Vacation Bible School - 2008

This is Vacation Bible School Week at First UMC. As usual, it is a special time for all who participate and it is wonderful to see the number of families that are present. We have a great group of volunteers who provide the leadership and are committed to making this a good experience for all. Once again I observe that this is a model of congregational leadership that we should follow more often in the life together. First, the core leaders seem to listen carefully to the needs of the people and tell the story within that context. Such as, having an evening event for all ages with a meal is our format. They study the curriculum and make sure the key points are truly the focus of learning and work collaboratively to call forth each volunteer’s gifts as they plan each year’s VBS. The director serves one year and the assistant becomes the director the following year. The retiring director serves as an advisor.

Our leaders know the value of good communication. From publicity to instructions, we all know what’s happening. Once again we have a number of persons from the community including several families who are vacationing in Myrtle Beach. Over the years, VBS has been the introductory visit for quite a few new members. Careful evaluation means some tweaking for the next year. I especially appreciate being able to fulfill the role as spiritual leader and to empower those who share their leadership gifts so generously. How can we duplicate this healthy pattern for successful ministry in other areas of our congregational life?

Remembering

As noted previously, Wendell Berry’s prose and poetry speak to my soul. So, when Amazon told me that I might like to purchase another of his books from them, I couldn’t resist. Remembering is the account of one of Port William’s members, Andy Catlett, as he spends a long day in San Francisco 'remembering' his life and experiences. The loss of a hand to a corn picker has led him into a dark time. Depressed by the state of farming as defined by agribusiness terms and the deterioration of community, Andy begins to reclaim his identity through his memories of people, places and events of the past. I especially enjoyed his encounter with the Ohio State educated farmer followed by his visit with an Amish farmer. Remembering my own connection to farming and community added to my appreciation of this beautifully written book. However, it is worth reading by all who are seeking to know the value of place in their lives.

Tim Russert

It has been a week since I first saw the shocking news that Tim Russert had died. Like many, many people I sensed a personal loss and watched with great interest as a public time of mourning unfolded. As a news junkie, I looked forward to Tim’s take on the political scene. He seemed to ask the questions that I wanted answered and did so in a civil manner. Delightfully, he was more than a political reporter. He was a husband, father, son, friend and a faithful Catholic who revealed his humanity to us. Tim demonstrated again and again that he remembered who he was in an honest and forthright manner. Because he shared these parts of his life with us, it hurt our hearts when he passed and we realized that he would no longer appear on our television screens to express his insights about our political world. His exuberant joy about all that was his life was contagious and helped us remember who we are. What a legacy!

Although I have given Tim Russert’s death much thought during this past week as the many words of eulogy poured forth, it was his apparent failure to fully take care of his health that really caught my attention. Medication does not take the place of healthy habits of eating, exercising and resting. Like Tim and others, I am always going to make sure I do that tomorrow. Since I want to know tomorrow, I better get serious about these things.

Food for Thought

Food has become a subject of headlines and we who have never given much thought to the complexity of this topic are beginning to understand the ethics of eating. As such issues of hunger, health, environment, justice, and globalization come to the table with us, we are now hearing the call to claim a theology of eating. This certainly could be the focus of many blog postings, so I offer this thought from author and theologian, Joan Chittister, as a beginning point:

“Food connects us to nature, to ourselves, to the future. It must never be taken lightly. Everything we eat is either developing us or destroying us. When we chose what we eat, it is an act of creation second only to the conception of life.”

Annual Conference 2008

With the theme “Dare to Change the World”, South Carolina Methodists met in Florence for our Annual Conference this past week. Bishop Taylor led us in worship and business as we sought to chart our course into the future. Although there were no headline grabbing agenda items, the challenge for us to be faithful in and through our ministries was certainly put before us. Changing the world begins with expressions of grace – love, mercy, justice and peace. The traditional opening hymn for Annual Conference is Charles Wesley’s “And Are we Yet Alive”. I often think that we should use it as our closing hymn to evaluate our time spent together.

An Old Friend

The Class of ’63 is planning a reunion. That means we are searching the Internet and other sources for classmate addresses and contacting one another in the hope of reconnecting. I will not be able to attend this event as it is VBS week at First Church. However, this past weekend I was able to experience a little bit of what will be a special time for those who will be present. Chuck Ritenour, who I have known since 4th grade, sailed up the Intracoastal Waterway for a visit. Currently, he is living on his boat and is on his way to the Norfolk area where he will dock and then journey to Washington C.H. for the reunion.

It was so interesting to hear how an Ohio farm boy has become such an adventurer, especially a sailor. Listening to inner voices and allowing circumstances to shape this style of living, Chuck seems to be enjoying retirement to its fullest. I also enjoyed taking that proverbial trip down memory lane as together we remembered people and events from the past. It was even good to hear someone call me Jeannie. Only Ohio friends and family know me by that name. Old friends are truly like gold.