Montreat West...the day before

Here I sit on Saturday night. There's a lite rain sprinkling down outside the office window. Plannint team members are either scurrying about to be ready for the onslaught of tomorrow, or are taking a much needed break...a little calm before the storm. Rex is lying down with his head propped on his hand reading a book...his second during his time here. Robert and Jeffrey are finalizing the song list for Sunday night. J.Herbert is adding some visual flair to Monday night's worship service. I love to watch the dedication of all these people working to make Montreat a wonderful experience for the youth who will attend.

I spent the better part of four hours this afternoon in small group leader training. I can't say it's my favorite place to be, but it was good to meet the other folks who will be leading small groups this week. Unfortunately, numbers are a bit down, so it's a small crew. The word needs to get out that something awesome happens here at CSU every June.

Laurie Taylor Weicher arrived today. I love that girl. I love seeing friends like her...friends who make you feel known...friends who make your heart smile.

Tomorrow, the conferees arrive. Look for some pictures as I get into the midst of things.

Montreat West...in preparation

Hey folks. That's right, it's almost Montreat West time. I'm out in Ft. Collins helping the planning team get ready for the arrival of approximately 200 young people. I arrived here last night, dropped my bags, said hello to some folks, and went for a run. It's funny how good it feels to get out and run now that I'm past the point of huffing an puffing after five minutes. I actually only ran for about half an hour last night, because I had to be back for skit rehearsal, but I felt like I could have gone a good bit longer.

Anyways, it's fun getting to hang out with the planning team folks. And, I've met a couple of stage leaders who I'd always heard about but never met. For all of you out there who sang the praises of Jeffery Harpeth and Kenneth Slifer, I've found your singing to be right on key. I'm looking forward to seeing what they have to offer from the stage.

The theme of this year's conference is Crossing Boundaries. It should be interesting to see how the leaders dance around that line of which boundaries we're called to cross and which ones we aren't.

OK, more from Montreat West as the conference progresses.

All of this FEMA business

So, it turns out that when given money following Hurricane Katrina, some folks chose to spend their debit cards in ways that FEMA doesn't like. Apparently, people spent the money on NFL tickets, champagne, and other "frivolous" items. Folks at FEMA are upset because they don't think that's what the money was for.

Now, I'm not too excited about folks spending relief effort dollars on NFL tickets when people were struggling to get food and some people still don't have homes.

That being said, I hope that there are no Republicans on the hill crying too loudly. I mean, isn't it the Republicans who say that government should get out of the way and allow people to have more access to their own money? That it isn't the role of government to tell people how to spend their money? That Americans know best how to spend their money? The only difference, as I see it, between this latest situation, and the drastic tax cuts propegated by the current administration is that this time, the expenditures of "the people" could be tracked. I imagine that if we were able to track the money given in "tax relief," we'd find some similar trends. Meanwhile, the national deficit counter is back on in New York City.

My main point here, is that this situation ought to be an eye opener for those who argue for tax cuts for the sole reason that Americans know best how to spend their money. If people who have just lost everything buy NFL tickets and stay in fancy hotels with their relief money, I can only imagine what the rest of us do with our tax relief money.

I love camp

I spent all of last week, June 4-9, at NaCoMe, which is a camp within the bounds of my presbytery. It was a great week. I just love all that is "camp." I love that youth get to disconnect from their hectic lives and simply enjoy God's beautiful creation with a bunch of other youth. I love standing around a campfire at night and singing songs...or yelling songs as in Screaming Jesus. If you haven't heard that one, you simply must find someone who knows it. I love it that high school students still wear t-shirts from their various clubs, sports teams, musicals, bands, choirs, etc...you know, the t-shirts that kind of brag and bring attention to the love that that youth has for a particular activity. When do we quit wearing shirts like that? I guess I still do with my Cavaliers shirts, but mine don't have fun slogans on them. I love those t-shirts. I love games called Jedi and Ultimate. I love worship services that are seriously rockin' with the Holy Spirit. I love watching quiet youth come out of their shells. I love watching the loud youth be at a loss for words. I love simply walking around from place to place...walking, not jogging, not running, not driving, not even biking...just walking. I love silly fun songs that youth sing to bless meals. I love it that youth have to sing if they get too much mail or packages or e-mails from home. I love it that most of them act like they hate it but secretly ask Mom or Dad to send a package so they have to sing. I love it that camp is a place where thousands of youth experience God each and every day of the summer. I love it that God sets apart special places for youth (and adults for that matter) to recharge their batteries before walking back into "the real world." I just love camp. Thank God for camp.

Pride and Prejudice

I just finished reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It's definitely a funny book, and Austen does a wonderful job of describing the characters in such a way that makes you feel like you know them personally. I think I chuckled out loud in each chapter. However, I'm a bit stumped as to why so many women think that Mr. Darcy is the quintessential example of what a man ought to be. In some ways, he's kind of a jerk, and while he eventually overcomes his prejudices, it's not so much because of self reflection for self reflection's sake, but because a girl he likes calls him on it. To be sure, his willingness to handle the situation with Lydia was noble, but he had the money to do it without really sacrificing much. Is it that he is so attracted to a free thinking woman? Is it his patience? Is it his willingness to be molded and scolded? I just don't understand why he's so much beloved by all of you women-folk out there. Give me a shout out and help me understand.

Hope in the midst of it all

I'm so tired of tuning into NPR every single day and hearing how many people have died in roadside bombings or some other sort of violence in Iraq. I'm tired of hearing about United States troops acting inappropriately and even murdering Iraqis. How does that happen?!? How does that make us any different than the thugs who served (and still serve) Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden? I'm so tired of it. I have seriously been on the verge of tears a few times in the past week as I listen to the state of affairs in the Iraq and Israel and the Sudan and now, again, Indonesia. It is so hard for me to understand.

But then, as I look ahead to Pentecost Sunday, I read a text that says:

"For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do now know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit interecedes with sighs too deep for words."
Romans 8:24-26

In those moments when all the collective hate and violence of the world seems to press in on me, choking me, stifling the very hope that would well up inside of me, I listen for the sighs of the Spirit, and I am thankful...thankful that in our weakness, the spirit prays for us and intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. In the midst of all my sighs, I pray for hope and for peace and for understanding and for compassion and for God to cast a web of love over the hearts of those who would do violence to their fellow human beings.

After

Well, folks, after waiting so patiently, here are the After pictures of my place. I didn't get them taken before I moved in, so I had to wait until I had things in a relative state of order. Of course, those who know me, now that my place is never really what you would call "tidy," but at least there aren't too many piles of stuff on the floor. :) As you can see, the paint really lightens up the place and the new floors are wicked awesome. I look forward to hosting any of you want to come and hang out in Nashvegas for a few days.

View from back door

Living Room from corner

Living Room from front door

Guest Bedroom/Office

Dining Room

Master Bedroom

Random thoughts

These are just a few random things I've encountered in the past week or so:

• There's a federal agency involved in this wiretapping/phone record searching thing with the initials B.F.F. No lie.
• Pabst Blue Ribbon (yes, the beer) is now a corporate sponsor of National Public Radio. I'm not sure if it was the national version or the Nashville version, but I got a kick out of hearing PBR sponsoring public radio. The little ad talks about the beer winning the Blue Ribbon in whatever year. I'm kind of wondering if the NPR crowd is really the main demographic for PBR. I mean, I love it, but it makes you wonder.
• The 7th graders at Brentwood Middle School get my respect for standing up to "the man" during lunch on Wednesday. In the face of threatened home room lunch and quiet lunch, they rallied and cheered and banged on their tables in defiance of a blustery coach yelling at them. Way to stand up to authority!
• Related to that topic, what is it about middle school lunchroom supervisors? I mean, why is it so crucial that the students stay quiet and reserved? Don't they spend the rest of their day paying attention to adults? Why can't lunch be a time for them to let loose and enjoy one another's company? Is there anything inherently valuable about a "civilized" lunch? I say no. Adults can be so lame sometimes. :)

Before...

Here are some pictures of my new place before I painted and before new floors went in. The floors are being put in right now, so next week, I'll post some pictures of the finished product.

Guest Bedroom (more baby blue than it looks in the picture)

The Kitchen

Master Bathroom (yes, it's Pepto Bismol colored)

Master Bedroom

Dining Room and Back door to patio

Dining Room

Living Room

All this oil business

Wow, the last couple of weeks flew by quickly. After hearing stories about oil prices on NPR everyday for the past week or so, I thought I'd weigh in:

• First of all, can republicans and democrats (intentionally not capitalized since they're acting like children) quit pointing fingers and blaming one another for everything. Yeah, we have oil barons in the white house. I'm not sure they have the power to single handedly raise the price of crude oil all around the world. Yeah, the dems blocked legislation to drill in Alaska. We probably wouldn't have gained that much oil anyway. Quit trotting out 101 lame excuses about how it's the other guy's fault.
• Second, as I see it, this crisis has little to do with all of those lame excuses mentioned above. It has a ton to do with the fact that we are bottomless pits of oil consumption. We all drive around in our cars BY OURSELVES and wonder why gas prices go up. In response to a question about how we can drive oil prices down, one expert simply said, "Drive less." Wow! What a concept. Now, I drive around Nashville by myself a lot, so I'm totally complicit in this, but I'm also not complaining that the oil companies keep gouging us. Does it suck? Yes. Is it all their fault? No. We keep paying the prices that continue to rise, because we just have to get to work in 15 minutes when it would take 30 minutes by bus or train.
• Third, I wonder if our lawmakers could make some headway by actually introducing legislation designed to address the problem of so much individual consumption. What about subsidies for municipalities that are willing to bolster mass transit services? I can tell you that if there was a bus system of some sort that ran throughout Williamson County, I'd use it to get around. What about more bike paths when the department of transportation widens roads? What about anything besides pointing fingers and being upset while standing at the pump filling up our cars?
• Finally, maybe some of us need to do some serious self reflection about this issue. What kind of vehicle do we drive? How often do we drive when we could walk? Could we conceivably carpool? Do we need to encourage our local towns and counties to think more seriously about mass transit options? If we're unwilling to make some of those sacrifices, I'm not sure we should be quite as upset with the oil companies for doing what they've been trained to do in a free market capitalist economy, which is get as much money as you can for the product you have to offer from those who want the product.

In the words of my former brass caption head Bill Watson, "That is all."

Church sign

"Christ desires fellowship with us. That's what the cross is all about."

These words are on a church sign that I drive by everyday. Each time I see it, I think, "Um, that's not really it." I really thought the incarnation was all about Christ desiring fellowship with humankind. If they substituted "reconciliation" for "fellowship," I could get down with it, but as it is, I just don't think it captures the heart of things. Any thoughts on this? Am I ridiculous to be bothered by this?

So much to blog about...

There have been so many times in the past two weeks that I’ve been somewhere or seen something and thought, “I really need to blog about that.” Unfortunately, it usually slips my mind while I have internet access and returns only when I’m back in the car or at home, where I have “limited or no connectivity.” So, here’s my best shot at summarizing my recent blog thoughts/experiences:

Last weekend, I attended a multidimensional learning conference in Chicago. It was kind of a primer on workshop rotation and other innovative Sunday school models that take multiple intelligences into consideration. Good conference, although, for a multidimensional learning conference, we did a lot of sitting in a room listening to a presenter talk at us.

While at the O’Hare airport in Chicago on my way home, I walked out of a newsstand/gift shop and saw the Mike Tyson, former heavyweight champion of the world, walking around talking on his cell phone. He walked right by me. He’s actually kind of short.

On Monday, April 3^rd, I became a homeowner. That’s right, I sat in a room for two hours signing a bunch of papers that basically made sense when the woman explained them, but will probably look like gibberish when I look at them by myself. My new home is a two bedroom condo in Franklin, TN. I’ve spent some time this week taking down wallpaper. Man, is that a pain in the ass. I’m hoping to move in by the end of April as long as all of my interior decorating goes as planned.

I want to give a big shout out to my friends Bettie Parsons Barger, Jake Wilson, and Katie Wilson, for celebrating with me on Monday. I wasn’t planning to do anything, but they insisted that we go out and have a nice dinner and celebrate my grown up-ness. Sometimes I’m reticent to suggest celebrations for myself, which I’d imagine most of us are, so I was really thankful for the celebration.

OK, this post is now eternally long, so I’ll wrap it up. I hope that everyone is getting psyched about Easter.

Ordination of Men

I'm reposting this from The Shiverian:

Top Ten Reasons Why Men Should Not Be Ordained

10. A man's place is in the army.
9. For men who have children, their duties might distract them from the responsibilities of being a parent.
8. Their physical build indicates that men are more suited to tasks such as chopping down trees and wrestling mountain lions. It would be "unnatural" for them to do other forms of work.
7. Man was created before woman. It is therefore obvious that man was a prototype. Thus, they represent an experiment, rather than the crowning achievement of creation.
6. Men are too emotional to be priests or pastors. This is easily demonstrated by their conduct at football games and watching basketball tournaments.
5. Some men are handsome; they will distract women worshipers.
4. To be ordained pastor is to nurture the congregation. But this is not a traditional male role. Rather, throughout history, women have been considered to be not only more skilled than men at nurturing, but also more frequently attracted to it. This makes them the obvious choice for ordination.
3. Men are overly prone to violence. No really manly man wants to settle disputes by any means other than by fighting about it. Thus, they would be poor role models, as well as being dangerously unstable in positions of leadership.
2. Men can still be involved in church activities, even without being ordained. They can sweep paths, repair the church roof, and maybe even lead the singing on Father's Day. By confining themselves to such traditional male roles, they can still be vitally important in the life of the Church.
1. In the New Testament account, the person who betrayed Jesus was a man. Thus, his lack of faith and ensuing punishment stands as a symbol of the subordinated position that all men should take.

Soul Man

As I was headed home for lunch today, the song "Soul Man" came on the radio, and for some reason, I was transported back to Rock Bridge High School circa 1995. My Dad was the host of the annual talent show, which has a clever name that I can't remember right now. Anyway, my Dad was co-hosting with another teacher named David Graham. In between acts, they would play off the fact that Dad was older and David was younger. At one point, the two of them came out dressed like the Blues Brothers and danced to Soul Man. I seem to recall somebody cracking a joke about Dad being the Old Man. It was one of those moments when a child is awfully proud of his Dad. There he was, respectable Mr. Bancroft, the English teacher, acting totally goofy on stage. There ought to be more teachers out there like Mr. Bancroft who are willing to be real people. Anyway, that was a fond memory, and I thought I'd share it with you folks.

Up early on a Saturday

• So, it's 7:15 on a Saturday morning and I'm actually up and dressed. What's wrong with this picture? I'm house/dog sitting for the Joneses and I could tell the natives were getting restless, so I got up to let everybody out. In a little while, I'm headed out to have breakfast with Biff and Mary. I really look forward to my Saturday mornings with them. They're great people.

• This week, as I was cruising toward downtown Nashville, I got behind a car that had a sticker in the rear window that read Truman State University-Excellence is no Accident. I pumped a fist and cheered right there in the car. When I pulled up next to the car, I didn't know the person, but it's good to know that there are a few other Truman Staters hangin' out here in Nashville.
• I close on a condo in just over a week...April 3rd to be exact. I feel like I'm making a grown up commitment here, and it's a little bit scary. Melissa Britt, my realtor, and friend, has been wonderful about explaining everything and walking me through all of the various steps. I totally understand why some people are never able to buy a home. There are so many upfront costs...appraisal, inspection, earnest money, etc. Anyway, on April 3rd, I'll be a homeowner.
• I'm preaching tomorrow on John 3:15-17. I'm also using the Old Testament text from Numbers where Moses puts a bronze serpent on a pole so people can look at it and survive snake bites. Check it out at Numbers 21:4-9. I'm going a little bit dark...playing with fears a bit. We'll see how it goes, I guess.
• OK, off to breakfast. I hope everyone has had a wonderful March.
  

Burglar update

This morning, I decided to walk to Notables, a coffee shop/eatery that's become one of my favorite haunts. It's on the route I ran the other night when I lost my key. When I came to the corner and prepared to cross the street, I looked down, and lo and behold, there was my key on its blue Lakeside 2000 keychain. I swear I spent five minutes searching in that very spot the other night. Anyway, I thought some of you might like the update. :)

Burglar Bancroft

So, this evening, when I got home, I decided to go for a "joggy jog" as Kevin Day would say. I put my spare key, my stocking cap, and the Rio Nitrus (mp3 player) in my pocket and set off to run as I listened to Angels and Demons which I recently downloaded from the Nashville Public Library. Awesome idea, huh? Download books and you get a three week license to listen to them. Brilliant. Anyway, I went for my run, and surprisingly ran for 35 minutes before slowing down to walk the last quarter mile to my apartment. As I was climbing the stairs to my apartment, I reached in my pocket for that spare key. Alas, it wasn't in either pocket. Now, did I put it in my back pocket that zips? Hell no. I put it in one of my front pockets, which apparently doesn't hold keys very well. So, I decided to retrace my steps a bit and look around at the couple of places where I stopped and pulled out the Rio Nitrus. Did I find the key? No way! After traipsing around for 45 minutes, I was back in front of my apartment door with no way of entering my apartment. The front office to my complex was already closed, by the way. So, what's my only viable option? That's right, Renderings fans, I had to break into my own apartment. I climbed on top of the fence around the patio that sits below my little deck and then pulled myself up onto the deck. Thank goodness for Lat Pulldowns at the gym. Keep in mind that I'm wearing a black long sleeve running shirt and a stocking cap at this point. Thankfully, I had left the bedroom window that opens onto the deck unlocked. I slid off the screen, slid the storm window up, and then opened the window, and climbed through the mini-blinds that were all the way down. At that moment, I was so thankful that I had decided against putting one of my bookshelves directly in front of the window. Upon entering my apartment, I turned on the lights, and ate a dinner of a peach, a sweet potato, and Spicy Thai Tempe from Wild Oats Grocery Store...All part of a balanced nutritious burglar's diet. Oy.

Gems from Newbigin

Here are a couple of quotes from Lesslie Newbigins The Gospel in a Pluarlist Society. They both come from a chapter entitled "The Congregation as Hermeneutic of the Gospel. This book is truly amazing:

Jesus, as I said earlier, did not write a book but formed a community. This community has at its heart the remembering and rehearsing of his words and deeds, and the sacraments given by him through which it is enabled both to engraft new members into its life and to renew this life again and again through sharing in his risen life through the body broken and the lifeblood poured out. It exists in him and for him. He is the center of its life. Its character is given to it, when it is true to its nature, not by the characters of its members but by his character. Insofar as it is true to its calling, it becomes the place where men and women and children find that the gospel gives them the framework of understanding, the "lenses" through which they are able to understand and cope with the world.

I love those words in the middle that say It exists in him and for him. He is the center of its life. I, personally, need to be reminded of that from time to time. I get so caught up in the daily tasks of preparing lessons, visiting people, planning lock-ins, preparing meals, etc. that I forget that the busy-ness of the church is not what it's all about. The church exists for Christ and Christ is the center of its life. I'm not the center, youth group isn't the center, the building campaign isn't the center, what we sing at what time isn't the center...Only Christ is the center. I also love the opening words about Jesus forming a community. Again and again, we must remind ourselves that Christ calls us into community.

Almost everything in the "plausibility structure" which is the habitation of our society seems to contradict this Christian hope. Everything suggests that it is absurd to believe that the true authority over all things is represented in a crucified man. No amount of brilliant argument can make it sound reasonable to the inhabitants of the reigning plausibility structure. That is why I am suggesting that the only possible hermeneutic of the gospel is a congregation which believes it.

If I had to summarize my time at the emergent convention last May, I think I would use this snippet from Newbigin. I am more and more convinced that tight theological treatises and "brilliant arguments" are not the way we will convince people that the God we worship is one of love and grace and One worthy of worship. The community of believers must live the gospel in such a way that others look and say, "Wow, I want to worship that God and know that Lord and Savior."

Great stuff from a great mind.

The Kosher Trio

So, this is a picture of a new band called The Kosher Trio. From left to right, the members are Peter Awad, Jake Finch, and Alan Bancroft. We had our first gig Sunday night at the Harpeth Presbyterian Talent Show. We played Dare You to Move by Switchfoot. It was pretty fun rockin' out with these guys. They both have more talent in their respective pinky fingers than I do in my entire body. Basically, we rocked the house. :)

Rural America

As I was cruising along Highway 96 in middle Tennessee this morning, I was reminded of how similar America looks when you're on the back roads. No matter where I am, it seems like rural America looks pretty similar...barns, fields of crops, diners in shacks, old businesses that went under a few years back, farm homes, barbed wire fences, and a variety of other tell-tale signs of being in the country. Do all the folks who grow up in rural America share fairly similar backgrounds, or does it vary as much as it probably does from one city to another? Random thoughts on a rainy day in middle Tennessee.

Remembering Ryan Kenneth Brown

It's a cold, snowy, lazy day here in Nashville, and as I sit in my recliner, listening to the A River Runs Through It soundtrack, putting the final touches on my sermon for tomorrow, my mind drifts to memories of my roommate from freshman year at, then, Northeast Missouri State University. His name was Ryan Kenneth Brown, or "Hottie Brown" as the ladies liked to call him. He had long, wavy, brown hair to match my long, wavy, blonde hair. Ryan was one of those people who lit up a room as soon as he walked in. He had a great love for nature and was more at home riding his bike or swimming at the state park outside of Kirksville than he was in a dorm room or classroom. When he would read something fascinating about ants or wolves, or whatever, he would interrupt me and excitedly tell me about it. He wasn't so sure that the advances of modernity were all that great, even medicine. He wondered aloud whether any of it really made our lives better. Anyway, there were many days that first year at Northeast, soon to be Truman, when we would sit in our room, watching the snow fall, and listen to the soundtracks from A River Runs Through It, Glory, and other CDs of soothing music. Those are still my default study CDs. For a brief moment there, on this cold, snowy, lazy day, I was taken back to 305 Centennial Hall with Ryan Brown. Good memories of a good friend.

Danish cartoons

Wow. This whole situation surrounding cartoons of the prophet Mohammed boggles my mind. I just read in the online version of the New York Times that it was a major topic of conversation at a meeting of Islamic leaders in Mecca this past week. What?? Seriously? I kind of wonder if there are some folks who are using this as a way to poor gasoline in a flame that's already burning hot enough. I mean, I see cartoons depicting God and Jesus in funny, even derogatory ways, fairly often, but I'm not about to call up the President of the United States and try to file a complaint. I, clearly, do not understand why people of the Islamic faith are so upset about this. Maybe somebody can help me understand. Seriously.

What I've been reading

This book is absolutely wonderful. It's a fictional account of the life of Jesus from age 12 to his crucifixion at age 33. It's told from the perspective of Christ's childhood friend, Biff, who's kind of an Eddie Haskell type character. The author, Christopher Moore, has clearly done some research into that period of history and some basic tenets of world religions. I love the way he interprets some of the more familiar gospel accounts, as well as shedding light on where Jesus got some of his stuff. If you're looking for an entertaining (and purely fictional) look at the life of Jesus, check this out. But, you don't have to take my word for it...OK, I don't have a cutaway to a child telling you how much he/she enjoyed the book, but I did love it when Lavar Burton used to say that on Reading Rainbow.

I've been working on this book since, oh, August, I think. It's a book that both Mark Shivers and Tom Katona told me I needed to read. It is truly an amazing book. The reason for the long read is that I need time to digest each chapter, plus, it's not exactly a book I can read before bedtime. I'm sure people who write more eloquently than I have given synopses of this book, so you might want to find one of those online. Basically, as the title suggests, Newbigin addresses issues of truth and the gospel as they relate to the pluralist society in which we live. He provides wonderful definitions of relativism, pluralism, and bunch of other isms. His chapters on mission, and how we are to conduct ourselves as we dialogue with one another are priceless. I think my favorite $10 phrase is "Plausibility Structure," which is his title for the way that a culture makes sense of the world around them. I'm hoping to post some quotes from this book, but forgot to bring it with me to the coffee shop this morning. It's a great book. Pick it up and plow through it.

Beard progress

Here's the progress on the beard so far. It's been a week and a half since I shaved. Good times.

• So, I saw this sign at the Mapco gas station the other day. Apparently, in order to capture a new you in 2006, you should eat more, not hot dogs, but hot dog items. I mean, what exactly does that mean? I hope it just means chili dogs and corn dogs. I'd hate to think that they have a product that isn't a real hot dog, but only a hot dog item, kind of like YooHoo isn't chocolate milk, but rather a chocolate flavored drink. Anyway, I found it humorous that hot dogs are the first step toward a new you.
  

Growing a beard

• So, it's January, and it's been fairly cold around here, so I decided it would be a good time to grow a beard. As my good friend, John Weicher, was fond of pointing out, once I clean up the scruff on my neck and leave the rest, I'm definitely growing a beard. Anyway, I continue to be, what's the word?, not surprised, because it happens every time, but maybe flummoxed or bothered or annoyed or amused, yeah, that's it, amused by the reaction I get when I grow a beard. Some folks are nice and compliment the beard and tell me it looks good. But, there are those who seem so concerned by my change of appearance...so concerned that they need to ask me if I lost my razor or if I was feeling lazy, or, or, or, WHY IN THE HECK WOULD YOU GROW A BEARD? IT LOOKS AWFUL!!! OK, I'm exaggerating. Nobody comes right out and says that, but sometimes it feels like that's what's behind the joking and kidding. I'm not sure why people are so concerned about it, but it does leave me amused.
• I had a call from Acquire the Fire today. It's a youth rally designed to wage battle for the souls and minds of today's youth. I was given some statistics about how many adults are currently Evangelical Christians (34%) as opposed to the small number of youth who are Christians today (4%). It's a battle, I was told. 90% of Christians come to Christ before the age of 20, I was told. We have to prepare our young people to wage battle with society and culture, I was told. I'm actually intrigued by the event, but not in a "take my youth so they can be warriors for Christ" kind of way. I'm more interested to see how they go about things. I'm curious as to whether their methods for conveying their message could be adapted to fit a different theology. i wonder about stuff like that. Would we do better at Presbytery retreats to scare the bejeezus out of the youth and send them back home? I don't think so, but it sounds like this event might have some elements of fear attached. I'm still pretty convinced that those who come to faith out of fear will end up like the seeds sown on the path (Matthew 13:1-23), in that when something that promises more security or that preys on a more deep seeded fear comes along, the faith will disappear.
  
• All in all, I'm just not fond of the way that "Spiritual warfare" is used by some folks. When I read Ephesians 6:10-17 I see the words truth, righteousness, faith, and salvation. We are called to proclaim a gospel of peace, and the sword in this passage isn't a real sword, but rather the word of God. So, my question is, "How do we wield that sword peacefully?" If we're going to be "warriors," should we look to Jesus as one who redefines what a warrior is? Isn't he a warrior who lays down his weapons and places himself at the mercy of those who would destroy him? Yeah, I don't like using war imagery as a way to bring people to God.
  

Politics

• So, apparently, some democrats in Georgia and Alabama have introduced legislation that supports public schools teaching a "Bible as literature" course, and the intended text book is entitled The Bible and its Influence. My initial reaction is a good one. I'm not sure its revolutionary, a I know some schools that have been doing that for years. One person, in the New York Times article that I read, objected to it because, "It should also be noted that the so-called Bible bill doesn't use the Bible as the textbook, and would allow teachers with no belief at all in the Bible to teach the course." Um, yeah, so why is that a problem? This notion that the Bible is a textbook in and of itself seems kind of silly to me. If it's going to be taught as literature, there's so much that students would need to know. Anyway, I'm interested to hear how folks feel about that.
• This Palestinian election has me thinking a lot about the democracy we're supposedly commited to spreading around the world. I know there have been reports of violence on election day, and I'm sure fear played some role in these elections, but it looks like the Palestinian people have made a choice for a party that openly supports violence to attain its goals in the world. I find it interesting that our government is posturing as if to deny the legitimacy of Hamas unless they renounce violence. Are we all about that power of the people to elect who they want to elect as long as they elect governments that see things the way we do? How can we really call for Hamas to cease violence, when we're in the midst of a campaign of violence in Iraq? Are we really commited to democracy? It's such a messed up situation over there, and these recent developments don't seem to shine much hope on things. Help me think about this.
  

Lyric of the Week

This week's lyrics come from the musical Tick Tick Boom. I first encountered this song last summer at Montreat. I usually only include parts of songs, but this one's so good, I decided to include the whole thing. Enjoy.

Louder than Words

From the musical Tick Tick Boom by Jonathan Larson

Why do we play with fire?
Why do we run our finger through the flame?
Why do we leave our hand on the stove-
Although we know we're in for some pain?

Oh, why do we refuse to hang a light
When the streets are dangerous?
Why does it take an accident
Before the truth gets through to us?

Chorus
Cages or wings?
Which do you prefer?
Ask the birds.

Fear or love, baby?
Don't say the answer
Actions speak louder than words.

Why should we try to be our best
When we can just get by and still gain?
Why do we nod our heads

Although we know The boss is wrong as rain?

Why should we blaze a trail
When the well worn path seems safe and
Jonathan and Susan:
So inviting?

How-as we travel, can we see the dismay-
And keep from fighting?

Chorus

What does it take
To wake up a generation?
How can you make someone
Take off and fly?

If we don't wake up
And shake up the nation
We'll eat the dust of the world
Wondering why

Why do we stay with lovers
Who we know, down deep
Just aren't right?

Why would we rather
Put ourselves through hell
Than sleep alone at night?

Why do we follow leaders who never lead?

Why does it take catastrophe to start a revolution?

If we're so free, tell me why?

Someone tell me why
So many people bleed?

Chorus

Not much to report

• There really isn't much to report this week. It's been a stressful week, but nothing overwhelming. I'm in the process of trying to lock down the summer schedule for the youth and children of Harpeth Presbyterian Church. It's been a bit shifty so far. I'm hoping to resolve it by the end of the week.
• I preached on Sunday, and it went over fairly well. There were parts I felt great about, and parts that felt rough. this was one of those times when I pray that God will use my imperfect offering to convey God's message to those who need to hear it. Thanks to those who posted comments. They were helpful as I wrestled with the text.
  
• Seriously, not much to report.
  

Dreary day...great lunch

Yes, it rained all day today, got colder as the day wore on, and eventually, the precipitation turned into wintery mix that then led to snow, that is now an icy snow. I have a feeling schools will be closed tomorrow. I hate rainy days, but I did have a great lunch with Stuart from The Good Fight. What an enlightened young man. I mean, this guy has more theological chops as a sophomore in college than I probably did after a year or two of seminary. Many props to Carrie Tuttle for bringing him up right in Burlington. Kudos to Jennifer Fouse for providing an awesome space for Stuart to grow spiritually at the Presbyterian Student Fellowship of Vanderbilt University. (Yes, there are two links in the paragraph) It was a real treat to have lunch with somebody who is so fired up about God and worship styles and dialogue and listening and just trying to glorify God in his daily life. Awesome.

I am currently sitting in bed listening to one of Gustav Holst's Suites for band. I guess if I had perfect pitch I'd know if it was in F or in Eb. These pieces of music are so simple but so beautiful.

I've been on a couple of awesome dates with a great girl in the past week or so. She's sassy, funny, and a great storyteller. Good times.

Great people I thought about today: Lindsey Wade, Mark Shivers, Matt Hardin, Harold Douglas, Edith Douglas, Jeff White, Kathleen O'Connor, and Tom Katona.

I'm preaching Sunday: Mark 1:14-20. Any thoughts?

Lyric of the Week

This one comes from the late, great, Rich Mullins. What a genius:

So if I stand, let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through,
and if I can't let me fall on the grace that first brought me to you.
And if I sing, let me sing for the joy that has born in me these songs,
and if I weep, let it be as a man who is longing for his home.

• "If I Stand" from the album Songs by Rich Mullins

I love the emphasis this chorus places on God. If we stand, we stand because of God's promise. If we can't stand, Grace is still there supporting us. If we sing, we sing for joy, and if we weep, it's because we long to rest in the arms of God. God acts first...God is the foundation of all that we are. AWESOME!!

Another prayer

Here's a prayer I had ready to use on Sunday, but didn't, because we switched up our usual worship roles.

God of glory, God of grace,

You are truly a God of epiphanies, of aha moments, of moments when our world turns upside down and we are forever changed. You show up in the most unlikely of places, including the desert, the mouth of a donkey, and most recently, in a feeding trough in Bethlehem. Of course, the amazing thing is not the variety of ways in which you appear, but that you do, in fact, show up and say, “Aha.” Today, oh Lord, we are thankful for the sundry ways that you show up in churches all over the world, responding to the pleadings of people speaking in French, English, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Swahili, and all the tongues of those whom you claim as your beloved children.

Today, we celebrate your selection of us as your children, your adoption of us into your most holy family, your willingness to pick us for your team, regardless of status, skill, or social appeal. It is truly our desire to seek you and find you in everything we do, and yet, you still surprise us, and we love you for that…we love you for being a God who reaches out and makes us shriek with delight at having seen something new and amazing. Aha, we say when our feet land back on the ground.

At this time, we are also mindful of those who suffer from physical, emotional, or spiritual pain…we pray that those who are feeling broken, might be mended by you and find the aha in lasting moments of wholeness and healing.

It is at this table that we come to be nourished, to proclaim to the world and to one another that we are your children, that you have claimed us as your own, that we serve a Lord who has overthrown the powers of death and darkness and who calls upon us to live so that the principalities and powers no longer reign. May your kingdom be made manifest in our lives…the kingdom ushered in by the one we call the Christ, who taught all of us to pray saying…Our Father.

Lyric of the Week

I've decided to begin posting lyrics that I like, either because they make me happy, or because they speak truth, or because they capture humanity, or simply because they move me for some unknown reason. Who better to begin with than Nickel Creek?

• "I hope you meet someone your height, so you can see eye to eye, with someone as small as you."
• Song: Somebody More Like You
  
• Artist: Nickel Creek
• Album: Why Should the Fire Die?

Ouch!

Let's hear it for global warming

• Yes, for today, and today only, I'm setting aside my normal anger and rage at the lack of concern for environmental issues in our culture, because it is a balmy 75 degrees on this January 2nd, 2006. For today, and today only, I'm thankful for a trend in the world that would allow such a thing. It really helps one's general outlook on a new year when it's so beautiful outside.
• Before I forget, I'd just like to acknowledge the Mizzou Tigers for their rousing victory over the gamecocks of South Carolina. What a great come from behind win. Thanks to all of the gracious congratulatory e-mails and text messages from my SC brethren and sisteren (???).
  
• I've decided to weigh in a bit on the whole Christmas vs. Holidays debate. Here are my brief thoughts:
• We, as Christians, on a large scale, seem to have forgotten that the Christmas season doesn't actually start until December 25th, and then lasts for the 12 days following that day. Officially, all of the time leading up is Advent, so maybe saying, "Merry Christmas" isn't exactly right.
• If stores, communities, schools, whatever, want to call it the "Holiday Season," that's their prerogative. I'm pretty convinced that it is NOT our job, as Christians, to transform our society into a purely Christian state. On the flip side, I think that organizations that wish to claim their religious affiliation and designate a specific holiday (Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, etc.) ought to be able to do so without fear of persecution of some sort.
• The incarnation of God in the person of Jesus Christ isn't about trees, decorations, parades, parties, or any of the other nonsense the surrounds Christmas. I think it was Buechner who said that the incarnation ought to be something scary, not a feelgood event. I'll check my reference for that.
• Why do Christians in America feel such a great need for the state, schools, municipalities, etc. to legitimize our faith? The gospel doesn't gain its power from any of those places. God doesn't gain legitimacy from a public school's "Christmas/Holiday" concert. Why does it bother us so much that institutions that have no religious affiliation fail to use religious language? I'm sure Newbigin has something to say about all of this.
• So, there are my thoughts on that, for today. Push back...help me understand what I don't understand.

Christmas 2005

• This was the first year that I was away from home for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Weird. Good. Scary. Sad. Yeah, it was all of those things and more. Christmas Eve at Harpeth was awesome. Sure, there were a few flubs in the flow of the services, but overall, it was such a wonderful experience. So much love in that sanctuary. We had youth do all of the major readings, and they did a wonderful job. I love to see them take that kind of responsibility/ownership.
• Christmas morning was definitely a party. I played a handbells duet with Mary Fink. We had a baptism of an 11 year old. David, Biff, Mary, and I led a kind of spiritual song about the Christmas story. I read a children's story for the sermon. People came in their pajamas. It may go down as one of my favorite worship services of all time.
• Being home has been good. Anna (with Jimmy, her fiancee, in tow) and I got home Christmas evening. We opened presents and enjoyed being together. In the past few days I've seen some of my favorite people...Jeff, Samantha, Mr. and Mrs. Hadfield, John, Gordon, Catherine, Danielle, Mrs. Walker, David and Carrie Graham, and one of my childhood Sunday school teachers Marty Cutler. The ghosts of Christmas past (as Carrie Simpson calls them).
• I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas season.
• GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!
  

Christmas Prayer

This is a prayer I prayed on Christmas morning at Harpeth Presbyterian Church.

God of incarnation and grace,

God of chaos and unpredictability,

It was you who swept over the face of the waters…over the chaos that was creation in the beginning…and brought order and beauty.

It was you who led the Israelites through the desert with a whirlwind by day, and a pillar of fire by night.

It was you, and only you, who said to a valley full of dry bones, “I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.

It was your breath that filled the lungs of the prophets as they called upon Israel to live according your will.

It is your breath that fills the lungs of the Christ child who is wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

Today we breathe a collective sigh of relief. Relief from holiday shopping, relief from Christmas concerts and end of the semester performances, relief from exams and finals and projects, and relief from the stress that comes with waiting…with anticipating…with yearning for the arrival of, “The Something Special,” that we know is Christmas day. Creation itself says ahhhh as it experiences your arrival on earth…your arrival in a little baby.

We confess that we aren’t completely ready, and probably never will be, for your presence among us, but thankfully, you don’t wait on us to be ready, but rather seek us and show up in wild and unexpected ways.

On this special Christmas day, the Christmas that falls on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, we call upon your spirit to be among us and to guide us, that we might allow the little children to lead us…that as lions, we might lie down with the lambs, and that as kids, we might not be afraid to approach the leopard in peace and love.

It is truly an amazing thing that you have done this day…emptying yourself and being born in human likeness, that we might receive grace upon grace upon grace…heaps and piles and mountains of grace. As we all let go of that breath that we’ve been holding in throughout the advent season, may we breathe back in your tender mercies so that we can be your people in the world.

In the name of the Christ who is born this day in the city of David,

Amen.

More like Lucy

So, there's a little girl at my church named Lucy King. She's the spitting image of Lucy from the Peanuts cartoons, and just about as precocious (without the mean streak). Anyway, during my time at Harpeth, I've decided that the world would be a better place if we were all a little more like Lucy. Here's why:

• After the childrens sermon, she always has a comment. She's always trying to find a way to make the story connect with her life. Wouldn't it be great if all of us, hearing the word of God, would figure out ways to connect it to our daily lives.
• She gives a lot of hugs and always seems excited to me, and pretty much everybody. You can't help but be happy when you see Lucy.
• She's so genuine. She wears her emotions like a badge of honor. There's no fronting, or facing, or trying to hide how she's really feeling. Her facial expressions are priceless.
• When she read her part of the liturgy for lighting the advent wreath, she read with such feeling. The whole place was abuzz.
  
• Finally, just yesterday, she and some other children from the preschool were playing in our big fellowship hall/multipurpose room. Apparently the tricycle was the most popular riding toy of the day. Well, Lucy saw that it was free, so she got off her big wheels and began to get on. Another girl swooped in from across the room and basically shoved Lucy out of the way. Did Lucy pitch a fit or cry or anything? No, she didn't say a word, but simply sat down on the back and went along for the ride. As I stood there watching, I wondered what the world would be like if everyone responded to that kind of thing like Lucy did. No fighting about, "I was here first," or "This is mine," or "Give it back," but rather allowing someone else to enjoy the tricycle.

Yeah, I think the world would be a better place if everyone was more like Lucy.

What time is it?

4:30!!

• For those of you who went to high school in the early 90's, you know that this question and answer comes from that great band The Spindoctors, who just happened to be in Nashville last Friday night. That's right, the band with the lead singer who I supposedly looked like in high school is back on the road. I went to check them out at a place called 3rd and Lindsley. They opened up with What time is it? Overall, it was a great show. Their guitar player is really amazing.

• I actually felt kind of bad for them at the beginning of the show. When they would end a song, you could hear so many people talking, as if they were just background music or something. But, as the night went on, and they got into their groove (and some people left I think) the crowd seemed to really be into it. I wonder what it's like for a group like that, who probably played some big shows back when they were big, to play at such a relatively small venue.

• On Saturday evening, I went over to some church members' house for dinner. It was a fun night. I'm always so thankful when people are willing to have me over and treat me to good food and fun times.

• Sunday was absolutely amazing. A very talented musician sang "There's a sweet sweet spirit in this place" for special music, and it really hit the nail in the head. Worship felt so alive at both services. I don't know if it's the advent season or something else entirely, but Sunday mornings have felt truly spirit-filled the last few weeks. Then, on Sunday afternoon, we had our Joy Gift Service, which featured the various music groups of Harpeth. I had the opportunity to sing with the choir, which was a blast. The handbells rang, the children's choir sang, and the youth brass group played. Biff and Mary put on a great service. Sunday was one of those days when I think to myself, "Man, I am home."

• Sunday night, after the Joy Gift service, I went to my first rehearsal with Bone Therapy, a trombone ensemble that is mostly made up of doctors. Clever name, huh? It was fun playing my trombone for the first time in quite awhile. I'm hoping to play with them regularly.

• Finally, as Mark Shivers has already pointed out elsewhere on this blog, the Tigers of Missouri will be facing off against the Gamecocks of South Carolina in the Independence Bowl this year. I look forward to much jawing between my South Carolina brothers and sisters and myself.

A Tennessee Driver

Yup, I'm officially licensed to drive a car in the state of Tennessee. I'm not sure why there's a little heart in the right hand corner of my picture. Weird. Anyway, it was actually a pretty painless experience, except for having to run next door to an ATM because I forgot my checkbook and they don't take debit/credit cards. I also registered to vote in Davidson County. Now I can write my senators and representatives as a concerned voter in the Volunteer State. Anyway, with the license and the plates on my car, I guess I'm officially from Tennessee now. Wild.

So, I decided to take the picture of my license offline, after the comments below. I don't need anyone stealing my identity, although, I think it would be difficult without my social security number or mother's maiden name, but still, better safe than sorry. Thanks for lookin' out for me folks.

Silly pop songs

• W - O - R - D Up (repeat) Yes, today in the car, I heard that song "Word Up" by
  Cameo??? (I'm not sure if that's right). I mean, they actually spelled the word "word" and then said "up." Silly...totally silly. It made me think of that great SNL skit when Tracy Morgan was dressed up as the guy from Cameo??? and came to testify before congress. All he would say was "Word up." It was hilarious. For some reason, I remember watching that with Lindsey Wade. Thankfully, she shares my great appreciation for Tracy Morgan..."I'm Brian Fellows!!"
• I had a great time in Columbia, MO for Thanksgiving. It was wonderful to chill out with the fam and just enjoy being in my childhood home. Highlights of the weekend include the car rides with my sister, breakfast at Ernie's with Dad, lunch at Taco Bell with the whole Bancroft clan, seeing Grandma, lunch at our house...my parents are awesome cooks, Flat Branch with Jeff and Samantha (I had the Porter if anyone cares), and sleeping until I woke up(meaning no alarm clock) in the cave that is my room.
• Finally, David and I are team preaching tomorrow. It should be a fun experience. I love the idea of trying something different for the Advent season. I do think that every year, as we anticipate the arrival of God on earth, we're called to do a new thing. Isn't that what God says..."Look, I am about to do a new thing." I really do love Advent. We look forward, we anticipate, we yearn to see the birth of a baby. That's right...a little baby boy born to a carpenter and his wife in a stable of all places. It really is a ridiculous story, and I love that. I guess my question for the week is: How am I preparing myself for the arrival of Immanuel (God with us)?
  

Random thoughts

• There's something great about small towns. As I was on my way to Atlanta last weekend, I stopped at a BP in a random small town somewhere in Tennessee. I purchased a "cake in a cup" coffee and a h0ney bun. The lady behind the counter only charged me for the honey bun. I mean, how sweet is that? I don't know if it was because I used my own travel mug for the coffee, or if she was just feeling nice. Either way, I chalk that up to one of the great things about small town america.
• On my way back to Nashville from Atlanta, I heard a little segment of the John Tesh intelligence hour (or whatever it's called). He said that when girl servers write "thanks" and draw a smiley face at the bottom of a check, their tip goes up by 5%, but guys get no such love. WHAT??? All tolled, I probably wasted hours of my life writing "Thanks" and drawing a smiley face on my checks at Flat Branch. I can't believe it got me a big fat nothing. Bummer.
• I'm headed back to the Show-Me state today. I'm looking forward to some good food and good times with the Bancroft clan.
• Finally, my trip to Atlanta was awesome. It was great seeing seminary friends. Having dinner with them felt some comfortable. Spending time with Tom and Nicole was equally wonderful. A big thanks to them for letting me bunk out in their hotel room. It was fun lounging around with them all day on Saturday. I especially enjoyed the part of the morning when Nicole wanted Tom and me and get up, and we just layed there telling her it wasn't time yet. AWESOME!!! :)
• Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope everyone can find something to be thankful for.
  

What I'm excited about

This is a list of the things I'm currently excited about:

• Going to the ATL to hang out with some seminary friends and Tom and Nicole. I've missed my boyfriend tremendously and look forward to laughing in that "milk coming out of your nose" type way.
• The session of Harpeth Presbyterian Church. last night, the session discussed a very difficult issue and did so with respect, love, understanding, and passion. I just love it that people who think differently about issues can come together and love one another.
• Harpeth Presbyterian Church in general...There are so many wonderful people at Harpeth. I can't think of a better place to start out as a pastor.
• Heading home for Thanksgiving. This will include a night at my sister's house and a ride back to Columbia with her. I love having that brother/sister time.
  
• The new Harry Potter movie. I think I'll see it with Dad while I'm home for Thanksgiving.
  
• Walter Cronkite Newsflash (the frisbee team I played with this fall) won the fall league championship. On a related note, I'm excited about going to practices in the future and learning more about the sport.
• Advent...We get to come to church every week and know that we're one step closer to the incarnation of God...the incarnation of the almighty YHWH into a little baby. Forget Santa Packs. Jesus Christ is coming, Jesus Christ is coming, Jesus Christ is coming! (sung to the melody of those cheesy Coca-Cola commercials that announce the arrival of Santa Packs).
  

My Driver...Carl Edwards

That's right, NASCAR fans. My driver, Carl Edwards, won another race today. He won the Dickies 500, which puts him within 77 points of the Nextel Cup. Carl's a great guy, and I'll be rooting for him to pull out another win and take the cup. Bring home the glory, Carl! Bring home the glory!

No recycling for you!

So, I just tried to drop off my recycling at a Williamson County Convenience Center and was turned away by the attendant because I don't live in Williamson County. The tags on my car gave me away as a resident of Davidson county. That's right. I made the effort to gather recyclable items and bring them to a recycling center because nobody around here bothers with curbside (hello 21st century) and I was turned away. That, my friends, is one of the many things wrong with America. Heaven forbid Williamson county might pick up the tab for my recycling when most of its residents probably don't give a crap about recycling. That kind of stuff really pisses me off.

Picture I like

This is a picture that Patrick Marshall, Kimberly Warwick, and I used during our senior chapel week at Columbia Theological Seminary. It's entitled Hannah. I think it's supposed to represent the power of God coming to Hannah as she rose and called upon the Lord. In case anyone cares, I totally want to name a daughter Hannah Rose. It seems empowering.

Unbelievable

So, I sat down tonight to watch Tom Brokaw's report entitled In God They Trust and instead found a special program sponsored by the Billy Graham Foundation. That's right...The Billy Graham Foundation bought out the hour Tom Brokaw's story was supposed to air. They paid off the TV station. I have now lost all respect for my local NBC affiliate. The only reasons to preempt a news story like the one supposed to air are sporting events, breaking world news, or an address from the President. Unbelievable...Simply Unbelievable.

Mixed feelings about this Miers thing

I have some thoughts on the Miers situation:

• First, I don't buy the conspiracy theory. I don't give Bush enough credit. I really think that Bush thought he had enough political capital saved up to be able to appoint someone with no record as a judge for the supreme court, simply because he felt good about the person. It sounds naive, but somehow, that's the vibe I get.
• I feel bad for Harriet Miers. Did she feel competent to be a supreme court justice? I don't know, but I imagine that when the President of the United States asks you to do something, you say yes. I imagine she feels hurt, and maybe a little bit betrayed. I imagine she trusted Bush to know what he was doing, and apparently, he didn't. I was reminded of my days in the Beta Theta Pi fraternity when a group of brothers convinced me that I should run for pledge educator. They assured me that there were a number of people in the fraternity who were looking for a change. Nope. I put myself out there and lost the vote. Yeah, I feel bad for Harriet Miers.
• I'm a little bit pissed that the criticism from some republicans and members of the religious right had to do with whether Harriet Miers was conservative enough. What about whether she has the proper credentials? What about whether she's a person who will hear cases and judge fairly? What about her integrity as a person? I'm getting enraged just thinking about the absurdity of it all. "She just isn't conservative enough." What the hell does that mean? Is that what we've come to in this country? What the hell does conservative or liberal really mean? Is that what we want in supreme court justices...totally conservative or totally liberal? I thought they were supposed to hear cases individually and judge fairly by the merits of the case presented.
  
• It's unfathomable to me that people from "the right" are now criticizing Bush for not being conservative enough. What? Are you kidding me? When are we going to quit playing the blame game? When are we going to quit looking for ways to criticize "the other guy?" When will our elected officials start acting like those pursuing what John Calvin called "the highest calling" and quit acting like little kids who demonize anyone who roots for the "wrong" team? I'm just wondering.

Music you must listen to

• I recently bought Jackie Green's new album Sweet Somewhere Bound on itunes. It's spectacular. I think it's classified as blues, but it has kind of a rock feel to it. He's clearly influenced by Bob Dylan, but not a copycat or anything. If you're looking for some quality music for a Saturday afternoon drive through the country, this is the CD for you.
  
• Fall has fallen here in Tennessee. There was actually frost on my car this morning when I went out to head to the gym. FROST!! I couldn't believe it. On my way home from work in the evenings, I have a beautiful view of a hilltop full of trees whose leaves are changing. The cooler temperatures and crispness in the air make me happy somehow. I just love the feeling in the air that comes with the fall. As I've noted before, some of that may have to do with fond memories of marching band in high school and college, but all in all, I think fall/autumn is my favorite season of the year.
• What else comes with fall? That's right...The World Series. John Weicher's White Sox are one win away from their first championship since 1917 (Czars in Russia!!!). Apparently, the Houston Astros heard that you only have to play five innings in the world series. They've been in control the last two games until the 6th inning. I mean, last night, they had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the ninth and couldn't get a base hit or a sac fly. Pitiful.
• I visited some homebound members of Harpeth today. Most of them were folks who are experiencing the autumn of earthly human existence. I hope that I handle aging with the same kind of grace that all of these Harpethians have. I worry, sometimes, that if I get dealt a bum hand healthwise late in life, I'll become bitter or angry. I worry that when my mobility wanes and I'm unable to come and go as I please, I'll get grumpy or crotchety. I hope I won't...I hope I'll face aging with grace and give thanks to God for each day, even if I can't get out of bed. I hope I'll be a blessing to those who take care of me and not a drain on their emotional reserves. These members of Harpeth give me hope for aging gracefully.
  

No Coffee in the Sanctuary

• I attended my first presbytery meeting as an actual minister today. It wasn't any more exciting as a minister. Bummer. Anyway, as I was about to walk into the sanctuary with my coffee cup (containing cake in a cup, you know, those cappuccino drinks at the gas station) in one hand and my green nalgene water bottle in the other, two very anxious looking men blocked my entrance and stuttered nervously, "Um, sir, um, we don't allow coffee in the sanctuary." I then took the coffee and water bottle as if they were bombs or something, and set them on a coat rack/shelf in the back of the narthex. When I was finally allowed into this coffee-free sanctuary, I noticed that the floor was tile from wall to wall. Granted, the pews had cushions that weren't removable, but still, I thought it was funny that coffee was a banned substance. After our mid-morning break, I had to give up my first born and agree to give generously to their next capital campaign in order to get the water bottle in. The two anxious men had to have a quick conference saying, "Well, water doesn't stain, so I guess it's OK."

• I found the situation quite humorous. OK, I know that we should take care of our church buildings and that the sanctuary is a place set apart, but this was a presbytery meeting for heaven's sake. I'd hate to be the first kid who spills grape juice during communion (well, they probably use white grape juice in order to keep the place looking pristine), or the first mother with a baby who spits up on the pew cushion, not to mention someone who comes in with dirty clothes or muddy feet from having spent the night on the street (fat chance in Franklin or Brentwood).
• As all of you probably know, The Cardinals blew it. I think they only hit two or three balls out of the infield the entire game last night. Awesome. I will say that I was pretty proud of the St. Louis fans. After a brief moment of mourning, they began applauding both The Cardinals and The Astros. I think at one point they were all chanting, "ASTROS ASTROS ASTROS!!!" Classy.
• I'm headed to a youth fall presbytery retreat this weekend. This is my first time to this camp and to any youth event held by the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee. I'm eager to see how it all goes. I'm sure it'll be no Shepherds and Lappsley (sp?) event, but still. :)
• Here are the people I thought of today for various reasons:
• Tom Katona because I went for a bike ride today and because I totally needed a night at The Flying Saucer when I was done with all of my meetings
  
• Jennifer Reid because we sang Prince of Peace at presbytery...well, I guess all of the middle schoolers from Shandon too, but especially Jennifer.
• Carrie Simpson because I rode my bike through Percy Warner Park where we went for a walk once.
• Jonathan Knipping because we sang Take My Life at presbytery and he played me a rad version of it when I hung out with him in Chicago.
• Mark Shivers because we listened to a two hour report from the Peace, Unity, and Purity taskforce today that focused on how to maintain the unity (and implied) existence of our denomination and the whole time I was thinking, "Um, maybe you guys didn't get the memo, but institutions are totally out." :)
• Lyndsay Slocum because we're playing phone tag and I saw her Aunt Suzie today.
• If you aren't on this abbreviated list, chances are I did think of you today, but just can't remember at this very moment. Today was one of those days when everything seems to remind me of somebody...somebody who doesn't live here...somebody who I wish I could see and hang out with. Anyway, now I'm thinking about a ton of people because of that whole, "So, this person makes me think of that person who makes me think of another person, who makes me think of this thing, which leads down the road of never getting to sleep."
• OK, Renderings fans, enough rambling for tonight. Keep it real.
  

Pujols is the Man!!!!

That's right, folks. Bottom of the ninth, two outs, nobody on, and the Cardinals come to life. Eckstein slaps a base hit...Edmonds draws a walk...and then Albert Pujols breahtes new life into the St. Louis Cardinals (while knocking the breath out of the Astros at the same time). They're headed back to St. Louis to dispense of the dirty rotten Astros.

GO CARDINALS BABY!!!! GO CARDINALS!!!!

Walter Cronkite...Newsflash

Walter Cronkite...Newsflash is the name of the ultimate frisbee team I'm playing with this fall. It's a fun group of folks, and so far, we're doing well. We're 2-1 and and in first place. Today was not my best game. I think I touched the frisbee three or four times. We won the game 15-3, and 2 out of the other team's 3 points came as a result of me getting beat on defense. Granted, this is the first time I've played in such an organized way, but still, it was a bit frustrating. I probably need to be more aggressive with my cuts, but some of it is that I'm not always sure where to be and when. I should probably just ask Daniel or Keith to diagram it out a bit before the next game. Regardless, I had a fun time, and enjoyed going to lunch with some folks after the game.

GO CARDINALS!!!

They're at it again

Well, I see that folks in Texas are working for a state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages. I mean, are there no other pressing issues for their legislature to deal with? Do we not have people without homes after hurricanes Katrina and Rita? Are young men and women not dying daily in Iraq? It just makes me so very sad that people spend their time and energy working so hard to keep people who love each other from professing it in a public way. This Texas amendment will also include a clause prohibiting the creation of any similar legal status with a different name. I mean, what's the rationale behind that? Don't give me that "sanctity of marriage" bullshit and then prohibit similar legal rights with a different name. Just admit that you think gay people aren't entitled to the same justice and equality that heterosexuals are. "Oh, I'm not prejudice, I just don't want homosexuals redefining marriage." Fine (well, not fine, but we'll move past that), but why not an equivalent way to join with another person whom you love? Use your brains people. Division of church and state anyone?

Funny Bumper Stickers

So, a couple of weeks ago, I saw these bumper stickers on the back of a red mini-van. I would have peeled back the corner of the white one so it was more visible, but I thought people might not like me touching their car. Anyway, asyou can probably tell, it says, "I proudly pledge allegiance to one nation under God" However, while this person proudly pledges allegiance to a nation under God, but not necessarily God, apparently, Christ is The Answer. Something about this struck me as ironic.

• First of all, the allegiance to a nation is above Christ is the Answer. Apparently Christ is the Answer, but really, the allegiance is to a nation.
• Second, all of that "under God" stuff drives me absolutely bonkers. They act as if the pledge of allegiance was written by the founding fathers (many of whom weren't really Christians anyway) and they included under God in the beginning. Well, click the link at the end of this bullet point, and you'll find that it was written by a Baptist Minister, and it didn't originally include anything about "under God." It wasn't until 1954 that the words "under God" were added to the pledge. Anyway, I'm not a fan of the "our nation was founded on Christian principles so we ought to shove our concept of God in everyone's faces" rhetoric. Pledge of Allegiance History
• Finally, kind of going back to the first point, I wonder if this person really believes that Christ is the answer. One might ask, "What's the question?" How does Jesus's life and ministry answer the questions of our contemporary world and society? Do we really trust Christ to be the answer, or do we allow substitutes like politicians to be the answer? Do we substitute patriotism and "allegiance" to our nation for really seeking Christ as the answer? I don't know. I just think that we, as Christians, owe our utmost allegiance to God and participation in God's kingdom. I'm thankful that I live in a nation where I can feel free to post anything I want on my blog and not fear for my life, but in the end, it isn't America that will redeem me and make me into a new creation...scratch that...that will redeem creation and remake creation.
  
• Anyway, I just found the stickers to be ironic. Anybody have thoughts?
  

It's been too long

Yes, Renderings fans, it has indeed been too long in between posts. I can't believe it's been almost three weeks since my last post. Neglectful, I know. Over the next couple of days, I plan on filling you in on many things.

First of all, on Sunday, September 25th, I was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). That's right...I'm a minister, a reverend, a man of the cloth. I pretty much wear my robe all the time now. :) I'm kidding, of course. The ceremony was amazing. There really are no words to describe all of the emotions I was feeling. Mom and Dad each played a prelude for the service. They are so talented. Susannah Cook came preached and did a marvelous job. I think the laying on of hands was the most powerful moment. I had my head bowed as the Moderator of the Presbytery prayed over me and elders, ministers, and deacons took turns placing their hands on my head. It was truly a powerful experience. Big thanks to everyone who was present in that place on that day, both physically and spiritually.

This past weekend, I was in Chapel Hill for the wedding of John Weicher and Laurie Taylor. Laurie was a beautiful bride and John was a confident groom. It was great being a part of their celebration of love. It was also great seeing so many of my seminary classmates. I don't think I realized how much I missed people like Dan, Matt, Lindsey, Wes, Shelli, Kevin, Davis, and so many others. Good times with good folks.

OK, it's Sunday night, I've talked to my parents, and I have a fresh episode of The West Wing waiting for me in the VCR. I'm gonna sit down and enjoy the brilliant dialogue and witty banter. In the coming days, look for some pics I find humorous, as well as a shout out to my new ultimate frisbee team "Walter Cronkite News Flash."

informational text messages

You know that little skip in your heart when your phone beeps to tell you have a text message? The thought that someone is trying to reach out and touch you in the form of a quickly entered message with their keypad? Well, I had that feeling today until I realized that it was a text message from Cingular, telling me I can make international calls with my phone. How lame is that? I mean, there I was, thinking somebody loved me enough to text the very best, and it was only an advertisement. Thankfully, it was from Cingular, so it was free. I'd rather get random text messages from Weicher's pocket, because at least that tells me I'm in somebody's phonebook. Oh well, such is life.

Tomorrow, I'm headed back to Columbia, MO in anticipation of my ordination on Sunday afternoon. I'm pretty excited about the whole thing. Being ordained in my home church should be a truly wonderful thing. I've experienced God in so many ways in that church. I can't wait to celebrate God's call on my life in that place. Prayers for safe travel for me and everyone involved would be appreciated.

I ate Taco Bell for lunch today, and it was AWESOME!! I mean, that first bite of my soft taco and sip of Mountain Dew made me feel so good inside. There's probably something bad about that...desires of the flesh and all...but I loved it.

Finally, thanks to my good friend Wes for giving me a shout out yesterday. I was having one of those weeks, and it was great to hear the voice of one much beloved. I enjoyed having a conversation with someone who knows me in ways that only close long-term friends can know. Thanks Rabboni. If you think I wasn't psyched to hear your voice, well...you know.

Tennessee State Fair

This past Saturday, I ventured out to the Tennessee State Fair. The more I attend state fairs, the more I think that the Missouri State Fair is the king of state fairs. I have to say that this one was pretty lame. Unfortunately, most of the animals had already gone home, and the remaning attractions weren't very interesting.

This picture is of a Showbot. If I ever figure out how to put video on my blog, I'll include a video of their performance. They're basically these big shiny robot looking characters who "play" funk music and dance around and tell kids to stay in school and stuff like that. If you ever get to see the Showbots, you're in for a treat. :)

I was intrigued with the cross section of people I saw at the fair. The rich soccer Moms of Brentwood probably weren't there, but other than that, I saw people of different races and socioeconomic status milling around.

If I had had more money, I might have gone in to see the world's smallest bearded woman woman or the two headed turtle or one of the other random "freak show" type things. I mean, who wakes up one day and decides, "I'm gonna travel around the country and show weird stuff to people."?

Anyway, I attended the Tennessee Stat Fair and I was less than impressed. I probably won't go next year.

Daily Manna

Nothing like getting ahead of the game, right? I'm preaching on Exodus 16:2-15 this Sunday...God providing quails and manna. I'm emphasizing God's desire that we trust God for our daily bread. The Israelites had to harvest the manna every day except the sabbath. What does it look like in a world of refrigeration and canning to trust God for our daily bread? Is it merely acknowledging God's provision, or is it more than that? Couldn't the Israelites have given thanks for manna that lasted more than a day? What do you say to people who have no food, especially at the end of the month? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Two Neighborhoods

Yesterday, my day was framed by two neighborhoods. After getting worked by a trainer at Delta Fitness, I came home, recovered, and after a shower, sat down on the couch to eat lunch and watch some TV. As I was flipping channels, I came upon Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood. What a great show!! I was mesmerized. I learned how crayons are made, labeled, packaged, and shipped. It was really interesting stuff. Mr. Rodgers did a drawring with crayons and talked about how if we only think about things, they stay in the world of make believe. He went on to say that sometimes we have to take action on our thoughts...we have to act in the world, not just think and talk about it. He admitted that his picture wasn't amazing, but that drawing it was what it was all about. I sat there and thought about how our offerings to God of time and energy may not be perfect (in fact, I'm pretty sure they aren't) but that it is in doing them that we find some sort of joy. As King Friday was telling Ms. Cow (the teacher in the land of make believe) about his idea for a drawing contest for the people in his kingdom, the phone rang, and I had to come back to the real world.
Then, last night, at our service and mission committee meeting, a woman came and spoke to us about her work at Martha O'Bryan, a local mission in "the black spot of Nashville" as she called it. She talked about children and youth who simply need people to come and read to them. She talked about how so many people on the gulf coast couldn't leave town because it was the end of the month so they didn't have money left to buy a bus ticket. She talked about a neighborhood in which the norm is to drop out of high school. She talked about a girl whose family is shunning her for going to a good college instead of the local Tennessee State.
It was really two different neighborhoods that I encountered, but both Fred Rodgers and Marcia Edwards were calling upon people to act on their thoughts and feelings...to leave the land of make believe and make a difference in the world.
I think that I'll begin using my Fridays as days to volunteer at Martha O'Bryan. It's time to quit talking about revolution and actually get into the thick of it.

"These people are strange..."

The following words come from an ongoing series of articles by Bernard-Henri Levy, entitled In the Footsteps of Tocqueville. Tocqueville was a Frenchman who traveled the United States early in her life and offered some amazingly astute commentary. Anyway, Levy has traced Tocqueville's steps and has written these articles from The Atlantic Monthly. In the paragraph that follows, he is writing about the neo-cons who currently hold so much political power:

These people are strange, is the gist of what he (someone Levy is interviewing) says to me. They've spent their whole lives preacing against giving too much power to the government. They told us to beware of the naivete of the social-engineering specialists who purported to be able to eradicate American poverty with one wave of their political wand. And then they lost all perspective as soon as it was a question of eradicating such poverty, along with the roots of despotism, 6,000 miles away. And they have complete faith in a political decision when it's an issue -- as a nation and a government are being constructed -- of winning not just the war but also the peace. And they adopt the same "messianic" tone for which they've so often reproached their progressive adversaries as soon as it's a matter of building a Western-style democracy, ex nihilo, in a country that's never harbored such a concept!

Interesting stuff huh?

A sad day...I have no game

It's now official. As this photo shows, the Buick, the Maroon Marauder, the hooptie, the official vehicle of Alan Bancroft has been towed away to be sold or used for spare parts or whatever. I donated the proceeds to the American Diabetes Association. I stood on my porch and watched as she was hoisted onto the tow truck and driven away. I didn't cry, but it was definitely an emotional moment. For all of you who have enjoyed her sweet ride, I hope that you'll remember her in your own way.

On a totally unrelated note, I had a moment the other day when I realized that I have absolutely, positively, no game. I was standing in the checkout line at Publix, and this cute girl in front of me turned around and began talking to me. After an initial "How are you?" I complimented her on her "ensemble," and then froze up. I just stood there like an idiot. This moment of "no game" brought to you by the letter L, for loser.