Today I was at the PATH prayer lunch. I wore socks and a coat and tie. It was very nice with different prayers, liturgies, Litanies, (i have no idea the difference between them) and songs were sung.
After the Key Note address by Dr. Dykes of Green Acres Baptist Church, Becky Duncan, the community Outreach coordinator of PATH got up and gave a nice speech about Rose Heights and the projects and supports we have done with them. The award was for Faith in Action.
Thank you to everyone at Rose Heights for your help and participation in the collections and projects that we are doing here.
God Bless!!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Adventures of the Red Neck Life
As you know I am the Outreach Pastor of my church. I work closely with our supported agencies locally and globally. I get invited to all sorts of stuff that they do. This week is a big week for one in particular. Last night was a "philanthropy" dinner. That is a big word for BIG MONEY folks. It is fancy word for big time fund raiser. This is past a spaghetti dinner and youth car wash.
It was at a really swanky place. One of these Greek Temple places with folks in uniforms running about. You know the kind of place where they don't serve anything super sized or with toys in the bag. In the parking lot are lots of hummers, bmw's, Mercedes and all kinds of really fancy cars. I eased my old 9 year old Nissan up next to a Benzo and parked it. I figured out real quick that I am out of my element. They are using real dishes for the food, and not paper plates.
Any who, I slide in the door and check in at the table. They hand me my "wine ticket". I give it back to her and said no thank you, I am a temperance man. You see they were offering that fancy wine. The kind that does not have a screw top lid or come in a box. I went up to the bar keep and asked for a glass of tea. In a very uppity voice he told me "sir, you will have to go to the tea service." I had this overwhelming urge to choke him down. I didn't. I did find the tea service. It was self serve, no uniformed person was their to hand it out. I even had to get up and get my own refill a couple of times.
Walking around the place you see these fancy picture taking people. They were the kind where you get your picture taken so you could be "spotted" or "be seen" in magazines that I don't look at. (they don't have pictures of guns and ammo) You know they did not stop me to get my picture. Maybe they thought I was a client of the agency we were their to raise $ for. (Could it have been the fact I was wearing sweat pants and a foot ball helmet and was running around asking for jello?) Just kidding.
I was seated with some nice folks. They were LOADED. Just thought I would mention that. Nice, but RICH. They were bidding on the silent auction. I wasn't. All I had in my pocket was a hot check and some food stamps and they were not taking those. They were the kind of folks who have nick names for the ladies and that is how they are introduced. You know, names like "bunny" "muffy" that sort of thing. Don't get me wrong, they were sweet people, but they don't hang out where I hang out. It was all I could do not to use my Thurston Howell voice.
At dinner they served some real pretty food. I did not care for it, but I ate it. Cuz the Bible said to eat what is set before you. After a couple of hours of this, I decided to slip on out the door and head on to the house.
Am I making fun? No, just offering the perspective of your average redneck theologian who does not get out much. Till next time......
It was at a really swanky place. One of these Greek Temple places with folks in uniforms running about. You know the kind of place where they don't serve anything super sized or with toys in the bag. In the parking lot are lots of hummers, bmw's, Mercedes and all kinds of really fancy cars. I eased my old 9 year old Nissan up next to a Benzo and parked it. I figured out real quick that I am out of my element. They are using real dishes for the food, and not paper plates.
Any who, I slide in the door and check in at the table. They hand me my "wine ticket". I give it back to her and said no thank you, I am a temperance man. You see they were offering that fancy wine. The kind that does not have a screw top lid or come in a box. I went up to the bar keep and asked for a glass of tea. In a very uppity voice he told me "sir, you will have to go to the tea service." I had this overwhelming urge to choke him down. I didn't. I did find the tea service. It was self serve, no uniformed person was their to hand it out. I even had to get up and get my own refill a couple of times.
Walking around the place you see these fancy picture taking people. They were the kind where you get your picture taken so you could be "spotted" or "be seen" in magazines that I don't look at. (they don't have pictures of guns and ammo) You know they did not stop me to get my picture. Maybe they thought I was a client of the agency we were their to raise $ for. (Could it have been the fact I was wearing sweat pants and a foot ball helmet and was running around asking for jello?) Just kidding.
I was seated with some nice folks. They were LOADED. Just thought I would mention that. Nice, but RICH. They were bidding on the silent auction. I wasn't. All I had in my pocket was a hot check and some food stamps and they were not taking those. They were the kind of folks who have nick names for the ladies and that is how they are introduced. You know, names like "bunny" "muffy" that sort of thing. Don't get me wrong, they were sweet people, but they don't hang out where I hang out. It was all I could do not to use my Thurston Howell voice.
At dinner they served some real pretty food. I did not care for it, but I ate it. Cuz the Bible said to eat what is set before you. After a couple of hours of this, I decided to slip on out the door and head on to the house.
Am I making fun? No, just offering the perspective of your average redneck theologian who does not get out much. Till next time......
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Palin the Pentecostal
I was watching CNN last night. They were talking about Sara Palin being a "pentecostal" like it was some dirty word. "she believes she is moved by God" or "she may speak in tongues" or "she thinks there is going to be an Apocalypse" or some other such comments like they are bad things. I wanted to scream out, well you idiots, I believe those things as well.
My friend Mike told me how Pentecostals used to be severely persecuted in the Appalachian area. Of course when i think back and reflect, I was raised to think that people who go to "those kind of churches" were weird or that something was wrong with them. The first time I went to one, it was to an event called a "singing." My church of Christ grandmother sat me down and warned me about this place. How they do and say funny things. And when people get all excited they may run around. she told me just to sit down and don't make eye contact.
The first time I saw someone pray for a healing was in the ICU of Palestine's Hospital when my grand dad was there. My grand mother and I were in the room. A couple came in. They were very prominent people in Palestine/Elkhart. They laid hands on my grand dad and prayed that God would heal him. We had already made the decision to terminate life support. It was gut wrenching watching my grand mother make that call. We were all in support of it.
My grandmother is still upset about this too this day. She refers to them as "fanatics" and talks about how they made a fool of themselves. Incidentally, my grandmother can not stand Sara Palin.
Oh how we are separated by what should unite us.
My friend Mike told me how Pentecostals used to be severely persecuted in the Appalachian area. Of course when i think back and reflect, I was raised to think that people who go to "those kind of churches" were weird or that something was wrong with them. The first time I went to one, it was to an event called a "singing." My church of Christ grandmother sat me down and warned me about this place. How they do and say funny things. And when people get all excited they may run around. she told me just to sit down and don't make eye contact.
The first time I saw someone pray for a healing was in the ICU of Palestine's Hospital when my grand dad was there. My grand mother and I were in the room. A couple came in. They were very prominent people in Palestine/Elkhart. They laid hands on my grand dad and prayed that God would heal him. We had already made the decision to terminate life support. It was gut wrenching watching my grand mother make that call. We were all in support of it.
My grandmother is still upset about this too this day. She refers to them as "fanatics" and talks about how they made a fool of themselves. Incidentally, my grandmother can not stand Sara Palin.
Oh how we are separated by what should unite us.
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