Answering machine message

Here's the new answering machine message for Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Somonauk. Church can be fun, right? (No - the photo montage doesn't appear on the phone.)

Installation flavor

This afternoon I was officially installed as the pastor at Union Congregational Church in Somonauk. It was heartwarming to see so many friends and colleagues together with so many from my new church home. The service carried with it a flavor of joy, celebration and wonderfully presented silliness too! Our "passing of the peace" (we all made a circle around the sanctuary and sang and played the "shake a little hand . . . " game) and surprise puppet show (caught me off guard and had us all in stitches!) at the end of the worship service made me smile. The entire service -- filled with wonderful music, inspired words from so many members of Union Congregational Church made my heart sing.

Second Chances

The post from earlier this week (You'd better change, or else!) was a great starter for putting together this week's sermon at Union Congregational Church. You can read the preview of 'Second Chances' now (TWO days early!) and then come back to hear the podcast later.

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Update -- you can hear the podcast now!

Overwhelming

I'm pretty speechless in regards to the "Farewell to Kirk" celebration at St. Matthew today. The love, support and good wishes I received are overwhelming. I'll never forget the wonderful people and the wonderful ministry at St. Matthew United Church of Christ in Wheaton.

Last and first

Last Sunday I'll be serving at St. Matthew UCC in Wheaton: February 4, 2007
First Sunday I'll be serving at Union Congregational Church in Somonauk: February 11, 2007

Reality Check: 7 weeks

Wondercafe

The United Church of Canada has a new (It launched in early November) campaign to invite Canadians (and anyone else) into a faith discussion about the issues you're not supposed to talk about in church. It's got a similar feel to the UCC's "Stillspeaking" initiative and i.ucc websites. (Not in the way it looks, but it's invitation to everyone to participate in talking about God together.)

They have some wonderful print ads that are running over the next three years in magazines, newspapers and on the internet.

What a great discussion going on. I hope more people who are feeling disconnected from church will be able to re-connect with wondercafe.ca.

Announcement!

I've been called as the new pastor at Union Congregational Church in Somonauk, IL.

Whoa.

I start serving sometime in February of next year.

It's so exciting to get ready to serve and for new opportunities. I'm looking forward to help lead a new congregation as we grow together in Faith.

And it's bittersweet because it means saying goodbye to the St. Matthew congregation.

Transition isn't easy -- and I trust that God will continue to provide strength and continue to guide both St. Matthew UCC and Union Congregational Church.

More excitement to come!

Turkey Bowl

Yesterday morning I was part of the 8th annual Turkey Bowl football game at St. Matthew UCC. We had a great group of people -- all ages -- who got together for a lighthearted football game and snacks afterwards. (The official game score after playing for 45 minutes was . . . tied.) We have a really old turkey that had been in someone's freezer for years that we've mounted on a trophy stand. We call it the 'Turkeyardi" trophy. (It is also the turkey that starred in last year's Thanksgiving horror movie, 'The Turkey's Revenge.' Here are the Turkey Bowl 2006 pictures too!

Affordable, Biblical Healthcare -- with a horrific catch

I can't believe it. I got a flier in the mail today from medi-share Christian care. They're a group of Christians who share medical bills by all paying into one fund and then paying for medical expenses out of that fund. (That sounds like an insurance plan -- which the American Evangelistic Association say it is not. I think the biggest reason it is not is that the plan is not guaranteed.)
Pooling resources and meeting everyone's needs sounds a whole lot like the early church described in Acts. I guess that's were medi-share gets the 'biblical' part from. (Their website says that Galatians 5:2 -- "Share each other's burdens" is the basis)
But what's this? Inside the flier I found "Good News . . . for Christians only!"
Come again?
You have to be a Christian to qualify. Because, of course, Christians make the most healthy decisions. (A disclaimer on the site puts it this way: )

"Our Medi-Share members and their healthcare dollars do not subsidize abortions, drug addictions, or any other unbiblical lifestyles that inevitably lead to the premature destruction of the body, mind, and spirit."

Further research reveals:

"Examples of behavior that can lead to non-sharing include, but are not limited to, the use of tobacco in any form, the abuse of drugs including legal drugs such as alcohol, excessive weight gain (weight that exceeds the Medi-Share height/weight standards), and participation in activities with willful disregard for personal safety."

Here's some other things that aren't eligible:

• Routine mammograms
• Routine pap smears
• Routine screening tests and procedures without medical reasons (e.g., colonoscopy without specific symptoms)
• Sterilization or reversals (vasectomy and tubal ligation)
• Surgery (elective) during the first three months of membership
• Veteran Administration care and treatment
• Weight control and management
• Well patient care, for example, annual physicals, routine lab studies, mammography, pap smears and well-baby check ups

and

• AIDS treatment -- unless it came through transfusions, verifiable rape reported to law enforcement authorities, or contracted in the practice of a health care profession

So these Christians have made a healthcare club where only Christians are allowed, basic healthcare needs are ignored and then they had the gall to call it "biblical."

That makes me ill.

Update:

I've discovered that there are a few more organizations that have similar requirements and disclaimers -- though they're not as selfish sounding as the flier I got. In any case -- if you're not a Christian -- you're not allowed. Still completely contrary to the Gospel, eh?

• Samaritan Ministries
• Christian Brotherhood Newsletter Ministry

11 days later

After sleep out Saturday, I posted here about the whole eye-opening, miserable, humiliating and life-changing experience. Bridge Communities has reposted my thoughts on the Sleep Out Saturday 2006 page. Take a look at the reactions from others too -

Scarcity and abundance

Today I attended a clergy day away for the Illinois Conference UCC. We heard from Parker Palmer -- a teacher, lecturer, activist and prolific writer who speaks about wholeness and authenticity in our lives. Something that stuck with me (and I know has influenced many over the years -- judging from all the articles and blog posts about it) was the concept of scarcity and abundance. He used the Feeding of the 5000 in a kind of "stone soup" way -- showing how the disciples saw how little was available (scarcity) and how Jesus concentrated on what there was an abundance of (faith, miracles -- or - dare I say it? generosity of people who were gathered)
He challenged me to look past the scarcity (we don't have enough of . . . ) that I hear from everywhere and instead look with faith at the abundance (What Jesus sees and calls us to live) of gifts God gives.
What a great idea.

End homelessness

Last night I participated in Bridge Community's "Sleep Out Saturday" event. Around 1500 people in the DuPage county area got a taste of what is like to be homeless by sleeping out in tents, cardboard boxes and cars. The organizers hoped to raise $100,000 to help end homelessness.
I know that a night of "camping out" in the cold doesn't equal homelessness. I also know that it was not a pleasant experience. It was cold, damp and uncomfortable. Each of us woke up several times during the night and nobody got a good night's sleep. There was even a sense of humiliation as some people came by and laughed at our "boxes and tents" sleeping area. All the people who slept out at St. Matthew UCC in Wheaton went away from the event with an appreciation for having a home, a dislike for sleeping out in the cold, and, I hope, a desire to do something to end homelessness in DuPage County, in Illinois, in the United States and in all the world.
I have come away from the experience saying, "Nobody should be in a situation where they have no place to live. I know that we -- as a nation and as it's residents -- have the resources to end homelessness."
I'd love for the best minds on how to end homelessness to get together and come up with a plan. Until then, I hope anyone who reads this helps move toward the goal of ending homelessness by supporting organizations like DuPage PADS and Bridge Communities.
Nobody should be in a situation where they have no place to live.

*** This article has been reposted on Bridge Community's Sleep Out Saturday 2006 page.

Weekend of fun

It was a really busy weekend -- with events at St. Matthew from Friday until Sunday! There are pictures from most of them on the St. Matthew website (Check the photo album or what's new" areas). And the first project I completed was the "4th movie in the pumpkin trilogy" that I made with the middle schoolers. It's a "TV show trailer" parody of Lost -- called "Tossed." The video is on youtube and google video -- and you can also catch the outtakes here!

Sleep Out Saturday

I'll be participating in Bridge Community's "Sleep Out Saturday" on November 4th. Today I found the blog for the event and found a quote by . . . me! (Sharing about last year's experience.) I still feel the same way.

Personal Relationship

I've been thinking about -- and we talked about last night -- the oft-used describer of being a follower of Jesus. "Having a personal relationship with Jesus." It's bothered me to hear a few people tell me about how that phrase has been used as a weapon to prove to them that they weren't really part of the "Jesus club." (If you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, you're not really a Christian.)

My thoughts have surrounded having faith in Jesus and being one who seeks to follow Jesus as a more accurate describer of the relationship I have with Jesus. "Personal Relationship" has such a wide range of ways to understand it (Friend, Parent-Child, Romantic interest, Long-distant friend) and the possibility of it being positive or very negative. (abuser, rapist, murderer)
So why the catch-phrase and the litmus test about Christianity?

I think I'm still going to focus on teaching others about having faith in Jesus, seeking to follow Jesus and Loving God with all we are -- as well as loving one another.

I think that's what being a Christian means.

I found a hilarious and offensive video yesterday about this comedy group's take on the term "Personal Relationship with Jesus"

Back to School

Tonight at our youth group meeting we had a back-to school party complete with cake, games, songs and discussion.
We played an absolutely disgusting game of 'Guess the Candy Bar' that I learned about from my sister-in-law. She'd been to a baby shower and told me about this game where candy bars were melted in diapers and the contestants had to touch, smell and even taste to figure out what kind of candy bars they were. I knew it was a winning youth group game. We had lots of gross fun with that one.
Then we moved into a discussion about how we tend to misuse scripture to fit our agenda. We talked about three issues, in escalating controversy, that we use or have used scripture to match our agenda.
We talked about slavery -- we don't use the Bible to make that OK anymore.
We talked about women in ministry -- we have a little controversy with that one now -- and we use scripture to defend our positions. Each side thinks the other misuses scripture.
We also talked about homosexuality -- People on all sides of that issue use and misuse scripture to fit their agenda too. Each position is sure the others are misusing scripture.
Our discussion culminated with the idea that we have to look at scripture through the lens of the most important commandments: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. And when we disagree, we still have to disagree through the same lens.

The diaper thing was connected in that we started with something really wonderful (candy bar - Bible) and can easily turn it or twist it into something that isn't.

We took a couple of polaroids (Remember that instant film stuff?) of our meetings. Here they are!

Seriously -- you're kidding, right?

What is Pastor Chan Chandler thinking?

First he tells the members of East Waynesville Baptist Church in Waynesville, North Carolina that if they planned to vote for John Kerry in the last election they should either resign their church membership or come to the altar to repent.

Then after several months, he succeeded in having 9 members who supported the democratic party removed from membership.

This sounds like some Hollywood script that paints a terrible picture of the church. I wonder where those scriptwriters get such inane ideas.


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Update --

Pastor Chan Chandler resigned

Is he looking to go on the lecture curcuit?