Be The Message

Secret's by Anja Woodland

2012-01-09T10:21:00.000-05:00

Anja Woodland: http://aannjjaaa.weebly.com/

So what are they? I would assume that the deepest secrets you have you would never say to anyone. Why is this? Is it fear....what is fear?

Noun:
An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.
Verb:
Be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening: "farmers fear that they will lose business".
Synonyms:
noun. dread - fright - apprehension - funk - awe - alarm
verb. be afraid - dread - apprehend - funk - be afraid of

So from what or who are you afraid of?
IIn the Bible it says "Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever! " Psalm 111:10. So what does that really mean.....should I fear God? I thought God was love...why would I fear love?

Wait......don't we all fear love?

The greatest thing about secrets is that with God there are no secrets. Yes I said "the greatest".

"Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and he told me to say, “This is what the Lord says to the people of Israel: I know what you are saying, for I know every thought that comes into your minds." Ezekiel 11:5

God knows everything about us both the good and the not so good. Instead of worrying about people noticing how we look or what we do, we should care what God thinks, for He see's everything. Trying to hide our thoughts and actions from God is futile. "Secret" sins are never secret from God. The only effective way to deal with our sins is to confess them and ask God to help us overcome them.

So what are your secrets?

The Preaching Life

2012-01-07T11:11:00.001-05:00

The writing style of this book is reminiscent of the poetic verses of The King James Bible itself. Taylor delivers a prophetic classical interpretation of her experience of religion and the evolution into a mystical spirituality. She paints us a picture of what faith looks like, what it was, and how it is. The sermon as a communal act intertwines itself with rich language that moves the reader into a state of being that whispers “Be Still.” I was equally surprised that this book was written 8 years ago. When I attended Catalyst East 2009 the word missional was still just a seedling awaiting a more formal doctrinal exposition and application. Most reputable professors and pastors where strongly opposed to this “buzz word.”

However, within the next year I found an exceptionally ecclesiological dissertation by that of a man named Doctor Darrell Gudor Dean of Academic Affairs Princeton that was dated in 2007 Payton Lecture series titled “The Worthy Walk of the Missional Church” and “Formation of the Congregations for Worthy Walking.”. I would have bet money that Barbara Brown Taylor’s book would have came after this man’s work. Then I was moved to the beginning of what is now being tagged the missional renaissance by some. There had been great emphasis put forth in building the church and marketing to get people to come to church throughout scripture. However, I was unprepared for what I unraveled in that quite room I called my study. The scriptures that I had loved so much had been fooling with me. It was a revelation as bright as Saul’s miraculous experience on that dirt road to Damascus. The scriptures spoke of “sent-ness”

Taylor takes us through a journey that includes these 7 themed chapters: A Church in Ruins, Call, Vocation, Imagination, Bible, Worship, and Preaching. I will dabble into the points I found intriguing and disturbing.

In the Chapter entitled vocation Taylor proposes that a true vision of the priesthood of believers means”priests are likely to wear a hundred hats—social worker, chauffeurs, cook, financial advisor, community organizer, babysitter, philanthropist, marriage counselor, cheerleader, friend—but whatever hat they happen to be wearing at the time, priests remember that they wear it as God’s person, for God’s sake, in God’s name. “(Taylor p. 31) When I see a ministry struggling I have to ask myself what’s missing. Sadly usually what is missing is the “good news” of Christ’s redemptive nature. In my experiences as a “Pastor” in a mainline decaying denominational hierarchy I have experienced firsthand what happens when we forget why we are here and what we are charged to do. (Make disciples of all nations.) The hierarchal system is imploding because of a loss of equipping of saints. The Church should empower not dictate. Churches are closing and those who have a bit left of the final fight share a Pastor with another church. This leads to an even greater hat to be worn by the Pastor.

The second chapter I would like to discuss is the chapter concerning “scripture.”

In this chapter we are confronted with one of the most difficult and heart racing elements of the book. It was a walk with mystics such as Buecher rather than theologians such as R.C. Sprouls. She dances with the devil in a sense. She starts the chapter and at first you are hopeful that our journey did not end with the infamous “the Bible isn’t true” claim. Taylor walks with us to the edge of a cliff and just as you feel she is about to jump into the heretical abyss….she stops and recognizes the authority of scripture and also the importance for historical, cultural, and social implications at the time of past and current. She affords us to re-discover our theology.

Let us look at airport theology. If the concourse is full of planes, lines of people, luggage galore, and kids. The airline perception is that they are winning; they are accomplishing their mission. I mean look at all the people!

Now look at it from your perspective and experience…..lots of planes on the concourse (lay over’s), lines of people (anger), heavy luggage (Exhaustion), and crying kids (Stress). What you have is the same place, issues, and time. What you also have is two perspectives. Cooperate (Church) and Individual (Kingdom) perspectives.

The time has come for us to step forward into the Kingdom based reality and put the Church as the center of the universe away. Nobody is buying it, and soon Church as we know IT will become irrelevant. Most of us deep down know the gig is up. We know that “something isn’t right.” Some will engage in this and others will wait for the storm to pass….It won’t.

The current Church is a Constantine world order Church. It is dominated by clergy-dominated religion and is CENTERED on designated places of worship. This was a complete change from the first three Centuries of Christianity. The movement Jesus founded was a market place phenomenon centered on sacrifice and service. It was organic….Jesus invaded every area of life. Church was not an event…..it was a way of life.”

A similar shift began in the 1400’s. The most gifted and talented artists, writers, mathematicians, and architects collided with the world and jumpstarted a little thing called the Renaissance. One of the many radical changes in the culture was the move from a Ptolemaic view of the universe to a Copernican reality. Everything changed……including the Church.

Once the Renaissance began there was no stopping it. The evolution of literature, art, science, economics, political theory and yes even religion…was never the same.

What about the “now?” Taylor seems to be in the current world we are witnessing a shift in theology that will be the most significant movement since the Reformation. The Reformation gifted us with Doctrine, polity, and more denominations then you could shake a stick at. The Church became….A Church. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salt again? It is no longer good enough for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. YOU ARE THE LIGHT of the WORLD. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in Heaven.” Matthew 5:13-15

Taylor pleads with us to wake up dreamers…..take the bowl off and let your light shine. For wherever you are I am there. Let your light shine for all creation to see the wonderful new thing I am doing.

References:

The Preaching Life, 1993, Taylor, Barbara Brown: Cowley Publications 907 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge MA 02139

Support families with children suffering from congenital heart defects - Pepsi Refresh Project

2011-07-30T01:46:00.000-04:00

Support families with children suffering from congenital heart defects - Pepsi Refresh Project

Getting Into Heaven BEFORE You Die (Dallas Willard) | the Pangea Blog

2011-06-09T12:37:00.000-04:00

Getting Into Heaven BEFORE You Die Dallas Willard

Watch it for Yourself>>>>>HERE

"Dallas Willard is a stud. Every time I have heard him speak, I want to hear more. His vision for the kingdom of God and for the transformation of the people of God is awe inspiring.

In the following video, Dallas is interviewed by John Ortberg. They discuss what Dallas believes to be the biggest problem in the church today: the central message is wrong! I couldn’t agree more. The message of “repent and eventually someday you know that when you die you will go to a non-physical place of bliss called heaven” is so far removed from the Gospels, yet it is central in our evangelical communities. Dallas critiques this view and says that the gospel isn’t about ‘getting into heaven after you die’ but rather its about “getting into heaven before you die!” That is, well, beautiful.

Take a few minutes and watch this brief interview clip from Catalyst West Coast this last year. What are your thoughts about the central message of the church? Do you agree with Dallas Willard? If so, what are the ramifications for the kind of shift he advocates?"

To Doubt is Divine.

2011-06-01T22:38:00.002-04:00

To Doubt is Divine., a photo by BeTheMessage on Flickr.

It isn't until recently that I have realized what Jesus meant when he spoke of "faith as small as a mustard seed."
While in Boston with our newborn son awaiting open heart surgery...I had never felt further away from faith in a God. It was in that moment of time that others saw how strong my faith was...
Dumbfounded I sat outside of Boston's Children's Hospital on a blustery 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning and I got it!
It is when we are without are own faith, strength, and power that others can see God in our eyes.The doubt I had was overpowered by the love of Jesus..

To Believe is Human...

2011-06-01T22:34:00.001-04:00

To Believe is Human..., a photo by BeTheMessage on Flickr.

25 Statements of Jesus That Will Change Your Life | Ron Edmondson

2011-05-15T13:46:00.001-04:00

"Recently I read one of these statements of Jesus and I couldn’t go any further in my reading. I realized in that moment, that although I had read it perhaps hundreds of times, I often take the statement for granted. It made me think about the many other truths Jesus shared which are life-changing. I decided to put a list together. Perhaps some of these will be meaningful to you. Read through the list…memorize a few of them (you probably already have many of them)…let them soak deep into your heart and mind…then allow God to penetrate your life with truth."

Here are 25 statements of Jesus that will change your life:

25 Statements of Jesus That Will Change Your Life | Ron Edmondson

Thinking

2011-05-14T14:21:00.001-04:00

Thinking, a photo by BeTheMessage on Flickr.

Today I ran across this picture of my oldest daughter. I was struck by the emotion I felt from this soulless virtual world....

I couldn't help to notice the overwhelmed similarity to that picture and where I am currently at in my life....

Nervously, excitedly, boldly, fearfully gazing into the world and saying "What next God?"

Hope

2011-05-10T21:51:00.004-04:00

Desperately he clings to hope,

Wishing it wasn't in the form of dope.

We can't stop what we have not begun,

Cuz, life don't stop because your having fun.

Why can't you realize that your life is on a borrow.

From a man who gave it all, and just wished you would follow?

She clings to abused dreams

Of everything she thinks she can never be

The world calls her a whore

She is just a girl who was never cared for

But she cant stop now she thinks

She cant stop now, she begins to sink...

Into a abyss of worthless expectations,what she needs is a new direction.

Not the path "of least restriction"

but a path of reconciliation.....

she planted time bombs in your telephone wires and waited for you to call, sure the shrapnel from science-

class smiles and two AM singalongs would span the months stretching silently between you, forgetting that

voices now travel past the moon before returning and so was left naked in the stark reality of coffeeshop

conversations between strangers who know every line to each other's favorite playlists, movies, poems, but

cannot imagine diverging from the weather long enough to raise the snaking scar from her wrist.

Hidden Shadows

2011-02-19T22:28:00.000-05:00

“Hidden Shadows”

Break down the walls as we prepare to die
Travel where the loners lie
Masked in tears and blood
Closely knit figures become undone
In a time of pain and hate
Every sorry has come too late
Because these foreign beggars
Have drifted a far
They wear a heart on their sleeve
Because they have no more time to grieve.
They sing their songs on old, worn guitars
And write their name among the stars
They have nothing left
Killed by a enemy theft
The scraps of a broken soul
Charred, and burned, the dust of coal
They’re just an image falling in the air
With eyes of a steady scare
Because no one’s been there to hold their hand
No one’s helped them when they could no longer stand
So they sit and let their tears drop
Just waiting for the pain to stop
And they’ve never broken; they only bend
Weeping in the shadows until the end.
~Alta Wamsganz

Neo-Orthodoxy

2011-01-05T14:00:00.000-05:00

Neo-Orthodoxy

In Colin Gunton’s book “The Christian Faith” we are introduced to a branch of theology labeled Neo-Orthodoxy theology. Gunton makes several assumptions that warrant his theological ideologies. He begins by meditating on the closely related doctrines of creation and providence. Creation is also central to His view in modernity in The One, the Three, and the Many. The doctrine of creation is foundational for Christian theology for several reasons; God is the creator as is affirmed in the creeds and creation is also the stage on which the human drama takes place. All things considered, the doctrine of creation, the belief that God has created and is sustaining the order of the world, is not a peripheral theme of biblical theology but is plainly the fundamental theme. More importantly for Gunton, the doctrine of creation helps us in addressing the various cultural crises, none more important than ecology according to Gunton. Gunton goes on to say that all creation is theology.

This assumption is driven by the view of neo-orthodoxy concerning the inherency of scripture. Gunton contends that the Bible is a secondary vehicle for the Word of God. He upholds the belief that the Bible is a book made by humans and with this it also can have flaws, myths, and contradictions that need to be measured by the world we live in. Gunton appeals to the scientific society in helping sort through the Bible. The Bible itself is the word of God, but the Holy Spirit is the illuminator for humanity.

The underlying drive behind these assumptions is fueled by reason. Gunton pulls heavily from Karl Barth who was abhorred by the liberal theology professors who joined Hitler in his quest for supremacy. This drove Barth back to the Bible. It did not stop there he then examined the Greco-Roman myths, Luther, and Calvin.

Another source that highly influenced Gunton was that of Frederick Schleiermacher’s 19^th century work “Dogmatics”. Gunton however uses different methods and comes up with a far more intrinsic view of the objective existence of the triune God.

Gunton recognized that reason ran alongside faith as well as Scientific inquire being essential in illuminating the truth in scriptures. Gunton also utilized the current world situation in modernity. Indeed he looked upon the world with compassion and sought to rectify the long held “givens” of theological roles amidst global conditions, and ecological concerns. Gunton also used theological historical evolution compounded by that of secular knowledge.

Gunton’s authorities as alluded to above are primarily Holy Spirit and finite reason. He upholds the view of an all powerful God who is continually working through his creation or as he so eloquently states “Creation is the theatre of God’s Love.” Gunton seems to be holding the Bible in one hand and a Rolling Stone in the other. He is driven to liberate the word of God from long held theological assumptions and mend the differences between secular and God.

This third point is an extension of creations purpose. Creation is separate from God, but as Gunton writes it remains in close relation to God, and yet is free to be itself. This freedom can only exist because of the ontological distinction between creation and Creator. Because of the gap between God and his creatures, human and other creatures have freedom to be themselves and to fulfill their destiny. If they were continuous with God, their future would be tied to God. Such freedom permits creation to go its own way eschatological.

Gunton's view regarding God’s relationship with creation is distinctively less heretical than that of process theology. The close relations of God to creation rely on a Trinitarian theology and a strong Christology and pneumatology. Gunton follows Irenaeus in describing Son and Spirit as Gods two hands. This seeks to bridge the gap between Creator and creation. Gunton states that creation is good because God himself remains in intimate and loving relations with it through his Son. The Spirit is described by Gunton as the Fathers agent enabling the created order in all its material concreteness to be and do that for which it was created. In Gunton’s formulation the Spirit is seen in the eschatological transformative-redemptive mode in reference to his crucified body. These elements allow Gunton to have God involved in the ongoing journey of creation, which does not limit its origin or relational purpose.

I found Gunton’s theology refreshing. I will admit when I read through process theology I got very excited about that branch of theology. However, it did have elements of its conclusion that were incredibly heretical. Heretical is not something I shy away from, but rather intrigues me and drives me find answers. Neo-orthodoxy is a far more acceptable branch of theology. Although I do not share the same passion at this point in my life concerning ecology I do share a passion for god within creation. I smiled when I read this “Creation is the theater of God’s Love.” This paralleled with the fundamental understanding in process theology that “God is Love” has driven a passion in me to explore both of these branches of theology in more depth when time allows.

Neo-Orthodoxy theology with my current parishioners would be a revelatory experience I live in Lake Placid New York; the demographics are very much “Save the Planet”. We live smack dab in the middle of the Adirondack Park. When Erin and I first moved here we were asked if we recycled we said no. The glare we got was frightening. The cultural we live in forced us to start to appreciate the entirety of creation and not just humanity. In the past 2 ½ years I have moved from what’s recycling to let’s do it! One theological issue I have with the green gospel is that a vast amount of people up here claim that God is creation. Being from Southwest Kansas I often contemplate if the same attitude of spiritual connectedness could be experienced by them there. I wager not. The danger of stating that God is creation is that creation is fragile and at the same time infinite. When we put God into a box of creation, we have limited God’s existence. I do concur that the Christianity is far behind in addressing global concerns regarding ecology. Jesus spent much time talking about the “Kingdom of Heaven” on earth. It is actually referenced in the model prayer “Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”

References:

Gunton E. Colin. (2002).Blackwell Publishers Ltd 108 Cowley Road Oxford OX4 1JF UK: The Christian Faith: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine

LIVE BROADCASTING

2010-11-23T17:18:00.002-05:00

To Believe is Human....To Doubt Divine~In Pictures

2010-09-20T22:51:00.000-04:00

by Art Summers
inspired by Peter Rollins

"In the Name" by Pádraig Ó Tuama

2010-09-16T22:33:00.000-04:00

“In the name”

-Pádraig Ó Tuama

In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

In the name of goodness and love and broken community.

In the name of meaning and feeling and I hope you don’t screw me…

In the name of darkness and light and ungraspable twilight

In the name of mealtimes and sharing and caring by firelight

In the name of action and peace and human redemption

In the name of eating and drinking and table confession

In the name of sadness, regret, and holy obsession,

The holy name of anger, the spirit of aggression

In the name of forgive and forget and I hope I get over this

In the name of father and son and the holy spirit

In the name of beauty and beaten and broken down daily.

In the name of seeing our creeds and believing in maybe,

We gather here, a table of strangers, to speak of our hopeland and talk of our danger…

To make sense of our thinking, to authenticate lives

To humanize feeling and stop telling lies

In the name of philosophy, theology, and who gives a damn?

In the name of employment and study and finding new family

In the name of our passion our loving and indecent obsessions

In the name of prayer and of worship and demon possession

In the name of solitude and quiet and holy reflection

In the name of the lost and the lonely and the without direction

In the name of efficiency, stupidity, and the wholly ineffectual

In the name of the straight, the queer, and the sometimes bisexual

In the name of Mary and Jesus and the mostly silent Joseph.

In the name of speaking to ourselves, saying, “this is more than I can cope with”

In the name of touch-up and break-up and break-down and weeping

In the name of therapy and Prozac and full-hearted breathing

In the name of sadness and madness and years since I’ve smiled

In the name of the unknown the alien and the holy in exile

In the name of goodness and kindness and intentionality

In the name of harbor and shelter and family.

don't forget...

2010-08-29T21:12:00.001-04:00

don't forget...
Originally uploaded by {life through the lens}

=-)

Love and Hate

2010-08-12T14:01:00.001-04:00

Love and Hate
Originally uploaded by BeTheMessage

God speaks in every day life...If we can just slow down and see.

Ears of War

2010-07-16T23:27:00.002-04:00

EARS of WAR

The breath of the moment sends me away,

Far from this language of ignorance,

Where thoughts and feelings are at play,

Nothing stays as a glance,

Rather, a constant feeling of upward explosions.

One cannot define the emotion,

As it is

As endless as our desires.

As fearful as the Glory revealed

As gentle as a Summers breeze

As loving as a mothers touch

As tranquil as the morning water

As raging as Megiddo’s battles

Nakedness of thoughts can only brush,

The awareness we all should have not lost

Yet, through the Grace of the Glory,

He has writing another story.

Ancient revelations make one assume,

Don’t be a fool this is for you.

One of

Ignorance

Pain

Beauty

And Love.

One who’s language is not spoken,

“What’s Truth?” pierced the wind.

He spoke no words, no defense, and no pride.

Flesh was pierced for hearts that wine.

What strange emotion is this?

Fools say love!

Ignorant we are….for one cannot speak,

Of such mysterious emotions from the deep.

I’ve heard it breathed,

This word called love.

How free we are to speak as fools.

The love of Him was never spoken,

It was experienced as an emotion.

Blessed are those who have joined as one,

For they encounter a glimpse of love.

Too often they excel in language,

Not the action.

We are blind so we blindly follow.

Examples of a family borrowed,

Have led the heart to much sorrow.

How sweet it is when Grace is given.

Unrestrained,

Unspoken

Free of Forgiveness.

Heaven wept a sweet song,

As the fathers cup was poured out.

Loves definition rang out like a clanging gong.

Ignorant ears of war smothered the Truth.

Engaged in fear and prideful contempt,

Humanities redemption was infinitely set.

Bye the blood of the Truth,

Not by prideful sweat.

Freedoms song rang out of a stone,

Though ears of war stifled the thunderous song,

Clouded in mystery, doubters pay heed,

The Truth is within, be still to believe.

Prideful ignorance is our demise,

Break up our fallow ground, make us wise.

He rose for the garden of emotions unspoken,

He was pierced with pride from heaven and earth,

Found guilty of the Truth,

Perfected awareness in his journey’s

Experienced the sweetness of his mother’s touch,

Came from the beginning and he is the end.

He Rose for nations other than our own,

Waging war with our brother,

Reveals our true lover.

The ears of war spring forth from winter,

Father…

Can’t they see I died for all Sinners?

As we dwell in this place,

Tears flow from above.

Ignorance would call it love.

Have mercy on us,

Oh wait! He already does.

Unspoken thrusts of loves true desire,

Abide in the Truth?

Ignorance tells us we have the Truth,

Truth tells us we are ignorant.

~A.S.

Climb

2010-07-01T14:21:00.001-04:00

Climb
Originally uploaded by BeTheMessage

Titled "Church"

Tree

2010-06-09T10:14:00.000-04:00

there’s a tree on that hill, right there, can’t you see?
it’s there on its own, I know you’ll agree.
its limbs are all wilted; its leaves are so quiet,
no one’s ever known that tree to make any riot.

in light it stays still,
not a twitch, not a chill.
its droop is there so it can hide,
poor trees sadness, you know it’s cried.

the old trees story is cracked in the earth
a cheerless tale at best, but not since its birth.
this tree lost its love in fires cruel wrath,
and now all it has is dry earth and a path.

this day though, it’s different
it’s raining, it’s windy, and it’s got a new scent.
the tree holds its own, won’t fall over today
that tree is still strong, though sad and all gray.

long after the storm, the rain, and the smell
the tree looked down and gave out a yell
for beside the tree, not far from its roots
a new tree was budding, sweet smelling like fruits.

“love!” the tree cried, its happiness swelling,
“you cannot know how much I’ve missed your sweet telling!”

The trees lifted its limbs, reached up to the sky
took in a huge breath, a great backwards sigh,
and began to sing in a healthy trees way,
no sadness, no more, to keep it at bay.

~Hayley Bodmer

breath) by Alli Schultes

2010-04-25T21:07:00.002-04:00

breathe)

that first breath of heavy disorientation
parts petaled lips,
downy sleepiness wafting,
waltzing with cotton perfumes
as time bleeds together,
runoffs of watercolors dreamt
staining curled fingers
cupped around fleeting whispered murmurs,
which taste like memories upon
waking tongues.
meet me in limbo
come, here, to this Dreamland
flutter-kick within hazy recollections.
let's muffle the sunshine,
cover our ears to discourage the silence

(breathe)

we are all Dreamers-
we have scoured the world over
in pursuit of passion, of desire,
but we neglected to check under the pillow,
instead shattering the fragile truce
between consciousness and slumber
with mechanical wails protesting
the caress of truth unburdened
by coherent thought.
Time beats many rhythms unto her drum
yet we cannot hear the syncopation
for the ticking of the second hand
upon the wall

(breathe)

your physicists adorn life
with clanking numbers, figures, equations,
re-sketching that which incites wonder
with underlying currents of mathematical reason;
all is explainable
and yet no one can show me
the gravitational constant
acting upon a woman as she falls in love;
there is no voltmeter, no instrument of measurement
capable of picking up the transfer of energy in a gaze,
the electricity in lovers' touches;
no formula has been found
to capture the phenomenon
of a kiss
upon a sheet of paper,
within a series of operations and functions,
functioning only to repress that which is impossible,
inexplicable

(breathe)

we are confined by the same skin which liberates us,
limited by the scope of our wanting.
the breadth of our visions supplement
the encompassment of life surrounding us
with small swallows of light,
so each being may radiate its innate divinity,
a halo
without heavenly obligations.
swan dives are the only way to enlightenment
yet complete emersion is often mistook for drowning;
mermaid tails bartered away in yard sales
have become the norm.
inhalations morph from the therapeutic to the joyous
as we puncture the crusts of conscious awareness,
cradled in the embrace of pure intoxicating
existence
and every now and then I swell,
helium- filled,
yearning to leave fingerprints on the very air

I (breathe)

"The Lightswitch" by C.J. Dates

2010-04-20T17:09:00.000-04:00

On March 25^th, 2010, I awoke with the view of the volcano from where I lay in bed. It was half covered with clouds, as it normally is, with just its slope peeking out from behind the wispy blankets. The weather was fair for Baños at that time of year. It was normal to eat breakfast with rain beating down outside, postponing our weeding and planting. It seemed that this morning, the rain would be patient and allow outdoor activities to commence early.

I rose and put on some thick pants and Bob Marley sweater that my fiancé had just gotten me as a present. It holds in the heat, and even has a hood to keep my ears warm on cold mornings. As I left the room to find Michel, she was waiting just outside the door with her arms wide open for a hug. I stepped down onto the porch just off our room and let the momentum sling me into her embrace.

“Hi!” She said enthusiastically

“Hi” I responded less emphatically. It is normal for me to wake later than her, and not only does she always have a head start, but I seem to wake up slower to begin with anyway.

“Would you like to get some breakfast?” She asked.

“Sure, what would you like today?”

“Umm… Can we have oatmeal today?” She said as she pulled a blanket back up over her in the chair she had been reading in. I immediately thought that oatmeal would be preferred to yogurt on the cool morning, so I agreed.

“I will go down and get it started.” I said as I headed for the steps.

“Can you wait a few minutes? I want to finish this chapter, then I will be down.”

“Ok, no problem.” I said.

I walked down the stairs as carefully as I could. It was still early, and the floorboards of the old house had a way of telling the rest of the structure of your every step. Anyone living in the house knew the movements of everyone else as if the walls and ceilings were made of glass.

The house itself belonged to an elderly man by the name of Richard Crowley. Richard was a remarkable man. He had left the United States when he was 18 years old, to serve in Germany as part of the military. When asked about his time in Germany he told us; “It was great, all the German men were off fighting somewhere and we got to enjoy the surplus of women. Plus, I drove a Mercedes-Benz while I lived there.”

Since leaving Germany he had spent his years moving to any country he desired. Richard would come into a country and buy some land and an old structure, fix up the house and live in it for awhile, and then proceed to sell it and use his profits to take him to a new country where he would start the process over again. This unlevel old house, where I was descending the stairs, represented the capstone of his building projects. In his words, “the house was decrepit. There was one old woman living here when I bought it. It had dirt floors and walls and nothing else. When I asked her where she went to the bathroom, she said she would go down to the river.”

Anyone could tell that Richard had poured many hours into the restoration of the house. The architecture was much like him, simple and serene, but with style where it needed it. Its most striking feature was all the stained glass windows. Once he had said to Michel, standing outside on the brick road with a smile on his face, “You live in a beautiful house, do you know that? Have you ever just looked at the colors?”

And we did live in a beautiful house, all due to Richard’s unique and radical worldview.

I sat at the kitchen table and traced the colors on the Guatemalan tablecloth, waiting for Michel to finish with her chapter. I thought about making some toast, but for some reason I never actually did. The creaking floorboards above me, meaning that someone else was out of bed and starting their day, distracted me. It was Carmen, Richard’s girlfriend. She was younger than Richard and they had a quiet existence together that was not without care and attention. They made meals for each other or went together to the hot baths in Baños. All in all they had independent lives that mostly ran parallel, but when they crossed it was with respect and compassion.

Carmen descended the stairs and went to use the bathroom. Shortly after, Michel was the culprit of the creaking and she came downstairs, indicating that it was time to start the oatmeal. I opened the bag of avena and poured it into a pot, added water, and put it on the lit burner. Before the oatmeal had finished cooking, Carmen came into the kitchen, and with her Ecuadorian accent said,

“The bathroom is very dirty, I would like for you to clean it.” Michel nodded in compliance as the words came out of her mouth,

“Ok, sure.”

The cleaning woman, whom Richard had hired for weekly sweeping, dusting, mopping and bleaching had not come this week and as a result Michel and I were picking up some new jobs in addition to our usual gardening. We didn’t mind though, we still felt as if we were getting the better end of the deal.

About a month and a half before, Michel and I had lined up a volunteering opportunity with a small school in Salasaca, Ecuador. Things didn’t end up working with this school, as the organization and leadership was less than we had expected. We decided it was best to focus our energies elsewhere, and were directed to a small biblioteca in Baños. We immediately were impressed with the foundation, but were lacking affordable housing in the area, which was necessary if we wanted to stay and volunteer. A family friend had told us of a man, Richard, who sometimes housed volunteers in exchange for some garden and yard work. We had met Richard in a local café about a week earlier, but that was the extent of our connection. Without any other options, I squeezed myself into a small public phone booth and dialed a number.

The phone rang.

“Hola?” I heard an elderly voice answer on the other end of the line.

“Hi, Richard?”

“Hello, this is Richard. Who is this?” He questioned.

“My name is CJ, I actually met you the other day when you were playing pool. I have a question for you.”

“Yes.”

“Well, I am here in Baños, and I had heard that you sometimes house volunteers. Do you still do that?”

“Yes. We do. This connection is not very good. Why don’t you just come out to the house.” An unexpected invitation.

“Umm, yeah, ok. We will.”

“Are you alone?”

“No, my fiancé is with me.”

“Ok, just get in a taxi and say ‘Lligua.’ Can you remember that name? Lligua. And then say ‘a la casa de Richardo.’ It should get you here.”

“Ok, thank you, we will be out soon.”

“Ok.”

He hung up abruptly, without saying goodbye. I exited the booth thinking I had good news, but completely unsure. After a long taxi ride (taxi rides feel longer when you have no idea where you are or where you are going) we ended up outside the big white house with the beautiful stained glass windows. There was a sign outside that read; “THE EATING OF STONES IS PROHIBITED.” Later, Richard would tell me that there was no story behind this sign. He simply said,

“Notice I didn’t say ‘the eating of bread is prohibited.’”

We were welcomed into the house by a frail looking old man. He was wearing a long-sleeved shirt with red material on the shoulders but the rest of the torso in gray or white. He led us through some arched doorways, past a woman vacuuming, into what appeared to be a living room. He moved slowly, and at first I thought that it was due to his aging, but soon I realized it was by choice. He executed his movements with a thoughtfulness and intentionality, as if they had all been pre-calculated.

“Excuse the noise, it’s cleaning day.” He said smiling. He sat down on a couch against the wall, and motioned for us to sit on the couch that faced it. Between us there was a glass table with a bowl of intricately painted eggs on it. To his left there was a batik of a Hindu elephant deity with four hands, one of which was holding a similar bowl of eggs.

I explained again our situation as I had on the phone, and he responded.

“Well…” he crossed his legs slowly, intentionally. “Well. We would like if you did a few hours of work a day. Nothing particularly hard. And there is no reason to work in the rain.”

This already sounded promising. We had barely even asked to stay, and he was talking details of the deal.

“Let me take you upstairs and show you your room.”

With that, we had our place to stay; free of rent, full use of a bathroom and a kitchen, a short taxi ride outside of town, and all we had to do was put in a few hours each day of work in his garden.

Michel and I ate our oatmeal, and I ended up conjuring up some seconds from the pot. It was good to have a warm breakfast, and also we would put in some brown sugar called peñol, which had a slight honey taste to it. According to Carmen, who ran a massage parlor in Baños and had an interest in natural foods and health benefits, the peñol is better for you than white sugar. The consequence of this is that I would scoop it on my oatmeal more vigorously, essentially robbing it of any benefit it had over other sugar simply by excess.

Richard came down the stairs quickly, as Carmen was already out in the Blazer. He always had a leaned over, out of balance look to him as he rushed, and he said “Good morning!” to us as he headed out the door. They were going to the hot baths, where they spent many mornings. The first few times they went they invited us, and we actually agreed and tagged along once, but since then had declined their invitations. The first time I said ‘no, thank you’ to the hot baths invitation, Richard responded with; “You’re missing a good chance to sit in some warm water!” At some point over the month and a half, we had declined enough so that they had given up and stopped inviting.

Around 9:30 or so, Michel and I donned our work boots, gathered some tools, and trekked out to go down to another property that Richard had built to put in some time in a garden.

Most of our work at Richard’s consisted of gardening. We weeded, planted, and watered. We wielded shovels, hoes, trowels, machetes, and rakes. Many morning hours, before our volunteer time at the biblioteca started at 2 PM, we would dirty our work pants and hands with the Ecuadorian soil in an attempt to make some chaotic vegetation into a legitimate producing garden.

When we had arrived, the gardens were not necessarily in disarray, or at least not to my eyes. It was clear that Richard had been caring for his plants with much of his time and energy, and the way he talked about certain areas of the garden made it seem as though he had regrets about his physical abilities. He would say, “I have not been out here in months” when we worked in the orchard area. Or in regard to his embankment behind the house, “That USED to be a flower garden.” I learned quickly that Richard had an extreme respect for his plants, and an even greater respect for the planet as a whole. When I asked him what he thought about the predictions of a 2012 apocalypse, the conversation was as follows:

“Richard, do you think what they say about 2012 is true?”

“With any luck, it will be.” He responded with seriousness. I laughed at his answer and he went on.

“Humans have shown the planet what they are capable of, it is time to give the cockroaches a chance.”

He worked with us in the garden when he could; when his body allowed him to. Other times he would simply sit in the lawn, or lie in the grass. On sunny days, Richard could frequently be seen lying on his back, face towards the sky, in meditation. He had almost worn a spot in the lawn where he loved to lay and meditate, like a motionless snow angel maker.

When he did work with us, it was slow and intentional. When he pulled a weed, it was as if he and that weed were the only things that existed and he focused completely on that. If you said his name to ask him a question about the garden, he turned slowly, as if his whole self had to be uprooted steadily from his present task. Indeed, the first day we worked in his garden, Richard set a goal.

“The task for today is to pull one weed without thinking,” he announced, as we started our work, “A formidable task.” He said resolutely. Because of this task, I thought about how I was supposed to try not to think about anything for every weed I pulled. Needless to say, I failed.

“Michel, have you been able to fulfill the task?” Richard asked.

“I don’t think so.” Michel answered. Richard just chuckled at the irony of her response.

After pulling weeds next to Richard in silence for a few minutes one day, he turned to me and said,

“The beauty of this work is that it will still have to be done long after we are gone.” With that, he wandered off and lay in his favorite spot in the grass.

After only a half an hour of work at the far end of Richard’s property, Michel and I made the walk back. Michel had drunk an abnormal quantity of tea that morning, and because we were not near a toilet, it was necessary to return to Richard’s house so that she could utilize the facilities. We happened to be in the midst of a good conversation about Christianity and nonviolence, so I went with her. As we walked back the conversation moved onto love and whether it was possible to actually love everyone. My argument was that it is possible to love everyone, for in doing what is best for one individual you will aide their spiritual growth, thereby allowing them to be better prepared to serve others. Michel agreed. Coming closer to the house, I could see Richard’s back as he proceeded through the front door. He was wearing his same long-sleeved shirt with the red shoulders that he wore on the day we came to Lligua to meet him.

Inside the house, Michel headed straight for the bathroom, while I sat on a bench between the kitchen and the living room. Carmen flicked the kitchen light switch a few times without the desired response from the light and muttered something in Spanish to Richard. He rose from where he sat at the kitchen table, and reached up to give the bulb a twist. Carmen flicked the switch again with similar results and then gave up. More conversation was exchanged in Spanish and I caught the words I knew like “we need,” “light” and “new.” At this point, I piped up.

“I think the problem is with the switch.” I pointed to it as I spoke. I actually knew nothing about electrical systems, but I knew that the switch seemed loose on the wall and thought it would be a simple remedy. Richard walked by me towards the stairs and muttered something in English.

“What?” I said, as I didn’t hear him.

“Do you do electrical repairs?” He asked again a bit louder.

“Sure,” I responded enthusiastically. Anytime I got a job that was different from weeding, hoeing, or planting I was thrilled. I fixed a pipe for him earlier in our stay and also took apart his weed-wacker almost entirely. After days when he was impressed or especially happy with my work he would smile and say, ‘Take the rest of the day off.’ Michel and I were happy with praise from Richard, he spoke so little that his words were always true. It made the good news that came from his mouth much brighter.

After examining the light switch briefly, I followed him up the creaky steps. I stopped at the doorway. I had been in his room many times before, but it seemed like a more exclusive and private place, as he does meditation there and it always seemed to be in immaculate order.

“It looks like I just need a Phillips-head screw driver.” I said from the doorframe. He pointed to the toolbox on a low shelf at the far wall. I was familiar with the blue toolbox. My relationship with this box became intimate during the weed-wacker surgery. I headed over to it and searched for screwdrivers as Richard dug through another box full of electrical hardware.

The toolbox sat below the most intriguing wall in the house. Michel and I had frequently talked about this wall between the first time we had entered Richard’s room to watch a meditation video and when we found out exactly what the wall meant.

Actually, it was not so much the wall as it was what was on the wall. It was unique. Everywhere in the house, the walls were bare white. Although the walls had the occasionally Latino wall hanging or Indian masks, there was nothing every painted on the wall itself. This is the only wall in the house that I know of that had paint on it other than the uniform white.

In the center of this wall was a large black circle. It was not a perfect circle, but a circle nonetheless. The diameter was maybe three feet and the line that made up the circle was probably five inches wide. It looked as though someone had painted it completely with one seamless and smooth brush-stroke. The hands of someone steady and intentional must have painted this circle.

After a few weeks of occasional trips into Richard’s room and private conversations surmising what the circle could be, Michel and I finally asked Richard straight out. Sitting in his room one night, waiting to watch a meditation video of Andrew Cohen, I said,

“Richard, what is the story behind the circle there? Is it for meditation?”

“It’s my self-portrait,” He turned and looked at it and the followed quickly with, “It’s not for sale.”

I went to the wall and investigated it closely. Sure enough, a small index card with sloppy print was attached to the wall at the lower right side of the circle that read:

SELF PORTRAIT

Richard

NOT FOR SALE

Richard later informed me that he had painted it a few months after he bought the house, meaning that it had been there almost as long as he had; 15 years.

Also, later Michel discovered that on the opposite wall of his room was a mirror, in which if you stood directly in front of and looked at your reflection, the circle would wrap almost perfectly around your head. At least it would wrap perfectly around the head of an almost bald, short and frail old man.

The portrait represented Richard well though. Certainly better than some self-portraits I have seen people spend time on. It was simple, it was well thought out, it was well executed, unique, multi-layered, and best of all; empty. One of Richard’s favorite quotes was from a master named Jean Klein;

“I am the absence of myself.”

Richard once professed to Michel and I that the ONLY thing that had ever interested him in life was “waking up.” He felt that if everyone were to expose themselves to genuine meditation and self-reflection, then the world would be rid of its problems.

It was hard to believe that he had never been interested in anything but “waking up” considering the things we knew about his past; military service in Germany, hitch-hiking from Greece to India, studying Buddhism in Asia, translating sacred texts from Japanese into English, starting a pineapple farm in Costa Rica, becoming a Sufi in Afghanistan and last but not least, a “sixteen year marriage with a French woman.” However, his philosophy and his lifestyle certainly reflected his waking. He would say to me,

“If people would just change their perspectives then they would see. Humans are all about ‘get, get, get’ and this attitude creates a reality a scarcity. If only we were to adopt the attitude of ‘give, give, give’ then we would transform our reality into one of surplus.”

Richard believed that whatever you wanted to do, if you did it with enough energy and momentum, you could certainly achieve it. He believed the words “I AM” were enough to transform any situation. He believed that the world and all the humans in it were simply cells in a larger “Impersonal Self,” and that once everyone could see that, we could solve all our problems.

We spoke of Enlightenment on a few occasions. The things he said about it I will never forget.

“It’s unmistakable. You see it and you say ‘so this is what everyone has been gnawing at each others skulls about.’” Richard said he knew people who had become Enlightened and stay that way for the rest of their lives. He said he was one of the ones who has been Enlightened, and it has worn off, but that with meditation sometimes it comes back again and will last for maybe days, maybe weeks, but he has never attained it permanently. Richard’s prescription for the key to Enlightenment was simple: stop thinking. He told us another one of his favorite phrases,

“Thinking runs parallel to life, but never touches it.” He believed that thoughts robbed us from experiencing things as they are because we are constantly evaluating, naming and categorizing and then evaluating and naming our categories and then evaluating our evaluation….

“To break out of the cycle of thinking is to be free,” Richard would say, “to think is to be a slave.” He discouraged chess, cards, social gatherings and even small talk as it all led to an excess of thinking. His philosophy on thinking was the reason he gave us the weeding task; his philosophy on giving was why we had a home in Ecuador.

Richard handed me the new switch and I took it with my two screwdrivers down to the kitchen. Using the tools I removed the old switch from the wall. Being careful not to touch the contact points at the same time, I unthreaded the screws that fastened the wires in place. Once it was fully unattached, Richard inspected the simple switch and said,

“What could even go wrong with that thing?”

I fastened the wires in place on the new switch and tested it out before securing it to the wall again. Sure enough, the light responded positively to the new conduit. After attaching it in its place, I turned my attention back to the old switch, to see if I could ascertain the problem. As I shook it near my ear and flicked it on and off a few times Richard said,

“Put that thing in the trash; I don’t want it getting mixed in with the other ones.” It was a simple as that to Richard: the new switch worked, the old one didn’t, and so we might as well eliminate it from our existence. The solution had been found, and we must execute that solution with enough energy and enough momentum to make it a reality.

Feeling proud of successfully fixing the switch, Michel and I left Carmen and Richard to their late breakfast. We went back down to the end of the property to continue more weeding and raking. Our conversation of non-violence turned to wedding planning, and for the first time since our stay in Lligua, we slacked off a bit. Consistent raking turned into periodical weeding. Periodical weeding turned into sitting in the shade. At some point, when we felt content with going back to the main house, we started walking back. We were excited about lunch, as it was going to consist of leftover vegetable lasagna that we had cooked the night before. There were two servings left, because anytime we offered food to Richard, he consistently declined. He had professed his fear to us of our cooking, because we would mix things like bananas and potatoes. He even commented the previous night that “he had never seen carrots in lasagna before.” His dismissal of our food always left us with ample refrigerated leftovers and had provided us with many hearty lunches.

Returning to the house, we saw the car of Richard’s friend Ray. Ray and Richard had been friends for fifteen years, essentially the entirety of Richard’s life in Ecuador. Ray came to visit the house occasionally, and even more frequently; Ray and Richard could be seen shooting pool in a local café just down the street from Ray’s restaurant.

Inside the door, we took off our boots, and I handed the tools to Michel.

“I will go start heating up the lasagna, if you’ll take these upstairs.” I said. She agreed and we parted there, her going up the creaky steps and me into the kitchen to prepare lunch.

I was just lighting the stove when Michel came over to me and said without warning,

“Richard died.”

A few minutes later, we learned the details of Richard’s death. Without eating his breakfast, he informed Carmen that he would be right back. He left his coffee and untouched toast on the table, went up the creaky steps one last time, went across the bridge to the garden one last time, laid down in his favorite spot on the grass for one final serene time. Using a pistol, Richard freed himself from all thoughts, all evaluations, all thinking and attained a perpetual Enlightenment. With all his energy and momentum, with all his intentionality and stillness, Richard truly became the absence of himself.

In honor of Richard, without thinking, I descended the creaky steps and went to the kitchen. I rescued the broken light switch from the garbage can and flicked it on and off a few times. Richard didn’t want it getting mixed in with the “other ones.” Now, it never will.

Rob Bell~ Heretic or Enlightened?

2010-04-04T22:47:00.002-04:00

Rob Bell has just released the first of his new movie series today titled "Resurrection." Bell has made a name for himself in the Emergent Church with his works including many books, NOOMA videos, and various speaking tours (including "Drops Like Stars which a few of us witnessed in person in Atlanta)
Bell has been called everything from heretical to enlightened. I myself find myself cheering and sometimes saying "What?" Like him or not he has proved that he is here to stay.
I want to hear what others think about Rob Bell. Please comment!

Celebration of Easter Week

2010-03-29T14:29:00.003-04:00

Weekly Schedule:

Check out the Weekly Newsletter: www.adkcomchurch.org

Holy Thursday 04/01/10

7:00 PM Service with Holy Communion in Sanctuary

Good Friday 04/02/10

7:00 PM Proclaimation of the Passion in the Sanctuary

Holy Saturday 04/03/10

7:30 AM Morning Prayer in the Sanctuary

5:00 PM Service of Silence and Meditation

Celebration of Resurrection 04/04/10

5:00 AM Vigil Service

7:00 AM Sunrise Service at the Monument on South Lawn

(followed by Breakfast in Erdman Hall)

10:30 AM Worship Service & Renewal of Baptism Vows in Sanctuary

www.adkcomchurch.org

Inspirations of Luke 8

2010-03-20T18:42:00.002-04:00

~Mary is a 34 year old divorced single mother on welfare. She has three kids from two different fathers. She lives in Lake Placid NY and works two jobs to support her family. She also has an addiction to prescription pills that started after the birth of her last child. She has tried countless self help books, churches, and therapy to get her back on her feet, it just seems to her that this is the life she is destined to have. When she is up late she writes letters to her mother who was killed in a car wreck shortly after she was born, and to her Dad who she ran away from at the age of 16 years old. Her Dad never allowed her to do anything. He was always controlling her and telling her what to do. So, one night when her father was sleeping she ran away from home with an older boy. She now regrets doing this but guilt and shame have kept her from trying to re-connect with him.
~Sam is a 55 years old maintenance man at a local hospital. He married his high school sweetheart at the age of 21 years old. Nine months later Sam and his wife celebrated the birth of a beautiful little girl. Sam was a great father and husband however Sam had a little problem with drinking. After a Christmas party at Sam’s work. Sam’s wife told Sam that she was leaving. Sam was having fun and was really connecting to an influential executive in the company he worked for. Sam told his wife that he needed to stay and would be home later. She honored his decision and said goodnight. Sam looked at his wife and said “I will be home in a little while.” Sam’s wife kissed him and shuffled out into the cold Christmas Eve night….That was the last time they ever saw each other.
Sam blames himself for the death of his wife and for his daughter running away from home at the age of 16. He was very overprotective of Mary and was scared to lose her. Not a day goes by that he doesn’t worry about his little girl.
~Jim was 17 years old when he was a witness to one some would call a “miracle.” He was at a Party with his friends on Christmas Eve, when one of his friends wanted to leave the party. Jim knew that his buddy had had way too much to drink. Jim asked if he could drive him home. His friend said “NO, I am fine!” Jim tried to convince his friend to let him drive home only to get the same slurred defensive reaction. Finally his friend said “I AM driving! Now do you want a ride home or not?” Jim thought this was a lot better of an idea than letting him go alone. Jim hesitatingly got into the car and waved goodbye to his girlfriend. As they neared the turn on for Highway 73 Jim noticed that his friend had no intention of stopping at the stop sign. Jim noticed what looked like headlights coming down the highway. Jim screamed “Slow DOWN!”
To late the headlights collided…
~Alan is a 37 year old paralyzed homeless man. He had a promising opportunity to play college sports. Tragically, he decided to drive home drunk after a Christmas Eve party. He ran a stop sign on highway 73 and plowed into a car driven by a woman named Mary, she was killed instantly. Jim, Alan’s passenger and friend also died in the crash. Alan was the only survivor.
Surviving the crash, Alan war paralyzed from the waist down. During rehabilitation in the hospital a man came to visit him. He was a maintenance man for the hospital. He took a vested interest in the boy. Finally one day Alan asked him why he was so friendly to him. The man named said that it was because of his love of Jesus that he was the way he was. Alan had always heard about Jesus and Christians. However, until then he had never actually experienced a Christian. The relationship grew and the night before Alan was to be released he asked the man “How to I become a Christian?” Sam said you must accept and follow Jesus. So, that day Alan gave his entire life over to Jesus.
He didn’t have to be homeless, he chooses to be. Something revolutionary happened to Alan. He started to follow Jesus and that lead him to the place he is now. On the streets, Alan has no home, no property, without a trade or occupation, a friend of junkies, prostitutes, sinners, without fear of material possessions, a advocate against the rich and powerful, and a thorn in the side of the system. One day Sam (the maintenance man) came by to thank Alan. For what Alan said? For teaching me how to be a Christian.

The Lines Between Us

2010-03-14T04:36:00.001-04:00

The Lines Between Us
Inspired by: Samir Selmanovic
Written by: Rajeev Sigamoney

Two men were sitting in a café talking about life
And to be quite specific, their wives.
One was a man of middle age and the other a gray haired senior.

The middle aged man spoke honestly without hesitation to the other, “I don’t know how you do it? My wife is getting old and there is nothing I can do to stop the hand of time. That beautiful face I remember looking into for hours is slipping away. And all I see in its place is lines and wrinkles. Her beautiful body which I longed to touch with the yearning of youth has been distorted by stretch marks where once only was perfection. So now, every moment I stare at her, I cannot help but get lost in the memory of all she used to be. And in truth, I’m not sure what is left for us.”

The old man remained silent all this while only smiling as one who knew better. Staring into some imaginary space, he finally replied,
“I don’t know how you do it? For when I look upon the wrinkles in my wife’s face, I can only see the smiles we have shared together over the years that put each permanently indented demarcation of love there. When I see the stretch marks on her side, my mind is filled with the beauty of our children and all she gave for them, even the greater parts of her perfection. And in all of her so-called flaws, her body has become a map to me of our journey, a map of our history, a map of our love. And because of them, I love her all the more. So now, every moment that I stare at her, I get lost in every inch of who she now is…”

Hearing this, the middle aged man wept. For he now understood that he had not yet truly learned to love.

One night, One Message, The Church united.

2010-03-02T08:35:00.000-05:00

Blessed Earth from Blessed Earth on Vimeo.

Open_Mic for Haiti

2010-02-27T11:12:00.002-05:00

What happens when we dream?

2010-02-23T12:58:00.001-05:00

Open Mic for Haiti!

2010-02-20T10:17:00.000-05:00

WHAT: Schizm High School Group presents:

“Open Mic 4 Haiti”

-Music -Art -African Drum/Dance

-Poetry -Drama -Readings

WHEN: Feb. 26^th 2010 7:00-9:00

WHERE: Adirondack Community Church

All Proceeds will go directly to UMCOR

Come and enjoy some of the North Countries best artists, poets, painters, actors, and singers!
Please come out to support OUR youth who are trying to make a difference!
For more information please contact:
Matt Saulpaugh
518.523.8207
Emily Sheft
518.669.0320
Art Summers
518.637.2070

OPEN MIC for Haiti!

2010-02-20T10:02:00.001-05:00

Road to Recovering~12 Steps w/Scripture

2010-01-30T13:11:00.000-05:00

THE 12 STEPS AND THEIR BIBLICAL COMPARISONS

1 - We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors. That our lives had become unmanageable.

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. (Romans 7:18)

2 - Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13)

3 - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)

4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD. (Lamentations 3:40)

5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16a)

6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10)

7 - Humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

8 - Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)

9 - Made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23-24)

10 - Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12)

11 - Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and power to carry that out.

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. (Colossians 3:16a)

12 - Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and practice these principles in all our affairs.

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)

A Conversation....

2010-01-26T00:36:00.001-05:00

A conversation....

Parent: (obviously scripted) “IT IS JUST TOO HARD TO GET THE KIDS UP AND AROUND ON SUNDAY MORNING.”

Pastor: So…..let me get this straight. You were not at Church last week because you were home with your family?

Parent: (obviously stressed) Yes……I am sorry.

Pastor: FOR WHAT?

Parent: (slightly confused) Missing Church?

Pastor: Did you eat Breakfast together?

Parent: Yes…..

Pastor: Did you pray?

Parent: Yes….

Pastor: (sternly) Did you did you talk about Jesus?

Parent: (feeling cornered) Well……yeah?

Pastor: (smiling ear to ear) Then you didn’t miss Church at all! We missed you though! I hope to see you and your family next week for worship….but if you cannot make it. I completely understand. Time with family is so precious these days.

Parent: (confused) so I don’t have to come to Church?

Pastor: You broke bread, prayed, talked about Jesus….Yeah! Great Job! If you would like I could facebook you the material for next week which is “The Stewardship of Time”….just in case you “can’t make it”. Is there anything else I can help you with?

Parent: (empowered) Yes, I would like to have my friend call you....she is a single mom and living in Lake Placid is really tough ($). She is always saying that she wants to bring her kids to Church but never has enough time, or is just exhausted from working so much.. I think you could help her with...this..? Whatever you call it?

Pastor: (compassionately) It is called loving God, loving our neighbors, and building Disciples in the name of Jesus Christ. In the Church and In THE (pointing to the community) Church.

Parent: Thanks and I will try to see you next week! Oh! (enthusiastically) I almost forgot....here is our tithe from last week!

Pastor: (guilitly)Thanks....but why don't you think about giving this money to your friend....

UMCOR~How you can HELP HAITI in Lake Placid!

2010-01-23T22:48:00.000-05:00

We are collecting monetary donations and Health Kits for Haiti.

* Health kits

UMCOR requests that the following NEW items be placed in a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.

· 1 hand towel (15” x 25” up to 17” x 27”. No kitchen towels.

· 1 washcloth

· 1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)

· 1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)

· 1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)

· 1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, no child-size brushes)

· 6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages

$1.00 to purchase toothpaste

(NOTE: Toothpaste is purchased in bulk to be added to health kits to ensure that the product does not expire before they are sent.)

Because the emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations and strict rules govern product entry into international countries, UMCOR requires that the kits contain only the requested items – nothing more.

Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed...A Study of David

2010-01-21T21:09:00.000-05:00

Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed...A Study of David

ACC Church Feb. 9th for 6 weeks!

Many faiths unite in facing Haiti horror - Washington Post- msnbc.com

2010-01-17T22:31:00.000-05:00

Many faiths unite in facing Haiti horror - Washington Post- msnbc.com: "'Catholics and Protestants and other religions are praying together now,' Alexander says, as two tearful women slump over his thick, broad shoulders. 'We are saying, 'We love Jesus; we don't care about religions. We just care about the Lord.' ' He has tried to teach his followers this lesson for years but did not always succeed in changing the minds of parishioners who thought their religion was better or truer than others. The quake, he says, has done much to convince those he could not."

2010-01-17T22:18:00.000-05:00

"Dear Friends:
United Methodist Communications offers the following updates on the Haiti earthquake. With sadness, we report the passing of two United Methodists, whose families we lift up in prayer.

Sam Dixon
The Rev. Sam Dixon, top executive of UMCOR, died of injuries received after being buried in the rubble of a collapsed hotel following the earthquake. Continue >>

Volunteer Jean Arnwine
A member of a Dallas UMC mission team providing
eye care to Haitians died of injuries suffered in the earthquake. Continue >>
There is more on the website: www.UMC.org

Love in Jesus' Name,
Claire Thayer, secretary"

Relevance X | Making New Disciples

2010-01-14T08:17:00.000-05:00

Relevance X Making New Disciples

Tell me the story again, Grandfather

2010-01-13T13:58:00.000-05:00

Tell me the story again, Grandfather: "Tell me the story again

Tell me the story again, Grandfather.
Tell me who I am.
I have told you many times, Boy.
You know the story by heart.
But it sounds better
when you tell it, Grandfather.
Then listen carefully.
This may be the last telling.
No, no, Grandfather.
There will never be a last time.
Promise me that.
Promise me.
I promise you nothing, Boy.
I love you.
That is better than a promise.
And I love you, Grandfather,
but tell me the story again.
Please.

Knots on a Counting Rope
Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Henry Holt and Company
New York, 1966 and 1987"

A Living Alternative Our Missional Pilgrimage

2010-01-11T00:20:00.000-05:00

A Living Alternative Our Missional Pilgrimage

“Moving from THE Church to A Church”

2010-01-06T21:19:00.000-05:00

Jeremiah 7:1-11

“Moving from THE Church to A Church”
“Sometimes the limitations you are willing to accept establish the boundaries of your existence.” (Erwin McManus)

We have all heard that familiar cry “We are the Church!” What if we are completely wrong? What if by saying this we are setting the boundaries of our existence? In the story of the prophet Jeremiah we see the limitations set forth by those who followed the God of Israel and the impending destruction that ensued. Is there something of relevance for the Church to learn from this historical account of the destruction of the Temple?

The answer is YES! It is egotistical for us to ever think that the Church is the destination. As we traveled this past week we went to the airport to get to our destination. We had no intentions of staying at the airport; we were using it to connect us to our mission. The Church was created for the mission…..not the mission created for the Church. John Wesley saw the world as his Parish. Does it ever appear that the opposite is true…..

The Church was created for connecting people to living the abundant life through a relationship with God. It is only when we start seeing “Church” as a “Who” instead of a “What” and an “A” instead of a “The.” That we can truly see how incredibly small our Church is and at the same time see how incredibly enormous of A Church we have.

The boundaries of religion, worship, theology, and stewardship will not hold God back from accomplishing all that he wants to accomplish. May we become a people that courageously engage in the world…..kind of like the way a little known Jewish man named Jesus did.

2009-12-14T13:38:00.000-05:00

“Hope is the beginning of Suffering, without suffering you cannot experience an invisible God.”

"A Lovefeast service is a service dedicated to Christian love, and is most famously practiced by the Moravians. A Lovefeast seeks to strengthen the bonds and the spirit of harmony, goodwill, and congeniality, as well as to forgive past disputes and instead love one another"

As we move into a renewal of time and a celebration of life. We are moved by the Spirit of God to step back out of cultural Christianity, Religion, and Ego. We are moving into a time of repentance, renewal, restoration, and revived love for God. We believe that Church is the people in which we come into community with. We ARE the Church. We are beginning a new time of fellowship.....traditionally called a “Worship Service” Knowledgeable people will notice that this is nothing new....in fact it is quit old. The structure of the service is centered on the TRUE Spirit of Christmas: Jesus. We are using a variety of different mediums to carry the message; music, art, multimedia, meditation, prayer, Communion, and Coffee. We must remember the medium IS the message. God uses anything he chooses to accomplish his untiring pursuit of a relationship with him. We can all know God……but when’s the last time you experienced God? Better yet when is the last time someone experienced God (message) through you (medium)?

The way you live your life is the greatest message. You and I must realize that being the message is not hiding the stuff that we struggle with…..The world does not need more “hypocritical Christians” the world needs authenticity, transparency, truth, and hope.

“By his wounds we are healed” By your wounds we find Hope.

Let your suffering be the launch pad for God to deliver The Message....

Be the Message this Christmas season.

God Bless You

Art

12.19.09

The Forum: “The Domestication of the Holy Spirit”

6:00-7:15 Erdman Hall

Isaiah 55 - Passage Lookup - New International Version - BibleGateway.com

2009-12-13T21:34:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 55 - Passage Lookup - New International Version - BibleGateway.com: "10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

Facebook | Art Summers

2009-12-08T22:45:00.000-05:00

Facebook Art Summers: "© Kim Lund Kyle Roger is a 7-year-old boy from Bellingham, WA (90 miles north of Seattle) with one wish this holiday season. He wants you to send him and his 9-year-old brother, Nicholas a card. Kyle Roger is a brave boy. He is fighting an inoperable brain tumor. It was in February 2007 when he was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (..."

RELEVANT Magazine - Rescuing a Fatherless Generation

2009-12-03T14:41:00.001-05:00

RELEVANT Magazine - Rescuing a Fatherless Generation

Rescuing a Fatherless Generation

2009-12-03T14:41:00.000-05:00

Rescuing a Fatherless Generation

Begs the question.... "Do we want to be saved?" Is it really a need for those who are "fatherless" or a need of those who's passion is to help? Who is helping who? Or, is there a balance that occurs that goes beyond traditional interpretations?

Leading vs. Managing | Catalyst Filter

2009-11-20T15:19:00.000-05:00

Leading vs. Managing Catalyst Filter: "“I’ve learned that God has made me to be a leader, not a ‘manager.’ I was pulled in to ‘managing’ for a few years as my main course. That diminished my leadership immune system, and I became susceptible to contagious maladies such as discouragement, exasperation, and being demotivated by others.”

There is a distinction between leading and managing. They are two entirely different roles. Both are valuable to an organization, but rarely is a person gifted to both lead and manage. They are typically wired up to do one or the other"

PeterRollins.net » Blog Archive » Evangelism will change the world

2009-11-11T20:54:00.000-05:00

PeterRollins.net » Blog Archive » Evangelism will change the world

Interesting blog by Peter Rollins. I am actually very intrigued by this young man. I am reading his book "Orthodox Hertic and other impossible tales." I encourage everyone to take a couple of minutes and read this blog.
I find it very interesting on how he flips the Opressor vs. Oppressed view....So that is what I will be contemplating for the evening. Are the Amish the oppressor's?

Op-Ed Columnist - Unhealthy America - NYTimes.com

2009-11-05T21:41:00.000-05:00

Op-Ed Columnist - Unhealthy America - NYTimes.com

Typical Always wanting more......and gaining less.

Middle School Small Groups | YouthMinistry.com

2009-11-04T17:14:00.000-05:00

Middle School Small Groups YouthMinistry.com

For teachers, Youth Leaders, Pastors, and MYSELF~ Small groups no matter what the age; are about community, love, compassion, learning, (you)and safety! It is not for me, he, or she.....small groups are for us, we, them, those, these, and him.

RELEVANT Magazine - The Justice Project

2009-11-02T15:45:00.000-05:00

RELEVANT Magazine - The Justice Project

RELEVANT Magazine - We're All Wild Things

2009-10-17T22:08:00.000-04:00

RELEVANT Magazine - We're All Wild Things

What happens when we "get what we think we want?" Have you seen this movie? If so what do rate it.....on a personal, spiritual, and media level?

RELEVANT Magazine - Rob Bell Takes on Pain

2009-10-12T19:52:00.001-04:00

RELEVANT Magazine - Rob Bell Takes on Pain

“Our suffering forces us to imagine.”

Facebook | Crazy Love, by Francis Chan

2009-10-11T19:57:00.000-04:00

Facebook Crazy Love, by Francis Chan: "It’s crazy, if you think about it. The God of the universe – the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and E-minor – loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss.

Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn’t working harder at a list of do’s and don’ts – it’s falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same."

Facebook | Art Summers I HAVE 2 KITTENS WHO NEED HOMES IN TWO DAYS .or...............:-(

2009-09-28T21:04:00.000-04:00

Facebook Art Summers I HAVE 2 KITTENS WHO NEED HOMES IN TWO DAYS .or...............:-(:
1 Corinthians 2:14
"'The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.'"

Did Josephus Refer to Jesus

2009-09-27T21:05:00.000-04:00

Did Josephus Refer to Jesus

Elementary School Students Reportedly Taught Songs Praising

2009-09-25T08:37:00.000-04:00

Elementary School Students Reportedly Taught Songs Praising

Ehen I first saw this article. I was not to alarmed....I mean we sing songs all the time praising people. Sure it is a school and politics are part of the education system, but it was not until I heard the famous song "Jesus Loves the Little Children" with the Word Jesus taken out with~Barak Hussein Obama?

Voiceless Women | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

2009-09-23T22:08:00.000-04:00

Voiceless Women Christianity Today A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction
Wanna be an Islamic woman? More to come..

The Source: Esoteric Science - The Science of Spirituality

2009-09-19T22:19:00.000-04:00

The Source: Esoteric Science - The Science of Spirituality

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/science-religion-spirituality.html

RELEVANT Magazine - More Moments Like Jesus

2009-09-18T22:29:00.000-04:00

RELEVANT Magazine - More Moments Like Jesus

The right, desire, or Choice of Happiness? I mean really.....Is happiness accessible at will? Is it even neccesary? Is there something skewed about our definition of happiness? Is the perception of happiness......a deeper view of selfishness or selflishness?

The Meeting in the Air | Dr. Randall Otto | Partial Preterism | The Preterist Archive

2009-09-17T10:42:00.000-04:00

The Meeting in the Air Dr. Randall Otto Partial Preterism The Preterist Archive

Is Jesus the Only Way?

2009-09-15T09:51:00.000-04:00

Is Jesus the Only Way?

Alright....Thomas wanted controversial. Well this has controversial written all over it. This is an interesting article (and magazine) Read it and tell me what your thoughts are. I am anxious for the outpouring and lovely debating this will inspire!

ACORN staff taped with woman posing as prostitute

2009-09-15T09:04:00.000-04:00

ACORN staff taped with woman posing as prostitute

Love ....what the heck is it?

2009-09-13T18:46:00.000-04:00

What is the difference between love and comittment? This is often a discussion we ALL have at some point...So what happens after the "warm fuzzy feeling leaves? Do we bolt and move onto the next opportunity? Or do we continue to build this crazy little thing called love throughout our lives. If this is the case do we not owe alot of credit to those we loved for the one we love?

HAHAHAAAAHA!

2009-09-12T09:02:00.001-04:00

My advice to you is get married: if you find a good wife you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher.
..................................... Socrates

Let it begin!

2009-09-08T12:51:00.000-04:00

So, we are starting off the FALL 09 year with a new desire to find the element in which we desire. Seeing as if this is the PAGE you revert to at the Church website. I have made attempts into making this page as suitable as possible for the groups! This is not MY BLOG it is OUR BLOG! So let me know if there is anything this page is lacking and LETS START DOING SOME DISCUSSIONS!!!!lol

Art

2009-07-27T20:27:00.000-04:00

"http://www.outofthedarkness.org/"

Welcome to the site....

2009-07-26T21:05:00.000-04:00

First, Welcome to the Adirondack Community Church website. Until we switch over to the new design. You are being transfered to my Blog (which if enough people respond) I will update daily. So FOLLOW the BLOG!!! If I recieve enough interest I will totally get this thing rocking!

विस्दोम इस Futile

2009-02-24T19:27:00.000-05:00

When we walk into the realms of intellectual seeking. We come a place where we must harness the desire to know. We must always remember that "THe Fear of Lord is the beginning of Wisdom." Wisdom is something that is given freely, stimulates us, and encourages our personal perception of ourselves. Used correctly wisdom is an amazing gift, however with wisdom comes responsibility. Responsibility for ourselves, others, and community. So with one who seeks wisdom he must realize that all those times he is "enlightened" he must remember that he is only seeking the sand spects of an ultimate wisdom that man's futile search can only glimpse a snapshot of. Thanks be to God who in his infinite wisdom gave us the innate ability to think, reason, decide, and act. For how else could one reach a level of obedience to the supreme power? For without failure we have no success.