Change is Constant

I've seen change all weekend long! Friday, I celebrated my 20th high school reunion. Amazingly, many of my high school friends have not changed much over these years! A few have changed drastically and I am ever so thankful there were name tags to show me what their names were! Saturday, I had my first Board of Ordained Ministry meeting. I found it odd that just a few short years ago, I was on the opposite end, being interviewed by members of BOOM for my ordination. Now, I sit on the interviewing side! Sunday, I celebrated that Addison Kate Bechtold was baptized! Life has certainly been changing for her lately! Sunday evening I was at my parents house to pick up our kids since Jenn worked all weekend and I had meetings. Dad's health continues to change in a way that has prevented him from being mobile. He has truly struggled in the midst of life changes here recently and I ask you continue to pray for him as he tries to find relief from this dreaded disease. Today, you see change to my weekly E-News. Apple has made some major changes with it's Mobile Me site and I am no longer able to publish my weekly E-News to the web via that site. So you get to see my "old" blog site. It's being resurrecting again.

It was a beautiful day of worship at both services! We welcomed Rev. Dean Ziegler, Butler District Superintendent, along with his wife, Linda to our church yesterday for a visit. We also celebrated in a baptism at the traditional service and got to hear special music from Ken and Ann Killby. Our praise band rocked out our 9:26 worship with a newer song, "I am Free." It was a wonderful day to praise God!

Sunday in worship we centered on surrendering our "self" to Christ Jesus. In surrender or you might say, "emptying" we then are filled with God's Holy Spirit. When we surrender and then are filled, God equips us with the necessary tools to fill ourselves and fill others. God's Spirit equips us with  Character, Confidence, Courage, Compassion and Companionship. As I shared in worship, from the Secret Millionare, Steve Kaplan emptied himself of his "life" so that he could gain more in life. As he let go of his "life" he was able to see life from the eyes of someone living on the south side of Chicago. In living that "life" Steve found generosity and compassion to be more prevalent in his life from then on. Our passage came from Mark 6:1-13.

I had in the bulletin a sheet titled, "Letters to God" As the Letters to God station is being utilized in the lobby, we can take this sheet home with us, bring back to church or hold dear to us. This sheet can be used as a tool to "surrender" to God so that we may be filled more with the Holy Spirit.

Have a blessed week church and know it is an honor to serve and lead as your pastor.

Moments to Remember

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

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

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...

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

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. 

Steeler Nation

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