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Author: Joe

Fan of Bruce Springsteen, the New York Mets, and The Simpsons... not necessarily in that order.

A 9/11 reflection

Published September 11, 2015

This post originally appeared on September 11, 2011, but the sentiment remains today.

Entrance to the Middletown World Trade Center Memorial Gardens.
Middletown, NJ remembers the victims of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Photo from Middletown Township website. Click to learn more about the Memorial Gardens.

I am praying today for the people of Middletown, New Jersey, a community I had the privilege of being part of from 1994 to 2005.

On September 11, 2001 I was in my office at Middletown United Methodist Church where I was serving as the Youth and Family Minister.

Years earlier one of our members told me how he and his family had found the church. He spent several Saturdays stopping at towns along the New Jersey Transit rail line to find a place he and his family would like to live. The 45-minute commute by train between work in New York City and a great place to live had sold him, as it had so many in the area–evidenced by the full parking lot of the Middletown Train Station every weekday.

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Do we need a meeting? Respecting others’ time

Published June 23, 2015

The time people give for meetings is a generous donation. Image by clker.com (http://www.clker.com/clipart-13595.html) [Copyrighted free use], via Wikimedia Commons
The time people give for meetings is a generous donation. Image by clker.com (http://www.clker.com/clipart-13595.html) [Copyrighted free use], via Wikimedia Commons
Some six months ago, I began living the life of a layperson while remaining clergy. After more than 20 years as an associate pastor, I now work a desk job in an office. While there are similarities to my previous life, it has been a season of adjustment.

One of the lessons I have learned is about time and the limited amount of it I have available each week.

In my pastoral positions, I had a good deal of control over my schedule. There were many appointments to keep and meetings to attend, but I was the one setting most of them. For example, I could schedule the mission trip parents meeting on Wednesday night because on Tuesdays my family watched Dancing with the Stars together. Protecting family time was important and it should be.

What I failed to realize fully, was that every meeting I did schedule was cutting into someone else’s family time, which was just as important to them and should be. I confess I didn’t always treat their attendance as the valuable donation to the life of the church that it was.

When people come to a meeting, they are donating something very valuable to the church. Respect their gift with these tips.

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Bunnies, Baseball, and Being Stuck

Published June 20, 2015

I love my morning bicycle rides on the walk-run-bike trail near my house. By the lake I might see a heron or a few ducks. Smaller birds flit in the trees and land in the path in front of me. In one section of the trail I have recently noticed several rabbits who seem interested in, but cautious of, me and my bicycle.

A bunny friend on a different day.
A bunny friend on a different day.

The other morning one of the rabbits appeared to be a little caught off-guard when I approached. She seemed to think I might not have seen her, and was uncertain what she ought to do next. If she ran, she would get away but I would certainly notice. If she remained still she might be a little more vulnerable, but I might miss her. To my delight, she chose the latter, or at least so it appeared.

As I drew near and eventually passed by, I watched her closely and noticed she wasn’t perfectly still—her front leg was moving, ever so slowly. She was getting ready to spring to safety if I turned out to be a threat.

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Leading the league in assists

Published April 4, 2015
James Worthy, Michael Jordan, and Dean Smith
Left to right: James Worthy, Michael Jordan, and coach Dean Smith, legends of University of North Carolina basketball. Photo by Zeke Smith, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

I have been a college basketball fan since high school. I remember my heart breaking that night in 1982 when Georgetown guard Eric “Sleepy” Floyd, mistakenly passed the ball to North Carolina’s James Worthy with 7 seconds on the clock, icing the championship game for the Tarheels.

This weekend I plan to watch all three games. While I’m not a fan of any one of the four teams left in this year’s madness, I will be rooting for Michigan State and Kentucky (a) because I picked them, and (b) because one is the underdog and the other is going for history. Won’t that make for a great championship game story?

One of the things I like about college basketball is the importance placed on the assist. For those not familiar with basketball, a player receives an assist when they make a pass that leads to another player scoring. While the guy hitting the 3-point shot or making the thunderous dunk may get most of the applause and headlines, assists get noticed. They are an official stat listed alongside points and rebounds in the boxscore.

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Is God a football fan?

Published February 1, 2015

After his Seattle Seahawks made their remarkable comeback against the Green Bay Packers two Sundays ago, sideline reporter Erin Andrews put a microphone in front of quarterback Russell Wilson. Down 19-7 with just 4 minutes left in the game, the Seahawks finished the game with a ridiculous 2-point conversion, the recovery of an onside kick, and completed a beautiful pass in overtime to win. Overcome with emotion and fighting tears, Wilson appeared to attribute his team’s unlikely victory to God.

Russell Wilson, quarterback
Russell Wilson is the dynamic quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. Photo by Larry Maurer, courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

“God is too good all the time, man. Every time,” he said.

A few minutes later, he was again asked about the comeback, specifically how badly he had played up until those final 4 minutes. “That’s God setting it up,” Wilson replied, “to make it so dramatic, so rewarding, so special.”

I really like Russell Wilson. I’ve heard several interviewers say that the public persona is not put on. He is the real deal. I’m reasonably sure that sometime during the never-ending pre-game we will see a profile piece on him showing him visiting kids in hospitals and doing good all over Seattle. Wow, I respect that. And I will be rooting hard for his team to vanquish the evil empire this afternoon.

But I have some serious questions about his post-conference championship game theology.

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A call to passion

Published January 19, 2015
Photo by BK on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons Licensing.
Photo by BK on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons Licensing.

I know we Christians are sometimes seen as sullen, serious, and stoic. The truth is far different.

In my day job I have the privilege of communicating with Christians from every walk of life, albeit within my own denomination. I have conversed with pastors in California and counselors in Georgia. I have sent and received emails from church leaders in Africa and Europe. I have spoken with members of churches in Texas and Pennsylvania.

What I have found is not droning lectures about the burden of their ministries, this thing they must do for God. Instead, I have heard… PASSION. People are excited to talk to a complete stranger about the work to which God has called them.

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Veritas: The Truth – Sermon Text

Published October 14, 2014
Sermon Series: I Am a Follower: The Way, Truth, and Life of Following Jesus Part II
Text: John 18:28-38
Preached: October 12, 2014 at Tri-Lakes United Methodist Church
Audio: Tri-Lakes UMC Sermon Podcasts

“The Truth Is Out There”

The_Truth_Is_Out_There_tagline
Click to see the X-files opening on YouTube.

For 9 seasons this opening played on prime time television, even following a Super Bowl once—I remember because that was what got me watching the show. The X-files followed the cases of FBI Agents Mulder and Scully who investigated paranormal activity for the federal government. Agent Scully, played by Gillian Anderson, was the skeptic. She had trouble accepting the world didn’t work the way she had been taught, and was always looking for a logical explanation behind whatever unexplained phenomenon they were called to investigate that week.

Agent Mulder, played by David Duchovny, was the opposite. He was curious. He wanted to explore the possibility of what was going on. If you were a regular viewer of the show you saw behind his desk a poster with the picture of a flying saucer and the words “I Want to Believe” below it.

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