I'm Inspired

Over the past weekend, I have been riveted by what transpired in Iran.  People standing up and demanding that their vote count and their voices heard.  Numbers and facts swirl in my head but what cannot be denied is that Iran will not be able to return to its pre-election status.  30 years ago, when Iran went through its latest revolution, the leadership encouraged faithful citizens to have lots of children.  And they did.  The government invested lots of resources educating these children.  The end result is a well educated, young population (the percentage of Iran under 30 is staggering) are utilizing the tools they have been given: passion, technology, and a sense that they are in a unique moment in time.

While I do not know what the outcome will be, these people inspire me.  They risk their freedom and their lives to bring about a better world.  I am extremely moved by the people that are encouraging their fellow Iranians to practice non-violent resistance against those that would oppress.  It reminds me of the early Christian community when the Roman government felt threatened by the young, dynamic, and growing movement of Jesus followers.  The more Rome tried to quiet the followers of Jesus, the more the church grew.

Maybe those of us on the other side of the world can be inspired by these young people in Iran.  Let us use the tools we have at hand--our relationships and networks, technology, and tapping into the passion of those around us--to see the transformation of the world but not in the name of one ideology over another.  Rather we seek a transformation in the name and vision of Jesus Christ.

Retiring in Dignity

One of the perennial conversation points around the coffee pot is retirement.  Will we have enough money?  When can we do it?  Will Social Security still be around?  All of these questions loom large.  I am so thankful that the United Methodist Church provides for a pension program that will allow my wife and I to retire with a modicum of comfort (30 years and counting!).

However, for my fellow clergy in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe, this pension program does not apply to them.  For many they retire into poverty.  After giving their adult life to the church and advancing the cause of Christ wherever they have been sent, their reward is having to rely upon their children, grow their own food, or begin a cottage industry just to survive.

To put an end to this tragedy, the United Methodist Church created the Central Conference Pension Initiative (CCPI).    With a goal of creating a $20 million dollar fund, the thought is to provide retired clergy and their families with $1,000 per year.

Here in North Georgia and at Avondale Pattillo, we're doing three things:

1. The clergy of the conference has been invited to pledge 1% of their income over the next three years.  So far $343,455 has been raised or pledged through this initiative.  Susan and I have participated in this.
2. The 2009 Bishop's Mission Offering will go towards the CCPI.  Churches are doing various things to raise funds.  I know of one church that has suggested that each household give $10 per person.  As of this post (Wednesday morning), Avondale Pattillo has given $62. 
3. Later this year, the annual conference will encourage churches to develop a plan for sustained giving over the next three years.

With these tough economic times, it can be hard to give.  Your generosity will be met with gratitude and you will be blessed.

Oh, and one interesting thing: a generous donor has given $500,000 to the CCPI.  Additionally, this donor has made a matching challenge.  If North and South Georgia Conferences raise $500,000, another $500,000 will be given.

A Seasonal Change

I'm sitting here on Saturday doing something that I have not done in almost ten years.  I'm not in preparing--in one way or another--for worship services tomorrow.  Oh, I'm holding the church I serve in prayer, and I am excited and hopeful about services tomorrow, but I will not be in attendance.

The United Methodist Church does a wonderful thing.  It allows for new parents to take time off for the purpose welcoming a new child into a family.  In our case, this is our baby, Joy.  Susan took this time when Joy was born and now I'm taking the time allotted to me.

Lots prayerful planning and discernment--as well as the support of a fantastic congregation--has been invested to allow me to do this.

Over the next few weeks, APUMC will have some of the best preachers Georgia Methodism has to offer.  And I am excited for that fact, alone.

So you won't be seeing around the church that often, because I'm (at least for the next few weeks) a full-time Dad.  But you will be seeing me around.  Of course, you can always check this space as I'll be posting (but I don't promise my posts to not be at weird hours).

But one thing I'm already noticing about myself.  As much as I love being a Daddy and am looking forward to this season of being "at home" with Joy (something tells me I'll be doing a lot of lunch dates with Joy and her mother down at St. Paul UMC), I know that I am a pastor, too, and look forward to being in the midst of the community I've been appointed to serve.

Here's to a holy Lent, everyone.

An Invitation

Heading off to bed but just a quick reminder to anyone interested.  Avondale Pattillo and St. Paul United Methodist Churches will be having an additional afternoon joint service at 2 p.m. on February 15.  We'll be celebrating the baptism of my daughter, Joy.  The service is at Canon Chapel on Emory's campus.

Social Networking Part Deaux: Guidelines for the Journey

In my last post, I put forth a proposition of Social Networking as ministry tool.  But there are some rules for the road.

I had a mentor in ministry tell me, "don't say anything to anyone in your church that you would not want to be placed on the front page of the church newsletter."  The same goes for social networking.  You never know who will be looking for your Facebook account or your flickr stream.  And I say that both in the positive and cautious senses.  Don't think people won't check out your Facebook account if they are thinking of attending your church.  Likewise, remember ordinands-to-be, Boards of Ordained Ministry have the internet, too.

But don't only consider what content you post, remember also the old adage about being known by the company you keep?  Same thing.  A Facebook group you join because you think its funny could be a group that someone else sees and isn't in on the joke.

Recently, a New York Times writer tweeted that an editor recently released guidelines for social networking.  The basic rule was to not post anything that could obscure the writer's or the paper's objectivity, take readers away from the paper (by reading your blog instead of the paper), or be considered grossly offensive.

These seem to be a good rules to follow.  Now, the obvious retort is, "social networking is about me being me.  If I have to be duplicitous or can't be me, then I won't post."  By no means!  This is not a call to have a "church" persona on the web and a "real" persona where the two shall never meet.  Its all about being smart and remembering the example of Paul--being all things to all people so that some might come to know Christ.

If someone is inviting you to participate in a group or posting content that you know someone might consider questionable when it shows up in your networking list, simply send a private message asking them to not include you in those invitations.  Also, each social networking service has the ability to filter people, to greater or lesser degrees.  Learn these tools and let them be your friend.

And as too many have learned, be careful when accepting invitations to use 3rd Party Apps in environments like Facebook.  You wouldn’t want to have your social networking sites hacked.

Who to follow or friend?  Again, there are some smart practices.  As a rule, let anyone follow you.  But only "follow" in reply if you actually know them or know of them through another verifiable source or person.  And remember that what you tweet, post or publish is not just a text message to a circle of friends but out there for everyone to read.

Social Networking is a great tool.  Its wonderful to catch up with old friends.  Its fun and easy to connect with parishioners.  And the potential for evangelism is limited only by our creativity.  Let's not let casual, silly mistakes or assumptions about who does or does not participate in social networking limit the potential for ministry.

A Humble Proposition: Social Networking

Blogs, MySpace , Facebook , Twitter , Friendfeed , LinkedIn , Digg , Flickr , Wikipedia , Second Life , YouTube .  These and more are all buzzwords in the media right now.  A new thing (well, not SO new anymore thing) has happened on the internet.  We've grown up.  We've gone from the internet being a collection of experts posting webpage after webpage telling us what they think (and therefore, what we're supposed to think) to a world where all of us are creating content.  And to a greater or lesser degree, all of us have become experts.

This free-flow of information is amazing.  It wasn't CNN that was the major player as the plane landed on the Hudson, it was Twitter.  It was people walking to work, looking off their balconies, and out their office windows that told us the story.  It's almost as if the world has become flat (with a nod to Friedman).  Not that the globe is no longer round but the hierarchical structures societies perpetuated for generations are disappearing before our eyes.

Some brave souls (gavoweb , revmommy ) have pioneered this way of being in cyberspace.  Others of us follow along.  While yet others say that the technology is not quite perfected or wait so we need to wait and not engage.

The truth is, the world is already there.  Countless faithful Christians as well as multitudes of those who do not yet know God's love are posting, twittering, uploading pictures, and networking away every minute of every day.  And if the people are there, so should be the church.  And not just "the church" but each person representing their life should be there.  Not 2-D Christians but full-bodied people who share their struggles, joys, dreams and disappointments, all while trying to live a life in response to God's love in Jesus.

Christmas Meme

I don't usually post these things on my work blog, but being something appropriate for the season here goes.  Thanks, Nancy .

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?  Whatever Susan wants, except for her gifts which is whatever the company I order from provides.
2. Real tree or Artificial? I prefer real, but its iffy it Sooz is allergic.  So artificial, this year.
3. When do you put up the tree? Weekend after Thanksgiving, except this year when we did it just before, just in case.
4. When do you take the tree down? At least after Epiphany, if not after the Feast of the Presentation
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? My Big Wheel, duh!
7. Hardest person to buy for? Martha.
8. Easiest person to buy for? Joy.  She's a baby and can't even tell me if she doesn't like it!
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Multiple.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Ooh.  Bad subject.  I have intentions of cards every year but wind up with an email near New Year's Eve.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Every year my grandmother would give all of us underwear and socks.  The money that was in the accompanying card always made up for it but having your girlfriend home for the holidays and trying to be excited about underwear for Christmas is difficult.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Toss-up: A Christmas Story or It's a Wonderful Life.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Early November.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? My dressing recipe or shortbread cookies.
16. Lights on the tree? The more, the better.
17. Favorite Christmas song? There's too many to list.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Ideally, home for the holidays, followed by a fun trip to somewhere before heading back to work.  This year: home, home, home.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes, backwards if necessary.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? When we travelled, Sooz and I would open our Christmas present to each other after we got home from our separate Christmas Eve services.  But everyone else on Christmas Day.  Don't know this year.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People think the 12 Days of Christmas ENDS on December 25 AND that the Christmas music on the radio doesn't last the whole 12 Days of Christmas.
23. What theme or color are you using? Uh.....  I'm not sure we have a theme, other than pink, this year.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? My dressing recipe, followed by Sooz's Aunt Mary's fudge.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I've already got it--a healthy and happy baby girl.