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VBS Day 4

We are almost to the end of the week for VBS and things are going along very well. Last year we met during the hottest week of the summer and this year we managed to maintain our record. Plenty of sunshine and fun. Here's a picture of one crew (the total number of kids this year is close to 50; we've got six crews plus a larger group of preschoolers known as the "Silly Chillies").

Here are a few observations from the week:

I am impressed by the many young people who are serving as leaders this year. Hanna, Kayla, Quinn, Amelia, Emily, Matthew and Kira have been a great help in leading the younger children (technically, these students are crew leaders). That's something I really enjoy watching. Kids helping other kids does much to foster a sense of community in the church.

Several other adults have stepped forward to take on major leadership roles from games to storytelling to hosting discussion. Mala, Lisa and Robin have done excellent work, as have Debbie and Joanne in relation to crafts. Daily snacks were provided by Lynnette with the help of her son, Paul. And other crew leaders included Ann Marie, Joy, and Laurie. Thanks to Alex for daily set up. And finally, Leanne (aka Freida) has done an excellent job as the chief of the whole operation.

Well, I really want to do more than merely recite the names of all who have served this week (hope I haven't missed any). I have also been touched by the sounds of children's voices singing the praises of Jesus. I'm glad for the message of hope we have to share with them at this young age. I'm glad that for many this will be a spiritually significant experience. God is doing something wonderful among us and it is our great privilege to be a part of it.

I've enjoyed the laughter and fun we made along the way. I've enjoyed getting to know the children of the church a bit better and I'm pleased to also be meeting neighbors and friends.

Please keep the whole team in your prayers as we gather for the final day tomorrow. We'll also be singing on Sunday morning and we'll have more pictures to share with all (thanks also to Rick Brotherton for taking the pictures again this year).

How to Explain

On Sunday we distributed our 2006 Limited Edition t-shirts (displayed here on my favorite church shirt model). You can see where the tradition began in 2004 by clicking here. In 2005, I failed to take a picture of the shirt but the concept was explained here.

I think this year's theme needs a bit more explanation. For that reason, I created a list of 10 things you might say if someone asks about the meaning of your shirt. I read the list on Sunday but here it is for you in print:

1. Organic faith is focused on Jesus Christ. 2,000 years later, it’s still fresh.

2. Organic faith requires the right conditions in order to be fruitful. The summer series at Village Presbyterian Church is about how we cultivate those conditions.

3. Jesus commanded us to bear fruit that will last. Organic faith seeks to extend the abundant life in Christ to all (see John 15:16, and 10:10).

4. Organic faith is something for all, though bean sprouts and tofu are optional.

5. To speak of organic faith is to be reminded that yesterday’s faith can’t be plastic wrapped and saved for tomorrow. Faith must be fresh.

6. Organic faith brings blessing and not harm to its environment.

7. Plastic wrap is not strong enough to protect us from the harsh realities of life in suburbia but organic faith offers the promise of peace (see Romans 5:1-5).

8. Organic faith: it’s not as easy as fast food but it’s far more nutritious.

9. Plastic faith, like plastic plants, might look good from a distance but the real thing is not so perfect, sometimes messy and always in need of attention.

10. I have no idea what organic faith is all about. I liked the shirt and so I bought one. If you come with me to Village Presbyterian Church, maybe we can discover together what organic faith is all about.

And finally, you can see an outline of the series by clicking here.

A Different Pace

I need to discover a new rhythm to my blogging during the summer season. With the boys home from school, our house has been a whirl of activity.

I was also following the action of the General Assembly in Birmingham over this past week. I'm not yet certain how best to respond. Some of the decisions were heartening (upholding the standards of G-6.0106b by a vote of 405–92–4) while other actions were concerning (specifically in relation to recommendation #5 of the report from the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church). My covenant brother, Mark Roberts, has posted a series of articles in response to the action of the General Assembly. They are a helpful to start to what will be a long conversation about the future of the church. I was also glad to receive an email from our Executive Presbyter, Rev. Steve Yamaguchi, explaining his perspective on the issues (online link not available). It may take time but I'm certain we can be confident in the grace and faithfulness of God to guide us through this season of struggle.

On a lighter note, we had our first offical swim meet of the season on Friday and this evening we will celebrate Greg and Susan's 25 years of marriage. Tomorrow is the kick off of the summer series on organic faith and we'll be celebrating the baptisms of cousins (an event not to be missed). I'm also glad to announce that we will now have a season of relative stability in worship as Devin Stabile will be serving of the worship team leader through August. I'm looking forward to all that his leadership will add to us as a congregation. Joy sent me this yesterday; it made me laugh. As you can see, there is a lot to do in this season and so face-time with this computer has become less of a priority. And I didn't even mention the start of VBS on Monday. Whew! Better catch my breath and get going!

Building a Cathedral

Yesterday I came across this picture on tallskinnykiwi.com, a blog written by Andrew Jones in Orkney, Scotland (picture used with permission). Andrew is well-versed in what God is doing in the Emerging Church. It's a blog I read regularly. If you haven't yet checked it out, it's worth a good look.

When I saw the picture I was reminded once again that whatever God does in the world takes time. It doesn't happen according to my timetable but, like trees, some things grow slowly. I also chuckled when I thought of the many who could not see the cathedral in the trees. As I see it, discouragement is the greatest threat to those of us who are doing the work of New Church Development. When someone is overly focused on the details and not paying attention to the bigger picture we say, "he can't see the forest for the trees." Today I'm asking myself this question: Can I see the "cathedral" in the "trees" of this community? I say, "Yes!" It might take time but I'm convinced God is gathering a community of saints here in Ladera Ranch who will sing the praises of Jesus even as we seek to serve him in our daily tasks. The grove is growing!

Summer Sermon Series

If you want to learn more about what we've got planned for the summer, you can click here to see the details of the next series, "Organic Faith in a Plastic Wrapped World."

Preschool Promotion

Congratulations to Mackenzie on her recent preschool promotion. Tonight we celebrated with her class at Chuck E. Cheese's. Next step...Kindergarten at Chaparral Elementary School. Look out world! Here she comes!

The boys wrap up school tomorrow so we'll be shifting gears to the summer mode. Joy drafted a good schedule for all so I think we're ready for it.

Gratitude

I've been completely surprised only a few times in my life. Yesterday was one of the best.

I have since discovered that Leanne Strommen and Greg Lubushkin have been plotting for months. I am deeply honored to be working with such caring and thoughtful friends. When a pastor receives a Doctor of Ministry degree, the church often gives the pastor a new robe, complete with stripes (or chevrons) on the sleeves. Well, we don't wear robes at Village Pres so here's a picture of the kind of creative improvisation that happens here. They gave me a new summer t-shirt complete with Doctoral stripes (you can also see the diploma in the background). Now that's fun! I was also honored to receive a commentary set on CD-ROM that everyone in the church contributed to. What a great gift. Thank you! I was then given a stack of cards from the many families in the church. As I read them in the afternoon, I was reminded once again of what a privilege it is to be serving among you. Your words of encouragement brought a smile to my face and joy to my heart. Cake, cards from the children and many congratulations completed the morning.

Thanks to everyone who added something to the celebration...cards, decorations, the gift, your prayers, refreshments, and more. What a wonderful surprise! Special thanks to Leanne and Greg.

I'm not exactly sure about how I'll use the new title. Maybe it's best to keep it in combination (Rev. Dr.) so that I'm not summoned to provide medical assistance in a restaurant or on a plane. When I first started the program at Columbia, one of the other students in the program, Rev. Lou Kilgore, told the story about how his daughter told a friend that her father was going to school to become a doctor. The friend was impressed. Lou's daughter quickly set the record straight: "It's not really that great because he's not going to be the kind of doctor who can help people." That statement did much to increase the humility of our class. Even so, I do hope that my education will be more than an end in itself. I really do want to be the kind of pastor who can help people. You can be sure I'm going to keep working on it.

Almost to the Middle

Last January I made a commitment to eight areas for the year ahead. The end of June is the half-way mark for the year. Maybe it's time to look again to how things are going (or not going). So what kind of resolutions did you make? Do you think they make a difference?

joy is strength

This has been a busy week getting summer plans in order. As I said the other day, we're issuing a Limited Edition 2006 Summer T-Shirt. The image above was created by Rick Brotherton and it will be screened onto a black t-shirt. If you want to purchase one for $10, just send me an email with the size you need. Or you can click here, to get an order form (needs to be in my hands by Wednesday, June 13th).

On Sunday, we're looking at the eighth chapter of Nehemiah. At this point in the story, the wall has been completed and the people gather to hear the "law of God." They listen from early morning until midday (see previous post...it's positively providential). In the end they are cut to the heart with conviction (similar to Acts 2:37) and they begin to weep. Nehemiah, Ezra and the other leaders instruct the people not to weep but rather they speak these memorable words, "do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength" (8:10). Isn't that the truth? Sure, we sometimes struggle. The obstacles in life are many. Yet unless we are able to discover the joy, specifically "the joy of the Lord," our strength quickly fades. The apostle Paul wrote these words to the church in Philippi, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice" (4:4).

What a great word for us in this season when we have so much to celebrate. On Sunday we will be showing our appreciation to the teachers who served the children of Adventure Village. They are the ones who have responded to the call to "teach our children well." Children bring much joy and laughter in life. Perhaps we need to learn to share it with them. I know sometimes I tend to be overly serious in the face of so much responsibility. It has been good for me to be reminded that the joy of the Lord is my strength!

In the coming weeks, I'll have more to say about our summer theme: organic faith in a plastic wrapped world. I believe Jesus has something to say to us who live in the midst of manicured lawns and plastic plants. Our suburban lives are far removed from the agrarian society of the New Testament. Even so, our faith comes alive as we learn to take a stand in contrast to the ways of the world. "Plastic faith" just doesn't cut it. By its very nature faith is sometimes messy, always growing and ever in need of careful attention. Stay tuned, there's more to come!

Overtime

Our worship service went a bit longer than usual last Sunday. Several things extended our time together, including the sermon. I generally try to avoid preaching long-winded sermons. There are times, however, when there is sense of urgency about something that needs to be said. I felt that this past Sunday and I'm grateful for the patience and the careful attention of all.

I also want to clarify something I said in relation the "taunting" we might experience as a New Church Development growing in the shadows of other good churches. The "taunting" I shared was more a matter of my personal experience. It's not that people have actually said these things to me but rather they were some of the ways that I have faithlessly devalued the work God is doing among us. The taunting of Sanballet in the book of Nehemiah was designed to minimize the efforts of the people of God. I'm grateful for the faithfulness that is regularly demonstrated in the work of Village Presbyterian Church. Sure, sometimes it's hard work. So also, the friendships I've found in the community, especially in this congregation, are ones that I deeply value. I am impressed by the commitment of those who serve on our leadership team. I'm grateful for our partnership in ministry. It takes the hard work of many to move this church forward and I'm not sure I say "thank-you" enough. Some are serving for the first time and some have a long history of walking in faith but at Village it doesn't really matter. We are all learning from our success as much as we are from failure.

On occasion, the service will extend a bit beyond the usual hour. I hope when that happens that we all might learn to focus less on the clock and more on what God is seeking to accomplish among us. Just a thought. I'm open to hearing other perspectives. Send me an email if you think I'm missing something here.