Sunday, January 29, 2012

Teacher Jesus - Mark 1:21-28

Title is link to sermon transcript. Got some good feedback on this one....
Worship was awesome this Sunday morning; counted 102 which packs out our little sanctuary.  Almost everyone I invited came.  Gil Flores and Holly Roach led praise music.  And we were praising God.
Kids led some of the readings and did a great job. Thanks be to God for a great morning.  

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Children of Haiti

In this powerful documentary, the story of three homeless children is told, intertwined with the telling of the reality of the 500,000 homeless street children of that country; an estimated number before the 2010 earthquake.  After seeing the film, and recalling the ousting of then Haitian President Aristide in 2004; I could not help but weep.  I was reminded by a friend of a sign displayed in Cuba that says in Spanish something like, "The world has X number of homeless children...none of them lives in Cuba."

One of the three boys is recorded toward the end of the film (about minute 46:30) saying of the "sanguine" or "soulless" as the street kids are called: "A lot of us have talent, we are intelligent, but we can't find anyone to help us. If there was a serious government, they would do everything possible to help us. Then we would have a good country; where violence would go down; there would be no kidnappings and corruption; people wouldn’t just use the country for personal gain; and the country would be beautiful, like so many other big countries. Haiti is going to change; Haiti must change; but we have to put our hands together. It’s then that we’ll honor ourselves, as a people with liberty, equality, and brotherhood. Then God will bless Haiti."

May God bless Haiti indeed....

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Moving Forward Together

The title is a link is to a presentation I gave to the elders and deacons and others who attended in August of 2011 in the WPC social hall. It is a reflection on what some of my ministry at WPC has looked like over the past (now five) years, and a challenge to a new direction in doing ministry together. Consider it an upgrade from home phones with a rotary dial to a cell phone.  Or maybe Apple OS 4.0 to Apple OS 8.0 (still a ways to go to get to OS 11).

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Strange "run in" at Smiths

Had to "run in" to pick up a few things at Smith's this evening; was feeling pretty good after a visit with a cool family, the Grahams, who just lost their mother.  It's amazing what I sometimes notice when in a mood to look and really see.
As I was walking in one set of sliding doors, I saw a man with a stern face walking out pulling a small luggage cart with wheels. There was commotion behind him.  Store clerks were yelling, "SIR! STOP!" The alarm sensor was sounding. He wasn't stopping, as his brisk walk turned into a run, and several clerks ran after him....As children and parents starred.

I picked up my items, and after grabbing some milk I saw a woman attempting to scale the food storage racks in order to reach a high item.  "Can I help you with that ma'am?" She was grateful as I reached what she was after.  Seeing her like that reminded me of Ruby scaling our cupboard and sometimes falling! She laughed when I told her that image.

As I was self-checking out, I saw a man standing with a child about 8 years of age holding a bag of groceries he'd already purchased; and I thought he was trying to communicate with me. He was actually signing to another child who I saw to be on the verge of tears, signing back and holding a bag of chips.  I don't read sign, but I knew what the kid was after.  I signaled, as I was completing my check out to the apparent father, that I could buy the bag for the kid.  He didn't indicate one way or another, but, then came up behind me and handed me the bag...Cheetos no less :).



 I scanned it through and handed it back.  The kid said, "Thank you!" and both boys gave me a high five.

As I was leaving the Smiths parking lot, police cars were out near the parking lot exit to Cerrillos Rd.  The man with the luggage bag had been apprehended.  I was sad that whatever his circumstances were, he was in that position, face down, being cuffed....        

Sunday, January 15, 2012