Middle

Have you ever tried hanging out in the “middle” of something?

It’s an interesting place to be.

“The Middle” is that place where you can “see all sides.” Everything is painted a calming, soothing, shade of gray. Other than the bullets that fly in from all directions, it’s a wonderful place to spend some time.

It’s the place where we Methodists are most at home. If we looked ourselves up in the Audubon Field Guide of North American Protestants, I’m pretty sure that the photo accompanying “United Methodist” would show a large and adequate nest, occupied by a perfectly pleasant-looking man or woman. He or she could be your neighbor, or librarian, or accountant, or dentist or teacher. Solid, not flashy. And did I mention pleasant? I can almost read the entry now…

Habitat and Range: Although primarily acclimated to upper-middle class climates of the Eastern U.S., United Methodists have a strikingly large and diverse range, found in small pockets throughout all regions of North America, and occasionally found in naturalized, isolated colonies worldwide.

Attributes and Characteristics: Highly adaptable to a number of settings and contexts, with a striking ability to “blend in.” United Methodists are not easily identified due to their perfectly average size and shape and plumage. Eggs are oblong, and of average color and size. Again, truly average in all ways, the United Methodist is of course known for its pleasant call and agreeable disposition. There has been a good bit of success with domestication in some regions. Did we mention average?

We’re just sort of in “the middle,” aren’t we?

Sometimes I think it would be great to be a flashy blue-jay-like kind of charismatic Christian. What if I could let go of it all during worship and cry and dance and just generally have a big ol’ party with the Holy Spirit?

But I’m United Methodist. Born and bred. It ain’t gonna happen.

But I’m not totally stiff and lifeless either, right? Garrison Keillor has said that a movement of the Holy Spirit in a Lutheran Church in Minnesota is noted by a slight inhalation of the left nostril.

But I’m Methodist. That means I can clap in church. Sort of. I mean, it will be done awkwardly, and only for a verse or two, and then I can keep going if at least three other brave souls in the congregation continue to clap with me, but maybe it would be better if I just stopped and sang along appropriately. But I was really enjoying myself. What was I thinking?

Moderation, Centrism, Middle. Now that’s exciting, huh? Don’t believe me? Just check out the fireball of energy that is the American Centrist Party.

See, “the middle” is a tough sell. Maybe.

I’m starting to adopt a crazy idea. I think that the middle might be the place where God is really at work in our country, our community, and our time.

We sell ourselves very short as UM’s if we think that the middle is just bland and boring. We do a great disservice to ourselves and others if we believe the legend that says Methodists don’t “believe anything.” We should never believe that a commitment to inclusiveness, diversity, justice, grace, forgiveness, discipline and moderation is simply “average.”

In a world where TV pundits tell you what to believe and instant poll results form the content of our leaders’ speeches and decisions, I’ve come to believe that there is a growing desire among the people for a place that will let them think. And struggle…and grow. The middle is the place where real challenges are picked up and carried.

Too often, the extreme is misrepresented as the majority opinion, and it’s up to the folks in the real middle to make a stand.

After living in Douglasville for nearly five months now, I’m amazed to see the number of charismatic, “community,” and seemingly independent churches that are thriving and being planted all around us. This is a great thing, and I pray that the Kingdom will be proclaimed and expanded in every way that it can.

But I wonder. Is there a group of folks out there, new to our community, or long-time in our county who are looking for something different? Could it be that something “different” here is actually something a little more “average?”

What I mean is this: Adam Hamilton, pastor of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas has said that the middle ground of UM theology is our greatest strength and “selling point.”

I’ll never forget a conference that I attended where I heard him say, “Much of the success that C.O.R. has known is directly attributable to the fact that we don’t drive people to one extreme or the other. We think, and we challenge others to do the same. We are a church that holds fast to the fundamentals of faith in Christ and then we embrace one another, even across our differences. We are grounded in theological tradition while creative in our approach to ministry. The United Methodist church offers John Wesley’s notion of the "via media," the middle way. It is the way that many in our world are looking for today.”

The thousands who attend worship each weekend at C.O.R. can’t be wrong, right? At the very least, they show us the power of a United Methodist Church full of life, energy and creativity.

There are folks out there who want the power and passion of a contemporary church. They want the friendly spirit and warm embrace that a church turned outward toward the community has to offer. They want creativity and mission and purpose and significance.

But they also want a pastor who didn’t ordain himself. Or who changed his first name to Bishop. Or who makes up the church’s theological standards to fit her own tastes, needs or desires.

They want a church that didn’t rise up out of a vacuum, but that has instead grown up in a creative way from the deep and nourishing roots of history and tradition. They want organization, and order, and transparency that can be trusted.

You know what? That’s us. That’s the middle. We are the people of the “via media,” the middle way. We are the place where all the folks who’ve been wounded out there on the extremes can come and rest...and be healed...and then engage the world in powerful ministry.

Thank God for the middle. Let’s be radical and proud --- about being right in the center.

LIFE AT SOTH:

Much, much, much continues to happen in the life of our church:

-Welcome to Mara Cleveland, our newest member, who joined this Sunday at the 8:30 service on profession of faith. One of my favorite moments in church is becoming what I call the “SOTH Swamping” of new members when they join the church, surrounded by folks who hug and welcome them.

-Tonight we’ll start our three-week look at John Wesley, the UM church (you can tell it’s on my mind) and SOTH. Come out to our worship space at 6:30 (this is a change from what ran in Sunday’s bulletin) for “An English Dude, a Horse and a Mission.” Tonight is Part One – The English Dude.

-More Pumpkins arrive today at 5:30 this afternoon, anybody who can help is more than welcome.

-Our children’s Christmas musical rehearsals are beginning, this Sunday night. For more info, contact teresa@sothumc.net Also, the “angel tree” Christmas ministry begins this Sunday.

- Trunk or Treat happens here at the church, 6pm on Halloween night. This will be our first at SOTH, and we understand that it’s a huge event and lots of fun.

-“Reverse Trick or Treat” will also happen Halloween night as our servant evangelism teams distribute 1000 sacks of Halloween candy door-to-door through the neighborhoods that surround SOTH just to say, “God loves you.” Come on out and take part, the more the merrier, meeting up at the church at 6pm Halloween night.

Grace and Peace,
Adam

Merge

Have you ever tried to merge from Spring St. onto 75/85 South when you're "in town?"

I just drove through this little marvel for the second time a couple of days ago. And, at the risk of sounding like the hayseed that I really am, I'll have to admit that I've never before seen a traffic light setup exactly like that one. As you ready yourself for the jump into the river of vehicles that floods through the heart of Atlanta each day, you come to see that an electronic hall monitor is hard at work in that place. With exacting demands, she expects good conduct of her pupils. Proper order and decorum is always maintained.

You know the "each one let one" rule of driving, right? If you don't, you really should learn it, for its implementation could do more for the cause of bringing civility to future generations than any other global initiative. Whenever drivers find themselves in a crowded, merge-riddled situation, "each one let one" can make all the difference. One car in from the left... one car in from the right. You let someone in, and then the next person lets you in. So on and so forth, and all will be right with the world.

Rarely, however, does traffic work in such a Utopian way. When we humans are left to our own devices, "survival of the fittest" becomes the all-too-predictable result. Someone will be in a hurry. Someone will feel the least twinge of self-importance. Someone will have the even-bigger SUV. Someone will view the situation as a contest, a battle of the wills, a race to the death -- and they'll cut someone else off at the pass.

But, the laws of the jungle do not apply at the Spring St. ramp. Two traffic lights guard access to 75/85, stationed just in front of each lane as the drivers who occupy them try to enter the fray. One light goes green, the other goes red. The other goes green, and the first goes red. It's "each one let one," technologically enforced by Big Brother himself. One red eye, one green eye, always watching, blinking, controlling.

I like it.

With no regard for a driver's power, wealth, prestige, status, age, IQ or beauty, the lights simply move in rhythm, each one letting one. Sleek or boxy, clunker or stunner, luxury-ride or straight-up hoopty, it makes no difference.

One at a time, one from each lane, no exceptions.

No doubt, the process makes for the easiest merge in town. Of course, once you're on the expressway, you're on your own. That's the problem.

So many times, I think that it would be great if God would just take charge of things a little bit more often. I mean, if we humans are able to design a system that can force us to learn proper merge techniques (even for just a couple of moments), wouldn't you think that God could do the same for our relationships? Really, I'm just asking for a little less competitive "cutting off" and a little more grace-filled "letting in."

Maybe what we often experience on the expressway of life seems more like the free-for-all of 8 lane traffic than an orderly, progressive merge based on fairness and equality.

But perhaps the problem, has more to do with our expectations than with God's actions. It almost always does.

Here's what I mean: Take a few minutes and read Psalm 119. OK, truth in advertising compels me to tell you that it will actually take several minutes to read all 170+ verses. But really, do you have something better to do? No, the MASH re-run on TV is not something better. Just take a look.

Does the psalmist seem just the least bit passive-aggressive with God, or is it just me? I'm not sure this kind of martyrdom / flattery routine works very well on God. "Oh Lord, not one man shall letteth another one mergeth before him, save only I alone" (my paraphrase, in King James Version, of course).

Or my favorite verse, applied to modern traffic, "my eyes shed streams of tears because your law of 'each one let one' is not kept" (136).

But, this psalm sure does say what we sometimes all feel. Life in community is tough when everybody won't follow the rules. It's tough to keep being nice if we feel like we're the only ones trying. The psalmist seems to expect that everyone should act just like he wants them to. The expectation also seems to be that he (we) are always amazingly obedient, and never responsible for any of the problem. If Psalm 119 can teach us that we're not the only ones who've tried to frame God within our expectations, then that's a big lesson learned.

And yet, that's not the whole lesson from the psalm. Psalm 119 is also the source of an often-quoted and much-loved verse. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (119:105). As a kid, I remember singing a song based on that verse in Sunday School and VBS. Somewhere along the way, anybody's who's been to camp or attended contemporary worship has sung it, too.

I guess I always thought the lamp to our feet and light to our path was more like the beam produced by my 4-cell MAG flashlight than a flickering oil wick. God's light has got to be brighter than anything else. We can count on it to keep me in the right spot, and make everything work out just right, just as surely as the traffic light on Spring St., right?

Absolutely. But, it turns out that you don't beam God's light up into the trees, playing with the focus until you spot exactly what you're looking for. You don't adjust the lens and widen the beam until the path and all around it gets lit up like daytime with plenty of lumens to spare.

Rather, God's light is just exactly as the scripture describes it. It's a lamp --- a flicker, producing a circle of light big enough that the next step can be taken in safety. It lights the path, a little at the time, but the next piece doesn't come into view until another step is taken.

There's a big difference between stumbling blindly through the darkness and using a lamp for light. But the great thing about a lamp is that it lets us see just enough. A lamp still requires faith if we're going to take steps down a semi-darkened path.

And so, it's in faith that we go out into the world.

Somebody's going to cut us off in the traffic of relationships and community. Count on it. In Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer says that we often live in the "wish-dream" world with regard to our relationships. We wish that the eye in the sky was there, bringing the order and fairness and predictability for which we sometimes dream. Reality is filled with imperfect people and imperfect relationships, but it's also filled with hope.

What we have is a path. And a lamp. And that's enough.

Grace and Peace,
Adam

LIFE AT SOTH

God is Closer Than You Think will conclude tonight at 7p.m. Our monthly supper together happens at 6:30 pm this evening, but feel free to gather a little early if you want. As soon as our food is set up and ready to go, we'll start our meal so that we can begin the book study at 7:00. Thanks to everyone for making this six-week series so meaningful and successful.

Beginning next Wednesday night, we'll begin a three-week study for all of those who are new to our church, and who would just like to learn more about what it means to be United Methodist and a member of Shepherd of the Hills.

10/26 -- John Wesley and United Methodist doctrine and theology
11/2 -- SOTH history, organization and ministries
11/9 -- SOTH vision and mission --- where are we headed? Q & A time included.

Those who are exploring SOTH and considering making us your church home are encouraged to consider attending each of these sessions, and of course anyone in the congregation is more than welcome to attend. We should have a great time together, and as the new pastor here, I'm looking forward to what I'll learn as well.

Each session will begin at 7pm and should last about an hour and a half. Childcare will be provided at the church. Look for signup sheets with childcare requests on your table this Sunday.

MISSISSIPPI MISSION

Don't forget that Tim Potate has organized a trip to Mississippi to help with hurricane relief and recovery efforts. SOTH will roll out on its first out-of-town mission trip the evening of Wednesday night, November 2 with plans to return late on Saturday night, November 5. Contact Tim a.s.a.p. if you'd like to be part of the team. (770) 231-8617.

Billion

OK, So the Braves are out of the playoffs. At least it's over. Now, onto this week's blog:

How old are you?

That’s right, I asked.

Personally, I’m almost 1 billion seconds old. I plan to celebrate in a big way this November, when I turn the “Big One-Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh.” And man, I thought the day I turned 500,000 seconds old was a tough one.

But really, I’m asking you how old you are just because it’s fun. The question is so much fun precisely because it’s something you’re never, ever supposed to ask. I mean, it’s just rude, isn’t it?

Of all the questions that we’re not supposed to ask in polite society, “how old are you?” might be right at the top of the list. A certain comfort-level and trust has to be established before we ask one another that question, and even then, most folks only ask it of someone that they think is close to their own age, and then just for confirmation.

Why does talking about our age strike us as being so wrong? I think it may be because none of us like to be “reduced.” What I mean is, I hate it when people assume things about me, whether they’re true or not. Actually, it’s probably when things are assumed that are true that I hate it most of all. I don’t like to think that some things can be true of me just because I’m a certain age.

And yet, the reality is that folks absolutely assume things about each of us based on the number of years we’ve been around. Different ages come with different sets of assumptions, with the extreme bad ends of the spectrum ranging from “young and foolish” to “old and feeble.”

There are lots of other questions that people ask which work in exactly the same way.

“What do you do for a living?” tells us what kind of person someone might be, what their likes and dislikes probably are, what they’re good at, and of course, how much money we can assume they make.

In a place like Douglasville, where new neighborhoods come up overnight and most of us live in developed subdivisions, “What neighborhood do you live in?” tells us whether a person is from the same socio-economic class as us, whether our kids might go to the same school, and of course, whether that person’s home costs more or less money than our own.

“Where did you go to school?” is another sort of credential-checker. It tells us where that person fits in the American caste-system of education. With that information, we also know where a person’s football loyalties lie, what connections they might have, and of course, whether their education was more or less expensive (and therefore more or less prestigious) than our own.

And yet, none of those questions are viewed as socially unacceptable.

So, how old are you?

Remember what I said about how I really hate the assumptions that turn out to be true? Well, that’s exactly the problem when it comes to age. The really ugly truth is that lots of my opinions and values and likes and dislikes really do correspond to the time in which I was born, and the stage of life in which I live.

While I have no desire to be pigeonholed before someone even knows me, I also can’t refuse the facts. Some things about me can be pretty reliably predicted based on my age. So what? Is this really such a bad thing?

Lots of folks out in “church world,” (wherever that is) have spent lots of time trying to figure out how generational issues impact our life together as a church. (This is a good link to one study, even if it was undertaken by the Unitarian Universalists!)

Even while running the risk of imposing stereotypes, I have always found their research fascinating and useful. See what you think.

Traditional sociology now divides the last several generations of Americans into:

Builders – Children of the depression who fought World War II. Their values are safety, security, and stability. Loyalty to institutions is high and denominational affiliation matters greatly to them. They have served in great leadership capacities and been the financial base of society. The youngest members of this group are now around 75 years old, and Americans from this group are dying at a rate of about 30,000 per month.

Boomers – Children of the “builders,” boomers represent 1/3 of the American population. Their influence has radically reshaped society and was most visible during the social turbulence of the 1960’s and 70’s. They are non-institutional, “rights” oriented, and take much of their personal identity from their choice of careers and work. Boomers are also known as the “me”generation, marked by deep interest in identity, personal growth and materialism. If you’re roughly between the ages of 60 and 40, congratulations, you’re a boomer!

Gen X’ers – Children of boomers, “Gen X’ers” are the first “postmodern” generation. Shaped by a global sense of inter-connection, cyberspace and the information age, it’s all about “experience” for Gen X’ers. Many X’ers grew up in broken homes and this generation is marked by an emphasis on deep friendship and personal relationships while de-emphasizing the importance of family.

GenX’ers are pragmatic, cynical and entrepreneurial. At the same time, they are deeply resistant to being defined by their work (unlike boomers). A significant mark of this generation is the longing for identity, relationships and community. Also, this is the first American generation for which Christianity has not been cultural or religious assumption. Right now, Gen Xers are somewhere between 40 and 25 years old. This just happens to be the generation of yours truly.

Millenials – Millenials are the first generation to grow up in a post-Cold War world. All the “gurus” are still trying to figure out exactly what their attributes will be, but most think that their experiences as “latchkey” kids and being raised by teams of parents, day care providers and extended families will be contributing factors in their development.

They are high-tech, connected and oriented toward digital entertainment. Multi-cultural experiences have been normal for this group and are viewed more as an expected way of life than an ideal to be attained. Plurality of thought and religious belief is their culture, and most Millenials assume that they will live in a time of continuing economic boom and expansion in the future. Today’s middle, high school and college students form the “Millenial” generation.

Church leaders like Carol Childress, Bill Easum and Sally Morgenthaler, just to name a few, have tried to interpret how generational and cultural shifts will impact the church. Our age may dictate much of what we find important and moving, as well as pleasing, in our church experience.

If societal values really are shifting from “success” to “significance,” and from “individualism” to “community,” this must tell us something about our role as the church.

If “institution” is becoming less important now than “mission,” maybe we have to be aware and learn lessons about the importance of knowing why we exist and what we’re called to do.

If church music has moved from hymn to song and praise chorus, to a new fusion of media, music and image, perhaps we should look at ways to embrace new cultural vehicles so that our culture can be transformed by Christ’s message.

Maybe…just maybe, we should let people ask the question. How old are we?

What does that number tell us about who we are? What does it tell us about what we embrace…and about what we resist? What does it assume about us when it shouldn’t? How can knowing ourselves, and loving one another transform the ways that we go about the business of being Christ’s church?

Maybe we should ask the question in the way that Spanish-speakers do it. Now, believe me, my Spanish is bad. But my understanding of the question in Spanish is “Quantos anos tiene usted?” (Sorry that I don’t know how to put tildes over the “n’s” with my keyboard).

Literally, the question is, “how many years do you have?” I love that. I have the years that God has given me. The seconds --- all one billion of them --- with which has he gifted me to live upon this earth. I am a product of my times, and I accept that fact. But most of all, I want to be a product of the time that God has had to be at work in my heart and in my life. Now that’s spoken like a true Gen X’er.

I remember that the Bible says this: “‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him,’ but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” I Corinthians 2:9-10

How old am I? The answer really does tell me some things, and I really want to understand who I am. I want you to know who you are, too. That knowledge will help us be “the church” in bigger and better ways. But most of all, I hope that we all can learn the things God would teach us. I think we can embrace the years we have and still learn a lot from those who’ve lived different days than we have.

I cannot wait to see what God will do with the years we’re yet to have together. Builders, Boomers, X’ers, Millenials --- we are many parts of one body, and we serve the same Christ, our Lord.

Grace and Peace,

Adam

LIFE AT SOTH:

Welcome to the Murfrees, our newest members. Jeffrey, Lisa and Jessica come to us by transfer from the great Ben Hill United Methodist Church. We are delighted and honored to count them officially among our number.

Thanks to everyone for a great Church Conference this past Sunday morning. I think that the time of worship together served as a great boost to us all, and really helped us see a glimpse of the direction and momentum that we’re all picking up together. Also, thanks to our D.S., Jacqui Rose-Tucker for an inspiring sermon and a great morning together.

Tonight’s Study: God is Closer Than You Think is drawing toward its conclusion. Tonight we will focus primarily on Ortberg’s discussion of 7 Spiritual Pathways. I’ve found this to be one of the most helpful, practical and enlightening chapters in the book and I want us all to have a really good understanding of that chapter. We’ll meet together next Tuesday night for our final installment. Also, next Wednesday night, October 19^th will be our monthly Wednesday night supper.

New Study: On October 26^th, November 2^nd and November 9^th, we’ll do a three-week series that’s all about “Life at SOTH.” This study will be especially intended for those who are new to our church or just checking it out, but it’s absolutely open to everyone. Depending on interest, we’ll plan to meet up at “The Ranch” for a look at United Methodist history and theology, the history of our own congregation, a look at what the future might hold for SOTH, and to do a Q & A roundtable intended to answer any questions that anybody might have – about anything. It should be a great 3 weeks, and sign up sheets will be available this Sunday.

UMW and UMM! Both our men’s and women’s groups voted this week to establish themselves as officially chartered united of United Methodist Men and United Methodist Women. Congratulations to both groups for taking this step of growth! We look forward to all the great ministries that will continue and increase through these groups.

Pumpkins!!! Don’t forget that our pumpkins are coming, but please note an important change! Our pumpkins will not arrive until this Saturday morning, October 15^th at 9 AM. We need everybody who’s willing and able to come out and help us unload. Our “patch” is being prepared today as the stumps from our tree-clearing are being ground. Come on by and see what’s going on.

Number 6

Recently, I asked my almost 6-year-old son to name his favorite Atlanta Brave. I knew what the answer would be, of course. I was fully prepared for "Chipper!" (what 6 year old could resist that name?), but instead, I got an entirely different answer.

"Number 6," he said, "because that guy CONTROLS CHIPPER JONES!!"

Clearly, the baseball "force" is strong with this one. Somehow, he'd managed to see past the obvious choice and named the real power that drives the team's success. Although I'd never really thought of it before, I had to admit that "Number 6" is my favorite Brave, too.

You know the old question: "if you could have dinner with anyone living or dead, who would it be?" Gandhi? Lincoln? Einstein? Shakespeare? Too much pressure.

Bobby Cox? Perfect. If any of you out there have a line to making this happen for me, I promise to put in a very good word for you with regard to your eternal benefits package.

Sit down to dinner with "Number 6" and you just know that you'd have a great time talking baseball and life (after that, what else is there, really?) over a nice, juicy steak. I'd ask questions, and listen, and see what I could learn about how he's done what he's done.

You know what he's done, right? If not, you're been pretty confused by what I’ve written to this point, but thanks for hanging in there. Bobby Cox is the manager of the Atlanta Braves, and they finished in first place in the N.L. east this season. Oh yeah, and they've done the very same thing every single season since 1991*.

1991 was a different lifetime ago for all of us. If you're a teenager and reading this (does that happen?), you have no memory of the Braves except as winners. That fact is nearly too much for me to comprehend.

The Braves of my childhood were just plain terrible. My dad taught me to love the Braves from the time that we got TBS on cable when I was 7. We suffered through some bad, bad times. Georgia comedian Lewis Grizzard said back then, "do you know what Michael Jackson and the Atlanta Braves have in common? They both wear one glove for no apparent reason.”

Times change. Now, Michael Jackson jokes just aren’t that funny, and nobody’s making fun of the Braves. The Braves have been a first-place team since Bill Clinton was just the Governor of Arkansas and George W. Bush was helping run the Texas Rangers.

They’re winners. How did that come to be?

Well, that’s the first “dinner with Bobby” question that I’d want to ask. How did you do it? When the Braves went from last place in 1990 to first place in 1991, we were all amazed. What we didn’t know was that we were only watching the first act of a cultural revolution.

The team has undergone a fundamental shift in culture and identity. There was a time when you could see defeat in the eyes of Braves’ players before the first pitch was thrown. Now opposing teams walk onto the diamond at Turner Field with hints of intimidation and doubt peeking through. The entire Braves’ organization, from top to bottom now radiates something that can only be called --- confidence.

Number 6 has had a whole lot to do with this. I think that he’s only operated with one assumption since taking the helm. “We’re going to win.”

In a real sense, his job is to “control Chipper Jones” and all the other guys who fill out the team roster. This year was particularly challenging. The Braves haven’t won because they have the most expensive players. In fact, just the opposite has been true for the last few years. In 2005, they fielded 18 rookies during the course of the season, which is generally a recipe for finishing anywhere other than first place.

In April and May, things were getting ugly. The team was not doing well, and many of the fans were beginning to doubt. Bobby was just like a wise old pastor reassuring his church as it goes through a troubled time, if your image of a pastor can include a cigar-chomping, cantankerous old man who likes to pepper his language with well-placed expletives while wearing a ball cap kicked way back on his head --- and don’t forget the nylon baseball pants. Why not?

He never panicked. He simply reminded us all to remember who the Braves are. Winners. It would be o.k., and it turns out that it was. He knew it all along.

The very same unflappable attitude which allows for success in the long-haul of a 162 game season has also been blamed for the Braves’ historically quick exits from the playoffs. The Braves, it’s been said, are built for the marathon, not the sprint.

Maybe. But that’s why the lessons Number 6 teaches us could be so directly applicable to our lives. At its core, the Christian life is more like a marathon than a sprint. Faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ causes nothing like than a change in identity. That new identity allows us to run.

Some folks have trouble watching baseball for the very reason that the season is so long. If you play 162 games, how can any one of them really matter? And that’s exactly the point. The trick of the game is to learn the importance of perspective and perseverance. When the Braves lose 5 in a row, or 8 out of 10, or even most of the month of April, Bobby Cox never waivers in his faith.

We’ll all hit some bad streaks in our lives, as well. There will be days, or even strings of days, when things don’t go just like we’d planned. There will be times when the wind will blow and we’ll be tempted to doubt whether the anchor will hold. That’s when we have to remember who we are. That’s when we dig deeply into the culture of church --- the resources of that group of people who are committed to one another through a common faith.

We are a people who live in confidence. Through Christ, victory is assured. There are times when we will sprint, but most often, faith feels like a marathon (not that I’ve run one, but I can imagine). The good news is, we can run that race with assurance, peace and joy.

The playoffs start today. Come on Bobby, get them boys to sprint to the finish!

Peace,
Adam

*Note to the baseball purists – the only exception was 1994, which was shortened by a player strike. The Braves were 6 games behind when the strike happened, but we all know they would have finished first. Trust me on this.

LIFE AT SOTH:

Even though the Braves’ game does start at 4:00 this afternoon, we’ll still begin our Bible Study at 7pm in our worship space. Read chapter 5 in our book, God is Closer Than You Think. I’ll see you there, and pay no attention to the tiny headphone in my right ear.

Charge Conference: Remember that our charge conference will be held at our 8:30 worship service this Sunday. Our new District Superintendent, Rev. Jacqui Rose-Tucker will be present to preside. This is an important time of business for our church, but it will happen in the context of worship and celebration. Don’t miss this chance to participate and learn about the life of your church.

The Pumpkins are Coming, The Pumpkins are Coming!!!

October 14^th, our pumpkins will arrive in the afternoon and all available hands are needed to help with unloading. This is an awesome event, a lot of fun, and serves as the primary annual fundraiser for our youth. If you have any questions, contact our Youth Director, Cindi Bartlett at cindi@sothumc.net

Night

"When it's dark and night takes over, all the forest creatures come out.

The young lions roar for their prey, clamoring to God for their supper.

When the sun comes up, they vanish, lazily stretched out in their dens.

Meanwhile, men and women go out to work, busy at their jobs until evening.

What a wildly wonderful world, GOD!

You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations."

Psalm 104:20-24, as paraphrased by Eugene Peterson in The Message

Last night as we sat together in our living room, Holly and I heard the almost forgotten sound of falling rain. As it drummed away on the metallic casing of the a.c. unit in our backyard, we listened to the noise and asked each other, "what is that?"

Rain. Remember rain? The liquid stuff that falls out of the sky and keeps us all alive. It's hard to believe that in a summer that saw Douglasville get 14 inches of rain in one 48 hour period, it's now been dry enough for long enough that the green things of our world have actually started turning brown.

Fall is on its way, but the baby-rooted sod in our front yard hasn't lost its color because of oncoming cold. It has simply dried out, and this grass-owner has grown too busy and stingy to keep turning on the sprinklers. New Orleans is underwater, but my grass has dehydrated in Douglasville. Who can figure it out?

Early this morning, when I opened our back door so that our groggy dog could run free into the grass and complete her "to do" list for the day, I swear the world looked greener. Even in my artificially-planted, mostly-treeless piece of suburban frontier, the tint had been adjusted from dingy green-brown to an almost-normal green, overnight. Newly energized chlorophyll was doing its thing, and God's ancient promise of life was fulfilled again, for one more day. God is to creation what Oil of Olay promises to be to "mature" skin, a form of nightly renewal.

In his book, God is Closer Than You Think, and in the chapters that we're studying this week at Shepherd of the Hills, John Ortberg says:

"Actually, the first task of the day is to go to sleep...we think of a day beginning when the sun comes up or when the alarm clock goes off or when Starbucks opens. But the ancient rhythm of days is different. In the creation account, the order is always the same: 'And there was evening and there was morning -- the first day.' Each day in creation begins with evening. In Jewish life, the Sabbath begins not at sunup, but sundown. Eugene Peterson notes that in this way the biblical writers help us to remember: Everything doesn't depend on me. I go to sleep, God goes to work. It's his day. The world keeps spinning, tides ebb and flow, lives begin and end even though I am not there to superintend any of it. God is present when I sleep" (Ortberg 72-73).

You know, he's got a point. From 11:00 pm last night until about 6:30 this morning, I slept. Like a baby. And you know, the world went right on without me. I was not "there to superintend any of it." No doubt, if I'd stayed up and worried hard enough, I could have changed all the bad things that happened, right? I could claim credit for all the good things that happened, too, I'm sure. Instead, I slept --- and the grass still got greener.

Perspective is a wonderful thing. It's not always the thing we want, but I find that it's almost always the thing that we often need most in our lives. Psalm 104 is a wonderful piece of spiritual perspective. There are moments when I need to understand my relative size in this world. There are times when I need to remember that there is more than what's right in front of me. All of us need to make sure that from time to time we open our doors and walk outside, just to have a look around.

We should never let a year pass without standing beside the vastness of the ocean, or gazing up from the foot of an awesome mountain. The next time that you fly into Atlanta, especially if your flight home arrives after dark, make sure you get a window seat. Savor the moment when you see the city's various skylines unfold before you, into the distance. Ponder the sheer magnitude of the city lights that spread as far as you can see in all directions.

Sometimes we resist such experiences because they make us question our own sense of validity and purpose. The undeniable power of an ocean that could so easily swallow and destroy us makes the fragile nature of our weak, tiny bodies all too readily apparent. The sight of a teeming city makes us wonder how the single story of our own life could matter when it's simply one among millions.

And yet, it's this very kind of perspective, brought by such moments of uncomfortable knowledge that makes our faith real, strong and useful.

In the depths of our hearts, we must acknowledge that God is in control and we are not. We must accept the reality of our dependence on God, even when it means giving up our finely crafted self-deceptions.

Many nights came and went in this world before I was ever on the scene. Many more will come and go without me. God will renew and sustain and keep his promises. Like me, God seems to have a thing for lawns, and he gives them what they need. And also like me, God loves his children a whole lot more than his yard. He promises to renew and sustain us, too, if we'll let him.

When it's "dark and night takes over," God is in control. It's gotten dark nearly 40,000 times since my great-grandfather was born 107 years ago. Nearly 8,000 have passed since his death. My youngest son has seen the sunset only 802 times. Hopefully, I've got a good 20 or 30 thousand sunsets left myself (come on, medical technology!).

But no matter how many remain, it's good to know that God is in charge of them all. The tides will keep up their work of ebb and flow, the world will rotate, grass will grow, rain will fall, and none of it will depend on me. A little at a time, I'm learning that lesson, and it's a powerful place of peace.

May God grant us evenings and mornings filled with activity, rest, love and perspective. What a wildly wonderful world.

I'll see you this Sunday,
Adam

LIFE AT SOTH:
Many thanks are owed to John Sheffield for our awesome new newsletter format. Thanks to Kelly Smith for technical assistance, and to Jim Canup for posting on our website. You'll get a hard copy in the next few days (if you're on our mailing list), but if you want to preview now, you can download the .pdf file at www.sothumc.net

Friday night, we'll have our third installment of "Generation on Fire." This is such a great event --- with live music, food and coffee, and lots of great conversation. It is an awesome time and the perfect thing to invite a SOTH first-timer to attend.

This evening at 7pm, we'll continue our book study, God is Closer Than You Think. Over 60 adults were in attendance last week, which is incredible. If you haven't been and will need childcare tonight, please give us a call and let us know at 770-920-1551.

SOTH has invited the community to worship through our "God Is Closer" mailer that we sent last week. A great follow-up might be a personal invitation from you to your friends and neighbors.

Green Light

"It looks like EVERYBODY'S going to be on green light today," said the little child in the back seat, with great enthusiasm. "Get it? ...Green Light?" He laughed heartily at his own joke, a most endearing characteristic inherited from his old man.

Sure enough, the light was green. It wasn't the funniest joke I'd ever heard, but for a 5 year old at 7:50 a.m., it wasn't a bad attempt. And I was definitely a "tough crowd," running on too little sleep, too little coffee, and a mind consumed by the day's list of tasks that were yet to be completed.

As our turn came to swing out onto Chapel Hill Road, the boy continued. He would further his discussion of Kindergarten crowd-control tactics. "Do you know where we keep the clips? Behind the door. That's where you have to go to move your clip." Having heard about this before, I wasn't completely lost. "That's when you get in trouble, huh," I said.

"Right," he said, affirming that my statement was correct, yet indicating that he would have to give me yet another remedial lesson in the ways of education. "You start on blue light, then green. That's a warning. Then, yellow. I guess that's like a DOUBLE WARNING."

I had to play along, heightening the dramatic build up to the final stage of traffic light lessons in right and wrong, good and evil. "Then," he said, "you go to RED light." A moment of silence. "_______ went to red light yesterday." Two moments of silence, a show of respect for the awesome power that is "red light."

"That means you have to stand at the fence (during recess, no less) for TEN WHOLE MINUTES!!" "Wow," I said, "that sounds like a long time." "Yeah," he said.

What more was there to say?

There are kindergarten lessons of action and consequence that would probably help us old folks, too. Can't you just hear the water cooler talk on Thursday morning? "Hey Bob, did you stay on blue light so far this week?" Bob, disgusted, says, "No. Man, I was talking during the meeting and went straight to green." "Too bad, dude, I guess you'll have to wait until next week to get something out of the prize bag. But, looks like I'm gonna make it, and I hear that this week there are hot wheels in there."

My boy is beginning to learn the lessons of life. Actions have consequences. Cooperation is a good thing. Life together is possible, if we all learn to share and get along. Some folks push the rules further than others, but the rules will push back. Ten minutes on the fence is a long time.

As we pulled up to the drop-off at his school, my little paratrooper put on his pack, pushed out the door and bailed free, into the great wide open. His mission: maintain status "blue light" through Friday at 15:00, and obtain hot wheels vehicle from the prize bag. Resolute, he spotted his comrades-in-arms and immediately accelerated to a trot. Soon, he was beyond my sight and I drove away, leaving him to all that his day would hold.

He may or may not accomplish the mission. So far, we haven't seen "yellow," though green is not an uncommon occurrence. Either way, lessons will be learned, and tomorrow will be another new beginning. That little boy can rest assured that whatever happens, on any of his days, his father's love will never change.

Somehow that sounds familiar.

Matthew 7:7-11 7 "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? 10 Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

May the Father who loves us give us those good gifts, even if the gift is a much-needed trip to green light.

Grace and Peace,
Adam

POEM FOR THE DAY:
(Because poetry is like spinach, it can be tough going, but you know it's really good for you)

"Changing Diapers" by Gary Snyder, from Axe Handles © Shoemaker & Hoard, Washington D.C.

Changing Diapers

How intelligent he looks!
on his back
both feet caught in my one hand
his glance set sideways,
on a giant poster of Geronimo
with a Sharp's repeating rifle by his knee.

I open, wipe, he doesn't even notice
nor do I.
Baby legs and knees
toes like little peas
little wrinkles, good-to-eat,
eyes bright, shiny ears
chest swelling drawing air,

No trouble, friend,
you and me and Geronimo
are men.

LIFE AT SOTH:
Tonight is our monthly dinner at the church, followed by the second installment of the God is Closer Than You Think study at 7pm. Thanks to everyone for all the great feedback and for the awesome attendance last week --- nearly 50 adults were present. Our dinner will follow the same plan as usual and we'll just make the transition from supper right into the study in our worship space. It'll be loud and a little messy, but we can make it work. If you can't make it until 7:00 or later, please come on in anyway, get your supper and feel free to eat while you listen.

Kanye

"George Bush does not care about black people."

This stark statement hung in the air as a stunned Mike Meyers (think "Austin Powers") heard his own chin hit the floor in disbelief. He and rapper / producer Kanye West were paired together to read scripted comments about the levee breaches in New Orleans. They were taking part in the live, musical fundraiser broadcast on NBC last Friday, and were supplying the celebrity segue between performers.

Kanye, however, had no intention of staying on script. Given the opportunity to speak live and direct to the American people, he seized the moment and spoke his mind. The wonderful thing about our nation, of course, is that each of us are allowed to do this. Freedom of speech rules the day. The not-so-wonderful thing is that when it comes to certain issues --- race being chief among them --- we're not really supposed to exercise that right.

For whatever reason, this often seems especially true in church. Folks don't like it when we talk about money, especially at church. Never are we to mention sex, and this is especially true at church, even though so much teaching on Christian perspectives on human sexuality is needed. But most of all, perhaps, we don't talk about race or class, and the role that those things play in our society. Especially at church!

Maybe this is because we want to leave church feeling "good," and when we get into addressing issues like these that are very personal and difficult to resolve, we just leave feeling all "unresolved" instead. Or worse yet, somebody might get mad, which is always the last thing anybody wants to see and we all know "getting mad" is the greatest church trump card of them all.

So, do we never talk in our faith community about the uncomfortable specifics of the stuff that really matters? Whatever you think about Kanye West, I'm glad he said what he did, because at least we're starting to talk to each other. Maybe. My fear, however, is that we're not talking to each other so much as being "talked to" by the media. So, I hope to start a conversation today that transcends hype and makes us reflect on the motives of our hearts.

First, let me say that Kanye's comments have drawn some fair criticism. His statement passes judgment on the inner-workings of the President's heart and questions his personal morality. This is not something that any of us can fairly judge about another person, and I think that we always need to use some caution when it comes to painting anyone with such a broad brush. To place total blame for the massive failings of our disaster response system on the back of one person is an oversimplification of a series of complex failures. Those failures seem to have happened across every level of government.

George W. Bush also professes Christian faith, and moreover, he is a United Methodist. Now, membership in our great denomination certainly does not immunize a person against racism. I would often be the last to defend some of his policy positions, and I have the feeling that he and I might disagree a good bit theologically. But still, he is our President, and a Christian, and so I want to believe with all my heart that he does care about people, regardless of race, and that his faith compels him toward compassion for everyone.

We would make a huge mistake if we interpreted the events of Hurricane Katrina solely on the basis of race. Kanye West is wrong, as we would be, if we believe that the needed rescue was so long in coming solely because the vast majority of those caught in New Orleans were black. I really think that view is too simplistic and is motivated primarily, though understandably, by emotion.

All of us should be more concerned about the gross incompetence that was demonstrated at every level of government and consider the fact that we could all be at risk in a time of disaster. Our government simply did not do its best job in protecting and aiding its citizens, especially those citizens who were poorest and most vulnerable. In New Orleans, those citizens were mostly black.

But, there is another, even more dangerous mistake that we could make. Many white people that I've talked to, seen on tv and heard on the radio want to believe that race played no role in the days after Katrina. Even more than this, they generally demand that there should be no talk about racism, and talking about such issues is nothing less than "race-baiting." For these people, West's remarks border on unpatriotic and subversive.

My feeling is that if Kanye West's statement was an oversimplification of the facts and across the line of judgmentalism, then believing that race played no factor is simply a head-in-the-sand trip through a white person's dreamworld.

When we all began to see the pictures of people crowding outside the Superdome and Civic Center in New Orleans, only the most hard-hearted among us did not feel a sympathy for the people who suffered. But, I simply can't help wondering whether the depth of emotion that each of us felt wasn't directly proportional to how much the people in the pictures looked like us.

What I mean is this. I believe that white Americans (including the President) were sympathetic to what was happening, but what Kanye West expressed was not merely sympathy. It was empathy. Empathy doesn't mean simply feeling sorry for someone -- it means identifying with their suffering, and feeling that suffering as though it were your very own.

There are ugly realities of racism still at work within each of us and within our nation that have to be acknowledged if they're ever to be overcome. When any of us see suffering children who look like they could be our own sons or daughters, our hearts are moved past sympathy to empathy. Often, whether we're white or black, we fail to see people of other races with that same depth of connection.

As much as I wish that I could believe something else, in my heart I agree with a part of the sentiment expressed by Mr. West. If the images coming from New Orleans had been of my white wife carrying our little white boys through floodwater, or if the image had been my white face crying over my dead white child, something would have happened more quickly.

As Americans, we are of divided minds on this issue. As a Christian and a pastor, my role is to call all of us to deeper relationship with God and one another. There's simply no way I can do that task effectively without calling each person prayer and reflection, no matter how painful. Each of us need to ask God to show us ways that we can become more aware of the latent racism in our hearts and lives. Each of us has great room for much growth and improvement.

I am so proud of Shepherd of the Hills for being a place that white and black people love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. My prayer is that we will see our congregation lead the way for our community and for the United Methodist churches of our area with regard to the living of a real, powerful diversity. Some would say that we're "color blind," or that at least we're heading that direction. I'd challenge that assertion, as to whether it's even possible, or whether such as idea would really be good in the first place. You see, we really are all different.

The strength of our country and of our church is in that very fact -- we are all different. We are of different races, different political persuasions, different theologically and economically. We have different talents, gifts and graces. The miracle of the church, and of Shepherd of the Hills is that we don't have to all be the same. God calls us to embrace difference, and to celebrate those differences, while holding fast to our greater unity in Christ.

If being "color blind" means we all come out gray, I choose to see all the colors. What I pray is that God will give me a heart transformed beyond the culture in which I've been formed. I want to see the colors, and feel a real empathy for anyone who suffers. Whether a person looks like me or not, I pray that God will help me each day to feel another's suffering as though it were my own.

As people of Christ, I believe that God can use us to show the world what that kind of community is all about. We will love each other. We will struggle together. We will disagree and remain united. We will even transform our world. May God forgive us, and heal us and always use us for the making of something better than the things we find today.

Grace and Peace,
Adam

LIFE AT SOTH:

Tonight -- Tonight -- Tonight!!! 7 PM, Our first study on the book, God is Closer Than You Think. It looks like we're going to have huge attendance and this is really exciting for me and in the life of our church. If you didn't sign up, come on anyway and we'll get you in. Our study will continue these next 6 Wednesday nights. Childcare is available, but if you haven't reserved that yet, please give us a call in the office to let us know (770) 920-1551.

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER: President Bush has asked Americans to observe a national day of prayer for hurricane victims this Friday. SOTH will create a "prayer chapel" at the far end of "the ranch," our ministry house/office located next to the church. Come in the far-end, carport entrance and you'll find seating, an altar, cross, some good quiet and materials to help focus your thoughts and prayers. The space will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Blessed

In the days since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, we’ve all had plenty of difficult images to absorb. The stories have been so plentiful, so full of tragedy and heartbreak that at times I feel as though I’ve reached the limit of what I can take in. If I’m being honest, and knowing how truly calloused this sounds, I must admit that I need a hurricane break. Just for a day, even just for a couple of hours, I’d love to have something else to think about.

And then this morning I had to go and encounter the words of Christ in scripture. This morning’s text on sacred space was from Luke 6:20-23. Jesus tells us that the poor, the hungry, the weeping --- these are the people most blessed by God.

Now, while that may sound great in theory, out there in a “sermon on the mount” or “plain” depending which Gospel you’re reading, we’ve now seen what poverty and desperation look like in real life, up close and personal. We all know that in any society, it’s the poor who are at the most risk. Our instincts are to work and scratch and save, so that we can insure that we and our families are protected from that risk.

Blessed are the poor, Jesus says, but they’re also the ones who wind up at the Superdome and the New Orleans Convention Center, waiting for buses that just don’t come. They’re the ones that watch their infants and elderly die of dehydration, the ones who become victims of violence and anger, the ones who perpetrate that violence on others.

Of all the words that come to mind for describing the pictures of those suffering Americans, “blessed” just really isn’t one of them. And yet, Jesus looked at his disciples and said, in effect, “those poor people, hungry and weeping, those who are hated and excluded and defamed, those are my people. The Kingdom is theirs, and they are blessed” (my paraphrase).

In my world, that just doesn’t make good sense. The last time I checked, 2 + 2 still equals 4, but what if…what if Jesus’ concept of mathematics is just a little different than mine? What if it’s altogether different?

Yesterday I had the privilege of driving a recently relocated citizen of Hattiesburg, Mississippi to Lifepoint Ministries. “Kevin” (real name withheld) wanted to attend the job fair being held there for hurricane victims who are now living in our county, but he had no means of transportation. As Katrina bore down upon him, he caught a ride with some neighbors who were heading to Atlanta. They dropped him in our town, where he is now staying with some old friends.

By any American standard, Kevin is poor. The Hattiesburg apartment he managed to rent on his minimum wage salary was mostly destroyed by the high winds and rain. He doesn’t know what remains of his personal possessions. He left his car behind because he didn’t know if his tires were adequate to make the trip. He wants to go back and get it, but doesn’t know how he would get back, or whether his car even made it through the storm undamaged. He now has no job in Hattiesburg, because the gas station where he worked as a cashier has been destroyed. He plans to stay in Douglasville long-term, and he’s starting with little more than the clothes on his back.

Do you know what he told me? “All my family got out. Thank God, I got out and I still have my life. You know, I am really (you guessed it)…blessed.” That word rang in my head this morning as I heard Jesus use it to describe people in a similar situation two millennia ago.

Blessed. Am I blessed because my closet is full, because my house is intact, because there is food in my refrigerator, or because the tires on my vehicles still have a little tread on them? Or does real blessing run a little deeper than our “stuff?”

Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful for all that I have, but sometimes even the way we express that sentiment of thanksgiving comes to sound as though we value those things more than our relationship with the one who gives them.

A few years ago I encountered a doctor in Augusta who was leaving his very successful and lucrative practice to return to a career of full-time medical missionary service in Africa. He said, “you know, when I’m here, it’s so much harder to see God.” I pressed him further to understand exactly what he meant. “Here,” he said, “I don’t see God so easily, because I see the grocery store, and the highway system, the bank, and my house my office and my church building. I see the “things” of life and become dependent on them for my security, rather than dependent upon God.” And then he said this, "when I'm in the mission field, I'm clear that it's God who keeps me alive."

That moment has stayed with me. Maybe 2 + 2 for Jesus really does equal something unexpected. If there is no other way for us to see through the false reality of our world and stay focused on real relationship with God, then let us become poor and hungry. Let's weep, and be hated. Let's become defamed and excluded because of Jesus. All of it is worth the blessing of real relationship with him.

Remember, Jesus made big points, in big ways. “If your eye causes you to sin,” he said, “pluck it out.” Be clear, I neither advocate the plucking of eyes, nor the practice of self-inflicted poverty. But I do advocate, and struggle daily to practice, the honest and frequent self-inspection of the soul that we all need so badly.

The events of recent days invite us to respond. In the coming weeks, months and years, we will have many opportunities to stand among the poor, which means standing among the very ones that Jesus called “blessed.” Our current partnership with Lifepoint and the other churches of our community reveal a tiny window on that “Kingdom” Jesus described.

That kingdom-picture may not look much like you thought it would. It may be scattered and disorganized, chaotic and at times disheartening. There will be no diaper-clad angels plinking harps or inspiring shafts of light cascading down from heaven. When crowded with volunteers and those who have come for help, there is a real physical and mental discomfort in that place. Rarely in our world do we see the veil of our seeming independence so brutally torn away. Frustration and confusion often result from the overwhelming nature of the task at hand.

But if we can manage to look and enter, we might just catch a glimpse of what is there, underneath it all. There is faith. Perspective. Relationship. Dependence on God and each other. Community. A word to those who weep today --- Jesus promises a future full of laughter. For those who laugh, let us weep a while until the laughter returns for everyone. These are God’s promises, and may God’s blessings be upon us all.

Grace and Peace,
Adam

LIFE AT SOTH

Hopefully our chain of e-mails has helped with any confusion around how to volunteer at Lifepoint. At this time, we're in good shape for drivers, and we're still encouraging those who want to volunteer to simply go to Lifepoint at 2990 Bright Star Rd., anytime between 9 a.m and 10 p.m., 7 days a week. Thank you SOTH for your wonderful contribution of over $1600 this week for the cooperative response happening through the churches of our county! This Sunday, we'll have a special offering for UMCOR with 100% of funds going directly into affected areas.

Don't forget, "God is Closer Than You Think" starts next Wedneday night, 9/14/5 at 7pm in our worship space. We're going to start right on time, so plesae make it on time if at all possible. If you still need a book, make payment this Sunday and we'll have one there for you at the first session.

A WORD FROM OUR BISHOP, G. LINDSEY DAVIS

Dear North Georgia Conference family:

The news about the destruction and devastation of Hurricane Katrina is
everywhere. You can't turn on the television or radio without
receiving more information about those who have been deeply affected
by this tragedy.

The thread of truth that travels through these stories is that we are
witnessing the worst natural disaster in United States history. As we
watch this catastrophe continue to unfold right before our eyes,
desperate cries for basic needs and financial assistance continues to
be heard from the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and
Georgia.

Friends, I am proud to say that United Methodists of North Georgia
have been actively supporting and loving the people of these
devastated states since day one of this tragedy. You have heard these
cries from the needy, and have responded well. I am overwhelmed by
the humble compassion, kindness, and generosity that you have shown
your brothers and sisters in need, and I heartily thank you.

There is, in fact, so much assistance being offered by our churches we
can barely keep up with all that you are doing! In the midst of your
ministry over the weeks ahead I ask that you please take a few moments
to email me (bishop@ngumc.org) with some specific information about
how your congregation is reaching out to those touched by this natural
disaster over the next few months:

How many displaced persons have been helped with support or housing;
How many flood buckets, health kits, etc. have you constructed;
How many loads of supplies have been sent from your church;
How many volunteers from your church have been active in these efforts

The after-effects of hurricane Katrina have only just begun. The
recovery and rejuvenation of people's homes and hearts will take
months - even years. The floodwaters may have begun to subside;
however, I'm afraid to say that we are in store for some pretty
gruesome and disturbing news to come.

As we will continue to hear these updates it is important to remember
the word Emmanuel, and hold true to the promise that God never leaves
us. Even while we are in the midst of the worst US natural disaster,
God is here with all of us- kindly loving us, benevolently supporting
us, and gently comforting us.

As your Bishop, and as a fellow Christian, I thank you for the care
you are offering Christ's people.

In Christ,
Bishop G. Lindsey Davis