Interesting thought on Worship..

“If leading worship is just about bringing a group of people into a room so we can get goosebumps and sing songs together, there’s not much value in that. But if leading worship is a means to an end, that we leave this place as a different kind of people, as part of a new humanity that God wants to create – the people that are caring for the widows and orphans, that aren’t bound by the systems of this world but becoming free, becoming fully engaged in our world – then that matters.” Gungor Band

I think most of us want to be engaged in this way and the truth is that every aspect of church life ought to lead to this end. Everything from finances to the way the church is maintained. Ultimately we want what we are a part of to matter, from the soccer team to youth groups , we want our time that we put into something to feel meaningful. And we can certainly feel this space with plenty of things but we usually still feel a bit hollow inside, shallow as if it is not quite enough. That is why this statement echos so much truth for me, worship is not about me as much as it is propelling me forward into the world and becoming fully engaged in the world. That is my prayer that I may become fully engaged with the world around me and not just watch it pass me by.

Happy and Sad all at Once ..

SO I will be the new youth minister at Christ Church Episcopal in Short Pump in the end of July and could not be more excited. It is a large church and youth ministry w another full time youth minister. The really exciting thing is that they seem to be a church committed to serving their community and want to be and do more. I am excited by this because I know from my experience with Embrace Richmond, poverty is everywhere. In some places it is the poverty of not having enough resources and in other places it is the poverty of not being in community it is the poverty of love/ In either case Jesus has a lot to say about both.
I will miss my friends at Embrace and I am sad to leave them but I also know that I will have the opportunity to continue to serve alongside them and continue to strengthen the bridge between the church and the world. I really feel this is a great place for God to use my gifts and for our family to be in ministry together. Please keep me and my family in your prayers and if you want to check out a great church go to http://www.christchurchrichmond.org/

From the Sancturary to the Streets by Wendy McCaig

It is interesting because as I read “From the Sanctuary to the Streets “ by Wendy McCaig I realized that even though I know most of the folks in the book their story really came to life for me. I have seen first hand from my experience with Embrace Richmond that hope is a powerful force and when hope is teamed with the power of resurrection incredible things happen. I have spent the last fifteen years in youth ministry in the local church and one of the things that we in the Church have lost is the power of the Resurrection, the power of a God sized dream that is at work redeeming the broken and shattered pieces of life. In the Church the Resurrection has become more about more people than normal showing up then it is about God restoring Hope to the world, restoring life from death and victory in the face of defeat. Wendy has reminded me that there is great power in the dream because a dream means we have not yet given up the fight, there is still a chance and more importantly there is still hope. It is the possibility of things unseen. A city united to embrace all is a crazy dream one that by our power will not happen but a God sized dream reminds us that God is in control and wants to do in us more than we thought possible. We must hold on to that hope to dream God sized dreams , believe that the impossible is possible and live as people of a resurrection story.

Buy the book here:www.embracerichmond.org or Google Wendy McCaig

Living Missional in the Burbs..

I have been thinking a lot lately about living in a missional community and what exactly that means. Working in the city I have plenty of chances to live out a missional call, serving alongside people who are different from me. It is great and often I think well maybe it is time to move into town into an under resourced area and live in a missional community in that way. How cool is that to live in that sort of intentional way loving and caring for those around us. But lately I have realized that I am living in a missional community now or at least the potential is there.
Here is what I mean, we intentionally walk around our neighborhood everyday, we say hello to as many people as we can and we actually really like hanging out with our neighbors. We know our neighbors by name and they come over to our house all the time as we go over to theirs. We are now talking about our yearly block party which this summer which will be Epic. We are really trying to live in this community with intentional purpose and offering hospitality to our friends. The truth is that as much as living in the city would be cool , we need community in the burbs too. In fact we need community no matter where we live. As followers of Christ we ought to be those people no matter where we live, we can live in intentional and missional ways without having to move. The truth is that poverty exist everywhere , it may mask itself in different forms but neighbors in need are everywhere. It is just up to us if we choose to answer the call of those in need. Can we offer Christ in such a way that it makes where we live a better place. Where people know one another and share in the journey that is life. I think if we live in such a way we can help bring forth the Kingdom of God even if it is in the burbs. So it is not about where you live but more about how we live. So here is the challenge , do you know your neighbors name, do you know anything about the lady up the street? If not let me offer this advice go for a walk and say hello to those you pass . You will be surprised where those hello will lead you.

What does church really look like...

I heard the story of a lady from one of our community meetings that I would like to share.Last week her church had a fire. So the church decided to cancel Sunday morning services. Fran decided that instead of canceling who ever wanted to come to her house and have church they could. So the Minister came and the the piano player brought a small portable keyboard and made a Sanctuary in her living room. They were not sure if anyone would come, they just planned on the three of them being there. Well one by one they came and Fran ended up with over 100 people in her 2 bedroom house. No place for anyone to sit, so everyone just stood inside, outside on the porch, in the kitchen and worshiped for 2 hours together. Did I mention she lives in the projects. So picture this the gathered community worshiping an all mighty God litterally in one of most under resourced communities in the city.
When I worship I need a good band, comfy seats,good projector and sound system and a well versed message. She just needed the Holy Spirit and 100 of her closest friends gathered in her house. Which one is more like church in Gods eyes ? By the way they are having Sunday School this week before worship in her home. I might just go.

Blessing Day at Embrace Richmond

Martin Luther King Day in Fairfeild Court and Hillside Court

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFXW2e2QA0I

A few weeks ago we had our volunteer appreciation and community celebration in the East End. It is a time where we welcome new residents in the Fairfield Court Housing Community and celebrate our community volunteers who live there. It is a great time of hanging out, getting to know one another and celebrate what God is doing in this community. It is the truest expression of who we are as Embrace Richmond. (Selfish plug) Also during this time we recognize new community members who have joined the Embrace team with a very stylish Embrace t-shirt. This past time we recognized Trudy as the newest member of our team.
Trudy recently started coming to our community gathering and is there faithfully everytime we meet. She gives herself to the work we are doing in community and has a genuine sprit of hospitality. Trudy has a story full of trials and turmoil but still every week she is there and she gives with a servant’s heart. Her son is in jail, she has no job and her mom is in failing health. She has every reason in the world not to give but she gives anyway. So we gave her a t shirt.
When Trudy got her t shirt, you would have thought she just won a million dollars. She had invited her mom to the lunch to watch her get her t shirt and she beamed with pride as we presented her with her very own Embrace T. Believe me when I say the t shirt is cool but not that cool, it was about something more and bigger then a t shirt. Maybe for the first time in her life Trudy felt as if she belongs to something, she is a part of something. Perhaps she feels that she is a part of something that is making a difference in the world and that she is a valued part of that. Whatever the reason she cherishes that t shirt and she belongs with us.
There is something powerful about belonging, about finding a place where you fit, in fact most of spends lots of time and energy finding places to belong good and bad. It is so beautiful when we find a place that fits us and we fit it. Everyone is longing to belong to something; there is something primal about the need for and the desire to have community. A place where we are known and that gets us, the church should be that place. The truth is however most churches are not, we have to pretend, we have to put on our Sunday best, a t shirt would never do. We miss the simple joy of belonging because we are afraid people will not like what they see. Here is the good news Jesus was all about giving t shirts to people who just showed up, granted there were often strings attached ( no pun intended) like go an sin no more and such but the people to whom he offered most of them took the t shirt- the chance to belong. Let us not miss the invitation to invite people to belong because who knows it may be the first time they have ever been offered a t shirt most likely they will be thrilled for the chance to belong.

Here is an exaple of what it looks like when belonging to the the Kingdom looks like when it is lived in real life. A video from our last Blessing day at Embrace Richmond. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFXW2e2QA0I