Vol 4 No 8 - "I Know I Need to be in Church..."

As I started to 'work the room' at the funeral home this past Sunday before my friend's service in Lake Charles, I was reminded of a recurring conversation that I have with more than a few people on a regular basis.  The conversation that goes along the lines of, "Hey preacher, I know that I haven't been in church in a while, and that I really need to get back to it, and I'm sorry I haven't been there like I should, and I'll do better."  What's amusing about this is that I RARELY initiate this discussion; usually it's people's default reaction when they see the preacher out and about.

This came to mind last Sunday because as Erin and I settled into our seats, the people sitting on the other side of Erin asked who she was, and upon finding out her name, knew that I was the Oliver boy whose family had sat in the balcony with them when I was a child.  We got to catching up, and I was struck by how much we learn about each other just through the rhythm of attending worship together each week.  Bonds are formed when we worship as a community week after week, month after month, year after year.  Bonds that last for a lifetime.

When people engage me in the conversation that starts with, "I know I need to be in church...", I cringe.  Not because of anything relating to me, but out of sadness.  Sadness because the point is not to be in worship to make the preacher happy.  Sadness because the point of worship is not to make numbers look good.  Rather, its sadness because of what all is being missed when we "just don't make it to worship this week."  

It's hard to see in the short-term, but over the long haul a community of faith is formed, the body of Christ nurtured, and life-transforming relationship build.  We we deny ourselves the regular worship of the community of faith, it is primarily detrimental to the spiritual formation of the one who is taking a pass.

I'm so glad I was in worship every week as a child, and that it was important in the life of my family.  Even if I had no idea at the time that relationships that were being build there would be so important 20+ years down the road.  My hope and prayer for each of you is that you are developing similar relationships that you can draw upon much later. 

See You Soon!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 7 - 800+

Congratulations on hitting 800+.  You should be very humbled and moved that God helped you hit that plateau.  After all, sometimes we can't imagine hitting a number that high.  800+; are you kidding me?  How in the world can something like this happen to US?  800+; some people don't realize that kind of number in their entire lives (at least that they are aware).  800+; what an achievement.  And to think there is the possibility of more tomorrow...

Yes, indeed, my friends, you did hit 800+ the past two weeks.  200+ lives touched by the mission team you sent out to Mexico and 600+ lives touched by the kits we helped assemble at UMCOR during our bi-weekly mission last Thursday.

Hats, gloves, socks, school kits -- it's quite amazing to see how in what seem to us to be small contributions lives can be impacted for the Kingdom of God.  One thing we must never forget, though, is that we can do all the good works in the world that we want, all the good works that give us the warm, fuzzy, "I made a difference" feelings, but if we fail to make it known that we do it in the name of Christ, we have missed an opportunity.

Don't forget - we as United Methodists do good works for humanity out of our desire to make a difference, and this is not a bad thing.  However, we must always keep at the forefront why we do these things.

See You Soon!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 6 - Overstuffed

It was an amazing sight in our sanctuary Monday night, a sight that deeply moved me, a sight that had me bursting with pride.  As a group of ten people of a wide variety of ages and backgrounds gathered to prepare themselves to come together as one in service to God from this congregation to the people of Mexico, we were greeted by the sight of so many knit hats, knit gloves, and white socks where the Chrismon tree stood that we had to provide another duffel bag to get them all packed.  What a statement for this congregation to make in the midst of our Advent and Christmas celebrations.  

Looking at that stash of goods to be taken to people in need, looking at planning for our Lenten observation (yes, it's time for those of us in the church to start looking at that), and talking with our friends at UMCOR, I am pleased to announce that we will be engaging in a similar collection activity for Sundays during Lent.  Look for more information to come as Lent draws closer next month.

The most amazing thing about this collection for the Reynosa mission was the number of you who mentioned to me that it was so easy to pick up a bundle of hats, socks, and gloves; that's precisely the point.  Engaging in mission work involves so many different aspects that even with what is to us a most minimal effort or investment can make a huge difference in the lives of others.

See You Soon!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 5 - Back to 'Normal'

Thank you all for making our Christmas Eve worship such a joyful time of anticipation and celebration.  It was a true joy to see and meet those who are so important to you.  I know that the days around Christmas are so busy and distracting; to take a little more than an hour to worship with the people of God is a wonderful statement of faith.  Both of our services (6:00 & 11:00) had a great mix of people and were a true blessing.

As you prepare for the new calendar year this week, I want to remind you that our church life is returning to its regular routine after the craziness that is Advent.  You will note in this e-mail as well as in the church newsletter which will be in your mailboxes later this week a number of opportunities to be involved in the kingdom of God, and I encourage you to resolve in 2009 to involve yourself in a ministry that you might not have in the past.  Mission opportunities, Bible studies, Sunday school, worship, joining or working with our youth ministry...these are but a few of the ways we can truly live out the calling that God has placed on our lives to work for the Kingdom.

I hope and pray that each of you has a wonderful New Year's celebration and that you truly live out all that God has in store for you in 2009.

See You Soon!

Lamar

P.S.  Please note that our New Year's Eve Come & Go Communion has been canceled for this year.  Erin had some complications from her sinus surgery and will be having another procedure in the morning.  My apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Vol 4 No 4 - Dim Bulbs and Perspective

Some of you may have noticed just before worship on December 14 that the bulb in the projector in the sanctuary died.  It was a very frustrating thing not only because of the inconvenience but also due to the fact that the bulb did not last as long as we might have expected.  Thinking about all this earlier today while I was on the scaffolding replacing the bulb, my thoughts turned to our worship service tomorrow night as we kick off the Christmas season.  Two things that came to me (besides that fact it would have been a heckuva worker's comp claim if I'd slipped):

1) In re: the bulb blowing sooner than expected:  Yes, it is highly annoying when things don't happen on the schedule we expect - but then again, isn't that the story we proclaim at Christmas?  We worship a God who tells us over and over and over again that things do not happen on our schedule, but yet we insist on things happening as we want...and...

2) In re: being 15' off the ground:  Our beautiful house of worship is inspiring from our usual perspective, but as I looked around from high above I saw it from a whole new vantage, and gained an appreciation for it that I never had before.  The arrival of Christ demands that we look at life from a whole new perspective, a perspective we don't always get in our daily routines.

I hope and pray that you and yours will be with us tomorrow night at 6:00 or 11:00 as we celebrate again the arrival of the Christ child, gaining new perspective on this familiar narrative and being reminded that while our schedule can get frustratingly out of kilter, the Divine schedule is exactly perfect.

See You Soon!

Lamar

P.S.  Please note that our New Year's Eve Come & Go Communion has been canceled for this year.  Erin had some complications from her sinus surgery and will be having another procedure that morning.  My apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Vol 4 No 3 - How is it with Your Soul?

Earlier this morning, I had an interesting conversation with one of my colleagues about the question, "How is it with your soul?", and as he and I were talking he made a wonderful observation that cuts to the quick of our Christianity.  My colleague made the observation that far too often we ask the wrong question.  Instead of inquiring as to how it is with our souls, my friend commented that we should be asking instead, "How is it with our walk [with Christ]?".

Today's message is very brief:  How is your walk with Christ?  How are you tending to your relationship to Him?  Is He someone you squeeze in when you can, or someone who you make a priority to be with?

Don't forget in this week before Christmas to help tend your walk with Christ by being with us for:

* - Our Feasting on the Word at the Table communion & prayer celebration TODAY from 12:15-12:40

* - Worshiping with us this Sunday morning as our music ministry presents the Word through their cantata

* - Participating in our collection of knit hats, knit gloves, and white socks for the January Reynosa mission, placing them (unwrapped) at the base of the Chrismon tree in the sanctuary

* - Joining in Sunday school for all ages at 9:00AM on Sunday morning

* - Bringing your friends, family, neighbors, and relatives to one of our Christmas Eve Candlelight and Communion celebrations - 6:00PM or 11:00PM.

I look forward to us tending our walk with Christ together through each of these opportunities over the next week.  It is truly an honor to be able to engage in these activities with you.

See You Soon!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 2 - Christmas Absurdity

There are some days that I cannot get over the absolute absurdity of Christmas.  Not the absurdity of the commercialization of Christmas (that topic has been beaten to death), but the absurdity of Christmas.

A child born of a true virgin.  A child whose birth was foretold centuries before it happened.  A child whose life the world literally must depend upon.  A child whose birth would cause the ruling powers to decree that all children under the age of two were to be killed.  A child whose birth would change how humanity would keep track of time (literally).

The day this story no longer captures our imagination is the day that we need to re-think our faith and our approach to this time of year.

See You Sunday!

Lamar