A Saint in Methodism?

Moments to Remember

2011-07-26T08:44:00.005-04:00

There are certain things in life where you capture a "picture" in your mind. The birth of a child, your bride walking down the aisle, going on your first date, the moment when you accepted Jesus; these are all those "special" moments in life. Last night was, for me a special night.

Most boys and some girls dream of going to play at the major league ball park. I sure did. I always dreamed what it would be like to play at Three Rivers Stadium or what it would be like to play at PNC Park. Our daughter, Alayna, had that chance last night!

What a night. Alayna got a hit everytime she batted, hit in and scored the first two runs of the game after it was scoreless for half the game and watched as a team of 12 and under girls played so strong together as a team, pulling out a victory in extra innings, 5-4.

Alayna's coach, Bridget is a class act. Throughout the season, I watched a coach teach when the girls needed taught, encouraged when the girls got down on themselves, motivated when the girls got slow in the summertime heat and most importantly, loved each one of them as her own. I say, "Thanks", Coach Bridget for modeling a way of coaching that every coach should exemplify.

I didn't sleep much last night, partly because the "little boy" in me kept seeing "big league" visions of my daughter swinging and hitting a ball in a major league ballpark with her name on the jumbotron.

Makes me thank God for the gift of being a father. God, you're awesome. Thanks for giving Jennifer and I three awesome children and for blessing us with family and church family. We are surrounded by people we love.

Abby, Daddy is So Proud

2011-06-07T12:37:00.004-04:00

Last night, Alayna had a softball game. Alayna's team won 14-0, and finished early. We had to run to Gabriel's to get some picture frames for some pictures we took over the day and weekend for a few people.

After checking out at the register, we made our way through the front lobby of Gabes. Coming in was an entire family. Father, mother, two children. One of the children was pushing the cart very slow. I tried to scoot by, but couldn't do it that well as the family was standing nearby him. As I looked down, this little boy pushing the cart had leg braces from the ankles to knees. I knew then why he was walking slower.

I was able to come around the boy and the cart. As I came around the cart, I turned and smiled to the boy pushing the cart with his mom next to him. I knew this kid! It was Abby's classmate Eddie.

Abby talks about Eddie all the time. She really likes him. I looked at the mom and said, "Hello, I'm Abby's dad and Abby talks about Eddie all the time." I looked at Eddie, and said, "Abby, really likes you buddy." Eddie has speech issues and was able to say, "Thank you." The mom then said, "Eddie, who is your friend at school?" Eddie looks at her and was able to say, "Abby." I just smiled from ear to ear!

The mom, speaking broken English, (with a strong Eastern European accent) said, "Abby is dear to my heart." If you could have felt like I felt at that moment. I could have melted. I was overcome with a sense of peace, joy and thankfulness for what and who my daughter is.

Here was a family whom I never have met before, from Eastern Europe, now living here, was touched by my daughter's gift of love for their son. Abby's teacher told me this week, that she wrote in her folder to request for next year that Abby should be put in a classroom where special needs kids are because she has such a love and compassion to help them and care for them.

I got home and gave Abby a HUGE hug and told her how proud I was of her for caring for Eddie in school. Jennifer asked Abby if she met Eddie's mom and Abby said, "Yes, she comes in our room at school."

Wow, my seven year old is already out there in the world making an impact for Jesus Christ, sharing her love of God with all people. It had to be one of the proudest moments of my entire life.

Mark 10:14 "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God."

What I Just Found

2011-05-24T13:57:00.004-04:00

The kids are at school today and I am on vacation all week. Some vacation... I am packing room by room, getting ready for the move to Butler. I am working in Aaron's room right now. I came across a book (hardcover) that is unfinished. Aaron was working on a book last year but never completed it. It is titled, "The Big Game."

The dedication page says, "Dedicated to my dad. Because he takes me to Pirate games."

It may not mean much to you, but it brought me to tears. Little do I realize sometimes the importance of those things, like a Pirate game. May I appreciate the little things that I do with the kids more often.

Wow. I had a book dedicated to me by my son. Cool.

He Taught Us So Much...

2009-12-01T19:50:00.002-05:00

Life is an unpredictable affair. Today's plans can change at any moment. Tomorrow's dreams can be just that, a dream.

I remember it was a beautiful Tuesday morning, the sun was shining, crystal clear skies, beauty was all around. As Kelly said, I felt that calmness. I felt peace at 8:00 a.m. Little did I know that in one hour, at 9:00 a.m., that our world would forever change on September 11, 2001. We never know the day nor the hour.

A few years ago in worship at my last appointment a gentleman by the name of Warren came in to worship that day and said hello. Little did we know that in that day of worship, Warren would take his last breath because he had a heart attack in the congregation that day. We never know the day or the hour.

Jesus shared this with his disciples. And He tells this parable of exactly what we know and what we have experienced in this past week as a church community. Jesus tells them in Matthew, Chapter 25, verses 1 through 13, "The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of the ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish took no oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil.

“When the bridegroom was delayed, they all laid down, and they slept. At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming. Come out and welcome him.’ All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, 'Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are running out.' The others replied, 'We don't have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.'

"But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. And those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside calling, 'Sir, open the door for us.' But he called back, 'I never knew you.' So stay awake and be prepared because you do not know the day or the hour of my return."

If you look into this story, we see here Jesus talking about preparation, being ready for this grand event. Of the bridesmaids, five were ready, and the other five were not. What's it like to prepare yourself for a celebration, a wedding feast or a wedding reception? You go out, and you buy a brand new dress, or you go out and get yourself a fancy tie and some new shoes. You go out, and you make all the preparations in anticipation for this great event. It is exciting in waiting and anticipating for that glorious time, whether it be a wedding reception, or, as we see here, in waiting for the Lord's return. So these bridesmaids waited to join this procession.

But when the bridegroom came, only five went in. The door was locked. By the time they came back with their oil, the door had already been shut. We never know the day, and we never know that hour.

This past week one of our own, one of our own, an 18yearold youth lost his life tragically and never knew that on Wednesday at 5:30 in the afternoon that that would be the moment. John Eyrolles impacted lives all around him. He impacted lives of youth, of children, of adults. Yesterday at the funeral home I witnessed all four worshipping communities there to pay their respects: Saturday night 5:30 people were there, Early Morning worship, Asbury Alternative, Sanctuary Classic. Everyone was there to gather to show their love and support to Sue and Roger in the moment of their despair.

You could find John almost anywhere. You could find him in the youth room almost every Sunday night. I heard yesterday that you could find John at the rummage sale riding a tricycle that wasn't even his. You could find John in the Lord's Pantry helping his Mom in the summertime taking items off the truck and putting them into the pantry. You could see John serving spaghetti at the youth luncheons, which we're having today. You could see John as one of the youth ushers -- like our youth did today -- coming forward. You could see John in the Asbury Alternative running our video equipment week in and week out. You could see John doing drama skits at the Asbury Alternative, and most recently playing the voice of God, and what a deep voice did he have. He really did it well.

John's church resume was extensive. In 18 short years, it was extensive. He loved the church. Praise be to God the church loved him back. The church took those vows of reaffirmation in the baptism to support John, to encourage him, to nurture him in the faith, and that is what each one of you did. That's what each one of you did. And I say glory to God in the highest for what you have done to raise such a young man in the faith. And, most importantly, John loved Jesus. And Jesus loves him forever. John was like the bridesmaid who had enough oil in his lamp. He was ready. He was prepared to have that reception.

About a year and a half ago at Pure Freedom, which is a rally for sexual purity, John stood up at this rally and committed his life to Christ saying that he wanted the Lord to be his life over everything that he did and stood up and said, I want to live a life of purity until I'm married. Over this past summer, this church raised monies for John and for our youth to go to Tennessee on a mission trip where he recommitted his life once again to Christ. He was going to be applying for Team Effort, which is a missionbased ministry, to go out and serve as a staff member to help other youth groups build homes.

Why did John do all of this? Why was he so involved in our church? Because he lived what he faithfully professed: He professed a faith in the Lord. John lived the words that we hear in the gospel of John the 14th Chapter, where Jesus says, don't be troubled. Trust in God, trust in me. In my Father's house, there are many rooms, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know where I am going and how to get there. No, we don't know Lord, said Thomas. We haven't any idea where you're going, so how can we know the way? Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

As Jesus concludes almost this chapter, he says in verse 27, as we talked with the children this morning, I am leaving you with a gift: Peace of mind, peace of heart. The peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. The life! Jesus is life! Jesus is life, not just on this earth, but Jesus is life everlasting. And that's why we're here in church: To profess in that faith of the resurrection of Jesus Christ because, hallelujah, we are Easter people! We're not Good Friday people. We're not people of death, but we are people of life. Life abundant and life everlasting. That's why John was here because John was full of life.

If you knew John, you knew he was full of life. You knew he was full of sarcasm. He was full of quick comments. He liked to stir the pot occasionally. But that was John. And John's goal was to make everyone happy. And God called him to bring joy to everyone he knew. And in that joy of knowing that Jesus was his Lord and Savior, he, praise God, has found his resting place: eternal life with the Lord our God.

You know, it's moments like this where it strikes the community as a whole. This was news that was not just in our local area, it was in the Salt Lake City newspaper, it was in the Kansas City Star, it was in the New Orleans news. It was news that hit nationwide because of the tragedy that occurred and the impact that it makes on each one of our lives. But as a church in the midst of all of this that we're dealing with emotionally, we come today to think about this, and we think about those words in Matthew, Chapter 25, to be ready because we do not know the day or the hour. That's why we're here in worship, that's why we do Wednesday Night Live, that's why we do Vacation Bible School, that's why we do youth group, so we can prepare ourselves for what is to come. To anticipate, to have our lamps ready and trimmed for the bridegroom's return. But also as a church family in the midst of the tragedy, we bind ourselves together as the body of Christ, and we show the love of Jesus Christ with whom all we meet.

Over this past week I have received countless phone calls on my cell phone, at the office, through email, Facebook pages galore, Facebook messages from youth and from the people of this church who have said to me, is there anything I can do for the Eyrolles' family? There has been so much love. There has been so much support by this church family, it just bursts forth with such love. As one of your pastors I say, glory to God for you, the body of Christ, that when one part of the body suffers, the rest of the body suffers with it. And when one part rejoices, we celebrate in that joy together.

God has blessed us with each one of you. Each one of you. And God has blessed this congregation with a young man who for 18 years shared his love of Jesus with each one of you, whether it was spaghetti on a plate, whether it was collecting an offering off of you, whether it was sharing a story in youth group, whether it was pounding a nail on a house in Tennessee or in West Virginia. We will remember the impact that this young man had on our life, and we will celebrate it with joy. And we as a church will continue to go on growing and nurturing one another because that is what we do. We are not a church of death, but we are a church of resurrection and life abundant.

Thanks be to God for the glorious gift that God has given us and for the opportunity to share that life everlasting and to be the life and the hope to a world that needs it today. Amen.

ReThink Church

2009-05-05T22:52:00.003-04:00

Today I finally had an opportunity to read the United Methodist Magazine, Interpreter. Most of the magazine focused on the new UM campaign, ReThink Church. (Our brother, Greg Cox is quoted in the magazine- go Greg!!) I am intrigued by the campaign and the many opportunities that lie ahead for our denomination. In the midst of all of the excitement for a new campaign, my heart aches for what is actually taking place in many churches across the country.

We may be rethinking ways to engage ourselves in the world in which we live, but many times, we are neglecting the ways we are engaging the people right in our pews or in the chairs we set up. Let me explain.

Ten years ago, as a newly married man and school teacher, I worshipped at a flagship church with my new wife at the time, Jennifer. When we would attend this church, we always parked at the far end of the parking lot, finding very few spots to park on Sunday. Just recently, we returned, only to find ourselves parked at the top of the lot, the third car in the lot. Jennifer looked at me sadly and said with a discouraged tone, "This doesn't look good." It wasn't. We walked in and had our choice of pews to sit. 10 years ago, we did not have that opportunity to sit where we liked.

I wanted to cry. My heart ached and still does for what I witnessed and still witness today. I love the church. To see the church dwindling, saddens me greatly. As I listened to 10 minutes of announcements, I thought, "What is the church doing to engage the community?" The announcements reflect much of what is taking place on the inside. How many first time visitors will be excited to hear about an executive committee meeting at 9:00 a.m.? On a positive note, the church we attended was friendly than ever! Praise God for the hospitality, but as The Interpreter asks, "What if church was less about Sundays, and more about the other days of the week?"

I truly am praying for what God can do through the people of the church if the people will be open to the Spirit's leading and guidance throughout this journey. May our churches be open to what God can do through our communities if we just step, in faith, out of the box.

Lenten Series

2009-02-15T21:25:00.003-05:00

Steeler Nation

2009-02-02T15:38:00.002-05:00

Way to go Pittsburgh! Six-time Super Bowl Champs!!

Hope In The Midst of Trying Times

2009-01-28T08:36:00.003-05:00

I have a dear family member who is going through something very difficult: Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer. In the midst of the news that we received last week, my family member has remained very hopeful. Hopeful for what we ask? When you receive a diagnosis like this, the end result is quite grim. However, in the midst of it all, I see hope.

Another family member asked my relative, "Why are you so hopeful?" To which my relative replied, "I have faith." Yes, my born-again relative has witnessed the hope that Jesus Christ brings in the midst of troubled times. Christ proved to us that we do have something to hope for; Eternal Life. I am grateful for the promise Jesus gives us and the assurance we have as His children. That's why my relative can live as Paul writes, "Rejoice in the Lord always; I will say it again, Rejoice!" Praise be to God for the hope God gives us through Jesus Christ!

The Eye Roll

2008-12-23T23:51:00.003-05:00

Let's have some Christmas spirit. This morning, I left early to officiate a funeral in West Virginia. It was a bit of a road trip so I thought I would fill up my new Sheetz mug (thanks Allan for the mug!) in Canonsburg and then jump on I-79 and make the rest of the way south. Sheetz was normally busy for that time of morning and I had on my suit, long coat and a donut in hand and my mug of coffee. The line was all the way back to the coffee table. I saw a man, with his coffee and I said, "Go ahead, you were before me." He looked me in the eye, looked me up and down and then rolled his eyes in disgust.

Is there that much hatred and anger in the world we live? I smiled and just got behind him. We celebrate Christmas this week. We celebrate the Prince of Peace that came to us; Emmanuel, God with us. May our hearts be in tune to the peace that Christ offers us. Pray for the heart of the man who wanted to "hate" me this morning. I ask that the peace of Christ will penetrate his heart so that he can experience the joy that Jesus offers us.

Afternoon in Bethlehem

2008-11-30T22:26:00.008-05:00

Today, the people of Baldwin Community got a start on the Advent season with an Afternoon in Bethlehem! We had such a great day sharing our faith with each other and eventually the people of Overlook Green Assisted Living Center! After a wonderful lunch by our Parish Life team, we enjoyed crafts, dressing in costume and eventually a chance to sing to the people of the Living Center. Below are a few pictures of the memorable day!

Way to Go Baldwin Community!

2008-11-11T16:29:00.004-05:00

I walked into my office this afternoon to see a letter from the Western PA Annual Conference Camping Office. It was a list of all the churches in the Conference who sent campers to one of the three camps (Allegheny, Jumonville, Wesley Woods). I was ever so pleased to see that Baldwin Community sent 42 campers to camp this summer!!! We increased from 18 campers in 2007 to 42 in 2008! Way to go people of Baldwin Community!

I have a deep and profound love for the camping ministries of the WPA Conference. It was at Jumonville that I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. It is our hope that through camping, our children at Baldwin Community and the children all over can experience the love Christ has for us.

I also want to thank everyone who gave to our Baldwin Community scholarship to assist our campers with a full scholarship this year!!! You are a blessing to many! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

OK This Should Not Be Happening to Me Right Now

2008-11-06T21:28:00.004-05:00

This morning I was hit with something I did not expect. Abby and I were heading to class this morning. Abby's preschool room is the last class at the end of the hallway. I hung her little jacket on her hook and we carried her cookie cake into the classroom (It's Abby's fifth birthday tomorrow, November 7th). As we walked into the room, a little boy from our church, Jack, handed Abby something. I didn't think much of it. She then handed it to me. I looked at it and then just kept talking to Mrs. Riani and Mrs. Pavlick. Then about 10 seconds later, I looked at it again. It was a beautifully wrapped purple rose. This struck me hard! My four year old daughter just got her first rose from a boy! Abby was so tickled by this and Jack was so proud at that moment to give his "girl" a rose! I had to get a picture with my phone (I'm glad my phone has a camera for quick moments like this). Jack, thanks for giving me (and Abby) a great big smile today (and for giving me an increased heart rate)! Happy 5th Birthday Abby (Little Betty)!

Way to Go Pastor Gretchen!

2008-11-05T17:39:00.002-05:00

Pittsburgh Tribune Review
Voters feel tension of historic moment at North Side's New Hope church
By Asia M. HowellPOINT PARK NEWS SERVICETuesday, November 4, 2008

Gretchen Hulse, a first-time pastor at New Hope Methodist Church on the North Side, sipped her coffee in the far corner of her church lobby early this morning as she watched neighbors patiently wait, some in the bitter cold, determined to have their votes counted.
"People are very tense in this election," she said. "I mean we have the possibility of making history. They're worried about what this day will bring, but my prayer is that everyone that can vote will vote."
Voters at New Hope were lined up before the poll doors even opened at 7 a.m. Many people had turned out to vote in the presidential race between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.

"I usually come right around the corner every election and walk right in, vote and come out, but some of these people have been in line since 6:30 a.m.," said Michelle Clark, 38, a disabled veteran from the Central North Side. "This is new to me."
The lines were new, but the voters' concerns were familiar: Voters talked about potential problems and issues the day's events might unravel.
Stephanie Jones of Homewood, working the polls at the North Side church said, "I'm expecting a blackout, system failure, and numerous recounts -- something to change the results."
Some voters challenged the training of poll workers when they were asked for legal identification.
"A lady behind me was yelling and threatening to report poll workers because they asked her for ID," said Jackie Myers, 67, a psychologist. "Those same workers asked me, too, but I simply told them I've voted at (New Hope) every election and they were able to check me off that way."

Way to Go Gretchen! (Gretchen is in my Young Cohort Group through WPA Conference)

Knowing the Context

2008-10-30T21:53:00.003-04:00

A Few Pictures

2008-10-26T13:23:00.006-04:00

The vision at The Church of the Resurrection written in the gathering area.

The gathering area at Church of the Resurrection

Pastors John Shaver and Todd Thomas enjoying some coffee at the coffee house in the gathering area at Church of the Resurrection.

A Road Trip

2008-10-25T21:43:00.003-04:00

Sharing in the Lewis Fellowship at Wesley Theological Seminary continues to enhance my pastoral life at Baldwin Community United Methodist Church.

This trip consisted with many site visits to a variety of worship settings in the Kansas City area. Our first visit was to The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. The Church of the Resurrection (www.cor.org) is the largest UM Church in The United States. Last year's Christmas Eve services at The Church of the Resurrection topped 22,500 in attendance! We met personally with Adam Hamilton, church founder for two hours. He spent time focusing on the birth of the church leading up to their current setting. Hamilton shared his thoughts on vision. As you can see in the picture, vision is a large part of the church's life. This vision statement is located in large print in their lobby area (the size of a mall!).

When birthing the church and even today, Adam asked this of the people, "Why do people need Christ? Why do people need the church? Why do people need this church?" He stressed the importance of knowing the answers to these questions. Clergy and laity both need to know why we exist, what is our mission and what is the vision God has laid upon our hearts. We had an opportunity to spend one hour asking Adam questions relating to our personal ministries.

Our second trip today took us to Jacob's Well (www.jacobswellchurch.org) Tim Keel met with us for approximately two hours. We asked questions and had an opportunity to listen to Tim explain the ten years of ministry there. Jacob's Well is an emergent church. An emergent church is meant to be a space that is honest and authentic to the context the church finds itself within the community. This church grew from a small handful to over 1100 attendees on Sunday.

God is doing some great work among His people in the communities I witnessed on this trip. I also praise God that the Spirit is alive and moving through the community of faith at Baldwin Community UMC. We are blessed to be going through our purpose, mission and vision planning and I encourage each one of you to be faithfully praying for our church. We are in the midst of an exciting time.

The Great Escape

2008-10-17T23:28:00.003-04:00

Currently, I am between trips. Next week, I will be traveling to Kansas City with the Lewis Fellowship. This past week, I spent three days at the Great Escape, a pastor's retreat at Antiochian Village. This retreat was intended to be a time of renewal, reflection, and a time of learning from Gil Rendle. It was indeed that.

The three days away exhausted me! Constant conversations with my fellow peers, sharing, working, reading... it was intense. However, the most influential time of this retreat came from my time with Allan Brooks. Allan and I serve together in ministry at Baldwin Community. A long time ago, I said, "I'll never be an associate pastor." As the days and months pass by, I am ever thankful I serve in ministry with a staff of gifted individuals. I am grateful to be serving at Baldwin Community for a variety of reasons.

This retreat allowed Allan and myself to grow as a pastoral team in a variety of ways. He and I stuck close as one pastor approached Allan and said, "Are you brothers?" He laughed and said, "No, we just serve together." Today, I thank God for Allan and his leadership, wisdom and most importantly, his friendship.

A Great Witness

2008-10-04T22:43:00.003-04:00

Today the kids and I decided to go to the mountains since Jennifer was working. We met my parents, my sisters and their families in Confluence for their annual Pumpkin Festival. We arrived in Confluence during the height of the festivities! We walked down into town and met people we knew from Belle Vernon and a few other spots! Small world indeed! As we walked through town we stopped to try out the food booths (it was a bad day for the waistline)! We had the best pizza in the world, $2.00 pepperoni rolls that were almost 10 inches long! We tried the pumpkin rolls, funnel cakes, pumpkin ice cream, and the chocolate chip cookies! I did say it was a bad day for the waistline.

One of the best moments of the day was watching Wesley Chapel UMC and Confluence UMC at work witnessing to the crowd. Abby went into the Wesley Chapel booth as they offered free face painting. As she walked in, I slowly positioned myself near the edge of the tent. I listened as the women asked Abby, "Do you go to church Abby?" Abby said, "yes." The woman asked Abby which face painting she wanted. Abby pointed to the heart cross with different colors. The woman then told Abby what each color represented and she explained who Jesus was. This woman just witnessed in such a loving and meaningful way to our 4 year old. So simple that Abby understood everything she told her. Abby was so proud of her heart cross on her cheek.

I found it wonderful to see the United Methodist churches in town witnessing to the community to which they are a part of. Thanks Wesley Chapel and Confluence UMC's for a witness well done!

Happy Birthday Aaron!

2008-09-22T11:11:00.002-04:00

10 years ago, this day, our lives changed for the better. God blessed us with a son, Aaron Jeffrey on September 22, 1998. Our son is a blessing to our family. Aaron has such a sweet spirit. Aaron is very shy, but would be willing to do anything for you. Yesterday we went out to eat with Maw-Maw and Pappy. When Aaron saw his grandpap, Aaron hugged him as hard as he could and gave him a big kiss right on the lips! He is full of the love of God and through his faith and witness, this dad is a proud papa! Thank you God for the gift of life, the gift of life in our son, Aaron and the gift of Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.

The Day Off

2008-09-19T13:28:00.007-04:00

Today's my day off. I have finally been able to be home for most of a day off! Tonight I do have a wedding rehearsal, but that's not bad. The last four weeks have been busy times. However, today I get to stay home. Even though I'm home, laundry seems to be a never ending saga. With five people in the house, it can pile up fast. Jennifer and I are clear about our expectations; I wash and fold, she puts all of them away. Even though we still share the responsibility, it's so much work!

I guess I should not complain! We are blessed to have the water to do it, we are blessed to have a washer and a dryer, and we are blessed to have clothes to put into the washer. I've been many places around the world where that's not the case. Millions do not have clean water to drink, let alone wash their clothes. I'm going to go and fold my clothes and thank God that I can.

Family Devotion Time

2008-09-10T13:06:00.004-04:00

Family devotion time is a practice we have not consistently practiced...until recently. During a trip to Family Christian Stores, I came across a 365 Family Devotional book. I took a look at it and thought, this looks pretty simple, but yet, impacting at the same time. I bought the book and to our pleasure, the kids love it! (Last night Abby laughed during the entire devotion... why I'm not even sure! Maybe she thought the theme of forgiveness was too funny!) Jennifer and I did not have anywhere to go last night, which was awesome and a rarity. Both of us were present for the devotion.

Each devotion consists of 1) One Bible verse 2) Short meditation that the kids can read 3) A reflection question or a quote from someone that will make you think.

I encourage you to try it. It brings the family together and it gives us all something to focus on and pray for. If you do not have children in your family, I encourage you to read a devotion that may be age/gender specific for you/spouse/fiance', girlfriend/boyfriend. There were multiple devotionals for purchase when I went. I'm sure many will still be there when you go!

A New Perspective

2008-08-25T15:17:00.004-04:00

I just got back from visiting my relatives in Ohio. My Aunt Evelyn lives in Hamilton, OH and my Uncle Paul lives in Georgetown, OH. Both live in care facilities. It was wonderful spending time with my loving relatives and I had the opportunity to share this with our three kids (Unfortunately, Jennifer had to work).

Uncle Paul, back in the day, owned his own printing business. Uncle Paul was very successful in what he did and he is one person I admire. He ran a very successful business. Uncle Paul lives now in a Veteran's Home. It's a beautiful place, newly constructed in a farming area on the outskirts of Cincinnati. Uncle Paul and I talked for a few hours before my cousins arrived and we all went to dinner. It was great to see Uncle Paul doing so well.

We also had the opportunity to visit my Aunt Evelyn. Aunt Evelyn is approaching 90 yrs of age. Aunt Evelyn's faith in Jesus Christ has always been a powerful influence in my life. Aunt Evelyn worked in a bank near Dayton for many years until her retirement. Aunt Evelyn is now in the skilled section of the nursing home, rooming with Alzheimer's patients. Our visit with Aunt Evelyn was not too long, as she could not handle much more. During our visit, she made many comments that showed her mind was beginning to fade. This saddened me greatly. I knew a woman, as a child, who was full of life. Now she sat in a wheelchair, watching the days pass by.

I believe our visit will strengthen my ministry to the elderly. So often, I see the elderly in nursing homes as people who have "always been there." After this visit, it struck me that the people who have "always been there" are in fact, people that have not "always been there." People like Uncle Paul and Aunt Evelyn held incredibly prominent jobs, supported families and cared for the community just as people my age do now. One day, I will be their age and I will long for relationships with my family and others around me. This new perspective will allow me to better understand those whom I visit and listen to the stories they share or even just to sit there and hold their hand. May I be attentive to the ever increasing needs that I see around me.

It was great to visit and to love our extended family.

A Very Special Person Turns Eight

2008-08-09T08:44:00.003-04:00

This weekend, we are celebrating a birthday! Alayna turns eight on Monday. Tomorrow, we are going to have a party! Alayna has been counting the days for her birthday for two months! With Alayna, parties are a must! I'm looking forward to the day too! She's got a heart of gold and always is willing to share Christ's love to everyone, including all her friends at school! Thank God for Alayna!

Practical Stuff

2008-08-01T11:57:00.004-04:00

Jennifer found something this week on the web that has made our life so much easier! If you have multiple people in your house and you can never figure out each other's schedules, this website is for you! Go to http://www.cozi.com/ This online tool is free and can organize your entire family's life! I now get text messages straight from http://www.cozi.com/ that tell me what to pick up at the store on my way home! Check it out! You'll be glad you used it when you're coming back from soccer practice and there is that one thing you need to pick up and you just can't remember what it was!!! Good find Jennifer!

Open Seating...A First for Me

2008-07-29T16:51:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I flew Southwest Airlines for the first time. Usually, I fly other airlines, but this was the first time I have ever used the open seating option.

Lining up was an experience in itself! I was one of the last people on the plane. I like window seats, so I found a window seat near the rear of the plane. Sitting down next to me was a business man. I said hello and he said hi. I opened up the book I was reading and I heard a mother and son talking in the aisle. It was the first time this young boy flew since he was very young. He was nervous and his mom was hoping to have two seats where they could sit together. The man next to me got up and said, "You can sit here." The little boy sat next to me and the mom sat on the aisle seat. Upon take-off, I asked him if this was his first time flying. He said yes. I asked him if he was from Pittsburgh and he said yes again. I then said, "Oh, so am I. What town do you live in?" He did not know. His mom said, "Whitehall." I smiled and said, "Wow, so am I!" I few more minutes passed in conversation and I said, "I'm a pastor, at Baldwin Community United Methodist Church, across from Caste Village." The mom smiled and said, "That's where my son went to preschool!" Again we smiled at just how small of a world this really is. The mom began to ask me if I knew some of the teachers. When she came to one teacher, I said, "The teacher you are talking about is at my house right now, babysitting our kids!" The mom then laughed because her daughter is dating our babysitter's son! Way too small of a world! Following about a 45 minutes conversation with the mom and her son from PSP's, Steeler Training Camp and even Alternative Worship, she said she might just come to church and check us out! I gave her the times of worship and said we would love to have them come.

I am thankful that the Spirit of God was at work with the "open seating" on Southwest! Thank God the business man got up and the mother and son sat down with me and we were able to talk church! God is good! All the time!

New Opportunity

2008-07-26T21:58:00.003-04:00

Monday morning I leave for Baltimore-D.C. area for a new opportunity: I have been accepted as a Lewis Fellow at Wesley Theological Seminary. The Lewis Fellowship http://www.churchleadership.com/programs/lewis_fellows08.htm will be a year in length with opportunities to travel to different parts of the country to meet with various church leaders. This first gathering will be focused on vision and leadership, two areas Allan Brooks and I are focusing on currently at Baldwin Community. I am truly excited but nervous at the same time for this awesome opportunity I have to grow in my ministry so that others may benefit. Please keep me, my family and our church family in prayer throughout this journey together.

Back to it!

2008-07-10T16:39:00.004-04:00

Blessings Friends,

I'm back in blogland. It was a great couple of weeks away; refreshing ourselves after a very busy spring season. The Outer Banks was hot; a great place for a few dips in the pool. 16 members of my family went to the beach this year. We truly enjoyed every moment together.

I am happy to say that I did win the "Biggest Loser-St. Clair Edition!" I ended up losing 55 lbs or 19.7 % of my body weight. My brother-in-law, Eric was right behind me at 51 lbs or 17% body weight. My sisters lost 30 lbs and Jenn lost nearly 20lbs! My dad even lost .8% or 2 lbs!

What a great incentive this was to get me on track and eating right once again. Thanks Casey for the great suggestion!

Vacation Fun

2008-06-22T12:03:00.004-04:00

I'll be out of blogland for a few weeks as we are packed and ready to leave for the beach! See you in two weeks!

Wish me well. Tomorrow is the final weigh in for the "biggest loser- St.Clair edition!" I'm going down 53 lbs lighter! I'll let you know who wins! Hopefully I'll be on the other end of Brett's 6/10 of a percent!

Words Really Cannot Describe

2008-06-21T22:26:00.005-04:00

Words really cannot describe the joy felt at this year's Mommy, Daddy & Me Camp at Jumonville. The entire week became for me a blessing from God.

I deaned this camp for the second year (yes, I will be back for a third!). At the beginning of the week a child told me he didn't believe in Jesus. This seven year old and I had a long talk about what Jesus meant to me. By the end of his camp, he hugged me and said, "I believe in Jesus." Praise God!

Last night, during our camp fire, a four year old came up to me and said, "I like you, Pastor Jeff." Talk about a melting heart! I love working with children and parents. Thank God for the opportunity to minister at camp and to serve Him by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the campers.

Making Mountain Pies!

A Sunset From Jumonville on Wednesday

Great Day @ South Park

2008-06-08T19:21:00.012-04:00

Today concluded Asbury Alternative's Worship Series, "Back to Basics," a five week series focusing on Acts 2:42-47. It was a great day for worship, picnicking and fellowship at South Park! It was such a hot day, 94, I believe my thermometer read when I got into the van! We concluded with a message on house churches. When I got home this evening, I was thrilled to see the interest generated from our sign up forms to be a part of a house church movement at Baldwin Community!

Enjoy a few pictures from today's excitement. I will continue to pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit as we begin our groups in the homes of the church family.

Servant Ministry

2008-06-05T22:11:00.002-04:00

I have been overwhelmed by the recent response for the Blitz Build in Mercer County during Annual Conference. Our Annual Conference has put together a plan to build a habitat house in Mercer, PA. I truly do not think the Annual Conference had an idea as to how many would come out to serve in ministry.

If you go to the Conference website http://www.wpaumc.org/, you will see Breaking News at the top of the page. When I clicked on this tonight, I could not believe that we have a cut-off! I am so glad to see the people of this Conference joining together in mission! We have had so many servants, willing to serve in this endeavor, that work is being found throughout Mercer County. Baldwin Community is blessed to be sending many volunteers to serve in the multiple ministry opportunities available. I look forward to hearing the stories!

It is my prayer that the house that's being built, the multiple projects available and the hundreds of servants in ministry will bring the Lord glory and honor in the week ahead. I can't wait to hear of the lives transformed and touched throughout this journey. I give Dianne Miller kudos for trying to arrange hundreds of volunteers for such a task!

Enjoy Memorial Day

2008-05-23T09:32:00.005-04:00

Blessings!

I am truly thankful for this upcoming weekend. I will be glad to see this week go. The cold damp weather brought along a cold that I still can't kick. When I heard the weather forecast for the weekend and into Monday, I was filled with gladness. Sun and temperatures into the low 80's by Monday is a welcome relief to all the rain and cool temps that have crossed our area in recent weeks.

On Monday, the family has the joy of going to support my niece, McKenzie at a parade. McKenzie was crowned Little Miss Dunbar last year and this year she gets to be in the parade, waving to all the people of this wonderful little community. I am proud of McKenzie and the rest of my nieces and nephews. They're all such good kids. I am truly looking forward to the fellowship with my family and some very good friends. (McKenzie is pictured with my nephew, Braden and niece, Katie Sue.)

As we concentrate on fellowship in worship this weekend, I pray you will have an opportunity to enjoy some great Christian fellowship with your family and friends on Memorial Day and throughout the weekend.

Enjoy one another and build each other up, in the name of Christ Jesus. Amen.

Back to Basics

2008-05-19T21:35:00.002-04:00

Over the last two weeks, we have begun the "Back to Basics" worship series at the Asbury Alternative.

Our focus is to spend the month on Acts 2:42-47.

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Over the next four weeks, we will spend time focusing on the benefits of 1. Studying the Word 2. Fellowship 3. Prayer 4. Breaking Bread 5. Meeting in homes. A simplistic formula, but one that has worked over centuries and continues to work in other parts of the world, such as China and Africa.

Our desire is to take our new Alternative service to the next level, in faithful practice and in physical presence. Praise God, we have been reaching the community through this newly developed service, recently having slightly over 200 in worship! The vision that God has laid upon our hearts is to see our church family attending this service develop strong cell groups that can split and multiply. This will be a commitment, but one that will reap benefits for you and those you invite.

This past weekend, we worshipped focusing on the Word. Towards the end of the sermon, I gave practical insight as to how we can deepen our faith through the reading of the Word. After worship, some of my personal Bible studies were being carried out of the worship center! Some couldn't leave worship without grabbing a study! God is good!

This Sunday, we will focus on fellowship. What is fellowship? What constitutes healthy, Christian fellowship among sisters and brothers?

May the Lord bless us as we spend the next month focusing on Acts 2 and being attentive to the leading of God's Holy Spirit.

God loves a cheerful giver

2008-04-29T11:15:00.003-04:00

Wow, this morning brought me a moment that I just want to hold dear to my heart for a long time and I am glad I have the opportunity to blog about it. That way, I can reflect upon this day and how I felt.

Typically, mornings are crazy times for me. I get up now and go to the gym at 6:15 (I've lost 35 lbs here in the last two months!) I get home at 7:30 and jump in the shower. Get out of the shower and get the three kids ready for school. Jen's getting ready to work or has left already. It is normally crazy!

This morning was no different. After the kids were fed, I ran downstairs to iron my clothes for the day. While I was ironing my shirt, Alayna walked in and said, "Daddy, I have a quarter here and I am going to put it in my Minnie Mouse bank. I am saving my money to help you and mommy buy the new van." (We are in search of a new van.) My first thought was, "Alayna, you're so sweet. You don't have to do that." I gave her a kiss and said to her, "Alayna, you are so thoughtful." She just smiled and went upstairs and put the quarter in the bank. I got up stairs and she said, "Daddy I have 30 monies (30 cents) in the bank for you!" I could have cried tears of joy and gratitude. Here is our seven year old, striving to help us out the best way she knows how. I thought about how much this means to her; giving unselfishly to this "van fund." I was not going to accept it, but the more I am thinking about it, Alayna wants to give because she loves us. I am going to accept the "30 monies" she has collected and use it for the "van fund." I know Alayna loves to use quarters to buy cross necklaces out of the quarter machine at Giant Eagle. But this quarter is special. She is giving her gift in love. I need to accept this love offering. She gave it fully in love.

Pastor Allan and I have witnessed recently some in the church who desire to share their gifts with the church. When I say "gifts" here, I mean their talents and spiritual gifts. Some of these people have been told by others, "Oh, don't worry, I'll take care of it. You don't have to help now." This has turned away the "cheerful givers." Those who say this don't mean any thing wrong, they are so used to helping, that others are sometimes overlooked when it comes to service. Allan and I are trying to expand the number of the church's "cheerful givers" and include all of those who want to give in love. Just as I almost said to Alayna, "Don't worry Alayna, Daddy doesn't need your money," may we, as the church, be open to accepting the "cheerful giver" as they share their love of Jesus with us and the community of faith.

Thanks Alayna for teaching me a great lesson today. Yes, I will use the "30 monies" of yours with gladness and appreciation! Love, Daddy.

8th Avenue Ministries

2008-04-20T21:36:00.004-04:00

I had the opportunity to go to Homestead yesterday afternoon with my family and members of Baldwin Community's Mission Team. We visited 8th Avenue Ministries, a new church start in the heart of Homestead. The new ministry is being led by Keith Kaufold. I told my children going into Homestead that this church is not like the church they are used to attending. I told them this would be like a coffeehouse, a gathering place to eat and talk to others. When my children walked in, they were pleasantly surprised to see spaghetti and meatballs and on top of that, chocolate chip cookies! During our dinner, I sat across a 5th grader who told me every detail about her life! It was great to listen to this girl's life and how she loves Jesus.

Following dinner, we set up the room into a worship center. It was an awesome opportunity to be fed physically and spiritually. The music was moving, the preaching touching and the fellowship of believers engaging. I left this worship filled with a sense of renewal and joy. I ask that you keep Keith and this new ministry on 8th Avenue in your daily prayers. I thank God for Keith and the vision God has laid upon his heart.

Camping Weekend

2008-03-26T15:34:00.005-04:00

Yes, it is almost here! Camping season 2008! I am extremely pumped to dean a camp this year (Mommy, Daddy & Me.) http://www.jumonville.org/ My two girls will get to go to my camp and Aaron will be able to go to an adventure camp the same week at Jumonville.

This weekend at Baldwin Community, we are celebrating camping ministries. Friday evening will be a "campout" at church, where our Parenting class and Date Night families will set up tents in Asbury Hall and have smores, camp songs, movies and just enjoy the night with each other. This weekend, we will get to have testimony from parents and kids regarding their camping experiences from last year and we will have an opportunity to give towards Baldwin Community's Camp Aid Program. Last year, in our first year of this special offering, we were able to cover 67% of our camper's costs to go to camp!

Let's see if we can do even more this year! Camping brochures will be throughout the church as well as passed out during the Children's time at the Asbury Alternative and at 11 a.m. Sanctuary worship.

Officiating a Wedding

2008-03-14T14:27:00.007-04:00

I have never been asked to perform a beach wedding before. Last week, Jennifer, the kids, my parents and in-laws accompanied one of my dearest friends, Brian Carr and his now wife, Karen to the beautiful island of St. Thomas for the beach wedding at Magen's Bay.

On the island we had the opportunity to join together for one of the most memorable days of my life.

Brian is a dear friend, dating back to the days of middle school in Belle Vernon. Brian and I worked, played baseball and hung out on the weekends together. I was honored to have been asked by Brian and Karen to officiate this wedding.

One of the greatest joys is knowing that these two individuals, Brian and Karen have a saving relationship in Jesus Christ. This couple has put Christ first and foremost in their relationship. As a friend and as the pastor officiating this wedding, to know they love the Lord with all their heart, with all their mind and with all their strength brings me great joy.

As a family, we were able to share some of our greatest memories. Weeks prior to going, Aaron, our son experienced some great difficulty breathing, thinking and told by the pediatrician, asthma (It turned out not!). We were questioning if this would be a good trip. It turned out that the warm tropical air did him the greatest good! He came back with a tan, sandy blond hair and no cough or breathing trouble. Praise God for the time away!

Here's Aaron "living it up" on the beach. No signs of sickness there!

Thank God for the time away. A time to celebrate, refresh and gain our health back!

I "Misremembered" my Brother Roger

2008-02-17T16:47:00.003-05:00

Ok... I have had the distinct pleasure (ha!ha!) of being told by a few from church that I look like the baseball player who "misremembered" taking some "things" at the hearings, Roger Clemens.

Ok, I admit. I take "things." I do take vitamins.

What NOT To Do On A Snow Day

2008-02-12T18:33:00.000-05:00

What am I to do when all the education world shuts down around me for a snow storm? I guess I change my day off! Jennifer is working 12 1/2 hours and I was the one to stay home. Today was the great snow of 08. Yes, we got walloped with a huge 4 inch snow storm. (Remember the days of three feet snows?) This four incher shut everything down pretty much today.

We couldn't go sledding today. (There are not many places in Whitehall that have sledding areas, as well as the kids growing out of their sledding gear.) Snowzone www.snozone.net (1/2 mile from us) opens tomorrow Besides Aaron, our son, had a orthodontics consult with Dr. Sepic www.smilesbysepic.com Dr. Sepic's office called this morning and asked if we could move up the appointment. We did. We arrived at our appointment, left a short while later and went to the movie theater.

Our goal was to watch Hannah Montana, Best of Both Worlds movie. We pulled up to Southland 9. We had the only vehicle in the lot, besides the one employee vehicle. The kids were jumping, excited to watch Hannah Montana in the movie!

We got to the clerk and she looked up and said in a monotone voice, "The movie costs $18 per person." I said, "Did you say this movie is $18 per person?" She said, "Yes." I looked at the kids and said, "Kids, daddy didn't realize this movie was going to cost us close to $100 to watch. This movie is too much money for us to pay." So we all turned around and left. On the way out, I said, "I'm sorry kids, Daddy didn't realize this was going to cost us as much as it costs to go to a Pirate game!" Aaron, the 9 year old, great thinker he is, said, "Daddy, it's ok. You made the right choice."

How can a working family like us afford to take my little children to see someone they think so much of and say, "Sorry, we can't afford this movie." $18 per person, including my four year old? It's unconscionable! It's unfair that the public has to pay $18 for a movie, not to mention $1000's of dollars for a little child to see Hannah Montana in concert.

So this is NOT what to do on a snowy day... see a Hannah Montana movie. Tonight we made popcorn, put our PJ's on and watched a rental... for $1.07.

She passed!

2008-02-07T22:16:00.000-05:00

Good News!

My dear wife Jennifer passed her National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN)! She took this exam for the first time on Tuesday. Today she found out that she passed! I am so proud of Jennifer. What a relief. She studied hours over the last couple of months for this exam. It paid off! We thank God for the wisdom she was given. It's now official, she is a RN!

Casinos Rake In Cash

2008-01-18T10:27:00.000-05:00

"Casinos Rake In Cash" was the title of The Valley Independent's Newspaper on Monday, January 14th. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/ As I read this I couldn't help but think of the ever increasing debt that individuals are falling in to. As the casino's are "rakin' in the cash," the economy around us is becoming much more unstable.

Gambling affects everyone. It is not just a problem with those who spend their money at a casino. When the new casino comes to Pittsburgh, many are anticipating a surge of dependent people in the area of public assistance.

As the Lord's Pantry (our food pantry at Baldwin Community) takes cuts from funding, the demand for food increases. It is a serious concern. Gambling is going to have an effect on the communities of Pittsburgh and throughout the state.

In 1998 the National Gambling Impact Study Commission funded a study to determine the overall cost to society posed by problem and pathological gamblers in the United States. The results showed that approximately $5 billion was lost annually (In 1998!), with an additional $40 billion in lifetime costs for productivity reductions, social services and creditor losses.

Studies have concluded that two out of three pathological gamblers commit illegal acts in order to pay gambling-related debts. This places a hardship on our legal systems, prison systems and public assistance programs.

The following consequences of problem gambling all result in economic costs for states, communities and individuals:

Job loss, unemployment
Debt, bankruptcy
Embezzlement, fraud, check forgery
Eviction, forced home sales
Crime, arrest, incarceration
Poor physical and mental health, suicide
Excerpted from: Effects of Problem Gambling [Internet]. California Council on Problem Gambling (Anaheim, CA); 2006 [cited May 2006]. Available at: http://www.calproblemgambling.org/gambling_effects.html.

John Wesley, founder of Methodism, considered gambling a means of gain inconsistent with love of neighbor. He clearly expressed his personal position in saying that he never bought a lottery ticket.

Wesley had a great concern for the economic ramifications gambling brought to the people of England. It was widespread then as we see it is today.

The United Methodist Church’s Book of Resolutions condemns gambling as “a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, and destructive of good government.”

I am concerned for our community of Pittsburgh. Last week, I served four families in one day with emergency bags of food. They did not request money, they needed food to survive. I am not sure what the relevance here is with gambling, but as I hear stories from Atlantic City and other gambling areas, the need for assistance is at an all time high and continues to rise.

I am thankful that Baldwin Community has a Gambler's Anonymous Program. It is a strong program here. I pray that it can continue to minister to the needs of those who do come and provide education to flee from this addictive behavior.

Please pray with me as we share this major concern together.

Proverbs 28:22 "A greedy person tries to get rich quick, but it only leads to poverty."

A New Nurse on the Scene

2008-01-12T21:27:00.000-05:00

A proud husband I am! Jennifer started her new career as a RN at Children's Hospital here in Pittsburgh! On Monday she began something that she dreamed of for a long time.

She will do wonderful with pediatrics. This is the gift God has blessed her with. I am so thankful that she can share it in such a beautiful way.

Have a Blessed New Year

2007-12-31T09:15:00.000-05:00

Since my covenant brothers mocked me this morning for not being in blogland for awhile, here is a post.

Happy New Year and I pray you will experience the fullness of God's redeeming love given to us in Jesus Christ.

Coming To Baldwin Community This Sunday!

2007-12-05T12:11:00.000-05:00

Check out who's coming to Baldwin Community on Sunday! Heath McNease will be here, live, in concert on Sunday! Tickets are $7 at the door! 7:00 p.m. All are welcome!

http://www.myspace.com/heathmcnease

to listen to his music and ministry!

A surprising moment at the school

2007-11-17T05:49:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Aaron, my son, invited me to be his guest at his Thanksgiving Feast. At this Thanksgiving Feast, all the students from my son's class were to be graded on their manners. His Social Studies unit was on Manners. I got to the feast, eventually found my seat and sat down. As the children came in, Aaron spotted me and came to sit next to me. (He gave me a great hug!) Aaron's teacher greeted the students and all the guests to the Thanksgiving Feast. She then told us, "In my family, we have the opportunity to share around the table at Thanksgiving all the blessings in life. We are going to do that here." Our side was first. Two other parents and their children went before me. I said, "I am so thankful for my son Aaron and his inviting me to this feast today." Aaron then said, "I am thankful for Dad." I was so moved by his sincerity. I love him dearly!

However, as we went around the room, I was ever so surprised to hear from multiple parents words like, "I am thankful for God and all his abundant blessings," or "I am thankful to God the Father Almighty and for His Son Jesus Christ." Wow, I thought I was back down on Baptist Road at Baldwin Community! Instead, I was at the public school! At this feast were people like the principal, the superintendent of schools and many parents. It was a moment of Thanksgiving for me to hear people outside of the church sharing their faith in Jesus Christ!

The world "out there" is not all as "bad" as society, media and other outlets portray it. As you may remember http://jeffstclair.blogspot.com/2007/09/parent-night-at-school.html, Aaron is being taught by a woman who loves the Lord and I think it is making all the difference in the world as I heard parents share it! This I can thank God for at Thanksgiving and everyday.

Naps during the Sermon

2007-11-12T15:30:00.000-05:00

Live to 100! Just don't get caught sleeping during the sermon on Sunday!

An Article by Dr. Maoshing Ni

This is one of my favorite longevity tips, but don't get the wrong idea! Sleeping your way to 100 means power naps. Power naps: 10, 20, 30 minutes a day really rejuvenate and refresh your body. Read on to discover how they factor into your longevity plans.Power Up with a Power NapA long-time tradition in Latin countries, a siesta is a great way to jumpstart the second half of your day. Famous nap enthusiasts have included some of the best minds in history, such as Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, and Thomas Edison.
What they knew was that a midday snooze - while seeming to be an unproductive use of time - could actually increase their effectiveness. Some of the reviving benefits of naps include enhanced cognitive function, better reaction time, more patience, stress relief, and better overall health.
So how long should your power nap be? It differs from person to person, but on average, a brief nap to revive the brain should be between 15 and 30 minutes.

Pray For One Another

2007-11-09T15:46:00.000-05:00

Last week, as you have read in my previous post was a difficult week for my family. After posting last week, Dad had another major setback and almost died this past Friday. He received a certain shot in the ER at Presby and had a major setback with the crashcart used and being called to come in because we didn't know if Dad would make it. Thankfully, Dad made it and is home now recuperating from the last two weeks.

Last week, in the midst of this, my covenant group met me all the way down here in Bethel Park to pray and to help me get my "mind" off everything I/we were facing as a family. Thanks brothers for walking with me during a stressful time in my life. You will never know just how much the two hours of fellowship did for me. The prayers have meant so much. You, Brett,Greg,John, and Chris have been there for me and I pray I can be there for you.

This week, we need to lift up John and the people of Christ Church as they begin the 11:01 service. Much work is involved in starting a new service as we just began The Asbury Alternative in September. It's not easy trying to get everything into the right spot, making sure that every aspect of a worship plan is a go. Know that I will be praying for you as we serve in ministry together.

James 5:16 "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed." The Message

The Great Physician

2007-10-30T15:21:00.000-04:00

God is good! All the time! My father took a very bad turn last Thursday evening and we spent most of the weekend and early this week in the hospital and eventually the Neuro ICU at Presby. Dad's neuropathy became severe, to the point he almost left this earth Friday and Saturday. He was in poor shape. Glory to God, dad is doing much better today and should be going home soon! There is much in this story, too much to share, but all I can say is that only God could provide the healing that dad experienced yesterday and today.

God is good! All the time!

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRAYERS!

God's Love,
Jeff

The Nerve Of Some People...

2007-10-22T18:52:00.000-04:00

My hardworking wife, Jennifer, has finished 99.9% of her course work at UPMC Shadyside. December 14th is graduation from nursing school. I couldn't be more proud of her especially since she is near the top of her class at every evaluation she takes. She is now starting her transition period which is like "student teaching" in the educational field.

Jennifer is assigned a preceptor "mentor" during this time of transition. She shadows this mentor during the entire period of transition. The mentor works this Saturday and Sunday. She works 7 a.m. -7 p.m.

Jennifer does not have to work the entire work week with the mentor. All she needs to do is work 24 hours a week. When Jennifer found out she had to work Sunday, she went to the instructor and asked if she could come in at noon and then work to 7 p.m. fulfilling her time requirement. When the mentor asked why she couldn't be in at 7 a.m. Jennifer replied, "I have church." The instructor then replied in a demeaning tone, "Nurses are 24/7." The instructor wouldn't budge. The instructor will not let Jennifer come in mid-way and finish out her hours for the week. Jennifer is frustrated. Has anyone out there faced this, and if so, what did you do?

Experiencing God at Macy's

2007-10-13T17:24:00.000-04:00

Wow, what a cool day it has been! Not only outside, but in life too! Today was a day in my ministry that I have never experienced before. It was a day where our praise band, The Asbury Alternative http://www.asburyalternative.com/ went out and played nothing but Christian music to the customers at Macy's in Century III Mall.

Whew, the response was great! We passed out flyers, Macy's passed out cookies, and a electrifying vibe spread throughout the first floor of Macy's. Some comments were, "This band is good!" and "Is this band, the Macy's band? This is great that you can bring Christian music to this store today!"

May through God's music, using us, a hungry soul be nourished today.

2007-10-12T14:36:00.000-04:00

Reading Dennis and Barbara Rainey's Moments Together For Couples today has given me much to ponder. Today, October 12th's reading is titled, Men and Work. In this short devotion, Barbara Rainey encourages wives to look at the importance of work in their husband's lives. Men feel satisfaction in their work, but all too often, husbands can be driven to push the envelope in terms of how much work one does.

At the same time, Rainey challenges wives to keep the husband in balance between work and family. I also challenge husbands to keep their working wives in balance too. How can we help one another keep a balanced perspective about our careers and family life?

God's Grace, Jeff

CROP Walk 2007 South Park

2007-10-05T13:00:00.000-04:00

Blessings this day!

This Sunday the South Hills CROP Walk will resume after a year off. What a year it is going to be! I believe we have 25-30 walkers just from BCUMC! All ages too! Please keep the walk in prayer as we go to South Park to raise awareness and funds to eradicate hunger and poverty in our local area and throughout the world.

See you on Corrigan Drive in South Park Sunday!

God's Grace,

Jeff

Connected

2007-10-02T07:03:00.001-04:00

Last evening, I had the opportunity to take five women from Baldwin Community UMC to listen to the Bishop speak. I was emotionally drained after spending most of the day officiating a funeral for a 20 year old girl who was killed in a car accident.

During the Bishop's talk, he spent time sharing about "connection." He gave personal testimony about the importance of connection in his life and a few others gave heartfelt witness to how God blessed them with "connection."

I needed to hear that yesterday. I was tired but that message spoke to me in the midst of my emotional fatigue.

I thank God for my "connection." I thank God for the church. I thank God for my co-workers in the fields. I thank God for my home church of Belle Vernon 1st who still supports me with prayers, cards, e-mails, visits, etc... I thank God for my covenant group who walks with me in ministry. I sure do thank God for my wife who gives me some great wisdom and love. I thank God for my children who are blessings to my wife and I. I thank God for my parents who raised me to love Jesus with all my heart. I thank God for my sisters and their families whom I love so dearly.

Guess what? I thank God for the "Connection."

Hurtin World out There

2007-09-19T16:02:00.000-04:00

Today I switched up my visitation schedule slightly. Normally I head out on the visiting trail in the afternoon, but I had a parishioner in AGH that was being discharged this morning. So after I dropped Abby off at daycare, I headed out. After visiting AGH and Mercy, I went to Jefferson Hospital for my last visit. I had a great visit with the parishioner.
On my way out, I witnessed a woman crying and was practically shouting out, "Can anyone take me home? I was in the ER and they released me. I have no money and no one will take me home."
I witnessed as I was coming closer to her that others were just walking by her giving her the cold shoulder. Something struck me hard in that moment. I just stopped and asked, "Are you ok?" She responded with the same question she asked earlier about finding a ride. I asked, "Where are you going?" She told me where she was going, actually near the church.
I told her I could take her there. Normally, I don't just pick up strangers. But this was different. She needed help. I was not going to just let this woman sit there in pain waiting for something to fall in her lap.
As we left I heard her say, "Oh, I am thirsty." We stopped in the drive thru at Chik-Fil-A. She thanked me many times for her coke (her husband works for Pepsi) As we were driving her phone rang. It was her husband. She told him a pastor was bringing her home and she was in good hands. After she hung up, her phone ran again. It was her doctor's office. As she explained her troubles, I felt so bad for her. Multiple health issues...former drug use and treatment... the list went on and on.
As we got closer to the house, she continued to thank me as she sipped on her coke. I told her I was just thankful I could have been there to help. I told her, "Normally, I am not there at lunchtime." She said, "I truly believe God put you in my life today for a reason. A good reason. Thank you for being a good person." I told her I would be praying for her and she got out of the van and went in her house to rest.
Now that I am serving in the city, I see more needs around me than I ever did. I see physical hurting, emotional hurting and people who are spiritually needy. As I drove into the North Side this am, I witnessed people in wheelchairs, homeless and in great need. As I walked out of Jefferson, I witnessed one who had all three hurts that I mentioned above. As I came back to the office, I heard over the phone and through e-mail the pain that some in the church family are experiencing. There is a need to be the light of Christ to a hurting world. Wow, did I see it today. I am thankful God used me and you today to give testimony of the hope Christ can bring.
John 17:20 Jesus said, "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony."

Parent Night at School

2007-09-13T21:51:00.000-04:00

Tonight I had the opportunity to visit Aaron's third grade classroom. At Baldwin-Whitehall, the old days of Open House are no longer. Our proud children cannot take us on a tour of their classroom, locker or school. So Jennifer had the kids and it was my turn to be the parent attending Parent Night.

As I was the last one in the room at the end filling out my paper work (as always the case), Aaron's teacher said, "Oh, another lefty." I said, "Yes, another lefty. Don't you just love smearing ink and lead all over your hands?" She laughed and told me that she smears dry erase markers all over the board when she writes in class. I laughed and told the teacher that I used to have the same problem when I taught 1st grade in Florida. She then said she did not know I was a teacher. I told her that was my previous profession and God called me into pastoral ministry.

That started a conversation! She went on to tell me about her church and all the great things happening there. We shared our faith with each other tonight and was so pleased to hear that Aaron was being taught this year by a born again Christian woman whose love for Christ Jesus is evident.

It has been such a joy since Sunday's kickoff service to hear of the wonderful stories how Baldwin's parishioners have been sharing their faith this week in the world we live. I ministered to a dying parishioner and her family today at Asbury Heights. As we held hands, read Scripture, laughed and shed tears, I was pleased to hear how this woman shares her faith to all the staff at Asbury Heights. In the midst of one of life's most intimate journeys, this one individual still shares the love of Christ with all she meets.

How have you witnessed those people in life sharing their faith to all they meet? Have people witnessed the same by you and your actions? Thank God for Aaron's teacher and the parishioner I ministered today. Thank God for their ministering to me.

After a Long Long Long Vacation

2007-09-10T16:46:00.000-04:00

Thanks for all the well wishes during my long, long, long vacation! I signed off of blogland right before heading to the Outer Banks. During my two week vacation, I knew in the back of my head that August would look somewhat of a blur to me. It really was just that, a blur!!

Almost a year ago, we began praying for God's leading in developing an alternative service at Baldwin Community. Back then, I thought September 9 was a long way off! Wow, how time flies right by. After a year of prayer and preparation, The Asbury Alternative, http://www.asburyalternative.com/ got off to a most blessed start! Yesterday, we had our first worship service and there was no greater sense of thankgiving by seeing many chairs being added to the existing chairs already in place five minutes before the worship began.

The band rocked, the crowd was in tune to the leading of God's Holy Spirit, and I was just floored by the level of excitement this worship brought to God and to all of God's people.

We faced many obstacles in the week prior to the first Sunday. Our lead keyboard, had to take on many more responsibilities at work and had to resign from playing, our lead guitarist, was in the hospital for a potential heart attack, equipment was not in on time, as it was backordered. Satan had a real desire to thwart this opportunity. But the prayers to our God kept coming. We were not going to give up, even if it meant me and our drummer. By week's end, we had a full band. All positions were filled! Our lead quitarist did not have a heart attack! Praise God! We even found (after a year searching) our bass guitarist by mid-week. This group bonded together in such a most awesome way. All equipment was in and installed by Wednesday!

Thank you all for praying for the start of this new service. Your prayers were certainly answered. It was a true joy for all to be a part of something so new and fresh yesterday. After a year of planning for September 9, 2007, I told the band, "Yes, we do have worship on September 16th!"

This Time, It's Vacation

2007-07-19T01:17:00.000-04:00

I will be away from Blogland for two weeks. Off to the beach with many from my side of the family for some R & R and to play with our three dear kiddos (cannot wait!). Jennifer unfortunately has to stay back with nursing school, but we are hoping to take another trip when she finishes in December. See you all in two weeks!

SPLAT 2007

2007-07-17T07:44:00.000-04:00

The BCUMC Team at Youth 2007 With Kutless

Oak Hill, WV Mission

The mission work... a blessing. The worship...exhilarating. The bands...awesome. The youth...indescribable!

These are just a few of the many adjectives to describe the SPLAT 2007 trip to Oak Hill, WV and then to Greensboro, NC. Our youth were overly excited as we departed for this trip! I was still wallowing in the joy of last Sunday's worship experience. As we drove through West Virginia, my thoughts slowly began to turn towards the next journey of mission work in an area that I have heard to be economically depressed.

We pulled into Oak Hill to a warm greeting by a few members of Oak Hill UMC and a nice sign in the front church lawn that had Baldwin's name on it. The youth were so very excited! Monday and Tuesday morning we had the opportunity to serve two local families. The first, we painted the roof of the family in need. The girls did this since this pastor has a little more meat on the bones! The girls did an excellent job with some of the messiest paint known to the human race.

The second family we served were in need of a fence. Their four year old daughter who has some mental disabilities needed a fence in the yard to keep her from falling into a small creek in the back yard. These youth worked and worked until the end of the second day, never grumbling about the 90+ heat and the long bouts of hammering that accompanied building a fence.

We departed for Greensboro Wednesday morning. Words cannot descibe the SPLAT Conference. It was awesome in every sense. (I got to hear one of my favorite bands, Kutless!)

http://www.kutless.com/ It brought me great joy to see the youth of BCUMC and from all around the world, joining together to worship the Lord God Almighty, through prayer, fellowship, music, the Word and through many other means.

It was great to see many from our Conference, like John Shaver, Cindy Bloise, Bishop and Sally Bickerton with their boys, Nick and TJ. It was great to meet other members of WPA Conference as well like the team from Lower Burrell (we greeted them everyday!)

God certainly had his hand on this trip and to God be the glory for the great things he has done!

But Dad... I Just Started Blogging!

2007-07-06T08:09:00.000-04:00

I know... here we go again. Another time away from blogging. Maybe not 8 months. Ok, just a week. I am preparing to lead Baldwin Community's youth on a youth mission trip/conference beginning Sunday. The youth will spend three days in Oak Hill, WV on a mission project with members of Oak Hill United Methodist Church. This will be a great opportunity for each of us as we endeavor to serve Christ Jesus in certain ways that will touch others as our youth have not been accustomed to witnessing. God has done some wonderful works in our preparation for this trip (thanks brother John Shaver for helping!)

Following the mission part, each of us will go to Greensboro, NC for the SPLAT 2007 Worldwide United Methodist Youth Conference. This will be one awesome opportunity for us as we get to meet youth from all around the world and some even in our own backyard! It is my hope to see the youth find joy in Conferencing. As one who enjoys the fellowship of Annual Conference, I pray that each of these youth will develop 1) a stronger relationship with our Lord, Jesus Christ and 2) a greater appreciation for each other and for the body of believers within the Conference. We all have something in common; our faith in Jesus Christ! Wir Sun Bruder!

Until next week...

Happy Fourth

2007-07-04T09:49:00.000-04:00

Blessings To All On This Fourth!

Off to Aunt Cindy's for an awesome time and swim!

We are so blessed!

This Fw: Made Me Think

2007-07-03T20:20:00.000-04:00

Leaders vs. Followers

When leaders make a mistake, they say, "I was wrong."
When followers make mistakes, they say, "It wasn't my fault."

A leader works harder than a follower and has more time;

a follower is always "too busy" to do what is necessary.

A leader goes through a problem;

a follower goes around it and never gets past it.

A leader makes and keeps commitments;

a follower makes and forgets promises.

A leader says, "I'm good, but not as good as I ought to be;"

a follower says, "I'm not as bad as a lot of other people."

Leaders listen;

followers just wait until it's their turn to talk.

Leaders respect those who are superior to them and try to learn something from them;

followers resent those who are superior to them and try to find chinks in their armor.

Leaders feel responsible for more than their job;

followers say, "I only work here."

A leader says, "There ought to be a better way to do this;"

followers say, "That's the way it's always been done here."

I received this from our Administrative Coordinator, Susie. Susie attached this with our staff minutes today. I read this for the first time today. I paused prior to a meeting I had to reflect upon my own leadership in the church. Where in this forward am I? I pray that I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ that can serve and lead His people. Thanks Susie for allowing me to reflect... "Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant... For even I the Son of Man, came here not to be served, but to serve others." Mark 10:43-45

Refreshed

2007-06-30T16:33:00.000-04:00

Ah... Time away...

Yes, I am back after a great week of camping at Tub Run on the Yough Lake. It was my first time camping in almost 25 years. Dad and Mom used to take us many times as children, but this was the first time, I had to go as "dad." It is amazing what dad and mom did for us as children. I now know what "dad" has to do in order to make camping successful! We did not have running water at the site nor did we have electric, but we made the best of it and enjoyed every moment of the camping experience. I would have to say, as "dad", it was well worth it. Watching your children grow in the experiences as you had as a child, makes for a bright spot in your heart. I had great opportunities to just talk with my children as we rode bikes, walked on our hikes (which I fell) and had opportunities to sit around the campfire at night. On our last evening at camp, Aaron was laying next to me in the tent as the girls were already asleep and Aaron said, "Daddy, you're a great preacher. Maybe God will call me to be a teacher and then a preacher." I told Aaron, "I will be proud of you no matter what and who you become. I am proud of you now. I would be so happy to see you become a preacher, listen to God calling you. He smiled and we went to sleep. What a great ending to an awesome trip. Thank God for rest.

Joy of Fellowship

2006-10-18T11:16:00.000-04:00

This morning I had a wonderful breakfast with my covenant group of brothers. It is a joy to be able to join peers in conversation and to have great fellowship.

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.