Friday's Feast April 18th

Appetizer

Name a color you find soothing.

There's a colour that is a mix of blue with a bit of green that I love - I can't really describe it.

Soup

Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.

I don't remember my absolute first - I just remember my dad chain smoking sprawled out in the passenger seat. He made me tense.

Salad

What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?

Raw silk is my absolute favourite - if I could have afforded it, I would have had my wedding dress made out of it. Check out the picture - the way the silk has texture and a bit of stiffness makes the dresses fancy without all that fluff.

Main Course

Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?

If I had a good friend come to town and the only way I could see them was to sit outiside overnight I would do it. I love tons of music - but there is so much great music that I can't think of any particular musician I would wait up for!

Dessert

What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?

5 i's ! I can't give my name though, my blog is anonymous! For professional reasons.

Community Ministry

One of the Councillors in Willowdale called a meeting of some of the local churches to discuss networking together on a project.

He stated that many churches had approached him asking how churches could assist the community. His suggestion - we host a Ten Thousand Villages sale in a local school. The items are handcrafted items made of natural materials from overseas - the profits go back to the artisans.

As I watched churches get excited about "the spirit of the sale" and the "chance to work togehter" I got really frustrated and sad that this was project got so much support. First it requires 6 months of planning with one coordinator and about 4 leaders. Because the thought is that it would take place over a weekend I'm figuring that about 100 volunteers are needed. I keep asking myself two questions:

1) how does this benefit our neighbours
2) how does this foster a good first experience for a church network

The Councillor was clear that the sale will take place with other volunteers he has on board if the churches don't want to do it but he thought this would be a great first effort. What I don't understand is why the churches are willing to give over our expertise to a politician. The event will be held in a school, there will be volunteers other than churches. It also came out in passing that this event could go Friday - Sunday.

It looks as though there is a long way to go to get churches to think missionally and outside the box. What if all of those volunteer hours were put into community groups who have projects that they need help with?

I don't blame the Councillor - he has a vision that would help him and sees a large group of volunteers. But why the heck aren't we raising funds for a playground, installing basket ball hoops or cleaning our neighbourhoods?

I do suggest however that the Councillor would not want this headline: "Local Councillor Indicates Greatest Need in Community is for an Artisans' Sale". C'mon. Things can't be all that great!

Friday's Feast - April

Appetizer
Invent a new flower; give it a name and describe it.

Okay, I can't do this. I'm not creative enough to do this with words, not sure I could do it with drawings either.

Soup
Name someone whom you think has a wonderful voice.

EK in my church has an amazing voice. Doesn't help those of you who don't know her! You'll have to come with me to church so you can find out.


Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how clean do you keep your car?

Ha, at first I thought this said "cat" and I thought why the H would I have to do that? I can honestly say its a mess. My brother gets very irritated whenever he opens the trunk. I finally got rid of the dried out palm leaves - they were starting to smell very much like wet hay. As for the outside, I don't believe in washing it. I don't get washing a car, its just gonna get dirty and it seems like a waste of money. Cliff takes it through the wash now and then. I prefer to do it myself in those do it yourself stalls. I miss the good old days doing it in the driveway but my hose doesn't reach.

Main Course
How do you feel about poetry?

Can't stand it. Don't get it. There were a few poems that I liked in first year English but I think that was as much the passion of the prof.

Dessert
What was the last person/place/thing you took a picture of?

I have no idea. Probably the kids. We haven't been on a vacation for a long time and that is where we normally take photos.

Blessings

Some times life is easy because you can see all of the blessings that God has given. Fortunately I have just entered this peak time again after suffering from a lingering depression for a few weeks.

The problem with my depression is that I don't often recognize it for what it is - I just feel really tired, cranky and lazy. I'm starting to pull out now - the sun is really helping and I feel much more on top of things.

I have started to network a bit - some leads will be fruitless others will be very good indeed. I went to a prayer breakfast for the Global Day of Prayer and met an older female pastor from a neighbouring church. They are getting on board with creating a team to decide how to be more community minded. I am very excited to see where this will lead, particularly as my own church is not quite there yet.

Preaching in a Nursing Home

I worked for a short time in a nursing home as a Health Care Aide student. I hated it. I couldn't work fast enough and wasn't strong enough to lift people on my own. Nursing homes have changed since then - they would have to because Baby Boomers would not put up with being treated the way we have let their parents be treated. Its not abuse or bad food or anything - its the sheer boredom of being housed with a bunch of people day in and day out and the lack of privacy. And lack of respect - I like to feed someone by assuming they eat the way I do. No shovelling down the whole meal in minutes.

Anyhow, I was given the opportunity to lead worship for my church in the home we support. It bugs me that they are willing to send someone in who has only seen two services to do a whole worship on their own. I didn't even know what the previous passages were that have been given.

Shouldn't worship for those in prison and homes be as important if not more so then those at church? Isn't grace and discipleship still in effect? I treated it like it was and had to give a hard message because I followed the lectionary and the assigned passage was on the Acts 2 church - which is one of loving, sharing and prayng together.

My experience in the home has told me a lot. Residents are rarely unified. The ones that are healthier tend to avoid the ones that are "crazy" or "wet themselves". Everyone is desperate to look out for their own needs - and no wonder -its worse then living in residence in a university - you never get to leave!

At the end I wondered how the church people who came from my church thought I did, and then I realised that it didn't really matter. I may not have tons of experience but I know when I have done what God has asked me to do as a preacher. I didn't shy away from the hard message, I prepared, preached the Gospel and grace and the responsibility we have to respond. There were two that were a little more cognitive who seemed to appreciate the truth of the passage so I hope it blessed them.

Preaching in a church requires so much prep time, preaching in a home requires so much thinking and praying about application. I'm not sure which is harder.