River for
nine days. We took a long-boat trip from Basel to Amsterdam. I wrote about this
on September 21, 2021. Some of the places we docked were Kehl, Rudesheim,
Koblenz, Cologne, and Arnheim. I loved seeing the castles on the River. This
was a trip of a lifetime and my favorite part of my 50’s.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Having
open heart surgery<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
never would have imagined that in the fall of 2015 I would be lying on the
grassy knoll adjacent to Quail Creek Parkway while running. Something was wrong
with my heart. And I’ll never forget going to a Cardiologist. He started drawing
circles and then told me that I had a bicuspid, aortic valve that had significantly
narrowed, and if I didn’t have it replaced I would be dead in a year. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Didn’t
see any of this coming. The rest was a blur. Having surgery, being in the
hospital for about a week, recovering at home.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
am incredibly fortunate. Because I know that if I was born fifty or so years
earlier, I would be dead. This gives me quite a perspective on life.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thank
God that I am a runner, thank God for terrific medical professionals, and thank
God for the terrific support I received from my family and friends.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Becoming
a church, moving into our new church building, and going through a growth spurt<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">On
November 12, 2017 Chain of Lakes became an established church. This was a big
deal, and we celebrated. I wrote about this on my blog on November 21, 2017. We
then broke ground on our building in August of 2021. I wrote about this on my
blog on August 16, 2021. Our first worship service was the last Sunday of May
in 2022.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJZBkoQpTl7qp67NaB8RWEMVatE_1oQnwxc8AshH7EPWDoxt65uH3wY3B6cX9ZVcfBOHIG2i_i2o4wBqxUsFnpP9tVrVG4OY66K8xZHaY5K7XDFV7nwVEP-bTuONFt5rWCwROZVyZ_3mo9vIqMJrYK2MHV3sqqN8gQw20ZRVA2uaEhtIOt_55xSwj62xw" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJZBkoQpTl7qp67NaB8RWEMVatE_1oQnwxc8AshH7EPWDoxt65uH3wY3B6cX9ZVcfBOHIG2i_i2o4wBqxUsFnpP9tVrVG4OY66K8xZHaY5K7XDFV7nwVEP-bTuONFt5rWCwROZVyZ_3mo9vIqMJrYK2MHV3sqqN8gQw20ZRVA2uaEhtIOt_55xSwj62xw" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Chain
of Lakes has recently experienced a growth spurt. Our worship attendance is
almost forty percent higher in 2024 than at the same time period in 2023. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Of the nine services in 2024 four times the
worship attendance has been higher than the highest attended service in 2023. We
took in nine new people last month and could easily take in another nine before
summer. All of this is happening while we are staying very involved in the
community.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdX_xSa9b6VZwgORpAnW-TFKMNDqNE28DMInqrmZiL-hRJEeqRd227-ZUAxp98chQqFPOXK1u7K4zH5uu6PlETOLwJdlaloi1jUd6ruzb7y2rbav1mRxjUwtyMCt1v5D6nYr147SYbLB6InzYGeeQhU7JAC9t9_gzWZk0dhlxXSF_2RoRQj_Vi0zve8-8" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="843" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdX_xSa9b6VZwgORpAnW-TFKMNDqNE28DMInqrmZiL-hRJEeqRd227-ZUAxp98chQqFPOXK1u7K4zH5uu6PlETOLwJdlaloi1jUd6ruzb7y2rbav1mRxjUwtyMCt1v5D6nYr147SYbLB6InzYGeeQhU7JAC9t9_gzWZk0dhlxXSF_2RoRQj_Vi0zve8-8" width="180" /></a></b></div><b>Becoming
a grandfather</b><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
could have hardly imagined the joy that Elouise Ivy Joy Perteet has brought to
our household. Pure, unadulterated joy. All of us are having so much fun seeing
her go through her different stages. Not long until she will completely roll
over, and then get on her knees, and then … watch out world. Seeing Hannah and
Carter figure out being parents is also a joy. And it’s not a joy to realize
how much childcare costs. Something needs to be done. I have no problem in
going out on a limb and saying that low-cost childcare and pre-school is
needed. If children can basically go to school without cost, why not provide something
similar in their first five years.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Living
through the pandemic<span> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
pandemic was awful. What made it worse was our country was not able to come
together around issues of testing and masks. I’m still dumbfounded by the polarization
over COVID. Thank God for the vaccines!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Those
are four significant events of the last decade. I wonder what I’ll write about ten
years from today.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It
will be a blast to find out!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-35350320817236851152024-02-19T16:34:00.003-06:002024-02-24T08:03:36.821-06:00Jesus does get us. And that's the point<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciQ1DXwYh5-uetBIh3xFs_S7zJFhbrXMtH_lrTufPOCFdoSe69LJ7v7ZsH3z3Mz2bbZmEAP8KFsEdrAWx_GQTWF0D5WzCVdncpB1ZtreGEhmK3T7fRChpkmLnAqADNkChYWEVRkOBwF_akJpDG33KJApmFXf3eKDF_2tRBmezyd0hZOKS6HQnRKKeYbU/s1920/he%20gets%20us.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1920" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiciQ1DXwYh5-uetBIh3xFs_S7zJFhbrXMtH_lrTufPOCFdoSe69LJ7v7ZsH3z3Mz2bbZmEAP8KFsEdrAWx_GQTWF0D5WzCVdncpB1ZtreGEhmK3T7fRChpkmLnAqADNkChYWEVRkOBwF_akJpDG33KJApmFXf3eKDF_2tRBmezyd0hZOKS6HQnRKKeYbU/s320/he%20gets%20us.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
went to seminary at one of the most liberal seminaries in the country—Union
Seminary in New York City. I chose that seminary because at that time in my
life the religious leaders who I respected the most went to Union Seminary. I
trusted these leaders so much that I didn’t even visit the seminary. If they
liked this place, then I knew that I would like it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">While
I was in seminary, I ended up being the Youth Director at First Presbyterian
Church in Babylon, New York. They identified themselves as a conservative,
evangelical Presbyterian church. I led their Junior High youth group, Senior
High youth group and helped lead worship.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
I attended Union Seminary, I would frequently hear sermons criticizing
conservatives (the people I knew at the Presbyterian church in Babylon) for being homophobic, sexist, and not concerned about issues of
race and justice.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
I worked at First Presbyterian Church in Babylon, I frequently heard people
complain about liberals (the people who I knew at Union Seminary) as people didn’t believe in the divinity of Christ and who didn’t
care about prayer or the importance of worship and whose social justice gospel did
not reflect the viewpoints of Jesus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It
took me a while to get used to the venom.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">That
experience led me to wonder if congregations could be developed that emphasized
the best of the conservative tradition and the best of the liberal tradition.
Congregations who took worship, prayer, Bible Study seriously while also
serving in the community and advocating for justice. Liberals who embrace
worship of all forms and conservatives who embraced female and LGTBQ leadership.
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Instead
of attacking each other could we find a both/and faith.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
response to the “He Gets Us” Super Bowl has led me to conclude that the church
is a long way from this kind of both/and faith.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A
week ago Sunday a commercial under the title, “He Gets Us” was run during the
Super Bowl. In one of the ads people of different races and viewpoints washed each other’s feet. The ad can be watched
here: </span><a href="https://hegetsus.com/en?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=CjwKCAiAlcyuBhBnEiwAOGZ2S5MwWNcbAs9OwwdUbxDgpPAl9yNQNoppbEokJpcQKgeRmkoUZNCQ1BoCtUsQAvD_BwE" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Home
- He Gets Us</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Another ad was also run.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
point of the ads is Jesus gets us. No matter who we are, how much money we
have, who we will vote for in November, no matter our race or gender, Jesus
gets us. I loved the ads. I could watch them for a long time. I’ve seen other
ads in the “He Gets Us” series. When the ads first came on television last
year, I pointed them out to the people of Chain of Lakes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It
took me a while to learn that the organization that funds the commercials has
beliefs that are far different from mine. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve read some of the criticism of
the ads from the left. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
article in the liberal section of Patheos shares criticism of the article from
the left. </span><a href="https://www.patheos.com/blogs/sacredoutcasts/2024/02/jesus-does-more-than-wash-feet/" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus
Does More Than Wash Feet | James Travis Young (patheos.com)</a></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">But
not only do those on the left dislike the ads. This article represents the
criticism from those on the right. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/christian-super-bowl-commercial-outrages-conservatives-1869125" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Christian
Super Bowl Commercial Outrages Conservatives (newsweek.com)</a></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">On
the web site, hegetsus.com this was shared about the campaign.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Throughout
our shared history, Jesus has represented the ultimate good that humankind is
capable of aspiring to. And though some no longer believe in God, most are
still compelled by the idea of a person capable of unconditional love for
others despite their differences. But many of us simply cannot reconcile the
idea of that person with the way our culture experiences religion today.
Whether it’s hypocrisy and discrimination in the church, or scandals both real
and perceived among religious leaders, or the polarization of our politics,
many have relegated Jesus from the world’s greatest love story to just another
tactic used to intensify our deep cultural divisions.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">How
did we get here? And what might we learn from the example of Jesus to help move
beyond the animosity we feel for one
another? How can we rediscover the life and teachings of Jesus, the world’s
most radical love activist? That is our agenda at He Gets Us: to move beyond
the mess of our current cultural moment to a place where all of us are invited
to rediscover the love story of Jesus. Christians, non-Christians, and
everybody in between. All of us.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">He
Gets Us is a diverse group of Jesus followers with a wide variety of faith
journeys and lived experiences. Our work represents the input from Christians
who believe that Jesus is the son of God as well as many others who, though not
Christians, share a deep admiration for the man that Jesus was, and we are
deeply inspired and curious to explore his story. We look at the biography of
Jesus through a modern lens to find new relevance in often overlooked moments
and themes from his life. If you’d like to join us, you’re invited.</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
web site also responded to many questions about the campaign. </span><a href="https://hegetsus.com/en/about-us">About us - He Gets Us</a></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
point about the ads is “Jesus gets us.” He doesn’t get us because we are
pro-LGBTQ or support women preachers or want to end homelessness. (all beliefs
to which I have committed my life.) He doesn’t get us because a person is
against abortion or believes the United States has a divine mandate or believes
that people who give away a lot of money will receive many blessings from God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus
gets us because we’re human.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus
knows every part of us—even the parts that we’re too ashamed to admit—and he
still gets us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus
promises to always love us. He is the only force in the universe that will
never take his love away from us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Of course, Jesus is much more than the words in those three preceding paragraphs, but I
will say “Yay, God” for any ad that points people in this direction.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
went into ministry believing that the world cannot be changed unless the church
takes a primary role in leading that change. And I still philosophically believe that. I believe people
who are passionate about worship and reading the Bible and prayer can end
homelessness and create peace.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
I know I’m naïve. But my naivety comes from my understanding of Jesus. So even
if the venom in the church hasn’t disappeared, I’ll still keep working to
create the world based on this understanding of Jesus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
not optimistic that the church can come together to make significant change.
The response to the ad makes this case.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">However
I’ll continue to work to build a congregation where people of many different
views can be united around the idea that “Jesus gets us.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yes,
that was a lot of money to spend on an ad. But I have no problem with that.
Perhaps the ad can prompt people to work together to build more affordable
housing in the United States. Because I do believe that Jesus would encourage
people to do that. Or maybe the ad will encourage people who are quite different to pray together.
Because I do believe that Jesus would encourage people to do that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
Sunday I’ll be preaching about Jesus in a Lenten series called, “Essentials.” I’ll
be talking about the ads and how Jesus gets us. It will be a privilege for me
to share that Word.</span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-61377327255787305012024-02-08T15:38:00.016-06:002024-02-08T15:49:49.426-06:00Small is beautiful? Really?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiToMg8d2Sj1e6034uawu0csymWbdO-fPqixa1bbU6wgXC7ZdFsmCJxtOBHq1MJihPbCL9TYSdJb8AdV4gwjGIj7-PewViPsKdXOwzd5OO7wW6BLCG8kSySFL4ZZEywQh8CXkGCsfyq4zX_8lUjaMtzUBDv3Rt_UAwPKwXSqw0rIMAcG9X4SixZtrnvbA/s1047/Presby%20symbol.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1047" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiToMg8d2Sj1e6034uawu0csymWbdO-fPqixa1bbU6wgXC7ZdFsmCJxtOBHq1MJihPbCL9TYSdJb8AdV4gwjGIj7-PewViPsKdXOwzd5OO7wW6BLCG8kSySFL4ZZEywQh8CXkGCsfyq4zX_8lUjaMtzUBDv3Rt_UAwPKwXSqw0rIMAcG9X4SixZtrnvbA/s320/Presby%20symbol.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve
been waiting to write this blog for over a month because I was worried I was
going to sound like a crank. And I don’t identify myself as a crank. So if this
blog comes across as cranky, then I have miscommunicated.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
January, the Presbyterian Outlook shared an issue with the title on the cover,
“Small is beautiful.” The subtitle is “spirituality vitality is more than
size.” Links to some of article are here:</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="Small is beautiful - The Presbyterian Outlook (pres-outlook.org)">Small is beautiful - The Presbyterian Outlook (pres-outlook.org)</a><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<a href="The future of the PC(USA) is pastor-less, and that’s OK. - The Presbyterian Outlook (pres-outlook.org)">The future of the PC(USA) is pastor-less, and that’s OK. - The Presbyterian Outlook (pres-outlook.org)</a><br />
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="The great ends of the (small) church - The Presbyterian Outlook (pres-outlook.org)">The great ends of the (small) church - The Presbyterian Outlook (pres-outlook.org)</a><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
completely agree with the sentiment that “small is beautiful.” Just as I think
that large can be beautiful. I believe spiritual vitality and energy in a
congregation is much more than the size of a congregation. Congregations can be
vibrant and vital no matter what their size.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
the thirty-one years I have served as a pastor, I have served two churches who for most of their ministry
were small. I started at Community Presbyterian Church in Plainview Minnesota.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The first year I served we averaged 54 in
worship attendance. Our worship attendance eventually grew to be 99 and then we
fell back. Only two of those years did our worship attendance decrease.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
these numbers tell a limited part of the ministry that took place there. We
significantly grew in the number of youth and children who participated, we
started a contemporary service, we served in the community by helping to start
a Youth Center and Migrant Council, we bought two parcels of adjacent property
and did a million dollar remodeling project.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
came to Chain of Lakes Church in the north Metro of the Twin Cites as a new church development pastor and started
with a meeting of seven families. That is the definition of being small! We
have grown every year in worship attendance except for the two years of COVID.
The past three months have seen us grow rapidly. We have had a large number of
new families connect.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our worship
attendance of 85 in 2024 is</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">already up
over thirty percent compared to the same time period of 2023. I believe this
number will go up for the rest of the year. And trust me I know that for some reading this blog our worship attendance seems tiny. Fortunately, right now it's growing fast.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
know there are many thresholds for being a small church, but it seems like
Chain of Lakes is beginning to breakthrough those thresholds. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
point of this is to say I have served small churches, and I have great respect
for small churches.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">But I’m
not going to glorify a small church.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
Presbyterian Church (USA) has diminished significantly over the past decades.
And yes the word, “decades” in that sentence is plural. I find this decrease very hard to bear
for I have a great love for this denomination. I share with every new disciple
or new member class that that if you cut me open I bleed Presbyterian. And
because I’m on blood thinner, I bleed fast.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
think every community in America needs a vibrant PC(USA) congregation. These
communities need congregations who take prayer, worship and Christian education
seriously while serving in the community and advocating for justice. These
communities need vibrant congregations who celebrate female and LGTBQ pastors. This reality originates from our understanding of the witness that Scripture makes to Jesus and what Jesus would want. These communities need vibrant congregations where the governing bodies of the
church are elected by people in the congregation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
Presbyterian congregations decline the wider community also declines.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Having
a church grow in numbers is difficult. It’s difficult for many reasons. One
reason is less people are interested in God and church. The Pew Research Poll
just came out with a study that shows that the number of atheists increased to
four percent in 2023 compared to three percent in 2014. A quick Google search
told me that 258 million adults live in the United States. Even if that number
is not precise, we can see that a one percent increase means that at least two
million more people are Atheist now compared to nine years ago.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">But
the difficulty of growing a church doesn’t mean that Presbyterians should
accept decline or even celebrate decline.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
I read articles like the ones shared in the Presbyterian Outlook it feels like at attempt to rationalize our decline. We can’t grow because
we don’t have pastors; we can’t grow because we live in a rural area; we can’t
grow because of (</span><u style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">fill in the blank.)</u></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
when I read articles like the ones in the Presbyterian Outlook, I feel that
we’re going to pat ourselves on the back for being small. Sure small churches
can be spiritually vital; just like medium size churches can be spiritually
vital; just like large churches can be spiritually vital.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
have never met a pastor who has said, “I’m really hoping that my church
declines by twenty percent this year. I would really like for this congregation to be smaller.” I have met and talked to many
Presbyterian pastors who lament their decline. They would like resources
from denominational staff to help their congregations grow and examples from
congregations who are growing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
decline of congregations in the PC(USA) should be a clarion call to leaders in
the wider Presbyterian Church (USA). If something similar was happening in the
business world that business would change what it is doing. But nothing seems
to change.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">So
I’m disappointed in the combination of these articles.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m not looking for articles that justify
small churches. Instead I’m looking for resources and examples of congregations
who are growing.</span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-40206056805039581632024-01-22T15:27:00.008-06:002024-01-22T18:20:04.871-06:00Happy 85th, mom!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSWiP-4meHOlBV8X2P_0fs1-j_jxEl35kHOF-nYfewjlU4zm69EmRPRjorKyVeEii8yX_Db0ziyo423knl4MKPZHBG0gJXmOI3CS3ecfQZoi4P6HRlicE7dLEjQOsIii7xlH0EsWFzx1s86fZRWX_DhEnAq7tjTQZXCd8hzktsz_J9YpDGI-78Xrf_Pg/s427/mom%20and%20flowers.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSWiP-4meHOlBV8X2P_0fs1-j_jxEl35kHOF-nYfewjlU4zm69EmRPRjorKyVeEii8yX_Db0ziyo423knl4MKPZHBG0gJXmOI3CS3ecfQZoi4P6HRlicE7dLEjQOsIii7xlH0EsWFzx1s86fZRWX_DhEnAq7tjTQZXCd8hzktsz_J9YpDGI-78Xrf_Pg/s320/mom%20and%20flowers.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br />This coming Saturday, my mom, Jackie Moore, is going to
celebrate her 85<sup>th</sup> birthday. I’m very grateful that thirteen of us
plus three friends were able to travel to Arizona last week—where she and my
Dad winter—to celebrate her birthday. What a privilege that I got to be present
for her 85<sup>th</sup> birthday celebration. As I say often, Yay, God!<p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I can’t help but write a tribute to her today.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipi7jZA3nq4VoNgbEA5YWIxEAZjRXxwxpGxKiPdxK3AfBTVTDRi-PrUgjl4O6cquqVINBvkgf9dvBUB44BCx5vxwu3tf5mS4dfo7P5aKxJGJENxcNxykCod3XH3MEZ8fslDhasWZAcmIEP-MpZkD5s2M4p_0s_jblffN2qm_mA5yx40JToQ78s0z4-ajU/s960/State%20Fair.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipi7jZA3nq4VoNgbEA5YWIxEAZjRXxwxpGxKiPdxK3AfBTVTDRi-PrUgjl4O6cquqVINBvkgf9dvBUB44BCx5vxwu3tf5mS4dfo7P5aKxJGJENxcNxykCod3XH3MEZ8fslDhasWZAcmIEP-MpZkD5s2M4p_0s_jblffN2qm_mA5yx40JToQ78s0z4-ajU/s320/State%20Fair.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing">She grew up the oldest of three on a dairy farm, outside
of Mantorville, Minnesota. When I was growing up my family went to that farm
quite often. It has a special place in our hearts. She graduated from high
school and went to college at Mankato State—the name of the school then. She
met my dad, fell in love, and got married at the age of 22.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">You can do the math to see how long she has been married.
Incredible! And that she has been married to my dad that long? Even more
incredible!! </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">After graduating from college she taught grade school in Paullina, Iowa. When
she became pregnant with me, she was forced to leave teaching during her
pregnancy. Female teachers weren’t allowed to teach while they were “showing.”</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">What a different world.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Shortly after I was born I was lying on her stomach in
the hospital. A number of names were being bantered about for me. No decision
had been made when the doctor came in and asked the name of the baby. “His name
is Paul,” she said. I was named by my mom. How cool is that!</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She and my Dad moved to Worthington and started a life in
that town on the prairie. She stayed at home to help raise my sister, who
arrived twenty months later, and me.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5vOFJGQgX5uy7L3Hwt0OUFdnLkbYwkDDjQ4id_JB7WeLHrzGC9onYbfmRcZPqh5DvzPavvJNCnz3wSu2QjqbyiO2fGtcGEnCsl83kURyIdU0__-q8D2yV76kRNtxCy4FQOZveoWYRqubWc3HOVCoVQYdQoFLNMwekC8p8WS2eXXviUEQPoKsjMIWzXI/s960/Summit%20Ave.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="721" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5vOFJGQgX5uy7L3Hwt0OUFdnLkbYwkDDjQ4id_JB7WeLHrzGC9onYbfmRcZPqh5DvzPavvJNCnz3wSu2QjqbyiO2fGtcGEnCsl83kURyIdU0__-q8D2yV76kRNtxCy4FQOZveoWYRqubWc3HOVCoVQYdQoFLNMwekC8p8WS2eXXviUEQPoKsjMIWzXI/s320/Summit%20Ave.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>When I grew up at 1914 Summit Ave in Worthington,
Minnesota, our family had a rich life—and rich not meant from the perspective
of wealth. Our life was family, church, friends and community. Not complicated. Quite rich.<div><br /></div><div>She came back to work and taught children with learning disabilities. She had to receive more schooling to teach. It wasn't easy. But she persevered.<br /><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">One of my favorite stories of my mom happened when she
became upset that a local developer wanted to build a small apartment complex
near our home. She was against it. She was against it because of the traffic
that it would cause that might cause harm to the many children that lived
nearby.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">So she went to the Worthington City Council meeting and
spoke against it. She went by herself as my dad was not able to join her. I
still remember what she said when she came home after the meeting, “I don’t
think I made any friends tonight.” She was willing to speak in front of an
all-male City Council and share her views. My mom and dad owned a small
apartment complex in another part of town. The next day in the newspaper a
headline on page three said something to the effect of “woman who owns
apartment speaks against apartments.”</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The apartment building eventually got built. This past
summer I drove by that small building and remembered the story. It’s a story of
determination—of a person who was going to speak up even if the resulting actions
weren’t what she wanted. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWkcWsUY8KDruOoLD3YI6wve4oYdh8reOda1MkF3O3x1-2RwqSiYUl-Q5JsyxGAgDU7RuUM_Z-lsJAm_mLPxhsDbnDcLI3gz8avY4ILTr7QPmcMM6bl-QTBjRVkT5RJYFqvZbRaCv_lDYvUZu1hY902zUtSGvBR2vPe1fAXKs1e27OfRCSyUf9f4jsEg/s960/Matthew.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTWkcWsUY8KDruOoLD3YI6wve4oYdh8reOda1MkF3O3x1-2RwqSiYUl-Q5JsyxGAgDU7RuUM_Z-lsJAm_mLPxhsDbnDcLI3gz8avY4ILTr7QPmcMM6bl-QTBjRVkT5RJYFqvZbRaCv_lDYvUZu1hY902zUtSGvBR2vPe1fAXKs1e27OfRCSyUf9f4jsEg/s320/Matthew.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>She and my dad went to every activity of my sister and
me. Every sporting event and musical concert; every church program and club
activity. Every-single-one.<p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Because I share my mom’s determination, we’ve had a few
moments of getting in each other’s way. Not significant but heated in the
moment in a Minnesota type of way. Today these moments make me smile.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Like others in her generation, she is devoted to her
family. When her four grandchildren grew out of infancy she hosted “Grandma
camp.” Her four grandchildren hung out with her and my dad for a week. They all
enjoyed ice cream and games and food and special projects and band concerts in
the park. For many years ahead her grandchildren will look back and remember a woman who took
the time to make them her top priority for that week.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAtob2y-aP2LzfR3Mg3_oa2nsNG3DyFf5dvJTRux-CGisW72fhNmg0Ar5V6ZqJ6JzHJNKq-jUi73Ksb6GpWDxl4L5Q6YMZMYRfUxp_fWzzZrA4HH92x56Jn0RyB0mYr1Qz697_VLfk8NCIBIgh8yYbw276NgaCXSG2rGJ7857aJLfkHOtlmDthv9lvNM/s800/mom%20and%20following.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAtob2y-aP2LzfR3Mg3_oa2nsNG3DyFf5dvJTRux-CGisW72fhNmg0Ar5V6ZqJ6JzHJNKq-jUi73Ksb6GpWDxl4L5Q6YMZMYRfUxp_fWzzZrA4HH92x56Jn0RyB0mYr1Qz697_VLfk8NCIBIgh8yYbw276NgaCXSG2rGJ7857aJLfkHOtlmDthv9lvNM/s320/mom%20and%20following.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Celebrating her 85<sup>th</sup> birthday was special. It wasn’t
all that different than many of the other family celebrations we’ve enjoyed
through the years. The continuity of them strengthens us. People came, ate cake
and drank coffee, looked at pictures, smiled and laughed, shared hugs and
affectionate words. We’ll remember this special day.<p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Both my mom and I have more years behind us than in front
of us. But no matter. It will always be a privilege to have Jacqueline Ann Moore
as my mom. Happy Birthday!</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkygiGBLw4zWqYGCR1pjnzWJFh2uE1cwZP3Qea9cFTrg0P91yApgKoN-0rZFmmS4kmeYpla08nXjzpM6PMeg1-xsfmZ6zq9JPCWNrejqxSD-AjKtHmCc4FWTkZDgh24g6xs2QTCuAijqW5Ejawoc1rJJxNX22wLi_LRMwBSjQNq-WYKOzLAcfa57sBCE/s800/lake%20okabena.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkygiGBLw4zWqYGCR1pjnzWJFh2uE1cwZP3Qea9cFTrg0P91yApgKoN-0rZFmmS4kmeYpla08nXjzpM6PMeg1-xsfmZ6zq9JPCWNrejqxSD-AjKtHmCc4FWTkZDgh24g6xs2QTCuAijqW5Ejawoc1rJJxNX22wLi_LRMwBSjQNq-WYKOzLAcfa57sBCE/s320/lake%20okabena.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p></o:p></p></div>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-59601022980786131282023-12-19T17:14:00.002-06:002023-12-19T17:14:25.629-06:00Keep you heart open this last week before Christmas<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZSCKUAL81Z7_3yRBPvAO7ih1xdCfn9y_TnQF86UD0TgN2LIbOSTw9Jvz08M2_r4sZ1saOQ1DRVrRSHbFWrFuA0rL0Fbn24bC5CPKGYlBgnS73Fv7wID3W8z7InFJrEMImgU_86TVCN2u444ZEcZMuovsThy_OQ-HiAPNSUghi5nYNcT_hSyjWnbzBQw/s1640/gift%20that%20keeps%20on%20giving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1640" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZSCKUAL81Z7_3yRBPvAO7ih1xdCfn9y_TnQF86UD0TgN2LIbOSTw9Jvz08M2_r4sZ1saOQ1DRVrRSHbFWrFuA0rL0Fbn24bC5CPKGYlBgnS73Fv7wID3W8z7InFJrEMImgU_86TVCN2u444ZEcZMuovsThy_OQ-HiAPNSUghi5nYNcT_hSyjWnbzBQw/s320/gift%20that%20keeps%20on%20giving.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing">As we move into the final week before Christmas, I want
us to encourage others to step back and reflect on what will happen to us this
week. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I’m talking about more than the presents we buy, the
parties we attend, and the Christmas celebrations we will enjoy. These are
lovely parts of Christmas. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">However Jesus didn’t come into the world as a baby, so we
could purchase the newest electronic gift for our favorite person. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Jesus didn’t come into the world as a baby, so we could
eat so much that we have to go on a diet when Christmas is over. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Jesus didn’t come into the world as a baby, so that we
would have the perfect family celebration. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I gave a sermon once entitled “Will Christmas or X-mas
comes this year.” In the sermon I made the case that the celebration of
Christmas does not have to be that complicated. But if we find ourselves at the
end of Christmas in greater debt, needing to go on a diet, and exhausted from
Christmas celebrations, then something has gone amiss. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This year at Chain of Lakes I’m sharing a sermon series
called “The keeps on giving.” I’m talking about preparing our heart to
celebrate Christmas. (To watch all of the sermons, find the link at
colpres.org.) </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I’m talking about what this gift can do to our heart.
Even though many have gone through Christmas many times, we can still have our
heart touched and find ourselves touched in a spiritual way. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Two themes I’ve talked about in this series. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">One is to be open to being surprised. The entrance of
Jesus into the world was a great surprise to those who were part of the story.
Zechariah and Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph as the silent partner, did not know
that they would be participants in this story. The angel Gabriel showed up to
Zechariah and Mary and basically said, “surprise!” </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Zechariah and Mary didn’t have a choice about being
surprised. But I wonder if we can be open to being surprised. In my research on
that sermon, I learned about the psychology of being surprised. When we are
surprised our brain freezes for a moent and then releases neutrotransmiters
into our body. This cements the memory for us. I learned that surprise can help
us experience happiness. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">But to be surprised our hearts have to be opened to being
surprised. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I get it some of us don’t like to be surprised. We want
to be in control and have a sense of predictability about what is going to
happen. And some of us fall into cynicism. A cynic is going to protect his or
her heart from being surprised. A cynic has a sense of know-it-all. They have a
been there done that” mentality. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I hope that you,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the reader, don’t fall into this pattern. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">To be surprised means we have a sense of adventure. Even
if we’ve done something a hundred times, we are willing to do it again because
we want to see what happens. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Even if we have celebrated Christmas often, I want to
encourage us not to let the experiences dull the adventure of the celebration.
Be open to being surprised. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Yesterday I talked about mercy. When the angel, Gabriel
appeared to Zechariah, Gabriel shared that God was sending Jesus into the world
from the perspective of mercy. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">In fact one of the qualities of God is mercy. I had
people at Chain of Lakes write down five qualities of God that they identify.
One of them has to be mercy. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">When God appeared to Moses God declared the first
descriptive word of the divine character was mercy. Don’t believe me? Check out
Exodus 34:6.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p>I encouraged people and encourage you the reader to focus
on mercy this last week of Advent. Go out of your way to extend mercy to the
people who you meet. For some of us this is easy as our hearts naturally are
merciful. For others this is hard as mercy doesn’t describe us. Whatever our
spiritual make-up, though, we can train ourselves to respond in mercy. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">My prayer this week is we can be open to being surprised
and orient ourselves towards mercy. If we do this, I think this could be one of
the best Christmas weeks that we’ve had.</p><p></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-16077808612880618122023-12-12T16:48:00.004-06:002023-12-12T16:48:54.081-06:00A tribune to Gary Crippen<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh4AHYndvjMsYkRlci0geZLdngP12e5ZYrSsm2IpgU-o5vkj_8hBcEXQ6F3xoIfSh_8LInQsDyaIaJUAnVixa7Z1Yy1LzRQ3sK2yoLybFLQx1ZkG5fjLUMxy73KfiXwBkPvKzYUcXF3Eean4hH_OTMtoYJiG6e847zp_ClQXP688MJsebKG1B05gqQurI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="266" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh4AHYndvjMsYkRlci0geZLdngP12e5ZYrSsm2IpgU-o5vkj_8hBcEXQ6F3xoIfSh_8LInQsDyaIaJUAnVixa7Z1Yy1LzRQ3sK2yoLybFLQx1ZkG5fjLUMxy73KfiXwBkPvKzYUcXF3Eean4hH_OTMtoYJiG6e847zp_ClQXP688MJsebKG1B05gqQurI" width="209" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">What a treat it was for me to attend the funeral of Gary
Crippen yesterday. Of course, I am sad for his passing and the hole that
his absence will create for his family. And the huge hole for the world. But
going to the funeral brought back so many wonderful memories of going to the
Crippen house while I was in High School. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">In the 1980’s Worthington, Minnesota was a place where
everyone knew everyone in high school. (And it probably is the same today.) We
weren’t a small high school compared to the neighboring towns—approximately 160
in a graduating class. But we were small enough that we knew everyone’s names. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">And everyone knew the Crippens. Or it seemed that way.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">They lived in a fairly large house on Lake Avenue in Worthington. Just turn the corner and there was the house. Across the street from Lake Okabena. They moved to Mendota Heights in the
mid-80’s, but even today when I’m in Worthington and drive around the lake, I
look at the house and think, “Crippen house.” </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">One of my best friends dated Sarah in high school, and
the three of us (and others) hung out—a lot. And often we would find ourselves
at the kitchen table in the Crippen house talking to Nancy, Gary’s wife. We
would talk about everything—politics, religion, relationships in school, what
was happening on the School Board, and would the inevitable referendum for more
funding for schools pass. I was quite devoted to playing the violin in that
season in my life, so we would talk about the orchestra. And because I was
passionate about football we would talk about football. No topic was off-limits
at the Crippen table. It was like a symposium. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">Those memories came streaming back yesterday at Gary’s
funeral. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">And to call the gathering a funeral does not do justice to
the occasion. It truly was a celebration of life. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Crippens were passionately devoted to education,
particularly public education. This commitment has been lived out by their
seven children. They have taken on the most honorable of professions—two are
pastors, one a lawyer, one an administrator of a museum, and one the CEO of the
children’s cancer research fund. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">I hadn’t talked to Gary since attending the funeral of Nancy. But hearing the memories shared yesterday by his children and others brought back memories of conversations. And reminded me of the impact a kind and decent person can make. Gary was brilliant
himself. A lawyer who became a judge who eventually served on the MN Court of
Appeals. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">His kindness was mentioned often yesterday—a part of the
Fruit of the Spirit. And this part of the Fruit was embodied in his life. He
was a curious person. I loved the story that was shared about Gary loving trees. His interest seemed a bit odd; however being reminded of his curiosity made his
interest make sense. He was interested in what made a tree grow, how it
weathered the Minnesota climate, what it would take for a tree to develop
fully. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">The world needs curious people.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">What was so touching at the funeral was the genuine smiles from his family. Sure they experienced sadness for Gary's passing, but more importantly they could smile about the beauty of a life very well lived. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">The tributes that others have wrote are worth
reading. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">One by his son, Stephen. <a href="https://www.stephencrippen.com/blog/2023/12/11/f7uedctbcq7mg2k5d56ho07thhjbu9?fbclid=IwAR0OfZNiBmN20qQfX0uMqAL-vvX6CogI2f514MdOUypC1TDKwt9Xkqyn2NM" target="_blank">https://www.stephencrippen.com/blog/2023/12/11/f7uedctbcq7mg2k5d56ho07thhjbu9?fbclid=IwAR0OfZNiBmN20qQfX0uMqAL-vvX6CogI2f514MdOUypC1TDKwt9Xkqyn2NM</a></p><div>One written in the Worthington Daily Globe.</div><a href="https://www.dglobe.com/news/local/crippen-a-native-son-was-a-leader-in-state-judicial-community" target="_blank">https://www.dglobe.com/news/local/crippen-a-native-son-was-a-leader-in-state-judicial-community</a><br /><br />One shared as a Facebook post by his daughter, Mary<div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mary.miklethun" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/mary.miklethun</a><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNoSpacing">I never got to meet his second wife, Sandy, but I’m sure
I would have enjoyed sitting at their table talking about the events of the
day. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">The world needs more people and especially men who are
good and kind and decent. Gary Crippen was our role model. His legacy will live
on in the intelligent, compassionate, decent response to a world that is too
often, too harsh. </p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">Gary embodied, Philippians 2:1-5, a Scripture read at the
service. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">May the rest of us live by his example.<o:p></o:p></p></div>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-21444530581075834432023-11-27T12:42:00.009-06:002023-11-27T15:15:20.897-06:00A lot is at stake in being thankful!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-tYJMRLDcQLnEpFS10af1x-bx0Jo9DVfXX3eVsxaeOz9d2gnpDUWNbWUBWIhyphenhyphenewy5gYtTAZBS01szqN84OS3Jkh8Hod91TXUfEVexjW-UN2KUO5NVqanX7lBRGS8QzQ1k6iCtuMQ5DR1w_XBCu1RjTKqhgc-s9vwwO9Xl8HrI01iYfT1n0YufjBxGDE/s1024/thankful.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="1024" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-tYJMRLDcQLnEpFS10af1x-bx0Jo9DVfXX3eVsxaeOz9d2gnpDUWNbWUBWIhyphenhyphenewy5gYtTAZBS01szqN84OS3Jkh8Hod91TXUfEVexjW-UN2KUO5NVqanX7lBRGS8QzQ1k6iCtuMQ5DR1w_XBCu1RjTKqhgc-s9vwwO9Xl8HrI01iYfT1n0YufjBxGDE/s320/thankful.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yesterday
I had the opportunity to preach a sermon about thankfulness. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">And I’m thankful for that.
Taking some extended time to reflect on thanks has led me to want to advocate even more for identifying myself as a person of thanks and encouraging others to share thanks. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div></span></div>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">During my work on the sermon, I came across a video produced by Steve Hartman on a story of
thankfulness. At the time of the video Frank Grasberger was a 95-year old man who lived in a Care Facility in Ohio. He received a thank you note for his military
service from a third grader. The note touched him deeply. He carried the note
with him in his wheel chair and told his wife, Delores, that nothing mattered
to him more than that letter. His wife noticed the difference the letter made on Frank. She shared that when Frank has the letter he
has a feeling of faith and trust and love. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Giving thanks is powerful!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlRmw-FYmUZmN89tokoEVLavgRADvAkFQGqKNtADgI-O4fTEMWP0wU6JByLpBnO5NCaZv2j2uwDtlDKgQtgtC-2N4rD0CpSS69yxVbJ-HRunAgdWPTEprcLFQuOx_1R2s3Oe2O4fQXgi9zrnCwEs4De_BeZpZ3P9xuFbLpx5UHwXruq5KOZcE0LpLvyc/s1054/2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1054" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlRmw-FYmUZmN89tokoEVLavgRADvAkFQGqKNtADgI-O4fTEMWP0wU6JByLpBnO5NCaZv2j2uwDtlDKgQtgtC-2N4rD0CpSS69yxVbJ-HRunAgdWPTEprcLFQuOx_1R2s3Oe2O4fQXgi9zrnCwEs4De_BeZpZ3P9xuFbLpx5UHwXruq5KOZcE0LpLvyc/s320/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Frank wanted to get in touch with the author of the letter who identified herself as De Shawna. It took a while, but after a long search De Shawna was found. She agreed to meet with Frank at the Care Facility. Coincidentally (or maybe this is a God-thing) De Shawna serves
in the National Guard. She showed up to meet Frank with a bouquet of roses. When
De Shawna showed up his wife thought, “Where’s Frank's heart pills. This is the big
one!”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Frank
and De Shawna have developed a friendship. Frank shared that De Shawna is like
his third daughter.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the power of thanks. A 95-year-old veteran was so touched by a letter of thanks
that he sees the author, an African American young woman, as his third
daughter.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIIX1OiEUUuYJShjo4vnUnr6cLmVQ5tg3VDbmDs9fvw-6PiKMEtcNaPQfKu9SfieTHczHphJeL6j7alXxerkwGltzKnxQt7W6iED5NkpjHhZcsckDwoggscb6-FxLIqzI7UWbcsn0ok6Zyt6V6KP7vIjax6-FmEk8X1_ruPMqHc-1mIF8WgBNAcLNYvM/s1505/4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="1505" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIIX1OiEUUuYJShjo4vnUnr6cLmVQ5tg3VDbmDs9fvw-6PiKMEtcNaPQfKu9SfieTHczHphJeL6j7alXxerkwGltzKnxQt7W6iED5NkpjHhZcsckDwoggscb6-FxLIqzI7UWbcsn0ok6Zyt6V6KP7vIjax6-FmEk8X1_ruPMqHc-1mIF8WgBNAcLNYvM/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />The
full story can be seen here: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/kindness-101-a-lesson-in-thankfulness/</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
went to Mass at St. Joseph’s of the Lakes Catholic Church on Thanksgiving. At the start of his
homily, Father Mark Anderson said we need Thanksgiving. I cannot agree more.
Our spirits need to be touched frequently by the power and importance of
thanks. We need to be reminded to respond to the events of life with thanks. Without living and sharing thinks we are limited as people.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
my sermon yesterday I preached about the story of the ten lepers. You probably
know the story. Ten lepers were healed of their skin disease. One leper
returned to Jesus to give thanks. Nine did not return to give thanks. Jesus wanted to know, “where are the other
nine?”</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I believe that each of us make choices every day that determine who will we be in the story. Will be the person who returned to give thanks or will we be part of the group who didn't give thanks. And I don't think we are always in one group. Depending on the day we can be part of both groups. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Where we find ourselves is a choice that we make.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Let me ask you, "which group will you choose to join?"</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
spent some time last week thinking and doing research on what prevents people
from giving thanks. I came up with two reasons—and certainly others exist. The
two reasons are entitlement and grievance.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">One reason is entitlement—it’s
easy to believe that we deserve what we get. I live in a beautiful home and
have two beautiful cars and enjoy a beautiful family. It’s not hard to conclude
that through my efforts I have achieved this beauty. I’m entitled. At one level
I am entitled—just as everyone who is human is entitled to a beautiful life. But it’s easy
to forget the force who created the world and provides the gifts that allows me
to live this life. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Oops! I guess it’s easier to be one of the nine than I might
have thought.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
don’t want to be part of that group. Thank you, God!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Another reason is grievance—folks
who believe the world is out to get them or have been hurt in the past and respond to life from that pain. That person is
going to have a hard time being thankful.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">In my sermon yesterday
I asked four questions about thanks. The questions are just as relevant today
as yesterday.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>How many times have you said the
phrase, “thank you” in the past 24 hours?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>How many thank you notes have you
written in the past month?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>How many times have you told a group
of people, “I’m thankful for you?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>How many times have you shared with
your spouse or a friend in the past 24 hours, “I’m thankful for you.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Congregations
can be laboratories of thankfulness. I shared that I’m surprised that I’m not
familiar with any congregation that has named themselves, “thankful.” I get it,
it would feel a bit weird to say, “I go to Thankful Church.” That probably
doesn’t work. What does work is to have thankfulness be expressed frequently from the people in a congregation. I hope that when guests come to Chain of Lakes they will
experience thankfulness. I want the people of our congregation to be known as
people of thanks.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
relationship between thankfulness and suffering deserves much reflection. More reflection than I am going to share right now. Certainly, events exist for which I would
never give thanks—rape, indiscriminate violence, abuse and many other horrors. However, even when we suffer we can find ways to look at our situation with thanks. I shared in my sermon that last week I did my best to respond with thanks to the inevitable occasions during the week when things don’t go as I wanted. When that happened, I did my best to respond with thanks for the growth opportunities these occasions presented to me. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ultimately
my hope or aspiration as a person is to have thanks be my first response to the
events of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I don't think that responding to the events of life with thanks is inevitable. I do think we can train ourselves to do this.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
going to take some concrete actions to respond more with thanks. I’m going to write a thank you note every Thursday. I’m calling this Thankful Thursday. Certainly I could do
more than one, but this is my starting point. And I will continue to pray that I will see my own identity as a person of thanks. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
might not be able to change the world, but I can influence my sphere of
influence by sharing thanks more often and encouraging others to be people of thanks. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
full sermon that I shared yesterday can be found at the fifteen minute mark at
this link: </span><a href="https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/888478550">Worship Service November 26,
2023 (vimeo.com)</a></p><p></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-18721470142022417792023-11-13T12:21:00.009-06:002023-11-13T12:30:54.630-06:00Growing Young in the PC(USA)<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8JkF-82ZPmJWex1dghcmHQ_-TE4kpuv-dV4IZfG3GevwCTnwpzTigJHE6FXp4kQqCc_QO7EJ2duGeUkv4MCd-ADfN-CuhrXJkTik2wqgzgLrFHlz67SkfJsefgd4FaFosSoDIXjbZahe5c0zxpyZX45ljCepeK8vplx93bOF7ynmzwCHWtKP-nC2yYU/s500/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8JkF-82ZPmJWex1dghcmHQ_-TE4kpuv-dV4IZfG3GevwCTnwpzTigJHE6FXp4kQqCc_QO7EJ2duGeUkv4MCd-ADfN-CuhrXJkTik2wqgzgLrFHlz67SkfJsefgd4FaFosSoDIXjbZahe5c0zxpyZX45ljCepeK8vplx93bOF7ynmzwCHWtKP-nC2yYU/s320/7.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yesterday
at Chain of Lakes we focused on the theme of “Growing Young.” I shared a vision
for children’s and youth ministry. This is the theme of the stewardship drive
at Chain of Lakes this year. We showed a video about the campaign and had
someone speak about it. It was a joyous day of celebration. It was close to being the
largest attended service of the year. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The entire service can be watched at: vimeo.com/manage/videos/883769099</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve
been thinking quite a lot about church growth this past week. And I know that
this term, “church growth” is not one that everyone likes. Other phrases could
be evangelism or church development. I’ve heard many say that to use this phrase is to
turn people into numbers. Of course, I believe that people are not numbers.
Everyone who comes to a faith community has a story that needs to be heard and
honored. I don’t want anyone at Chain of Lakes Church, the place I serve, to be
thought of as a number.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
still like this phrase. I believe that all congregations are called to grow in
their worship attendance and in numbers of people. Certainly this is not the
only objective of a congregation, but congregations who aren’t growing will
inevitably encounter problems.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjrA3Edl0W5ZtTKGPkIdPmm1jzmj9tTXimgYLs8zPTgqhbOMCH8Ta10z_B38-3zq7rwNMnB1OF1beOvGxAx0Y-A-xMXyKjU-A15QHtl2PgOL9PELutlj90FguSnO1Bm30lPGi_rngMibuHyaVIfSQJm8sYu90cD5dOv9_HkyFAOvhdo5WxbY0uL9Hf2s/s2048/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1880" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjrA3Edl0W5ZtTKGPkIdPmm1jzmj9tTXimgYLs8zPTgqhbOMCH8Ta10z_B38-3zq7rwNMnB1OF1beOvGxAx0Y-A-xMXyKjU-A15QHtl2PgOL9PELutlj90FguSnO1Bm30lPGi_rngMibuHyaVIfSQJm8sYu90cD5dOv9_HkyFAOvhdo5WxbY0uL9Hf2s/s320/2.jpg" width="294" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
is an issue for the Presbyterian Church (USA), a denomination that I love. My
love is deep. I share with people that I bleed Presbyterian; and because I’m on
blood thinner I bleed really fast. I want to see our denomination thrive.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Right
now we’re not growing. In 2017 the PC(USA) had 9,451 churches; in 2022 that
number declined to 8,704 churches. Total membership declined from 1,482, 767 in
2017 to 1,140,665 in 2022. In fact we haven’t grown for a very long time. I
talked about this last week in my blog I wrote after leading worship at my home
church in Worthington, Minnesota. That congregation has a special place in my
heart. Because of their decline in numbers they are moving to a new phase of
ministry. They are selling their building and purchasing a new building. I’m
glad that the congregation is making this move, but the move came because they
weren’t growing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
wrote a blog about this. More people read that blog than any blog I’ve
written in a long time. Something resonates with people about this issue of decline and
growth.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Which
brings me back to the theme of growing young.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1BD4l3aAMISCDO2KqfKXvJeL44ywtnzX60jCaUYd9Hih7PUqWnETA-J4v521PxaY4CBtUN04ZJpBOA6k8RV2qXWSN_KvivocoZPTq8hJlUZfTo8Iodn0amybgVGvD5UyVBon3d-H2xQ0GV5BB3NZRElvSb1VQq3Od3HmZYwelcuTd0QykiKM02A01tE/s1144/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1144" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1BD4l3aAMISCDO2KqfKXvJeL44ywtnzX60jCaUYd9Hih7PUqWnETA-J4v521PxaY4CBtUN04ZJpBOA6k8RV2qXWSN_KvivocoZPTq8hJlUZfTo8Iodn0amybgVGvD5UyVBon3d-H2xQ0GV5BB3NZRElvSb1VQq3Od3HmZYwelcuTd0QykiKM02A01tE/s320/4.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I wonder what it would look like if the PC(USA) spent five years focusing on
youth and children ministry. If we made an intentional effort to grow young. What
would happen if we raised money so each congregation could have at least a
twenty or even thirty hour a week person doing youth and children’s ministry? </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Or what if more resources were shared with
congregations about how they can grow young?</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
know there are people who are doing outstanding work at the wider
denominational level. And though I haven’t attended an APCE conference for a
while. They have video resources on their web site regarding previous
conference at this site: </span><a href="https://apcenet.org/2022-annual-event-video-resources/" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">2022 Annual Event
Video Resources - Association of Partners in Christian Education (apcenet.org)</a></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
don’t claim to have any magical answers. I do know that when I came to my last
church the congregation has less than five children and when I left we had over thirty. It took a lot of focus, and creativity, and financial giving. At Chain
of Lakes we’re going to hire a thirty-hour a week person to coordinate our
volunteers who do ministry with youth and children. This is a big increase in
cost for us. But the potential for growth with children and youth is so high, that our Session has
decided that we can’t afford not to take this risk.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65sWQ_pzzkz5O-eoMKSiQS1Zd0WPIWY7ynlLBfkAnOKD3Y2YJaOTa9J9d0MtceXf8_4a92n1FDUWqG3OhAgyWhX9dCJ48qfZLPRyqPfHNeEwz_qKzwhN6d_G9yGs7X_e2lalJBOnoz8Tb7H3432RKkk_e74HN8cYUJWE5PyU_AY_70SuV5RX7tHf3H_Y/s2048/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65sWQ_pzzkz5O-eoMKSiQS1Zd0WPIWY7ynlLBfkAnOKD3Y2YJaOTa9J9d0MtceXf8_4a92n1FDUWqG3OhAgyWhX9dCJ48qfZLPRyqPfHNeEwz_qKzwhN6d_G9yGs7X_e2lalJBOnoz8Tb7H3432RKkk_e74HN8cYUJWE5PyU_AY_70SuV5RX7tHf3H_Y/s320/6.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I see our congregations declining and wonder if a five-year focus on youth and
children’s ministry would help.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">For
the purpose of this blog, I’m not going to go into what that might look like.
Though providing staff resources to congregations would help. And I know that
my Stated Clerk sister would tell me to write an overture. For now I just want
to stay on the big picture question.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">How
about a five-year focus on helping congregations develop ministries with youth
and children?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
for all of my Presby friends who are immediately thinking, “that will never
work or happen” let me ask you to start out by thinking, “what would happen if
this was our focus?”</span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-86874202987474489712023-11-06T14:03:00.035-06:002023-11-07T06:38:05.414-06:00Preaching at my home church with sadness<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_z-X8Jl1e1qR5zGgWgmPsyOalyK1ihGo3LKUgQDNMrGDgwH7AWekvHU8iiBKm0e_fPPN-VnJZ3SQdfUv4WukdDVb2xC_ZvlLgH7IdfTp2KlAmZy41X8siPcOmt8FZ97yWaSyYRQ8m0SOXThwuiL620Uk-BSBym6LHhu39Y20jE-HYphs3g2PdoxwvqLo/s2048/Photo%20Nov%2006%202023,%202%2001%2057%20PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_z-X8Jl1e1qR5zGgWgmPsyOalyK1ihGo3LKUgQDNMrGDgwH7AWekvHU8iiBKm0e_fPPN-VnJZ3SQdfUv4WukdDVb2xC_ZvlLgH7IdfTp2KlAmZy41X8siPcOmt8FZ97yWaSyYRQ8m0SOXThwuiL620Uk-BSBym6LHhu39Y20jE-HYphs3g2PdoxwvqLo/s320/Photo%20Nov%2006%202023,%202%2001%2057%20PM.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Times;">Yesterday
I had the opportunity to preach at my home church, Westminster Presbyterian
Church in Worthington, Minnesota. The web address to the entire service is on
that church's Facebook page: facebook.com/WestminsterPresby. </span><div><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The congregation celebrated their 150</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
anniversary on the Sunday after Labor Day. As part of their celebration, they
invited all of their previous pastors and people who grew up in the church who
became pastors to attend. My sister and I are part of the latter group. I wasn’t able to
attend the anniversary celebration as we had a very large event happening at
Chain of Lakes Church that day. However I told Galen Smith, the pastor at Westminster,
who is doing a terrific job as their pastor, that I would be willing to preach
on a Sunday when he was gone. Yesterday was the day.</span></span><div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Westminster
has made some significant decisions in the past two months. They agreed to sell
their building to a local Pentecostal church and buy the church building of that congregation. They also agreed to share Galen with the Presbyterian church
in Round Lake. The move to the Pentecostal building will take place in January.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhop2i4t7KbZ9-zPQ4-fntn-HPpJ7PwjfnKBO3Zg7xx8A877S1Du03loPvLym-gN9EeXh9vpri-9VOMjrTcXtBAFvu97gDXNBgVRc3T9ehpzQMPHzMcwa6QpnWr-0aFXtzpnid75IPFC1osNQYExHDJLOsmLVNFYOEAKiNLQeaE66XHDmg9dlzvSvT2M3A/s1020/1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1020" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhop2i4t7KbZ9-zPQ4-fntn-HPpJ7PwjfnKBO3Zg7xx8A877S1Du03loPvLym-gN9EeXh9vpri-9VOMjrTcXtBAFvu97gDXNBgVRc3T9ehpzQMPHzMcwa6QpnWr-0aFXtzpnid75IPFC1osNQYExHDJLOsmLVNFYOEAKiNLQeaE66XHDmg9dlzvSvT2M3A/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
not attached to church buildings. Though I have to admit that I’ve spent a lot
of time in my ministry raising money for buildings. At Community Presbyterian
in Plainview we did a complete remodel of our building and bought the two
adjacent lots next to the church. That involved three capital campaigns. Here
at Chain of Lakes I’ve participated in two capital campaigns and was part of
the leadership team that made decisions for our new building. Our next captial campaign will be in a year.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Despite
the thousands of hours I’ve spent raising money for buildings, I’m not attached
to church buildings.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">However—I
know the reality that church buildings are important. At their best they help
the congregation be successful at their mission; at their worst they become the
most important mission for a congregation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSh9-V-wUjwsxFcRU5I3EVpN2x1DMzkNP5ib2Torj428_Lw9VxvDwsqaIPRr1qdFHOqE1znAJXAll9b8gvAQkm4cRwQUXFU89T5dnPJGUJvShqIHyuEOazM1KlsQdmNUzDw6rmeng3iHJ8jLg7eoDfpeMeWwzYqMNetYOHg1jK3RcBg79SdqCqm4HPQm4/s942/2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="706" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSh9-V-wUjwsxFcRU5I3EVpN2x1DMzkNP5ib2Torj428_Lw9VxvDwsqaIPRr1qdFHOqE1znAJXAll9b8gvAQkm4cRwQUXFU89T5dnPJGUJvShqIHyuEOazM1KlsQdmNUzDw6rmeng3iHJ8jLg7eoDfpeMeWwzYqMNetYOHg1jK3RcBg79SdqCqm4HPQm4/s320/2.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Westminster’s
building has a lot of memories for me. I started attending worship when I was one-year
old. I certainly don’t remember that, but I do remember being quite bored in
worship as a child. During that period of my life, I spent a lot of time gazing
at the beautiful stain glass windows during worship. In high school I shared a
violin/piano recital. I enjoyed singing in the choir and looking out at the
congregation from the choir loft. As a young adult I was ordained to the office of pastor, now called Teaching Elder, in the
sanctuary on February 7, 1993. I helped officiate my sister’s wedding in that
sanctuary and spoke at my sister’s ordination service. There isn’t a space in Westminster’s
building where I don’t have a memory.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">For
what it’s worth I completely support the decision of the congregation and
Session of Westminster to sell their building and buy the Pentecostal church
building.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">But
I’m still sad.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">The
decision will keep Westminster going, but it reflects the decline of the
congregation. When I was one-year old the congregation had to set up folding
chairs in the large sanctuary. Over 650 people attended every Sunday. Yesterday I
preached to about forty people. And I might have been the youngest person in
the room. And I'm not young!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">I
have hope for the future of Westminster. I’ve told my parents many times that I
believe the church needs to hire a full-time youth/children director. I believe
that if the church made this move many new children, youth and families would
come over time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">But
it’s still hard to see the decline of a congregation I love dearly. And it’s
hard to know that the decline at Westminster has happened in many other
Presbyterian churches. In 2022 the Presbyterian Church (USA) had 747 fewer
congregations and about 340,000 fewer members than in 2016. No business would
tolerate that without making significant changes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">Though these statistics are shared every year, I’m almost astonished that these
statistics haven’t been a clarion call to focus more on church growth as a
denomination.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">This
call to church growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of the outstanding
ministries of Presbyterians. I’m proud to be a Presbyterian partly because we are so
concerned about what happens in the community. At Chain of Lakes Church we have
an extensive ministry with homeless organizations. At Westminster that
congregation went out of their way to be a part of the community in multiple
ways. Both Westminster and Chain of Lakes have been successful in this ministry.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">But
a ministry that focuses on social impact at the expense of church growth and
evangelism won’t work. The numbers of the denomination I love dearly bear
witness to this reality. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">This
week we’re taking in a new group of people who will join Chain of Lakes. When they
go through our process for joining I share that at Chain of Lakes we are as
passionate about prayer, Bible Study, and worship as we are about serving the
homeless. I tell them that we support LGTBQ ordination and marriage, but if
a person doesn’t share that support he or she will still be welcomed. For what it’s worth I
sometimes tell them that in my thirty years of ministry the worship attendance
of the congregations I have served has increased in 26 of those years. And two of these were COVID years!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">The
consequences of decline in the PC(USA) are significant. Without a congregation
in Worthington, a strong ministry of service in the community won’t exist. And a group of people won't have an opportunity to grow in faith. I
don’t anticipate that will happen, but Westminster, like all congregations, needs to grow. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">I
believe that Presbyterian congregations are thirsting for resources and
leadership from the leaders of the Presbyterian Church to help them grow in
numbers of people.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">I
don’t believe that the leaders of the wider governing bodies are
responsible for the decline in congregations and people, but I do think that there hasn’t been enough
focus on growth at the Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly level. I’m not
trying to call anyone out, but I think that most Presbyterian congregations want
to grow. And part of the problem is most have not been resourced well from our wider governing bodies. I’m not solely talking about money—though money
helps. I’m talking about focus, success stories, a willingness to talk about
what is working and what is not, and the expectation that congregations will grow. A culture that desires growth hasn't existed enough.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;">I’ll
continue to exhort the people at Chain of lakes to grow in numbers while
serving passionately in the community. And I carry the sadness of a necessary change
in my home church that I love.</span></p></div></div>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-31619771578032776102023-10-30T12:41:00.014-05:002023-10-30T17:13:52.986-05:00Welcome to the world, Elouise Ivy Joy Perteet!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXwTdDUGvNPM90q3SQo78MaxAH2q-DAGkwjfv_kNpWRdDCpryknDUF56GE0_gJhIj7GiiD5hnXBQBYdpf1cyElHJwiReyzYQW_uxAvKciWOJ0SxAZ45IynzYeiNqCmzt9VgiJ_xGNO8DgVT8nRTZTVw5wrngQFCcw1VWteb_kZxPOhRjw4n9HzWeMywE/s4032/Photo%20Oct%2029%202023,%201%2059%2035%20PM.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXwTdDUGvNPM90q3SQo78MaxAH2q-DAGkwjfv_kNpWRdDCpryknDUF56GE0_gJhIj7GiiD5hnXBQBYdpf1cyElHJwiReyzYQW_uxAvKciWOJ0SxAZ45IynzYeiNqCmzt9VgiJ_xGNO8DgVT8nRTZTVw5wrngQFCcw1VWteb_kZxPOhRjw4n9HzWeMywE/s320/Photo%20Oct%2029%202023,%201%2059%2035%20PM.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>The
heavens opened on Saturday evening at 10:59 Central Time when Elouise Ivy Joy
Perteet came into the world. </span></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Wow!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve
said many times before that babies change the world.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
birth of Elouise brought back many memories of the birth of our daughter,
Hannah. She was born at 10:38am on Saturday, December 16, 2000 in Rochester
Methodist Hospital. We were told that her due date was December 7. The wait for
her seemed long. Amy was scheduled to be induced, but her water broke on Friday
evening the 15<sup>th</sup> at a choir party shared by a third church that Amy
was attending. When we got home she called the hospital to see about going to
the hospital. They told her to come in. She got her stuff ready, vacuumed the
main level of our house (which is not surprising if you know Amy), and then we
went to the hospital. When Hannah arrived at 10:38am the next morning and the
doctor held her up, my first thought was “she’s finally here.” I still remember
clearly holding her in my arms and having the picture below taken. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJmI7ZODbOioN4XnPaDP2OZk7BQ6Z_sihZYUyTifw2Nexiln8oq5MCRdweydqm4wZGjTKgZnDjl8W4WFYqtSg1UYLG8V73BjwH1V6f_h71DYr4H2jKoAzovL002mCkH-g3MEOsmydjzuRazCWi6ncXHpnkLcUNTTTdKJETtYJsJFhgjdfAcN5LJDzqH0/s1600/Hannah%20birth%20picture.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1047" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJmI7ZODbOioN4XnPaDP2OZk7BQ6Z_sihZYUyTifw2Nexiln8oq5MCRdweydqm4wZGjTKgZnDjl8W4WFYqtSg1UYLG8V73BjwH1V6f_h71DYr4H2jKoAzovL002mCkH-g3MEOsmydjzuRazCWi6ncXHpnkLcUNTTTdKJETtYJsJFhgjdfAcN5LJDzqH0/s320/Hannah%20birth%20picture.jpg" width="209" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />It's incredible for me to think that this girl in my left arm delivered a baby this past Saturday evening. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">How
fortunate we are in the United States to have a high-quality system for
delivering babies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ten thousand babies are
born ever day in the United States. Only 10.49 percent were born less than 37
weeks; thirty two percent were born cesarean; seventy-eight percent of mothers
receive some sort of prenatal care in the first trimester; the infant mortality
rate in the United States is 5.44 for every thousand births. I’m
thankful that the infant mortality rate in Minnesota is even lower than the
national average.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzwHHinPMLXA9To5vZgKTfh8kyqcprYrCGYf_Rq2ZwqiEExw7lZVYZzj7nERWdEoxAkY9pWVrceV8szk64vSPPOnpmoZOwNa5QQktV6kmfYXoAfEVoQS7Jz1Lyyvqy5sejKTYjQUP15mlEcOgeOM8wcM73hSfdoRlSv_tVqxrteFbhgmrrbak1zhB0J4/s457/Picture2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzwHHinPMLXA9To5vZgKTfh8kyqcprYrCGYf_Rq2ZwqiEExw7lZVYZzj7nERWdEoxAkY9pWVrceV8szk64vSPPOnpmoZOwNa5QQktV6kmfYXoAfEVoQS7Jz1Lyyvqy5sejKTYjQUP15mlEcOgeOM8wcM73hSfdoRlSv_tVqxrteFbhgmrrbak1zhB0J4/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div>From
my vantage point, Hannah has received terrific care during her pregnancy. Hannah
shared with Amy and me that she was pregnant in February. Hannah started receiving
medical care in Florida and then continued her medical care with Allina when
she moved to our home in Minnesota in July.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hannah’s
due date was last Sunday, October 22. She was scheduled to be induced yesterday
evening. Amy, Hannah, Carter and I took guesses on when Elouise would arrive.
All four of us missed on our first guess. We wrote down our second guess and
kept it from everyone else.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">On
Saturday morning Hannah and Carter went to Mercy hospital as she wasn’t feeling
well. I figured the doctors would examine her
and send her home. Amy & I went through our day as it was a normal Saturday. I finished my work for worship at Chain of Lakes in the morning. I then drove
to Northfield to watch Carleton play football. As I was coming back to Blaine I saw that Hannah was still at the hospital. Something must be happening! I
joined Amy at St. Joseph’s by the Lake Catholic church. During Mass I prayed
for her, and Amy & I shared our excitement with others that Elouise would soon come into
the world. I found myself weeping on multiple occasions. After Mass we hung out at our home with Hannah’s cousin Olivia. We
waited.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Carter
kept us informed through his texts. Shortly after 11pm we received the
call we had been waiting for—Elouise had arrived! The first time I met her was
hearing her cry over the phone. Ever since then I’ve been thinking about and singing the
lyric “I was there to hear your borning cry” that came from the hymn with that
name.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr3KtYVBULlvWsxrJ1RNU37k0hl_VWZ27Nd5rDGr8grwPWjyJcn0yqrtB0FLL6FutyHIpgX1V_OdH7hSHnemLaOx5rAeTzKWRyT4u1Y9bL_SxttE65GAmban_IMwVLu9CS_Ns3kh0S5OspU__QzncpWpG0yshYQ9oD2QTvC9ntVOS-Gq1uszMTQDK9jU/s495/Picture1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="371" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr3KtYVBULlvWsxrJ1RNU37k0hl_VWZ27Nd5rDGr8grwPWjyJcn0yqrtB0FLL6FutyHIpgX1V_OdH7hSHnemLaOx5rAeTzKWRyT4u1Y9bL_SxttE65GAmban_IMwVLu9CS_Ns3kh0S5OspU__QzncpWpG0yshYQ9oD2QTvC9ntVOS-Gq1uszMTQDK9jU/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The three of us quickly drove over to Mercy Hospital. Amy was able to go into the room and be
with Hannah. Olivia, Carter’s mom, and I waited patiently. Finally we were all allowed to go into the room. And there was Elouise! And like almost 23 years
ago, I held a baby in my arms—though this time she was in a different arm.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Babies
can change the world as they bring out our happiness. I showed many pictures Elouise
on Sunday morning at Chain of Lakes with my phone. I rewrote part of my sermon and included the
story about her birth—along with more pictures. I only broke down a few times
in worship—I was expecting to weep much more than I did. Yes, this former
football player cries! I had the opportunity to go to the hospital twice yesterday. Once in the middle of the afternoon and then again last night. I’m
always impressed by the quality of care shared by nurses at the hospital.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Elouise
will come live in our home today. She has a nursery all ready for her that
Hannah and Carter and Amy and I have been preparing for a
long time. I stood in the nursery this morning and reveled at all of the love
that Elouise has already experienced. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCaMlUGV_5h9tWvW9AyPgvJlh90iE9Th2ZrshNYoWktoU-q6Xjs84ijiKrZTt3Y37r8QFDVhl8p0aB-KAqnshU1WFE0Xun9Fhn7l9JBwsqxEpnklcrVx0auqudh4cToanG0n2A_5kzXSeffkHkdNAaiEZ4I8h0sZUfgmVMHM7UYUM2kReWl61FA_dddc/s4032/Photo%20Oct%2029%202023,%202%2054%2022%20PM.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaCaMlUGV_5h9tWvW9AyPgvJlh90iE9Th2ZrshNYoWktoU-q6Xjs84ijiKrZTt3Y37r8QFDVhl8p0aB-KAqnshU1WFE0Xun9Fhn7l9JBwsqxEpnklcrVx0auqudh4cToanG0n2A_5kzXSeffkHkdNAaiEZ4I8h0sZUfgmVMHM7UYUM2kReWl61FA_dddc/s320/Photo%20Oct%2029%202023,%202%2054%2022%20PM.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> Amy,
Hannah, Carter, and I are blessed to be surrounded by terrific medical care,
loving family, supportive friends and a community that celebrates babies.
Babies do change the world. Elouise has already done so.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Yay,
God!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-6049188335018085032023-10-23T12:05:00.019-05:002023-10-23T12:27:49.500-05:00Leadership Institute at Church of the Resurrection<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJFwjFGrUlGs7BBfzSo0NUd_VSexIueyXcHtzTt3gvXetXftVV-_q5GBTl0QzPRcOdbyxb2h3WRZ9v-p44t9vwxB9LFgwXssTfNsun2qugleh5mjGOqh1Gx3IMC8mF8bq6wmqLxY8p3DT95ZePHjDB5H0CuEnIohygj4PmSbR12GPzc91pY9tGjfIVpo/s690/Resized_20230927_145846.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="690" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJFwjFGrUlGs7BBfzSo0NUd_VSexIueyXcHtzTt3gvXetXftVV-_q5GBTl0QzPRcOdbyxb2h3WRZ9v-p44t9vwxB9LFgwXssTfNsun2qugleh5mjGOqh1Gx3IMC8mF8bq6wmqLxY8p3DT95ZePHjDB5H0CuEnIohygj4PmSbR12GPzc91pY9tGjfIVpo/s320/Resized_20230927_145846.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">At
the end of September I had the opportunity to attend Leadership Institute at
Church of the Resurrection with five others from Chain of Lakes Church. This
was one of the largest groups from Chain of Lakes that have attended this
conference. Leadership Institute is a conference shared by Church of the Resurrection (COR) in Kansas City. COR is the largest Methodist church in the United States. The church started from scratch in 1990 and today has become a very large congregation with six
campuses in the Kansas City area. Unlike many large churches, COR’s theology is
unapologetically main-line. They care passionately about personal faith AND
social engagement. They are welcoming to the LBTBQ+ community.<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’ve
been attending Leadership Institute for many years. I’ve actually lost track of
how many times I’ve gone to this conference—maybe twenty. I started attending
when I served my previous church in Plainview. Many years ago I stopped
attending by myself. Now I always bring a group of people from the church I’m
serving. The six of us who attended grew in our friendships with each other.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Kansas
City has a special place in my heart as my family lived in inner-City Kansas
City for three summers and a school year in the early 1970’s. While living in
Kansas City my eyes were opened to the reality of poverty and the obligation of
those who are not poor to help.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></div>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXOczTswu4xgBOJcVZMGWYkJcMSv6ou3-B4h2y-Wnr28ReO0_O1EkBQ171Q2Z1xbe_dJiX-_NpqbNgJE7TNhM4w38uwz3HMvUZxzz948-nlwP2HjGvkkCax9m-O0cNe70rse6nB4HiquamjAADjL_vkoEME-oryG-Uzbq4O3iWGpeb7n2RwleDwMlxzU/s4032/IMG_7346.HEIC" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXOczTswu4xgBOJcVZMGWYkJcMSv6ou3-B4h2y-Wnr28ReO0_O1EkBQ171Q2Z1xbe_dJiX-_NpqbNgJE7TNhM4w38uwz3HMvUZxzz948-nlwP2HjGvkkCax9m-O0cNe70rse6nB4HiquamjAADjL_vkoEME-oryG-Uzbq4O3iWGpeb7n2RwleDwMlxzU/s320/IMG_7346.HEIC" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Leadership
Institute is made up of lectures and smaller seminars. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my favorite seminars was one led by Tom
Langhofer on the Recovery ministry that COR is doing. Each Thursday night COR
offers a meal and then a talk on some aspect of Recovery. They then break out
into different recovery groups. The talks can be downloaded and shared. We’ve
talked at Chain of Lakes about sharing some type of recovery ministry with the
wider community. Hiring Charlie Clark to be our Minister of Health and Healing will
help. After this workshop I talked with Tom about their ministry, and what we
want to do at Chain of Lakes. As a reflection of their generosity, he said we
could download all of their talk without charge and show them to anyone who
wants to gather. He also followed up two days letter with an email. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">His
personal response to me is one reason that Church of the Resurrection does so
well.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8Ft2e5lZ7AEjxh5ZCGvq7GgosZJChvky16Yz0u9eTA9v4b_1IVw7Mx-8OUfoch93iyC2-cfGVAqB2BpnLRC0NnH-4gb0IUdEf6U8CGa3PRWOBDNejD-09loezZpEhE4Ond0UROkPYuiCMl1y5gwkiBNVnpJ2swW2oUCug8yzaL8s_7zFjjKXJYa2fsY/s4032/IMG_3768.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8Ft2e5lZ7AEjxh5ZCGvq7GgosZJChvky16Yz0u9eTA9v4b_1IVw7Mx-8OUfoch93iyC2-cfGVAqB2BpnLRC0NnH-4gb0IUdEf6U8CGa3PRWOBDNejD-09loezZpEhE4Ond0UROkPYuiCMl1y5gwkiBNVnpJ2swW2oUCug8yzaL8s_7zFjjKXJYa2fsY/s320/IMG_3768.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br />Each
time I attend Leadership Institute I give everyone from Chain of Lakes a tour
of the neighborhood where I used to live. The summer of second grade, my Dad
took our family to work for Cross Lines, a social service organization in
Kansas City. We lived in a huge house called, “fading grey” with other people.
It was my first experience at Communal Living. I always drive by the house and
share stories about “fading grey.” We moved to Kansas City for fifteen months
when my Dad took a sabbatical from teaching. Within half a mile were two places
that were called “the projects.” I drove our group through these areas. We
found the church where my Dad ran a day-camp for the community. I still
remember knocking on doors with him asking people to go to the day-camp.<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3IxZOvgvVH1Dnm-tpnP4nhlUCHYZ3Bkd0dVSdsIFlkm-Ok-MAPCwrCzHnRWL0wi_RQj5GaB22MUtF-IIRNt1nHvYDQsLibyKXLGxsn5yf14fR9FfyMTiVnrV3u70C8QtJ1dR5fTeNlBxjc4sdTYIYSn22jeisGHMcfQcWZoniBWsRvzv5bzX2pP5nh4/s4032/IMG_7349.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: georgia; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3IxZOvgvVH1Dnm-tpnP4nhlUCHYZ3Bkd0dVSdsIFlkm-Ok-MAPCwrCzHnRWL0wi_RQj5GaB22MUtF-IIRNt1nHvYDQsLibyKXLGxsn5yf14fR9FfyMTiVnrV3u70C8QtJ1dR5fTeNlBxjc4sdTYIYSn22jeisGHMcfQcWZoniBWsRvzv5bzX2pP5nh4/s320/IMG_7349.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;">I
was delighted that Carey Nieuwhof shared a presentation and then led a
breakout group. I have read many of his books and listen to his podcast. In his presentation he talked about managing energy and not our time. He encouraged us
to identify the times in the day when we are at our best and then do our most i important work during those times. Makes sense to me. He challenged everyone
present to think about how a local congregation can share a digital ministry.
He said that successful congregations in the future will see themselves as
digital organizations in a physical location.<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Once
again Church of the Resurrection provided an outstanding conference. They
provide hope for anyone in the church who has given their lives to the church.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-58044785905746825502023-10-09T12:20:00.022-05:002023-10-09T21:48:54.250-05:00The eagle is pointing towards Carleton!<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
past Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend the Carleton/St. Olaf football
game at Sullivan Field in Northfield. According to the Carleton Game Day
Program this was the 103</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">rd</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> time the two teams have met, 100</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
time as varsity programs.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgsTDzt1tl5_sKWMmNembeg8zlpv_nRP4ufC26GFFU6hkd3N7hn3z9kKhC3yVCYjv820-J2pz2SgFqmC6YCIQvK1u_htusAXNpfZWj2AFTJhmusI55quFHRmBL8C36s4f-vDuAdl6uF8H-gD3qjkkLNbrgPUG8ZP3FqZdPpvKsaXjCCmokUFhXUPq4cU/s4032/Photo%20Oct%2007%202023,%201%2052%2012%20PM.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgsTDzt1tl5_sKWMmNembeg8zlpv_nRP4ufC26GFFU6hkd3N7hn3z9kKhC3yVCYjv820-J2pz2SgFqmC6YCIQvK1u_htusAXNpfZWj2AFTJhmusI55quFHRmBL8C36s4f-vDuAdl6uF8H-gD3qjkkLNbrgPUG8ZP3FqZdPpvKsaXjCCmokUFhXUPq4cU/s320/Photo%20Oct%2007%202023,%201%2052%2012%20PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
is a big game for football players at each school. I clearly remember the four
times I participated in the Carleton/St. Olaf game. The first time was the very first time I
played college football. The game was at St. Olaf. We lost 9-0 as we had two
bad snaps on punts. The second time I was injured and watched from the sidelines. The
third time we lost at St. Olaf. In a low moment for me, I sacked the St. Olaf
quarterback. Low, you might think? After the sack I proceeded to point with disdain challenge the "manhood" of the St. Olaf sideline and their fans. Not a great act of sportsmanship.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> My best friends on the team almost killed me on the sidelines for that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">After
losing three straight times, Bob Sullivan gathered the returning players at the
end of the season. He gave us a medallion with the date, “10-19-85” on it. I
carried that medallion with me the entire year. The day of the game I taped it
to the inside of my uniform. And the game turned out splendidly. Carleton won
35-7.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
game has quite a lot of meaning.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
year St. Olaf decided to choose this game as their Homecoming. I’ve never heard
of a school choosing their rivals’ homecoming as their own homecoming. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
arrived at noon this past Saturday and immediately enjoyed the tail gate party by the parents
of the football game. Many alumni were present. The weather was beautiful
and close to four thousand people attended the game.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCtB5gLnWTiWzIWk1JgGrbC72gy5knsoqBJm2cGwdXPuxdmRAWvk83BoM7AFxAMi8elE1BeAGyoDonNvCOWd5Hn2X0c1eDry8dbp2xG7nKay4dPp-kUsGPZoZcmtMhFDgfMbd_BNVYTzopcNdPPvdZPvsYfDQQsv05eu7zdtZnf4OjyU4xNQCFgeh6gM/s2048/Photo%20Oct%2008%202023,%205%2031%2021%20PM.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkCtB5gLnWTiWzIWk1JgGrbC72gy5knsoqBJm2cGwdXPuxdmRAWvk83BoM7AFxAMi8elE1BeAGyoDonNvCOWd5Hn2X0c1eDry8dbp2xG7nKay4dPp-kUsGPZoZcmtMhFDgfMbd_BNVYTzopcNdPPvdZPvsYfDQQsv05eu7zdtZnf4OjyU4xNQCFgeh6gM/s320/Photo%20Oct%2008%202023,%205%2031%2021%20PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Carleton
got off to a terrific start. We scored on our first drive and then forced a
turnover and scored again. We missed the extra point, but that didn’t seem to
be a big deal. After the touchdown I turned to another football alum and said
that if Carleton could stop the ‘Oles on the next drive the game could be a
blow-out. But if we didn’t, the game would probably be close.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Unfortunately,
St. Olaf went on a methodical seventeen play drive to score a touchdown. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Game
on.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Carleton
led 23-10 at halftime, but I was anxious. Unless they turned the ball over St.
Olaf had proved they could score almost every time they had the ball.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
my premonition was correct. The ‘Oles went on two long, drives and eventually
took a 31-30 lead with a little less than four minutes remaining in the game. That missed extra point was important. Their
second drive took almost ten minutes of clock and went 98 yards. Ouch!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">After the Oles' touchdown, Carleton
got the ball back and dropped three passes. We punted. All St. Olaf had to do
was continue what they had done, and they would win the game. I have to admit,
I was not optimistic.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> If I had been charting the percent chance of winning at the start of that drive, I would have said St. Olaf was at eighty percent.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">St. Olaf ended up with a fourth and two with about two minutes left. If they made a
first down the game was over. They went for it. It made sense to me. But
Carleton held. And suddenly it seemed like there was a chance.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The percentages were moving towards Carleton--50/50?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Carleton
drove down the field with help by two, clutch third down conversions. Carleton’s
quarterback, Jack Curtis had ice in his veins. Carleton was left with a 30 yard
field goal to win the game. And-the-kick-was good!! Carleton was ahead.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">St.
Olaf didn’t have enough time to score and Carleton won!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3I7uNyRzkTE5JfWRRbZS2OvaI2WQTStIbI9Nu7gZtvTthRn9-4w9fQzqt4mBCuHMOIfs8wCpbMIy_ONsOSTK2jh-f7sxu_U-eRsgLWX9OatAz1zQwwvKsGK7xaq1DjNAiBIPOGORlqsKh-wBBInfpIC2bkI6T60UBnoSHknfw_O8FEQ-KCOliz937z4/s4032/Photo%20Oct%2007%202023,%204%2001%2001%20PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3I7uNyRzkTE5JfWRRbZS2OvaI2WQTStIbI9Nu7gZtvTthRn9-4w9fQzqt4mBCuHMOIfs8wCpbMIy_ONsOSTK2jh-f7sxu_U-eRsgLWX9OatAz1zQwwvKsGK7xaq1DjNAiBIPOGORlqsKh-wBBInfpIC2bkI6T60UBnoSHknfw_O8FEQ-KCOliz937z4/s320/Photo%20Oct%2007%202023,%204%2001%2001%20PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pandemonium
on the Carleton side of the stands. For the second year in a row Carleton has
beaten St. Olaf!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">St.
Olaf has a very good football team. They could play Carleton ten times and each
team might win five. But all that matters this year is Carleton 33 St. Olaf 31.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXl08_9ckhZhYpKO561Peys1ZBkJt_HtH28IerBf1MENiOtipKbTOKGGrXQscxPVNnQdHP35d2CLGVMZKqKoD_bk59yLvtOQociRC-hrYpDUyRIfaWPQmmpCINFXJR1zKD4Fr4gAKyxgOXnMGKqm2WQ4CZAmvZBZkrC6UrGSh33BTNsiRFbV7i6K6gM0/s4032/Photo%20Oct%2007%202023,%204%2006%2051%20PM.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXl08_9ckhZhYpKO561Peys1ZBkJt_HtH28IerBf1MENiOtipKbTOKGGrXQscxPVNnQdHP35d2CLGVMZKqKoD_bk59yLvtOQociRC-hrYpDUyRIfaWPQmmpCINFXJR1zKD4Fr4gAKyxgOXnMGKqm2WQ4CZAmvZBZkrC6UrGSh33BTNsiRFbV7i6K6gM0/s320/Photo%20Oct%2007%202023,%204%2006%2051%20PM.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">We
did plenty of celebrating on the field. I got to hold the goat trophy that I
had held thirty-three years earlier on the same field. Plus standing next to
Pete Machacek, my linebacker mate, with that goat trophy was very special.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">We
walked down to the town square of Northfield and turned the eagle towards Carleton—another
ritual for the winner. The eagle was already facing Carleton as won last year,
but it was turned 360 degrees.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
football alumni continued the celebration at the Armory in Northfield. We remembered the
Carleton/St. Olaf game in 1973 when Carleton broke a long losing streak against
the ‘Oles. We also lifted up a new program where anyone can make a direct donation to Carleton that will benefit the football program.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tom
Journell is an outstanding coach. He understands Carleton and the type of
football player who Carleton will recruit. He has a terrific coaching staff. The program is in very good hands.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
love Carleton football alums and players. They are some of the most fascinating people I’ll ever meet. They are intelligent and have the athletic skills to play for a Division III
team. But they also know that they will probably never play in the pros. But that doesn’t
stop any Carleton player from training as hard as they can to do their best.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Before my senior year of football, I'm guessing I trained as hard as any player in the conference. I've always shared with anyone who would listen that when I ran onto the field with a Carleton jersey on my back there was no one playing football at any level that day who wanted to win a game more than I did.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">As
I was driving back to my home on Saturday, I was musing about why these athletic games are so
important. For my entire life I’ve been playing in games and then cheering at games. Does it really make that much of a difference if the team I’m rooting for
scores more points than the opposing team? It obviously does. I'm not sure why it matters, but I can assure you that it does. I’ve
always said that all is right with the world when Carleton beats St. Olaf in
football. If you pressed me, I’m not sure I could explain why this is. What I
do know is my heart is happy that the eagle is pointing towards Carleton for
another year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-6345081414669807672023-10-04T10:58:00.013-05:002023-10-04T11:00:50.435-05:00Twins win! Twins win! Twins win!<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yesterday
I had the opportunity to go to Target Field to watch the Twins break their eighteen-game
playoff losing streak. Wow!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
decided to go to the game shortly after watching the Twins clinch the division
against the Los Angeles Angels on September 22. I wrote a blog about that
experience. After watching that game I convinced myself that I wanted to go to
a playoff game. I had never been to a playoff game before. I love going to
Target Field, so why not? I bit the bullet with purchasing overpriced tickets
and invited Hannah’s partner, Carter, and my Dad to join me.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWs5UYwzZqtrZj5T0I5c8W4BxuBCn2InY2wQDyw-uRbzxvUKiBVJWdYh3pfAvUTnuyWCXfsaQCoOeVD-oS3qtvpvvUa_tDbtbiDc3DlmF6fc7rC12Lnn3quI0Kumsv541zKVcVTTzuhaP1LXoCzbVMJ1VIApwRBSujlLdKPcgFoSeSxczl-QYnxisquc/s3088/Photo%20Oct%2003%202023,%205%2011%2030%20PM.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWs5UYwzZqtrZj5T0I5c8W4BxuBCn2InY2wQDyw-uRbzxvUKiBVJWdYh3pfAvUTnuyWCXfsaQCoOeVD-oS3qtvpvvUa_tDbtbiDc3DlmF6fc7rC12Lnn3quI0Kumsv541zKVcVTTzuhaP1LXoCzbVMJ1VIApwRBSujlLdKPcgFoSeSxczl-QYnxisquc/s320/Photo%20Oct%2003%202023,%205%2011%2030%20PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
if you’re wondering about the tickets being overpriced--$131 for a seat in the
left field corner? I found out at the game that these seats were being sold for
$34 yesterday morning.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tickets in that
same section are being sold for today’s game for $70 a seat.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
not trying to throw cold-water on the experience. The value I received in
attending the game far surpassed the cost.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Before
the game the big question was whether Royce Lewis was going to play. He was
injured on September 19 in a game against Cincinnati. His personality and baseball
skills have led many to believe he is a superstar in the making. His joy in playing
the game is contagious. It has to be contagious with other Twins’ players. I
remember the joy of Kirby Puckett when he played in the late 1980’s and early
1990s. Royce Lewis has the same “it” that Kirby did.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fortunately
Royce was able to DH yesterday.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDj9LaWT8iXSZMUj5XRC1p_pWn0-UbPyxIZGuvTxrqQFuM9dYYjP4x5OdZSOSsWO-Xb4F9Rk1qTz5OQv6P4OuKMt0mWXOPZKMySA9T0ByQGzedPy2oeADR-wGGUBQIO6lIAryjV9FEf7sFf6Vx_sXv1ynr4P-J0StK_hY8K4lInBUXmAQRuHqtWyjoTs/s4032/Photo%20Oct%2003%202023,%202%2051%2013%20PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDj9LaWT8iXSZMUj5XRC1p_pWn0-UbPyxIZGuvTxrqQFuM9dYYjP4x5OdZSOSsWO-Xb4F9Rk1qTz5OQv6P4OuKMt0mWXOPZKMySA9T0ByQGzedPy2oeADR-wGGUBQIO6lIAryjV9FEf7sFf6Vx_sXv1ynr4P-J0StK_hY8K4lInBUXmAQRuHqtWyjoTs/s320/Photo%20Oct%2003%202023,%202%2051%2013%20PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">We
got to our seats early as I wanted to ensure we could find parking and give my
Dad enough time to walk to his seat. The ballpark had many empty seats at 2:51. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But when Pablo Lopez threw his first pitch at 3:40pm, Target Field was almost
full.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXK2zXj9gqqpSwqJrGhffv4lEP7EO2DIpX0xVstYKN0W-P2sUyhXqBNq-QSpsXJKbnIXMEn1HiqJw-OvAl34n-bOtW0MQeSBlLT7fbmGGUsDijLyyPCkWPGVXUjnQVK3INk5ZbuPo5Mbnz3NtjrWaeai_cwgLHBLyiLXxD951ut7qHG3XiS6UC0EMmyaA/s4032/Photo%20Oct%2003%202023,%203%2040%2013%20PM.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXK2zXj9gqqpSwqJrGhffv4lEP7EO2DIpX0xVstYKN0W-P2sUyhXqBNq-QSpsXJKbnIXMEn1HiqJw-OvAl34n-bOtW0MQeSBlLT7fbmGGUsDijLyyPCkWPGVXUjnQVK3INk5ZbuPo5Mbnz3NtjrWaeai_cwgLHBLyiLXxD951ut7qHG3XiS6UC0EMmyaA/s320/Photo%20Oct%2003%202023,%203%2040%2013%20PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
fans were immediately into the game. Every two-strike count on a Blue Jay
brought us to our feet. Every pitch seemed to sway our enthusiasm. Many fans of
the Blue Jays were in attendance. In fact Carter sat next to two Blue Jays’
fans—who were conversational and respectful. The fans were cheering and booing
and yelling chants. I can’t say I was in favor of the “USA” chant. I love our
country as next to anyone, but I didn’t see this game as a USA versus Canada
contest.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
think breaking the Twins’ eighteen-game playoff losing streak captured the fans
imagination. We wanted to see a victory. It’s hard to believe that the Twins
had bumbled to that many playoff losses in a row. It seems almost comparable to
the Vikings’ four Super Bowl losses. And it fit the mantra of a Minnesota
Sports’ fan—which I identify myself. Our sports teams let us down in big
moments.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">However
on occasion someone steps up to break through. This happened when Royce Lewis
came to bat in the first inning. Edouard Julien was on base. He blasted a
fastball into the left field bleachers. The Twins were ahead. This playoff game
seemed different.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
then in the third inning he came to bat with no one on base. A high, looping
fly ball to right center. And AGAIN! Homerun! Carter and I looked at each other
for about thirty seconds with a “I can’t believe what I just saw” look on our
faces. We were cheering our heads off.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Without
Royce Lewis, I don’t think the Twins would have won. Royce had two hits; the
rest of the team had three. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
Twins were outstanding in defense and pitching. Michael Taylor had one diving
catch, and one leaping catch with two runners on; Carlos Correa made a
brilliant throw to home to save a run. The bullpen was rock solid. I questioned
why Griffin Jax was pitching in the eighth and when his first pitch turned into
a double for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., I was convinced that doom was coming. But
he settled down and was superb. Jhoan Duran didn’t even make us sweat much in
the ninth.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Twins
win; Twins win; Twins win!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
walk out of the ballpark was unforgettable. Many fans, including me, were high
fiving each other. I’m guessing I shared at least 25 of these celebrations. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKUck8kTYg2H_-v1hFWfqNmcRAKrN6yM3xkwMNwM_vhv_JT-VH4Y4GsszWm11kBDHNR8pATFeh32TeTkn7aNw8M45MRsUM9F83JUbWEhvaYxfu3Nnm4cw0Ue6yWKTbb2GH4HhWh7egsFCKHfeasE6Fh1VHIdhRNhavN6iSRO27RWfguARGiCISQHQDFI/s4032/Photo%20Oct%2003%202023,%204%2004%2025%20PM.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKUck8kTYg2H_-v1hFWfqNmcRAKrN6yM3xkwMNwM_vhv_JT-VH4Y4GsszWm11kBDHNR8pATFeh32TeTkn7aNw8M45MRsUM9F83JUbWEhvaYxfu3Nnm4cw0Ue6yWKTbb2GH4HhWh7egsFCKHfeasE6Fh1VHIdhRNhavN6iSRO27RWfguARGiCISQHQDFI/s320/Photo%20Oct%2003%202023,%204%2004%2025%20PM.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
remember the 1987 playoff run of the Twins. We only won 85 games that year. But
something special happened in the first round of the playoffs against the
Tigers. It was like we captured magic in a bottle. The fans were very loud in
the Metrodome and waved their white homer hankeys with joy. This was the feeling
yesterday. We were very loud and waving our red homer hankeys with joy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Tom
Kelly said that momentum in baseball is only as good as your next starting
pitcher, so this could all look different in twenty-four hours.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But
yesterday felt like the start of something …<o:p></o:p></span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-66345621574460158052023-09-25T16:12:00.017-05:002023-09-25T16:24:35.044-05:00The Twins are in the playoffs, and I got to see the clinching game!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KMKtsgBsXB4yYnxl17gqygD60Bp1l6E4lAu20lYX48wMzbl4R0p6P7w-wH1qCKJLlK1EPjZD2EYtMRg6sj4xbqVpa3zPZZDUT08TmhbKvdwhHGrJfps3TmeBpuiyJoS8A-_kTzFSBq-czZyvPPyFRWYwM86Esq0iailcInd3370RWB02_etwSqlypOA/s656/twins%20win!.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="656" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KMKtsgBsXB4yYnxl17gqygD60Bp1l6E4lAu20lYX48wMzbl4R0p6P7w-wH1qCKJLlK1EPjZD2EYtMRg6sj4xbqVpa3zPZZDUT08TmhbKvdwhHGrJfps3TmeBpuiyJoS8A-_kTzFSBq-czZyvPPyFRWYwM86Esq0iailcInd3370RWB02_etwSqlypOA/s320/twins%20win!.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
past Friday I had the opportunity to watch with my wife, Amy, the Twins clinch
the Division Championship. I’ve never had the opportunity to see the Twins win
a clinching game. Since I moved to Blaine in 2009, the Twins have won four Division
titles, but I’ve never been present to see it happen.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve
probably gone to almost a hundred games since they started playing at Target
Field in 2009. Target Field is a place where Amy and I decompress from life and
enjoy the beauty of that space.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
a long-time Twins fan—just as I root for the other professional teams from Minnesota.
The Twins haven’t caused me the pain that the Vikings have. (read past blogs about the Vikings) The Twins' two World
Championships in 1987 and 1991 have helped with that. I can still remember
where I was for the seventh game of each of those series. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Before
the start of this season my personal goal for the Twins was to win one playoff
game. Enough of this </span>eighteen-game<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> playoff streak of losses. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
last few years of watching the Twins have been frustrating. Last year’s September
collapse didn’t sit well and their mediocre play during the first part of this
season didn’t help either. The over-reliance on analytics, the early hook given
to their starting pitchers, and the strange starting line-ups have made me
question Rocco Baldelli. I can’t say I was really an over-the-top fan for the first part of the season. I’ve
gone to less than five games this year at Target Field.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But
something changed in my attitude. I’m not sure what it was. Maybe it was being
awed by Royce Lewis, or impressed with Alex Kirillof, Edouard Julien, Matt
Wallner and Jhoan Duran. The Twins seemed younger and more interesting than in
the past.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> They developed a mojo after the All-Star break.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Being
used to collapses by Minnesota sports teams, I’ve been waiting for the Twins' collapse.
But they haven’t. The Guardians got within five games on September 3 and seemed
ready to pounce when the Twins went to Cleveland for a three-game series. But
Minnesota won the first game 20-6 and won the second game too. The Twins won my
respect.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
I get it, the Twins play in the worst Division in baseball and would not be
assured of a playoff berth if they were in the other two American League
divisions. But this isn’t the fault of the Twins.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
week I was hoping the Guardians would win enough games, so the game on Friday
would be the clincher. And when I opened the newspaper on Friday morning, to
learn this had happened, I told Amy we had to go to Target Field.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">So
there we were buying tickets from the box office at 6:45pm on Friday night.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> And the cost of the two tickets wasn't that bad--$25 a ticket. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
atmosphere of the game on Friday was much different than other games I’ve attended.
This crowd was much more into the game. This wasn’t a game to walk around
Target Field and enjoy the atmosphere. This was a game to sit in our seats and
focus on each pitch.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
Angels didn’t provide too much resistance as without Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani
they have a team with no names that I recognize. When the Twins took an early
lead, it seemed like the game might be a laugher. But the Angels tied up the
game in the fifth. For one inning I was nervous. Could this be the first loss
of a ten-game losing streak and one of the greatest collapses in baseball
history? Alex Kirillof made me feel better with a homerun and more insurance
runs made the score 8-3 after seven innings. Even after the Angels scored two
in the eighth a win seemed a certainty. With Jhoan Duran pitching the ninth, we
had no reason to be worried. Right?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Well
… Duran was wild and all of a sudden, the tying run was on second. With two outs
I started taking a video of each pitch hoping that I would capture the final
out on my phone. But Zach Neto walked on seven pitches and Brandon Drury worked the count to two and two. That’s eleven pitches and eleven videos.
Finally, Drury hit a ground ball to Edouard Julien who threw him out, and the
fireworks started. The twelfth video was the magic one.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Check out the video on my Facebook page.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Most
importantly the Twins are Division champions!</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Amy
and I stayed for about a half hour to watch the celebration on the field. We
listened to the on-field interviews. We made it back to our car and waited for
about a half hour to leave the parking ramp. But we had the radio on and
listened to many more interviews.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Despite
my criticism of Baldelli, I think it’s very cool that he and his wife became
parents of twins earlier this month. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s
hard not to think ahead and wonder if Pablo Lopez and Sonny Gray can carry us
to the promise land like Bert Blyleven and Frank Viola did in 1987. Joe Ryan or
Kenta Maeda could start too. It’s possible the Twins could capture the
imagination of the Twin Cities and go on a playoff run. You’re telling me there
are more chances!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
trying to figure out how to get to the first home playoff game. I do believe in
miracles. It might not be a miracle that the Twins won the Division, but it’s
worth taking a breath and singing their “We’re going to win Twins” song. Who knows what could happen in the next five weeks?<o:p></o:p></span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-39647675960039460332023-09-11T13:31:00.003-05:002023-09-11T13:31:57.585-05:00Never Forget<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-hH26CSzv4kTj-IvhahL28CdJcdUd6M_WyLExVOc_PiDX2duMm4HM38JWjzXmNZ1eLUcYehXFzRaq-ixTlAHGhZ4TM0SpItmgsFvgkf9py8MEhAFxMlTv3WkUNiUiugSSXOnfDLxjDciMhUzlixBhyiEnzEKRaMYKZx7khJUxNX7pUIQ5UGj5mWCL68/s620/logo%20(1).webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="620" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin-hH26CSzv4kTj-IvhahL28CdJcdUd6M_WyLExVOc_PiDX2duMm4HM38JWjzXmNZ1eLUcYehXFzRaq-ixTlAHGhZ4TM0SpItmgsFvgkf9py8MEhAFxMlTv3WkUNiUiugSSXOnfDLxjDciMhUzlixBhyiEnzEKRaMYKZx7khJUxNX7pUIQ5UGj5mWCL68/s320/logo%20(1).webp" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today
is the 22<sup>nd</sup> time that we remember the tragedy of
911. And we're called to never forget. That day was a 911 call to our spirits that each of us is still answering.
Almost three thousand people were killed that day when hijackers took over four
airplanes. Two airplanes were crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City,
one was crashed into the Pentagon, and another was crashed into a field in Pennsylvania
when the crew took over that plane from hijackers who were planning on crashing
it into the White House.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
will never forget the many different emotions of the day. I’ll remember
receiving a call from my wife, Amy, who cried out on the phone that we were
being attacked; I’ll remember going over to my pastor friend, Chuck Coggins and
telling him that we needed to organize a community-wide worship service; I
remember going over to my pastor friend, Father Don Connelly and gingerly
telling him that we were going to hold the community-wide worship service in
the sanctuary of the Catholic church that he served; I remember watching with
those two the collapse of the second tower. As soon as it happened, I remember Chuck
Coggins saying, “a lot of people just died.” I remember the beautiful worship
service that was held that night in the Catholic church in Plainview. All the
pastors from town were asked to speak. We did so from our hearts.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
will never forget the ultimate sacrifice that 343 firefighters, 72 law
enforcement officers and 55 military personnel made that day.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
I won’t forget the unity that existed in the United States shortly after this
horrible event.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
had the opportunity to live in New York City for three years while I attended
seminary. When people came to visit me, I often took them to the World Trade
Center. I was at the top of one of the Twin Towers many times.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My
wife, Amy, and I visited New York City after 911 and went to the hallowed
grounds where the tragedies happened. I could hardly talk while I was there.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Last
night I watched a show on the National Geographic station about the story of
many planes landing almost back-to-back in the tiny town of Gander in Newfoundland.
The intelligence of the air traffic controllers and the pilots who worked
together to land all those planes safely was amazing.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
stories of heroism on September 11 are ones that we must keep passing on. I see
my daughter, Hannah, and her partner, Carter, and am amazed that they were less
than a year old when this tragic day took place. It’s important for me to share
the stories of that day with them.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">But
I also realize that it’s hard to appreciate the gravity of the day for someone
who didn’t experience it. When I was growing up I was often told about Pearl </span>Harbor Day<span style="font-size: 12pt;">—the day, of course, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Many
people were killed on that day—2,403 military personnel and 68 civilians. And I
always had respect for that day and respect for what happened. But not being
alive on December 7, 1941 made my tribute different. I relate in a different
way to September 11 because I was alive and remember the events of the day as
they happened.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">An
unfortunate reality of the human condition is that violence begets violence.
Our country responded by pulling together a coalition that invaded Afghanistan.
Ultimately 2,402 military personnel were killed in that war. The United States
pulled out of Afghanistan within the past year and shortly afterwards the
Taliban regained power. The United States authorized the military raid that
killed Osama Bin Lade almost ten years after the 911 attack. The United States
invaded Iraq and captured Saddam Hussein in December 13, 2003. He was executed
three years later.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
am a pacificist, so I believe that war is rarely an answer to the problems of
our day.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">However
on this day it’s important to unite with all of our neighbors to remember what
happened and to share the stories of that day with others. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“If
we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there
is no time for hate.” —Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">All
statistical information in this blog was taken from Wikipedia sites.</span></i></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-77343850150995294802023-09-04T19:03:00.023-05:002023-09-05T07:09:39.295-05:00Thoughts on my pastoral vocation<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">During
the past week Alexander Lang wrote a blog that shared why he left the church he
was serving, First Presbyterian Church in Arlington Heights Illinois. The link
is here: </span><a href="https://www.restorativefaith.org/post/departure-why-i-left-the-church?fbclid=IwAR2Vmpsq1c93i-J5jvzJS9QhzX4nV6YlFKfuMCQk0MiuUdtRgYDUg3QwOFg">Departure:
Why I Left the Church (restorativefaith.org)</a> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not only did he leave that congregation,
he left the profession of being a pastor. He put a link to the blog on Facebook, and it has spread like
wildfire. Over a hundred people have made comments on it, and the article has
been shared almost two thousand times. Alexander Lang wrote that he was shocked that his blog spread so rapidly as usually
seventy people reads his posts. I know the feeling! That's about how many read my blog each week.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Many people have written their own blogs about their thoughts
regarding their pastoral calling. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here’s
mine.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It's important for me to share that I
have the greatest sympathy for Alexander Lang and whoever else has resigned as
a pastor in a difficult situation. I have no judgment for pastors who have left
the profession. This is a hard job.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
write as a person who has served as a Presbyterian pastor for thirty years.
Plus my wife, Amy, has been the Administrator of two Catholic churches. Our
life is “all church, all the time.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A key part of my vocational identity is my calling. I
wasn’t planning on being a pastor—though it was always a part of my thought
process. When I graduated from college I was interested in being a teacher,
lawyer, or pastor. Through my work for the farm workers in California I came to
believe that the world couldn’t be changed unless the church was advocating for
change. I was fired up for social justice! Later I became fired up for helping
people develop their own personal faith. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Because of these experiences I developed a clear desire to create a church that is passionate
about social justice and personal faith.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
did have a moment when I considered going into community organizing for my
career. But when I was wrestling about whether to go to take a community
organizing job or go to seminary, I felt a clear direction from God that God
wanted me to go to seminary.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
still remember the moment. It's an important part of my story and vocation. As I was driving to my home in Worthington,
Minnesota the question came to me, “where do I want to be in five years?” The
answer was “the church.” This answer came from nowhere. Once it came I felt a
peace that I had hardly ever experienced. I took it as a calling from God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
sure enough five years later I was installed as pastor of Community Presbyterian
Church in Plainview, Minnesota.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
served that church for 16 years and have served Chain of Lakes for 14 years. I
have no plans on going anywhere else or changing professions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
don’t think that being a pastor is necessarily harder than other professions,
but it has its unique challenges. In his blog Alexander Lang wrote about seven skill set of
a pastor. He said they are: </span><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Professional Speaker, CEO,
Counselor, Fundraiser, Human Resources Director, Master of Ceremonies, Pillar
of Virtue. I can’t disagree with any of these. Other skill sets needed are
vision caster, conflict management expert, teacher, and organizational development
manager. And there are probably others.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lang wrote about the Great Resignation. Barna did a poll of pastors
that said 42 percent of pastors has considered resigning.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m not part of that 42 percent. I have a deep passion for the
work we are doing at Chain of Lakes. I love our Purpose, I love our Core Values—I
think of our Purpose and Core Values as our culture. I love the people have
come to the church and have bought into this culture. I’m still sold out to it.
I can’t imagine leaving.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Like all pastors I have experienced conflict in both
congregations. The worst was in Plainview. Our daughter was conceived when I
was engaged to be married. When this news was shared two families in that
church went around the church trying to stir up a reaction against me. I found
out about this when I came home at 2am after driving from Denver on an exhausting
mission trip. I opened the door and a letter from them fell at my feet. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">That was painful. I endured
many meetings about how the congregation would respond. Those two families left the church. I stayed at the congregation for nine years after this happened.. I never would
have wished or prayed for that to happen. But the congregation turned out
stronger because of the honest conversations we had. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">When I came to Chain of Lakes I was adamant that one of our Core
Values was “Healthy Disagreement.” I expect that disagreement will happen. I
don’t like disagreement, and I don’t look for it. But it inevitably happens. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve found that frequently talking about this Core Value helps. People at Chain of Lakes have permission—though
they don’t need it—to disagree. Our Core Value takes the steam way from the
inevitable disagreements that come up. </span><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">One phrase that I use often with our staff and leaders is “everyone
is responsible for their own emotions.” I have a hard enough time managing my
own emotions. My task is not to manage others’ emotions. If someone is mad,
that is their issue. I’ll talk to them, but I’m not going to take on their
anger. I frequently have someone who is mad or upset with me. Sometimes the
person might even be justified. But I don’t take on their anger.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Is this easy? No. But I could not serve as a pastor if I took on
every person’s emotional reaction.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I know that I could not have lasted as a pastor without my prayer life. I never thought that I would be such an advocate for prayer. But I am.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I pray
for at least a half hour every work day. I pray over everything in my life—my calling,
my family, situations at the church, the world. And I’m almost always find
myself in a better place than when I started. My worst time of the day is when
I wake up and I feel the anxieties of the day. The best time of my day is 45
minutes later after I’ve showered and prayed. I’m ready.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I certainly don’t believe that the answer to any pastor’s
challenges at work is to just pray. But I do know that my own prayer life has
sustained me for thirty years.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">One other great help in my own ministry is the Serenity Prayer.
I shared a sermon series this past spring on the Serenity Prayer that can be
found at colpres.org. I do my best to focus on what I can control. When I
obsess about what I can’t control, then I’m set up for trouble.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the Purpose Statement at Chain of Lakes we say that we want
to follow God’s calling to be an authentic, Christian community. I see my task as
a pastor to be myself. No secrets, no unrealistic expectations, no putting on airs.
If I can be the best version of Paul Moore that God wants, then I’ll be fine.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This past weekend I had the privilege of officiating the wedding
of Kyle and Hannah Kuznia. I got to know them through a friend. They had
already done their pre-marital counseling, so my job was to help them design and
lead a wedding service. I met with them earlier this year and enjoyed getting
to know their story. We planned the service that night. This past Friday I
drove over to Stillwater to lead a rehearsal. I had so much fun getting to know
their families and talking to people. Yesterday afternoon I drove to New Prague
to officiate the service. Again—a very meaningful experience. It took me away
from my family for two nights, and I had asked my wife, Amy, beforehand if she
was okay with me leading this service. Having the opportunity to help these two
people at a significant time in their life was meaningful to me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #2f2e2e; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have great sympathy for Alexander Lang and the pain he has
experienced. But I also know that being a pastor is one of the best jobs in the
world. I truly believe that. And I’m as excited to go to work tomorrow as I was
when I started.</span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-4501758969884537052023-08-28T11:51:00.014-05:002023-08-28T12:01:49.850-05:00I love Rotary, and I got a hole-in-one at their golf tournament last week!!!<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkieLlxdJjntdK5ETRHz3f5kP6U6SQH_j4kAlvXq3aNuAm_O0aXYAzRbbAT9aUp8xiaAvS84zcVTKTCXwU7lf1u7Ks4W6laG_-ENi8wznoLuRSz-4eqgnRZixPqRmYXkPeikCqr02dg3cqIiT5st0sPWnZq37sMyGe3A-YvAtJSPf3wdxLgdebpMTYzw/s4032/Photo%20Aug%2024%202023,%205%2046%2023%20PM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkieLlxdJjntdK5ETRHz3f5kP6U6SQH_j4kAlvXq3aNuAm_O0aXYAzRbbAT9aUp8xiaAvS84zcVTKTCXwU7lf1u7Ks4W6laG_-ENi8wznoLuRSz-4eqgnRZixPqRmYXkPeikCqr02dg3cqIiT5st0sPWnZq37sMyGe3A-YvAtJSPf3wdxLgdebpMTYzw/s320/Photo%20Aug%2024%202023,%205%2046%2023%20PM.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve
been part of Rotary for a long time. I don’t have the specific year that I
joined. But I remember Newell Krogmann encouraging me to get involved with a
local service club. I was still relatively new to Blaine and wanting to learn
more about the community. Joining a service club made sense. I remember when I
was growing up learning more about Kiwannis. One of the singing groups in which
I was in sang for them every year. They provided chaperones for our local Prom
because one year a student was in a terrible car accident. They stepped up to
help.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
didn’t know anything about Rotary when I came. They met every week at the Clubhouse
of the Tournament Player’s Championship golf course. I still remember my first
meeting. About twenty-five people attended—a mix of men and women. They
provided a free breakfast and a speaker who talked about something in the
community. I don’t remember who the speaker was, but I remember that the topic
was interesting.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">So
I started attending every Wednesday. Eventually I joined. The dues weren’t bad—about
$800 a year. I got a free breakfast from my dues. I thought to myself, “I have
to eat breakfast somewhere. Why not do it with other people who want to serve
the community?”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our
local Rotary club does quite a lot of service project. Since I’ve joined I can
remember passing out dictionaries in the local elementary schools; helping HOPE
4 Youth and Stepping Stone; picking up trash on the side of the road;
supporting a partnership in Guatemala; and providing mentors in a youth program
called Strive.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Two
years ago I was asked if I would serve as the President of our local club. The
timing wasn’t great for me as our congregation was moving into our new
building. But I’ve always believed that we don’t always get to choose when we
serve. So I said, “yes.” The tasks didn’t take an extra amount of time. I wrote
an email once a week, helped lead the meetings on Wednesday, and led a Board
meeting once a month. I was really pleased that during the year I arranged for
our Club to do some strategic planning. This worked out very well. Our club reorganized
our committees and set some objectives.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Every
year our local Rotary club puts on a fundraising golf tournament. It’s a best
ball tournament at the Refuge golf club. It’s the only fundraiser that our club
does. It makes over $40,000. In the past year that money has been given to a
large number of groups in the community. Groups who have received money are
Achieve Services, Alexandra Houses, bikes for Kids, Blaine Police Explorers, the
Miracle League, HOPE 4 Youth, Stepping Stone, the Jim Smith Foundation, Lee
Carlson Center, MNAdopt, Reel Hope Project, the Anoka Hennepin Educational
Foundation, the Spring Lake Park Education Foundation and HOPE for the community.
I’m sure I’m missing some organization who have received funding in that list.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
think this is a very impressive array of groups who have bene helped by the
golf tournament.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Last
Thursday I was golfing at the tournament. It’s a best-ball tournament with four
people on each team. I’ve recruited the same team for a number of years—John Carney,
John Altrichter, and my wife, Amy. We golfed fairly well—we ended up at twelve
under.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our
last hole of the day was #14. It is 167 yards. I pulled out my four iron and
hit my shot. It was a good shot. I knew that it had landed on the green and was
near the hole. Because it was late in the day the shadows didn’t let me see
where the ball finally rested. Someone was near the hole and started shouting
that the ball was in the hole. That couldn’t be as that would be a hole-in-one.
And I’m not a good enough golfer to hit a hole-in-one.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">So
I started walking towards the hole before everyone on the team had completed
their shot. I needed to see for myself what I was hearing. I got to the green
and didn’t see the ball. The person who was shouting told me I had a hole-in-one.
Really? I walked to the hole and there was my yellow ball in the hole. It was a
hole-in-one.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
couldn’t help taking a picture, which is on the top of this blog post.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Wow.
This had never happened to me before. I am not convinced it will ever happen
again. The four of us celebrated on the hole and went to the clubhouse. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_y5iEK8fdHBR418-bm_w96tdxmVJFbcZOLIX4M3LTmsk8BVhHKjtIwAHUMFNs6Qj-TmLLdSSg6YQk3POudNpwavzcRECNW4rAV8L4MIcZqoQS9JBW8vlccPs-GkiupTb4-3nEAB1CYfidM6pW__jlLUhGu11vZPpm6i888oCz7zm9J3EDzFP0dGzHico/s4032/Photo%20Aug%2024%202023,%205%2046%2052%20PM.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_y5iEK8fdHBR418-bm_w96tdxmVJFbcZOLIX4M3LTmsk8BVhHKjtIwAHUMFNs6Qj-TmLLdSSg6YQk3POudNpwavzcRECNW4rAV8L4MIcZqoQS9JBW8vlccPs-GkiupTb4-3nEAB1CYfidM6pW__jlLUhGu11vZPpm6i888oCz7zm9J3EDzFP0dGzHico/s320/Photo%20Aug%2024%202023,%205%2046%2052%20PM.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It
was a blast telling everyone that I had a hole-in-one and then taking some pictures. Everybody had basically
the same response. Their face had the look of “are you kidding me?” </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I
discovered that getting a hole-in-one is like telling people that you’ve had a
baby. Everyone is happy for you and is ready to slap you on the back. </span></p></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">I did some research and discovered that According to the National Hole-in-One Registry, the odds of the average golfer making a hole-in-one are 12,500 to 1. The odds of a PGA tour player making an ace are 3,000 to 1; a low handicapper is 5,000 to 1. I don’t golf enough to have a handicap, but I’m happy to break fifty for nine holes. I did have another birdie at the tournament.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSriZe-bxogsfbRoDXxM0Ru6GFYTvC_8KhwiqmOycQQdIWJ4QkM0y3i26klvIYNlBMbKQGMEZbM9QW7EE7FylGf6GkmZBSmWdPNGAg2U0DvYCVkBffB-uOJIUwcMPx5sGyYJhWAQi_ERlldqGDtWuiS18nMVlKLkD-YiydhwUf_xwRuMgRno0deACKJpA/s4032/Photo%20Aug%2024%202023,%206%2013%2004%20PM.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSriZe-bxogsfbRoDXxM0Ru6GFYTvC_8KhwiqmOycQQdIWJ4QkM0y3i26klvIYNlBMbKQGMEZbM9QW7EE7FylGf6GkmZBSmWdPNGAg2U0DvYCVkBffB-uOJIUwcMPx5sGyYJhWAQi_ERlldqGDtWuiS18nMVlKLkD-YiydhwUf_xwRuMgRno0deACKJpA/s320/Photo%20Aug%2024%202023,%206%2013%2004%20PM.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">More interesting statistics. The average years of playing golf for a player before making an ace is 24. Tiger Woods has had twenty aces in his lifetime.</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I don’t know what I’ll do with my golf ball that landed in the hole, but I’ll figure something out.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I am not a good golfer, so I don’t anticipate every getting another hole-in-one. Though the shot I hit was a good shot, I was completely lucky that it went in the hole. However I'll never forget that shot and that it happened at the Rotary golf tournament.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARM_tqA2Hkf5571w65FwTTkBBHMCoNAo1WtjxRew_UhrbFicMow4fd99L-EIbV2kDPySdx6CzugOZS3PEtUvH6rt_31WxYMVJ4TtBJrl2T14ouniL7CNxpTUBZLO6bSyO9NqothKE5Ds0UA3SFhmeoSS1PlPzcBR6v612qDULrI6naEaxg59431lYxy8/s4032/Photo%20Aug%2024%202023,%206%2027%2057%20PM.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARM_tqA2Hkf5571w65FwTTkBBHMCoNAo1WtjxRew_UhrbFicMow4fd99L-EIbV2kDPySdx6CzugOZS3PEtUvH6rt_31WxYMVJ4TtBJrl2T14ouniL7CNxpTUBZLO6bSyO9NqothKE5Ds0UA3SFhmeoSS1PlPzcBR6v612qDULrI6naEaxg59431lYxy8/s320/Photo%20Aug%2024%202023,%206%2027%2057%20PM.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-43319028724821257992023-08-14T14:37:00.021-05:002023-08-15T08:50:00.590-05:00I live in a two-church family. This is how it works<p><span style="font-family: times;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxAlYILvmoXpAGkZz2hT0rKFVJ4aclEvERN7u9uNR9DgMmTpr2yVU8Y2hg8WSOE8RFjj8Y_8TWtuM1io2Aipe2Jxn5qlcOOOQR7tY7TTGsmeDbkg0VyDgJ9jx1U6ycUVUiTZReD1EGqs6CLhLqtvSGJcSAhsguN89ntmp45r594_g7U6_GAKFKnqKlKI/s1296/blog%20august%2014%202023.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1296" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxAlYILvmoXpAGkZz2hT0rKFVJ4aclEvERN7u9uNR9DgMmTpr2yVU8Y2hg8WSOE8RFjj8Y_8TWtuM1io2Aipe2Jxn5qlcOOOQR7tY7TTGsmeDbkg0VyDgJ9jx1U6ycUVUiTZReD1EGqs6CLhLqtvSGJcSAhsguN89ntmp45r594_g7U6_GAKFKnqKlKI/s320/blog%20august%2014%202023.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /><span>This
past weekend I had the opportunity to volunteer at the annual Festival that St.
Joseph of the Lakes Catholic church shares every year during the second full weekend of August.
This is a big deal in our household as my wife, Amy, chaired the team that ran
the Festival. The team that coordinates the Festival works very hard—and once again provided terrific leadership. They had a challenging year in their planning. Their main musical act on Saturday
night, GB Leighton, had to pull out for health reasons; they weren’t sure at certain
moments if they could have fireworks and even last week the City of Lino Lakes
hadn’t issued a liquor license. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9hVUlrtfWsOU8jRuNQ6VbsOe0vbD6rsdV0Wat1QX7SRU_EMZcCbGS5iV_C8GIryxwhcpNO_lzO1yjuANTnBqjMqrhL50fF8pk1CWHQUJra90JfQ21pbnsQPiNxl1EvQJWPDykPlais-Q7Fr0bHp0HJDOxdtFEvyBloLpOsJBeosij6t5PD0P9YFeUkg/s4032/Photo%20Aug%2013%202023,%201%2031%2051%20PM.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9hVUlrtfWsOU8jRuNQ6VbsOe0vbD6rsdV0Wat1QX7SRU_EMZcCbGS5iV_C8GIryxwhcpNO_lzO1yjuANTnBqjMqrhL50fF8pk1CWHQUJra90JfQ21pbnsQPiNxl1EvQJWPDykPlais-Q7Fr0bHp0HJDOxdtFEvyBloLpOsJBeosij6t5PD0P9YFeUkg/s320/Photo%20Aug%2013%202023,%201%2031%2051%20PM.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span>Just getting such a parish of thousands of
families to be on the same page regarding the purpose of this event is not
always easy. </span><span> </span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">I
helped out at the Pull Tab stand on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. I
led outdoor worship at Chain of Lakes on Sunday morning and then went over to
St. Joe’s for the afternoon. I even missed the Chain of Lakes golf tournament
that took place on Sunday, so I could be at the Festival.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbnx1RerjlLEpLsBIqB5Vk24FSnSWWKUrlPnCtj4uilKtUZrK-_ybfp0cwreaRkwF3C4u9kV3Zfi0ODqIL0sOnOkxhT0zSHw9r0Prj65HBicgc-THWPE5ehW8emeBRYWgK-lYFr3JZHv-de1M9-mEPPQUGfyoJIMgI-AQzz3TjtU5B_yj06xZImJ9rMA/s4032/Photo%20Aug%2013%202023,%201%2031%2037%20PM.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbnx1RerjlLEpLsBIqB5Vk24FSnSWWKUrlPnCtj4uilKtUZrK-_ybfp0cwreaRkwF3C4u9kV3Zfi0ODqIL0sOnOkxhT0zSHw9r0Prj65HBicgc-THWPE5ehW8emeBRYWgK-lYFr3JZHv-de1M9-mEPPQUGfyoJIMgI-AQzz3TjtU5B_yj06xZImJ9rMA/s320/Photo%20Aug%2013%202023,%201%2031%2037%20PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;">Hundreds of people attend the Festival. When I drove over to the church early Sunday afternoon the parking lot was full.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">Ever
since Amy and I met we have been a two-church family. During our very first
phone conversation, Amy asked me about my profession. “I’m the pastor of the
Presbyterian church in Plainview,” I said. “Well that’s interesting,” she
replied.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">And
indeed it has been “interesting.” Not “interesting” in a passive-aggressive way. Instead “interesting” in that it is truly “interesting”
to learn and participate in a different faith tradition.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">Amy
and I are both religious professionals. I've been a pastor since being ordained in 1993. When I first met Amy she was the
Administrator at a Real Estate company in Rochester. She then got her Masters in Servant
Leadership. And when the Administrator position of the Catholic church where we
attended became open, she applied and got the job. When we moved to Blaine, a similar
position became open at St. Joseph of the Lakes. She got the job.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">I
participate at St. Joseph’s of the Lakes. I am on the schedule to be the Cantor
at their Saturday afternoon Mass; I volunteer my time on occasion; and I’ve
gotten to know many of the families who attend. I even received a volunteer
appreciation certificate from the congregation. When I received it, I thought that I
might be the only Presbyterian pastor in the country who has a volunteer
appreciation certificate from the local Catholic church.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">Amy
participates at Chain of Lakes even more than I participate at St. Joseph’s of the Lakes.
She attends worship at Chain of Lakes almost every Sunday. She led the Praise
Band when we were in between staff people and currently sings in the Band.
She participates in small groups and serves.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;"><span>Our
faith brings us together—it is the foundation of our relationship. We don’t
look at St. Joseph’s of the Lakes as her congregation or Chain of Lakes as my
congregation. We see them as unique places where each community of people is living into the call
that God is sharing with them. Amy and I want to see each congregation succeed in an extravagant way. </span><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">It's not like Amy is Catholic, and I'm Presbyterian. Instead we're followers of Jesus who travel on this journey together. Our identity is formed in an expansive faith that is not divided by labels.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">What
had made our two-church relationship work is each of us wants to participate. We don't participate out of obligation. I want to participate
in the choir at St. Joseph’s of the Lakes. I don’t need to be reminded by Amy
to sign up for a date to cantor. Amy wants to be in worship at Chain of Lakes.
I never have to ask her if she is attending worship. She values the friendships she has made. She wants to see people of the congregation.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">Amy
and I have almost identical beliefs about God and the church. Sometimes we’ll
discover that we look at an idea differently—but not often.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">Our
daughter, Hannah, has participated in both congregations and is certainly a
better person because of this. She has been surrounded her entire
life by adults who care for her. It doesn’t matter if these adults attend the
Catholic church or the Presbyterian church. What matters is she
learned that adults care for her and that she can trust adults. Someone once asked me if Hannah would be
confused by attending two different congregations as Presbyterians and Catholics don't agree on faith. First of all, Presbyterians and Catholics agree on more matters of faith than we disagree. Plus, Hannah has the intelligence to sort our her own personal beliefs. She's not confused at all--in fact she's been enriched by her experiences. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">I
actually dream of having one church in each community—one place where people
attend each weekend. I don’t think this will ever happen in my lifetime, but I
take Jesus seriously when he said in John 17 that he wanted his followers to be
one. I don’t think Jesus wants to see his church divided into three branches and hundreds of denominations. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">At
a minimum I would love it if every congregation could see themselves as satellites
of the one church. Some large churches have satellite congregations. What if
every congregation saw itself as a satellite of the one church? People of faith would then not see themselves as all that different from their neighbors who attend different churches. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">The metaphor that I often use for describing faith is a path. We ride in different cars on that path. Amy grew up riding in the Catholic car; I grew up riding in the Presbyterian car. We get in each other's car. Sometimes she drives; sometimes I drive. We enjoy the view from each of our cars. My dream is that followers of Jesus will travel together in a large bus.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: times;">Neither
Amy and I ever thought that we would land in a two-church family. It’s a good
life. And hopefully our lives illustrate what God desires for God’s church.</span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-42968712326294066482023-08-07T14:38:00.009-05:002023-08-07T14:44:25.639-05:00Have you had your Barbenheimer moment?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jra6-oPq8f1UHDKIwWDvR8kDJN_r7DjWXUAUiw2HGatWtNc1xk_pbtaco0VYRk9S6hMAIqZiRbcK1WyHkyN6Sn9QNm7IBNz9c2bfcWGsEJz1yB8959tVtuxcBsmVY-ktxw61NqMw6yY4lmD8-fOPTjd_jYdh5IehboBY1y7AFOhNCf6OkpqxgAEwvT8/s1600/Barbenheimer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jra6-oPq8f1UHDKIwWDvR8kDJN_r7DjWXUAUiw2HGatWtNc1xk_pbtaco0VYRk9S6hMAIqZiRbcK1WyHkyN6Sn9QNm7IBNz9c2bfcWGsEJz1yB8959tVtuxcBsmVY-ktxw61NqMw6yY4lmD8-fOPTjd_jYdh5IehboBY1y7AFOhNCf6OkpqxgAEwvT8/s320/Barbenheimer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
had my own Barbenheimer moment as I had the opportunity to watch both the
Barbie movie and <i>Oppenheimer</i>. I didn’t watch them back-to-back as that would
have been almost five hours of movie watching. But I’ve seen both, and I’m glad
that I did. Both have important spiritual themes.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Barbieheimer,
of course, is the phenomenon of watching both the Barbie movie and the Oppenheimer
movie. The term came from the suggestion to watch both movies as a double
feature.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnQtSTh5rp2yZZuBr2xYmWttBdaqh4Z3aMzQ3eBsJZXAAijvcPO81N2rRCBbRY8W5L9OBRHC3U0kmEXdiKEtOHCJXoRRxQTfrl85Pfg7uakiCe32O7a2P3PyURQxmLvbva-TLnBQrmZXPazoznsAsCtEqtazN7s97D282cBeV-fEU1MFYhMRGPKlhI4Zg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnQtSTh5rp2yZZuBr2xYmWttBdaqh4Z3aMzQ3eBsJZXAAijvcPO81N2rRCBbRY8W5L9OBRHC3U0kmEXdiKEtOHCJXoRRxQTfrl85Pfg7uakiCe32O7a2P3PyURQxmLvbva-TLnBQrmZXPazoznsAsCtEqtazN7s97D282cBeV-fEU1MFYhMRGPKlhI4Zg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
saw <i>Oppenheimer</i> at the AMC theatre in Roseville. Both Amy and Hannah were busy,
so I drove down by myself to the theatre. The line to purchase tickets wasn’t
long, but I was surprised by the cost of the ticket. $18? I go to movies all
the time, but I hadn’t paid that much for a movie. I walked into the movie at
the start time. And then watched previews for twenty-three minutes. Twenty-three-minutes!
I only know because the previews became so long that I started wondering myself
how long they were going to last. It got to the point of when a movie preview
came on, I thought, “another one?”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
movie is an excellent description of the process through Oppenheimer’s eyes of
building and then exploding the first atomic bombs. I’m interested now in
reading “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer,”
the book on which the movie was based. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
movie brings out all sorts of ethical questions. Was the death and damage of those
two bombs worth it? How were the Russians able to get the bomb themselves? Why
was Oppenheimer targeted for security lapses and then denied a security
clearance?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">A
surreal part of the movie happened after the successful test of the bomb.
Oppenheimer was applauded by everyone he encountered at Los Alamos, the place
where the scientists and their families lived as the bomb was being developed. The
applause came because the project was a success. But that short-term revelry
quickly led to the sobering reality that the weapons which had been created
could literally destroy the world.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMKHepR75tGaxN6e_KGJFq6W2oEa1dC1XBpUOmPzOgCieTcZ-nnInGUfNw4z2EwOoCS1M-PNvB8Ck_9v3hQ86oiSsPnHBxnKqhiLOzayP3xZ19VFcKJaLQVO542AFIHRHOb_YUppiQCjdmbj33I_4gVk81iSs1prT0eLpDEgnLtv-i8U09iroLF8Lv6us" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMKHepR75tGaxN6e_KGJFq6W2oEa1dC1XBpUOmPzOgCieTcZ-nnInGUfNw4z2EwOoCS1M-PNvB8Ck_9v3hQ86oiSsPnHBxnKqhiLOzayP3xZ19VFcKJaLQVO542AFIHRHOb_YUppiQCjdmbj33I_4gVk81iSs1prT0eLpDEgnLtv-i8U09iroLF8Lv6us" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Another
sobering scene was where Leslie "Dick" Groves, the
character Matt Damon played, asked Oppenheimer if it was true that the chain
reaction set off by the explosion of the bomb would go on indefinitely. The
explosions would literally never stop. Oppenheimer said that the reality was
quite unlikely—close to zero. Groves said that this wasn’t good enough. He
wanted zero.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">We
all want zero. And no one in their right mind wants to see an atomic bomb
exploded. And fortunately no atomic bombs have exploded since those two brought
such terrible destruction to the people of Japan. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sobering reality is that approximately 12,500
of these bombs exist now in the world with nine countries having them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
remember the passionate debates in the 1980’s that the nuclear freeze movement
brought up. And the logic of those who opposed the nuclear freeze movement that
argued that a leader would <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>never explode
one of these bombs because the retaliatory destruction is so high. The world
depends on rational leaders who won’t unleash such destruction.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Does
that make you feel safe? It certainly makes me uneasy. The world would be a
safer place without these bombs. Getting there might be impossible.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKPk3F1pAB1KqOTcoO-iUY5QmvENBennshIRqscroaLDbvzBAN8wrOIBrOHhtsYbmPz0i_3zoRrmmX1-r_HYb0xWpAEtBlcSynrLNNp3Uto_kkh9YtBCL_Ngz-OYsxwCBG7bNg5n50VPi67URhyGEg4TRV-ciChxu6GX5LmOxY5VY-tSUlK-gMpY83hgw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2103" data-original-width="3738" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKPk3F1pAB1KqOTcoO-iUY5QmvENBennshIRqscroaLDbvzBAN8wrOIBrOHhtsYbmPz0i_3zoRrmmX1-r_HYb0xWpAEtBlcSynrLNNp3Uto_kkh9YtBCL_Ngz-OYsxwCBG7bNg5n50VPi67URhyGEg4TRV-ciChxu6GX5LmOxY5VY-tSUlK-gMpY83hgw" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
Barbie movie was much more fun to watch. And less expensive. I saw it twice—once
at the East Bethel theatre and another time at the White Bear Lake theater. At
those two theaters I paid $10.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Barbie
was a delightful movie that shared a vision of what would happen if Barbie and
women like her was in charge. The first part is just fun and sugary. But then thoughts
of death pop into Barbie’s mind and she has to go out of Barbie land and into
the real world.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
movie shares the idea of what would happen if women were in charge. And though
some conservatives have sharply criticized the movie for being feminist, the
question is worth asking. Do we think we would be in the place that Oppenheimer
found himself if women were running the world.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
movie has been very successful. Barbie has already had over a billion in ticket
sales.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Towards
the end of the movie the character Gloria shared a spot-on speech on the double
standards of being a woman that is worth reading and re-reading. I found the
text of the speech on the town and country magazine web site. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s worth reading. The movie is worth seeing
just for this speech.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“It
is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and
it kills me that you don't think you're good enough. Like, we have to always be
extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">You
have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin.
You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have
to have money, but you can't ask for money because that's crass. You have to be
a boss, but you can't be mean. You have to lead, but you can't squash other
people's ideas. You're supposed to love being a mother, but don't talk about
your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman but also always be
looking out for other people.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">You
have to answer for men's bad behavior, which is insane, but if you point that
out, you're accused of complaining. You're supposed to stay pretty for men, but
not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women
because you're supposed to be a part of the sisterhood.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But
always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is
rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">You
have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never
fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It's too hard!
It's too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it
turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also
everything is your fault.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I'm
just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into
knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll
just representing women, then I don't even know.”</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Which
vision of the world will eventually prevail? Oppenheimer’s? Where the
possibility of incomprehensible destruction ironically saves us from that
destruction. Or Barbie’s sweet, laugh-out-loud vision where people have fun?
The colors of the movie reveal the choice. The colors of Oppenheimer were dark;
Barbie’s were pink and very bright.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
glad I had my Barbenheimer moment just to reflect on these choices.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-26729527008445404982023-07-31T12:28:00.002-05:002023-07-31T12:30:01.252-05:00Attending the 3M Open<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34WZzCQl4Tb3xovt9-wGWqc93auY8tGwcH_EOWa99H7FPUxesxHgDh9sAXIKEZIIsMnXvw_UFOC763BcmRhRZS6mFvqDJREf7A4AV4CyA6AhxDGBndrUJ-9TDdJ02_vIusMYqmXJh2I3x1I1X5Y4sAQwKaeXZioFPtbOKh6mhR9psTBT6qZQsqWr7MaE/s1280/Slide1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34WZzCQl4Tb3xovt9-wGWqc93auY8tGwcH_EOWa99H7FPUxesxHgDh9sAXIKEZIIsMnXvw_UFOC763BcmRhRZS6mFvqDJREf7A4AV4CyA6AhxDGBndrUJ-9TDdJ02_vIusMYqmXJh2I3x1I1X5Y4sAQwKaeXZioFPtbOKh6mhR9psTBT6qZQsqWr7MaE/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yesterday
my wife, Amy, and I had the pleasure of going to the 3M Open, the PGA golf tournament that was held in Blaine. It’s pretty cool that the PGA has this tournament that is so close
to where we live. I drive by the course almost every day on Radison Road. I
haven’t had the chance to golf there, but our Rotary Club met in the Clubhouse
of the TPC for many years. Every Wednesday when Rotary met I could look out the
window of the Clubhouse at the 18<sup>th</sup> green.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
is the thirtieth year of the 3M Open. The tournament replaced the 3M
Championship in 2019. The 3M championship was a senior golf event. Before the
3M Championship the tournament was known as the Coldwell Banker Burnet Classic
and the Burnet Senior Classic.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
3M Open offers non-profits the opportunity to raise money by volunteering at
different concession stands. Many folks from our church from Chain of Lakes
were there. I was scheduled to volunteer on Friday, but our stand was
double-booked.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Going
with Amy on Sunday was a spectator opportunity. We’ve gone almost every year.
We waited until early afternoon to arrive. Getting there was easy. We drove to
the soccer fields by the National Sports Center, got on an air-conditioned bus
and arrived at the gate.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mapping
out a schedule is the biggest challenge of watching golf. Being able to look at
my phone and knowing which golfer is on which hole is very helpful. We
eventually landed at the 12<sup>th</sup> green and watched the golfers aim for
the pin. The 12<sup>th</sup> is a par 5 which is reachable in two shots. Most
of the golfers were near the green in two shots. Lee Hodges showed why he won
the tournament by hitting a 258 shot within three feet of the pin for an
eventual eagle. For me that was the shot of the tournament.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
3M Open has struggled to attract the top golfers to the tournament. With the
tournament being a week after the British Open, many of the best golfers don’t
attend. This year Tony Finau and Justin Thomas <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>were the biggest names to come to the
tournament. Finau won the tournament last year and Thomas was trying to get
additional Fed Ex points.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh98ukKHDv62yuDae_0ctr1eUH56LtcB4w9Y8f0_79jUq76tof1zDE6lKlb6jg79ueju6AOBUlribjr4skQ1yWz6cqiY1kvztZyP0j02WQxj3gmmAWOvfbjalrsyrSGZntQIgKs1E9dlf0VM4964kYohwcM7KuEJmw-oIrV2PcOZ2kxbjqi-Hiz2ZcRlQ8" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="341" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh98ukKHDv62yuDae_0ctr1eUH56LtcB4w9Y8f0_79jUq76tof1zDE6lKlb6jg79ueju6AOBUlribjr4skQ1yWz6cqiY1kvztZyP0j02WQxj3gmmAWOvfbjalrsyrSGZntQIgKs1E9dlf0VM4964kYohwcM7KuEJmw-oIrV2PcOZ2kxbjqi-Hiz2ZcRlQ8" width="164" /></a></div>One
added highlight was the addition of Caleb VanArragon to the field. He graduated
from Blaine High School the same year as my daughter, Hannah. He has been on an
incredible streak of golf lately as he won the Minnesota State Open by nine
strokes and then the MGA State Amateur Championship by twelve strokes. He was
wisely given a sponsor exemption. I followed his round on Thursday from the comfort
of my phone.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">After
spending some time sitting near the 12<sup>th</sup> green yesterday, Amy wanted
to go shopping. So I found Finau’s group and followed him for three holes. He
was golfing with Aaron Baddeley. Watching each of them hit drives of over 325
yards and then hit the green is amazing. I gained a new appreciation for the
quality of these golfers.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Amy
and I hung out at the 18<sup>th</sup> green for a while and watched many of the
golfers try to go over the water and hit the green in two. Sitting in the
stands on the 18<sup>th</sup> hole would be a wonderful way to spend an
afternoon. Most of the golfers were not laying up, so each shot into the green
had its own drama.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjn199kiCFMccxWvjOxydT8BkSOHcbc5aRkApPjsOeY3yX0Cb-B9MheVm2UeShh7A7VUfiExnhna_Bcv9TOa5qqshKyYm2P3Yq6BZnSId0f07L9NuADpGkJC_MKi-XEi-wrQ6oCNO9oh3OwhGyCTdNWWJrpGEMvFReSbembbFxPlqj9Fseqey5I0KtnXY0" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="900" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjn199kiCFMccxWvjOxydT8BkSOHcbc5aRkApPjsOeY3yX0Cb-B9MheVm2UeShh7A7VUfiExnhna_Bcv9TOa5qqshKyYm2P3Yq6BZnSId0f07L9NuADpGkJC_MKi-XEi-wrQ6oCNO9oh3OwhGyCTdNWWJrpGEMvFReSbembbFxPlqj9Fseqey5I0KtnXY0" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
it became apparent that Hodges was going to win the tournament, Amy and I
decided to leave. We wanted to beat the line to the bus and the traffic out of
the parking lot. We were successful at that. I would guess it took twenty
minutes to arrive home after climbing on the bus. I even had the opportunity to
watch some of the closing interviews on CBS.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">To
do well at golf is financially lucrative. The total purse for the 3M Open was
7.8 million. Hodges won 1.4 million for winning the event. The last place
contestant won $15,600.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hodges
led the entire tournament—the first wire-to-wire victory on the PGA Tour since
2019. His margin of victory was the largest of the season. Patrick Reusse wrote
an excellent article about him in the Strib and predicted that he would win
many more tournaments.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
dates for next year’s tournament have already been set. I put them in my
calendar. I’ll be there, and hope that many top-ten golfers will attend. <o:p></o:p></span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-62203346338267558742023-07-26T10:05:00.006-05:002023-07-26T13:55:45.895-05:00Would you take the kindess pledge?<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5k2JZJ7IszKpVrH4Atm_a9mLMGbsV3JHONIyYbDlFkwE1BX2mnaVklTeC3c-RKFAcXxtL0ee_zsXZ2Vod4VJtcnywefgoELey3gcLFprpbwWmYY5L7vc-qE5sC2LHgT6V4Hrn2ixb7b8FRws_EYkFT6RZaLkFbBiCKPCCoMFysddADuz2Wm1gRszwXHU/s4032/Photo%20Jul%2026%202023,%209%2049%2033%20AM.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5k2JZJ7IszKpVrH4Atm_a9mLMGbsV3JHONIyYbDlFkwE1BX2mnaVklTeC3c-RKFAcXxtL0ee_zsXZ2Vod4VJtcnywefgoELey3gcLFprpbwWmYY5L7vc-qE5sC2LHgT6V4Hrn2ixb7b8FRws_EYkFT6RZaLkFbBiCKPCCoMFysddADuz2Wm1gRszwXHU/s320/Photo%20Jul%2026%202023,%209%2049%2033%20AM.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">For
2023 my objective for the year is to live out kindness. This is my personal
“goal” for the year. I want to be more kind at the end of the year than I was
at the beginning of the year.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">On
Sunday, June 28<sup>th</sup> I shared a sermon on kindness. You can find it by
clicking the link at colpres.org. In getting ready for that sermon I took a
deep dive into the work of Greg Atkinson that he wrote on kindness. Shortly
after that sermon he released a book called, “The Secret Power of Kindness." I
love the book and encourage everyone to read it.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">He
shared two definitions of kindness that have stayed with me.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“the
secret power of kindness is the self-awareness to know that you have the power
to make or break someone else’s day and eventually change the world. Kindness
has no hidden agenda or strings attached. Its only purpose is to express love
to another soul made in the image of God.” </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“The Secret Power of Kindness,” Page
12</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Kindness
has been defined as loaning someone your strength instead of reminding them of
your weakness.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brene Brown</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kindness
is not often associated with power. It’s easy to think that a kind person is a
pushover—that the person will be nice and will give in during an argument. This
isn’t the case at all.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Let me </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kindness
comes from the Hebrew word “chesed.” Chesed has many different nuances. It
means steadfast love and loyalty. It’s the essence of a marriage relationship.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Chesed
is the opposite of giving in. In fact it is staying with a difficult situation
with a perspective of care. It’s not running away when life gets hard or messy
or disagreeable. Kindness has a deep rootedness to it. It is like a tree
planted by streams of water that the Psalmist wrote about in the first Psalm.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The definition of kindness is to stay connected even when people disagree. It's not giving in. It's staying rooted. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Our
culture needs this kindness.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDnL2viqQKbGp869s28RKc8HzUKcFwEDW2HZKifCIvvdIoiPs01DLqhyNe2bYOwTKowxlfs0rCiEXzkIC9zY11BCOsYFfxF815gYVMpC2UY73DKTqVDzVTrUpYIHq6dvY_tw7MXx72f4O-WwBMgluPLRXPZEQnpTqTyjNSiqto2s0GdaJYlgnx644TZg/s300/revolutionary.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDnL2viqQKbGp869s28RKc8HzUKcFwEDW2HZKifCIvvdIoiPs01DLqhyNe2bYOwTKowxlfs0rCiEXzkIC9zY11BCOsYFfxF815gYVMpC2UY73DKTqVDzVTrUpYIHq6dvY_tw7MXx72f4O-WwBMgluPLRXPZEQnpTqTyjNSiqto2s0GdaJYlgnx644TZg/s1600/revolutionary.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />I love the song called Revolutionary written by Josh
Wilson. You can find the link to the song at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6glQdaQUZ1U">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6glQdaQUZ1U</a>.
He sang this:<b><i><u><span style="background: white; color: #202124;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Why does kindness seem revolutionary?</span><span style="color: #202124; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">When did we let hate get so ordinary?</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Let's turn it around, flip the script</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Judge slow, love quick</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">God help us get revolutionary.”</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">To
think that the word, “kindness” would be paired with the word “revolutionary”
shows where we are as a culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
Josh Wilson and two others wrote the lyrics to the song they were pessimistic
about their expectations about the divisiveness of the upcoming Presidential
campaign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">He
didn’t even know that in March 2020 a world-wide pandemic would happen; then in
June of 2020 George Floyd would be murdered in front of the world and that
protests all over the world<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>would take
place.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">He wrote, “No matter what side of the political
spectrum we’re on, deep down I know that we are not as different as we are led
to believe. There is peace to be made, there are names to be learned,
meals to be had, chasms to be crossed, and it all starts with kindness.”</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtd7Knh4SQunztzZTJWqUiRDuGZAxRbFBHY5XVMBgCVr2CG6GyNiv3YB0HmrF8pjY5VZtp9Ab1JYYEHjefxR4O3LDKKKtJrQdAdL5J9-Y_Ipms5uMsJyFZUmmeGQ3MbkCe6MQq9ZELsQC2fhVEAJLaWa3P4TdGl_ZPalW1OcSR_z1jnDwEhFzHytAkSzU/s4032/July%20261.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtd7Knh4SQunztzZTJWqUiRDuGZAxRbFBHY5XVMBgCVr2CG6GyNiv3YB0HmrF8pjY5VZtp9Ab1JYYEHjefxR4O3LDKKKtJrQdAdL5J9-Y_Ipms5uMsJyFZUmmeGQ3MbkCe6MQq9ZELsQC2fhVEAJLaWa3P4TdGl_ZPalW1OcSR_z1jnDwEhFzHytAkSzU/s320/July%20261.jpeg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />In his book on kindness Greg Atkinson wrote
about ten keys to unlocking kindness. As the picture of the Table of Contents shares, they are forgiveness, generosity,
composure, acceptance, rest, wisdom, empathy, patience, love, and unity. These
qualities are similar to the Fruit of the Spirit. When they are planted inside
of our own spirit and nurtured we are on the path to being who God wants us to
be.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is how I want to live; and this is how I
want to see others live.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I would encourage organizations to do a
kindness audit. Imagine if companies and non-profits lifted up people who
exhibited kindness, while recognizing when kindness wasn’t expressed. What if
kindness became a Core Value of companies—employees would come to expect that
kindness was the expectation for behavior.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kindness seems so basic that it wouldn’t need
attention—except that, as I mentioned above, we are not living out kindness as
a culture.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33xtvfLae0m0cJtArC3Vzmg0c-XiBSvzH7iuUEid-G9YSTVHoCdp4-6geh9ys-23iNcA01sD-H_i3DemNtz_3_lLgI-OKDHpK7wOiESvtNixR6INoOIa9MLTz33gyT4iV7GnvGMv7kLEZ-Fo8EmChlLLQMIQSt4wuAjLXL4q2lYVEe0GlmYCFry-FLRE/s4032/Photo%20Jul%2026%202023,%2010%2012%2049%20AM%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33xtvfLae0m0cJtArC3Vzmg0c-XiBSvzH7iuUEid-G9YSTVHoCdp4-6geh9ys-23iNcA01sD-H_i3DemNtz_3_lLgI-OKDHpK7wOiESvtNixR6INoOIa9MLTz33gyT4iV7GnvGMv7kLEZ-Fo8EmChlLLQMIQSt4wuAjLXL4q2lYVEe0GlmYCFry-FLRE/s320/Photo%20Jul%2026%202023,%2010%2012%2049%20AM%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />For worship that day, I purchased wristbands that said
kindness matters and distributed them to everyone present. I wear mine every
day. It’s my own reminder to live out kindness. No matter how stressful or
emotional a situation I find myself, my response is kindness.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Greg Atkinson and Josh Wilson got it right.
Kindess is revolutionary. And we need a revolution!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I want to encourage you to take the kindness
pledge.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“I pledge during this year to strive for
kindness in all of my interactions; I pledge to study kindness, to look at
myself and to learn when I don’t share kindness; I want to be more consistently
kind at the end of this year than at the start.”</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you will take the kindness pledge, say "yes" in the comments.</span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-70354256807059017492023-07-24T11:55:00.009-05:002023-07-24T12:11:04.266-05:00The incarnation is everyday!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbwi8qT8zj1CbBYXE8d31252AnC7NJe_wcGCPENc0eMKJOWmynMl1KK6acyXYyO_CADCX8x1Ickmgck3rqNTYq03EL6l_McXmnBtxErc6zIRGZaXL-LyqhF858dQ1uAaN3g2Ps0TUNLoy4sWRAi-blbVajWyfWhnW-IIh0ZsgNvPdeVoKXvuXfGB1sXU/s1521/Christmas%20in%20July.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1521" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbwi8qT8zj1CbBYXE8d31252AnC7NJe_wcGCPENc0eMKJOWmynMl1KK6acyXYyO_CADCX8x1Ickmgck3rqNTYq03EL6l_McXmnBtxErc6zIRGZaXL-LyqhF858dQ1uAaN3g2Ps0TUNLoy4sWRAi-blbVajWyfWhnW-IIh0ZsgNvPdeVoKXvuXfGB1sXU/s320/Christmas%20in%20July.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <i>Hi blogger friends. In order to change things up a bit, I'm going to post my sermon manuscript from the previous Sunday on Monday. I'll still share another blog post during the week. This is an experiment, so share your thoughts about me sharing my sermon manuscript in the comment section. You can also find the video of the sermon at vimeo.com/chainoflakes</i><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Before I begin let me encourage you to get
out this brochure that is in the bulletin. I wrote a devotion for you on the
Incarnation. It’s an amazing concept. The Bible has a lot to say about it. In
the middle of this devotion is a place to take notes. On the back is a listing
of prayer requests.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Merry Christmas!<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">For the second year in a row we’re
celebrating Christmas in July at Chain of Lakes Church. Our faith community is
not the only group who is celebrating Christmas.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">KTIS radio is celebrating Christmas in
July. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard that mentioned as I drove
to church this morning. When I was out at Bunker Hills golf course a few weeks
ago they had flyers for Christmas in July. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Christmas in July is not new. And there
are all sorts of stories about how and why Christmas in July started<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">According to the magazine, Southern
Living, it’s believed that the first celebration of Christmas in July took
place on July 25, 1933 at an all-girls summer camp in Brevard, North Carolina. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to camp history, Christmas in July
came about as an occasion to exchange gifts, sing carols, and mark the end of
the summer season in an unconventional way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Santa and Mrs. Claus would pull up in a
big red truck tossing candy to all the campers. Camp counselors would dress in
reindeer and elf costumes and would gather everyone into the lodge for secret
Santa.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">There was a film done in 1940 called
Christmas in July around the story of a man who mistakenly believed he won a
$25,000 lottery and buys presents for his friends and family in July. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Celebrating Christmas in July can lead us
to ask the question, “why is Christmas celebrated in December.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Bible tells us that, right? Well the
Bible doesn’t tell us that. The birth story of Jesus is in two of the four
gospels—Matthew and Luke. And nowhere in those two gospels do we read that
Jesus was born on December 25. The dating of the death and resurrection of
Jesus is much more accurate as the Bible tells us that he was killed during
Passover and Passover is celebrated in the spring—in March or April. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Why December 25? There are a lot of
theories. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I don’t intend to wade
into a historical issue that not all people who make a living studying faith
have agree on. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">You
could go on the Internet and google the question, “why is Christmas celebrated
on December 25” and find many different responses. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some believe that the Annunciation—that is
when the angel Gabriel told Mary she would have a baby happened on March 25. Nine
months later is December 25.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Originally Christmas was celebrated on
January 6—the date that today is Epiphany.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">One<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>theory is the church selected December 25 because there were pagan
festivals going on in December and to compete the Christians wanted a competing
celebration. Some believe that the date was chosen to be near the winter
solstice when more light was coming into the world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Let me ask you another question? Why is
the celebration called Christmas? It’s in the Bible, right?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I pulled out my Concordance. A Concordance
has every word in the bible. This is the one that I have. It has every word in
the NRSV translation. I looked for Christmas. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">And—it’s not there.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Why is it called Christmas? Christmas is
made up of two words—Christ. Christ is in the Bible. Christ is a term that
describes Jesus as the Messiah. The one who came into the world to save the
human race. The three letter word “mas” comes from mass. And that is a mass or
the worship celebrating Jesus as the Messiah.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I don’t bring up these questions to
cause us to question Christmas or whether Jesus was born. If you leave this place
with your faith diminished because Jesus was probably not born on December 25<sup>th</sup>,
then I have failed to communicate the point. Quite frankly if our faith is
diminished because the birth of Jesus is most likely not December 25 than I
wonder about the foundation of our faith.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The reality is Jesus was born on one of
365 dates. We don’t have a record of the date. People used their best judgment
to select a date. There is nothing malicious or devious in the selection of
that date. A tradition of December 25<sup>th</sup> was developed. Traditions
inform and help our faith. It’s essential to have a date where we celebrate the
birth of Jesus. And it’s also healthy to know the history of our traditions. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">At Christmas I wouldn’t say “Happy
Birthday, Jesus.” I would say, thank you Jesus for coming into the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What is Christmas? It’s not a date.
It’s a story of the birth of Jesus. We can celebrate that story any date of the
year. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I believe that the birth of Jesus is one
of the greatest stories that has ever happened. God came into the world as a
baby. Think about it. God could have entered the world in any way that God
wanted. God chose to be born as a baby to a unwed mother. That was dangerous. IN
carrying a baby without being married, Mary could have been stoned to death.
God chose to be born in the room of a boarding house. It wasn’t the nicest health
health facility in Jerusalem. God chose to be born without any doctors or
nurses or midwives present. There was no epidural. God chose to be born in
Bethlehem. There was nothing special about Bethlehem. It was a town of two to
three thousand people when Jesus was born. King David had grown up there. It
was located a little more than five miles from Jerusalem.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The birth of Jesus was a threat to the
existing political order. Soon after Jesus was born King Herod had all the
children under two years who lived near Bethlehem killed. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">God chose to enter into the world like
this? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you know of someone who doubts God and
you’re having a conversation with that person, (and quite frankly I hope that
you’re having a conversation with a person who doesn’t completely believe at
least once a week) let the person know how God chose to enter the world. This
says a lot about God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This is the incarnation—the entrance
of God into the world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The incarnation
is beautiful and true and relevant for our faith. And it impacts our lives right
now. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The gospel writer, John didn’t share
in his gospel a story about the birth of Jesus. But he did write about the
incarnation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He started out his gospel by saying,
“In the beginning was the WORD.” This is called the Prologue to John—the first
eighteen verses. These verses are important for our faith. Let’s take a bit of
time to go deeper. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is another chapter in the Bible that
starts out with the phrase “In the beginning.” Do you know what that is?
Genesis. In the beginning. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We might think of beginning to
indicate time. But I think that John was talking about something different than
time. I think he was talking about the story. We could paraphrase this verse to
say at the start of the story was the WORD. All parts of our story originate
from God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What is the Word? The English word
for Word comes from the Greek word, “Logos.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the beginning or at the start of
the story was the LOGOS. What is the Logos?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some people think that Logos is Jesus, but I don’t think that equating
Jesus with Logos quite makes the mark. I did a lot of reading about Logos this
week, and the best description that I came across came from Adam Hamilton. He
pastors Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City. We’re taking a group to go
to their leadership conference in September. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wrote<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The Word [or Logos][ is God’s
heart, God’s reasoning, God’s mind, God’s purposes, God’s character, God’s
creative power, and God’s desire to reveal himself to us.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Adam
Hamilton “John, The Gospel of Light and Life” Page 16</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A word that I came up for Logos this
week was life force. It’s the power of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the beginning was the life force<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Let’s go with life force. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The life force was with God and the life
force was God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Later in this prologue John wrote,
“the life force became flesh and lived among us.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the incarnation. The life force
took on flesh and lived among us. We call him Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Presbyterians have nine statements of
faith. They are part of the Book of Confessions. One of the statements of faith
is the Brief Statement of Faith. It entered the Book of Confessions in 1991. .<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Brief Statement of Faith beautifully
captured the humanity of Jesus—what we celebrate in the incarnation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #202122; font-size: 10.5pt;">”We trust in Jesus Christ,</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #202122; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fully human, fully God.</span><span style="color: #202122; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Jesus proclaimed the reign of God:</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">preaching good news to the poor</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">and release to the captives,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">teaching by word and deed</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">and blessing the children,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">healing the sick</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">and binding up the brokenhearted,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">eating with outcasts,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">forgiving sinners,</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.”</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> <span> </span><span> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This is a little longer way to describe
the Incarnation. This is beautiful. There are a lot of take-aways, but one is Jesus
is a personal God who understands our own humanity. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">As a recent advertising campaign proclaimed,
“He gets us.” Jesus gets us.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI32EjY0m2NvV3VYsz274z5G0HeaUlMn_ocnL66Hrd3TBVnd_sXwbcisM3cHlEYsHX-gNfX9grfGggwEUfoos3pGwU82RFiSK8YzFageGTzIkiuLI4XhN9suzX5aElQW1EjSOeByAcY1sCtDy531B_WqjD_vaF4QLanvuTyr_qX9Zb9K5zx78YWygD1Q/s958/leaving%20casselberry.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="958" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHI32EjY0m2NvV3VYsz274z5G0HeaUlMn_ocnL66Hrd3TBVnd_sXwbcisM3cHlEYsHX-gNfX9grfGggwEUfoos3pGwU82RFiSK8YzFageGTzIkiuLI4XhN9suzX5aElQW1EjSOeByAcY1sCtDy531B_WqjD_vaF4QLanvuTyr_qX9Zb9K5zx78YWygD1Q/s320/leaving%20casselberry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Last week our daughter, Hannah, and I
drove from Casselberry, Florida to Blaine. 1550 miles, 24 hours. This is a picture of when we started on our journey. We were still smiling then. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Not everyone
likes long-distance driving, but I do. I enjoyed the drive, and I cherished the
time that I got to spend with Hannah. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The first day we drove was Friday; we
made it to Nashville. We got to the hotel late—about 10:30 or so. We decided to
take a break the next morning. Hannah wanted to see a bench that Taylor Swift
used when she lived in Nashville. We found the bench. We used Tik Tok to find
it—that’s another story.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We took some pictures at the bench.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC-Wwyccs-drp-zXPaV_G9QfiFHqpeNm5zgYhNzoVpxm_rlDQa0Itng9xbI9GAxIlC_keyIbT-x8Cg9JbqrblN9tmrF5ZeI5Kyy4KNjVDVErC2eM6aQVoNh6cnXp0V0r63xEUxWcooHL8HjTdM1Sw546qITTWENGwpRRzjNdhEHT9EJKYSN26TOf7puHU" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC-Wwyccs-drp-zXPaV_G9QfiFHqpeNm5zgYhNzoVpxm_rlDQa0Itng9xbI9GAxIlC_keyIbT-x8Cg9JbqrblN9tmrF5ZeI5Kyy4KNjVDVErC2eM6aQVoNh6cnXp0V0r63xEUxWcooHL8HjTdM1Sw546qITTWENGwpRRzjNdhEHT9EJKYSN26TOf7puHU" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The bench was in Centennial Park in
Nashville. While we were there, we saw a Parthenon. Who knew. I didn’t know.
What a great adventure. I learned later that in the early 20<sup>th</sup> century
the leaders of Nashville built a Parthenon in Nashville. They wanted Nashville
to be the Athens of the south. We walked over to the Parthenon. When we went
into the entrance someone gave us free tickets. Okay. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioU-Nm8bm6K-RVuy-zrco1RVMCrjzqBlijL79dceH45ay14crSGral-kgFXIKb-IbM7DWsP6U27X5iwrU-nOVsx7Uaruh-17Rrz7hzlQ2weo9PxNZq-HhXBmQNf5_fbnGn1TaLNgdGOKO02DHNaTPWuBfoqJBb5qaMyhZ1QNL3eRR5d8orEEdm3IoLIEA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioU-Nm8bm6K-RVuy-zrco1RVMCrjzqBlijL79dceH45ay14crSGral-kgFXIKb-IbM7DWsP6U27X5iwrU-nOVsx7Uaruh-17Rrz7hzlQ2weo9PxNZq-HhXBmQNf5_fbnGn1TaLNgdGOKO02DHNaTPWuBfoqJBb5qaMyhZ1QNL3eRR5d8orEEdm3IoLIEA" width="320" /></a></div>We walked upstairs and we saw this
large statue of the god, Athena. Whoa! Forty-two foot-high statue that is gold
plated. <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Athena was one of the twelve chief
Olympian deities and the goddess associated with wisdom, craft, and warfare. According
to legend she came from her father Zeus, without conception from a mother. Athena
embodied cold rationality, tactics, and strategy. impulsiveness.</span><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">I love reading about Greek mythology. When
I was in sixth grade I went through a phase where I couldn’t get enough of it.
Here’s the thing.</span><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">There’s not a life-force to Athena. You wouldn’t
worship Athena. Athena doesn’t understand you. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus was the life-force that took on
flesh and dwelt among us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus understands us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Have you encountered suffering this past
week. Maybe you are going through cancer treatment or you know of someone who
is going through cancer treatment. Jesus understands suffering. He was nailed
to a cross and bled to death<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Have you been let down by someone this
week. Maybe someone in your family or a friend. You had hopes that something
was going to happen butt you were let down. Or maybe you consistently feel let
down by your friends or family. Jesus understands what it was like to be let
down. One of his closest friends—Judas—one of the twelve who we call apostles betrayed
Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus understands what it means to be let
down.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Or maybe you disappointed someone this
week. Jesus understood what it was like to disappoint someone. You remember
when Jesus heard that his very close friend Lazarus was sick. Jesus went to the
location of Lazarus. By the time he arrived, Lazarus had died. And when he got
there people didn’t thank Jesus for coming. They expressed their
disappointment. Martha, a strong woman who could be a role model of assertiveness
for all genders, said “Lord if you have been here my brother would not have
died.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have disappointed someone
this week, Jesus understands you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jesus experienced great disappointment
himself. As he was dying on the cross, Jesus cried out to his Abba, Father. My
God, my god why have you forsaken me. Jesus was in terrible pain as he was
tortured. He was angry. It was the same anger that he expressed when he saw
injustice in the Temple and he turned over the tables. If you experience
disappointment, Jesus understands you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the incarnation. This life force came
into the world and experienced what we do. He understands what we have.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I don’t know about you, but knowing that
there is a life force that understands me changes everything. I want to share
my life with him. I want to share my joys and happiness; my sadness and anger;
I want to share my complete self because Jesus understands us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I wouldn’t feel this way about Athena or
any other god. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is so powerful is this incarnation is
always available to all of us. Whether we are male/female/bi; whether we are
old, young adult or a child; whether we are hetero or LGTBQ. The incarnation is
for all of us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I think of it as a gift. A Christmas gift.
Because of his incarnation every person has been given this gift. And our task
is to be delighted as children coming to the Christmas tree on Christmas
morning. Opening up this gift and enjoying what Jesus—fully God, fully human
has for us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">That’s worth celebrating every day of the
yar. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">One more point about the incarnation. Let
me set up by sharing a story from my trip.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">On the last day of the trip, annah and I
stopped at a restaurant in Rockford, Illinois for breakfast. The hotel where we
were staying wasn’t offering breakfast. And this restaurant had a gift shop. We
went. And Hannah found this journal. Hannah said to me, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Dad you should buy this journal for our baby.”
Hannah is going to have a baby in October. We’re so excited about this baby. This
journal was entitled, “Grandpa tell me your memories.” Each day it has a
question where grandpa can write something for the baby. It’s a way to share
life. One of the questions this week was “share a memory involving a heat wave,
a drought or a flood.” I wrote a paragraph. Another question was how did you
celebrate birthdays in your family. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Every morning, at the end of my prayer
time I’m going to write my answer for the day’s question for my granddaughter. Before
she is even born, I get to share my life with her. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is what Jesus has done. Another way
to say this is “in the beginning was the lifr force and the life force dwelt
among us, and I’ll share my life with you. There is no deception with Jesus; there
is no hiddenness to Jesus.; there are no secrets. Jesus wants to share himself
completely with us. This is so beautiful. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s a gift—it’s Christmas. It happens
every day. Today it’s Christmas in July.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Today we are going to publicly welcome
four more people who have joined Chain of Lakes. When people join they say Jesus
is our Lord and Savior. Athena is not our Lord, Jesus is our Lord. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Whatever happens to you on your journey, I
pray that you will always grasp this life force called Jesus. It’s always available
to us. And I pray that this faith community called Chain of Lakes Church will
be made up of people who have experienced this life force. A group of people
who without apology want to share this life force with others.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Merry Christmas!<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><i>If you have comments about this sermon or about putting this sermon on my blog, please share in the comment section. Thanks!</i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><i></i><p></p></div>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-83369239954436265992023-07-17T12:35:00.020-05:002023-07-17T17:44:00.241-05:00Road Trip!<p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVnub85W1t1ob3IKmCrWhhfeM53Dqeo3d8XGZ-d-VpUp9rN8XBSVPXPBGlrDqmEtRtziDGxCVBuGEnO76hZnKQp_TLjJ7Xwu8vnV98iyXg63-FMl1ADzEbA5fyWlvacMHffVzetV4zIXHaqMMC5PR-cyyVJwZoNCQNAUdnC2TQ5UZbKrfN6DkgsHzmbI/s2048/11111.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVnub85W1t1ob3IKmCrWhhfeM53Dqeo3d8XGZ-d-VpUp9rN8XBSVPXPBGlrDqmEtRtziDGxCVBuGEnO76hZnKQp_TLjJ7Xwu8vnV98iyXg63-FMl1ADzEbA5fyWlvacMHffVzetV4zIXHaqMMC5PR-cyyVJwZoNCQNAUdnC2TQ5UZbKrfN6DkgsHzmbI/s320/11111.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
love a Road Trip. I love getting in a car and driving a long way. I can’t
completely explain my love for Road Trips. I went on many Road Trips (and yes,
I think it’s appropriate to capitalize the term Road Trip) as a kid. I found
something wonderful in getting in a car and looking at the wide sky of southwestern
Minnesota and then South Dakota.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
writing about this because for the past three days I was on a Road Trip with my
daughter, Hannah. We drove from Casselberry, Florida to Blaine, Minnesota. The trip
was 1,650 miles and took a little over 24 hours of driving spread out over this
past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
I was young my family would frequently take a Road Trip out west for summer
vacations. We traveled to Montana, and Oregon and many trips through South
Dakota. At least three times we also drove during Christmas vacation to Big Pine Key, Florida
to visit my dad’s parents. Once we drove straight from Big Pine Key to my
hometown of Worthington in 40 hours. I drove from New York City to California
once and did a lot of driving when I lived in California.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not everyone loves a Road Trip. When given the opportunity to get in the car
for a long period of time, my wife Amy’s response is usually the same, “shoot
me.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Is
there something spiritual about a road trip? Absolutely. A road trip is an adventure
with many opportunities to encounter something unexpected. And yes, Hannah and I
encountered the unexpected.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbosJxzYP3bRjUuiomO8awy17wWcDV8V3ng4ql7KQt5CXDBSwZg78GdeAsYeeVY07L6qErrTRGr0xja25DKfVww-8iFx6YxIedaigXmdbCfmfwuusFHRVAnwWpDmU86JUZwylCfmXRprG7AHk97oXcDmPONJBosiKHPtz8PZghOhwfmac3yKDCj4wZKJY/s2048/beach%20day.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbosJxzYP3bRjUuiomO8awy17wWcDV8V3ng4ql7KQt5CXDBSwZg78GdeAsYeeVY07L6qErrTRGr0xja25DKfVww-8iFx6YxIedaigXmdbCfmfwuusFHRVAnwWpDmU86JUZwylCfmXRprG7AHk97oXcDmPONJBosiKHPtz8PZghOhwfmac3yKDCj4wZKJY/s320/beach%20day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I
flew into Orlando this past Tuesday. Hannah, her partner, Carter, and I hung
out for three days. <p></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">We went to the beach in Daytona Beach before getting rudely
moved from the beach by a drenching rainstorm. <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bCBqW3EZUH6MJ9gffCDdVQ4PAQhx_J5P_RYDGR9L5dTJAeKSwFBKI3GSzgjbbby2foWFyJYSNX5J4zA5jaKL5K9A9gCy5mCzhtvWAn4CAeKZUau4mp-By0j-NgEizCjwuP_1WLcUxZH1Ta8IaMBw4zrXtsunolLTYQuVRgHUczCWcp48Mkc5r6A_2AI/s1069/DB_POST_4_21_22_Food_Buccees_f5e42f65-367d-4cfe-b16e-d8fe5420924d.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1069" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bCBqW3EZUH6MJ9gffCDdVQ4PAQhx_J5P_RYDGR9L5dTJAeKSwFBKI3GSzgjbbby2foWFyJYSNX5J4zA5jaKL5K9A9gCy5mCzhtvWAn4CAeKZUau4mp-By0j-NgEizCjwuP_1WLcUxZH1Ta8IaMBw4zrXtsunolLTYQuVRgHUczCWcp48Mkc5r6A_2AI/s320/DB_POST_4_21_22_Food_Buccees_f5e42f65-367d-4cfe-b16e-d8fe5420924d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>On the way to Daytona Beach, I
experienced Buc-ees. Being from Minnesota, I knew nothing about this chain. I
loved Buc-ees. Who doesn’t love a bright lit store, with impeccably clean
bathrooms, and a huge display of brisket sandwiches—and a lot of other items. I
talked to a clerk about the wonder of Buc-ees—she told me I was Buccifed. Only
in the south!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
don’t think I completely got used to the heat and humidity of Casselberry. It
wasn’t even terribly hot by Central Florida standards—95 during the day with dew
points in the high 70’s. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">It took a while to get used to walking from air conditioning to the summer heat and having my glasses fog up.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Running was hard in Orlando. Even at 10am the heat and humidity and sunshine was almost unbearable while running. I</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> ran this morning in Minnesota
with the temperature in the high 50’s and a lower dew point. Give me running in Minnesota on almost any day! </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
first day of our Road Trip was the longest—we traveled from Casselberry to Nashville. I’m grateful that semi
drivers do a terrific job of moving product in the United States, but the number of semi drivers was
astounding. I’m also grateful that semis don’t drive in the far left lane. We
had plenty of time listen to Hannah’s music—which was pretty much Taylor Swift.
I told her that we were going to have our own Eras concert in the car.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Driving
down the mountains outside of Chattanooga at night in the dark rivals any ride
on Valley Fair. Prayers are required.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">WE
slept in on Saturday at our hotel in Nashville. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcz5S-dapkjnqN8-GabJUwjr0NtWdk9HOtsBi72aihk7HJnyvqeS6wvzNz5VKLPgWP5J8X5ysYXxbBDsVqKMPiFEfBNcbe62KI4Bn2fLDyRi6_c9R0hdvkINK0EAclICcquivAAkcdmOLVtxHAYubh5XHq3g_DJb2uD5RBIz6nneFE12gt6IhQC1ta9c/s4032/Photo%20Jul%2015%202023,%2010%2054%2023%20AM.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcz5S-dapkjnqN8-GabJUwjr0NtWdk9HOtsBi72aihk7HJnyvqeS6wvzNz5VKLPgWP5J8X5ysYXxbBDsVqKMPiFEfBNcbe62KI4Bn2fLDyRi6_c9R0hdvkINK0EAclICcquivAAkcdmOLVtxHAYubh5XHq3g_DJb2uD5RBIz6nneFE12gt6IhQC1ta9c/s320/Photo%20Jul%2015%202023,%2010%2054%2023%20AM.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">On Saturday morning, Hannah wanted to find a bench
that Taylor Swift used in Centennial Park in Nashville. Because of the videos on Tik
Tok we found it without a problem. Who knew that Tik-Tok could be helpful in
directions?!?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-xVeEwpn1UGHmjHUex8ARLz1bPdkKsl5YdVD23ivrViDG6D0ddf7Lfagt8RcJ66gmVI6enNvzCFvQoazBHFr0C0MxvT6-FFN15c3TlhgZLbUbC-drbCJk8_sOVwRUKDSWDrl6Tv_8Ae_21f78tfGrcRXqqeaA91HZK6ERBoT5deDhmnB7JJ6_mH7-4o/s4032/Photo%20Jul%2015%202023,%2011%2017%2034%20AM.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-xVeEwpn1UGHmjHUex8ARLz1bPdkKsl5YdVD23ivrViDG6D0ddf7Lfagt8RcJ66gmVI6enNvzCFvQoazBHFr0C0MxvT6-FFN15c3TlhgZLbUbC-drbCJk8_sOVwRUKDSWDrl6Tv_8Ae_21f78tfGrcRXqqeaA91HZK6ERBoT5deDhmnB7JJ6_mH7-4o/s320/Photo%20Jul%2015%202023,%2011%2017%2034%20AM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">We
found the bench and then found a gigantic Parthenon. A Parthenon in Nashville.
Who knew? This Parthenon was built in 1897 when Nashville wanted to be the Athens
of the south. Inside the Parthenon was a forty-two-foot statue of Athena. Again—who
knew?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffXWKsX2CMSxKTCfRgQtFMP86kDqQnad3Xko5FJLGESdOhVp5u6XsBhxg5tD7B1R6e_aIHbUZp_hdR3ksuVEZ3F0FiQpFIobGmji-t6SaeJNvzKevqbhbUQmiafd6iF9WnJmxNWlGJWMyA503V_GfHWTbQk8D2AiYv_XGQJb9kseZ03GdQeer3JP9cNk/s4032/confederate.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffXWKsX2CMSxKTCfRgQtFMP86kDqQnad3Xko5FJLGESdOhVp5u6XsBhxg5tD7B1R6e_aIHbUZp_hdR3ksuVEZ3F0FiQpFIobGmji-t6SaeJNvzKevqbhbUQmiafd6iF9WnJmxNWlGJWMyA503V_GfHWTbQk8D2AiYv_XGQJb9kseZ03GdQeer3JP9cNk/s320/confederate.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I
couldn’t help but notice the tributes to the Confederacy in the south—a few museums
mentioned in billboards, and </span>plaques<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> in rest tops honoring those who died. It’s
a complicated question of honoring those who fought against the Union. I don’t want
to wade into the controversy, but it’s fair to say that the South has not
forgotten the Civil War.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
second day we drove from Nashville to Rockford, Illinois. It took Hannah fourteen calls to
find a hotel that was open. And the room we found was only available because
someone had canceled right before her call.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
road trip gave me all sorts of opportunities to notice how people drove. And
the speed in which people drove. I put the cruise at 75 on the Interstate. Oh
yes, I know that this is five miles above the speed limit, but this speed puts
me in the slow lane. The number of cars who sped past me going over a hundred
is sobering.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4QUmiYZ_zH9XH7oOx7k1aipf9hUeEGv_d3RsXuRugO3tpUbwyDsCEOetrtlfWzd792vi4SeDZnRaCzSV_ilsMeuhGvcAo169ZnQ_SSjvBSPTHw-uZGs1m2f6BwWBoqLmLIRTBMC-SmAoJokQ26fbTp4LagU-e9GnroSSPrkSmL9lJ8Gy4EfGnqjV6KI/s3088/Photo%20Jul%2016%202023,%203%2026%2040%20PM.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2320" data-original-width="3088" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4QUmiYZ_zH9XH7oOx7k1aipf9hUeEGv_d3RsXuRugO3tpUbwyDsCEOetrtlfWzd792vi4SeDZnRaCzSV_ilsMeuhGvcAo169ZnQ_SSjvBSPTHw-uZGs1m2f6BwWBoqLmLIRTBMC-SmAoJokQ26fbTp4LagU-e9GnroSSPrkSmL9lJ8Gy4EfGnqjV6KI/s320/Photo%20Jul%2016%202023,%203%2026%2040%20PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">On Sunday, Hannah
and I finally arrived in Blaine at about 3pm. It was time to get out
of the car; time to not eat restaurant food or use a bathroom facility that
wasn’t my own. I don't drink, but it was worth having some champagne with Amy, who closely followed our trip.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hannah and I will always have this memory of riding back from
Florida. We didn’t have any deep, earth-shaking conversations, but we enjoyed
each other’s company.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
love Road Trips. Give me a few weeks to recover from this one, and I’ll be
ready for the next one.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">If
you have a story about a Road Trip, put it in the comments. I’d love to hear
about your experience.</span></i></p><p></p></div>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-90699892627957986452023-07-10T11:49:00.006-05:002023-07-10T14:37:22.799-05:00Spiritual Musings from the north Metro<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve
started blogging again. I’m going to do my best to share a blog every Monday
morning—or early in the week. I don’t know how long I’ll keep this up, but I’d
like to keep it up for a while. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve written many blogs in the past. When I
first started as the pastor at Chain of Lakes, I wrote almost every day. I ended
up writing 129 blogs in 2009. But the last few years, I’ve written far less.
Last year I only wrote two blogs; in 2021 only eleven.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But
I recently got inspired to write again. And before I got too far into this
blogging adventure, I wanted to force myself to answer the question, “why?” Why
do I want to share approximately a 800-word blog at the start of the week?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">My
search for an answer to this question led me to a phrase that captures what I’m
trying to accomplish. And the phrase is “spiritual musings from the north
Metro.” Let me take some time today to explain
what I mean.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQ_Zx9JW50n7vA3riQj4LmntrA97RNCAZJ04jRrKSz2RrXVoXItt3bbSlu62q49xUpFApNhgqs05pIhUbxaG8_fcSQFdIId00ZsOSfkkTDceOzAi-2rszvnSg0vdDVqVtqFFnbk-YBRYVQGoxSsmH3ffFc-cYcoXp5vlUOrRRJrDs5WJaV7j451Ow_wU/s180/spiritual.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="180" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQ_Zx9JW50n7vA3riQj4LmntrA97RNCAZJ04jRrKSz2RrXVoXItt3bbSlu62q49xUpFApNhgqs05pIhUbxaG8_fcSQFdIId00ZsOSfkkTDceOzAi-2rszvnSg0vdDVqVtqFFnbk-YBRYVQGoxSsmH3ffFc-cYcoXp5vlUOrRRJrDs5WJaV7j451Ow_wU/s1600/spiritual.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
am a spiritual being. Ever since I was very young, I knew there was a God. One
of my foundational moments was looking at the sun as a young boy from
underneath the clothesline of my neighbor. As I was lying on the grass the
thought came to me, “there has to be a God.” I believe in God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
look at the world from a spiritual lens. I want to see people, events, activities,
gatherings, and wonder how God looks at them. This is my ideal perspective.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I
want to see the community land in a better place. When I became a pastor thirty
years ago, I had the belief that the world can’t get better unless the church is
involved in it getting better. I had read </span>about the<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> successes of the Civil Rights movement and the farm worker movement
and saw how the church had helped those two movements be successful. This social-justice
perspective formed me. I went to Union Seminary in New York City—a place that believes
in social justice.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
understand that some people don’t believe that social justice ministries should
be part of a church. And some believe that social justice ministries will lead
the church to be political. My example for any ministry has always been Jesus.
Jesus went out of his way to help and support those who were on the outside of
his world—the poor, women, the Samaritans, those who were blind, those who could hardly walk. In his very first sermon, Jesus said that his mission as to bring good
news to the poor. If I can follow Jesus in leading and helping any social
justice ministry, then I feel I’m living up to my spiritual calling.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But
before you peg me as a “liberal person who wants to change the world,” let me
share some other understandings that I have about being spiritual. I’m just as
passionate as prayer, worship and Bible Study as I am about helping the
homeless. I want to become the person God wants me to be. And I don’t think I
can do this unless I’m daily talking to God and daily reading the Scriptures,
and frequently going to worship. And I want others to grow in their personal
faith too. I don’t have an agenda in helping—I just want to help people grow
closer to God.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I'm religious too. I'm the pastor of Chain of Lakes Church. And at times I'll write in this blog about what is happening in our faith community. And even though I want to build up this religious community, I'm not trying to write from a religious perspective.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">It's
this spiritual lens from which I want to share in this blog. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgft1idYhJ2_FpBmsMeUlgn4v1McpsKfyhOuNN4s3x-MKynU_oewrS_pFvBpN22KXgvwmQ7B_fAsxgdMx8IkK0GpiQyELqCV5RNNQe0ump3kgS2C7a8a4wBjS_qy_1Jj5zXAPFGRO9BCy9RP6mfacvHrvjT8Rjc0BpG9tsKiNdYsWCk42E463jJTNuvez8/s1435/Musings-Logo-B.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1435" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgft1idYhJ2_FpBmsMeUlgn4v1McpsKfyhOuNN4s3x-MKynU_oewrS_pFvBpN22KXgvwmQ7B_fAsxgdMx8IkK0GpiQyELqCV5RNNQe0ump3kgS2C7a8a4wBjS_qy_1Jj5zXAPFGRO9BCy9RP6mfacvHrvjT8Rjc0BpG9tsKiNdYsWCk42E463jJTNuvez8/s320/Musings-Logo-B.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Musings</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“I
like to write.” This is what I found myself saying to my coach a month ago. And
as I reflected on my response, I came to the conclusion that it’s time to start
blogging again. If I had another job, I would be a columnist for a
newspaper—and on occasion I’ve written columns that have been published in the
newspaper.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
a writer. As a pastor I have the opportunity to write a sermon every week. I
write a full manuscript—about 2,500 words--that I edit at least three times.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Almost
every Monday morning I write in a journal. I’ve done this for almost thirty
years.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
like to write. </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I don’t find writing easy, but I find it necessary for me. It’s
important for me to put down on paper the thoughts that I have.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
interested in what is happening in the world. And when I see something I often
want to write down my own thoughts. The word that I think best describes these
thoughts are musings. According to the Cambridge on-line Dictionary a musing is
a “thought or comment on something a person has been thinking about for a
long-time.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
my on-line word search I came across the Cambridge dictionary and discovered
that in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ancient Greek and Roman stories,
one of the nine goddesses who were believed to give encouragement in different
areas of literature, art, and music was described as a muse.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
want to give encouragement in all areas of life. I see myself as a person who
has spiritual thoughts about people and events in the world. These thoughts could
be described as an opinion. But “opinion” seems a bit strong for what I’m
trying to accomplish. I want to put out my thoughts—a musing—without being
overly argumentative. It doesn’t really bother me too much if people disagree
with my thoughts as I’m not trying to win an argument. I just want to share
these thoughts--spiritual musings.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
purpose of my musings is to bring people together—not separate them. I don’t
claim that these musings are always right or correct. I certainly don’t expect
that people will agree with them. And sometimes I’ll feel very strongly about
what I share, so it might seem argumentative.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">A
musing seems to be what I’m trying to do.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg92btbuO-tqzZXiM6UwFVUxKSaJTUxdNNyuLOjZGAl8Jryqj4LjQ-GhSGdSPKIkzJfAmUzy-P-FOb0_qWxqun_xiRnW66ivqLDvQp6oYbJG9BTJpVh7LmJy2ejwIeiHfuLDULTCtSBrXXQ4TiKvC6oo6twGNUdsBh72ZRVKCYAaT1puk755yjq58v3dTM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="590" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg92btbuO-tqzZXiM6UwFVUxKSaJTUxdNNyuLOjZGAl8Jryqj4LjQ-GhSGdSPKIkzJfAmUzy-P-FOb0_qWxqun_xiRnW66ivqLDvQp6oYbJG9BTJpVh7LmJy2ejwIeiHfuLDULTCtSBrXXQ4TiKvC6oo6twGNUdsBh72ZRVKCYAaT1puk755yjq58v3dTM" width="259" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">From
the north Metro</span></b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
believe that people write from a location. That location forms their perspective. My location is the north Metro of
the Twin Cities. A person could describe this place as Anoka Country, but I see my location as a bit broader than that. I’ve lived in the north Metro since June 2009. In some ways I don’t consider
this as my home location, but I’ve lived here long enough to believe that I
have a basic understanding of this place. The north Metro is a dynamic,
fast-growing area of the Metro. It is made up of fascinating people.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Right now the north Metro shapes my views of what is happening in the world.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
is my location, and I don’t see my location changing for a while.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Spiritual
musings from the north Metro.” This is the new title of my blog. No matter where you live, I hope you’ll
join me on this journey by reading and commenting on these spiritual musings
from the north Metro. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> I'd also love it if you would share it with friends and email your thoughts and blog topics to pastor@colpres.org.</span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8906192289468477848.post-23266629616816523062023-07-03T15:17:00.011-05:002023-07-03T15:26:11.872-05:00What's more important--loving Jesus or loving America? Spiritual musings on July 4th<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXd7ebz8SFnITioAMjNwnR5272jHPvczAj5p5cSsO4zCxQYaOI4PU2TZV-v9Fl4n0d9uAt3Vrs7N0qO0XoSexzlK0vbz3nK6XDu9AOiAlC53-QNQ0JNSV39mS4KswkC4vwbZJvG8S0GSOhcIH0heUJ0ya55AnqLruVlCMglWHhcZZMB48NdV-FR22Zi8/s750/declaration.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXd7ebz8SFnITioAMjNwnR5272jHPvczAj5p5cSsO4zCxQYaOI4PU2TZV-v9Fl4n0d9uAt3Vrs7N0qO0XoSexzlK0vbz3nK6XDu9AOiAlC53-QNQ0JNSV39mS4KswkC4vwbZJvG8S0GSOhcIH0heUJ0ya55AnqLruVlCMglWHhcZZMB48NdV-FR22Zi8/s320/declaration.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Every
July 4<sup>th</sup> I read the Declaration of Independence. It’s easy to forget
in all that happens around the 4<sup>th</sup> of July that this day is a a
simple anniversary. Two hundred forty-seven
years ago, fifty-six white men signed this document that contained 1,323 words.
Shorter in words than most sermons that were preached last Sunday, the document
contains the basic political rights of the United States. It has the phrase
that many people believe to be foundational to this country—that everyone has the right to
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
read the Declaration today as I do around every 4<sup>th</sup> of July. Much of
the Declaration contains twenty-seven grievances against King George the III.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s
important to note the uniform gender and skin color of the signatories. Mary
Katharine Goddard was authorized by Congress in January of 1777 to print the
official copy of the Declaration. One draft carries the inscription: “Baltimore
in Maryland Printed by Mary Katherine Goddard.” And though that is a beautiful
story the reality is all fifty-six signatories were in Philadelphia were men;
and all of the signatories were White. And the final draft of the Declaration
did not mention slavery. Jefferson’s original rough draft condemned the slave
trade as evil and condemned King George III for forcing it upon America. But unfortunately,
that section was deleted in the final version.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
wonder—without an opinion—how the history of America would have been different
had that statement been included.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
was captured by political philosophy when I attended Carleton college. I loved
reading about what the great philosophers thought and wrote about the
principles upon which the politics of countries should be based.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now
I’m interested in how pastors relate to the State. Is it more important to say
Jesus is Lord or to pledge my Allegiance to the flag? I can do both, of course. But if I was forced to make a decision, what would I do. Fortunately, I doubt I’ll ever be forced to make such a choice that would have life-or-death consequences. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not
all pastors can say that. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was forced into hiding because he
refused to support Adolph Hitler. He organized an underground seminary at
Finkenwal that trained pastors who resisted Hitler. He eventually was arrested
and put in prison. He eventually was murdered by the German authorities in a
concentration camp. He acknowledged being a pacifist but was part of an effort
that tried to kill Hitler. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
love the United States and being a citizen of this country. I have the greatest
respect for my step-son, Drew, for his military service in Iraq. Every July 4<sup>th</sup>
I revel in the freedom that I have. Because of my gender and skin color I have
privileges and freedoms that others haven’t. The ideal of America burns inside
of me. And I want this ideal for all people.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Much
has been written lately about Christian Nationalism. The best book I’ve written
was by Angela Denker called, “Red State Christians.” I read her emails and from
one email came across an article that has a speech by Frederick Doulas called, “What
to the Slave is the Fourth of July.” That is worth reading too on July 4<sup>th</sup>.
The link is here: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/speeches-african-american-history/1852-frederick-douglass-what-slave-fourth-july/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I'm willing to sing “God Bless America” as loud as anyone, but I don’t believe in divine destiny for a nation. My adherence to Jesus is much stronger than my adherence
to our country. And though I would have no problem putting a flag in the
Worship Center of Chain of Lakes, I support the strong separation of church and
state.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pastors
always live with the tensions of loving Jesus and loving country. I don’t claim
to have the definite answers to these questions, but I do know who is first in
my life. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">I've committed to posting content every Monday. I guess the box on the right side of this blog is not receiving emails. However if you send an email to pastor@colpres.org, I'll make sure you know when new content is published. </span></i></span></p>Chainoflakesncdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05208754498470488333noreply@blogger.com0