Open2You

08/03/2009

SYMBOLS

August 3, 2009

The Associated Press reports today: “While U.S. airports often have chapels, many of them no longer display crosses or other symbols that would make them specific to a particular faith.” Article

Our congregation, whose name Via de Cristo means “way of Christ,” faces a similar challenge to airport chapels. Last year we purchased three condos in an office park. Like every other occupant, we have our name on the building. However, there is no cross and flame symbol beside the name. Should we have a right to use our symbol specific to our identity as a Christian, United Methodist congregation? Yes, if every other occupant in the office park is allowed to use their symbol specific to their identity and branding. No, if every other occupant is prevented from using their identifier. The latter approach is what the property owners association decided for all of us.

I am reminded of a story still being told twenty years ago in one of my churches after the building had been in use for decades. The congregation had run out of building funds and the Trustees had to remove the steeple from their architectural drawings. One woman in the congregation believed so strongly in the necessity of a tall steeple with a cross on top that she single-handedly raised the funds necessary for the construction. They named the steeple after her.

That congregation was far more blessed by the tall people, the leaders and followers who overcame this challenge, than they ever were by the tall steeple that eventually became lost in the city’s skyline.

As a pastor, I do not need a tall steeple (or any other symbol) near as much as I need stand tall people whose character, integrity, vision and compassion brings to mind the way of Christ.

Dr. Ken Morrison

Pastor

Via de Cristo United Methodist Fellowship

7430 E Pinnacle Peak Road, Ste 134

Scottsdale, AZ 85255

480-515-4490

www.open2you.org

ken@viadecristo.com

Aug 3, 2009 5:45:20 PM | Current Affairs, Religion

08/01/2009

The Blue Sweater

I commend an inspiring book to you: The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz who is the Founder and CEO of Acumen Fund. She shares the learnings of a lifetime spent in philanthropy and patient capitalism learning how to make people self-sufficient and change millions of lives. Her stories of Africa and India reveal what is possible in the world when people are dedicated to practical service of real human need among the poor and entrepreneurship. This is a great read for everyone who is interested in doing missions and relief work that leaves a lasting impact.

Aug 1, 2009 6:35:00 PM | Books, Missions

07/31/2009

HOMELESS NEIGHBORS

A headline in today’s Arizona Republic newspaper reads, “Meals for needy irk church’s neighbors.” July 31 article

Here is a brief summary: CrossRoads United Methodist Church in Phoenix serves breakfast on the lawn to homeless and needy people on Saturday mornings. City officials have ordered the church to stop serving meals at that location because of a zoning ordinance violation. The city intervened after 100 residents signed a petition claiming the homeless left trash and had a negative impact on property values.

Did the church think it would not have to bear a cross when it started down this road?

My church members are also highly enthusiastic about both feeding and building relationships with homeless and needy people. We live too far for them to come to us, so we go to them every month. It is part of the joy of our fellowship. If we lived closer to CrossRoads, we would be there with them serving meals and cleaning up trash.

The homeless are our neighbors. What a difference it would make if the newspaper could have run this story “Meals for needy pulls in church’s neighbors.”

Property has value; people are worth more. Relationships of care and support are what raise the value of neighborhoods.

I can hear my best friend saying, “There you go with that ‘love thy neighbor stuff again.’”

Yep!

Jul 31, 2009 11:07:39 AM | Current Affairs, Religion

07/30/2009

HEALTHCARE

I am responsible for my own healthcare. That is why I am on a diet and walking two miles a day on the treadmill. That is why I have a notebook full of medical info related to every physician I see. That is why I stay on top of every physical condition I have that might deteriorate.

I have not always felt so responsible.

When I was young, I took my health for granted and my healthcare, as well. I was hardly ever sick and health insurance premiums were a minimum expense.

Then, my first daughter developed a major medical problem. I discovered loopholes in my insurance and the shallowness of my pockets when the bills came in. I discovered more about my responsibility and how hard it can suddenly become to be responsible, even when you have good insurance.

Then, there was a time when neither my wife nor I was employed and we had to COBRA. We took the cheap health insurance premiums that were passed through to us by our employers for granted until our bill spiked to $1,000 or more a month with no income.

They will continue arguing in Washington about who will receive healthcare, who will pay for it and how we can lower the costs without compromising quality of life. I am grateful for this difficult conversation.

But I come back to this – I am responsible for my healthcare. And the best thing I can do to act responsibly now is to eat wisely and exercise more so that I am no longer over weight.

What about you?

Jul 30, 2009 7:08:09 PM | Current Affairs

07/29/2009

WILL POWER

I will: so much stronger than – I can, I might, I’ll try, or my personal favorite, I’ll put it on the list. My wife especially despises the latter.

When will power gets behind a challenge, task, or project – the world begins to shake and move with change.

Jesus asks of each follower: Will you love God with all you heart, mind, soul and strength? And will you love your neighbor as yourself?

You get to choose the response: I can…I might…I’ll try…I’ll put it on the list…NO! Try again.

I will!

Jul 29, 2009 7:14:16 PM | Religion

ON THE JOB HUNT

An e-mail came in: “Hey Ken, my job is going pretty well. I'm really happy to have it, and trying to be grateful, even though it gets really boring at times. :)”

With the growing number of individuals in our congregation (and country) who are experiencing a layoff, let us all be thankful for the jobs we have and in prayer for those who would love to be able to find a job (boring or not) right now.

Say, can you put feet on someone’s prayers?

A friend recently hired an out-of-work member to assist in organizing some job interviews. In the process, he discovered organizational skills that had been hidden from all of us for several years and helped his short-term assistant receive their own job interview and offer.

Have you got a way you can use someone’s help today?

Jul 29, 2009 6:29:54 PM | Current Affairs, Religion

ON MESSAGE

Do we need to get the church on message?

A friend recently wrote: “I can't urge you strongly enough to take caution with what messages are being spread by the members there.” I have heard this message time and time again from both conservative and liberal wings of the church.

I wish I could get the church’s most vocal messengers to stop pressuring and excluding others from fellowship and conversation.

How about this message: “Come on in. Think and let think with us. Only take caution when messages are left out and people excluded by the members here.”

Jul 29, 2009 6:26:09 PM | Religion

DEFENDING THE GOSPEL

Going to church can make you feel like you are on the defensive. Here is a comment I recently heard from a friend:

“It got to where every time I went [to church] I'd leave angry, and I wondered if I was the only one defending the gospel of Jesus Christ. It always felt like I had to defend my position on that. I just don't want to be on the defense every time I go to church. I think you can understand that.”

My friend has a particular set of beliefs. He is very uncomfortable having them questioned and challenged. So he is looking for a congregation that believes just what he believes.

The problem is that he is going to hear what he has heard before – that the gospel is under attack and must be defended.

What I long for him to hear is that his ability to reason and explain his beliefs needs the influence of a strong challenge if he is to be an even more effective witness to his faith journey.

Here are some excellent words of exhortation and inspiration from the Bible:

“Who is like the wise man? Who knows the explanation of things? Wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance.” (Ecclesiastes 8:1)

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience…” (1 Peter 3:15b-16a)

It is not the gospel that is under attack, only people with their assumptions and arguments that are not ready to explain their hope and reasoning with gentleness and respect.

Are you on the defensive?

Jul 29, 2009 6:22:38 PM | Religion

BELIEFS AND BELIEVERS

We all have beliefs about religion and spirituality. Some of us are deeply committed to our particular beliefs. So, do you have beliefs or do your beliefs have you?

When I was in college and just beginning my adult faith journey, I formed some deeply held religious beliefs. It was not until about fifteen years later that I came to recognize how much my beliefs held me instead of the other way around.

My beliefs lead me to practice a closed mind and heart. I would not read authors who questioned what I considered to be the truth. I would not fellowship with people who didn’t agree with me and my chosen affinity group.

Eventually I became tired of being part of a holy resistance movement. I opened up and became aware how much I was missing because of my closed mind and heart. People who were different from me and my affinity group offered many interesting and inspiring reflections, ideas, experiences, and perceptions. Beyond that, as I came to know some of them personally, I discovered people I esteemed highly and thanked God for their presence in my life.

Today I have beliefs, but I also have a lot of wonderful people in my life who hold a great diversity of beliefs about religion and spirituality. They make me think more than twice about my own beliefs and how I am going to express them. I am richer for my relationships with “different” believers.

Are you ready to have beliefs instead of them having you?

Jul 29, 2009 6:17:10 PM | Religion

Welcome to Open2You

Here you will find some of the rich creativity of Via de Cristo United Methodist Fellowship in Scottsdale, AZ. I will share with you some of the things we are thinking about and some of the lead sheets for the music I am writing and arranging for our worship experience. I hope this resource will be useful to you and your ministry.

Jul 29, 2009 2:29:36 PM