A Blog Free Vacation

Alisha, Josh and I were in Florida last week. I usually do some posting on vacation, but that becomes more difficult with a two year old.

Life has been pretty non-stop for the last few weeks. If you haven't heard already, check back next week (or read your newsletter if you get it) to hear what is keeping us hopping now.

peace,

will

Greetings from Mount Wesley

I really am going to get back to the story of my journey toward ordination. I am counting on things slowing down a little soon. Today, I am at Mount Wesley in Kerrville for the annual Bishop's Convocation. The clergy of the Southwest Texas Conference gather every year to learn and worship and just spend some time together. With the sheer size of our conference, sometimes this is the one time of year I see some of my colleagues.

I will be out of the office until next week, but I may still be on the blog.

peace,

will

My Column

Here is my column from this week's newsletter at Grace for those of you who don't get it and for those of you wait.

Two rather major events occurred in my life within the last two weeks. On Tuesday, February 12, at Mount Wesley in Kerrville, I sat for my interview with the full Board of Ordained Ministry and was recommended unanimously for ordination at Annual Conference on June 7. This was my final interview in a process that has taken about seven years and has included three years of schooling, countless interviews, and hundreds of pages of writing.

Then, on Friday, February 22, at the Bexar County Courthouse, Alisha and I stood up together as the judge announced that our adoption of Joshua Steven Rice had been granted. This was the final step in a process that has taken close to a year and a half and has included nearly as much paperwork as my ordination process.

A couple of people have asked, “Aren’t you glad to be finished?” And I am, but finished is probably not the right word. These two milestones in my life are very similar in that they were and are both things that were already done and not yet completed. I believe that God called me into Christian ministry on my baptism. My ordination will mark the end of a process but not the beginning and certainly not the end of my ministry. It is really just another step on the path that I have allowed my heart to follow. Our adoption of Joshua is the end of a legal process but we became Joshua’s parents and he became our son the day he was carried through our front door and we still have a long journey ahead as a family.

It is important to mark milestones in our lives. It is good to stop and mark major events and accomplishments and give thanks to God for where we have been and how far we have come; but we always need to do so in the context of the continuing journey of growth and change that God has in store for us.

The Apostle Paul, with so many accomplishments already behind him writes in his letter to the Philippians about his own spiritual journey, “Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Paul is speaking of sanctification, the idea that, while there is a major milestone in our lives when we accept the grace that God offers us, when we are justified, there is also so much more. There is the prevenient grace of God that loved us before we even knew it and the sanctifying grace of God that continues to mold us and change us and recreate us more in God’s image. I was called to be a pastor before I knew it, I will be becoming a pastor for the rest of my life. Joshua and Alisha and I were a family long before the court decided so and we will be becoming a family as long as we live.

During the season of Lent, as we prepare our hearts for Easter, I invite you to consider where you are on the journey. Where are you on the continual journey of transformation and re-creation that God has undertaken in you?

peace,

will

More after this...

Another break from the story of my epic journey to share with you a piece from yesterday's New York Times on a new poll released by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. There is a ton of stuff in this article and more in the study it is referring to that could inform our church's or any church's evangelism effort.

The line that really jumped out at me was this:

“Those losing out are offering impersonal religion,” he said, “and those winning are offering a smaller scale: mega-churches succeed not because they are mega but because they have smaller ministries inside.”

Give the article a read. I would love to hear your comments.

Poll Finds a Fluid Religious Life in U.S.

By NEELA BANERJEE

Published: February 26, 2008

More than a quarter of adult Americans have left their childhood faith for another religion or no religion.

peace,

will

The Monumental Journey Towards Ordination - Volume 1

So I have decided to reflect on the all the things that have brought me to the eve or my ordination in June. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I will count on any of my colleagues who read the blog to chime in with corrections or experiences that were different than mine. Here goes:

The very first thing someone is to do when they feel a call to ministry is go and talk to their pastor. Which raises the question, "How do you know if you are being called into ministry?" Good question. Everyone's experience seems to be different. I have friends who always knew they were supposed to be in full-time ministry. Others describe a pretty dramatic moment of revelation. For me, it was more similar to having some nagging discomfort that someone finally convinces you to go to the doctor about.

My first step was schedule a meeting with Pastor John. For me, it took a while to schedule this meeting. It is a little unnerving to go and tell someone you think God is calling you into full-time ministry. What if the person says, "No, I talked to God and you heard wrong."

This is especially an issue if the person feeling the call is fairly new to the Christian faith as I was. There tends to be a initial suspicion about people who are young in the faith that perhaps there call to ministry is just a strong feeling of the call that all baptized Christians are called to ministry of one sort or another.

Anyway, Pastor John did as he was supposed to and ordered me a copy of A Christian as Minister. Those who initial feel the call to ministry are to read this to learn a little bit about Christian vocation and all the different option that were available. Pastor John also spent a little time explaining what actually goes into the process of ordination. It sounded impossible and like it would take forever. It didn't take quite that long.

More next time.

peace,

will

I Love it When the Blog Gets Interesting

Responses to postings are the lifeblood of an interactive weblog. So, check out my post from yesterday: But First... and then check out the reply it inspired. Good stuff.

peace,

will

So much to write... So little time

All the complexities of life have caused me to slack on writing about the books I am reading. This causes me other headaches because I refuse to put the book back on the shelf or lend it out until I have written something about and moved it from my What Will is Reading Now list to my What Will Read Last list.

Stuck on my desk is one of the most fun books I have read in a while, A.J. Jacobs, The Year of Living Biblically, One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible.

I had seen this author on television after the book came out last year but didn't get a chance to pick it up until a friend of Alisha's who works at Simon & Schuster sent it our way. I didn't know what to expect. The premise is pretty simple an author, who happens to be a non-practicing Jew decides try to live the words, laws and instructions of the Bible as literally as possible for a year and write about it as he goes. The main thing this book accomplishes is being hysterically funny and oddly not irreverent. But the writing also does some other things. For me, as a Christian and a person who struggles to live faithfully it gave me an opportunity to see my struggles through the eyes and experience of someone else, someone else who takes to the project without nearly as many preconceived notions of what living faithfully is supposed to look like. Oddly, as hysterical as it was to read about Jacobs dealing with unruly facial hair and building booths in his living room and someone maintaining a relationship with his wife, the book actually increased my belief in the life changing power of scripture. It was fascinating to see how someone who engaged the Bible pretty much just to write a book, was radically changed. His efforts to be faithful were inspired by his commitment as an author but they still had a profound, altering effect on him. Don't get me wrong, he has not become an orthodox Jew or a born-again Christian, but it seems that he was a profoundly different person by the end of the book. And at the end of reading the book, I had an even deeper respect for the complexities and power of the Bible.

I think open-minded Christians could do a great small group book study on this. This is a fantastic book, I highly recommend it.

peace,

will

But First...

I hope to start today writing about the ordination process (see previous post). However, I wanted to first share this op-ed piece from Paul Krugman of The New York Times. I am often frustrated when people believe that everyone in America has the same shot at a full an abundant life. Where and when we are born has a massive impact on the possibilities that are before us. Sure it is possible for a poor kid from inner-city Philadelphia to grow up to be a senator, an astronaut, a pro quarterback or a C.E.O.. However, it the it is statistically less probable than for a rich kid from Martha's Vineyard. There are lots of reasons for this and Krugman talks a little bit about the science behind it.

Poverty Is Poison

By PAUL KRUGMAN

Published: February 18, 2008

To be poor in America today, even more than in the past, is to be an outcast in your own country. And that, the neuroscientists tell us, is what poisons a child’s brain.

peace,

will

O.K. I am done (pretty much)

Last Tuesday, I took another trip to Kerrville for my interview with The Board of Ordained Ministry, my final interview of my ordination process. Good news! The interview went very well and the full board has unanimously recommended me for ordination. The final two steps are election into full connection by the full clergy session of the Annual Conference on Wednesday, June 4th and Ordination by the Bishop at the Ordination Service on Saturday, June 7th. If you happen to be in the area, that service is open and is a really wonderful service.

Because this process is so amazingly complex and because so few people understand it, I have undertaken a new project. I am going to try to blog about the whole process from start to finish. I am going to count on my colleagues to post comments when I leave something out or get something wrong or if I had a experience not typical of the process. How long this whole explanation on the weblog takes will just depend on how motivated I am. So, keep checking back for updates!

peace,

will

Blogging in Lent

Last night's Ash Wednesday service really has me thinking about the power and pitfalls and sharing and writing about spiritual disciplines. As I talked about in my sermon last night (which I really hope to post today) there may be some power in sharing with each other the things we are doing during Lent to enhance our relationship with God and to increase our obedience to God. If we share them with each other, we may encourage each other. But, as I also shared, we have to be careful that our sharing is not boasting, that we are not doing it to "show off" our piety. I was in a meeting with a colleague the other day and he paused to get some juice from his office refrigerator. He apologized for interrupting and mentioned that he was fasting. For some reason, either the way it was shared or because of my relationship with the person, I didn't hear it at all as boastful. In fact, it really made me consider my own relationship with the discipline of fasting. Here was one of my colleagues, someone far busier and more overworked than me and he could manage to undertake this discipline. So why couldn't I. When we share, we may encourage each other and we may also gain some degree of accountability. If my friend had asked for a sandwich, I may have reminded him that he was fasting. If I were to say that I was going to observe the sabbath every week in lent and you saw me working on the day I had set aside, you might inquire as to why.

So with all this, I still don't have a clear answer on the appropriate level of sharing. So far, you won't find a list of the disciplines I will undertake during Lent here on the weblog.

peace,

will

Still catching up...

I have not been posting sermons as quickly as I like. In fact until now, there were not any from this year. I just posted the first two of the year and the sermon from this week should be up tomorrow.

Will Rice - Sermon #56 - "There's More to the Story"

Will Rice - Sermon #57 - "Baptism of the Lord"

peace,

will

Thanks for your patience

My apologies to those who read the blog on a regular basis. It has been a bit "content challenged" lately. I tend to write on the blog when I have a couple of free minutes or when I need a break from something else I am working on. Over the last month, I have really been forced to work in a different mode trying to get as much done in as little time as possible. As I have written about before, between the adoption process, the ordination process and the rapidly accelerating pace at the church, it has been hard to get it all done.

It should slow down soon. And I hope so. I have lots to write about. I still have two sermons I have not posted and I have read some great books I want to write about. More soon!

peace,

will

Just One More to Go!

I traveled to Gonzalez yesterday for my interview with the interview team from the Board of Ordained Ministry. This was a group who read all my responses to the doctrinal question as well as my sermon and Bible study. The session was pretty uneventful and went well and the group voted unanimously to recommend me to the Board of Ordained Ministry for ordination. This means I have all positive recommendations for my final step, my interview by the full board on February 12th at Mt. Wesley in Kerrville. I will let you know how that one goes.

peace,

will

Martin Luther King Jr.

Today we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Upper Room Daily Devotional has a wonderful piece on the topic today. Some of you may get the printed copy. For everyone else, here is a link to the website:

The Heart of Justice - The Upper Room

peace,

will

keeping up

My ordination process has certainly consumed a lot of my time and energy lately but with a lot of that out of the way, I don't feel much less swamped. There are lots of really big things going on at Grace. Sort of topping the fight for my attention is the upcoming move of the 9:45 service into the gym. The is a really large and complicated project and we are all lucky that there is a great team working on it. This week, the rest of the materials are being shipped. This weekend, we hope that the painting will begin. Over the next couple of weeks, you will really start to see the room transformed. Starting this Sunday, we will be recruiting setup and teardown teams.

While that is the biggest project on my plate right now, it certainly isn't the only one. We have a dynamite Adult Council and they are planning discipleship opportunities for the whole year. It all starts with Methodism 101 next week. Already on the calendar are Bible 101, Prayer 101 and Worship 101. There are even more in the works.

There are also two new small groups forming right now and another round of Genesis, our small group ministry incubator. (That should be the subject of a whole other post.)

We are already running full steam and it is only January. I haven't even yet had first of the year meetings with Missions, Congregational Care or Welcoming and I new their leaders have big things planned for 2008.

There are so many ways to be involved in all of this. If you want to get more involved and don't know how, drop me an email and I will give you some ideas.

peace,

will

Almost there

I want to report that I am one step closer to my ordination. I had my final interview with the Covenant Connection Committee on Tuesday morning and they unanimously voted to recommend me to the Board of Ordained Ministry for Ordination as an Elder and election to full connection in the United Methodist Church.

That was a pretty big step and this committee's recommendation carried a lot of weight. I have two more steps before June. Later this month I will be interviewed by a team selected by the Board of Ordained Ministry. They will read my answers to the assigned theological questions and then give me sort of an oral exam. There recommendation will then be passed along to the full Board. In February, I will travel to Mt. Wesley in Kerrville again where I will be interviewed by the Full Board of Ordained Ministry who will make the final recommendation. Then, if all that goes well, in June, at Annual Conference, all the clergy members in full connection to the conference will vote to admit me into full connection. This happens at a special clergy meeting. Then, if that goes well, the Bishop will ordain me on the last day of Annual Conference at the ordination service.

If this all sounds complicated, trust me, this is the easy part.

peace,

will

Quality Airport Time

I don't mind being stuck in the airport anymore now that most airports have wireless internet access. I am going to be here for a while though so I may need to look for a power plug soon. I have not posted my sermon from this Sunday yet since the copy with my edits and changes in back on my desk. I may try to edit it again and post it today. Has anyone done the homework? (If you weren't there Sunday, you will have no idea what I am talking about?) If you have done your homework, feel free to post it as a response to this post. Again, the questions is, "What are you going to do about Christmas?"

peace,

will

Sermons

I have posted my sermon from the third Sunday of Advent:

Will Rice - Sermon #54 - "Patience"

I have also just posted my sermon from Christmas Eve:

Will Rice - Sermon #55 - "Christmas Light"

peace,

will

Exorcism Squads

I think I will leave the comments up to you on this one.

Pope Benedict XVI setting up exorcism squads to fight rising Satanism


will

Whew!

I feel like I just finished a marathon. The Christmas season has been wonderfully exhausting so far. Things don't really slow down after Christmas Eve either. I am back in the office today preparing for this Sunday and starting to make plans for all the ministries that begin after the first.

I hope you had a Merry Christmas!

peace,

will

Looking for a last minute gift?

Whether you are a last minute shopper or you forgot someone or maybe just decided there was someone else in your life that you want to give something to, I have a suggestion. At this late date, it is pretty easy to buy something that nobody really needs or wants. The store shelves are getting a little bare and patience is wearing thin. So how about this:

Go to the Heifer International website at www.heifer.org and buy someone a flock of ducks or some honeybees or rabbits. They won't actually get them, they will be sent to someone who can begin the journey from hunger to self-sufficiency. You can print out a card online or send an email to your gift-recipient so that they know you thought of them at Christmas.

peace,

will

Catching Up

I am posting a sermon from way back in November. This one sat on my desk for a while because it was a double duty sermon. This one had to be mailed to the Board of Ordained Ministry for review for my ordination so it went through some extra proofreading.

Will Rice - Sermon #54 - "A Revolution of Love and Grace"

peace,

will

Driving

I have a lot a respect for people who drive a lot for a living. I had to drive to San Antonio for a meeting yesterday and, I tell you, that seems to always drain the life out of me. It doesn't seem to matter if I listen to sermons on my iPod or talk on the phone or just sit in silence at the end of the day, I am beat. I did hear some good sermons though and I had a really good meeting in San Antonio.

Blessings on your Christmas preparations!

peace,

will

Back at it

I was off for a little vacation last week and it has taken me pretty much until today to get caught back up. I say a little vacation because I worked a bit of it. My final draft of all my materials for the Board of Ordained Ministry was due last Friday so I had to get them finished and mailed. Much thanks to Alisha and Lisa for reading all that stuff and finding my typos. I am done with all the writing portions of the ordainment process, now I just have to wait for the interviews!

peace,

will

The Gospel of Judas - Another Look

If you follow the news of religion and biblical scholarship you probably remember the big news over the last couple of years about the Gospel of Judas. If you don't remember, I found and article on it on NPR.org:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5327692

Well the story isn't over. Scholars are still at work on translating the piece and there was a much different view of the manuscript in this morning's New York Times. This is a really fascinating piece and you should definitely read it if you have ever been in one of my classes where we have discussed the difficulties of translating old texts and the drastically different meaning that can come out depending on translation.

Op-Ed Contributor

Gospel Truth

By APRIL D. DECONICK

Published: December 1, 2007

While the National Geographic Society’s translation supported the interpretation of Judas Iscariot as a hero, a more careful reading makes clear that he is a demon.

peace,

will

The Best of Looking Back and Counting Down in Review

I forgot that along with Christmas decorations comes the beginning of the season of looking back. I have already read various versions of the "Best Books of 2007" and the "Best Movies of 2007." I think this is actually a good thing. If we don't stop at the end of the year and look back a lot of stuff just fades away without another look. I enjoy this on a personal level. As a pastor, I have a number of end of the year things that cause me to look back. I just filled out my required annual continuing education form and it reminded me of some of the stuff I learned this year. I always include a section on some of the books that I have read. I am always pleased that I have read a lot, but always a little displeased that I don't remember more of what I have read. I am sure it is in my brain somewhere.

So, as we make the mad dash toward Christmas and New Years, think about this:

What did you learn this year?
What was the coolest thing you experienced?
What did you really want to do that you didn't?
Who are you really glad that you now know that you didn't know last year?

I am sure there are more questions to think about. But start with those.

peace,

will

I Just Love Stuff that Makes My Brain Hurt

It seems it possible that we can affect the Universe, including how long it will exist, simply by observing it. I realize that my child may act differently depending on whether or not he thinks I am watching but that fact subatomic particles and quantum systems may exist in different states depending on whether or not they are being observes is really difficult to swallow. I love it though since it reminds me that I am not nearly as smart as I think I am.

Check out the article:

Mankind 'shortening the universe's life'

"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened."
-Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

peace,

will

Back on the blog

For my regular readers, you may have noticed that I have been a little lean in posting lately. I could list a million excuses but I realized the other day in an email exchange with a friend that blogging is really just a matter of discipline like anything else. It is sort of like exercise. If you are on a program and you miss a day and you don't get back to it the next day it becomes more and more likely that you are off for good (or at least until you commit to starting again.) The weblog is the same sort of thing. It is most fruitful when I post something every day. If more than two days go by, the next post seems exceedingly difficult.

Anyway. Happy Thanksgiving. I hope everyone had a chance to relax and spend time with family. And I hope you aren't suffering at the mall today.

peace,

will

This Sunday's Sermon

I had some free time this morning so here is this week's sermon online before you can even hear it live. (No guarantees it will actually sound like it reads, but you should get the point.)

Sermon #52 - "Never Enough... Always Enough"

peace,

will

Where did the week go?

I just looked at the weblog and realized I had not posted since last Sunday. This week was a blur. I was at Mount Wesley on Monday and Tuesday for my next to last Covenant Connection retreat. I usually try to get ahead before I go away for two days but I think I went away a little behind. The rest of the week was spent just trying to catch back up. Or at least trying.

peace,

will

Time Change

If we set the clocks back one hour this morning, why did I wake up at 3 a.m.? I got a free hour of sleep and wasted it. Does that mean I won't have an hour to give up in the spring?

peace,

will

I am pretty sure there is no silence left.

Some people are wired to crave some amount of silence in their lives. There are others who do whatever they can to fill every moment with sound. I am the silent type.

Of course, we have a two year old at home, so I don't expect and awful lot of silence in my home, but I am noticing that anything resembling silence is become harder and harder to find. Even after the boy goes to bed, silence is hard to find at home. Especially when it is cooler and we can open the windows, the sounds are endless. My neighbor's dogs bark 24/7. People tend to mow and trim from about 7 a.m. until about 9 p.m. It seems more and more people have large diesel trucks with sound levels that rattle the windows.

My office is not a whole lot better. If you are ever in the church during the day, stand near my office and be still for a moment. Unless it is lunch hour and nap time for the childcare center kids, you will be surprised at the sound level. There is a small fan in my office which has nothing to do with circulation. The sound drowns out the other sounds when I am looking for something resembling silence. Our sanctuary is probably one of the quietest places I have found. However the peace is easily broken by a down shifting truck, a loud motorcycle or a police of fire siren.

Probably the quietest place I can find is in the cab of my truck. If I turn off my iPod... and my phone.

peace,

will

I Don't Read Everything

As much as I like to keep up with things, I can't read every newspaper and magazine on the planet. Fortunately some tools on the web do a great job of leading me to the cool stuff. There are websites like Drudge Report that collect stories from across the web. The problem with sites like that is that what gets posted is up to the one who runs the site. Much cooler are sights like Technorati which collect data on the most linked to sites, weblogs, stories and topics. Basically, if a weblog like mine posts a link like the ones I just posted for Drudge Report and Technorati, sites are able to take notice and compile the data. So what you end up with is a sort of collective intelligence pointing you to the cool stuff on the web.

All that is a long way of getting to something cool that I missed in the New York Times that I found at the top of the most popular news list at Technorati. This is a really long article from the New York Times Magazine, but it is totally worth the read. (Especially if you took my suggestion and read American Gospel.) It talks about the changing relationship of Christian Evangelicals and politics, particularly a change in their lockstep endorsement of the Republican party, which , the article reminds us, is still a fairly recent development. It is a really well researched and written article and gives a lot of insight into the current state of the odd relationship between the Gospel and politics.

The Evangelical Crackup
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: October 28, 2007
After the 2004 election, evangelical Christians looked like one of the most powerful and cohesive voting blocs in America. Three years later their leadership is split along generational and theological lines. How did it all come apart?

peace,

will

Christ and Coffee

Ok… I am a coffee junkie and a coffee snob. I drink a ton of coffee and I consider it bad day if any of it comes out of can. I am often saddened by the lack of Starbucks within reasonable driving distance of my home and office. But these are not the reasons I read The Gospel According to Starbucks by Leonard Sweet. It had been in my cart on Amazon.com for some time but I didn’t buy it until someone recommended to me. (Someone other than Amazon.com who always tells me what I should be reading and is usually right.) One of our newest District Superintendents (the United Methodist equivalent of a regional manager, sort of) recommended to me. I think United Methodist District Superintendents have one of the hardest, sometimes most soul-crushing jobs in the world of religion. So, when one of them is really excited about something, I take a lot of notice.

People in my present community may not totally get the idea behind this book because they don’t experience Starbucks unless they work in town. But Starbucks raises an amazing question that church people should be asking, “Why are young people perfectly willing to spend four dollars for a cup of coffee?” The answer has more to do with church than you would think. Leonard Sweet uses Starbucks as both a allegory and a practical example to show what people are searching for that the church used to provide: a spiritual experience that is experiential, participatory, image-rich and connecting (EPIC).

This book is so rich that I can’t write any more about it without feeling like I am doing it a disservice. If you are truly interested in how the church can regain its role of being a relevant force in society and how it can reach a new generation of human beings with the critical message of the Gospel, read this book. Read it, give it to someone else to read, start a study group around it. In other words, I recommend it.

peace,

will

Finally... and well worth it

I just don't know why this book took me so long to read, but it was definitely worth reading. Last night I finished Jon Meacham's American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation. This is a fantastic book and it should be required reading for anyone who wants to enter into the debate about the "separation of church and state." Whenever discussions arise around the issues of prayer in schools (or at football games), Ten Commandment displays on courthouse lawns and nativity scenes in public parks, the arguments are usually most loudly stated by those on the extremes, those extreme secularists who insist on a complete absence of any god from any public arena and the extreme religionists who insist that America is a Christian nation and that there should be no barrier at all to religion in the public sphere. This book helps us to understand the complexity and history of the argument. As with most modern arguments of this scale, this one is much more nuanced and much less black and white than some would suggest.

Meachum is a news guy, the managing editor of Newsweek and a historian, he also wrote Franklin and Winston: an Intimate Portrait of an Epic Relationship. His news and historical background make his take on the issue just detached enough that it would probably annoy people on either extreme end of the debate. But for those who are interested in understanding the history of this issue, his insight is fascinating.

I want to share one quote from the book that captures the importance of the entire work.

A grasp of history is essential for Americans of the center who struggle to decide how much weight to assign religious consideration in a public matter. To fail to consult the past consigns us to what might be called the tyranny of the present - the mistaken idea that the crises of our own time are unprecedented and that we have to solve them without experience to guide us. Subject to such a tyranny, we are likely to take a narrow or simplistic view, or to let our passions get the better of our reason. If we know, however, how those who came before us found the ways and means to surmount the difficulties of their age, we stand a far better chance of acting in the moment with perspective and measured judgement. Light can neither enter into nor emanate from a closed mind. (p. 232)

peace,

will

Welcome Newsletter Readers

In the Grace UMC newsletter this week, I printed a pastor's column that was originally posted here on the weblog. I invited people to come here and read the comments and post their own. If you are looking for that original post, you can find it here:

Can You See Through the Eyes of a Seeker?

If you are new to the weblog, you are welcome to post comments. Just click the comments link at the bottom of the post. You don't need a blogger I.D. to post, you can post anonymously.

peace,

will

Another Busy Week

I always forget exactly how busy fall is. Last night it was my turn to teach the confirmation class. I teach two sessions each year. Last night was on worship and later in the year I will teach on the United Methodist Social Principles. Tonight is the first night of Bible 101. This has taken a lot of energy to prepare for because I have completely rewritten the course. I always spend a little time updating courses I teach, but I rewrote this one from scratch and I am still playing with it. I also have a team helping me for the first time. This should be fun.

peace,

will

Much More Inspired

I don't know about you, but the cool weather has given me a new surge of energy. Enough hot days in a row and I don't feel like doing anything. A little cool air and I feel like I have woken up from some heat induced trance. I just hope it stays this way.

peace,

will

This Week's Sermon

If anyone is looking for last week's sermon, sorry. I just don't have it in a publishable written form. If you really want a copy, email me and I will send you the rough form.

Here is this week's sermon. It is still in fairly rough form, but good enough for now:

Sermon #51 - Running for the Goal Line

peace,

will

Loving the cold front and trying to finish a book

When I sat down to write this post, it was called, Waiting for the cold front and trying to finish a book. However, I walked away for a little while and the cool air blew in! I am in heaven.

If you pay a lot of attention to the weblog, you may have noticed that a certain book has been sitting on the top of my "What Will is Reading Now List" for some time. I have been reading Jon Meachum's American Gospel seemingly forever now. I haven't really given it my full effort especially with all the ordination stuff I have been doing. For me, if I read a book over too long of a time, it really starts to get disconnected and then it gets ever harder to read. I have to either set aside some time and finish it or just give up. I don't think I am going to give up on this one. It is an amazing historic look at the relationship between church and state in our nation. It gives a fascinating glimpse into how the founders and early leaders of our country understood God and religion and how they felt that should relate to the government of the young United States. I will write more... if I ever finish it.

peace,

will

Can you see through the eyes of a seeker?

I have been thinking a lot about the 9:45 service and the proposed move to the gym. I have heard from a couple of people who disagree with the premise that that service is full. Some people look around and see a number of empty seats and think that there is plenty of room. As I am thinking about that it raises the question for me, “Can you see through the eyes of a seeker?”

I read recently of a hospital that was trying to drastically improve their patient care by focusing on how it felt to be a patient. Here is what they did: They put someone on a gurney with a video camera and had them record what it felt like to be a patient. Doctors and nurses and technicians were a bit startled to see that perspective. Lying down, looking straight up, all the patient could see was lights and ceiling ties. Winding around corners, down halls, and up and down elevators was amazingly discombobulating. Often the patient was left in place while unknown people moved by. All around were disembodied voices talking in technical jargon. Occasionally, a head would pop into view to ask a question. People who saw this video become much more intentional about what the patient was experiencing. They were clearer to the patient about where they were going and what was going on and more regular about getting into the patients field of view.

This reminded me very much of my first few times in a church. What we forget is that people who are not Christians do not know what to expect and do not know what is going on. There is a lot of fear and anxiety. For me, everything moved a little too fast and I felt incredible self-conscious and out of place. From where I sit on Sunday morning, I see that look all the time from new people. They walk through the doors of the sanctuary and they look confused and trapped. There is no clear indication of where they should sit. Often they have to look around to find a seat and then fight their way to it. Too often, that seat is not on the end of an isle. Only a person who has gone to church many years would think that it is ok for a new person to have to ask someone to move. Had that been me the first time, I would have left.

Our mission as a church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Part of that mission includes inviting and welcoming people who have had no previous relationship with Christ. I invite you, the next time you are in church, to ask yourself, “Can I see through the eyes of a seeker?” Look at the church from the parking lot to the sanctuary and back out again as though you knew nothing about Christianity and nothing about the people of our church. Pretend you don’t know where we worship or what a narthex is. Walk into the sanctuary as though you know no one and nothing about the service that was about to take place. Pretend you don’t know that you need a bulletin or that our songs are in something called a hymnal. Pretend you have never “passed the peace” or sung a doxology or had an offering plate placed in your hands. Pretend you have never even heard of communion. Would you feel safe? Would you feel welcome? Would you be clear about what was expected of you? Would you come back again?

Can you see through the eyes of a seeker?

peace,

will

Off to Taft?

I am off to Taft this morning for something we call a District Professionals Meeting. About once a month, the United Methodist Pastors of the Corpus Christi District get together for fellowship, worship, some sort of program, and lunch. It is a wonderful part of our connectional system. Some pastors from other denominations often feel very alone and isolated without much support from their peers and colleagues. I get to see my pastor friends quite often and it really helps my ministry.

peace,

will

The Small Victories

You might suppose that I, as a pastor, find joy mostly in things like movement in the internal quest of growing in constant communion with God. However, there is a lot of joy in the small stuff too. For instance, I finally restored my ability to receive email on my Palm Pilot. For the past two weeks for some uncertain reason, I was unable to send and receive email from the wonderful tiny device that rides around in my pocket. Through a wonderful combination of consultation with Palm, Google and the Holy Spirit, life is back as it should be.

peace,

will

Is it Fall yet?

Fall is teasing me. We have had a couple mornings lately when I have walked out and felt the cool breeze that tells me that fall is creeping in. However, I am realizing that it is just a trick. It is still hot and sticky and I think the mosquitoes are finally waking up. But, I guess after a fairly cool and rainy summer, I need to be patient. In the words of Franklin Roosevelt, at least "We are stricken by no plague of locusts."

peace,

will

Getting Back in the Groove Part II

Sometimes I wonder about what to write on the blog. Sometime the day to day stuff is more interesting than when I try to be profound. I have lots of good stuff going on this week. Last night I had a meeting with the leaders who are going to help me present Bible 101 starting next week. We have a really great team for this one. This team teaching idea came out of our Adult Council. They figured that we could offer more courses if we could create teams to lead them instead of totally relying on a pastor or a few lay people. This worked out really well with Prayer 101. The team that led that with me last time will take it over entirely for the next offering. I am looking forward to Bible 101. I have re-written the curriculum around the team teaching model. You can still sign up for this class. The deadline is Friday. Just email me.

Tonight I meet with my small group called Genesis. This is a seed group for a new small group ministry program we will launch at Grace in January. It is a really great group and I just enjoy being with them.

Thursday night I will be leading an orientation class for people who wish to serve communion to the homebound. This is a great ministry for folks who can't come to worship but wish to receive the sacraments. Homebound communion ministers take the consecrated elements from worship into people's homes. Anyone can do this and it is a wonderful ministry. If you are interested, feel free to drop by the meeting Thursday evening at 6:30 here at Grace. (You won't commit yourself just by showing up if you just want to know more.

Sunday is the next session of Why Grace, our intro to church membership "class." If you are already a member of the church you are still welcome to come. Most members who do say they learned or relearned a lot. No reservation required, just stop by room 143 Sunday at 1:30.

After that on Sunday, I have a meeting with our Staff Parish Relations Committee. We are required to have a yearly conversation about how the pastor and the church are working together. They also have to complete an evaluation for my Covenant Connection Committee. It is the last one they have to do before the final decision about my ordination is made.

Oh, and I have a sermon to write and three worship services to plan! Whew!

peace,

will

Getting Back in the Groove

It always takes me a few days to get back in the groove after being on vacation. However, this last vacation has some built in reentry time. I was off from Friday until Wednesday, when I had a fairly short meeting in Austin. I then had an all day meeting in San Antonio on Thursday. I had a wedding rehearsal on Friday evening and then a wedding Saturday. Then Sunday, I was back in full swing. So, coming back on a Monday, it feels like my vacation has already been over for a week, yet there is still a pile of stuff on my desk that I am behind on. The world moves pretty fast.

peace,

will

Bible 101

Don't forget to sign up for Bible 101. The registration deadline is this Thursday. You can register be emailing me at pastorwillrice@gmail.com.

Here is all the info:


We base our faith and Christian life on the words of scripture. However, some of us are not as familiar with scripture as we would like. Sometimes the Bible can overwhelm us and we need help getting started in the discipline of Bible reading and study. Join Pastor Will Rice and the Bible 101 team for this four week class specially designed for people who have never engaged in an adult Bible study. It is even great for those who have never picked up a copy of the Bible. The fee for the course is $30 and covers the cost of one of the best study Bibles available, The New Interpreter’s Study Bible. During the four weeks you will get an overview of the Bible and you will be introduced to the skills and resources that will help you engage the Bible on your own. The class will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 for four Thursday nights beginning Thursday, October 25th. Because of the need to order materials, there will be a firm registration deadline of Thursday, October 18th.

Notice: If you have joined Grace UMC within the last year, the Adult Ministries Team would like to offer this course to you free of charge.

The Survival of the World

I stumbled across this article on a London Newspaper's website:

Muslims tell Christians: 'Make peace with us or survival of world is at stake'

There is another article referring to the same subject in the Washington Post:

Muslims Call for Interfaith Peace

I would love to hear your comments.

peace,

will

Back at Work, But Not Back in Corpus

I have been on vacation this week, travelling throughout Texas. My vacation is over today, although I am not back yet. I had to stop in San Antonio for a meeting of the Conference Futures Committee. This is a nice way to ease back into the flow of work. I will be back in my normal office tomorrow.

peace,

will

Big Things at Grace

Are you keeping track of all the big things going on at Grace?

We voted as a congregation this past Sunday to accept the gift of 20 acres of land on 624. The gift came with two conditions: that we not subdivide the land but use it all for ministry and we begin construction in two years.

We voted as a Church Council last Monday to move our 9:45 worship service into the fellowship hall so that we would have more room for more people.

These are both amazing decisions that will open up the doors of grace to more people who may have never experienced the power of a relationship with God. Both decisions are also going to create an enormous amount of work but I am getting used to that.

peace,

will

Monday Update

As I have written (or whined) about, I have quite overwhelmed lately especially with work for my ordination. Lately, I have been waiting anxiously for the first draft of my doctrinal questions to come back. I finally got one copy back yesterday. The first drafts go to two or three ordained elders who read them and provide feedback. The good news is the one I got back so far had mostly positive comments! The elder who reviewed the questions had some good insights that will make for some improvements but didn't think I needed any major revisions. That is good news! Now I just have to wait and see what the others say.

peace,

will

Random Photo

I was sorting through some old photos and found this one of our Lab, Bodhi. If I remember correctly this was taken in the White Mountain Wilderness in New Mexico.

peace,

will

_logging is good for you.

A colleague of mine just sent me an email that ended with this:

(I can't sign my name right now since I've lost the use of the letter that is the first one in my name!!!!)

It makes me wonder what exactly happend but also what goes into trying to do your work without a certain letter on your keypad. I am posting as an experiment to see if I can do it. I am refraining from using the same letter and it is working pretty well. She was obviously missing the second letter of the group of letter we use in English. (There is a much easier way write that with that letter.)

peace,

will

So What Are You Reading?

If you were in worship this week or read the sermon online, you know that the homework this week is reading scripture every day. So what are you reading?

I am rereading Matthew's Gospel. I read the first three chapters yesterday and read through chapter 5 this morning. I actually read out loud to Josh this morning. He enjoyed the beatitudes.

Post a response and let me know what you are reading.

peace,

will

This week's sermon

This Sunday's sermon, week 2 of our Friday Night Lights - Sunday Morning Insights series is posted here:

Sermon #49 - Learning the Playbook

peace,

will

Blogging on the Sabbath

I talk a lot about our need to find time for sabbath in our lives, to follow God's Biblical command to rest. However, over the last few weeks, I have not been following my own direction. The massive amount of work I have been producing for my ordination plus my workload at the church plus a two year old has meant that my regular day of sabbath, Friday, has lately been filled with work.

Even though I am taking a moment to post, today is finally a day of rest. I believe that sabbath is more than an act of obedience, it is a gift from God. I don't know about other lifestyles and professions, but I know that I cannot be a very good pastor without time to rest, pray and play, time to be rested and recreated. What many people often appreciate in a pastor is passion, energy, creativity and compassion. Members and visitors of a church often expect sermons that express the gospel in exciting and new ways. People are often energized by new and different class offerings. Christians look to pastors and spiritual leaders who are energized by prayer. Honestly, I don't believe that pastors can maintain and live out these expectations without disciplined, regular and carefully guarded sabbath time.

Perhaps the message is for me as much as anyone. But I hope the lesson I keep learning can be helpful to you. Everyone has expectations put upon them. All of us have ways and times that we need to be creative and energetic, passionate and compassionate. All of us, as Christians, are seeking to root our life in prayer. Are we allowing time for God to be at work at us?

shalom,

will

Almost there

I am at Mt. Wesley in Kerrville this morning. In a couple hours I will present my theological project and be done... for a while. The only other major written hurdle I have is any revisions I will need to make to my theological questions once my first draft comes back from the readers who have it now. So, I am not completely done, but I celebrate small victories.

peace,

will

A Sermon Backlog

I had a few free minutes this morning so I powered through and posted all my back sermons. If you were paying attention, you may have noticed that I hadn't posted in quite a few weeks but they are all now there typos and all.

http://gracesermons.blogspot.com/

peace,will

Still a little time to read...

All the work I have had to do lately has cut down on my reading time, but I can still find a little. My friend Barbara gave me this book as a gift a really long time ago and I lost it and then found it again (I had left it in my suitcase and had actually been carrying around for some time.)

I just finished The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. I am not usually a fan of semi-historical fiction but Roth is such a good writer, it worked for me. This is a fictional what-if book telling the story as if FDR had lost his third term and instead America elected Charles Lindbergh running on the single issue of staying out of World War II. It paints a picture of a very different America, especially for Jewish Americans.

What I do like about semi-historical fiction is that when you mix real history in with complete fiction, it forces you to remember the real history, all that stuff that may have slipped into the back of your brain with algebra. It is good to shake those things loose once in a while.

peace,

will

Sporatic Blogging

I apologize to my regular bl0g readers, my ordination requirements are eating my lunch. I have sent around 70 pages for first draft reading in the last week. The bulk of those were my doctrinal questions. They will be reviewed this month and sent back to me for final revisions before they are submitted to the Board of Ordained Ministry. I will eventually sit in front of an interview committee and be asked lots of questions about them.

The rest of the pages are my theological project on Wesleyan Sanctification and Discipleship Systems. My theological tutor in San Antonio is reading that now and will return it for revisions this week. I have to present the next Tuesday in Kerrville. My brain hurts.

peace,

will

The Poverty that Surrounds Us

I don't want to give the impression that all I do is sit around and read the New York Times but I was quite fascinated that they wrote such a detailed article on our part of the world.

Inside a Jumble of Poverty, Texans Build a Future

The article is about the poverty stricken subdivisions known as colonias. They mostly focus on the areas further south but these same types of settlement are all around us here in Nueces County. In fact a number of colonias receieved the flood buckets we assembled because they are right along the Nueces river and the bad conditions were made intolerable by devastating flooding.

will

Thinking of the Poor

In case I haven't mentioned it God has a special interest in the poor and oppressed. If you don't believe, just read the Old Testament prophets or listen to what Jesus says in the New Testament. God is always interested in the plight of the poor and any systems that oppress them. I have been saying for a couple of years, to anyone who will listen, that payday loan companies are one of those systems that further oppress the poor. What happens is that people who are barely scraping by, borrow money at such high interest that they keep taking more loans just to keep from defaulting. They often end under the burden of a debt that they will never repay.

The New York Times did a nice job this morning talking about the issue and pointing out some non-profit groups that are trying to help, to mixed reviews. Give it a read:

Nonprofit Payday Loans? Yes, to Mixed Reviews
(You will need to register at nytimes.com but it is easy and free and worth it.)

I would love to hear your feedback.

peace,

will

Read

I came across this yesterday from the Associated Press:

One in four read no books last year

Read the article, but to let you know it really is what the title implies, one in four American adults didn't read any books at all last year. That originally shocked me but then I thought about a bit and digested the whole article. I have to admit, there have probably been some adult years when I haven't read any books. There were a couple of years in my radio career when I was reading nothing but newspapers and magazines. You also have to take into account the number of people who can't read or can't read well and the number of people, especially the elderly, for whom reading has become difficult due to vision changes.

I actually found some of the other numbers encouraging. If you exclude the people who hadn't read any books at all, the typical person read around seven books. I don't think that is too bad, though certainly down from the days before television and the Internet.

Looking for something to read? Look at the right side column of my blog or search "read, reading or book" in the search bar at the top of the page.

peace,

will

Taking a Breath

I finally feel like I can take a breath this week. Last week was wonderfully busy:

Monday night was the last night of the four-week study on Paul's Letter to the Galatians. That was a great experience. We had over thirty people total and I think we found some great insights in Paul's letter.

Tuesday night was the second week of Prayer 101. I felt really blessed to lead that with the help of Lisa, Kathy, Mary Tom and Jimmy. They are going to be taking over the teaching of that class and from how it went last week, I can tell it is going to be a great class.

Thursday night we had the second meeting of our program ministry teams who were working on church-wide goals for 2008. You will hear more about these in September, but let me tell you, we have some exciting things in store!

Sunday, besides worship, we had our "Why Grace?" session where we talked about what it means to be a Christian and a member of the church. Two people have officially decided to make Grace their church home. That is great news!

This week should be a little slower. I will be spending a lot of time writing my questions for my ordination exam which is even more fun than it sounds.

peace,

will

And We're Back

No use going too deeply into the details of the lack of postings over the last couple of weeks. It has mostly been an issue of being swamped. It wasn't even that I didn't have a couple of free minutes, it was more that my brain was overtaxed to the point that I couldn't write anything else.

I remember in my last career, when I worked for Clear Channel's Star System in Austin, I had the blessing of working only 5 hours a day. I had plenty of free time. However, those five hours were often so intense that I couldn't really even form coherent sentences in my off time.

Anyway, hopefully I am backing on the blogging. Look for more soon!

peace,

will

Thank You!

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in creating flood buckets for the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Thank you to those of you who gave supplies and money and to everyone who came out yesterday to put them all together. A big thanks as well to everyone who drove around looking for buckets and buying bulk supplies. This was a huge effort!

We currently have about 70 ready to go and 30 more that are missing some odds and ends.

I will keep you up to date on their status and let you know when they are off and on their way to be in ministry.

peace,

will

Almost Time to Pack Them!

Sorry I haven't posted an update on supplies, but they continue to come in. I believe we only need about 15 additional empty buckets but we still need a ton of supplies. Many of you have been very generous with cash donations so Lisa will be heading out shopping tomorrow.

Thank you to Lisa, Shirley and Jon for scrubbing and rinsing all the buckets to make them smell less like whatever was in them before.

If you are planning on donating supplies, please let me know by tomorrow so Lisa doesn't buy any more than we need.

Please join us Sunday at 3:30 in the fellowship hall. We need lots of help sorting and packing. It takes some time to get the buckets packed right. If we just throw everything in they won't close and UMCOR needs them sealed. Come help us out and enjoy some homemade ice cream!

peace,

will

Another Update... A Little Different

We are getting close to our deadline for packing buckets and a few people have asked that I change the progress report a little bit. We have 5 complete buckets plus a lot of other bulk supplies. The question is, what do we most need?

Here it is:

If the size we need is not availabe, go DOWN to the next available size. Otherwise the buckets cannot be sealed and UMCOR cannot store them.

Bleach - We only have two bottles. These need to be a very specific size to fit in the buckets. For each bucket we either need two (2) one quart bottles or one (1) 82 oz. bottle. So we basically either need 188 quart bottles or 94 82 oz. bottles.

Cleaning Towels (reusable wipes) - There need to be 18 in each buckets. We need about 162 of these. They usually come in packs.

Liquid Laundry Detergent - This is another one where size is key. We must have two (2) 25 oz. or one (1) 50 oz. Either way we need about 93 buckets worth, either 186 25 oz. bottles or 95 50 oz.

Dust Masks - Each bucket needs 5. We already have 125, but we still need about 350.

If you can help, it helps if you can email me or call me (242-3333 ext. 204) so we know what's coming. We have had some generous donations of cash so we will be buying supplies later in the week and would like to know what we will already have.

Thanks for all your generosity.

peace,

will

Flood Bucket Update

Empty Buckets - 60
Complete Buckets - 5
Cash - $240
Work Gloves - 36 Pair
Dust Masks - 110
Bug Spray - 12
Disinfectant Dish Soap - 6
Bleach - 3
Clothesline - 1
Sponges - 8

peace,

will

Sticky Stuff

This is one of the best books I have read in a while. In Chip and Dan Heath's Made to Stick the authors tackle the question of why some ideas survive and others die. This book should be mandatory reading for anyone who has to get a message through in a world of messages (like pastors). Ever wonder why people can remember vivid details of urban legends that they read on the internet (and aren't true) but can't remember even the subject of Sunday's sermon or the training session you gave at the office? Why do most of us still remember Wendy's "Where's the Beef?" campaign while we have forgotten about a million commercials we have seen sense? The Heath brothers assert that it is because some ideas are "sticky" and others aren't.

For an idea to stick in the minds of viewers and listeners it must have as many of these qualities as possible:

• Simplicity
• Unexpectedness
• Concreteness
• Credibility
• Emotional
• Stories

The first letters spell success... really cheesy, but it works. Check it out if you want people to remember what you are communicating.

Happy reading!

peace,

will

Cash always helps

I just want to update the cash portion of our flood bucket progress. Through our communion rail offering yesterday and another donation that just came in we are now about $857.00. That will go a long way to helping by all the last minute things we will need when we get ready to pack the buckets. Don't think we are done yet! We still have a lot of supplies yet to get!

peace,

will

Keep it Coming!

Some more supplies welcomed me back to Corpus Christi this morning.

Here is our new tally (Everything listed is either here or someone has made a commitment to provide it.)

Empty Buckets - 36
Complete Buckets - 2
Cash - $240
Work Gloves - 36 Pair
Dust Masks - 110
Bug Spray - 12
Disinfectant Dish Soap - 6

I really think we can reach our goal. Remember to join us July 29th at 3:30 to share ice cream and fellowship and then help us pack these buckets and get them ready to ship.

peace,

will

Flood Buck Update from My Secret Location

I am off this weekend, but through the power of a global internet, I can still give you a flood bucket update:

Empty Buckets - 26
Complete Buckets - 2
Cash - $240
Work Gloves - 36 Pair
Dust Masks - 60

Keep it coming!

will

Keep those buckets coming

Last night we recieved 7 more five-gallon plastic buckets.

Here is the new tally:

Empty Buckets - 26
Complete Buckets - 2
Cash - $140

As those buckets come in, we need to start thinking about filling them. Here are some cheap and easy ideas. If we fill 100 buckets, we will need 700 sponges. How about committing to all or part of that? Or how about some of the 500 dust masks we will need. Or maybe you would like to buy a bulk pack of clothes pins. We will need 5000 total.

Email me and let me know if you are ready to committ to something or just bring it by the church.

peace,

will

Another Flood Bucket Update

As of right now, here is the new tally:

Empty Buckets - 19
Complete Buckets - 2
Cash - $140

Someone has also just committed an undisclosed number of buckets that they are bringing this evening. I will let you know how many.

I have also just added a link for flood buckets on the right. Click that and you can download a PDF file with everything we need.

peace,

will

Flood Bucket Update

So far I have received 3 more buckets, $40 and a commitment for 2 complete buckets. Here is a grand tally:

Empty Buckets - 19
Complete Buckets - 2
Cash - $40

I would love to have 81 empty buckets by the end of the weeks so we can get to work filling them!

peace,

will

This Week's Sermon

Here it is:

Sermon #43 "Legacy"

peace,

will

Flood Buckets: More Ways to Help

If you would like to help us meet our goal of providing 100 flood buckets to The United Methodist Committee on Relief, all the information and instructions can be downloaded here:

http://www.ccgrace.org/downloads/floodbucket.pdf

What we would like most is bulk donations of items. So instead of putting together a bucket yourself, bring us whatever you can, 10 pairs of work gloves or a box of sponges or a case of dust masks, whatever you can. Please read instructions carefully. These buckets are very specifically equipped. If they are wrong, UMCOR has to take them apart and repack them.

peace,

will

Flood Bucket Update

We just received 16 five-gallon buckets with lids. Keep them coming!

peace,

will

Can You Spare a Bucket?

In the past, we have assembled flood buckets for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). You can learn more by searching "flood bucket" in the search bar on the top of the weblog.

As you could probably have guessed, UMCOR is running out of buckets. I would like to get some people together to make some more. The last time we did this, someone generously donated a whole bunch of 5 gallon buckets with lids. We have to have 5 gallon buckets with lids and they are pretty pricey to buy. So, if you have some or can get some, please let us have them. I would be quite willing to pick up if you can't deliver. Call the church or email me at pastorwillrice@gmail.com.

If you would like to help but don't have buckets, stay tuned. We will need a lot more stuff.

peace,

will

Continuing the Conversation

A lot of people have spoken to me about the pastor's column in this week's newsletter. (Read it online here.) It deals with the critical issue of the absence of young adults in our churches. To continue the conversation, I wanted to repost a comments that was posted in response to a follow up I wrote (Still Thinking about Young People.)

peter said...

have you read the cover story of the (i think) most recent interpreter on youth/ young adults and the UMC? it is a pretty interesting read, but they seem to think that the trends and ideas hold true everywhere, when i know that some aren't true for myself or some of my fellow young adults on track for ordination or a larger role in the church...but i guess that it is aimed at drawing them into the church not continuing ministry to those of us who have been active for years. it is well worth the read though.

peace,

peter

Peter makes a really important point. Although we group young adults together statistically as we look at who is missing from our churches, we have to be carefully about thinking that all young adults are the same and need the same sort of ministry.

With the risk of continuing to oversimplify, I want to offer at least five different situations young adults may be in in relation to the church. This is not to say that all young adults fall neatly into any of these groupings, this is just an attempt to see the complexity of the situation. Here are the five groups:

1. Unchurched - Young adults with little or no contact with the church. Possibly the children of unchurched parents or parents who never took their kids to church.

2. Formerly Churched - Young adults who were involved and possibly even active younger in life but have fallen away from the church for one reason of another.

3. New Christians - People who have become active in the Christian faith as young adults.

4. Continual Christians - (If I ever publish something on this, I may need a new title) - This may be the smallest group. These are young adults like Peter who grew up in the church and stayed. In my experience, a number of these people are considering a call to ministry or leadership in the church.

5. On the Edgers - These are people who may have grown up in the church but, in their young adults years, are living on the edge of church. They haven't abandoned it yet, but they are less and less active and may eventually leave. This is the group that parents talk to me the most about.

This list came to me this morning and at the time only had three groups. It may be a helpful model to think about who were are trying to reach with ministries. Ministries that reach out to the "Unchurched" group may do nothing for "On the Edgers" who have all that church experience (good and bad) that they bring to the table. I have noticed in many conversations that "Continual Christians" are often annoyed by ministries targeting to the "Unchurched" group are even more annoyed when people expect them to like it because they are young.

That's all I am going to write because I would love to hear your thoughts.

peace,

will

Wouldn't a weekend at home be nice?

After my trip to Arkansas last weekend, I would have liked a nice weekend around the house to mow the lawn and nap. However, that wasn't in the cards. Alisha, Josh and I all travelled to San Antonio for the annual Methodist Children's Home Foster Family Retreat. They do this every year to get all the foster families together. What makes it really wonderful is that all foster parents are required to complete a certain number of continuing education hours every year and at the retreat they provide an opportunity to complete most of the required hours all with free child care. Alisha was able to update her first-aid and CPR and I was finally able to complete mine. Plus we learned about disaster preparedness and helping foster kids deal with transition.

This would be a good time to remind you that we always need more foster families. If you want to know more, let me know.

peace,

will

Still Thinking About Young People

As sort of a follow up to my pastor's column below, here is a piece from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership on the issue of young clergy in the United Methodist Church. It is worth reading.

Research: United Methodist Clergy Age Trends

peace,

will

Pastor's Column Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek at my column for this week's newsletter:

I had the privilege last week of traveling to Mount Sequoyah, our United Methodist retreat center in Fayetteville, Arkansas for a conference on reaching younger generations. I had the opportunity to attend programs and workshops with Bishop William Willimon, author and Bishop of North Alabama Conference; Gregory Jones, Dean of Duke Divinity School and other United Methodist clergy leaders. Most of the conversation revolved around reaching and ministering to young adults. By young adults, we are referring to college-aged people and individuals under 35.

We may not think about it, but this is a critical topic. Think for a moment, according to the latest census, 21% of the population in our area is between the ages of 18 and 35. This past Sunday, of 312 people who worshipped with us, approximately 13 were in that age group. That is around 4%. While Grace has an amazing youth program which attracts and nurtures our teenagers, we do not seem to be reaching young adults. For those of you who serve on committees and ministry teams in the church, how many people under thirty-five do you serve with?

This is not just in our church and it is not just about members. Of all the Ordained Elders in the Southwest Texas Conference 2.8% are under 35. This represents a dramatic drop from previous generations. If young adults are not present in our churches, they are not in a place to hear a call to ministry and to have it affirmed and nurtured.

Is this important? Yes, for at least two reasons. The first is the future of our church. We have to reach another generation if we have any hope of continuing the ministry of the church and continuing to build on the foundation of faith that has been constructed. Second, our mission as a church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. That means reaching out to all and it is clear that there is a group we are missing. Young adults need to hear the Gospel, perhaps more than anyone. Bishop Willimon reminded us that most major decisions in life are made between the ages of 21 and 35. When did you decide on a career, choose a spouse, make plans to start a family? The young people surrounding us are facing these decisions without the guidance, hope and claim of the Gospel. They are left to make their decisions solely on the values of the world.

Of course most of us would say, “We should try to reach out to more young adults.” However, making something truly a priority means allowing something else to be less of a priority. Are we willing to make reaching young adults a priority even if that means we have to give up something? What if it meant worship had to be different or if the pastors and staff were less available because their focus were turned outward? What if it meant that we had to begin completely rethinking everything about how we worship, minister, learn, share and grow to create a church that could truly reach younger generations.

This is certainly something to think and pray about. If you feel God calling you to be in ministry in this area or you have thoughts, questions or ideas, make an appointment to come talk with me about it.

peace,

will

p.s. Our retreat center in Arkansas is beautiful. It was certainly refreshing to have a couple of days under the tall trees and in the fellowship of my colleagues.

This week's sermon

Here is this Sunday's sermon for your enjoyment, critique, entertainment, etc.

Sermon #42 - Unleasing the Unnerving Power of God

peace,

will

Back at My Desk

I am finally back at a full-size keyboard in the comfort of my office. I am going to try and find some time this week to blog about the conference I attended in Arkansas. It was about the need we have, as a church, to share the gospel with younger adults and how we are not doing very well in that area. I look forward to sharing some of what I learned.

peace,

will

Greetings from Tulsa

Will the wonders of technolgy never cease? I am posting while waiting in line for my Southwest flight from Tulsa back to Corpus, via Houston.

I am not yet sure how useful this all is, but it is pretty cool.

For all my Corpus readers, I hope to see you tomorrow.

peace,

will

greetings from Arkansas

I am posting from my pda from our United Methodist Retreat center in Fayatteville, Arkansas. I am here for Bishop's Weekend where I am learning about how to make our churches more inviting to a younger generation.

I will be back on Sunday preaching 'Unleashing the Unnerving Power of God'

peace,

will

Turtles Will Be Turtles

I really wanted to post a picture with this but the photos may be a little disturbing for some. People sometimes expect pastors to be discreet. Anyway, in case you haven't been reading the blog for long, Alisha and I have two box turtles (they are actually box tortoises, but turtle is just more fun to say) Simon and Simone. You can read more about them in the posts Turtles in our Midst and Simon Squared. They live in walled in area outside our bathroom window so we get to watch them quite a bit. This week I learned that despite my careful reading on the subject, I was wrong. We had named the first one Simon. Then we got the second, and thinking it was male, I decided we had misnamed the first one. So we renamed the first one Simone and the new one Simon. Now after watching them, I realize that the turtle originally named Simon really is Simon and the other one is really Simone. Are you following?

This is all a long way of getting at the fact that our turtles are doing what young turtles do in the springtime. I am kind of pessimistic about their chances of conception, but I will let you know if we should schedule a baby turtle shower. I am not really sure what one would bring to such a thing anyway.

peace,

will

Happy Father's Day!

peace,

will

So What Have You Given Away?

I gave everyone an assignment this past Sunday and was wondering how you were doing. If you missed the service, there is a link to a copy of my sermon in the previous post. The assignment was to give something away: something you need or something you love.

I have decided what I am giving away, but I haven't done it yet. It is something that I really like having and I am procrastinating. I hope to have it off my desk by the weekend.

Let me know how you are doing.

peace,

will

This Week's Sermon

Sermon #41 is available here:

"Empty Jars"

peace,

will

Another Annual Conference in the History Books

I am back from this year's meeting of the Southwest Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Not that I really left town, though I might as well have. I was pretty much a full time resident of the American Bank Center from Wednesday at noon to Saturday at noon. This year involved more than the usual amount of sitting. Every four years we elect delegates for the General Conference, the national meeting of the United Methodist Church. This was that year. The balloting process is long and painful and it took us until around 10 o'clock Friday night to finish. That's a lot of time sitting in a folding chair.

peace,

will

I'm Back

Not that I really ever left, but allergies have kept me functioning on half a brain for the last week. I feel OK during the day, but coughing keeps me up and night and I don't function well on reduced sleep. It has been a busy few days and it is made all the more hectic by the fact that Annual Conference is this week and I will be hung up in town for most of the week.

I can usually find some time to blog from the conference floor since I get bored easily.

peace,

will

Looking forward to some sabbath

Friday usually sneaks up on my but I am actually anxiously awaiting a day of rest this week. Not that the week was overly taxing, it just wore me out. This Sunday is confirmation Sunday when we will welcome 18 youth into full membership in the church. When that many people join, it tends to make for a large crowd so we are moving our 11 service into our gym.

Moving worship from one place to another sounds pretty easy, but it is not. There are about a million details including chairs, a stage, microphones, speakers, video, not to mention putting it all together. We actually rehearsed the service with the confirmands last night to make sure it would all work, which it will. However, the rehearsal helped me figure out what else we hadn't thought of yet.

I hope to see you on Sunday. It will be a wonderful service.

peace,

will

A Laptop, A Lab and A Little Boy

Alisha is out this morning so I am working at home, which is always a relative term based on what kind of mood Josh is in. Currently he is on board. He is reading books (well he is 20 months so reading is a relative term as well) while my lab, Bodhi is sprawled out beside him. He is actually not interested in my laptop this morning. Once it catches his attention, the "work" part of "work at home" is out the window.

peace,

will