A Ministry of Presence

    I remember the late October night, not too many years ago, when the pastor told me that during the baptismal covenant a United Methodist promises to give the church prayers, presence, service, gifts, and witness.   At that time I thought how are your presents and gifts different. It only took my brain a few seconds to come up with the difference between presence and  presents, but still it is funny.

When I applied for the US-2 program, one of the essay questions was "What does ministry with mean to you?"  That was the only question I had left, and I spent two to three days thinking about a good answer.  Luckily enough I had taken Mr. Pascoe's exposition class, so I was able to write a good essay answer.  However, also in said exposition class I learned that works of writing may never be fully finished, works can and should continually be revised.  So today I have a revised answer for what ministry with means to me.

Ministry with is a ministry of presence.  I have continuously been passionate about ministry with children and youth.  So outside of my actual job, I have continued my ministry with children and youth, by being present.  I like to say hi to as many children as I can when I see them in worship on Sunday mornings, and I am an assistant to Sunday school teachers about once a month.  Today I went to children's choir practice.  (With my joy for singing and lack of tonal awareness, children's choir is the place to start right?)  I had fun singing with the children.  Notice I did not sing to the children or for the children, I sang with them.  By participating in choir I bonded with those children in a way that I could not have done any other way.  

That afternoon as I was leaving the church, one of the boys from choir who was busy playing with other boys, stopped and waved shouting, "Bye Cindy!"  Right then I knew I had been in ministry with the children, and that ministry had a far greater impact on the children than a ministry to or for.  

I Can't See Until Sundown

The sun shines so brightly in California.  Every morning for the first 4 hours after sunrise I can't see anything when I look east.  Also every evening I can't see anything from 3 pm until sundown. Even with sun glasses it is just really sunny.

So naturally I had to think about the sun.  I then decided this is a metaphor in defense of being politically moderate.  I decided that the suns visible journey across the sky is like the liberal/conservative spectrum.  If you are facing north, then to your right is east, and then to your left is west.  During the course of the day, the sun travels all the way from the far right in the morning to the far left in the evening.

When the sun is at the far right, I can't see properly.  Likewise people who are on the far right don't see properly.  Also when the sun is at the far left I can't see properly, so people on the far left don't see properly either.

So you can't just be in the middle thinking that everything is all good though.  You see, if you are at the far right, and you look into the sun you cannot see properly, but if you look certain directions you can see just fine.  It is the same if you are on the far left.

When you are in the middle you can see properly looking one direction at a certain time(issue), and at another time(issue) you can see best looking the other direction.

It is important to be able to see something from more than one viewpoint but it is also important to know who you are and what you believe, where you stand, and from there you will know what direction to look and when.

October Starts with O and Ends With Halloween

I like to get to know people.  I like to know when people have birthdays.  There are about five days a year when at least 5 people I know have a birthday.  October 1st is one of them.   I know so many people with with a birthday in October, myself included.

So on this day in October I want to just take a minute to say Happy Birthday to all of my October friends including you Nabil, Rachel, Bethany, Spencer, Schyler, Kaleigh, Josh, Jennifer, Brad, Debbie, Dan, Misty, Owen, Brett, Drew, Roland, Ruth, Kristy, Christy, Steve, Gaven, Julie, Amanda, Michelle, Sam, Julie,Brian, Jessica, David, Mindy, Cheryl, Penny, Liz, Lauren, Megan, Susan, Ashley, Elenor, Carol, Kristina, and anyone I missed.

Obviously October means a lot to a lot of people.  What will October 2013 mean to me?  Well on October 6th 2006, I took my first steps after shattering my femur in traumatic car accident.  I usually do something to celebrate or commemorate that day, thten I celebrate my little O-zone buddy's birthday, then my own, then Halloween, and then October is over.

October begins the downhill slide into Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the new year.  This year in October I want to stop.  I want to remember that I am God's beloved Cindy.

If I didn't name you and your birthday is in October, I am truly sorry, let me know I will give you a shout out.  Speaking of shout outs....