Rethink, rethought, & rethunk...

Rethink is almost here!

Our staff and congregation have been preparing for this coming Sunday's ReThink Church day for months now. Meetings, phone calls, photocopies, organizational sessions, sign ups, and all sorts of behind-the-scenes prep work will culminate in a congregation of over 750 members NOT worshipping on a Sunday morning. ha ha!

That's right we will get up off our Christian pews and GO INTO THE WORLD in compassionate service, prayer, outreach and mission. We will worship, sort of, by putting our love of God into action on other persons' behalf. That translates into children, youth and adults...

• preparing casseroles for needy families
• writing our military folks
• sending thank you notes to UM clergy in Indiana
• spreading mulch on our playground
• baking Holy Communion bread for June's communion weekend
• painting our Calvary Learning Academy wing
• planting flowers at one of our town's local parks
• repairing an elderly widow's kitchen floor, cleaning up her yard etc.
• canvasing new neighborhoods with clever church info paraphernalia
• sharing a 'love gift' with a needy family from our community
• cleaning up trash along our local roads
• writing notes to our shut-in members
• sharing music (by our children, handbell, and adult choirs) at two local nursing homes with their residents
• praying for our local town, businesses, schools, fire and police departments, food pantries, jail, shelter for women who've been abused, etc on a huge charter bus that will 'roll through out the county'
• doing a variety of outdoor beautifying projects for our church facility and grounds

The hoped-for outcome of such a huge, risky and somewhat cumbersome undertaking? Well, sometimes it is hard to measure and quantify the work of God's people. Maybe we will discover how much God loves us, and how much we love God in return as other people are touched through us with God's loving compassion.

That is difficult to measure, but very notable when it does happen. Here's to a great Rethink Day!

Disciple Makers

We are preparing to graduate another wonderful group of kindergarten students from our Calvary Learning Academy. As our staff launch these young people into the 1st grade- I challenged the students with the challenge of Jesus. "Go make disciples of all nations..." Matthew 28:19

These kindergarten students with missing front teeth and wiggly bodies were not intimidated by this Jesus-sized challenge! They knew what to do. I asked them, "How do you make disciples?" And they answered, "make friends, meet someone new, help my grandmother, teach my sister, etc." Our students had wonderful ideas and ways that they are discipling others now and in the future. They are not only excited about the 1st grade but excited about how they can impact new friends, situations, and teachers with Jesus' size love.

I wish adults were as eager and excited about this calling (we all have) to be contagious with our faith. I pray that I am as simplistic and as eager about sharing what my relationship with Jesus means to me with others I meet.

May it be so with all of us.

For All the Mothering Ones

Good to know that before Hallmark, American Greetings, and floral shoppes made money off of Mother's Day; the idea of celebrating the role of motherhood came from within the faith, from a group within a congregation.

I believe the faith community is the best place from which to offer genuine appreciation and gratitude! So here's to Mothers in my life:

• To my Mom, who birthed me and raised me all while teaching me to love Jesus!
• To my Mother-in-Love, who loves me as her own!
• To my Auntie, who is the best Aunt and friend ever - (my only aunt actually)!
• To my Gram, for her fierce and sometimes fiery support!
• To my Great Aunt Ana Lou, who shared a love of flowers, faith and music with me! (now deceased)
• To my Grandmother Florence, we will meet for the first time in heaven, but thank you for raising my father and his brothers to respect women and faith.
• To my Great Aunt Alma, who fed me and loved me! (now deceased)
• To all the women pastors, teachers, professors, Sunday School teachers, camp counselors, piano and percussion instructors I have had- you've all made an impact on growing me up as a woman. Thank you!
• To my girlfriends who are mothering, it takes a village to raise a child, but sometimes it takes a village to raise up a woman to mother to the best of her ability. Thanks for your love, encouragement and support!
• To my daughter who 'allows' me the generous privilege of mothering another precious child of God.

Most of all thanks to God who mothers us with love, protection, support, and encouragement. God is the BEST MOTHER there is!

Happy Mother's Day!

Praise Our Creator

Praise the Lord!

Praise Our Creator in the House of Worship!
Praise God in the temple of my being!

Praise Our Redeemer in the infinity of space!
Praise God in the backyard of the cosmos!

Praise God for her strength,
Praise God for his greatness!

Praise Our Sustainer with foghorn blasts,
Praise God with finger cymbals.

Praise Our Protector with drums and moshpit dancing,
Praise God with guitars and saxophones.

Praise Our Provider with blaring radios,
Praise God crashing pots and pans.

Let everything with a pulse, breathes air praise the Source of all Love- our GOD!
Praise God!

(inspired and adapted version of the 150th Psalm in honor the completion

of a 31 day reading plan of the Psalms!)

Beginning Again

Endings are beginnings and beginnings are endings. While that could be a quote from Yoda, it describes where I am in my study and growth.

Confirmation program concludes with great satification and joy this Sunday! It does my soul good to witness young people excited about their faith and their relationship with God. Mostly it does the church good to witness their enthusiasm and desire to walk the talk and talk the walk! (And yes, I am already mulling over next year...)

Monday I finish my 31 day intense reading of the Psalms using the http://www.youversion.com/ website. Reading the scriptures online with all the features of this program has been fun, accessible and very doable for my busy schedule. I have enjoyed using a different translation than I normally read. Plus, the Psalmist's words have soothed my soul.

On Tuesday of next week, our 34 weeks of DISCIPLE Bible conclude with a lesson on spiritual gifts and the sharing of Holy Communion. Over the past nine months we have read over 80% of the entire Bible together while laughing, debating and puzzling over God's message for us today. I really enjoy teaching the Bible with adults! They are the best learners! :) Making connections with the Bible, our faith and our discipleship has been fodder for all of us this year- thanks Les, Paula, Patti, Lisa, Tracy, and Shirley!

So, with all these wonderfully enriching endings- what is beginning? Well, I decided before I lose my way in a different routine I would select a new Bible ready plan from http://www.youversion.com/. My plan is to read all four gospels within the next month! I'll keep you posted on my progress.

I also hope to begin a time of writing. (Be prepared for more blogs!)

And yes, the Knight family garden is coming back soon... so you shall see my with dirt under my nails and at the local flower store (with a story in my head)!

Confirmation Weekend (days away)

Confirmation Sunday is almost here! Whew- we made it. Only two more interviews to go, certificates to sign, gifts to wrap, and worship to prepare for ,and then the moment has arrived when nineteen new disciples of Jesus will publicly (for the first time ever) declare their allegiance to an invisible kingdom and a crucified, but risen Lord.

I can feel the excitement brewing. Glory bumps bubble on my skin in anticipation of a cold creek waters on Saturday evening. Anyone have a super-soaker water gun handy?!

Calvary can be proud of these newest disciples: they are smart, funny, kind, generous, silly, athletic, musical, and loving! We know the truth about them as well- they are all sinners in need of grace. They were made good but they often choose bad. And these young people know what repent means. Not just the word, but what it is about in their own lives at 12 and 13 because the 6^th grade is a tough world to live in and survive. These young people made it through the 6^th grade and we need to applaud their willingness to stand before a congregation of (mostly) adults and dare to declare Jesus as their friend.

When these young people rise to their feet on Sunday to answer to their faith in Jesus- I dare you to rise up and again claim Christ as your Lord, Leader, Savior and Redeemer.

See you in the ‘daring’ room this weekend!

Passing Our Intern

Over a salad lunch and a good bit of Diet Pepsi, we met, discussed, laughed, and 'passed the intern' in her Christian Vocation Internship. At least that was our intent. Shelly survived her semester of learning about the pastoral office, local church ministry and her time 'in my shadow'. She passed.

The afternoon she graduates from University of Indianapolis is the same afternoon she will help baptize three confirmation students in our creek. Sounds like a successful experience doesn't it?!

Shelly wrote in her first journal entry dated 1/13/10: "...I can not only learn from Calvary but hopefully I can bring them something as well." Here is what Shelly brought to Calvary:

• passion for Christ and His good news
• opportunity for our congregation to 'own' our role as both a "teaching and calling" church
• reminder that the lost matter to God
• was a role model for our children and 6th grade confirmands
• fresh perspective from the outside looking in on our community, ministry and work together
• her faith in Jesus

Shelly brought me, her supervisor/mentor, many gifts as well:

• her keen sense of humor
• a wonder and enthusiasm for the pastoral office
• joyful celebration that comes from when the church is being/doing what Jesus intended for it to be/do
• someone to attentively listen to my story of call, ministry, family and vocational life

And no, Shelly did not bring me coffee, sweep the floors, photo copy papers or clean my house. She was a slave only to the Gospel message. :) [The rest I still do myself.]

Thank you Dr. Lang Brownlee, for asking Calvary UMC to host an intern this semester!

Thank you Calvary UMC, for being the terrific teaching/calling congregation that you are!

Thank you University of Indianapolis, for offering students an opportunity to reflect on their vocational calling.

Thanks Shelly, for being you! You passed- but mostly God succeeded through all our efforts! Congrats everyone!