And they gave him the best name possible: Joshua Sebastian Nicholas (I'm partial to the first name).
Congratulations! If I get a picture, I'll put it up. In the meantime, here's the guy who brought me into the world.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Congratulations to the Nicholas'
Our good friends, Mark and Becca brought a new baby boy into the world at 11:59 last night (that's squeaking it in, isn't it?)!
And they gave him the best name possible: Joshua Sebastian Nicholas (I'm partial to the first name).
Congratulations! If I get a picture, I'll put it up. In the meantime, here's the guy who brought me into the world.
And they gave him the best name possible: Joshua Sebastian Nicholas (I'm partial to the first name).
Congratulations! If I get a picture, I'll put it up. In the meantime, here's the guy who brought me into the world.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Elements Christmas Party!
Well, last night we had a blast at Elements (our high school mid-week program at our church) celebrating Christ's birth with a party.
Each week this month we have learned about different aspects of Christ's coming to earth. The first week we learned about how God came in one of the dirtiest places on the planet, so we had our service by the dumpster of a hotel. The second week we learned about how Christmas is about giving, so we went caroling. And the third week (this week), we focused on how Christmas is about celebrating. Here are some fun pictures from the night...
Each week this month we have learned about different aspects of Christ's coming to earth. The first week we learned about how God came in one of the dirtiest places on the planet, so we had our service by the dumpster of a hotel. The second week we learned about how Christmas is about giving, so we went caroling. And the third week (this week), we focused on how Christmas is about celebrating. Here are some fun pictures from the night...
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Prayers
An eighth grade student in our ministry had a stroke yesterday and has been admitted to Hershey Medical Center.
Pretty scary for him and his family. He's 14.
Please pray for him.
We also have a friend of the youth group who has lymphoma and is Hershey as well. We've felt the urge to take him under our wing as he goes through the treatments and such.
Please pray for him.
Also, pray that we would be a blessing to him.
Pretty scary for him and his family. He's 14.
Please pray for him.
We also have a friend of the youth group who has lymphoma and is Hershey as well. We've felt the urge to take him under our wing as he goes through the treatments and such.
Please pray for him.
Also, pray that we would be a blessing to him.
Homelessness...
Good thoughts on the chaos and confusion of homelessness.
York has a good section of this type of population. So I found it interesting.
Check it out on NYTimes.
homelessness
York has a good section of this type of population. So I found it interesting.
Check it out on NYTimes.
homelessness
Monday, December 19, 2005
Corruption
So I saw King Kong and Syriana this weekend.
I think I could write much about both. But I won't. I will say that both of them do an excellent job of exploring the evolution and continuation of corruption.
King Kong was surprisingly cool and engaging. I was hesitant. Giant ape falling in love with blond girl just didn't appeal. But it plays with the themes of beauty, mystery and corruption really well. And there were scenes that took my breath away because they were so intense.
Syriana was a good political thriller. My favorite part was how they told the story, because it followed the lives of different people and brought them all together in the end. It was very complex and intriguing (isn't that supposed to be a good review word?).
I think I could write much about both. But I won't. I will say that both of them do an excellent job of exploring the evolution and continuation of corruption.
King Kong was surprisingly cool and engaging. I was hesitant. Giant ape falling in love with blond girl just didn't appeal. But it plays with the themes of beauty, mystery and corruption really well. And there were scenes that took my breath away because they were so intense.
Syriana was a good political thriller. My favorite part was how they told the story, because it followed the lives of different people and brought them all together in the end. It was very complex and intriguing (isn't that supposed to be a good review word?).
Friday, December 16, 2005
My Parents
I love my parents. I think everybody should have parents like I do. I was thinking the other day that the best relationship a person can have with their parents is to know that they love you like crazy and to their best ability, but to also know that they aren't perfect.
I think two extremes in parenting are 1) parents who don't show their love for their kids and 2) parents who want their kids to think they are perfect.
I always knew my parents loved me.
I also knew that they didn't pretend to be perfect, but they did always intend to be better and to grow.
I love that about my parents.
I think two extremes in parenting are 1) parents who don't show their love for their kids and 2) parents who want their kids to think they are perfect.
I always knew my parents loved me.
I also knew that they didn't pretend to be perfect, but they did always intend to be better and to grow.
I love that about my parents.
Check out the site!
They revamped the NYC 2007 Website and it's flippin sweet.
NYC 2007
Save it in your favorites, send it to your friends, show it to your children!
It's informative and it's got a sweet fun section with games. Gotta love the games!
NYC 2007
Save it in your favorites, send it to your friends, show it to your children!
It's informative and it's got a sweet fun section with games. Gotta love the games!
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Wesley Style
A question that's been running through my mind...not much time to explore, but want to put it out there.
How much was the movement for the second crisis experience (entire sanctification) a cultural thing?
Could it be possible that Wesley was grabbing onto something eternal (the idea of becoming like Christ) and re-explaining it in a way that his culture would get it (second crisis)?
If so, could it be possible that as followers of Christ, we are called to take what has been handed down to us by Wesley and move forward?
How much was the movement for the second crisis experience (entire sanctification) a cultural thing?
Could it be possible that Wesley was grabbing onto something eternal (the idea of becoming like Christ) and re-explaining it in a way that his culture would get it (second crisis)?
If so, could it be possible that as followers of Christ, we are called to take what has been handed down to us by Wesley and move forward?
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Blessings
Well, tonight our high school students are going to romp around York singing to some of the shut-ins of our church.
I'm pretty excited about this.
I've been praying about ways our group can be a blessing to the world. Thinking through how Leslie Newbigin describes what it means to be "chosen" and how he traces Abe's chosenness back to God's desire for Abe to a blessing to all nations. So at the heart of being chosen is being a blessing to those around us.
So, I believe our group is chosen. I believe God has chosen us to make the lives of people around us better. I believe that God in us will work through us to do that. I believe caroling is one way we can do this.
Another way we are doing this is through caring for an friend who is going through treatments for lymphoma. He doesn't go to church and we're not really pushing him to. We just want to be a blessing.
I believe that in blessing him, he will see the goodness of God and be attracted to Him. Maybe that means he will come to our church, or maybe he will start treating others the way we have treated him. I don't know.
I'm pretty excited about this.
I've been praying about ways our group can be a blessing to the world. Thinking through how Leslie Newbigin describes what it means to be "chosen" and how he traces Abe's chosenness back to God's desire for Abe to a blessing to all nations. So at the heart of being chosen is being a blessing to those around us.
So, I believe our group is chosen. I believe God has chosen us to make the lives of people around us better. I believe that God in us will work through us to do that. I believe caroling is one way we can do this.
Another way we are doing this is through caring for an friend who is going through treatments for lymphoma. He doesn't go to church and we're not really pushing him to. We just want to be a blessing.
I believe that in blessing him, he will see the goodness of God and be attracted to Him. Maybe that means he will come to our church, or maybe he will start treating others the way we have treated him. I don't know.
Monday, December 12, 2005
The Stink
When Aubrey and I moved into our new house, one of the things we noticed in our first couple weeks was that sometimes when we got stepped out of our cars to come into the house there was a smell that absolutely reeked.
Now sometimes we get good smells, because we are 30 yards from a McD’s. Sometimes we can smell their breakfast, which is pretty nice.
But sometimes we can smell a serious stink. At first we thought it might be the garbage from the daycare center behind the McD’s. Maybe it was the smell of a compilation of dirty diapers. I imagine that is one compilation that wouldn’t produce a great smell. Then we remembered Spring Grove. Spring Grove has a paper mill which produces a smell not unlike cow butt. And so we asked our neighbor what they thought the smell was. They said it was most likely Spring Grove.
When there’s a stink, you want to know where it’s coming from. You don’t just ignore it. You smell it, your nose cringes and your face scrunches up like you have to sneeze or something.
So every time we got out of the car and smelled the stank, we would think, “Geez, that stupid paper mill.”
One of those days that we got out of the car and smelled the stank, Aubrey looked down and you know what she saw?
She saw the top of a sewage line (what’s the word for it?), which was broken off. And the smell was coming from it.
The whole time we thought the smell was coming from Spring Grove, but really it was coming from our own yard. It was our stink.
I think sometimes we can sense when something is wrong and often we attribute it to other people, when in reality the problem is our own.
Think about bitterness. We think that everybody is making our life hard, when in reality, maybe it’s me.
Think about anger. We think that everybody is screwing up, when in reality there’s something inside of me that is making me so unhappy and angry.
Now sometimes we get good smells, because we are 30 yards from a McD’s. Sometimes we can smell their breakfast, which is pretty nice.
But sometimes we can smell a serious stink. At first we thought it might be the garbage from the daycare center behind the McD’s. Maybe it was the smell of a compilation of dirty diapers. I imagine that is one compilation that wouldn’t produce a great smell. Then we remembered Spring Grove. Spring Grove has a paper mill which produces a smell not unlike cow butt. And so we asked our neighbor what they thought the smell was. They said it was most likely Spring Grove.
When there’s a stink, you want to know where it’s coming from. You don’t just ignore it. You smell it, your nose cringes and your face scrunches up like you have to sneeze or something.
So every time we got out of the car and smelled the stank, we would think, “Geez, that stupid paper mill.”
One of those days that we got out of the car and smelled the stank, Aubrey looked down and you know what she saw?
She saw the top of a sewage line (what’s the word for it?), which was broken off. And the smell was coming from it.
The whole time we thought the smell was coming from Spring Grove, but really it was coming from our own yard. It was our stink.
I think sometimes we can sense when something is wrong and often we attribute it to other people, when in reality the problem is our own.
Think about bitterness. We think that everybody is making our life hard, when in reality, maybe it’s me.
Think about anger. We think that everybody is screwing up, when in reality there’s something inside of me that is making me so unhappy and angry.
Friday, December 09, 2005
Christians Partnering With Jews
Well, I heard about something quite interesting.
Emergent is going to connect with a few Jewish leaders to talk about how to live out social justice and the godly life.
Check out some of the debate going on over it all.
Xians and Jews
Emergent is going to connect with a few Jewish leaders to talk about how to live out social justice and the godly life.
Check out some of the debate going on over it all.
Xians and Jews
Ah Snow
There's just something exciting about snow. I waited up last night, just so I could see the first hints of snow. and I woke up early so that i could the results. Ah, I love snow.
And I wanted to play in it so bad, that me and Andy (co-worker here at the church) went out after our lunch break to indulge in the frivolity of it all. The snow wasn't quite up to snuff for packing big snowmen, so we made a snowmen scene and then ended up using all the little snowmen as targets for snowballs.
We need to play more, I think.
In an ideal world, there would be space for fun at work. Created space.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Relevant Magazine Online
Recent Movies I want to see
So, since I've gotten out of college, I've noticed my intake of movies has dropped. Drastically.
So I thought I'd put some of the movies that have come out recently that I haven't seen but want to.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Syriana
Chronicles of Narnia
Walk the Line
The Constant Gardner
So I thought I'd put some of the movies that have come out recently that I haven't seen but want to.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Syriana
Chronicles of Narnia
Walk the Line
The Constant Gardner
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Sweet: Plowed Over
So, we got tired of the Sweetness and decided to just plow through the last 3 chapters and put our thoughts down on those.
So here are my thoughts on the final three chapters. Since he reads like proverbs, I'll list these things as proverbial thingies...
1. Listen deeply. Complaints often hold wisdom or misunderstandings that need to be addressed.
2. Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.
3. We all need rest. Sabbath. Peace. Too often we run run run, so that we cannot hear the heartbeat of God, because we are consumed with the running than the reason for running.
4. Find ways for your team to be creative. I have a hard time with this. How do I create space for my youth workers to be creative?
5. There is a difference between planning and preparing. Planning lays out a distinct order of how things are going to go and then is surprised when things don't go that way. Preparing figures out all the possible scenarios and is ready for whatever comes. It's mostly a difference in attitude. Because planning is needed for preparation. You have to plan to be prepared. You have to prepare to plan. But I want to run with this one. What does it look like for me to be prepared in ministry? What does it mean for me to prepare my youth workers? What does it meant to prepare my students? if it is all preparation (not H), is there any direction?
Those are my final Sweet thoughts...
So here are my thoughts on the final three chapters. Since he reads like proverbs, I'll list these things as proverbial thingies...
1. Listen deeply. Complaints often hold wisdom or misunderstandings that need to be addressed.
2. Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.
3. We all need rest. Sabbath. Peace. Too often we run run run, so that we cannot hear the heartbeat of God, because we are consumed with the running than the reason for running.
4. Find ways for your team to be creative. I have a hard time with this. How do I create space for my youth workers to be creative?
5. There is a difference between planning and preparing. Planning lays out a distinct order of how things are going to go and then is surprised when things don't go that way. Preparing figures out all the possible scenarios and is ready for whatever comes. It's mostly a difference in attitude. Because planning is needed for preparation. You have to plan to be prepared. You have to prepare to plan. But I want to run with this one. What does it look like for me to be prepared in ministry? What does it mean for me to prepare my youth workers? What does it meant to prepare my students? if it is all preparation (not H), is there any direction?
Those are my final Sweet thoughts...
Monday, December 05, 2005
Current Books
Well, I usually like to write a little review of the books that I have read. But I've neglected this duty and have read several books while not reviewing them...so that's what I'll do right here.
Generous Orthodoxy by Brian MClaren
A journey through his brain, going through his thoughts on different aspects of his Christian faith. He goes thru different traditions and brands of Christendom (Calvinism, Methodism, Catholicism...etc.), pulling out the strengths of them while warily pointing out their weaknesses. My favorite chapters were on being Biblical, Missional, Incarnational and Emergent. Each chapter presented a new angle on each topic that I hadn't totally considered.
A Long Way Down by Nich Hornby
A tale of four people who meet on top of a building where they had each planned on killing themselves. Hornby does an excellent job of showing the despair of each of the characters and also the hilarity of each of their situations. There were several points where I laughed out loud. Major tone of the book was how much humans need each other.
The Travelers Gift by Andy Andrews
An interesting journey through history, gleaning quality wisdom from different characters. The ending was close to, if not the worst ending I have ever experienced. This guys learns all these tidbits of wisdom and then launches into the future where he sees how wildly successful his life will be if he follows them. I liked that it was a modern parable, using a story to teach timeless truths, but the whole book lost any merit to me, because the end fed into a consumeristic success story where success is defined by power and money attained.
Absolute Truths by Susan Howatch
This is the final of Howatch's Starbridge series, which follows characters through the life of the church. This final book portrays Charles Ashworth dealing with his attachment to the Absolute Truths, and finding that the only thing that will always be with him is the only absolute, God. He had trusted in his previous understanding of God and country, when in reality those things had served as a pacifier for his deep desire for control. Honest and poignant.
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
Interesting. Mostly stuff from his sermons. But I liked it again. He writes like he speaks. What I took away from it was his take on Jesus coming to offer the best way of life, not a new religion.
I recommend all of these save Travelers Gift.
Generous Orthodoxy by Brian MClaren
A journey through his brain, going through his thoughts on different aspects of his Christian faith. He goes thru different traditions and brands of Christendom (Calvinism, Methodism, Catholicism...etc.), pulling out the strengths of them while warily pointing out their weaknesses. My favorite chapters were on being Biblical, Missional, Incarnational and Emergent. Each chapter presented a new angle on each topic that I hadn't totally considered.
A Long Way Down by Nich Hornby
A tale of four people who meet on top of a building where they had each planned on killing themselves. Hornby does an excellent job of showing the despair of each of the characters and also the hilarity of each of their situations. There were several points where I laughed out loud. Major tone of the book was how much humans need each other.
The Travelers Gift by Andy Andrews
An interesting journey through history, gleaning quality wisdom from different characters. The ending was close to, if not the worst ending I have ever experienced. This guys learns all these tidbits of wisdom and then launches into the future where he sees how wildly successful his life will be if he follows them. I liked that it was a modern parable, using a story to teach timeless truths, but the whole book lost any merit to me, because the end fed into a consumeristic success story where success is defined by power and money attained.
Absolute Truths by Susan Howatch
This is the final of Howatch's Starbridge series, which follows characters through the life of the church. This final book portrays Charles Ashworth dealing with his attachment to the Absolute Truths, and finding that the only thing that will always be with him is the only absolute, God. He had trusted in his previous understanding of God and country, when in reality those things had served as a pacifier for his deep desire for control. Honest and poignant.
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
Interesting. Mostly stuff from his sermons. But I liked it again. He writes like he speaks. What I took away from it was his take on Jesus coming to offer the best way of life, not a new religion.
I recommend all of these save Travelers Gift.
Sweetness
Alright...I'm plowing through the last couple chapters of Sweet's book.
Here's what I am thinking. I'm thinking that this books reads more like a collection of proverbs than a story or regular leadership book (which usually builds on itself).
Here's what I am thinking. I'm thinking that this books reads more like a collection of proverbs than a story or regular leadership book (which usually builds on itself).
Patience means Salvation
Peter talks about God's patience in his second known letter to the Church.
He says that God is patient and not desiring that any should perish (3:9).
Then after a brief description of the terrible nature of the end times Peter urges the followers of Christ to strive to be spotless with the reminder that "our Lord's patience means salvation" (3:15).
I want to dig into this a bit more. Because at first blush it looks like Peter is saying that because of God's patience salvation comes to us.
I ask these following questions.
With what is God being patient? Followers of the Way? The Second Coming? non-followers?
Does his patience always mean salvation?
By salvation does Peter mean entrance into eternal life?
Could grace or mercy or love be inserted where "patience" is found? Could it be said that God's grace means salvation, that God's love means salvation, that God's mercy means salvation?
If God's patience means salvation, what does that say of our patience? Does our patience bear a potency like Hers?
If our patience means salvation, what does that look like?
Does that mean when I am patient with a child, that I am creating space for salvation? Obviously, the only person who can accept salvation for me is me. Others (as our friend Morpheous from the Matrix says) can only show us the door. So, when we are patient with others, perhaps we are showing people the door to salvation. First by granting them grace to screw up. Second by continuing in their life and not abandoning them. Third by modeling the way of salvation, the life of God.
He says that God is patient and not desiring that any should perish (3:9).
Then after a brief description of the terrible nature of the end times Peter urges the followers of Christ to strive to be spotless with the reminder that "our Lord's patience means salvation" (3:15).
I want to dig into this a bit more. Because at first blush it looks like Peter is saying that because of God's patience salvation comes to us.
I ask these following questions.
With what is God being patient? Followers of the Way? The Second Coming? non-followers?
Does his patience always mean salvation?
By salvation does Peter mean entrance into eternal life?
Could grace or mercy or love be inserted where "patience" is found? Could it be said that God's grace means salvation, that God's love means salvation, that God's mercy means salvation?
If God's patience means salvation, what does that say of our patience? Does our patience bear a potency like Hers?
If our patience means salvation, what does that look like?
Does that mean when I am patient with a child, that I am creating space for salvation? Obviously, the only person who can accept salvation for me is me. Others (as our friend Morpheous from the Matrix says) can only show us the door. So, when we are patient with others, perhaps we are showing people the door to salvation. First by granting them grace to screw up. Second by continuing in their life and not abandoning them. Third by modeling the way of salvation, the life of God.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Congratulations to Sam!
Well, I must say a word of congratulations to my friend Sam. He just went through the ordeal of a Master's presentation at the University of KY. I believe it was on some bridge thing. He could probably explain it better that me. But he has a Masters in Engineering!
You can check him out on his blog.
I personally think he's a great guy. I try to talk with him and our good friend Nate at least once a week to encourage each other and laugh at each other. They are part of the caulk of my existence, helping hold my life together.
So congratulations Master Sam.
You can check him out on his blog.
I personally think he's a great guy. I try to talk with him and our good friend Nate at least once a week to encourage each other and laugh at each other. They are part of the caulk of my existence, helping hold my life together.
So congratulations Master Sam.
Possible Retreat T-Shirts
Well, we were thinking of having the theme of our Sr. Hi Winter Retreat be "Breathe". So I had Andy (our church's media/tech/whatever guru) come up with some t-shirt designs for the retreat and here is what he came up with.
I like them...they're a little silly...but I like them.
But our intern, Laura, hates it. She says no way. And it was vehement.
But it's funny because when Brad (our speaker for the weekend) and I talked last night, we realized that where we were headed originally is taking us further. And it's taken us to what it means to follow Christ as our rabbi. So, he's going to spend much of the time going into the life of a typical disciple, and then is going to bring it over into today. So we don't really have a theme, per se, but it might be something along the lines of "follow the rabbi" or "Who's your rabbi?" Here's a design that Andy spanked out...
Other Tag lines might be:
"Can your rabbi do this?"
"Is your daddy a rabbi?"
"Do you do what your rabbi does?"
High SchoolQuestions
So, I taught the 11-12th grade group this past weekend and we had a Q & A session. I thought the questions were pretty good, so I am going to put them on here.
1. What makes Christianity better than any other religion.
2. If you're born in another religion that's not Christian, how will you know if it's wrong?
3. Is it okay to date someone who isn't dating?
4. What kinda music can I listen to that isn't really bad?
5. If God is God than why would he allow so many different divisions of Christianity?
6. In the Bible somewhere it says, "I am the highest in the house of gods." Are there other gods?
7. Why are the French such A-holes?
8. I'm sick of liberal wackos and I don't know what to do.
9. Why do Christians get treated differently?
10. How do we really know if the type of church we're going to is really where God wants us? So many people, like Catholics/Buddhists think they're in the "right" place: what if we're not?
11. Why do people get pissed off when you have no intentions of pissing them off? It's like you didn't try to do anything.
12. After the flood, Noah's sons split off into separate areas. Yet our populace is a great size! Does this mean that I could technically be dating my sister or other relative? Please explain.
13. Why do people take God for granted?
14. I don't understand why any school can have other religions like Jewish in their school events, but when Christianity comes up it is kind of pushed off? (Such as singing in a concert, can sing about Hannacka but can't sing about Christmas...the church-state idea)
1. What makes Christianity better than any other religion.
2. If you're born in another religion that's not Christian, how will you know if it's wrong?
3. Is it okay to date someone who isn't dating?
4. What kinda music can I listen to that isn't really bad?
5. If God is God than why would he allow so many different divisions of Christianity?
6. In the Bible somewhere it says, "I am the highest in the house of gods." Are there other gods?
7. Why are the French such A-holes?
8. I'm sick of liberal wackos and I don't know what to do.
9. Why do Christians get treated differently?
10. How do we really know if the type of church we're going to is really where God wants us? So many people, like Catholics/Buddhists think they're in the "right" place: what if we're not?
11. Why do people get pissed off when you have no intentions of pissing them off? It's like you didn't try to do anything.
12. After the flood, Noah's sons split off into separate areas. Yet our populace is a great size! Does this mean that I could technically be dating my sister or other relative? Please explain.
13. Why do people take God for granted?
14. I don't understand why any school can have other religions like Jewish in their school events, but when Christianity comes up it is kind of pushed off? (Such as singing in a concert, can sing about Hannacka but can't sing about Christmas...the church-state idea)
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