overheard at B & N

i was taking time at barnes and noble (b & n) yesterday; reading and people watching, when i overheard a conversation between a retired army veteran and a younger, disabled veteran.

earlier, i had seen an active military personnel whom i assumed was visiting merced, also in b & n. what struck me then was the reception he received from others; people stopped their conversations and interrupted this man's journey to get coffee, to thank him for his service; i had seen that experience advertised on t.v. and through email, but never in person.

so when i observed the interaction of these two military people, one retired and one disabled, i was stuck by how connected they were. the retired person treated the other man to a chocolate treat...evidently they discovered a common bond with chocolate! and when they departed from one another, it was as if they were long-lost friends; i guess in a sense, they were.

it has long been my belief, that we are all connected, in that deep human place. we do not always experience the same things, but we do have common life experiences; service personnel have that shared experience without having to explain. and i understand that 'bond' from my own experience with others for whom i share my own common bonds.

united methodists are like that; we call our bond, 'connection'. no matter where you are, if you connect with another united methodist, you find you're home. even with all our differences, there is a connection. if there is help needed, finding another united methodist pastor is fairly easy. we tend to be very responsive! even with all the emails we receive from people we may or may not know who have been stranded in another country and are in need of money-help -- ignoring those 'bogus kinds of email infiltrations' -- finding a united methodist related person isn't hard to do -- even in these times. with communication happening instantaneously, confirmation that someone is legitimately in need is pretty easy.

but aside from that, as i drive through a community, i actually LOOK for a united methodist church, or think who i know who might have served on a committee with me, or try and figure out the pastor serving in that community. even if i don't know them personally, i know them spiritually. perhaps you understand this from your perspective...teachers meet and they have an 'instant connection'; parents of teens, adult children with aging parents; someone who has suffered a loss; kids in a playground, someone who has just dropped their meal, someone seeking direction. there is more that connects us than separates us.

as i was preparing for sunday's message, this quote came across my research: you have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you. that phrase has stayed with me, and has been experienced in my own life. that phrase came back to mind yesterday as i was privileged to experience the interaction between those two soldiers. and when they departed, i thought that was the end of the story. but no....

a foursome came and occupied the table next to the remaining soldier. the foursome was having a grand time; everyone at b & n knew they were there! and as the soldier was leaving, he offered the remainder of his chocolates to the party of four. i left before he did, as they pulled up another chair and the party of four became a party of five...

offering to share, your chocolates or your life with or for someone else, is a powerful experience. i've heard it said and experienced it myself, that often we get more out of sharing than the one who is the recipient. so it is very true. you have never really lived until you have done something for someone else who can never repay you. if you haven't experienced this, you might wonder what kind of life you're living . . . . if you haven't experienced that phrase in your life, you might want to try it . . . today!

something meaningful NOT on the red carpet

i found, this morning, a great deal of coverage from last night's red carpet review of high fashion as well as the airing of conflicts between 'the stars'. i find myself, these days, less interested in 'the red carpet' treatment and discussions about fashion and fighting, and more interested in the hopeful lessons we might be able to learn.

in my time of watching news this morning, there was much news about the changing weather, the cruise accident and the gloden globe ceremony than there was about the observances of the martin luther king jr holiday. i wonder what that says about our society?!

i find myselves these days more interested in hope. for instance, in centering prayer today, someone brought in a thoughtful meditation from irish poet galway kinnell; his poem, "st. francis and the sow" tells of a large female pig and the blessed message she receives from st. francis.

you may hear the poem read by the author, a poet laureate and a pulitzer prize receipiant. go to http://imagine.amnh.org/st_francis/stfrancis.html

this poem encourages us to think well upon ourselves -- not overly so, but not to hate oneself, particularly the ones who have been abused or imprisoned or lack self-esteem or have experienced discrimination. we are called to be empowered and, in turn, empower others. i ask you, how empowered do you feel by knowing that elton john and madonna are fighting -- through national t.v., no less?!

the efforts we put into encouraging a child can be stripped away in an instant by the media. encouragement is something we are called to repeat over and over again.

so think of this as you read or listen to kinnell's poem, and the impact a caring word and touch can do for a pig! if a pig can be affirmed with a loving word and a touch, we could at least expend our energy into positive care.

the bud stands for all things,

even those things that don't flower,

for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing;

though sometimes it is necessary to reteach a thing its loveliness,

to put a hand on its brow of the flower

and retell it in words and in touch it is lovely

until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing;

as st. francis put his hand on the creased forehead of the sow,

and told her in words and in touch

blessings of earth on the sow,

and the sow began remembering all down her thick length,

from the earthen snout all the way through the fodder

and slops to the spiritual curl of the tail,

from the hard spininess spiked out from the spine

down through the great broken heart to the blue milken dreaminess spurting and shuddering

from the fourteen teats into the fourteen mouths sucking and blowing beneath them:

the long, perfect loveliness of sow.

you may need to read/hear this poem several times. let it sit with you. be reminded that you are worthy. you are blessed and a blessing. there are those who stand for you, who give their life for you...and you are asked simply to speak well of yourself and of others....

and maybe even someday, be willing to give your life for the cause of someone else.....

epiphany and vacation

it was odd to have the new year come on a sunday...actually, a nice reminder to start the year off on a positive note. i wished everyone a happy new year, new york time, at 9 pm california time, and went to bed. yippee! such an exciting life for a pastor.

we celebrated the epiphany in worship, and the altar was re-arranged to reflect the visit of the magi; the wise visitors from the east. we explored what gifts we could offer our community in the new year...basically making sure that the united methodist church was not the best kept secret in merced!

we offer three gifts ... compassion through education and being open to ideas and not having all the answers but being willing to explore tough questions; reconciliation by being a reconciling congregation, seeking to be fully inclusive of those often estranged by the church, including the lgbt community; and finally healing in a variety of ways through our prayer ministry. we hope to offer our community several opportunities this year to utilize our labyrinth.

and so with the epiphany completed -- we get epiphanies all the time; they are those 'ah ha!' moments -- i left on vacation. vacation looked like staying around the house and taking little trips, which included a trip into san francisco for lunch, going to see the 'tin tin' movie and 'the woman with the dragon tattoo' (OMG what a movie!), visits to barnes and noble, tax preparation -- clean out the files; out with the old, in with the new -- and winter yard cleaning (gees i'm still sore!)

but the really fascinating event for me was reading a book that has been in the pierce library forever, i think. but since mom moved a year ago, i have been the recipient of the book which has sat on my coffee table. this book, entitled mr. and mrs. pierce (what a hoot of a name, don't you think?) is by cameron mackenzie, and was published in 1916. it was 404 pages long and basically tells the story of a turn of the century couple in new york who get married and experience after that event, self-awareness and the coming of age.

it is curious to me why my parents kept this book...maybe for the title? kind of like me watching 'mildred pierce' (that great black and white joan crawford movie about a woman who will do anything to succeed and make the best possible life for her daughter -- she buys a restaurant on a highway that sells chicken and homemade pies) over and over again. pbs actually made a mini-series out of that book! anyway, i'll continue to be curious about that book and what it says about my family of origin!

today i look forward to my favorite psychological mystery author, elizabeth george, whose next novel arrives in bookstores today! yes, i have a number of 'church books' in various stages of being read, but having 'fun reading' is a must. and elizabeth george is simply great...her characters, with their uniqueness and flaws, are so well developed, and her story lines are so intriguing that you can hardly put them down...so captivating! if you haven't read her, start from the beginning; it's a very good place to start!

so, my new year's resolution now that i am back at work? more fun, of course! care to join me?

merry christmas and happy 2012

merry christmas! i hope and trust that the jesus born on christmas eve will be born within you each and every day to come!

our men's groups provided gift packages for a house in the neighborhood this christmas. so this is what christmas looks like at our church...being of service and in mission to others. twenty holiday bags filled with socks and boxers! various sizes. do you remember getting socks and underwear for christmas when you were growing up? i always did! and honestly, it wasn't very exciting. but now i have a different appreciation for the difference between needs and wants!

our men's groups, two of them, meet on thursdays. the longstanding group meets for breakfast and bible study at 7 am! all retired men, except for me; they cook, and i set the table; what a deal! we get into some very interesting bible study conversations after breakfast...check us out some time! if nothing else, at that time of the day, the coffee is hot, the food is yummy, and the conversations will take you from here to the holy land and everywhere else!

the evening group, or the men's bbbs...baby boomer bible study...has been meeting at starbucks. very awesome to be able to meet in public. but we are starting a new study on january 12th at 6:30 in our church library. undoubtedly, the conversation will also be stimulating. now, we haven't discussed coffee, but with this group, certainly there will be some!

after signing the cards and packing the bags, the gifts were transported to the 'gift house', and it is my hope that everyone had a very merry christmas! awesome men's groups, don't you think?!

like many other churches, we celebrated christmas eve on saturday night, with a traditional service of carols and the story, and candles! and then on sunday morning, a surprisingly large crowd gathered for christmas service; we even had coffee fellowship time, and a more contemporary worship service. included in the message for christmas eve was an invitation to decide which nativity character you most identify with, and the suggestion to keep your nativity set out throughout the entire year to remind you to share the light and spread the love.

during the christmas morning service, we had the opportunity to view a little youtube expression of christmas. a number of people asked to view it again, and so i am including it here:

Click here: A Kids View of the Christmas Story - YouTube

at the united methodist church of merced, we hope that the coming year will be filled with peace and good will; we hope that you will deepen your spiritual relationship with God by offering the light and love of jesus in everything you do. and above all, we hope that we can be the instruments of peace that will empower the world to come to its senses! we'll start by sharing that peace with our neighbors and families and strangers in our midst. we hope that peace will expand throughout the world by people like you who will feel the spiritual warmth and beauty of welcome. you, too, can share the love. what a great gift to share in 2012!

i will be on vacation next week; i'm taking a break from my typical week, including blogging! so instead of taking time to read my blog next tuesday, spread a little love in the new year. thank you for your faithful support, and i'll return on january 10th. blessings be to you and yours in the days ahead. . . .

christmas week...ready or not!

'twas the -- almost -- week before christmas and all through the community, the fog was now lifting so the frantic shoppers could finish! The wreath was finally hung on the parsonage front door with haste, as the pastor finally realized there wasn't much time left!

the services were planned with the utmost of care, seeking to be excellent and ready for the christmas worshippers who attended. the church was all decorated with poinsettias and candles, and the advent wreath was all ready for its lighting on saturday.

the christmas dinner was being readied by church elves with love, so that tonight we might welcome our neighborhood with warmth and good cheer; tables were set, music was tuning up nicely, and a story of the season was ready to be shared.

in the pastor's study, gifts were being prepared for the outreach by the men's group -- the third year we've given out socks! e-mails were being returned, plans for 2012 were being addressed, and unpredictable events were also being fixed. no wonder this season is so hectic but nice, for very kind angels were ready to lend their aid.

the sun, how it shown through the cloud-covering like 'good cheer', no racket on the room -- a good sign that we didn't have a leak; the pikes hadn't frozen; the bills were getting paid-- a first in a long time -- even in this economy, we're seeking to respond to the many needs of others -- a year of hallelujahs and amens; god has blessed us in some way, everyone!

and with no fears to contend with, the week will progress; less frantic, less hectic, less troublesome, less chaotic; on time, on budget, on a wing and on a prayer. we're ready. we're waiting. we're hopeful and peaceful. we anticipate the joy. we anticipate the love.

come christmas eve the star will shine, the music will chime and the voices will sing. one final gift that needs to be placed in his place; baby jesus will arrive and give us all a new life!



merry christmas to all -- and come see jesus saturday night (8 pm).

(this nativity was placed on the altar this year, and was gifted with a barn. we celebrate the gift of love returning again this year, and hope that each and everyone will be able to embrace that love and extend such love to others in the year to come. christmas is not only one night long, but happens each and every time love is shared. may you be the love the world so desperately needs! you don't have to rhyme; just look at me! it is the sentiment that is the most important to spread!)

a (not) typical tuesday in advent

so, here are the highlights of a (not) typical tuesday in advent.

i hosted our circuit leaders meeting. in our area of united methodism, our churches are divided up into circuits -- mostly geographical, with the aim to be connectional and to be accountable to one another, and to explore what we can do better together for the mission of god than we can do on our own.

preparations included what merced is seeking to become known for...hospitality; being ready with expectation for those who will be coming -- our, in other words, people who are not yet here. sounds like a real advent phrase; getting ready; being prepared for those on a journey. so, what does this mean? it means a 'costco run'...'cutties', muffins, good coffee, hot water for hot beverages (not just tea), making sure people know where to park, what entrance to come in, where the restrooms are, and having the heat on, the room set up for meeting and lunch and welcome snacks. all was in readiness!

lunch was bubbling -- two kinds of soup, multi-grain bread, butter, dessert, everything ready in a moments notice. ok, so one of my crock-pots is wearing out, making one of my soups warm, but not hot...fortunately, in our fireside room, there is a microwave!

the meeting finished, 'a spontaneous elephant gift exchange', and a sermon starter for christmas eve; great conversation, and a little known fact....

...for those NCIS fans, and for those who have no idea what that means, check on the youtube link below; i love how we share things in this group!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP2bqK5b5JY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

all this to say, pauley perrette -- abby of NCIS fame -- is a united methodist; an awesome video, no?

moving on ... no time to waste; the journey is not yet finished; bethlehem -- well today, the journey will be to the wesley hall -- is quickly approaching.

each year our united methodist women host a catered christmas dinner; this year our chancel choir was the entertainment; we have been practicing a cantata; a musical story based on the journey to bethlehem; a delightful opportunity to sing and share the story of our faith. if you were unable to attend last night, fear not -- to use a very biblical/advent phrase -- there is always sunday -- the fourth sunday of advent; the sunday of love.

our offering to the congregation will include this musical celebration, complete with orchestra! awesome, awesome.

if you haven't yet gotten into the mood for christmas; if advent is just a reminder that there are only 10 shopping days left before christmas; this is the sunday NOT to be missed! and, as an aside, if you are still looking for that perfect christmas gift -- fear not! -- and read my blog from last week for a great idea!

by the time yesterday was over, and i was beginning to let visions of sugarplums dance through my head, i wondered...is this tuesday? i didn't do my blog! fear not, came the answer, there is always tomorrow.

and so there is; today is tomorrow, well, only if you are thinking about yesterday.

have i lost it? no! i know that easter is yet to be.... anyway, merry christmas, a little early!

the season has begun! a wesley student treat

i only took this picture because i saw someone else do it!

that's what advent was like for me, after a non-stop week-end. it all began on friday night when a group from church went to see 'the wizard of oz' at playhouse merced. i'm not sure why that began to get me in the mood for christmas, but it did...perhaps it was the apple trees in the forest that reminded me that i haven't put mine up yet! whatever the reason, it is worth a viewing...it closes on sunday, december 18th.

then there was our united methodist women's 81st annual holiday bazaar...an event not to be missed...with all kinds of holiday spirit, a tea room for resting, cheese balls, attic treasures, the infamous jam and jelly room, a christmas room, a candy room, silent auction, bake sale, linins room and a hmong room with beautiful handwork and egg roll sale; yummy fruit cakes too! all this finished up with a wonderful 'christmas around the world' luncheon! what a treat...always the first saturday of december...mark your calendars for next year.

sunday we lit the candle of peace and focused on joseph...the week before we focused on hope and mary. worship was followed by the opportunity to be in mission; our social action team, led by dave hetland, sponsors a women's prison holiday gift bag project. about 80 people came and put together the packets, 3650 in total. what a meaningful way to help remember the women imprisoned; reminding them that they are thought about, and prayed for.

that evening, our wesley club merced hosted a christmas party. the board members were invited to mingle with the students. we gathered in our 'wesley house', had a wonderful dinner, followed by a spirited gift exchange, and then the students retreated to play apples to apples, while the board members moved in on dessert -- homemade sugar cookies that we got to frost! the picture of the tree above was part of a plate of dessert that someone else brought -- gingerbread and tree cakes, festively frosted. yum.


this lighted christmas tree stands in the front room of the wesley house, lighted as a reminder that in the midst of all the troubles in the world, and all the issues that students need to contend with -- finals being one of them, beginning soon! -- the light of jesus still shines brightly.

o holy night...in the coolness of the winter, and in a world that is not always welcoming, these students, many a long way from home -- like mary and joseph -- can find a place of warmth and care even in times like these.

our board seeks to be very supportive of the students, and our campus minister, jennifer, is a gift to them and to this ministry. we hope that we can be a place of support and faith for them, so as they depart from campus, they can know that they are important, loved and cared about, and encouraged to grow in their spiritual awakening.

we hope to provide an element of the christian faith that encourages them to be the light that shines in the world's darkness. we hope that they will be encouraged to grow in their faith, and to have hope, peace, joy and love light their path. we trust that these elements will guide them into adulthood, and bring them to a place where they can feel that sharing with others, in spiritual ways, is as natural as breathing.

may we all learn to feel that way; because god has been so generous to us, we in turn, can be 'jesus' to others as we journey together on the road of life. and if you wonder how you can be supportive of students, or want to give something unique to the 'person who has it all', perhaps you'll consider making a donation to wesley foundation merced; a beautiful gift can can be sent in your name to anyone you choose, as a reminder that your care for them has been extended to others. check out their website at www.wesleymerced.org

blessings to you as you continue to journey toward bethlehem. may you be renewed and strengthened as you share love this season . . . .