images of the past...presently

the merced historical society hosted their celebration this past week-end; a beautiful day....including pizza, ice cream and cake!

when was the last time you celebrated the history of your community?

the picture on the left is the old courthouse; it stands as a remarkable building in the midst of our community, and a wonderful structure both old and new; you can take a tour of this historic building and get a sense of yesteryear!

 part of the festivities on saturday included this old fire engine.  pretty near, hu?  you may remember that horses pulled early trucks.  but with the invention of motorized cars...or 'horseless carrages', we became modern, and horses were put back into the pasture.

isn't it neat to see such a truck in great condition?  everything so shiny.  this event, of course, gets us ready for our county fair, beginning tomorrow.  it is always a great event, but a clear reminder that it is summer...nearly 100 degrees today!

and what historical event would be complete without a car show?!  lots of cool cars, of course, and some unusual ones, as pictured here on the left.  i had a metal model car like this that i would spend hours playing with when i was too young to drive. 

i was raised with the idea that you shouldn't own anything you are not able to fix yourself.  in this day and age, i can't ever believe i was taught that!  my mother sewed...and she was able to tear apart, repair, and put back together her sewing machine.  i'm lucky to be able to put GAS in my car!

and sorry, folks, but this is what happens when my hands move quicker than my thoughts.  i couldn't quite figure out if this was in the correct position when i posted it...and not that i see it more clearly ... if you'll just turn your head to the side, you'll be fine!  (see why it is best for me not to try and fix my own computer?!)

this picture shares the mission project of our annual conference, meeting next week in sacramento.  each church is asked to put together four 'flood buckets' -- used for disaster relief and clean-up; they will be stored until needed.  this table represents the materials used for cleaning...and they fit into a 5 gallon bucket with a lid!  our other, and on-going mission project, is 'nothing but nets'.  for $10, you can help a child or an adult receive a net to sleep under in a country prone to malaria.  pretty cool, no?  doing mission projects is educational, and reminds me that being a united methodist isn't just about going to church! 

the diamond jubilee; i can't imagine!

this is such a great time of the year.  i got to celebrate with some of our graduates this week-end; what a momentous occasion graduation is!  lots of emotions for different people for different reasons.  for graduates it's "we're so done"; for parents it's "they did it, and they're grown -- how did this happen?!"  and for this pastor, i am reminded of how life keeps moving; something following us as we move forward into newness, that has been vacated by someone else. 

empty dorms fill up again -- and what was old and familiar to someone else becomes new and unfamiliar to you.  leaders spend time reviewing how things went, and trying to figure out "what's next" during these festive times of transition.  it seems that planning and implementing and tweaking while you're still doing things are part of the endless cycle of life; john wesley called it "moving onto perfection".

i heard 'pomp and circumstance' on my way to work.  the number of times i played that piece -- including my senior year of high school, as we were low on brass players that year! -- reminds me of such a flood of memories.  people i've known and lost contact with; people i've lost contact with and who found me on facebook; some haven't changed a bit (oh dear!) and others are people whom i do not recognize...including myself.  who knew i'd be here as who i am now?  that's an odd statement, but, could that possibly be true for you as well?

and, of course, there is the diamond jubilee...i can't imagine what it must be like to be in the same 'position' for 60 years!  queen elizabeth and queen victoria before her...how much they must have seen the world change.  the decisions they have had to make, the life-changing experiences.  all this and being a public figure that grooms you to be "on" all the time...your every step and decision monitored and evaluated by, not just "your people" but by the entire world...now in an instant!

while all of this is going on, our staff is preparing to celebrate three birthdays...well, two birthdays and an 'un' birthday (one of our staff members doesn't have a birthday anymore, but we celebrate her anyway!)  we'll go to lunch, and share cards.  i'm making some homemade cards this time...pictures from my trip to florida.  as a pastor, i'm always thinking...and sometimes, i even get my thoughts and my camera to work at the same time!

we always try and figure out some dessert that is festive, so as to make the celebration festive.  as i was reading through one of my 'other bibles' (the costco connection), there was an article about those new "cake pops".  you bake a cake, let it cool, break it up into little pieces in a big bowl and add your frosting, mixing well.  then you roll this mixture into small balls and put them on a popsicle stick, then dip them into candy icing, decorating them as you choose.  well, i thought, i could do that!  or at least a variation on that theme.  so, i'm putting on my pastry chef hat today, and away i'll go...fortunately, there are alternatives if this doesn't work!

but amid the work that needs to be done, i wonder, shouldn't there be some fun?!  those graduating don't spend ALL their time in study and, according to the interviews with the royal grandchildren, the queen is also 'granny'.  so, i get to have some fun today too.

yesterday a group of us gathered to say good-bye to our colleague as the campus pastor of our wesley foundation here in merced.  she will be moving on to a new ministry beginning july first.  very united methodist!  that's what we do at this time of the year; it seems that clergy talk about moving or staying or not knowing what will happen.  anxiety producing.  so, being able to have a (teary but fun) farewell allows all of us to recognize the significance of the people that move in-to and out-of our lives.  sometimes we don't always get a chance to say the needed words and share the thoughts and feelings we have; in these times of celebrative transitions, we are given that chance!



so, celebrate this time of transition...even if you don't know a graduate, or you aren't in london for the jubilee, or there isn't someone you know who is going anywhere or celebrating a birthday or anniversary.  mark this time as something significant!  how will you find time to carve out fun and celebration into your day?  what will draw you out of the 'same old thing' into a moment of enjoyment in the midst of all the pressures that grab for your attention?  do you plan fun, or do you get surprised by fun, or do you get to a point where you reward yourself with something fun?  do you depend on others to "make fun" for you, or are you worthy enough to be the life of the party all on your own? 

and summer begins!

memorial day week-end.  a time to remember those who served our county to protect our liberties.  and a time to pray for -- and work for -- peace!  and summer begins!

usually one begins 'spring cleaning' during, well, spring.  memorial day week-end is set for barbecues and the start of summer.  but it seems i have been cleaning all spring long -- and honestly, i don't have all that much stuff.  but i will admit, i have a winter and a summer wardrobe; and in my house, i have the luxury of having two closets; one for hot weather and one for cold weather.  unfortunately, i also have the luxury of having saved cool and hot clothing in various sizes for years, placed on hangers from largest to smallest.

this spring has afforded me an opportunity to get rid of some of my larger sizes.  i've been 'honored' with a "million steps" badge for my consistent walking -- now over 100 consecutive days.  who knew getting a gift card could be such an incentive to "get healthy"?!  Actually, I haven't had to purchase clothing as I've dropped pounds, so I guess having set up my closets based on weather-by-size actually has been another gift! 

so, frequently this spring, if you had been a hidden camera, you would have seen me trying on clothes, and re-organizing; sorting by 'not yet', 'almost', 'just fits', and 'i feel frumpy in this' (and the frumpy ones get placed in a paper grocery bag for our clothing closet).

so, i've been in and out of my closets this spring, shall we say, a lot!  imagine my surprise, then, when i discovered a box of yet-to-be-warn walking shoes!  I couldn't have been that un-observant, could i?  (i guess i was!) i don't even remember purchasing them!  or did the shoe elf bring "just what i needed"?!

honestly, i had been out shopping the 'memorial day sales' this week-end, trying on up-teen pairs of shoes, and trying to find the best pair at the right price.  so when i walked in to my winter closet on monday (memorial day), and there they were ... ready to be used!  i felt the whoosh of a mighty wind!  and i SO needed a new pair of exercise shoes; some of you will remember my blog about my 'squeeking' tennis shoes this winter ... well, they have just about lost their squeak, their grip, and their functional laces!

and, thus, summer begins.  new walking shoes that came like the rush of the mighty wind; a 'pentecost' gift -- the birthday of the church, when we began to share the good news with enthusiasm!  now, i have brand new pair of walkers to do my good news walking...probably not what the holy spirit had in mind, but none-the-less ... 'these shoes were made for walking, and that's just what they'll do' (ok, how many people remember THAT song?!).

my goal for the summer is to keep cleaning and getting more healthy, with the hope that one day, thought i may still have two closets, they won't be filled to over-flowing  because i have too many clothes in various sizes!  rather, they will be for casual and work, and 'sunday best'.  i guess i'll have to talk about my ties another time!

may you find the spirit rushing you to share and live the good news this summer, as well as finding space to be renewed and strengthened.  i even found time to set out my summer table and chairs in my cozy backyard, enjoying a good book as the sun was setting . . . . may the spirit blow you my way for a relaxing cup of iced tea this summer . . . . you'd be most welcome!

the top 10 reasons to be in merced . . . .

i could come up with more than 10 reasons to be in merced  . . .  but i'll just give you my top 10.  after finishing six years here (united methodist pastors are appointed (assigned) for one year at a time, and the end of june marks the ending of my sixth year).  so, i've come to appreciate the central valley.  here are my top 10 reasons:

     10.  Location, Location, Location.  what other community could greet you with a sign that says, 'the gateway to yosemite'?!  while we may be about 2 hours away, hwy 140 passes right in front of the church.  and what a beautiful backyard to have -- a national park; perhaps even the 'best' of the national parks!  in the central valley, we are 'on the way' to the coast -- just about 2 hours from monterey; 3 hours from san francisco; two-ish hours to south lake tahoe; and about 4-ish hours to mickie and minnie!  in california, one has to drive to get anywhere; chances are, merced is 'on the way'.

     9.  We Have Shopping!  ok, we have a costco, a target, a koles, and a walmart, and lots of grocery stores and a farmer's market at least twice a week.  and have you ever eaten a merced strawberry from a road-stand?  we rarely have to go out-of-town, but when we do, modesto is only 45 minutes away to the north, and fresno is an hour away to the south.  some great restaurants as well...every mexican restaurant hosts their own unique salsa! 

     8.  We have All Kinds of Weather!  while we are not in the snow country, we are close.  we celebrate all the major seasons; cold and fog in the winter -- so cozy up to a fire with a good book; cool nights and sunny days in the spring and autumn -- a great time to walk; rain, sometimes ; a necessity of life.  and the summer is hot, with more-often-than-not a cooling off for the evening.  no hurricanes or tornadoes,  and very few earthquakes; a great time to sit out on your boat or swimm at lake yosemite.

     7.  People; 80,000 and (slow) growing.  merced does not grow hand over fist, but we have a rich diversity of cultures and ages.  and there is an appreciation of diversity here.  we even have political diversity.  and we have room for you!

     6.  Building Opportunities.  we have growth opportunities in industry, and a willing work-force.  while the economic down-turn left gaping holes in our landscape, holes can be filled, and we are in a place to receive such growth ... so tell your investors!  have we got a deal for you!

     5.  Merced is Family Friendly.  we are a community that is well-planned, with neighborhood parks, plus recreational/sporting areas, and walking/bike paths.  our streets, for the most part, are accessible and cars generally 'share the road'.  this is a community for people of all ages.  we were also written up in the aaa magazine not long ago!

     4.  "Let Us Entertain You."  'playhouse merced' introduced its upcoming season that will include a 'premere presentation'.  this friday opens its final production, 'the music man'.  outstanding talent comes from all over the valley to participate in this great community theatre.  we also celebrate 'shakespeare in the park', as well as host two movie theaters.  our historic theatre has just completed its remodel and is a site to behold.  and our community also boasts 'kttyland', and a wonderful museum, as well as a cultural arts center.  golf anyone?  we have quarterly 'art hops', and fundraising events that pull the community together to support numerous causes.  you really won't be at a loss for what to do!

     3.  Neighborhoods.   merced has great neighborhoods.  i live in a fairly quiet northern neighborhood near the community dog park.  while crime happens here like in every community, i feel safe walking around my neighborhood, in the wee hours of the morning and even late at night.  many houses are filled with college students who, for the most part, actually do more studying than partying.  and my neighborhood is infused with the rich diversity i mentioned in #7.  there are still homes available which are 'move-in ready'.  merced could be a great place to invest your time and energy!

     2.  Education!  we are a community that honors education.  we are home to a long established community college, and the latest u.c. campus.   not many communities of our size anywhere in the united states can boast having two college campuses.   and we look forward to our newest state-of-the-art high school opening for the 2013-14 school year. 

     and now the #1 reason.  Faith That Nurtures Your Soul!  the united methodist church of merced, is one of the most progressive faith communities you'll find in the area.  we are a reconciling community, meaning that we welcome divergent thoughts and lifestyle; so as you grow in your faith and spiritual development, you'll find a welcoming atmosphere here.  this is just the best place for me to be at this time in my life; warm and caring people; justice minded; learning to reach out and exploring what it means to be 'evangelizing' in this day and age.  while i was away in florida, the church functioned without me!  that is not always the case.  we struggle like everyone else in this day and age, but there is much kindness shared here.  if you're in merced and you are looking to grow your faith and be of service, you are welcome here!

so, there you have it.  merced.  the place to be ... for me, one year at a time.

when its all been said and done

when its all been said and done . . . when general conference with its disappointments is done . . . what else is a pastor to do?  go to disney world!!!

and so i did.  what a treat.  i've never been, of course, as this was my first experience in florida.  and even with allergies, away i went, at the break of dawn until the closing hours, walking my way through the magic of life without responsibilities. 

the picture is of the 'fantasia' version of mickey mouse, when he tries to be the sorcerer's apprentice.  it has to be my all time favorite mickey version.  epcot was having a garden experience, so this is what i saw!  epcot is amazing, and i highly recommend going to experience it at least once!  i enjoyed all four parks, however; each with their own uniqueness.  this was a wonderful way to end a world-wind event like general conference.  in fact, i ended up playing 'catch-up' so much when i returned that i never was able to post a blog last week.  go figure.  i'm sure you probably all understand what it is like to run out of time!



 if you have never been to florida -- i'm told it really isn't the south; it is its own state of being! -- you'll know the concept of 'hot and humid'.  but, it makes for a wonderful paradise setting for flowers; you will see hibiscus all over the place; very tropical.  these happened to be just outside my room.

after having been surrounded by a 'world full of people' at general conference, however, i expected disney world to have a similar feeling.  not so.  i was reminded once again what 'white priviliage' brings in the form of what people can afford and not afford for vacation. 

while we still live in a flat-line economy, what i noticed was how few cultural/ethnic-minorities there were in disney world.  european visitors, but not a lot of people of color.  lots of strollers (they have 'stroller parking' everywhere you go) and a lot more scooters.  and lots of school-age children ... i only had the summers off for family vacations.  i'm so old!!!

but at the end of the day, there is no more magical thrill than to watch fireworks and the reflection of 'the castle' in the water.  i really like this picture; not that i'm a great photographer or anything, but it is interesting to me.  and it does allow me to remember that 'when you wish upon a star', no one wishes for harm or hatred, but peace and renewal and all good things.  that perhaps is really the magic of what disney brings to our world; an opportunity to let the real world slide by for a while, so that joyousness can happen.  even when overly tired children cried (do children really stay up all vacation time until they are just beside themselves with tiredness -- ok, i was a parent once of tiny children, but there comes a time with 'naptime is best' -- even on vacation!) i said a prayer of thanksgiving ... i'm so glad i'm beyond that age of young parenting!  and i said that prayer without guilt!!!  it is the beauty of being able to get away from it all ... something we all need; a time of renewal, a change of pace, and a reminder that all work and no play makes the world 'un'-magical!

and so i returned to merced; safely, and my desk and computer ready to have me back.  i appreciated that the merced church folk were able to be cared for by others while i was away, and that neither me nor they had to worry about 'what to do'.  i am blessed by serving with wonderful people who aren't dependent on me, but who are self-sufficient, and genuinely care for my welfare, as i do for theirs...amen!

on another note, i also share my thanks for the prayers and concerns for our community on mother's day with the discovery of a homicide victim whom i found in my neighborhood while out walking before worship.  i was grateful to be able to come to worship and pray with the community for the family of this (at that time) unknown victim, and to be able to pray for the welfare of our community and world and we yearn to be a people of love and peace.  we've still got so much work to do in that area.  may we be faithful to live toward a loving world of peace. . . . 

being a world-wide church . . . .

general conference is in its second week; we've moved from legislative sections to plenary sessions.  i am reminded constantly how difficult it is to be a world-wide church.  we're called to make disciples of jesus christ for the transformation of the world ... and yet, we continue to find that that phrase means different things to different people.  we are not a church body that can agree.  and we are not a church body that will admit this fact.  how ironic!  what do you do when an idea that is a 'no brainer' for some becomes that basis for 'sin' in another persons' thought? 

well, for the united methodist church, it seems, we tend to become more legalistic and constrictive; so note the sign to the left; some push back; others become devastated, and still others work tirelessly to extend the table, to find the opportunity to be in dialogue and listen; we call this in the united methodist church, 'holy conferencing'.  campus ministries were evident last night, offering the kind of hospitality that post moderns do ... i keep wondering how long it will be until they find themselves wondering -- "why in the world am i in a church that constricts and is not grace-filled?"

and so i head back to be a page again for the afternoon session; to have interpreters 'clean up' the interpretations of the real words.  the god i worship could not possibly be pleased.  in worship, we have symbolic images that appear; i found this visual engaging and spiritually moving; what do you see in it?  is there a possibility that god's grace will find its way into the future of united methodism?  will the spirit of god be able to soften all our hearts?  will we be able to truly see and experience 'the jesus in me' who meets 'the jesus in you'?  i hope so; i truly hope so!  truly, being a world-wide church is a challenge; and jesus MUST be here somewhere...take time this week to sit with someone and be in a 'holy conference' yourself.  be open, be welcoming, and find the opportunity to extend and receive grace. . . .

i made it to tampa -- & general conference

i made it to tampa!  flights went well, but i think i lost a day traveling...the big question is, will i get it back when i return to california?  as i walked from my inn to the convention center this morning, the main drive i went on has these united methodist information banners; many different ones; the picture isn't so great, but you get the idea; very inviting and informative of what we are doing locally and globally.  what do you think about including these around merced?  beware (or be aware), united methodists are in the community; come serve with us; come grow with us; come and get to know the jesus we know . . . what do you think? 

as i was walking, i saw this community garden, directly across the street from where people board their ships for a delightful vacation on the seas.  i've always thought that our 'back 40' grass area could be a wonderful neighborhood garden; useful for our neighbors and a reminder that we are a working church; a place of action; food for physical and spiritual growth.  what do you think?  is this worth an effort worth exploring?  the wesley club recently applied for a peace with justice grant, and ended up offering a food demonstration that paralleled the groceries we offer from our monthly food pantry, with supplemental fresh organically grown produce...awesome, don't you think?!  i love the thought that we could do something like this on an on-going basis . . . . 

and so, what would a trip to florida without seeing a cruise ship?  interestingly enough, i received a text from someone visiting family in west virginia, where it is snowing!  today it is beautiful in the south-east; my first visit to florida.  it is growing on me...they have a streetcar that travels from the neighborhood where i am staying (ybor city--pronounced ibor) to the downtown area.  what a great way to travel back after my leisurely 50,590 walk downtown.  ybor city is a great little neighborhood; the former cigar rolling section of the city that actually had its own name, and has a number of warehouses, and is in re-development; and, as it turns out, a growing artistic section, a fun nightlife (well, i went to see 'the lucky one'  -- bring tissues!), and the location for the lgbt community; but i didn't see a church community here, besides scientology...the umc of merced would fit in great here ... hum; ok, i'll come home -- but promise me we will think seriously about a community garden...

now that you know i am safely here, i'm off to be trained as a page...someday, i'll become a volume!  thank you for your prayers as the united methodist church makes decisions that will effect us for the next four years ... with my hope for a more inclusive offering of love!