7/19/2016 1 Comment Shaken Salt II need a new salt shaker. Maybe. Most of the salt I use these days is sea salt. It comes in coarse little chunks that wouldn’t fall through the holes of my old, broken shaker. They remind me of the chunk of salt that sits on my writing desk. I picked it up by the Dead Sea in Israel. Does anyone make a sea salt shaker?
Jesus shared an image of his followers pouring out grace like salt; delighting the tongue with flavor. I’ve been reading Colossians this month and have decided that this is my key verse as I navigate the communications of my first weeks in the District Office: Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. –Colossians 4: 6. It’s hard to know how I “ought to answer everyone.” I’m learning time management, prioritizing, praying, discerning, staying silent until the right words come and diving into the words of scripture for inspiration, guidance, and personal grounding. The words coming most easily are joyful responses to MidMaine UMC church visits. Last Saturday I joined Deering Memorial members as they served their weekly free breakfast in the beautiful Norway Grange Hall. Two of the folks I ate with navigate Western Maine with a service dog and without their own transportation. Talk about requiring faith! The breakfast, served by Sandy and Jinger, was excellent enough for the food critics page of any paper. Helping clean up afterward, I found myself at the sink with a fellow who'd gone to the same Quincy, MA high school as my Dad. And afterward Sandy and Jim gave me the gift of precious summer Saturday time touring South Paris and Norway, and praying together in Deering Memorial UMC. While the congregation’s time in this beloved building is nearing an end (September 18), their ministry is already finding new and vibrant forms shaken out into the community. Pastor AJ Alexander’s missional seasoning is a tangible transforming agent. Sat. supper was chicken pie and fixings with Bolster’s Mills. What joy to be warmly welcomed on the steps by Pastor John Baker-Streevy, waited on at table by a highly competent and pleasant youngster, and to enjoy conversation with life-long community residents and retiree-newcomers. Space for grace. Nothing fancy, wonderfully filling in every way. Bolster’s Mills shows a slide show of their mission/outreach effort while guests are waiting for tables. This shows that, by buying a supper ticket, they become partners in ministry. Sunday found me running up 295 in a downpour to worship with Union Church Belgrade Lakes. Did you know that if you fill out a visitor/prayer request card so that they know a guest is present, you get a box of homemade cookies in fellowship time? (Mine were chocolate chip and I managed not to open the box until I got home to share them with Jeff). In addition to contact information, the well designed guest card itself invites people to learn more about: ___accepting God’s forgiveness and asking Jesus Christ is be my Savior. ___Baptism ___Becoming a member ___Serving within the church ___ Misson and Outreach ___Children’s ministry. Or to offer a prayer request or a call. I was impressed with the graceful flow of worship, beginning with Carol’s guidance of welcome and community sharing, including Rev. Joe Chamberlain’s ingathering and lifting up of prayers, and lifted up by music that celebrated God given gifts (I think the congregation could have sung all morning). Carol shared a family member’s writing (below*) as transition into worship. Pastor Joe’s sermon opened up Martha’s challenge by Jesus in a way that challenged all of us to open ourselves as well. Afterward, Lynn, Phyllis, Dottie, Carol and Donald shared their breakfast table with me. Hospitality seems so natural to this community. We had a leisurely walking tour of the village in all its summer vibrancy. So I’ve been hanging out with salty people so far. And I can’t wait to visit more churches shaking their best God-gifts out into the community! In Christ’s Joy, Karen *Reflection from a family member with a critically ill child…… The one great thing about being at Boston Children’s Hospital in times like these is the community. So many colors, religions, genders, identities, economic standing. Everyone smiles at everyone. Eyes smile through Burka, and under baseball caps and hoodies. People understand each other, even if only for a day. Everyone assumes the other has it worse, no one wants to be there, people travel there from all over the world and it’s all about the kids. No guns, no politics, no weapons. Sick kids: the commonality. The medical professionals are dedicated to one kind of people-kids. What a concept…… One more idea to share: AJ Alexander, who pastors South Deering, has led members and friends to free pass out artistically constructed hearts made by her husband, Wayne. They are offered as reminder to take every action, and speak every word, through love. The hearts are making a welcome impact at church, in work places, and in the community. Easy, lovely, profound.
1 Comment
Steve Bascom
8/4/2016 04:14:47 am
Thank you for providing this blog. It is a great way to help us discover what is happening in our neighborhood (especially those of us who are new)!
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