My first box run! Yippee!

cardboard
Originally uploaded by scoxjohnson.

You know you are a United Methodist minister when...you get excited when you do your first "box run" of any move!!! I figured with three months to get ready, there is no reason why this move should not be the very most organized one I have ever made. I made my first box run tonight...during my box run phase is the only time I frequent local liquor stores...honest. The first visit is usually just to endear me to the liquor store manager/workers so that they will save the good boxes for me. I visited Berbiglia and Mike's Wine and Spirits (85th and Wornall). Mike's comes in with very high marks with me. Some decent boxes and two very nice guys, Steve and Julio? who gave me tips on when to come in and on what days. I even managed to tell them I was the minister down the street. I also visited a-to-remain-nameless grocery store, and boldly walked back into the produce store room, where I was a little disconcerted to see a "rodent station" warning. No boxes. Probably just as well.

I also am teaching yet another St Paul class tomorrow morning on emergent--I'm glad Mark Calhoun will be there to help as well. I feel like I'm getting sort of redundant, but I'm fairly excited about doing this. I share a two page synopsis I have, and a bibliography. I plan to have the class do some smaller group discussion, too. There will be 27 in the class.

A District Superintendent? (choke, choke, cough, cough)

The word is "so out" that I will suppose the Bishop would even sanction my writing about it now...yes, truth be told, I am told, I am to be a district superintendent come July 1. I am still caught in all the process of how this is happening, but must say I am extremely excited and my soul has been blessed with bliss in the midst of my mind's rationality. I don't know when I have been just this plain happy. And right now, I'm not worrying too much about being rational about it. I'm just joyful. I am not positive, as of this writing, which district it will be, though I hope to stay in the Kansas City area. Just plain happy. Is that weird, or what?

And happier still today as I helped (only a tiny bit) in leading worship for the installation service of Hal Knight in the Wright Wesleyan Studies chair at St. Paul School of Theology. And joyful in having lunch with some of the faculty and others as we helped the Knights celebrate. Hal has been a very special person for me this past year, and has helped me process some of the "evangelical renewal of heart and mind" of which my emergent interest arose. He has been constantly encouraging, never bowled over by my boundless (nearly) enthusiam about the emergent conversation and his humble spirit is an example to me of how to care and support without drawing attention to yourself. Thanks Hal!

Wednesday February 23...

and I had the delightful experience of having somebody at church tonight wonder why I hadn't written anything here lately! I didn't know anyone was reading it!!! I've had two deaths this week at church, and, for some reason, have had a renewed urgency about pastoral callling. A funeral today---a good funeral, actually, if any clergy out there know what I mean. A faithful woman, a believing family, and a great funeral meal at church...

More tomorrow, after going to the KC Emergent cohort with Caleb...
Thanks for reading!!!

ConneXion Coffeehouse--Part Deux

And something tells me there will be a part trois and quatre, aussi. In an hour or so, I am going with part of the Coffeehouse task group to look at equipment that a Christian coffee house that has gone out of business is selling--at a fraction of the price it is worth. It is such a rush when that God thing seems to be there--but I just want us to really believe that God thing seems to be there. Ah, this leadership thing. What a trip.

Last week's window view

Last week's window view
Originally uploaded by scoxjohnson.

The sun peaking through the palms...last week, while on Kauai on vacation, I awakened fairly early, for me at least, due to the time change...often getting up about 5 am, and getting the chance to see the sun rise over the Pacific. Lots of thoughts and emotions--the destruction of the tsunami, the beauty of the coast, Transfiguration Sunday on its way, with the brightness of Christ bursting through all the confusion and conflicting thoughts that run through my own mind...even when that confusion and conflict is caused by the many interests and concerns and passions I have for ministry and for what I feel called to do and be.

I am thankful especially this week for friends in the connexion--new and old, and one in particular who listened to me on Tuesday, and with forthrightness and honesty allowed me to feel more settled in mind and heart. Living as a single woman, I am always joyful to find men who offer that strength and can deal with my own strength in ways that are neither condescending nor overly reserved, but enable me to get a perspective on how I understand myself in ways that are refreshing, enlivening and health-giving.

The light of Christ shines brightly for me right now, and I am very, very grateful.

ConneXion Coffeehouse--a vision for ministry

It's Tuesday night after Church Council, where we heard from the ConneXion Coffeehouse task group...which received unanimous (that is NOT spelled correctly) support from the council members--yes, we are turning the original sanctuary, later Keystone Sunday School class in to a real coffeehouse/gathering place. It looks to cost about $40,000 for start up improvements, furnishings and supplies. The group received permission to ask the congregation for financial support to make this happen. One of the great gifts of ministry is to see an idea catch fire in a congregation and for people to find their voices in support. The Holy Spirit at work indeed!

More soon...I was on vacation (yes, on Kauai for a week) and read much ... Anthony Bloom's "Beginning to Pray" and Jim Wallis's "God's Politics" as well as Josephine Tey mystery novels and Honolulu newspapers...I'm revved up and ready to roll! A bit jet-lagged and head-achy but I have no right to complain!

Thank you, Brian...

Thank you, Brian...
Originally uploaded by scoxjohnson.

Yesterday I read portions of Brian McLaren's "A Generous Orthodoxy," turning, surprise, surprise, to the chapters entitled "why I am a Methodist" and "why I am an evangelical." Both are easilly readible and essentially hit the right spot, I think. He differentiates Evangelical (big E) from evangelical (little e) and describes what he finds to be essential to the evangelical---the passion of faith--to live out the life of discipleship passionately. I've been thinking more about Bishop Schnase's remarks last week about the pitfalls for clergy of loneliness and cynicism. I guess I yearn for more of us in ministry to live out our vocation in intellectually lively ways, but also in a way that is Spirit-led, inspired and passionate with desire to serve and to do and to be. Thanks, Brian, for your continuing help with overcoming old boundaries that define theological encampments, and encourage us to come out into a new world where our desire to address this generation with the love of Christ focuses us beyond our tendancies to typecast each other in melodramas full of shallow preconceptions...