VBS Fun!

Tomorrow is the last day of VBS at First Farragut. It has been fantastic! Here's Wednesday's Video. We'll have another video at Worship on Sunday!

VBS is Going Strong!

Enjoy Day 1 Highlights! Don't forget VBS Sunday is at 11:00 a.m. this Sunday. Children will be leading the music for the worship service.

Shocked and Proud

Today was the beginning of Vacation Bible School. Yes, I know it is a Tuesday. Who begins VBS on a Tuesday? Well, First Farragut does. Really, how many people would have shown up on Memorial Day ... really? We kicked off our new worship series "God's Word Is ..." this past Sunday. It is inspired by VBS. The VBS theme this year is "High Seas Expedition", but because we've already had worship series like "Expedition Bethlehem", "Get on the Boat: Adventures with Jesus", and "The Unexpected Adventure", I thought we might be traveled out. So ... God's Word Is ... .


Any way. We put everything away after the 11 am service on Sunday so that the VBS crew could begin decorating. The decorations stay up for this coming Sunday because it is VBS Sunday at 11 am (so don't miss it). So this morning was the first I saw of this year's theme decorations.

I was shocked! There it was -- the sacred prayer rails configured into the shape of a boat and the Holy Altar with a ship's wheel coming out of one side -- not to mention the enormous mast looming over top, with nautical flags! What were they thinking?!

And then I answered it. What were they thinking? What does it say to have an altar with a steering wheel. It means your outside the box for sure. It means your altar can go places. What about the Body and Blood of Christ that we will break and share on Sunday? Can you picture me in a robe, standing behind the altar with a steering wheel coming out of it, surrounded by prayer rails in the shape of the hull to a ship? Stop Laughing.

Yes, I know, I can picture it, too. Which makes me proud. Proud to be the pastor of such an incredibly talented and creative congregation. A group willing to except change (as long as it makes sense). A congregation that is out of the box and into the world. Sharing God's Word -- it's true ... it's comforting ... it's life-changing.


BIT: Yes, I know someone will probably say something on Sunday ... but I'll just smile and say, "I was shocked, too."

There's Something Wrong with Scooter

I was absolutely in hysterics when I saw this commercial. Then I looked over and saw my "The Unexpected Adventure" book lying on the end table, and it hit me. Not the book, but the thought that so often we go through life -- our Christian Life -- with the attitude of Mr. Hill. "Oh well, I've got my receipt. Surely someone else will come along and save Scooter. Don't worry about it."

First Farragut has started their new worship series "The Unexpected Adventure" where we will be looking at tools that will help us to be used by Christ to "save Scooter." I hope we do get worried about people and become intentional about sharing the Good News and the hope of Easter.

BIT: Oops! Someone forgot to Boost! See ya Sunday for a REAL Boost. Remember, "Put Good In ... Get Good Out!"

Burden

Ever since last Sunday's Sermon on Psalm 55 ("Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." v.22), where I shared the story of the Strawberry Plains Lenten Burden Cross, I've been burdened by something. I shared that Gincy and I cast our burden, prayed, and in a couple weeks time our prayer had been answered. What I only shared briefly was that this had been a burden we had carried for two years (longer if you count the discernment process on whether God wanted us to adopt at all). I also shared three points: 1) Cast your burden (based on the Psalm 55); 2) Change your burden (based on "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28); and, 3) Carry each other's burden (based on "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2). Anytime you try to organize something (even a sermon) you run the risk of coming across as, "If you follow these 3 steps ... or these 4 points ... God will do this ... or your life will turn out like ... or money will reign down on you from God. It doesn't happen that way. God cannot be limited to 3 steps or 4 points.

I've not received any negative feed back from my sermon to cause my reflection. It just hit me that with a topic like burdens, which we all have and struggle with, I might come across as overly simple. It has also hit me in a couple of other ways (the way God usually works in my life). This week our staff is studying "Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God" by Francis Chan. There it was, he states on page 41:

When I am consumed by my problems -- stressed out about my life, my family, my job -- I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a "right" to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities.
Worry implies that we don't quite trust God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives.
Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, or lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control.
Basically, these two behaviors communicate that it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional. Both worry and stress reek of arrogance. They declare our tendency to forget that ... in the context of God's strength, our problems are small, indeed.

Wow, I'm glad I didn't say that on Sunday morning! And, then again this morning during my Centering Prayer Time -- big shout out to my Centering Prayer Buddies at First Broad Street and my Centering Prayer Buddies at First Farragut (yes we have an underground movement) -- from The Morning Psalm from The Morning Office:

O God, when you went forth before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, The earth shook, and the skies poured down rain at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel. You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance; you refreshed the land when it was weary. Your people found their home in it; in your goodness, O God, you have made provision for the poor. The chariots of God are twenty thousand,
even thousands of thousands; the Lord comes in holiness from Sinai. You have gone up on high and led captivity captive; you have received gifts even from your enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Blessed be the Lord day by day, the God of our salvation, who bears our burdens. He is our God, the God of our salvation; God is the Lord, by whom we escape death. (Psalm 68:7-10, 17-20)

BIT: I know, this has been a blog on the burden of preaching a sermon on burdens. It is no easy thing. But, I stand behind Cast, Change, Carry. We'll take up Lenten Psalms Part II this Sunday, "Amazing Love" -- hey, maybe that has something to do with burdens ...

We Had Faith!

It is the Monday after a fantastic Sunday (even if it was long -- two worship services, celebration lunch, ice skating, and confirmation class). It was a glorious day! Worship attendance was up and the Rev. Dr. Bernice Kirkland, former associate pastor of First Farragut and currently serving as the Executive Pastor at Cascade UMC in Atlanta, GA, delivered an inspiring and "anointed" message (anointed being her second step in her sermon). She truly put an exclamation point on our Stepping Stones to the Future Debt Reduction Campaign. It was great to finally meet Bernice and her wonderful husband Darryl.

It was also a special day of homecomings as the Rev. Richard Edwards and his family were in attendance at the 11:00 am service. He gave us quite a "good word" after our time of commitment, which was our "step" for this Sunday. Our Celebration Meal was incredible. [The cake above, made by Jason Yarbrough, was a part of this extravaganza]

Stepping Stones has been a time of homecomings as some members whom we had not seen in a while came back. And, Stepping Stones is currently a time when new people are visiting and joining with us. We celebrated 3 births this week and still have one on the way. Through our devotional book and centering times we have grown spiritually as individuals. Through worship and making contacts we have grown together as a congregation. Stepping Stones to the Future has truly been a time of moving forward!

So, now for what you are wanting to know ... I did not even fall once ice skating on Sunday afternoon with the kids. I don't know that I would have called it Speed Skating (as was advertised in worship), because there were far too many inexperienced skaters around me. You mean that's not what you wanted to know? ...

Here's how we did ... In our first Sunday of receiving estimate of giving cards, we have surpassed our Faith Goal of $750,000! And, we stand very close to our Hope Goal of 1 Million! When we get a little over $100,000 more we will reach this goal. We still would love to make our Love Goal of 1.6 Million. We will have cards available this Sunday or you can mail your cards in to the church.

BIT: It's sometimes a little scary standing there by the basket as people come forward to make their commitment. That lurking question, "what if we don't make it to our goal?". Knowing that many people have put in a lot of time and energy and resources to make this happen. However, I felt no such fear this Sunday as people stood to come forward with their gifts. The Spirit that has been moving through this campaign had calmed my anxiousness. I had faith we would reach our Faith Goal. I am excited because I know how much this is going to help us to move boldly into the preferred future God has for us as First Farragut. Now, let us move on to to Faith & Love!

The Blessing of Sacrifice

Our Stepping Stones to the Future worship series and debt reduction campaign in sprinting toward Celebration Sunday this coming Sunday. Pat Luna shared with us about taking a sacrificial step. Her message came with an exclmation point (and you know how I love exclamation points!). The First Farragut Cardboard Testimonies. Many of you have asked to be able to see this video again ... so, here it is.

BIT: How many more lives can First Farragut impact as we move boldly in the Future?