Online Christian community… an exploration

If you live in the Milton Keynes area you are invited to join in an online Christian book discussion about the book  Blood Brothers: The Unforgettable Story of a Palestinian Working for Peace in Israel by Elias Chacour. (If you follow the link above it takes to to a pdf file where you can read the first bit of the book online.)  Elias Chacour, a Palastinian Christian, is now Archbishop in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church and tells his own life story in a very powerful way.

On the Biblelands trip to the Holyland last October, our group had the privilege of meeting with Elias Chacour, hearing him tell his story and answer our questions.  It was a highlight of the trip.

Peter B. & I had were inspired by Elias’ powerful vision for peace in the region.  We thought his book would make good material for an online Christian book study.  In this study we look forward to reflecting on this powerful book and sharing some of our experiences from our recent Holy land trip.

The online format allows you to read the book in your own time & not have to travel to weekly meetings.  However, we will meet in person  for the introductory and concluding sessions on:

Sunday the 17^th of May at 3:30 pm

Sunday the 12^th of July at 3:30 pm

In between these meetings, our discussions will take place on a private blog.

To reserve your place (and find out the location of the meetings) or for more information please comment here (and leave your email address) or contact me, Rev. Mindy, at revmindyatgmaildotcom.  Please help us spread the word by telling your friends & others who might be interested.

We will have the book available for purchase at the introductory meeting.

Change of scenery

In honor of the Online Book Study which is starting this Sunday I have changed the picture in the header.  In the study we will be reading the autobiography of Archbishop Elias Chacour, Blood Brothers.   The above picture is of me with Elias as he was autographing my copy of Blood Brothers. The photo was taken in October 2009 at his office in Haifa after he generously spent much of his morning meeting with our Biblelands group.  It was a very inspirational morning.

Blogging as a Lenten Discipline?

Hello ya’ll!  That is if there is anyone out there… I hope I still have a few readers.  Sorry, I have been such a bad blogger.  I know I really have been terrible!  I haven’t posted anything since August when I had once again recommitted myself to posting.  So here I go at another try… I am trying to think of blogging as a Lenten Discipline I am taking up in order to reflect on life, in this season of preparation for Easter.  After all isn’t Lent about facing our brokenness (my inability to keep promises I make to myself), changing our ways (repentance), and trying again confident that God journeys with us.

On a recent Wednesday evening, I traveled to The University of Northampton to hear John Bell, of the Iona community, at a lecture entitled “Incarnating Mystery… The Power of Words and Music in Worship.”  It was a great lecture and I was very glad I had made the journey to Northampton.  John started out his lecture by sharing a story.  He said when he was young and first thinking about a life working in the ministry of the church he was given some good advice by a local minister who was wise with experience.  The advice was, “You have to have three loves if you are going into some form of the ministry.  These are a love of God, a love for people, and a love for words/language.”

It was the third of category I was surprised by.  I didn’t think it was wrong, I just didn’t expect its inclusion in such a list.  John went on to explain that we primarily convey truth about God through words and thus a love of language is important.  His sharing prompted me to see this experience in my own preparations for Sunday worship and more fully in John’s work as a writer of poetry, prayers, & hymns.  There is also something deeper to it too because we Christians call Jesus Christ, the Word of God.  As people of faith we use humble words to explore the mystery of the Word who called all creation into being. (John 1:1-5)

So it is back to blogging for me as I seek to explore with you the world of words and language.  Until next time…

Life Partners

While I am posting sickeningly sweet “awww shucks” pictures I thought I might as well continue and share one more. This one is in honor of Ted’s and my celebration of our anniversary this week.

On the 11th of August we celebrated 7 years of marriage. We both agreed that it has been an adventure, but one we would sign up for all over again if we had to. It is a good thing we both feel that way, because partnered relationships only grow with mutual and continual recommitment to the relationship. I often say in wedding sermons that love in Christian marriage isn’t just a “mushy romantic feeling” (though it can be mushy and romantic at times). Christian love often is a commitment to do the loving thing, even when you don’t feel like it. Whenever I have the privileged opportunity to share those words at a wedding, I too appreciate the reminder about the loving commitment that it takes to nurture and strengthen a relationship. Happy anniversary to us and to all of you partnered folks out there, in the hope of celebrating many many more anniversaries!

who knew what it would lead to?

Awwww… this is a picture of Ted & me taken over 10 years ago, on the day we first met. The date was April 26, 1998, but it is not like I am counting or anything. We met because we had both just happened to have been given tickets by a mutual friend to the Georgia Renaissance Festival. In this photo we are on the way to or from the festival, along with Melissa who was also on the back seat of the minivan.

Jeff, a good friend of Ted’s and the owner & driver of the minivan, just found this picture in his collection. After hearing about this continually “lost” picture’s existence for years I am very happy to see it, though I am surprised by how much younger both Ted and I look. Ted’s t-shirt is a funny reminder that his science fiction interest is nothing new.

It is really nice for a picture of such a significant occasion to turn up unexpectedly.  Thanks a lot for sharing this picture, Jeff!  The picture also reminds me that I have known you, the Vinson family, and Melissa for as long as I have known Ted.  Wow!

Catching up…

Sorry, for the dearth of blog posts. I am terribly sorry for the much delayed posting! Lots has been going on and I guess I have been busy enough living life that I haven’t had any time to write. Some of the things that have occupied me, besides normal work, include: ordination, visitors from the States (4 sets of folks already this summer), holidays/vacations, and saying goodbye to a congregation which will be in pastoral charge of another minister beginning in Sept. There is much to say and I thus recommit myself to posting (both on the events of this summer, but also about things as they happen) to share with you my meanderings.

Blessings,

Mindy

Olympic Competition: the race for gold

I wrote this for July/August edition of The Link, Hanslope’s Methodist & Anglican Magazine. Due to its timely nature I am sharing it with you here. Mindy

2008 Beijing Olympics

Are you also excitedly awaiting the opportunity to watch the 2008 Summer Olympics? I am looking forward to watching the Opening Ceremonies tomorrow afternoon from the comfort of my own couch. I am awed and inspired by the athleticism of all those who compete in a myriad of events within this years selection of 28 Olympic sports. I also love the pageantry, music, and dancing of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. After all, only once every four years do we have an opportunity to watch this spectacle.

The Olympic athletic competitions have been described by Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser as “the most compelling search for excellence that exists in sports, and maybe in life itself.” For athletes, participating and medaling in the Olympics can be the height of achievement. Jeff Fenech, an Australian boxer, said, “An Olympic medal is the greatest achievement and honor that can be received by an athlete. I would swap any World Title to have won gold at the Olympics.”

There is a great competitive drive to win a gold medal, or any medal, which causes all to do their best. I have heard it reported that Team Great Britain is under more pressure than usual to win medals this year, in preparation for being the host nation in 2012. I do hope that Team Great Britain does well, but we could all do to remember the words of Pierre de Coubertin, founder of modern Olympics, “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part.”

Competition is fine and can spur us on to greater achievements, but it is important to remember we don’t need to compete in all areas of our lives. It is important to remember this in regards to our relationship with God. We don’t have to compete for or earn God’s love by winning a competition. It is truly good news that God is generous and has enough love to share that it won’t run out; there is enough for all of us. We all are loved by God, just as we are! We don’t have to win gold, silver, or bronze medals to gain God’s love. All of us are loved - those who win medals in competitions, those who don’t win medals when we compete, and those who watch the competition from the sidelines are loved. As we watch the Olympics, let us all remember that God’s love is a freely-given gift we don’t have to compete for.

Clothed like the lilies of the field?

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. Luke 12:27

I suspect you all have opinions on appropriate dress for the leaders of worship. Do you want a chance to share your opinions? There is an electronic survey taking place and you are invited to share your views. The survey is part of some research being done by the Young Clergywomen Project. Already there have been 350 responses and they are especially looking for more participation by laity. You have till July 1st to participate.

If you want a chance to take the survey, please click the link. It isn’t a long survey and I would guess you could easily finish it in under 10 minutes.

If you are a British Methodist it might be helpful background for you to know that the survey does not take into account the local preacher system. It presumes that the folks leading most services are clergy, thus all the questions involving clerical collars. This is the case because no major US denomination has a similar system of trained lay preachers regularly leading worship. However, with this background info the gist of the questions will be clearer if you want to participate.

If you are interested in the Young Clergywomen Project check out their e-zine which has new articles posted twice a week. It is entitled Fidelia’s Sisters and is a good read.

Meals I Have Known

It is nice to have Ted back, but with him around full-time and permanently I am reminded that he is a bit cheeky. Today as we were eating lunch I was recalling a conversation I remember from over 10 years ago. As I shared the story about the theme of the conversation I intermingled food details. In this case the conversation I was speaking of took place in a Malaysian restaurant over a noodle dish.

Ted cheekily replied that if I ever wrote an autobiography he was sure the title would be Meals I Have Known. I pretended to be insulted… and then we both snickered at the fact he is probably right. It is true, I do have a habit of remembering the food related details of places or interactions.

For instance,

• when thinking about the multiple trips I have made to visit family in Daytona Beach, Florida I tend to distinguish between them by where we ate and I fondly remember the time when we had wonderful linguine with clam sauce;
• the scenery of the Danube and the wrong turns taken while wandering the streets of Budapest around the security-conscious neighborhood of the US Embassy, with Ted and my folks, to find the goulash that deserved its good recommendation in Zagat’s;
• the excitement of family wedding receptions, including mine, and their delicious & distinctive Middle Eastern food (including the all-important garlic sauce which someone mistakenly presumed were mashed potatoes… ouch!);
• hanging out with Ted’s Southern family and overly sweet (iced) tea at Mickey Pigg’s, a great Southern BBQ joint;
• visiting with Mom’s extended family over sausage, gravy and the roar of small airplanes at the diner at the Chino airport;
• on a walk by the river Ted proposed to me and after hugging and kissing we walked back to the visitor center of the park to share a bowl of soup because it was the only thing the restaurant, which was about to close for the day, would still serve us;
• the trip of a lifetime Middle East Travel Seminar experience where with fellow seminarians I saw lots of Roman ruins and other amazing things and on which I ate a lot of hummus, pita, pickles, and in Greece had the best fried calamari ever (it was so good it has ruined me for all other fried calamari since);
• my family’s New Year’s tradition in which the Rose Parade and yeast waffles have equal importance,
• traveling back to school in Georgia with a suitcase full of my favorite Trader Joe’s items (they only opened a Georgia store after I left the state);
• family gatherings are only complete with Red Jello (jelly, to you Brits) Salad (I don’t usually have the patience to let it set before digging into the first bowlful);
• Mary, my mother-in-love, being the first person to serve me chicken ‘n dumplings and when I mentioned that to my mom she seemed to think this caused her a demerit a high-profile event in the motherhood Olympics where moms seemingly get points for introducing their children to important life experiences, of which chicken ‘n dumplings is apparently one;
• my honeymoon where Ted and I tried garlic ice cream in a place that claims to be the Garlic capital of the world;
• and the agonizing process of my indecisive family choosing a restaurant to eat out in, which always ends with someone who doesn’t like the options mentioned so far further complicating the situation by suggesting, “We could always eat at the Chinese Muslim place!”

The above is just a disorganized list of examples that came to my mind. Clearly some holidays and events, like (American) Thanksgiving, are so centered around food they don’t rate mention here as food memories because I presume that food is central to everybody’s memories of those occasions. What I am taking about are other events where generally food has a less prominent role and to many could be considered an incidental detail. I don’t think my propensity for remembering food details is odd (Of course it is! – Ted), but perhaps it is and I am just used to how my mind works. Food memories are integral parts of the way I remember things. I don’t know if this is a learned or inherent trait, but it is just the way I am.

Perhaps then, it should be no surprise that I feel called to life as a Christian minister where ordinary bread and wine take on great importance when they remind us of God’s hospitality and love for us. May you find warmth, love and friendship in the meals that you share.

Mirror images: my alma mater from a British Methodist perspective

Now I don’t know Mark Rowland personally (though I do hope to make his acquaintance when we both reside in the same country), but I recently read what he wrote on the Candler Admissions blog. I found his comparative perspective on Methodist church life in the US and UK fascinating. Mark is a ministerial student in the British Methodist system and just spent a year as an international student at Candler School of Theology, which is part of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. I do know a number of American United Methodist seminary grads who are now serving in the UK and with these folks I occasionally compare notes. However, prior to Mark’s article I haven’t often had an opportunity to hear from folks whose travels have been a mirror reflection of mine by their heading in the opposite direction “across the pond”.

Mark’s story is particularly interesting to me because his travels in the opposite direction closely mirror my journey. For those of you who don’t know, just prior to moving to the UK I graduated from the very same Candler School of Theology with a Master of Divinity degree. The M.Div is a three-year full-time program and for my last two years there I worked for the Office of Student Programming as the international student coordinator. Thus I was in close contact with many of Candler’s international students during my seminary days. These two bits of my background combined with my current experience of British Methodism makes me very interested in Mark’s perspective. If you too are interested in a comparative perpective on Methodist church life in the US and UK I encourage you to follow the link. Enjoy Mark’s article!