What We are Doing...

Thank you to everyone who is helping already with the relief effort. On Sunday alone, we raised over $4500 for UMCOR and local assistance. I am told that checks continue to roll in.

We have already distributed a number of health kits to local shelters. This is a continuing urgent need. The UMCOR-Sager Brown depot supplies these not only for relief efforts here in the U.S., they send them all over the world. Their resources are tapped and they cannot get them fast enough. We will be able to have these trucked right to Louisiana to restock the warehouse.

A Health Kit contains specific items:

1 hand towel (15"” x 25"” up to 17"” x 27"”)
1 wash cloth
1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz and up)
1 toothbrush (single brush only in original wrapper; no child-sized brushes)
1 large tube of toothpaste (4.5 or larger, expiration date must be 6 months or longer in advance of the date of shipment to Sager Brown)
6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages

All items should be placed inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag. No money, notes, religious or political literature, or other items should be placed in the kits. In a seperate envelope, please also provide $1.00 per kit to cover distribution costs. You can make that check out to Grace UMC and we will send one check with all the kits.

You can bring completed kits by the church, or if you need, I can pick them up.

You can read more about it here.

I will let you know as soon as I can the date the truck will be going. However, we can keep working past that. While the acute need will subside, UMCOR will always need these.

Thank you for all you are already doing.

peace,

will

This Week's Sermon

Is available here.

peace,

will

More local Katrina relief information...

If you are interested in helping locally, either with your time, money or food, clothing and supplies, you can go to the following website for all the information:

www.cctexas.com

Either click the link about or go to cctexas.com and click on the Kartrina Assistance link.

I would love to now what people are doing. Feel free to post comments about what you are doing in the wake of this disaster.

peace,

will

Urgent Need - Here in Corpus

First United Methodist Church in Corpus Christi is hosting displaced people from Hurricane Katrina. They are in need of a number of supplies and volunteers. If you would like to help, here is the information.

There are a number of additional ways to help in the Corpus Christi area. This link takes you to the full list provided by the Caller Times.

peace,

will

Better words than mine...

My dear friend Jen Austin has posted some wonderful words relating to hurricane Katrina on her weblog. You can read them here:

Katrina's Cause and Effect

peace,

will

Still more information

If you are interested in assembling flood buckets or better yet assembling a team to assemble flood buckets, it looks as though the conference will be helping us to get them to where they need to go.

Here is what you need to know about the flood buckets.

Please e-mail me if you have questions.

peace,

will

Continuing Updates on Katrina Relief

The latest is that there may be as many as 25,000 refugees headed to San Antonio. Corpus Christi officials are beginning to prepare for the possibilities of refugees coming to Corpus Christi in the near future. The best way to help continues to be through cash donations.

The United Methodist Committee on relief has already raised $570,000 online. You can read here about fund raising efforts and where the money is going here.

Click here to donate to UMCOR

Our Southwest Texas Conference Bishop Joel Martinez has posted a message about the disaster response, you can read it here.

I will continue to post here as I hear about more ways we can help. I know people are interested in helping in a physical, hands on way. There will be opportunities to serve, I will try to get you the information as soon as possible.

peace,

will

Katrina Update

I have been getting lost of questions about how people can best help with the relief effort following Hurricane Katrina. This is the latest update from our Southwest Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Katrina Update from Southwest Texas Conference.

I will continue to post updates here.

peace,

will

More sad news...

Sometimes when one disaster overwhelms us, we can totally overlook another.

Hundreds of pilgrims killed in Iraq stampede.

A Deep Sadness

I am struck with a deep sadness this morning as the full impact of Hurricane Katrina begins to sink in. I realized after December's tsunami that with catastrophic events, it takes a number of days for people to truly understand. Even if we watch all the media coverage, for many, it takes a certain amount of time before the events become real and they are able to begin to process the full emotional impact. I think in a day of information overload, it may be how our brains protect us. But now, beginning to see how bad things are, and beginning to connect with the emotions, this is overwhelmingly sad.

We all have different ways of coping with news like this. For some, it is to reach out and do whatever they can to help. What helps most in times like this is money. I am working right now on an opportunity to give toward relief efforts on Sunday.

If you want to start now, you can give through the United Methodist Committee on Relief in a couple of ways. You can write a check and bring it by the church. Just mark in the memo line:

"UMCOR Advance #982523, Hurricanes 2005 Global"

You can also drop a check with the same notation in the offering plate on Sunday and we will get it to UMCOR. You can also give on the web, through the mail or over the phone by going to this link:

UMCOR: Hurricane Relief

Because of faithful giving of United Methodist Churches throughout the year, UMCOR's operation expenses are already covered. Therefore 100% of this giving goes directly to hurricane relief.

I hope you can come to worship on Sunday where we can pray about this together.

peace,

will

Meeting the Challenge - Update

Well...

I am excited that I was taken seriously when I made the challenge that we all step up and get involved in serious Bible study. Not only have sixteen people committed to join me in Disciple I, I actually have 20 currently signed up and at least two waiting for a spot.

Pastor John's Disciple III class is also filled beyond capacity and there are at least two waiting for a spot in there.

As of now, I am not going to take any more registrations for either class. However, that does not mean you should give up on Bible study. We will continue to offer additional short-term opportunities to study throughout the year. We also have a number of Sunday school classes and small groups that meet throughout the week. If you are looking for somewhere to learn in community, let me know and I will try to help you find your way.

peace,

will

In the Neighborhood

John and I had our first "Neighborhood Meeting" last night. I think it went better than we had even anticipated. One of the things that we really miss out as pastors in a large church like Grace is an opportunity to visit with people. There is so much we can learn from each other and there is so much more we can do as a church when we have a chance to communicate.

We will be continuing to meet in small groups in homes throughout the fall and probably into the winter. Watch the Grace newsletter for dates and times. If you can't find one you can get to, you can host one in your own home.

peace,

will

Turtles in our midst

There is a new resident at the Grace parsonage. Alisha found a turtle on a speed bump in our neighborhood. She figured it wasn't going to do very well against the cars and golf carts in the neighborhood so it is currently living in the atrium outside of our bathroom.

Alisha has named him Simon and he seems to be eating all of our veggies and some of Bodhi's dog food.

I will let you know how he (or she... I haven't checked yet) settles in.

peace,

will

Earth's Core Rotates Faster than Surface, Study Confirms

Earth's Core Rotates Faster than Surface, Study Confirms

You know, I am always looking up, but rarely thinking about what is below me. The earth is a fascinating place and I have a lot of respect for people who think about how it works.

I came across this article this morning. Some verfication and new details on the stuff we learned in middle school science class. I bet most of us haven't thought about it since then!

peace,

will

Stories

You know, I read a lot. Part of why I read is so that I can find ways to better articulate the good news of God's grace. As I read and understand at a deeper level, I hope that I can communicate the way that God is at work in our world, pursuing us, loving us, and transforming us.

What I find though is that all these books, mostly written by very smart people aren't nearly as good as the stories that people tell me of God's work in their lives. I have had a chance to meet with a couple of really amazing people this week. These are people whose lives have been harder than most of us can imagine. When they tell their stories I begin to see a clearer illustration of the amazing grace of God than I can read in any theological text (theological actually translates -"words about God.") When people really open up and share their walk with God, I know I am really walking on holy ground.

Perhaps there is someone out there who can see God through your story. Or, perhaps there is someone's story out there that will reveal God to you, if you are willing to listen.

peace,

will

Meeting the Challenge

I made a challenge in worship two weeks ago that we be a church that studies the Bible together in small groups. I am pleased with the number of people who have responded to that challenge by enrolling in Disciple Bible Study. I made a specific challenge for 16 people to join me in Disciple I on Tuesday nights. I now have enough people to form a class, but I am still not backing down from that challenge. I am looking for a few more people to fill that class.

Teaching Disciple is one of the most rewarding things I do as a pastor. Most people just don't know how rich, complex and enlightening the Bible can be. The purpose of Disciple I is to open the Bible up to you in new ways. We read the text, but we also look at the background and context. We are informed by scripture and by the history of God's people and we are also informed by each other. It is by reading together and beginning to see scripture through each other's eyes that the word of God comes alive with a message for our lives today. If you think Bible study is boring, I assure you, Disciple will change your mind.

There are also a number of openings in Pastor John's Thursday evening Disciple III class. If you have already taken Disciple I, I really want to encourage you to consider studying with John. Studying the Bible is a lifelong journey and this is a wonderful opportunity to take the next step.

If you want to register you can e-mail me or call the church office at 361-242-3333. The deadline to register is this Sunday.

peace,

will

A Blessed Sunday...

We had a wonderful Sunday of worship this week. I would say we had the largest attendance we have had since John and I got here in June.

A few people have asked me about John's sermons. They are available in print form in the glassway between the education building and the sanctuary. I am going to work this week on getting those online as well.

My Tuesday Disciple I class and John's Thursday Disciple III class are both filling up. We both have a few spots left. If you are interested in either one, I suggest you let me know this week. My class is limited to 16 and I am not sure where John has set the cap on his, but it is probably about the same.

Have a grace filled week.

peace,

will

Remembering to Rest

Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work-- you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

Bodhi brings us this reminder that while God created us for work and for recreation, God also created us for rest. Rest is part of God's design for us. Bodhi and I hope that you find some time this week to just rest in God's presence.

peace,

will

Young Adults - Talking about Video Games

If you are 18-30ish (I am about to turn 34 and they still let me come... then again, it's my house) join us this Thursday. If you are not, I bet you know someone who is!

We will join together again this Thursday at 7:30 at the Grace Parsonage for fellowship and discussion. Food will be modified pot luck again, which means bring something if you can. I will try to have some sort of meat. We have a ton of chips and salsa and I think we are doing pretty good on sodas, although I am sure we could use more. If you can, bring some snacks or desert (or even more meat if you like) to share.

Here is what we will be talking about:

This week, we will be talking about video games. A lot of the games out there now have quite a bit of violent and sexual content. Instead of just saying, “video games are bad, we should stop playing them and make sure our kids don’t play them,” we are going to ask a question. With the prevalence of sex and violence in many of the games today, should Christians avoid video games or do they have benefits in moderate use?

This should be a good discussion. It may be a good week to invite someone new.

If you need more info or directions, e-mail me. See you at the house!

will

Blogging Pressure

Since the Witness article, I have noticed a bit of an increase in the number of visits to the weblog. I suddenly feel as though I should be posting something meaningful. But, you know, sometimes I don't have anything meaningful to say.

If you are considering Disciple Bible Study, (See post below) today would be a great day to sign up. You can register via e-mail for the Tuesday night Disciple I class. E-mail me and I will e-mail you back a registration form.

peace,

will