Go and Tell

When I was in Florida, on my cross country excursion this summer, I had the opportunity to stop at a church near Fort Walton Beach and interview a young woman named April Fisher.  For an hour, I sat and listened to her story.  It was nothing short of miraculous.

This weekend in worship, I am looking forward to sharing that story with you.  My prayer is that you will walk away from it the same way I did this last August.  I was excited, inspired, and reminded that our God is alive, and he really does heal and restore broken lives.  When April told her story, my faith came alive.

A God like that is a God that you want to share with someone else.

Most of us don’t have a story as intense as April’s but the same God is at work with us.  So often, we forget how much it helps others when we speak of how God has moved in our lives.  Come join us this weekend in worship, on this last worship service of 2012.  We will spend some time speaking of why it is so important that we “Go Tell it On the Mountain.” See you there!

In Christ,

Pastor Pete

Let’s Give it Away!

            Yesterday, our Children’s Director, Beth Christian and I had the chance to visit our WUMC Preschool and lead chapel for the little ones.  It is one of the highlights of working at Woodlake Church.  There is nothing like being around fifty children to lift your spirits (of course we get to leave when we are done….)

          Beth asked all the children what they wanted for Christmas, and there was a resounding response.  Nearly every child could name a specific present they were hoping for.  Then, Beth asked them what their parents wanted for Christmas.  As expected, there was not quite as much energy.  The notable exception was a four year old boy who excitedly exclaimed “My mom wants pots!”  All the female teachers laughed and rolled their eyes in the back of the room, while I was silently thinking that it is just proof that men are born with this…

          All of this was of course a lesson for our children about the challenge and importance of “Giving Christmas Away”.  As adults, we perhaps do a bit better but we can always use a reminder that Christmas is not about us. 

          And of course, this is why we are all so excited about what we will be doing tomorrow and Sunday.  Over six hundred of you will be moving out into the community to do mission, giving of ourselves and our time.  While our weekly worship must always lie at the center of what we do, I cannot help but imagine that our Lord is excited about the uniqueness of this weekend.  There will be smiles on many faces, hope in many hearts, and a spark of new life in places that haven’t seen it because of your willingness to give this Christmas away.

          Thank you in advance for your work!  Paul, Erin, and I look forward to seeing you briefly back in the sanctuary after you finish your service.  Until then, please join me in praying that the Spirit will multiply our efforts to create joy this weekend in the hearts that have struggled to find it. 

In Christ,

Pastor Pete

This weekend in worship we are going to be speaking of hope; what it is, what it isn't, and why it is so important to us within the Christian faith.

In all the research and reading this week, I was reminded of my experiences years ago when I was in flight training for the Navy.  When I finished the first segment of the training, the Navy sent our entire class out into the desert of California.  There, we were to "survive" for several days.  Actually, because none of us were even close to being a "Bear Grylls", it really was more of an exercise in starvation.  At the end, they put us in a staged POW camp, to teach us what it was like to be hungry and exposed to such a ruthless environment.  It was an experience I have never forgotten.

I learned many things during those days of "captivity", but one of the things that remains with me is the importance of hope.  People can make it through just about anything when there is something to hope for.  That is also why the people who run those prison camps do everything in their power to take that hope away.  They know, as countless people through the centuries, that if you can remove hope from someone, their spirit and fight soon wither away.
This is why hope is so central to the Christian faith.  Corrie Ten Boom used to say, "There is no pit so deep that he is not deeper still."  By that she meant that there is no situation in life that is hopeless, and the believer in Christ has the vision to see that hope and hold on to it specifically.  This weekend, come join us in worship as we speak more specifically to this gift of God we call hope.  We simply cannot live without it.  I look forward to seeing you there!

Pastor Pete

New York City and Home

            This week, I finished the first part of my travels.  It concluded with a quick but wonderful visit to New York City.  One of my favorite authors through the years has been a pastor by the name of Timothy Keller.  Woodlake Church has heard me quote him multiple times.   He leads a Presbyterian congregation in downtown Manhattan.  Despite the challenges of working in such a diverse and seemingly secular city, his church has flourished, growing to multiple congregations throughout Manhattan.

            The service was surprisingly simple.  I have been used to the bands and multiple ensembles of large congregations that have offered a powerful variety of styles around the country. The church gathering space was packed yet only had a piano and oboe, along with some singers on a large but simple stage.  The singers were classical in nature.  In reformed tradition, there was nothing on the walls, not even a cross.  Dr. Keller’s message was encouraging, challenging, and helpful, reminding us that we serve a generous God who enables us to be radically generous with all the parts of our lives.  It was clear that the Spirit of Jesus was there in the midst of this place, in the heart of New York City.

            After the service, I headed south for Richmond and have now arrived at home.  It is good to be back!  After almost seven weeks on the road, eleven thousand miles, there is just something about pulling into your own driveway…..

            After all my travels in the first part of this journey, I am filled with so many lessons, learnings, and convictions.  Throughout the next couple of weeks, I will be organizing these thoughts, but suffice to say, after visiting with and interviewing over seventy people and working with multiple congregations, I am convinced more than ever that through the risen Christ, the local church is the hope of the world.  Christ is still in the business of creating amazing stories of transformation within people, and it is happening, despite hardship, opposition, and challenge, in many, many churches around this country.  More to follow!

            As I close this part of my blog, I need to also offer a word of acknowledgement and thanks to a special friend, Nancy Haga.  Seven months ago, she called me after reading that I had received this Sabbatical grant.  She said, (and I quote her loosely),  “Pete, if you are going to be driving around this country, nobody is going to talk to you unless you are driving a truck…”  She then offered me the use of her late husband Ralph’s truck.  Ralph had been a good friend for many years and died a little over a year ago.  She invited me to take his truck on this journey and gave me a picture of him to take with me around the country.  Ralph and Nancy are people with multiple and incredible stories.   Here he is….

            So, as I complete this first part of the journey, I am thankful to her, but also thankful to the so many folks that have given of themselves so I could do this.  My wife Lynn who has taken care of things at home for almost seven weeks and for all the incredible folks at Woodlake United Methodist Church who are working so hard to make a great church great in my temporary absence.  Above all I am thankful to God for the opportunity to take this trip, meet so many of his people, and celebrate the power of his Spirit in the local church around this incredible country in which we live.  More to follow on all of this! 



Two Days in Detroit

            This week, I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Detroit.  My parents grew up in Michigan and I spent many a summer in this state.  But this week, I was able to see and visit parts I had never seen.

            On Wednesday afternoon, I met with Jorge Luna….

            Jorge is a hard working young man who is trying to make a difference in the lives of the immigrant community here in Detroit.  He works three different jobs, all focused on reaching the folks who are struggling on the edge.  His story is fascinating.  He grew up in poverty in Oaxaca, Mexico.  He also grew up as one of the indigenous peoples of the country.  As a result, as a child, he had a strange accent and was always one of the outsiders.  He attended a Catholic church with his mother, but one day, he was told by the youth pastor that he could not bring his friends to the group because they simply were not the right kind of people.  Though only 15, he didn’t understand why this should be in a church and he simply stopped going.

            Yet, in listening to the rest of the story, it is clear that our God is a God of irony.  Now, Jorge works with the outsiders who are not welcomed, trying to bring them into the community and into the church.  He has led and built ESL programs for churches, he helps local organizations work with immigrant issues, and he consults with local congregations, on how they might respond to the growing numbers and needs within the immigrant population of Detroit.  As you can see from his infectious smile, he loves his work!

            From there, I went to visit with Redford Aldersgate UMC.  They were having a community dinner (much like our Woodlake midweek dinner) and I had a chance to visit with several folks....

  

            This church is set in the middle of a working class Detroit neighborhood.  They are doing remarkable things.  They are growing rapidly in the midst of many struggles.  They have also begun a satellite congregation in a downtown neighborhood, working with a church that has suffered substantial decline.  Detroit has many very real challenges.

            I had a nice conversation with the pastor, Jeff Nelson….

           Jeff and I talked late into the night.  He is a high energy, fascinating guy.  He grew up in Wisconsin and came to Michigan to serve.  He came to the faith through Campus Crusade for Christ.  Upon that base, he has also built upon a profound passion for social ministry and inclusivity.  But most of all, he is deliberately focused on Christ.  He is a gifted leader that has made such a difference in this community.  I felt honored to meet him. 

            Sometimes we forget.  There are so many problems in the world and in the church.  Yet, time and time again, God raises up incredible people to lead through those challenges.  It is clear that God is doing exactly that in Detroit!









Iowa and Chicago!

            Throughout the Sabbatical, I have been trying to do a good bit of reading.  I have been working through serious, spiritual, church works, but have also been alternating with some lighter fare.  This past week, as I went through Iowa, I finished a great book entitled “The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid”.  It is by Bill Bryson and is simply a hilarious accounting of his childhood times, growing up in Des Moines, Iowa.  It is a great read but you have to be prepared to laugh out loud.

            I have to confess that the book was a contrast with the stories I heard while I was in this classic Midwestern state.  I spent a day in a small town, in the northern part of Iowa.  The pastor greeted me warmly and introduced me to several of the people within his church.  The small town was lovely.  The streets and shops were what you would picture in a classic Iowa farm town.  And yet, so many of the folks were struggling.  I met with the pastor and he told me of his challenges in this past year.  In the space of one week, his church burned and the congregation was displaced.  Days later, his wife left him.  He is now a single parent for his two young children and pastor to his community.  He leads incredibly well from his brokenness.  He introduced me to a couple in his church.  This particular man has been an alcoholic for most of his life and has recently become sober.  Through his faith, remarkable changes have happened.  At his lowest point, he simply prayed, “You take it Jesus.  You can do it, I can’t”.  Since that day of surrender, he has remarried, and he and his wife lead a dynamic youth group for their church.  I met another woman who has found hope after growing up in a very broken family with mentally ill parents.   She has found a new family in her faith.  I spoke to another man who has also found new life after alcoholism. 

            I could continue but the point remains.  So many are hurting and struggling, not just in Iowa but around our nation and world.  But I have seen it time and time again.  In the person of Jesus Christ, there is hope and healing.  A relationship with him really does change people.  In the end, it is all about him and when it is all about him, healing and hope arrive at the front door.

            After some time in Iowa, I made my way to Chicago and Champaign, Illinois.  In Chicago, I was able to attend worship at Willow Creek Community Church.  Bill Hybels was preaching and it was good to hear a powerful message and worship service.  I was also able to visit with my sister, Paula, brother in law Warren, and my nieces Hannah and Isabel.  It was a wonderful two days with them, catching up and also visiting with some great people in First United Methodist Church in Champaign. 

            Right now, I am in Detroit, and looking forward to meeting some folks that are doing some unique ministry in the downtown areas.  More to follow!

Greetings From Montana and Wyoming!!

     This week, Lynn and I had the opportunity to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversay in beautiful Montana!  This was special for us as Lynn went to school in Missoula and we were able to share some wonderful memories.

     We had five great days together.  One night, we sat down to dinner, and suddenly realized that this is the most time we have spent together just us since our honeymoon 25 years ago!  We spent the days hiking and enjoying God's wondrous creation.  We found some beautiful hikes in the back country of Glacier National Park and despite the steep mountain climbs and the threat of bears, had an incredible time together.  Here is a picture of us at a high altitude lake in Glacier called "Trout Lake".  It was worth the effort to get there!

     After dropping Lynn off at the airport, I started my journey east again.  I went through Billings and stopped to see our pastor friend Linwood Cook.  Linwood is retired but still serves part time in the Virginia Annual Conference.  Three weeks ago, he, his wife Brenda, and two friends were travelling through Montana when they were hit head on on the interstate by a drunk driver going the wrong way.  The accident was horrendous and miraculously, all four of them survived.  As Linwood told me the story on Sunday I simply sat amazed that he was sitting there, healing well, and alive.  Brenda was injured even more seriously but she too is recovering well.  I felt fortunate that God had given me the opportunity to stop in and see him and look forward to seeing him back home in Virginia.

     Today, I had the opportunity to visit with my new friend Bob Utter in Sheridan Wyoming....

     Bob and I spent some time together and he told me the story of his struggle with alcholism.  In his words, his preacher at the time "saved his life."  He went through a divorce, almost lost his relationship with his chilrdren, but through his faith, he has been sober for six years.  I was amazed as he told me about how he now serves as a Stephen Minister in his church, helping others who struggle with alcohol, and has also participated in multiple mission trips to Guatemala.  It never fails to amaze me to see the way that God uses us broken people so powerfully. Bob was excited that I was going to share this story with you, as his hope is that his struggles will help others.  I asked him at the end of our time together what was the most important thing he had learned in these years of the battles with alcohol.  He didn't hesitate.  He said, "belief in God and trusting God are two very different things...." 

     Tomorrow, I am headed through South Dakota to Iowa to visit with a church in a small town called "Cherokee".  More to follow!! 





Greetings From the West Coast!!

 After an incredible weekend with Lynn and our five great kids in the Grand Canyon last week, I took a very fast paced journey up the West Coast.

It began with a great visit with some former Woodlake members, Mike and Maureen Kapral who now live in Las Vegas.  We had a great dinner together and they shared with me a great story about the power of God’s provision in the midst of job transitions.  It was great to see old friends again!

The next day, I drove through the Nevada desert….

And made my way into beautiful Yosemite National Park….

  

I was also able to spend the night in Menlo Park California, just outside of San Francisco.  I spent some time at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, a church whose pastor, John Ortberg, has been very helpful to me over the years.  I visited with Nicole Laubausch….

It was great to hear of the powerful things this church is doing in the midst of a very intense academic community (adjacent to Stanford University) and Silicon Valley.  She described the challenges of offering Christ in the midst of “smart skeptics”.  Yet, the church is thriving and God is blessing the work there. 

Then, I headed over the Golden Gate bridge….

And headed up to Seattle.  Right now,  I am enjoying some time with my sister Catherine and my nephews.  Tonight we had a great "guys" dinner together in downtown Seattle.   

Yesterday, I had the chance to meet with an old teacher, Doug Strong.  Doug was one of my readers on my Doctoral Project at Wesley Seminary, and is now the Dean at a new Seminary at Seattle Pacific University.  We had a great conversation, and I was struck with his vision of establishing a United Methodist presence in Seattle.  He described the challenges with some detail.  There are currently 22 United Methodist Churches in the Seattle area.  Only one of them has a weekly attendance of over 100.  It is a very different world in the Pacific Northwest.  It is intensely beautiful, but also very secular.  I appreciate the way God has filled Doug with such a vision.

I also had the chance to visit, in the words of Steely Dan, “My Old School”, the University of Washington.  It is as beautiful as ever!  (That’s Mt. Ranier in the background).

 Miss all of you!  Tomorrow, I am headed off to Spokane Washington....



A Week in the Desert Southwest

What an amazing week!  Sorry to be a little late in updating….a bit challenging to find good internet in the Grand Canyon!

It began last weekend in Austin Texas, where I had the chance to meet and visit with several amazing folks.  I spoke with Leonard Woods, Robbie Ausley, Tom Ausley, and Brooks Shuelte.  Leonard is a leader in his African American church, and serves as an attorney in Austin.  Robbie and Tom are leaders in their downtown church, located literally next door to the capitol building.  The church is working hard to make sure everyone is included and I received a pretty thorough orientation to Texas politics!  I enjoyed meeting many folks in Austin, and Robbie and Tom were incredible Sunday morning hosts.  I would show you some pictures except I had some Austin camera trouble.

On Sunday afternoon, I left Austin for San Antonio.  I had the chance to visit with multiple folks there and heard about many different ministries.  I met Janie Rose Alejandro, who has started a new ministry for young Hispanic students.  Many of the children had no place to go after school as the parents were both working and dealing with poverty.  The children would go to the library but the library couldn’t handle them anymore.  Janie responded, hooked in her church, and as a result, has offered a safe place for many children and has the applause of her community.  Her infectious smile and laughter have made such a difference. 

Then, Denise Barker told me the story of how she stared Magdalena House, a ministry for abused women, and Colonel Breck Lebegue told me of a ministry he has worked to begin for homeless women veterans.

I also met Kevin Morarity. 

 Kevin is the CEO of Methodist Healthcare Ministries, an organization that in conjunction with the local hospital, offers multiple United Methodist healthcare ministries throughout Southern Texas.  When he arrived, they had a budget of 5 million.  Now, they are able to disburse 72 million dollars every year in much needed healthcare for the poor, and it is done through the Methodist connection.  Much of this occurred through his vision, but he was not always a part of the church.

Many years ago, Kevin was working for the Peace Corps in Liberia.  He wasn’t much of a church person, but one day, he was burning trash with what he assumed was kerosene in a remote village.  Someone had mistakenly placed gasoline in the container.  As a result, the fire flashed all over him, burning him severely.  The Methodists had the only hospital, and this Methodist mission in the middle of Liberia took care of him.  That was the beginning of his journey back to the church that now results in 72 million dollars of ministry each year to those in Southern Texas who are living in poverty.  It is incredible to listen to how God works, bringing people full circle.  His story is a reminder of how powerful people’s stories are!

And this is my new friend Conrado Soltero. 

Conrado is 82 years old, and has served as a United Methodist pastor for the last 50 plus years.  He was recently called out of retirement to serve a struggling church in El Paso.  Conrado spent a day with me, introducing me to the many Hispanic ministries there in El Paso, and took me to the mountain, to show me the lights of Juarez Mexico and El Paso.  What fascinating stories rose up in this little church.

Finally, this weekend, my whole family joined me in the Grand Canyon.  We had a day in Sedona Arizona, including a “Pink Jeep Tour” that was just phenomenal.  We just finished a 6 mile hike today up and down the canyon.  The scenery is simply phenomenal here.  Lynn and I are celebrating the views, but also keep telling each other how nice it is to have all seven of us together!  Needless to say, in our stage in life, that just doesn’t happen very often!

Today I head off to Las Vegas!  I wish I could tell you all the stories that I have seen and heard here, but I hope this give you an idea.  Miss all of you!  Pete

Greetings from Austin Texas!

This afternoon, I arrived in Austin, Texas after an incredible series of meetings all around the Gulf Coast.  

It began with time in Savannah and a group from Asbury Memorial Church.  Asbury is a downtown congregation that is devoted to reaching those who live on the fringe of religion.  They minister to many folks who have questions, who are looking for a place to call home.  A substantial part of their ministry is devoted to working with and supporting the gay and lesbian population of Savannah.  I had scheduled a visit there, and expected to meet with one or two folks.  When the congregation found out about my trip, fifteen people showed up to spend the afternoon with me, each telling me their story.  Here is their picture.

It was simply phenomenal.  There were many wounds but they had found a community that they called home which was a source of healing to them all.  They were incredibly kind, open, and generous with their time and with me.  I felt honored to have some time with them.

Last Sunday, I visited with Beach United Methodist Church in Jacksonville Beach Florida.  After a rousing 11:22 service, we all walked to the beach where 70 people were to be baptized.   Just as they were about to begin, a huge storm came up and they had to postpone.  I was still able to have some incredible conversations with the folks. 

On Tuesday, I spent some time at a church near Pensacola Florida.  I visited with several folks, but meet April Fisher.

 Her story is long but let me just briefly say that she came from horrendous circumstances.  For an hour she told me a story that made me constantly make sure my mouth was shut.  But then, after a miraculous intervention from the Lord, she found hope and life.  Now, she is a successful mother and student in Disciple Bible study.

Yesterday, after crossing the Mississippi.....

I spent some time with the gracious people of St. Lukes UMC in Shreveport Lousiana through the gracious hospitality of Lynn's sister and brother in law, Frank and Mary Hughes.

Believe me, there are many more stories to tell….wish I had time to tell them all.  I miss all the folks at Woodlake and hope and pray you are doing well!

P.S....here is a deep theological/kingdom question to ponder.  I ran across this sign last week.  Would you really want this in front of your church?????

The Power of a Letter…..

Meet Julianna and Gabrielle Lupacchino…..

I met them this morning at a United Methodist Camp just outside of Savannah.  There, in the midst of the Southern moss and marsh grass, they told me their story.  It is a long and powerful one, but one that was enabled in many ways, by a simple letter.  During of time of change, disruption, and hard circumstances, they began to wander away from their church.  Their youth director simply wrote them a letter, checking on them, inviting them back.  He didn’t even remember writing it.  Gabrielle (on the right) keeps it in her Bible.  They say that letter brought them back to the church, where they then attended a Youth Conference in Daytona and were then discipled at a local Starbucks by another youth member.  Today they are leaders in their youth program.

The Power of Love…..

Meet Lorie Williams…..

Lorrie was going through a time of marital struggles and employment changes.  Her husband was struggling with many different things.  Despite his mistakes, this local church, Conyers United Methodist Church, welcomed him in and “loved on him…”.  She came from a very different church background and figured that if they could love him, she could stay.  She has been at the church ever since, and looking for what the Lord has next in store for her.

The Power of Love (Part II)…

Meet Robert Moore…..

Robert came to the church with a life time restraining order against him by his ex-wife, a prison record, and a lifetime of addiction to crack cocaine and alcohol.  When I met with him, he pulled out a pile of cards that his church had sent to him, like treasures from a box.  His church had loved him in the midst of it all and he discovered the healing power of Jesus in this suburban Atlanta congregation.  Today, he leads several ministries in this church and is the chaplain at the local prison. 

There is much more to tell…..more to follow!