Parent Night at School

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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