I've been an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the PC(USA) for over 8 years, and have served the church in a variety of capacities for another 9. I love this church. But not to the point of arrogance. We are but one part of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-31), doing our best to help people in their varied walks of faith, and to boldly try to make a difference in the world. Like many of our sister mainline denominations, we're struggling with issues that distract us from our basic calling. We are becoming a dis-jointed body of believers. Every two years, we elect a Moderator, an ambassador and voice for the denomination. From what I can tell, this person travels the country/world representing the Presbyterian Church, while also being a visible target for the increasingly vocal conservatives who feel everything the church does is wrong. For the latter reason, I'm not sure why anyone in their right mind would consider running for this position. However, this year, I personally know two individuals who have thrown their hat into the ring, and one of them I believe offers a bright ray of hope for us as a church. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a visionary, prophetic voice in the emerging church, and offers a fresh perspective on life and faith. Bruce is a pastor, consultant, blogger, father, husband, and I'm frankly in awe of his God-given talents. In a time when our denomination needs an infusion of energy, I believe Bruce is the leader we need. May God bless him, his family, and this process.
"Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds." (Psalm 36:5;NRSV)
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About a year ago, my father-in-law invited my son and me to go and check out the Cape Fear Model Railroad Club’s annual show and sale. My father-in-law had no idea what he was doing. For at that event, I fell in love once again with a hobby I had not been around since I was a boy! It all began one Christmas with the gift of a Lionel Allegheny 027-gauge train set, featuring “The mighty sound of steam!” My parents created a small layout in the rollout portion of my trundle bed, and I had my first railroad empire. Flash forward 30+ years. After attending the local train show, I went home, bought some new track and got out my old steam locomotive. Though the mighty sound of steam isn’t so mighty anymore, it runs perfectly. And over the course of the last year, I’ve begun creating another railroad empire, this time on a ping-pong table in our garage. It’s impressive how this hobby has evolved in terms of the inclusion of digital electronics and sound effects, and while Lionel is still very much in the game, there are now a variety of O-Gauge manufacturers to choose from, bringing incredible new realism to this old pastime.
As Christians, we’re about to enter the season of Lent (it begins Feb. 6 - Ash Wednesday), a time of preparation and repentance during which we anticipate Good Friday and Easter. Just as both a model train, and it’s prototype need track in order to travel in the right direction and stay moving, there are Lenten disciplines that we can follow in order to make our hearts ready for remembering Jesus’ passion and celebrating his resurrection. And while many emphasize the giving up of personal habits or vices for Lent, it’s also important to replace these with some sort of spiritual or otherwise beneficial activity.
On our church's website (www.capefearpres.org), you’ll find a more complete list of activities to consider undertaking as we begin the season. In the meantime, here are a few suggestions:
v Spend part of each day in solitude.
v Keep a journal of prayer concerns, questions, and readings.
v Forgive someone who has hurt you.
v Volunteer with our church’s food pantry.
v Give blood to the Red Cross and recall Jesus’ sacrifice
Finding an activity that brings us spiritual fulfillment can help us focus on the very teachings of Christ, and therefore will help us stay on track with God during Lent and throughout the whole year.
All aboard,
Jonathan
Welcome to my blog. Yes, I realize that others have been doing this blog thing for a long time, and I'm kind of late to the game. In fact, I'm sure tomorrow there will be something else that everyone must have, but "It is what it is." So, what's this blog about? In the daily course of being of being a solo pastor, husband, dad, photographer, and child of God, I occasionally encounter strange and wonderful and thought provoking things that are worth sharing. Enjoy
