Wow!

It has been such an incredibly long time since I posted anything on my blog ... I didn't realize that until I posted a video on here this morning. I'm so sorry. Things have been a bit chaotic around here, well not really chaotic but definitely busy. PPR, SOCM, VBS, and now the 50th Anniversary of St. Mark's UMC. Not to mention visits to Dr. Tiller as well as mammograms, a biopsy, and bone density. The biopsy was fine btw, no cancer cells found in the fluid.

A dear friend however isn't so lucky. Her breast cancer has returned, with a vengence; she's have a mastectomy the end of the month. :'(

I'll try to be more faithful again.

Thanks for your patience.

10-Fold

PPR

Sunday is a PPR meeting -
- we have a LOT to discuss ...

•      Children's Minister
•      Director of Music

... and of course I have my own opinions of both.


First though we'll bring Deanna in and sing her praises and accolades for what she's done with the youth. I realize now that we made a mistake hiring Deanna. Shelby was right. Not that she doesn't enjoy Deanna and not that the youth program isn't ok with Deanna but I believe that we caved to the views and opinions of Jeff. I know, 'but Monica Jeff wasn't even there!' Yes but he let us know that he took both candidates to lunch and felt he could work better with Deanna than Helena. Of course he could - oh fool you are Monica - he has someone he could control sitting in yet another position in the church! I think that he couldn't have controlled Helena and he knew it and that's why he had issues with her.


Second we'll listen to the small committee that met to look at the applications for nursery attendant. They've narrowed the candidates (not sure how many there were) down to one for lead nursery attendant and one for assistant nursery attendant. What about the others? Not sure but then we did that too, the True North Committee so I guess I can't say anything. I know the name for the assistant nursery attendant is Jennifer Bellucci. Yikes, really? Ok I know that I know the history surrounding pre-school and Jennifer and maybe that is clouding my opinion but Jennifer? Really? 


Finally we'll talk about Children's Minister and oh he'll 'bring up the music ministry' (which I think he would have neglected had I NOT e-mailed him!). Here is what I'm going to say at PPR about these two issues:
     I am not sure that hiring a Children's Minister is a good idea. I believe that having so many 'paid' staff positions is ultimately hurting this church; we are not allowing for the opportunity for the lay membership to serve. Don't we, when people join our church, tell them to support this church with their time, their gifts, and their talents? I remember back in the day when the lay membership of this church saw a need and stepped in and filled the void. Leslie led a fabulous children's choir until she left the church. She led the adult chimes choir (when the chimes were new) until she left and then Sandy Guthrie took over. Nancy Riley, who had three sons who played the piano, determined that a children's chimes choir was needed and she got the kids together (her three, Christian, Dylan, Pierce, John, Tabitha, and Lisa) and led a children's chimes choir until they left and then June and Bonnie took over. The choir director's wife attended to the nursery when I first arrived at St. Mark's. Mary and Bonnie Everett were the youth ministers and Ted and Mark helped them out. Before Mary and Bonnie were the Thompsons and I think the Guthries even. Jennifer Eure saw a need for a children's ministry program and asked me to help her out (Shelby was like in 2nd grade). We met at the same time as youth and played games, had crafts and shared a Bible passage and Bible story as well as snacks. All of these were volunteers. All of these people saw a need and stepped out to help. What we need is not another paid staff member but to encourage the lay membership to fill the need. Heck, maybe they (the lay membership) don't see a void or a need. We need to discover the gifts of the members and then call them to serve God. I know, from experience, that people don't volunteer if someone is going to be paid. "Why should I do __ when __ is getting paid to do that?" When someone suggested to Adam that we hire male singers for the choir ... well, that was a disaster when he brought the suggestion before the choir. Everybody there said that they are there because they want to worship God, they want to serve, they want to lift up their gifts and talents in the service of God. The choir members serve and sacrifice out of their love of and for God and you wouldn't be able to say that about anybody who was there just because they are receiving a pay check. That is true for any other position in the church. And as for the children's Sunday School program? Well it's the parents who aren't staying for Sunday School so I think that we're addressing the wrong thing. We need to offer programs that will get the adults to stay and the children will have to be in Sunday School. 


     As for the music program - I've heard rumor going around that someone is in mind to lead the music program. That is so very wrong on so many levels. First, how did the rumor start? Second, PPR has not even met to discuss this issue and there are already rumors and speculations? Third, I personally spoke to Brian who said he does not want to lead the praise team, he already has too little time with Megan and Wyatt. He'll serve in the interim but he does not want the position permanently. I hope that isn't the rumor going around (I have not personally heard that rumor but Brian has been approached already). The rumor I have heard is that Leslie is returning her membership to St. Mark's and that it's been suggested that she's been promised the music director position. PPR needs to be very intentional in their hiring of the new Music Director ... we need to accept many applications, we need to interview and have each candidate direct the choir (to see if they (the choir) believe the person is good a director), we need a person who is willing to oversee children's music programs (not necessarily direct them but enable lay members to direct children's music programs), a person who can work with choir members who can't read music, a person who can lead the congregation in the congregational singing and teach new songs to the congregation, a person who is there to minister to the needs of those that are in the music program. And we need to make sure that our minister will communicate with this person - the pastor is ultimately in charge of all things worship and the two should work closely together week by week.


So ... that is where I am. I am not going to let Jeff place a puppet into these two positions. If I can help it. We'll see.

Bread Man Plays the Guitar

Color Splash

I have found a new love ... Color Splash. It's a program that converts any photo to grey scale and then allows for the colorization of objects for dramatic effect.

I'm having soooo much fun!

accidental incident

a moment in time forever frozen in memory


a decision gone awry
     bad choices
     changed lives


"i should haves" eternally haunting each waking
"if onlys" invading dreams causing nightmares


a boat, a child, a sharp quick turn of events 
     a widow, a motherless child, a daughterless mother


a friend bearing the brutality of guilt
     writhing in self-loathing


Father God -- comfort, peace, and forgiveness. Please.