Think I'll sit down here for a bit... (9)

[synger]

So, how did the rest of the conferrence go? This would be... LMCS?

The conference was pretty wonderful, actually. We've gone for the past three years, and too often the workshops have been all talk and no action. And so Ablaze-y that it's hard to get past the bean-counting to the actual joyous work we're called to do (our district is one of the biggest rah-rah sections for Ablaze, and has embraced it quite a bit).

This year, the theme was "Out Fishin'", and we focused on the story of the disciples going back to fishing after Jesus' death, and the miracle of the huge catch of fish when he told them to go back out and let down their nets. So the kids' program had them making fish, and catching fish, and singing fish-related Gospel songs.

But the workshops were really focused on evangelism and discipleship... not just with discussions, but with real-life examples of congregations reaching out to Asian and Hispanic communities, concerns and problems they've had with evangelism, how to make evangelism something for all Lutherans in the vocation God has called them (not just something professional missionaries do), etc.

I got a LOT of good ideas to bring back and discuss with our Evangelism committee. Sure, there were some not-so-helpful speakers. But more of them than usual had real, solid, helpful presentations and encouraged questions and discussion.

The conference information is here, including a link to the workshop descriptions.



OH! For those who are interested in worship music, there was a young Lutheran man who attended the conference, who has begun a weekly podcast of music he is composing for use in church. He loves the hymnody of the church -- the "meatiness" of it -- but also likes the contemporary sound and feel. So he's trying to blend them. His site is Word Like Fire. I haven't heard but one of the podcasts so far. Not sure what I think yet. If you're interested, give him a listen and some feedback.

 

[Studeclunker]

Well, Synger, at least they're working with theologically sound Lutheran Hymns. Unfortuneately, I'm on dial-up and it takes a lot of time to load even a short bit of music.

I listened to one Hymn, the one featured, O Word Of God Incarnate, and wasn't impressed. However, in all fairness, I never did like the 'Calvary Chapel' style of music. This particular style has been around for over forty years now. The harmonics of it are such as to give a whining and moaning quality to the music that just grates on my nerves. Also, it works very well for a small group to sing in harmony. A congregation has a tendency of getting lost in it. The result is muddy at best. However, the upside is that at least one can HEAR the result. Oftentimes, an organ will drown out the congregation completely, let alone a small choir. Especially a large pipe organ. So, there's virtues on both sides of this fence. At least this is a sign that someone is trying to present the Lutheran faith in a different way instead of pretending to be something we're not, as ABLAZE often does. This young man, and your report give me comfort that there's hope for the LCMS after all.

 

[seajoy]

Summer has decided to come to Michigan this year. High of 94 today, with major humidity. Radman and Johnsgal were going to try and get out of the heat and come visit us - we sure fooled them!

Please pray for them to have safe travels on their way here.

 

[Studeclunker]

Well our prayers were heard here in California. The Lord was gracious enough to send us two full days of rain and two partial. We got about an inch and a half out of it. The spring started producing much more water. Which, though very welcome and I'm grateful for it, leaves the worry that surface water is getting mixed into the spring. Right now, though, I'll take whatever I can get.

They cut down a magnificent Lebanon Cedar at the church this past week. Pity, truely a pity. However, the tree was pushing up the foundations of the Sanctuary, and the choice was the building over the poorly planted tree. Good news is that George and I got a half-cord of wood out of it. It'll keep us very warm this winter, if it's dry enough by then. The pastor announced at the end of services that the wood was open for anyone who wished to take it home. Since I was in my good clothes, I just took the small stuff. I'm going to try to talk George into going down one morning this week and get what is left of the big stuff. Got a lot of frosty looks for taking the wood though. I think I'll write a note of thanks to the Pastor and board, they might feel a bit better about it then. The Lord doth provide for the least of his servants.

 

[Studeclunker]

Summer has decided to come to Michigan this year. High of 94 today, with major humidity. Radman and Johnsgal were going to try and get out of the heat and come visit us - we sure fooled them!

Please pray for them to have safe travels on their way here.

Well, tell them to go to Eureka CA, where the high today is sixty-six degrees and cloudy. Ferndale, CA a few miles inland, is also cool and cloudy. It's a lovely little Victorian town.

Well, I'd best quit swilling tea, get off my duff and get something done today. Hope you all have a great day!

 

[porterross]

Ack! Surrounded by contractors and falling ceilings, tile and spider webs, but we're alive and making progress. We're blessed with work no shortage of challenging decisions, but still no agruments or tension. It is good we have room for our own, separate space sometimes, though.

We started taking pics to do some before and afters, but I have no idea where to continue on with that now and we just want to get finished!!!! Once the new roof is on and water system in, we can move forward with some minor things.

I hope everyone's doing well. Be careful on the road, Stude and Filo (always on the road) and anyone else who might be doing the same.

 

[LilLamb219]

Hi Porter!

Drive by posting here...see me go!

 

[WildStrawberry]

Heya Porter!

Sounds like things are going really well across the pond!

Kae

 

[RadMan]

Ack! Surrounded by contractors and falling ceilings, tile and spider webs, but we're alive and making progress. We're blessed with work no shortage of challenging decisions, but still no agruments or tension. It is good we have room for our own, separate space sometimes, though.

We started taking pics to do some before and afters, but I have no idea where to continue on with that now and we just want to get finished!!!! Once the new roof is on and water system in, we can move forward with some minor things.

I hope everyone's doing well. Be careful on the road, Stude and Filo (always on the road) and anyone else who might be doing the same.

You might be interested in meeting some wonderful people I know in Edinburgh.......or is it Edinborough? They are on this board somewhere.

 

[Studeclunker]

Hi Porter! Wish I was there helping along. Sounds like a lot of fun... really! Can't wait to see pictures of the inheri-house.

Well, this has been a very interesting few days. I went to work yesterday morning with an air of same-old, same-old. I arrived at my client's house and realized that there wasn't enough trim for his bathroom. So, off to Plotzke's (Ace hardware) I toddled. Got the trim and a few other things, tied the trim down and went to talk with the Garden Department lady. She's been a lot of help with suggestions to deal with the heat in my garden. As we were talking a crowd of people started forming outside the store. We couldn't see what they were pointing at through the saran shade and potted trees so, we joined the crowd. They were looking at a huge flume of smoke to the east... Directly in line with where George and I live. The flume grew with an alarming speed in reds, browns greys and black. Someone commented that the fire was at the Coffin Ranch near One Maple Vinyard. They're on the other end of the canyon from me. I turned to the plant lady and said, "I gotta go!" Nana was already in the truck and I sprinted to it and exited the parking lot at high speed. George was stuck on the mountain without any transportation. I passed His brother at the bottom of the driveway and sped up to the top. No George, dogs, or goats. No one and the fire was cresting the ridge. I grabbed all the important papers I could find, hooked up the horse-trailer (in case the goats were at the Fire Station eating apples again), and sped down the hill. As I got there, George stepped out of Russ' car. WHEW! He had the dogs. The goats were still missing. We went back up to the house and made sure we had everything that was really important. The firecrews had told us they were going to use the house for a staging location, so we weren't too worried it would be lost. However, whilst we were running around the fire continued down the hill to within a hundred feet or so of the house. When it flared up on the ridge I told George, "We gotta go, right now. Leave it, let's go!" George wanted to go back for some pictures and personal stuff. We sped back down the hill.

The fire was set by a nutso who lives in Lewiston, in the villiage proper. She was caught whilst setting the blackberries on the side of the road on fire, was detained till law enforcement could arrive, and arrested. Four thousand acres of fir and pine have been completely destroyed. Thankfully the Lord was merciful, and none of our houses were lost. Nonetheless, our wonderful, beautiful, fir groves were lost. The other side of the ridge was completely nuked. I'll post pictures when the noise on the phone line is cleared up. Right now my response time sucks.

 

[ctay]

Whoa, that would have been scary

 

[synger]

Oh, Stude! Thank the merciful God that no one was injured and no houses destroyed! Fires can spread so quickly. From the news article I found it looks like there was a tremendous response by the firefighters. "There were 453 people on the fire, 32 fire engines, nine bulldozers and 15 handcrews, according to Cal Fire officials. Four air tankers, three helicopters and six water tenders also were assigned to the blaze."

Glad you're okay!

ETA: here's a link to an article about the woman who may have set it
and an article about the fire fighting, with some amazing pictures.

 

[Tangible]

Now I see why your sig says "Sufficient for the day are the troubles therein." Glad it wasn't any worse that it was.

 

[LilLamb219]

I'm so glad you're ok, Stude!!!! Wow, what excitement!

 

[Studeclunker]

Yeah, well, Lambie, that's the kind of excitement I could do without (LOL)!

Here's some shots of the 'excitement':

that little strip in the middle is our house. This was the closest the fire crews would let us get. I was standing on top of the horse trailer, on the hay rack, to get this shot.

The retardant he's dropping here is sticky, icky, and reeeeealy hard to wash off.

The destruction on the back of the hill was complete. There's nothing left.

 

[LutheranChick]

Wow Stude- that was really close. Thank God your home was spared.

 

[porterross]

You might be interested in meeting some wonderful people I know in Edinburgh.......or is it Edinborough? They are on this board somewhere.

Edinburgh is one of my favorite places! Our house is just south of Cambridge, so it's a bit of a drive, but a darn beautiful one.



Stude!!!! :o Oh, my goodness. What frightening goings on in your back yard. I share everyone's relief that you're safe and that the criminal is in custody.


Hello, all. We're taking a few days off the house work to rest and pack up for the movers. The house won't be ready when our goods our transported, but we can work around that for a few days. Every day, things are looking that much better.

 

[seajoy]

Stude, glad you are ok.

 

[Tangible]

Edinburgh.......or is it Edinborough?

Spelled Edinburgh, pronounced Edinborough.

 

[DaRev]

This week's sermon video is up and available. (An audio mp3 file is also available.)
www.stjohnboundbrook.org/video.htm