The Dislike Button

If you do not use Facebook, this may not make a lot of sense. I wanted to take a few moments to write my thoughts about all this talk of the "dislike" button.

On Facebook, users have the opportunity to post thoughts, accomplishments and other information on their site. In addition to being able to comment about what other people post of the site, you also have the option to "like" something. You can give something a "thumbs up" so that other people know that you support and like what that person said or did.

I do get a kick out of this function, and I appreciate the positive feelings that come with recognizing others and being recognized as well.

Of course, this begs the questions...why can't you have a "dislike" button? It makes sense. If you can like something, why can't you dislike something? I have read plenty on Facebook about folks that would like to see this function in Facebook. So far, it has no been added. At first I thought it should be added, but now I don't think it should be.

Sadly, it is because of its abuse that I do not support it. I can imagine a variety of sad scenarios. The minute you show disapproval about any issue, negative feelings will emerge. This will cause an individual to say something bad creating a cycle of bad energy. This will cause people to feel less comfortable sharing because they will be worried that others will react negatively. I have seen thumbs up/down functions on news sites and it usually eventually boils down to name calling.

It is certainly not to say that there could be a positive from the "dislike" button. I just think for the overall flow of Facebook, they should avoid adding it. Sadly, this is not the only time when potential abuse makes something that could be constructive, something that we should probably avoid.

Thanksgiving Eve Service

I really do enjoy Thanksgiving. :) You can't beat a holiday involving a good meal, time with family and three football games. It is also an opportunity to reflect and remember all the ways that God has blessed us in our lives.

Each year, the Oakfield UMC and Tabor UMC work together to put together a worship service on Thanksgiving Eve. This year, the worship service will be on November 25, 2009 at 7:30PM at the Tabor UMC. I am excited to preside over this worship service and I am looking forward to it.

The service will revolve around the theme of gratitude. There will be Communion during the service and we will be taking an offering of monetary donations and canned food donations. We will also have time in the service for folks to share what they are thankful for.

I am hopeful that there will come a time when this worship service could be ecumenical and would incorporate other churches in the Oakfield and Eden area.

For now, I hope to see you there. If you have yet to check out a service at Tabor, this would be a good opportunity. You can see the new construction going on! Happy Thanksgiving!!

Spirit Check!

Not too long after I started as the pastor for the Oakfield and Tabor churches, I found about the "spirit check." In July, the Oakfield church does some special things to recognize and remember the tornado that went through the community in 1996.

There is a verbal exchange that became a part of the church as a result of that event:

L: Spirit check!
C: Praise the Lord!

There was something about today's worship service that move someone to call out for a spirit check. You could tell that the Spirit was definitely with us for today's service. We had a spirited celebration of Christ the King Sunday. We also have an attendance of around 50 people, many of whom were visitors. It was definitely a time to be excited for Oakfield!

Pamphlet

I wanted to share a portion of a pamphlet that I found from the Concordia Publishing House. It is entitled "Christians Are Not Perfect". I appreciate how these words show that no one is perfect, including Christians...sadly, sometimes, especially Christians. But, it also phrases well the Good News available to everyone.

Christians Are Not Perfect
It is true that Christians:

• sin;
• are tempted by evil thoughts and desires;
• can be selfish and ask, "What's in it for me?"
• fear death at times and try not to think about it;
• may trust in money, prestige, and power for security;
• can put on a religious front or act insincerely;
• may be tempted to think that God will overlook their faults because they are no worse than other people;
• sometimes consider attending church a Sunday morning religious duty;
• may not always radiate the joy and enthusiasm that faith in Christ brings;
• often fail to demonstrate in their lives in perfect love and forgiveness God has shown in Jesus Christ.

Christians Are Not Perfect and They Know It
It is also true that Christians:

• are forgiven their sins because Jesus Christ suffered on the cross, died, and rose from the grave as the Savior of the world;
• know and experience a new kind of life;
• grow in grace and produce fruits of the Spirit;
• rejoice in God's abundant forgiveness;
• attend church to hear God's Word and receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion;
• treasure the Bible as God's Word through which God reveals the Good News of everlasting life in Christ;
• are guided through life by the power of the Holy Spirit given them in Baptism;
• serve Christ by serving others;
• demonstrate the love of God by their actions;
• do not despair over their failures and mistakes since God stands ready to forgive and receive them again and again;
• persevere through life's struggles and face even death confident of ultimate victory, because in His resurrection Jesus Christ has won the victory for them;
• by grace bear their crosses patiently, knowing that suffering produces the image of Christ in them.

A Life in Your Hands

Being up at 5:30AM each morning when the dog gets up, Christa and I have found ourselves watching whatever we can find on TV as we get ready in the morning and play with the dog. After watching the Sopranos on A&E, we have gotten into the show American Justice. The show reflects back on previous court cases, mostly from the 90s. After you set aside the fashion of the time, it is an interesting review of our legal history.

Today they were talking about the power that juries are given in trials. Specifically, they were talking about juries deciding between life in prison or the death penalty.

What struck me after I watched the show this morning was how easy it can be to have a stance on the issues without ever being put directly into a situation in which you need to make that decision. My stance on the death penalty has changed a lot over the years. There was a long time in which I am supportive of the death penalty. I am not as supportive of it now.

Maybe someone else would be capable of saying that someone deserves to die. I couldn't do it. I don't think we as human beings have the right to decide who lives and who dies. Our legal system tries its best to punish criminals for all crimes, including murder. But to respond to death with more death is something that I struggle with. The thought of watching over one another in Christian love can be clouded when we talk about criminals.

Do we believe that everyone is capable of redemption? My reading of Wesley would say that God's grace extends to everyone, no matter how far they are from God. I want to hold tightly to the thought that anyone is at least capable of coming back to God. If Paul could turn from someone who at first was killing the first Christians to someone who became our greatest theologian...then with God, all things are truly possible.

I know there are many Christians that are for the death penalty and that's fine with me. I appreciate that we can disagree and still call ourselves brothers and sisters in Christ. I would be curious to know your thoughts on this issue, on either side.

Tabor Construction Project

Each Wednesday I serve office hours at the Tabor Church. It has been exciting each week to see the progress made on the new construction project. I thought that this morning deserved its own special report.

On the outside, the parking lot extension has already been poured and dried. We were lucky to have them do this when they did. They were about to close up shop for the winter. The windows have been installed. While I was getting a tour from Melvin, I was informed that they were also in the process of installing the air conditioner for the pastor's office. I signed a contract this morning to begin work on installing a metal roof over the entire church.

As far as the inside goes, some of the rooms and doorways are beginning to take shape. I found out that the sanctuary will be air conditioned. That should make for for pleasant summer services.

Members of the congregation have already inquired as to how we will celebrate the grand opening of this new addition. It appears that everything could be done in December, but more likely January. I can't tell you how excited I am to see this when it is all done.

I appreciate the blessings that God has given this church. Last Sunday we had 83 folks at worship. Giving toward the construction continues to be strong. Energy continues to build. We have new faces in positions of leadership. I am excited to see where things go at Tabor!

The Only Constant is Change?

Being a full-time puppy sitter has not been the most fulfilling for Christa. We love our dog, but spending most of the day with Weaver can get frustrating. Christa had put out applications to a few different positions in the area. She got a call from the Fond du Lac school district in regards to a long term substitute position for a biology and food science teaching position. She interviewed and got the job. She started yesterday! She will be teaching three sections of freshman biology and two sections of food science. From what we can tell, she will have the position until the end of March.

This is wonderful news! Christa will appreciate not only having a job, but a job teaching that which she was trained to do. She was not excited about substitute teaching in a different classroom each day, so this opportunity is truly a blessing. It will also give her an opportunity to try out a full-time teaching position in biology without having to commit to an entire year. It is really the perfect opportunity.

Her job does create another shift in our life. Christa now heads out the door at around 7:00AM in the morning and gets back at 4:00PM in the afternoon. My job provides more flexibility, so I have now taken over daily doggy duties. Hopefully, all three of us can get into a more regular routine...it should work about better for all of us.