What Would Jesus Buy

My extended family prepared and served lunch at MUST ministries, a local shelter for the homeless in our area on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  "That was fun," was the unexpected take from my 17 year old daughter.  I asked my wife if she thought our girl knew that shopping was what you were "supposed" to do the Friday after Thanksgiving.  My wife indicated that she probably did, but she never mentioned that she would rather be shopping instead of serving, eating with, and playing board games with the homeless.  We took several games to donate to the warehouse, but they were closed, so we ended up playing catch phrase and backgammon with some of the guests and the community service workers there.  We had a blast.  I'm reminded that we can choose to be frustrated by the commercial nature Christmas has taken on; or we can seek ways to claim the season as a time of giving.  I hope you'll consider gathering your family to serve a meal at Must, or be a Christmas Angel, or find other ways to give together.  

There is a movie called What Would Jesus Buy out on DVD that gives an interesting perspective on how Christmas has become a season of debt accumulation.

What is your favorite tradition new or old that keeps giving and sharing at the core of the Advent and Christmas Time season?

Schmidt and Shirky on Love

Phillies legendary third baseman Mike Schmidt was on the Mike and Mike in the morning show (on espn 2) the day after the world series.  They were talking about why guys go so crazy and make the dogpiles and hug each other and tackle each other when they win the world series.  And among other things Schmidt said that it was because they realized, maybe for the first time and maybe instantaneously that they loved each other.  This Thanksgiving, I'm thinking a little bit about the guys that I have come to realize that I love.  I think about the men that cared for me and the guys that I connect with and work with and win and lose with and I think of the guys that have been waking up at 5:00 a.m. or earlier the past several weeks to figure out this men's ministry thing with me.  

I came across this clip that is really quite interesting.  It'll take about 10 minutes of your time.

Happy Thanksgiving.  I love you guys.

A short video on what love has to do with it

- Clay Shirky  "We have always loved one another.  We're human.  It's something we're good at.  But up until recently, the radius and half-life of that affection has been quite limited.  With love alone, you can get a birthday party together.  Add coordinating tools, and you can write an operating system.  In the past we could do little things for love, but big things, big things required money.  Now, we can do big things for love."

Scoot Over

I took my seat in church Sunday- on the aisle.  I was hoping someone would come in after me so I could scoot in.  Normally I allow people to come in after me to go pass me toward the center of the pew so I can maintain my aisle seat.  But this particular Sunday I wanted to be "all in", so when my friends tapped me on the shoulder and began to go by me, I slid over to the center of the aisle.  I felt like I was committed to worship at that time.  Right before the anthem, my friend offered her hand and said, "Peace".  I shook her hand and replied, "Peace be with you."  I was indeed worshipping.

Do you prefer to maintain your aisle seat in worship?  When have you experienced scooting over and being all in?

Men's Ministry

I never put much stock in "Men's Ministry".  I was a member of a kiwanis club and a sunday school class and pretty active in church a seemed to have the game figured out pretty well- navigating church life without having to get too close to anything.  I have come to realize most of my spiritual growth has happened with men involved on some level.  As I am dedicating to the spiritual growth of the people of Marietta First United Methodist Church and lots of them are men, I better get a handle on Men's Ministry, but I like the idea of calling it ministry to men. Let's see where we go.