Reunion Church

I said a little about Reunion Church yesterday but I wanted to say some more.

I think that is a beautiful group of people.

1. They are so friendly; when people have decided to defer to others and to intentionally reach out to people of all races, classes, backgrounds you naturally have a very warm congregation.
2. They interact authentically every Sunday as they pass a mic around the congregation to hear praises and prayer needs. (This is a large theater with probably 200 in attendance.) One lady praises God that her nephew is feeling better, a man tells of his car accident and how God is getting glory through the trial, a couple announces thev've set their wedding date. It's raw and real and up-to-the-minute.
3. The meet-and-greet time is 7 minutes long so that everyone can get to know new people and catch up with friends
4. Their pastor is truly blown away at what God has done for him personally in saving him and it shows
5. After the service I was standing in the hallway with my parents while Debbie went to get the kids. Evidently my mom must have not looked overly happy because an African-American woman wearing a very happy face came up to her and said "Oh honey...honey... SMILE!" and gave her a kiss on the cheek and a hug".

Ministry to people of diverse ethnicity, age, and socio-economic level is hard. It is messy. It is an attitude of constant service to others instead of constant comfort for self.

But, it is right. It is fun. It is interesting. It is life-giving. I was alive in church yesterday.

Memorizing - NO New Verse Monday!!

Several of us are memorizing in Ephesians 2. I know I'M behind and it's fine sometimes to take a break to catch up.

So........

TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT:
No new verse today. We'll wait and add Eph 2:4 on "New Verse Thursday".
For today, just work on reciting Eph 2:3 a few times without looking. Make sure to say 2:1-2 together with 2:3 a few times today so that you keep reinforcing 2:1-2 while learning 2:3.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom or the air. then... ummmmm... something about all the bad stuff we've done with our yucky sinful nature.

AAAAAAAAA!!! I've got to work on this! I'll know it by tomorrow.

Stoked

We heard a great message today at Reunion Church. The talk was called "Stoked"... as in "are you stoked about your relationship with God?" Sometimes we can feel like the fire is gone and all that remains is ash. But............ there are still embers faintly glowing... if only we can remEMBER all that God has done for us in Christ and stoke the diminishing fire back into hot flame!

How do we keep the fire burning everyday? I think one way is to be in God's word and to memorize it... to internalize it... to act on it.

Several of us are memorizing in Ephesians 2. So far the verses are about looking back at our dead existence before meeting Christ. Once we think back about our pre-Christ lives, we'll then (through the subsequent verses) be able to remEMBER the great distance Christ has brought us and be stoked about another day with Him.

TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT:
No new verse today. We'll add Eph 2:4 tomorrow on "New Verse Monday".
For today, just work on reciting Eph 2:3 a few times without looking. Make sure to say 2:1-2 together with 2:3 a few times today so that you keep reinforcing 2:1-2 while learning 2:3.

Is your church made up mostly of one race?

If so, why do you think that is?

Memorizing - Practice day

Several of us are memorizing in Ephesians 2.

TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT:
No new verse today. We'll add Eph 2:4 on "New Verse Monday".
For today, just work on reciting Eph 2:3 a few times without looking. Make sure to say 2:1-2 together with 2:3 a few times today so that you keep reinforcing 2:1-2 while learning 2:3.

I have to admit I'm behind on learning 2:3... but I'll catch up. How are you doing?

Memorizing Scripture - New Verse Thursday - Eph 2:3

For those memorizing Eph 2:1-10 with me, this is New Verse Thursday.

Today we'll add the next verse, Ephesians 2:3.

TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT:
1) Write out Eph 2:3 on your 3x5 card underneath verses 1 and 2.
2) Read through verse 2:3 several times and try to get where you can say it once today pretty much without looking.
3) Say verses 2:1-2 with verse our new verse, 2:3 a few times today trying not to look (but it's ok if you do look today). This helps reinforce our prior verses as we work on our new verse.

Ephesians 2
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

Memorizing - Practice Day

Several of us are memorizing in Ephesians 2.

TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT:
No new verse today. We'll add Eph 2:3 on "New Verse Thursday".
For today, just work on reciting Eph 2:2 a few times without looking. Make sure to say 2:1 and 2:2 together a few times today so that you keep re-enforcing 2:1 while learning 2:2.

Random Art

Funny kids

My kids and Em's friend, Yasmine, are cracking me up. They've been decorating the front of our house.

Memorizing - Practice Day

Several of us are memorizing in Ephesian 2.

TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT:
No new verse today. We'll add Eph 2:3 on "New Verse Thursday".
For today, just work on reciting Eph 2:2 a few times until you can say it without looking. Make sure to say 2:1 and 2:2 together a few times today so that you keep re-enforcing 2:1 while learning 2:2.

Here... I'll give it a shot from memory...

Ephesian 2:1-2
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in the way you used to follow the ways of the world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is at work in those who are disobedient.

How did I do?

Memorizing Scripture - New Verse Monday - Eph 2:2

For those memorizing Eph 2:1-10 with me, this is New Verse Monday. (If others want to join in and memorize with us, it's not too late. Start here and let me know you're in!)

Today we'll add the next verse, Ephesians 2:2.

TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT:
1) Write out Eph 2:2 on your 3x5 card underneath verse 1.
2) Read through verse 2:2 several times and try to get where you can say it once today pretty much without looking.
3) Say verse 2:1 with verse 2:2 a few times trying not to look.

Ephesians 2
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Interesting New Blog

http://headrush.typepad.com is a very interesting blog I was introduced to via Ryan's blog.

The author of the headrush blog is a highly technical woman, but she is also very attuned to the creative side. In today's post she writes about how to grab a audience's attention whether you are a filmmaker, novelist, technical presenter, or anyone with a message to convey.

Entertaining and helpful... check it out.

Memorizing - Practice Day

Memorizing group: Just keep practicing Eph 2:1 and say it today a few times without looking. We'll add a new verse on "New verse Monday". It may seem like this is silly practicing just a few words for so many days, but as we add verses we'll be glad for the extra days.

Others can still join in. Start here and let me know you're in!

Memorizing - Practice Day

Memorizing group: Just keep practicing Eph 2:1 and say it today a few times without looking. We'll add a new verse on "New verse Monday".

Others can still join in. Start here and let me know you're in!

Memorizing - Practice day

Welcome Sally, Beth, and Debbie to memorizing Eph 2:1-10.

Others can still join in. Start here and let me know you're in!

TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT:
No new verse today. We'll add Eph 2:2 on "New Verse Monday".
For today, just work on reciting Eph 2:1 a few times until you can say it without looking.

Memorizing - New Verse Thursday - Eph 2:1

Welcome Gwen and Kimberly to memorizing Ephesians 2:1-10. Kimberly, how did you get connected to my blog?

Other readers?? You can still jump in if you want. Start here and let me know you're out there!

(I suggest that we memorize in NIV but if you prefer another version go for it! NIV reads more narratively which I think makes it easier to memorize than something like the NASB)

Today we are memorizing Eph 2:1.

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,"

I'd suggest writing it small at the top of a 3x5 card. Read it through several times until you can say it once correctly without looking. Carry the card with you. Repeat a couple more times today reading it through and trying to say it once correctly without looking.

That's a short verse for today... but a powerful statement! We WERE dead.

That's all for today! Any questions/comments?

Invitation!

I've been talking again with some people about memorizing Scripture, so it thought I'd resurrect an old old post I made last year on that subject.

The only change I would make now to that plan is that I think I was a little aggressive in that post to suggest learning a new verse every day. Now, I'm thinking that a new verse twice a week is a better pace.

HERE'S AN INVITATION!!

Who is up for memorizing Ephesians 2:1-10 over the next five weeks?

awarriorprincess has expressed interest and a couple of others might join in as well. Everyone is welcome. Just comment back to let me know you are in.

Each Monday and Thursday we will learn a new verse. On this blog I'll lead us through tackling new verses on Mondays and Thursdays and I'll remind us how to be practicing the other days of the week.

Let's also share via comments the riches that God is showing us in His word as we memorize together. Also share in comments how the actual memorizing is going.

WE'LL START TOMORROW! GIVE IT A TRY!

Simplicity

Seems like there's lots of talk these days about simplicity...

Sam
Steve
Ryan

Why always NO?

I may have posted this before but I was reminded of it again this week.

I'm not a big listener of James Dobson, but something he said years ago comes to mind often.

Why can "no" not sometimes be "yes"?

My kids are always asking... can we read on the front porch? can we play with boxes from the garage? can we make a habitat for "buggy"?

In my busy life I often want to answer with "no". It would be easier for me if the kids didn't get dirty outside, didn't mess up the house with boxes, didn't intentionally bring bugs into the house. But Dobson is ringing in my head... "why can 'no' not sometimes be 'yes'?" When I manage to put down my scheduled and anal agenda, it feels good to say 'yes'.

Of course I'm not talking about a willy-nilly "yes" to things that contradict your family's values or direction. Parents have to protect their family's values and purpose and direction. But most small kids' ideas for fun don't fall into trouble there.

Been struggling with this verse

Romans 12:3 - "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."

That's all for today...

Video Memory Lane

Spent a lot of today gathering up and converting old videos I've made in order to create a "reel" of my work so that I can drum up some more video production freelance business. It was fun to look at all the old stuff, but it is like memory lane and makes me miss some old friends that I used to work with on video and other creative endeavors.

Steve D - I still think your "Voice of Truth" text video was anointed.... and your detail work on "I'm doing fine" was flawless. You are most definitely gifted in video.

Nathan - Thanks for the tip on rotating still pix instead of just zooming or panning them. Your "Today" video is so great. Wish it were mine so I could put it on my reel!!

Kris - lots of good memories... Amos on Easter: "Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Praaaaaaaiiisse the Looooooooooooord!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Easter music with the Passion clips

Carol - I'm still amazed at those carrots!

Reed - T3 and eggs... outstanding

Gene and Harry - your concept, words, and video vision came together in an amazing way on the miner video

OK... enough memory lane.

Need your creative brains

They say that 92.5% of protestant and Catholic churches in the U.S. have one race representing at least 80% of the congregation. We've become acquainted with some people who are trying to change this by creating more churches where people of all ethnic backgrounds can come together.

I'm possibly going to be helping these people with producing a vision-casting video and I need to find a great song for it. So.... question for you...

What's the most powerful song you know about racism, coming together, and love? It could be directly about racism or it could be a song that paints a picture of diverse people joined. I'm looking for something on the edgy side.

Speaking of videos... I was looking at this again this week and I still think this Invisible Children Global Night Commute video is one of the coolest videos ever.