Conference Champs!

The First Flight Middle School girls' track team is the conference champ! GO SEAHAWKS!! I'm so proud of my girls (and the guys, too!). What an awesome season!

VT Lessons

I'm about a week behind on posting this. Track season will be over (for me) after today, so things will start slowing down soon!

Last week, our country observed a terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech. In the past, I've tended to avoid the hype. Last Monday, John Stewart (The Daily Show) explained well how I used to deal with crisis: "Well, if you have a TV, most of you know what has happened today. So, I'm going to do what I always do when this kind of thing happens. I'm going to suppress it, push my feelings deep down inside, and 30 years from now, someone is going to knock over my drink, and I'm going to scream, 'What the ---- did you do that for?!'" It's easy to suppress feelings when we want to believe that our world isn't this messed up. I'm not that person any more. I've wrestled with the questions about evil and realized God didn't do this. God's not micro-managing us. People have free will to make evil and twisted decisions. However, our Easter God brings redemption from the worst. So this week, I've been looking for signs of redemption.

I've found it in community: This image from last Tuesday's candle light memorial symbolizes the unity God desires from his church at all times.
With one accord, the VT community came together to support one another. They all shared something in common: grief. Northeastern NC has many ties to Virginia, so many people here desired to join the mourning community from VT. Many wore VT colors for the nation-wide Maroon & Orange Day last Friday (organized by a woman who attends my church). VT flags and decals cover beach houses and cars. Our community desires to reach out to a hurting community not too far from our own. We in the Church have something in common that unites us: our saving relationship with Jesus Christ. That relationship with him connects us in community with others who have that same relationship. I long for the day when our churches, carrying the light of Christ, begin looking more like the picture above than a bunch of fragmented believers.

Then, I found this other picture. The light of Christ that we shine together should become a light that we share. "You are the light of the world . . . let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:13a, 16). Christian community begins when a person starts a faith relationship with our three-in-one, community God.

We all want to belong; we all long for true community. We all NEED community. Will the Church be that place of unified support for the mourning, the hurting, the hungry? Will the light of Christ within us be something we keep for ourselves, or will we share, inviting others to experience a relationship with our God, Perfect Community?

Doggy days

This week is spring break for Dare Co. So, what does that mean? All the locals leave the beach, and all the tourists (some call them tour-ons, as in, rhyming with morons) have taken over. Sadly, I no longer get a spring break. I miss school! But it does mean that I have gotten to spend the week dog sitting. If only my camera wasn't in the shop, I'd post some pictures! Nonetheless, meet my furry friends:

Buddy Love: Named after Eddie Murphy's slim "Nutty Professor" alter ego, breed - Bichon, age - youngish, he's still got lots of puppy in him. Favorite pastime: running figure-8's around my coffee table and chair. Special concerns: he's allergic to soy, he can't eat normal dog food. "Pet" peeves: being left in laundry room alone at night.

Joe Black: Named after Brad Pitt's character in "Meet Joe Black", breed - shitzu, age - umm, middle aged? Favorite pastime: tug-o-war and sniffing every plant on the side of the road. Special concerns: he's scared of flushing toilets! "Pet" peeves: Buddy's attempts at wrestling when Joe is tired.

I've find it oddly coincidental that both dogs are named after 90's movie characters, and the dogs belong to different owners. It's been an adventurous week! I'm pretty sure this experience has convinced me not to get a dog for awhile (or perhaps just not two at a time). At the same time, though, they've reminded me to think of "the other" before myself as Christ taught. When you live alone, it's easy to forget!

Passion Play

I lived a modern passion play Thursday night. My church celebrated Maundy Thursday. Maundy means command. It's the day we remember Christ's command about the Last Supper: "Do this in remembrance of me." So, I began to remember, entering into the story . . .

Jesus said one of us would betray him. "No, not me, Lord. I'd never do that!" He offered us the Passover cup of suffering. Once representing the blood of a lamb that brought deliverance, this time Jesus said something different. "This is my blood poured out for you." I took a sip.

After supper, he led us to the garden. He told us to watch and pray. My mind was otherwise occupied. I fought temptation to stay focused. I was tired after a week of strong emotions among our congregation (see the last post). Jesus walked a little ways off for awhile and returned to find me mentally asleep. I was daydreaming. Jesus caught me. "Don't fall into temptation. I know you're tired. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." He was telling the truth! It's easier to zone out and make light of the situation in order to avoid thinking about the horror of the cross.

But Judas and the soldiers came and arrested him. How could Judas betray him? Betray us? Jesus was falsely accused, punched, flogged, mocked, spit on. It was unbearable to watch. Then the crowds yelled, "Crucify him!" For what? How could they? From a distance, I looked on in shock as they nailed him to a cross. How could they kill the Lord? How could they kill God? Then, I realized my part in his death. No words went through my head, just horror and grief at the violent sight.

. . . And yet even in the most horrific moment, Jesus still thought of us. He asked the Father to forgive his mockers. He invited the criminal at his side to meet him in paradise. He made sure his mother was taken care of.

All was dark in the church except the empty lighted cross. We all just stared in complete silence. No one knew what to do. Do we stay here? Do we go home? Eventually, we began to exit in errie silence. I was unable to process it all. I felt like one of the women who watched Jesus put into the tomb. They had to leave to prepare for the Sabbath and to mix spices for his burial. I had to go to the grocery store to prepare for Easter dinner. Yet, all I could think of was the image of the cross burned on my eyes.

We all got into our cars and headed home. There is only one road into and out of Duck--speed limit 25 mph. And so, we left the cross behind, traveling in what looked a funeral procession. How appropriate . . .

Ch-ch-ch-changes

It's been a week now since I found out the news. My pastor and good friend David will be leaving Duck United Methodist Church at the end of June. This isn't one of those normal Methodist moves (as in, it wasn't originally requested), so the announcement came as a shock to our congregation. David has served Duck Church for 13 years and had planned on retiring here. Many in our congregation have never had another pastor (particularly some of the youth).

Of course, there are the normal questions: Why does the Methodist church use the appointment system? Was David forced to move? Who's coming to replace him? This week has been an awesome opportunity for me to explain the concepts of calling, church, and faith. When David received the phone call from the bishop, he prayed and realized God was in it. God has called him somewhere else, and David is being obedient. Our church is coming to understand that "church" is bigger than our local congregation. Church is all those who accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. By letting David go, we are sharing him with our brothers and sisters in Christ in another congregation who need a strong, capable leader. However, that sharing doesn't come without some sadness. I have been blessed to serve alongside David and his wife, Libby, for the past 7 months. They are both strong Christians, capable leaders, encouragers, and supporters. They will be deeply missed.

Our church began a discernment process at the beginning of Lent to determine God's will for our church. God has revealed that we will continue this process under new leadership. We continue to ask, "Lord, show us the way." Who will God bring to lead Duck Church? Who will Duck Church become? I believe God will provide the leader we need to move forward in God's will. And along the way, I think each of us are learning more about what it means have faith in God.