Admittedly, this will not be one of my most creative blogs...but it you're a United Methodist geek, you may enjoy it nonetheless. Basically, it will simply be a log of my 5 days at General Conference 2012 - my FIRST General Conference. I'm ridiculously United Methodist, so I'm thrilled to have this opportunity. Thank you, Claremont School of Theology. :)
April 23, 2012
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” – Mark 1:35
3:00 a.m. The alarm sounds, and like Jesus, we arose, while it was still dark. While I wouldn’t call the Ontario airport a desolate place, it wasn’t really hopping at 5:00 a.m. Our flight departed at 6:00, we had a layover in Dallas, then arrived safely in Tampa at 4:00 p.m. We were blessed with a safe journey and a FREE ride to our hotel. We arrived at the Hilton Garden Inn about 5:15, unpacked and relaxed until a group dinner at 7:15 at Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. The weather was perfect and the 5 block walk to the restaurant on historic brick streets was leisurely, lovely and quite enjoyable. Ybor City is an historic area of Tampa with interesting and charming architecture that was once a celebrated location for cigars. We arrived back at the hotel about 9:00 p.m. with aspirations of studying, but little sleep, jet lag and travel culminated into an early lights out. Joyously, our 6:45 a.m. departure was moved to 9:00 a.m. and then to 10:45 – perfect for our first night/morning.
April 24, 2012
“…in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” – Acts 5:38-39
8:30 – wake up
9:00 – breakfast, met a delegate who called Claremont “the bastion of liberal thinking,” but then said he “Loved it!” – then a little New Testament Class conversation/studying with Brian and Melissa. Brian is much more in tune with Dr. Riley than I am, so this was VERY helpful.
10:00 – grooming, with great conversation about the day ahead of us with Monalisa & Melissa
10:45 – departure
11-12 – booths, free stuff, Cokesbury and beautiful Tampa – what a stunning location for a conference! I’ve never been a big Florida fan, but I’ve never been to Tampa before. It’s quite stunning.
12:15 – Orientation Session for Seminarians: Sixty to Seventy-five seminarians and professors gathered in the lower level of the Convention Center in rooms 20 and 21 and were welcomed by a guy. lol. Another pastor proclaimed that yesterday he experienced his “greatest day in ministry,” when he was able to deliver 2012 beautiful, hand-made blue silk mantles for every delegate, alternate, bishops, etc. The idea was born with a small team of people and grew and grew. With every increase in the number of mantles needed, Acts 5:38-39 was quoted. Each mantle has been prayed over so that each person wearing them knows he or she is covered in prayer as they discern over the next ten days. It was a beautiful story, and to see all of the delegates put them on during worship tonight was quite moving. “Covered in prayer, we are never alone.”
1:30-Lunch, pictures, making new friends
4:00-Worship! The highlight of the day was worship with thousands of Methodists from all over the globe. I loved all of the languages, the liturgical dance, the music and the preaching.
Marcus Briggs-Cloud, a member of the Maskoke Nation, consecrated the Conference in his native tongue, and taught us the word, “estongo,” which is a way of welcoming or greeting people in a more meaningful way. Then he welcomed us and asked us to be mindful of the footprint we leave on “colonial Florida” – the homeland of his people. He also asked us to remember our ancestors and the native people who are here now, living and breathing human beings. (He was also part of the worship band, playing several instruments.)
After music and the blessing of the conference, Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster, president of the Council of Bishops, invited us to hear Jesus’ call to “Follow.” He reminded us of the James and John leaving their father and their nets to follow. He said we gather every four years to mend and clean our nets, and he challenged us not to be so busy with “our” nets that we miss Jesus walking among us and asking us to follow. He said John Wesley’s introduction to the New Testament was that they forsook their employ…Happy are they that follow Christ at the first call. Immediately the disciples responded to Jesus – with relentless spontaneity, exuberant urgency, and extraordinary disruption. Jesus' call moves us from business as usual to boldness and urgency. Jesus transforms lives. John Wesley challenged Methodists to reform the continent, beginning with the church. Finally, one of my favorite parts of his sermon was his analogy about fishing. The first disciples were “net” fishing – pulling up EVERYTHING together. Too often we’re doing a different, specific kind of fishing for people who are like us, whoever that is. Jesus will show up while we’re mending our nets. Will we see him? Will we hear him? Will we notice?
All of the music was wonderful, but one of the most moving songs for me, was “God has Work for Us to Do.” Here are the lyrics:
Till all the jails are empty and all the bellies filled;
Till no one hurts or steals or lies, and no more blood is spilled;
God has work for us to do, God has work for us to do
Believe in the promise, “I make all things new”
God has work for us, work for us to do.
Till age and race and gender no longer separate;
Till pulpit, press, and politics are free of greed and hate:
In tenement and mansion, in factory, farm, and mill
In board room and in billiard hall, in wards where time stands still,
In classroom, church, and office, in shops or on the street;
In every place where people thrive or starve or hide or meet:
By sitting at a bedside to hold pale, trembling hands,
By speaking for the powerless against unjust demands,
By praying through our doing and singing through fear,
By trusting that the seed we sow will bring God's harvest near.
Grace and Peace to all of you who stuck through this entry. :)
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Doing things that don't make sense...
Sometimes God asks us to do things that don't make sense.
In Luke, chapter 5, we read about a time when Jesus was standing beside a lake and crowds of people were pressing in on him, because they wanted to hear the word of God. Jesus saw two boats there at the shore of the lake. The fisherman were not in the boats, they were washing their nets. So Jesus got into one of the boats (the one belonging to Simon Peter), and asked him to pull out a bit from the shore. From there, Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he finished, he told Simon Peter to go out to the deep water and put his nets in for a catch. Simon Peter was tired. He'd been fishing all night and hadn't caught anything. He told Jesus this but then said, "If you say so, I will let down the nets."
Simon Peter was a fisherman. He understood his trade. He'd worked all night. He wanted to rinse his nets and call it a night. But Jesus. Jesus wanted to bless him. Jesus wanted Simon Peter to trust him and to obey him. We're so often like Peter. We get up, go to work, do our job, come home. Get up, go to work, do our job, come home. We work hard. We become masters in our trade. And everyday, we get up, go to work, do our job, come home. But Jesus. Jesus wants to bless us. Jesus wants us to trust him and to obey him. Even when it doesn't make sense.
We must trust again and again and again. And, when we do, we can be surprised and thankful and amazed at how God always provides more than we can ask for or imagine.
So, Simon Peter did what Jesus asked. And when he did, he caught so many fish that the nets were beginning to break. They had to signal their partners in the other boat to come help them. And they filled both boats with fish...so much so that the boats began to sink! Simon Peter and his partners, James & John, and all who were with him were amazed at the catch. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!"
Like Peter, when we do what Jesus asks, and we recognize God's power and providence we feel humbled,completely unworthy and even afraid. The love God pours out to us is overwhelming, but far too often we live our lives simply getting up, going to work, doing our job and coming home. We spend our lives missing God's love. ...even pushing God away.
Jesus responded to Peter by saying, "Do not be afraid, from now on you will be catching people."
Peter says, "Go away!" and Jesus responds, "Don't be afraid." Peter says, "I'm a sinful man!" And Jesus responds, "Soon you will be catching people."
At the beginning of the story, Jesus tells Simon Peter to do something that doesn't make sense. Peter does it and is overwhelmed by God's provision. Then at the end of the story, Jesus tells Simon Peter that he's going to do something soon, something that also doesn't make sense. (How does one catch people?) Jesus sees in Simon Peter something that Simon Peter does not see in himself. Jesus calls Peter to break the cycle. To do more. To be more. To write a different story.
Jesus is asking us to write a different story too. A story of courage, trust, obedience and hope. When we do, we too, will understand and live our purpose. Soon.
In Luke, chapter 5, we read about a time when Jesus was standing beside a lake and crowds of people were pressing in on him, because they wanted to hear the word of God. Jesus saw two boats there at the shore of the lake. The fisherman were not in the boats, they were washing their nets. So Jesus got into one of the boats (the one belonging to Simon Peter), and asked him to pull out a bit from the shore. From there, Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he finished, he told Simon Peter to go out to the deep water and put his nets in for a catch. Simon Peter was tired. He'd been fishing all night and hadn't caught anything. He told Jesus this but then said, "If you say so, I will let down the nets."
Simon Peter was a fisherman. He understood his trade. He'd worked all night. He wanted to rinse his nets and call it a night. But Jesus. Jesus wanted to bless him. Jesus wanted Simon Peter to trust him and to obey him. We're so often like Peter. We get up, go to work, do our job, come home. Get up, go to work, do our job, come home. We work hard. We become masters in our trade. And everyday, we get up, go to work, do our job, come home. But Jesus. Jesus wants to bless us. Jesus wants us to trust him and to obey him. Even when it doesn't make sense.
We must trust again and again and again. And, when we do, we can be surprised and thankful and amazed at how God always provides more than we can ask for or imagine.
So, Simon Peter did what Jesus asked. And when he did, he caught so many fish that the nets were beginning to break. They had to signal their partners in the other boat to come help them. And they filled both boats with fish...so much so that the boats began to sink! Simon Peter and his partners, James & John, and all who were with him were amazed at the catch. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!"
Like Peter, when we do what Jesus asks, and we recognize God's power and providence we feel humbled,completely unworthy and even afraid. The love God pours out to us is overwhelming, but far too often we live our lives simply getting up, going to work, doing our job and coming home. We spend our lives missing God's love. ...even pushing God away.
Jesus responded to Peter by saying, "Do not be afraid, from now on you will be catching people."
Peter says, "Go away!" and Jesus responds, "Don't be afraid." Peter says, "I'm a sinful man!" And Jesus responds, "Soon you will be catching people."
At the beginning of the story, Jesus tells Simon Peter to do something that doesn't make sense. Peter does it and is overwhelmed by God's provision. Then at the end of the story, Jesus tells Simon Peter that he's going to do something soon, something that also doesn't make sense. (How does one catch people?) Jesus sees in Simon Peter something that Simon Peter does not see in himself. Jesus calls Peter to break the cycle. To do more. To be more. To write a different story.
Jesus is asking us to write a different story too. A story of courage, trust, obedience and hope. When we do, we too, will understand and live our purpose. Soon.
Monday, January 2, 2012
So Much Has happened since July 2010...my last Blog
For the past several years, I have heard God's call to seminary, and like many others before me, had put it off and put it off. I wasn't sure what God's plan for me was post seminary,and I was quite content and fulfilled serving in Student Ministry...so I waited, and I waited, and I waited. In the summer of 2009, I was asked: "If you could do anything you wanted--and money was no object, what would you do?" In a strange instant--without a lot of thought or consideration--I answered, "I would go to seminary, then teach theology and world religions on a university or seminary level." I was surprised when I heard my answer. For the first time in my life, I felt I had chosen a career path, instead of the path choosing me. I felt assured that God has and had led me to this moment. I am passionate about working with students, about learning, and about God…it seems to be a perfect vocation for me.
After applying and being accepted to three United Methodist Seminaries, I chose Claremont School of Theology/Claremont Lincoln University...and it chose me. I am absolutely loving my life, and I am so amazed EVERY day at this blessing! I love my fellow seminarians. I love southern California. I love what I've learned so far. And, I love the possibilities for peace, justice and reconciliation in our broken and beautiful world.
I strongly believe that the most important theological issue of our time is theology itself. I am fascinated by people and the way they love, worship and serve God. We all have a need for something greater than ourselves, and in our search for significance, and meaning, and order, we find a God who answers, who loves and who is faithful. Our understanding of God leads us to behave in ways that bring peace or destruction, bring comfort or condemnation, bring justice or war. Everything is theology. All of life and all of our actions can be connected to our theology--in fact, are intertwined completely. We can learn a lot from one another: Muslims, Jews, Christians (and others) about the ways we practice our faith and about a God who can not be contained.
After applying and being accepted to three United Methodist Seminaries, I chose Claremont School of Theology/Claremont Lincoln University...and it chose me. I am absolutely loving my life, and I am so amazed EVERY day at this blessing! I love my fellow seminarians. I love southern California. I love what I've learned so far. And, I love the possibilities for peace, justice and reconciliation in our broken and beautiful world.
I strongly believe that the most important theological issue of our time is theology itself. I am fascinated by people and the way they love, worship and serve God. We all have a need for something greater than ourselves, and in our search for significance, and meaning, and order, we find a God who answers, who loves and who is faithful. Our understanding of God leads us to behave in ways that bring peace or destruction, bring comfort or condemnation, bring justice or war. Everything is theology. All of life and all of our actions can be connected to our theology--in fact, are intertwined completely. We can learn a lot from one another: Muslims, Jews, Christians (and others) about the ways we practice our faith and about a God who can not be contained.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Surprised by God...Again
Again and again this week I have looked at a book laying on the table next to me. You see, I know that when I pick it up, I will be challenged and confronted and called by God. So, it lays there. I'm comfortable. Life is good. So, I don't pick up my Bible either. I keep myself busy with the business of ministry, disregarding the matters of the heart and soul and mind.
I go to work.
I come home.
I go to work.
I come home.
A comfortable, easy, appreciated pattern.
Tonight is different. I pick up the book. The opening pages have me turning to Jeremiah 1:4-10, and so it begins. God's call to Jeremiah is not just a command, but a vocation. God's call to Jeremiah leads to Jeremiah's immediate thoughts of inadequacy. God is not daunted. God called Jeremiah from his mother's womb. God has a job to be done, and Jeremiah is going to do it. It is no small task. My study notes say, "The renovation of the community is not a painless affair...The intrusion of the word of God is not a placid or pleasant affair." God intrudes on Jeremiah's life. And, now, God intrudes on mine.
Thank you, God.
Rueben Job says:
"Sometimes I forget that I did not think of God first, love God first, decide to follow God first, or even decide to permit myself to be sent by God. None of this was my idea at all. It all came from God. Even before I was made, God loved me and had already chosen me. How could I be so arrogant as to think it was my idea all along? Perhaps it was and is my desire to be in charge, to be in control of my own destiny, when deep within I know so very well that I am completely dependent upon God for all things." Now, isn't that the truth?
I go to work.
I come home.
I go to work.
I come home.
A comfortable, easy, appreciated pattern.
Tonight is different. I pick up the book. The opening pages have me turning to Jeremiah 1:4-10, and so it begins. God's call to Jeremiah is not just a command, but a vocation. God's call to Jeremiah leads to Jeremiah's immediate thoughts of inadequacy. God is not daunted. God called Jeremiah from his mother's womb. God has a job to be done, and Jeremiah is going to do it. It is no small task. My study notes say, "The renovation of the community is not a painless affair...The intrusion of the word of God is not a placid or pleasant affair." God intrudes on Jeremiah's life. And, now, God intrudes on mine.
Thank you, God.
Rueben Job says:
"Sometimes I forget that I did not think of God first, love God first, decide to follow God first, or even decide to permit myself to be sent by God. None of this was my idea at all. It all came from God. Even before I was made, God loved me and had already chosen me. How could I be so arrogant as to think it was my idea all along? Perhaps it was and is my desire to be in charge, to be in control of my own destiny, when deep within I know so very well that I am completely dependent upon God for all things." Now, isn't that the truth?
Saturday, June 19, 2010
High School Mission Trip 7
Getting Close!!!
Today we packed up camp at Cass at about 7 o clock AM. We stopped at McDonald's for breakfast. We proceeded to Cedar Point to spend an amazing day riding coasters. Nobody got sick, and nobody passed out, but everybody had fun. While driving to IHOP Marcy was really excited to drive through Fostoria. She kept saying something about a glass factory. We stopped at IHOP for a celebratory dinner. Today was my birthday (Sam) so they embarrassed me by having the waiters sing to me... After leaving IHOP we drove directly into a storm.... So, we stopped at McDonald's to wait it out. After about 45 minutes we reloaded the car, and drove the final 1.5 hours to the hotel. We received our room assignments and prepared for sleep. If you cannot tell, we are blogging a little bit late tonight hehehe. Tomorrow we will drive the final eight hours back home.
We can't wait to see everyone, and sleep in our own beds...
Thanks for all the prayers
Daniel Riekena & Samantha Figg
Today we packed up camp at Cass at about 7 o clock AM. We stopped at McDonald's for breakfast. We proceeded to Cedar Point to spend an amazing day riding coasters. Nobody got sick, and nobody passed out, but everybody had fun. While driving to IHOP Marcy was really excited to drive through Fostoria. She kept saying something about a glass factory. We stopped at IHOP for a celebratory dinner. Today was my birthday (Sam) so they embarrassed me by having the waiters sing to me... After leaving IHOP we drove directly into a storm.... So, we stopped at McDonald's to wait it out. After about 45 minutes we reloaded the car, and drove the final 1.5 hours to the hotel. We received our room assignments and prepared for sleep. If you cannot tell, we are blogging a little bit late tonight hehehe. Tomorrow we will drive the final eight hours back home.
We can't wait to see everyone, and sleep in our own beds...
Thanks for all the prayers
Daniel Riekena & Samantha Figg
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Detroit Mission Trip: Day 6
Goodbye,
Today was our last day working for the Cass Community. In the morning, we woke up and ate at the Scott Building like usual, but whenever we showed up they surprised us with Krispy Kreme doughnuts. After feasting, we progressed to the warehouse where we assembled tire doormats with tires found on the street, one of the many innovative ways they clean up the city. We then joined the people who live in the Cass center for lunch. We had the opportunity to learn some of the people's stories. We finished our day at the church completing the powerwashing of the showers. When that particular team returned, they smelled of a curious combination of gasoline and bleach... We then set up camp for the last time at the activity center and donned our swimming suits. We drove the 7 minute route to Rev. Fowler's house. We swam, ate hotdogs, and made smores. We then had our final Michigan devotion with Rev. Fowler, Gladys, Geneal, and Tashon. We all hope to see them again when they visit Missouri later this summer. Tommorow we head to CEDAR POINT to spend a day having a whole lot of fun. We will get up super duper early to load the van and make it in time for the park to open.
Thanks for all the prayers
We will see you soon
Daniel Riekena & Samantha Figg
Today was our last day working for the Cass Community. In the morning, we woke up and ate at the Scott Building like usual, but whenever we showed up they surprised us with Krispy Kreme doughnuts. After feasting, we progressed to the warehouse where we assembled tire doormats with tires found on the street, one of the many innovative ways they clean up the city. We then joined the people who live in the Cass center for lunch. We had the opportunity to learn some of the people's stories. We finished our day at the church completing the powerwashing of the showers. When that particular team returned, they smelled of a curious combination of gasoline and bleach... We then set up camp for the last time at the activity center and donned our swimming suits. We drove the 7 minute route to Rev. Fowler's house. We swam, ate hotdogs, and made smores. We then had our final Michigan devotion with Rev. Fowler, Gladys, Geneal, and Tashon. We all hope to see them again when they visit Missouri later this summer. Tommorow we head to CEDAR POINT to spend a day having a whole lot of fun. We will get up super duper early to load the van and make it in time for the park to open.
Thanks for all the prayers
We will see you soon
Daniel Riekena & Samantha Figg
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
High School Mission Trip ~ Day 5 ~
Hey Ya'll!
Tonight we are finally not blogging from Kendra's phone, so we can actually do a detailed blog. (Even though Daniel doesn't want to...) We began our day at the Home Depot, secretly buying plants for the side flowerbed at the Scott building. When we arrived (an hour late...oops), they were excited to see that we had purchased them flowers. While one group put in flowers, the other group loaded the truck we would take to the church, and biked in their green gym again. We spent our morning broken up into several teams which pulled weeds on the playground, painted the hallway, moved body bags out of the haunted house in the basement (which is a famous fundraiser for Cass Community Center), powerwashed and bleached showers, cut and replaced rusted locks using bolt-cutters, and caulked windows. We ended our evening spending time with some of the youth from the Cass church. We learned a few of the students stories, and told them a little about Missouri. They wanted to know if all we had were cows... (Yes.) We then mingled during dinner, and followed it up with a friendly game of basketball. Some of the students went to the playground with the smaller kids. They really enjoyed the face time with the students. We didn't want to leave the kids. One of the cooks from Cass gave our group a DELICIOUS cake to take with us!! It didn't last a half an hour. We are waiting for the sweaty boys that played basketball to get out of the shower so we can do devotion and go to sleep at a decent time...
Tomorrow we head to the tire shop to make mud mats.
Thanks for all the prayers
Daniel Riekena & Samantha Figg
Tonight we are finally not blogging from Kendra's phone, so we can actually do a detailed blog. (Even though Daniel doesn't want to...) We began our day at the Home Depot, secretly buying plants for the side flowerbed at the Scott building. When we arrived (an hour late...oops), they were excited to see that we had purchased them flowers. While one group put in flowers, the other group loaded the truck we would take to the church, and biked in their green gym again. We spent our morning broken up into several teams which pulled weeds on the playground, painted the hallway, moved body bags out of the haunted house in the basement (which is a famous fundraiser for Cass Community Center), powerwashed and bleached showers, cut and replaced rusted locks using bolt-cutters, and caulked windows. We ended our evening spending time with some of the youth from the Cass church. We learned a few of the students stories, and told them a little about Missouri. They wanted to know if all we had were cows... (Yes.) We then mingled during dinner, and followed it up with a friendly game of basketball. Some of the students went to the playground with the smaller kids. They really enjoyed the face time with the students. We didn't want to leave the kids. One of the cooks from Cass gave our group a DELICIOUS cake to take with us!! It didn't last a half an hour. We are waiting for the sweaty boys that played basketball to get out of the shower so we can do devotion and go to sleep at a decent time...
Tomorrow we head to the tire shop to make mud mats.
Thanks for all the prayers
Daniel Riekena & Samantha Figg
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)