Epworth's Transformation: More Than Surface Deep

   I never saw the Bill Murray comic classic Groundhog Day when it came out in 1993.  I was too busy not studying calculus. But, I am familiar with the folklore that says if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on February 2, then spring will come early and, if is it sunny, then we’ll have winter for six more weeks. Last month, Punxsutawney Phil predicted we would have a long winter. Of course, that is not great science, is it? You cannot predict the future weather for months out based on one day’s conditions.

   Last week, I was delighted to write a report on all of the new construction and renovation projects that Epworth has tackled in the past 54 weeks. The list is long, and the changes are dramatic. ROCON is waiting on the delivery of the final piece, new entrance doors to the Fellowship Hall, and that project will be complete. But, I also promised to report on the transformations happening at Epworth that are more than surface deep.

   First, let me revisit the groundhogs. I don’t think you can predict the future based on one day’s weather. Just like I don’t think you can speak to the Spirit-led transformation happening at Epworth without considering a variety of measures. So, here goes:

• The transfer of the Hamp-Stephens funds last January made a huge impact on our Spirit. More than just allowing us to pay for the construction work, finally having the monies in hand freed up so many of our people from the sense of dread that the funds would somehow be lost to us. 
• Our Vision Team that met from January to June of last year helped capture a clear mission: Epworth connects and equips all kinds of people to seek, serve and share Christ. People are learning and quoting this statement to each other and to folks outside our church. 
• The Vision Team also laid out an ambitious goal of having 60% of our active people serving beyond the walls of our church in ministries in our community. I hear of people taking on new projects and passions all the time. This is the church being the church! 
• Finally, I received feedback from our congregation in a survey I did on Epworth’s vision and our future. One of the questions asked, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rank your confidence in the statement, “Epworth will be a thriving congregation in the year 2025.” The average answer came back as 7.5. 

Think about that last point. In a world that is changing so rapidly around us, our people nevertheless are very confident that Epworth will be here. I believe they are right and I believe that hope comes from the continuing work of the Holy Spirit to transform us. 

   Like the word of promise spoken by the prophet Ezekiel to God’s people countless generations ago, “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” I don’t think this is some silly tradition that is poorly predicting the future weather - I believe Epworth is positioned to continue seeking, serving and sharing Christ with the world. 

   Grace and Peace, Scott

Looking Back on the Good

   The Scriptures contain some pretty serious consequences for those who look back. In Genesis 19, Lot's wife is left behind - in the form of a pillar of salt - when she casts a glance back after being instructed to not look back. Jesus says, in Luke 9, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." In both cases, it seems that looking back in a way that suggests returning to the past is deemed a very bad thing.
   However, I think there is scriptural evidence that looking back to take stock of what was beneficial, for the purpose of changing course or getting perspective, is clearly a good thing. Luke 15 tells of the younger son thinking back to his father's home and coming to his senses. Clearly the New Testament comes to us only eyewitnesses spent years looking back and thinking through the words and deeds of Jesus. I think looking back can have value. We probably don't do it enough: slow down and look back.
   It was February 3, 2014 that our church gathered to hear a report on two proposed renovation and new construction projects. It was also that night that the assembled group first learned of the transfer of the Hamp Stevens Memorial UMC funds into Epworth's account. Who knew that a unanimous vote would be the beginning of fifty-two weeks of work?

• The hallway renovations, and the renovation that upgraded the women's restroom in the long hallway, would be completed in April, just before Easter. 
• The parking lot project would begin in May and wrap up in August. 
• The children's ministry wing project would begin in June and wrap up the week of Homecoming in September.
• Finally, the renovation of the Fellowship Hall and the new storage room that has been built started in October and are finishing this week. We hoped it would be finished in December, but the middle of this project was delayed for 2.5 weeks by the City, another three weeks by our choice to upgrade the ceilings, and then a week for Christmas break. So, while Andy Rolling and ROCON are a couple of weeks behind on the timetable considering these bumps in the road, their work over the past year has truly transformed our building.  

   In all, our Building Committee has led us to tackle six projects. We have has construction crews on the property for forty-eight of the past fifty-two weeks. At the same time, different monies were raised or given to replace the commercial refrigerator, the business phone system, and to install a new security system at the church and in the parsonage.
   What a year! And this only scratches the surface of what Epworth has going on. Next week, I want to highlight the transformation that continues in Epworth.
   Grace and Peace, Scott

George Clooney and Bob Watson

   If you were like us, most night of television don't offer enough choices to warrant the high prices we pay to have six billions channels stream into our homes. Every once in a while, there are two things on that we want to watch at the same time. On Sunday, we were mostly watching an NFL game with a couple of channel changes from time to time for Julie to stay up to date with the Golden Globes over on NBC. This is the three hour show that recognizes winners from the world of television and movies for great acting, directing, music, and a host of other categories. The night was hosted by two brilliant - though not without controversy - female comedians, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who keep the night going with their commentary and humor.
   We didn't watch much of the awards show, but people have been talking about one particular moment ever since. Julie showed me a clip the next day. Commenting on something that had just happened, Tina Fey said this:

“George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin this year. Amal is a human rights lawyer who worked on the Enron case, was an advisor to Kofi Annan regarding Syria and was selected for a three-person UN commission investigating rules of war violations in the Gaza strip ... So tonight, her husband is getting a lifetime achievement award.”

Apparently they love to poke fun at Clooney, so this moment had extra meaning for those who keep up with their annual appearances at this event.

   Really, Fey was not joking, was she? So very often, we recognize the wrong things. We give awards for the wrong categories. We highlight the wrong statistics and appreciate the wrong achievements. Whether it be trophies for professional athletes, accolades for celebrities, or contests to find the next big star, our compasses point in every direction but true. Andy Unger says he once heard that Americans used to look up to television stars because the best people were on television and we aspired to be like them. Now, we often tune in to see some of the worst people and are just proud we are not as bad as they are. 

   On Tuesday, I stood before Barbara Watson, some of her family, and the other members of the downtown Columbus Lions Club to speak at a memorial service they had in honor of Mr. Bob, a Lion since 1976. Before it was my turn, twenty people had already taken their turns expressing appreciation for his legacy. I must say, at that moment, there was no question to whom the award was supposed to go. Four months after he has passed, his legacy still shines brightly.

   Our vision for 2015 is that Epworth GLOWS. We believe every person is called to Give God first place, Learn God’s truths, be Open-minded and forgiving, Worship 24/7, and Serve and give generously. This is the kind of life that heaven applauds. This is the kind of life that receives the greatest of recognition. Grace and Peace to you, Scott

News, News

   Epworth was blessed to receive the Good News on the first Sunday of the Christmas season from the Rev. Ben Gosden, one of our own. I spoke with Ben the night before and he shared the outline of his message with me then: it sounded so good. Our family was blessed to worship at the church in Fayetteville. The same church I worked and we attended when I started seminary, where Julie and I lived after we were married, and where Sam was born. We saw friends from over a decade ago and also heard a message crafted out of the Scriptures for this Season.

   One of the songs we sang in Fayetteville repeated a refrain that can be seen on every television, handheld smart phone or tablet, and even in the folded pages of ink-laden newspaper pages. The song was “Good Christian Men Rejoice” and the line went, “give ye heed to what we say: News, news! Jesus Christ is born today!” It seemed so very relevant, since everywhere we turn around someone is proclaiming that they have the latest news.

   The front page of the Ledger-Enquirer for the past few days featured the top news stories of the past year from a host of topics: crime, courts, government, education, politics, business, baseball, hospitals, babies, and more. All week long, cable news networks and morning talk shows are also featuring the top news stories from the previous year. There is value in looking back and remembering. What stories from the news do you recall? What are you holding onto as the new year begins?

   Is all news the same? No. We know better. Just the other day, my mechanic called to say, “I have good news and I have...” Don’t laugh. That second set of news cost me a lot of money!

   Christians talk a lot about Good News. The Greek word that is translated to English as Good News in the New Testament is ԑúаүүέλıоv (euangélion) and it is gospel. We use this same word to describe the collections of stories about the life of Jesus. Put one way, every time the church leans in to hear the stories of Jesus, we are tuning into the good news.

   I am resolved to begin the year right. I want to work even harder to pay attention to the news that changed my present and influences my future. I want to give more attention to the voices that offer the best wisdom for my life. I invite you to join me in worship to do the very same thing. 
   Grace and Peace to you, Scott

Thankful for Names and the Lives They Represent

   How many times do you write your name in a week? In a life? Who else is writing our names down? Think about it. The examples seem endless. Yet, how many of those instances endure beyond our lives?
   Psalm 69 is the first reference in the Scriptures to the Book of Life. Paul, himself an Jewish scholar and teacher, refers to women and men he has worked alongside in his letter to the Philippians whose names will be included in this list. And, of course, the Book of Revelation is the place where the Book of Life is most often named. Seven references there help make clear how firmly the early church was convinced that God is keeping a list of names. In every case, it is a list on which faithful people want to be included.
   I was thinking about names and lists on Sunday afternoon, after seeing Walter Champagne honor Jimmy Bridges as the 2014 Lonnie Whitehurst Man of the Year recipient. I was thinking how his name joined the faithful workers who have come before him. It prompted me to return to the wall where they are honored and spend a few moments appreciating them. Here they are, for you to appreciate, too:
Lonnie Whitehurst, Bobby Clark, Eddie Reid, Wesley Crews, Lem Sawyer, Earl Haynes, Bob Thompson, Jim Carter, Judson Mullican, Glenn Griffin, Dick Stallings, Bill Hughes, James Johnson, Carroll Ward, Frank Littlefield, Tom Patrick, Gene Frantz, Buddy Dunn, Wayne Morris, Tommy Mayton, Harold Morris, Steve Sawyer, Gary Ledbetter, Bill Pharris, Jerry Brown, Mike Morris, Ron Weese, Ted Bush, Walter Champagne, James Waters, Shawn Jandreau and now Jimmy Bridges. I am grateful for them.
   I pray that this week that starts a season of holidays and celebrations is good. We have much for which to be thankful and celebrate. I pray that the people you gather with, and the names you remember and cherish, will spur you on to faithfulness and a life that pursues God's love. Grace and Peace, Scott

I Don't Know Anything

   The English proverb suggests, "Good things come to those who wait." This week, Epworth received approval from the City of Columbus to move forward in the new construction of a storage room that will adjoin the Fellowship Hall, as well as with renovations to the Fellowship Hall. ROCON had done as much as they could in preparing the walls, duct-work, floors, and electrical fixtures up to the point that the first inspections would take place and allow the work of putting things back in place could begin. The progress inside and outside will pick up quickly now that the permit is approved and on site. Good things are going to come quickly!
   I've learned so very much throughout the previous ten months that Epworth has been engaged in renovations. From fire and building codes that keep us safe, to energy-efficient light fixtures, and the latest HVAC units that heat and cool spaces for a fraction of the cost of previous designs, it has been a fascinating journey for someone who likes to learn new things. Glenn Griffin (architect), Andy Rolling (contractor) and Laura Jane Murphy (city inspector) are just three of the countless folks who passed through our hallways offering both knowledge and care to our congregation's buildings and future.

   The most recent lesson was a refresher in a course I've had many times before. It came as I stood behind a giant concrete truck - someone told me that when full they weigh 67,000 lbs - and watched a crew of workers spread and smooth the perfect combination of rock, water and chemicals into trenches that had been perfectly dug, measured, covered and then reinforced. I was struck: I would not have a clue how to do this correctly! For as much as I have learned over the years from my grandfather in his shop, from the mission teams from Albany First UMC along the hurricane-damaged coast, and recently with Riley Middleton on one project after another, I don't know anything about pouring concrete to create a new room. Thankfully, I don't have to!
    One of the greatest and most beautiful truths of the church is that we are not in this alone. Romans 12 tells us our team is like the body of Christ, Ephesians 4 tells us that each has been given various gifts for ministry, and Hebrews 12 reminds us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. And 1 Corinthians 3 proclaims that underneath it all is the perfectly poured foundation of Jesus Christ which the hymn-writer Samuel Stone turned into the tune in 1866 that even now sings in my heart, "The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord...."
   May the grace and peace of Jesus, upon whom our salvation is built, be with you! Scott

I'm Having Trouble Praying

Read and pray daily.

It is for your life;

There is no other way:

Else you will be a trifler

All your days.

                                    - Rev. John Wesley

   I don't know many people who would argue with Wesley on his opening admonition. We are supposed to read and pray, daily. Such habits shape our life for the good. It is his use of the word 'trifler' that has me pondering my own situation.
   I have been struggling to maintain a regular prayer life. I do pray every day, mind you, but am not sitting regularly in one place and engaging all of myself in the task. My prayers lately have come in between the other stuff. Lately, the other stuff has piled up above eye-level, or so it seems.
   I have been working on some important things. I very rarely attend a meeting that is not worthwhile. I never make a visit to a home or hospital without sensing the presence of God. The sermons for the past two months have spanned the scriptures and (most weeks) offered the Word of God in forms that are relevant to where people are in their own lives. The construction work throughout the church looks great. The furnishings in the Children's Wing have created a place for children to learn and grow in the very best stuff of life. How could anyone call this trifling work?
   Yet, I know Wesley is right. All of my efforts are empty offerings compared to the gift of my heart to the One who made me. God does not delight in a completed To-Do list. God delights in my desire to hear and know Him. Steve Harper writes in A Pocket Guide to Prayer, "God gives each of us the same amount of time. The difference comes in how we understand and make use of the gift. Time must be organized and managed, but it also must be consecrated.... Sacred time provides the space for the work of the heart and the actions of the hands."
   I am praying that my prayers happen with more intention. I am praying that I don't trifle away my days and weeks and more with tasks that are accomplished without first sitting to listen for God's leading in all of it. I pray that I would know God loves me for me and not for what I produce.
   And, I pray all of this for you, too. Grace and Peace, Scott

Our Little Corner

   I was blessed to stand in a crowd of family, friends and enlisted soldiers and commissioned officers a week ago to see Kris Farrar pinned with the two bars signifying his promotion to the rank of Captain in the United States Army. It was great to see Nicole and their two boys standing proudly with Kris for the brief, but meaningful, ceremony.
   Two of Kris' supervising officers spoke of his excellence in leadership. They gave specific instances of how his work has served the mission of the infantry training unit that Kris helps to run and how all of their work there serves the larger mission of the entire Department of Defense. I love the way our military is able to connect specific actions and the people who carry them out with the greater mission that each has signed up for. In the middle of the ceremony, the commanding officer offered a few words of inspiration to every soldier who was present. He said,

We are each responsible for our little corner of the Army. - Lieutenant Colonel Jim Pangelinan

He went on to say that every one of them oversees their part of what is happening to advance the mission and every one has the ability to expand what they are doing for the good of the cause.
   My mind raced. As the son of a retired military officer, my father was in the Coast Guard Reserve for thirty years, I knew this to be true. I also delight in the close friendships I have with current officers in the Air Force, Army and Navy. His statement resonated with what I know of each of their work and service, but I could not help but think that the truth he had so eloquently captured with a few words was applicable far beyond military service.
   We are each responsible for our little corner of God's Kingdom. God has chosen to order the world in such a way that we are called to be partners in God's work.
   Paul, an early Christian leader who helped start churches and wrote about the mission of the people of God, described the Church's responsibility as "the ministry of reconciliation" because "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself" (2 Corinthians:5:18-19). God's ultimate purpose is to reconcile - bring back and make right - all people to Himself. The Church plays an important role in achieving this mission. We are called to live (by deed and word) in such a way that we point to the very heart of God's love for the world - which is Jesus Christ crucified that we might have life.
   The mission of Epworth is to connect and equip all kinds of people to seek, serve and share Christ. How am I helping achieve this mission? How am I doing with my little corner of the Kingdom?
   Grace and Peace, Scott

The Same and Different

Everett

   A week ago, I held Everett Bates Carpenter in my arms about 20 hours after he was born. He came into the world weighing over 10 pounds. He is the second son of Bryan and Sydney, regular visitors to our church while Bryan is training at Fort Benning. Sydney is also my wife's second cousin!

Kirk and Henry

   This Monday, I was so thrilled to hold Henry Carlton Hagan about 3 hours after he was born. He is the second child born to my brother, Kirk, and sister-in-law, Robin. Henry was born in Dublin, the closest hospital to Wrightsville, where my brother serves as the United Methodist pastor. Little Henry weighed a little over 6 pounds when he was born.
   I was amazed, standing there holding my nephew, at how little he is. Not just because he was just born, but because I had held another, heavier, newborn the previous week. We all come into the world in our own, unique form. We are different.

   We are the same. That was Ellen Murkison's opening message to our congregation on Sunday as she set out to capture the work and grace of God through the retelling of their family's amazing story of life over death. When Ellen said, "We are regular people," I could sense every person lean in. [You can still purchase copies of her book, Prayers from Fiji, on Amazon.com.] Her message resonated with what we believe about Epworth. I continue to be amazed at how God has been preparing our next steps as a church through the work of our Vision Team earlier this year. Who knew then that our first core value, seen here, would be lived out in that very moment?

Epworth’s Missional Motives - Why We Do What We Do

• We are real people.

• We welcome all God's children. 

• We love what we do.

• We seek Jesus in all we do.

• We serve to make the world better.

We all want to connect with people who are real. On Tuesday of this week, Glenn Griffin stopped me out front to say a word of appreciation for Ellen's message. He said, "We all need to be reminded of good stories and God's work." Amen to that.

   We come into the world in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Soon enough, though, all of our stories come together to share many things in common: heartache, loss, triumph, betrayal, trauma, joy, delight, and connection. Epworth is filled with people who are different and the same. The greatest story of all, though, is the love of God for all of us. We are loved and saved back from the brink of destruction by the most powerful force in the universe: God's love.
   Beautiful, saved, loved people - that is what we are becoming. Grace and Peace to you, Scott

God loves you. Your church does, too.

Receive the Word of God. Learn its stories and study its words. 

Its stories belong to us all, and these words speak to us all. 

They tell us who we are. They tell us that we belong to Christ 

and to one another, for we are all people of God.

   As they prepared to receive their Bibles and the prayer throws made for them by the hands of our Prayer Shawl Ministry volunteers, these were the words that Kelley Conkle read to Ema, Emma, Carter and Davis, the rising third graders who stood before the congregation on Sunday. The faces of these four young people beamed with pride as they received these gifts and the attention of standing in front of everyone. I then made an attempt to capture all of this. I said,

God loves you. Your church does, too.

   I made it to the parking lot after worship before the magnitude of that moment began to sink in further. What a privilege to speak to young people in such precious moments. What an honor to be a small part of what God is doing through the hundreds of family, teachers, counselors, coaches, doctors, nurses, and volunteers who have helped these young people to make it this far. Of course, we know they have further to go. The world is complicated and amazing and terrible and beautiful and sad. They know some of that now and will know more of that later. But, throughout, these two truths do not change; God loves them and so does this church.

Epworth's Sanctuary in April 1963

   Epworth has a long history of shining the love and light of God into the lives of children and adults. It started with families gathering in a home on Rosemont Avenue, continued with months of meeting at Sherwood Methodist Church, and has continued these 51 years that we worshiped here on Devonshire Drive. Our Homecoming preacher, the Rev. Dr. Rick Mitchell, is a part of our great history. He served here for three years, including the time that the Hamp Stevens Memorial UMC congregation merged with Epworth. That merger helped make possible the amazing renovations and updates that our building and parking have seen this year.
   Epworth has a good history. We gather to celebrate the God who makes history worthwhile. We gather to embrace the present that we are called to help transform. We gather to claim and proclaim a future overseen by the sovereign God of the universe that loves us. To that, we can all say, Amen.

I Did Not See It Coming

   I ask a lot of questions. I hope some of that springs from a sense of wonder that I have for the world. I hope some of my questions come from a recognition that I don't know all of the answers. Of course, I sometimes ask questions for other reasons. I like asking questions when I am teaching in order to elicit the answers from the people I am with. I think teaching often happens best when more than one person is doing the talking.
   You already know that when I ask questions of the children sitting around me during the Children's Sermon, all bets are off as to what they might say. There is no telling. Art Linkletter (and later Bill Cosby) had it right, "Kids say the darnedest things."
   My most recent experience with an answer I did not see coming happened this week in our adult Bible Study, however. We've had great groups of people attend on Tuesday evenings and on Wednesday mornings. Our topic this week was worship. Worship appears as the W within the framework of Epworth's Missional Measures - the way we know we are succeeded in our purpose - GLOWS. The question I asked was simple: "What words come to mind when you think about the history of worship?" Buddy Dunn spoke up and said, Pagan.
   I did not see that coming. I should have. It was brilliant.
   Just like that, in an instant, his answer gave the feeble lesson I was embarking on a new level of depth I could not have imagined. In another way, he pointed all of us to the very target I had in my notes for us to arrive at an hour later. He did it with a word I did not see coming.
   You had to be there to experience just how perfect a word it was. If I were to summarize it, I would say that recognizing the role that pagan worship has played, as the alternative to the Judeo-Christian worship outlined in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, really captures so much of what should be said on the topic. From the first offerings made by Cain and Abel, to the first altar built by Noah, to the "best theological conversation ever" about worship held between Jesus and a Samaritan woman at a well, our worship of the One True God runs counter to the pagan worship of the little gods of the world. We worship a true God who reigns above the silly, smaller gods that the world props up.
   Buddy's answer out of nowhere is how God often works. Answers are delivered when we think we already know it all. Solutions are found in precisely the place we were not looking. The word given is nothing like what we expect, but soon our vision adjusts and it makes perfect sense. Which is why our worship - keeping our eyes open to the glory of God in our midst - cannot be limited to one hour, one place, or one morning. God is at work all around us. We gather weekly as the people of God to reconnect with these very truths.
   May we have the faith to be ready for whatever next God-thing we don't see coming! Grace and peace, Scott

Epworth connects and equips all kinds of people to seek, serve, and share Christ

   Our mission statement, developed by the group of eleven on the Vision Team earlier this year, captures God's unique call on our church in the present. In many ways, our Mission also picks up the history of so much of what Epworth has been about since it was founded in 1960. It also, in a beautiful way, speaks to the legacy of the Hamp Stevens Memorial UMC congregation that was formed over a century ago, whose members now call Epworth home after our merger in 2006.
   I am already getting excited about some great moments, that will help to connect and equip us, coming up in our near future.

   At Homecoming, on Sunday, September 21, we will welcome back a beloved preacher from our recent past, the Rev. Dr. Rick Mitchell. Rick and his family moved to begin serving Epworth in June of 2004. Over his years of service, both he and Deb have served great churches in South Georgia. Currently he pastors the Eastman UMC church and Deb is pastor at Shelton Chapel and Dodges Chapel UMC's. Rick embodies our belief that Epworth GLOWS, for he is a person of character who gives God first place. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Homecoming is more than just the preaching. We will also celebrate our past and lean forward into our future through the help of music, great old photographs, and finally a covered dish meal that is simply the best there is anywhere.
   A week later, on Sunday, September 28, we will welcome the Murkisons to worship with us. Ellen and David, along with their sons Ben and Brian, have lived through the nightmare of a traumatic crash that led them through what Psalm 23 calls the valley of the shadow of death. Yet, their story includes faith and compassion, hope and healing, and ultimately a glimpse into the mystery and power of prayer. Ellen has written a book about the chapter of their lives that began with a car accident in December 2011. It is titled, Prayers from Fiji. I have loved getting started with it, and cannot wait to read the rest. While you won't have to have read the book to appreciate their story, many of us will want to get a copy to be encouraged by God's work. Our church website features links from the homepage to easy ways you can get paperback copies or even the Kindle version.
   The rest of the fall will also bring exciting and important moments. In mid-October, we will start the last of our four major renovation projects for 2014, with the Fellowship Hall Project. Thanks to the leadership of our Building Committee, the guidance of Glenn Griffin, and the work of Andy Rolling and ROCON construction, the interior of our church already looks vastly different than it did just eight months ago. On Sunday, October 26, we will have the official Open House for our Children's Ministry Area following the renovation work that is happening right now. On that day, we will also celebrate Consecration Sunday, and commit to keep growing and extending the ways god is working not just through our finances, but also our faith in Him.
   It is great to call Epworth home. It is great to have a clear sense of mission and calling. May we celebrate what God is doing in our lives. Grace and Peace, Scott

Water Cooler Woes

   Many of you have taken note of the fact that the renovations of the hallways meant the removal of the old metal water coolers that hung on the walls. We had three of them and, from time to time, two of them would operate. In their places, we have installed a new-style water cooler that will offer fresh water.
   What seemed like a simple purchase and solution has become more complex than you could imagine. First of all, I really thought we could do this in a way that saved the church in the long run by not using a water delivery service that would bring new jugs every couple of weeks. I've since learned that sometimes saving money leads to headaches, but that is another story for another week.
   Our journey toward doing this ourselves started with the realization that no single company makes everything needed. No company makes the water cooler and cup holder, and no company seems to make either one to be compatible with the other. This week we discovered that the unit we had in our hallway was defective - it never turned on because it was accidentally built without an 'on' switch. To top it off, four calls into their Customer Service center have gotten us a different answer every time. It is funny and frustrating at the same time. We've finally been told they will ship us a new one. Their people are nice - but there has to be an easier way to get to the finish line of clean, fresh, affordable water in our hallway.
   Which makes me think of the church. I wonder how our experiences with this company are similar to the experiences of visitors who've come to Epworth. How many people have come to our church looking for a simple, clear path to get connected, only to find it is not always that simple? How many of our members have longed for a way to serve but cannot get easy answers on where they are needed most? How many times have I wondered about the vast array of things that we offer people to learn, serve, and grow and how many of them actually lead to different destinations?
 Matthew records in 7:13 Jesus saying, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it." I don't think discipleship is easy. I don't think following Jesus is supposed to be simple. It isn't. But, I do think we should help people connect and we should be clear in how people can be equipped to follow this path. Jesus is the way. The church is called to help people along the way. I am so excited to serve a church that wants to be intentional in making that happen.
   Grace and Peace, Scott

Picnics, Watermelons, and Fireworks

   Picnics, Watermelons, and Fireworks. Those are the things that first come to mind for Bob Wait when he thinks back about the Fourth of July from years gone by. Those probably make a lot of peoples' lists of memories for this week. What about you? What do you remember? Some folks will add trips to the lake, visits to grandmother's house, and family meals together. All of the 50+ in our Carruth family would name our annual family reunion as a beloved Fourth of July tradition. We almost always gather at my Aunt Margaret's cabin in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina for a few days of the very stuff named above: fireworks, food, and family all over the place.
   As Bob and I sat talking the other day our conversation jumped from the holiday week to the work that has been happening at Epworth this year. In particular, the renovations in the hallways, the addition of the parking lot in the rear of our property, and now the start of the Children's Wing renovations. He and I are both aware that the faithfulness of generations of people from years gone by has played a part in bringing those projects to life.
   It was special to be able to share with Bob about the newest plaque that now hangs in the hallway of Epworth, commemorating the people and legacy of the Hamp Stevens Memorial UMC. Featuring a photo of the church building, a section with history and a great poem given to the church's namesake back in 1909. The plaque hangs above a special Bible, also given to Rev. Stevens back in 1909, that came to Epworth in the joining of the two congregations in 2006.
   Columbus has changed since that little church was founded in 1902 out of a tent revival meeting, but it's legacy is remembered in a plaque, a bible, and, most of all, the ongoing witness of the saints who still live out their calling at Epworth by singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School, serving in leadership, contributing to the ministry offering every week, and caring for one another. Sitting with Bob Wait, the prayer I offered was one of thanksgiving for the past and one of expectation for the future. What a delight to serve a God who reigns over our past and our future!
   Grace and Peace to you in this week we celebrate freedom and independence - Scott

God is Good

   I shouted this down the halls of the church earlier today when a call came from someone with news that I had prayed would happen for them. I repeated it in the parking lot earlier today when two people walked up at the very moment another was walking out and they were able to meet and introduce themselves. I had literally thought about how I could get them to meet just minutes before and there they stood together. God is good. How else can we explain the small, serendipitous moments when everything lines up and good happens? I believe God is good even in the midst of the bad stuff, but it sure is nice when good things are happening. I think Romans 8:28 affirms this when Paul says, “That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” (The Message translation)

   We could have ended Tuesday night’s Church-wide meeting with shouts, “God is good!” For indeed, months of preparation, countless prayers, generations of generosity, and the Spirit of God were all moving in and around the two reports that were offered.

   First, the Building Committee presented a report of what has been done. The hallways and entrance areas have been updated and refinished. It is amazing the difference that wider, smooth walls and higher new ceilings make, isn’t it? The rear parking lot was paved this week and that project will be complete in a week or two, after the last touches of landscaping are finished. These little things mean a lot to our members and visitors who attend Epworth every week. Then, the Building Committee presented two projects for the immediate future. Both were adopted with a unanimous vote by the large crowd that was gathered. The first project, set to begin next week, will renovate the Children’s Ministry wing. The second project will involve updating the ceilings, lights, walls, and floors of the Fellowship Hall. Then, later, a new external, adjoining storage room will be added.  This will provide some desperately needed space for the good stuff we use often, but have no place to keep.

   Second, the Vision Team presented the work of their six months together. Eleven members worked to capture our mission, our values, our definitions of success, and our vision for the next 18 months. We will talk more about this at length, but for now, I leave you with the new Missional Mandate that gets to the very heart of how God is using and wants to keep using Epworth for God’s Kingdom. It says this:

Epworth connects and equips

all kinds of people

to seek, serve, and share Christ.

It is simple, yet important. It is a statement about what happens inside our church and what our people do outside our church. It is something we do now and something we will strive to live into even more. What a way to start our fifth year together - God is good!

   Grace and Peace, Scott

God Is Big Enough

  One conversation at the church earlier this week involved the capacity of roll-off dumpsters. You know, the large containers used by contractors to hold the materials left over in a demolition project. One person suggested that one size would be adequate, while another was wondering if we could save a few bucks by going with a smaller size container.
   The parking lot expansion project has started this week. The first phase is to remove some trees, but before that can happen the "past-its-prime Eagle's Nest shed" that has been home to many an insect and spider for decades now needed to get removed. A word of thanks to Jimmy Bridges and his crew for making quick work of the task. Some of its contents were kept, others are being offered to local churches who could use them, while the rest were placed in the 30-yard capacity container that will be hauled off later this week.
   How much can a container hold? The answer depends on its size.
   How much can God hold? That answer is given in Scripture. 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you." Another translation says cast all your cares, while another says put all your troubles, and still another says give all your worries to God. God is big enough.
   Oh, what a promise. Can it be true? Is there a limit to God's capacity to take on our worries, troubles, sins, fears, anxieties, and suffering? There is no limit. The God who spoke a word and created galaxies and constellations a billion miles wide, has more than enough room.
   That is a word I need to hear. I need to hear that I can give my grieving to God. Your fears are welcome in Him. God welcomes your doubts and even your anger. He cares about you and about me.
   Grace and Peace, Scott

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   While the demolition and construction of the new driveway and parking lot in the rear of our church got started this week, we anticipate that we can park there one more Sunday (this May 11). We are making plans for the following Sundays. We will have greeters out front to offer help and volunteers in the porte-cochère (our fancy word for the covered driveway) to valet cars to safe places on the streets. We do not want anyone to stay away from worship because of this week. Please let us know how we can help.

Confirmation is Counter-Cultural and that is a Good Thing

"Our consumer culture is organized against history. There is a depreciation of memory and a ridicule of hope, which means everything must be held in the now, either an urgent now or an eternal now."

Walter Brueggemann in his book The Prophetic Imagination, 1978

   Our world and the culture that is so pervasive would have all of us reduce the timeline of history down into the mere present. Things have to be done now. Trust is lessened because it requires faith in the future. Most of all, the crime of culture tempts us to devalue the past because we've bought into the myth that our present is so different. Brueggemann, the Bible scholar and living legend in the world of church and academia, is speaking directly about us. 
   Yet, the church is called to hold the present in tension with the past and the future. There is more to history than right now. So, we read from the sacred texts of the Bible every week in worship and have volunteers teaching our children to memorize them every month. We sing songs that were not written to sell records. We gather in a place that was built by the hands of others who came before us. We go forth believing that our purpose in life is larger than our appetite or needs or impulses. This is the very essence of the church's counter-cultural response.
   Confirmation is also about honoring history, empowering our sense of memory, and finding hope in both the past and the future. As Confirmation Sunday approaches this weekend, I am looking back on the past three months spent in close proximity with the young people who have participated. I am in awe of what a blessing it has been for me personally. They are smart, funny, engaged, and every moment spent with them has been a tremendous gift. I am thankful to Andy Unger for his steady and faithful leadership in the lives of these young people. I am thankful to all of the parents who helped these young people to keep this a priority, and especially to Jenifer Middleton who attended every session and assisted in numerous ways as mom and leader. 
   We are more than just the present moment. The young people who stand in front of the church are embracing the past and staking a claim in the future. This is what all of us are called to do, every day. Faithfulness and trust in the Creator from our past and Savior of our present and future is the stuff of every day for Christians. Grace and Peace, Scott

Prayer is Not Like That or That...So Slow Down

"The great thing is prayer. Prayer itself. If you want a life of prayer, the way to get it is by praying. We were indoctrinated so much into means and ends that we don't realize that there is a different dimension in the life of prayer. In technology you have this short horizontal progress, where you must start at one point and move to another and then another. But that is not the way to build a life of prayer. In prayer we discover what we already have. Start where you are and you deepen what you already have. And you realize that you are already there."

Thomas Merton, 1980

   Just last week, I wrote about progress: about moving from one place to another. Our construction has been progressing. Our Vision Team - tasked with discerning how the Spirit of a God has made Epworth unique compared to 10,000 other churches - has been progressing. But, to be honest, I've had a sense that I've been standing still. 

Thomas Merton

   In the quote above, Thomas Merton, the contemplative giant of the last century, says that prayer is unlike the progress seen in these modern examples. Prayer is not about progress or movement from one place to another. It is discovering what we already have. I believe this helps to explain the struggle I've lived with this Season of Lent. I have struggled to pray. I have prayed - but not in the amounts or the quality that I know Jesus desires. It is not for trying. One part of my Lenten observance was to fast from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I've accomplished that goal almost flawlessly for five weeks now and have loved the extra time, but I have not translated this gained time to better prayer. 

   It is then that I re-read another passage from Merton that drives home how difficult this is. It is learning to slow down to the pace we were made for and give up the exhilarating, addicting speeds that our world now would have us believe are normal (and required if we are going to be counted as successful). Merton writes,

"If we really want prayer, we'll have to give it time. We must slow down to a human tempo and we'll begin to listen. And as soon as we listen to what's going on, things will begin to take shape by themselves."

   May this Easter come with a renewed sense of how much God loves us and wants to speak to us through the gift of prayer. May we be silent enough and slow down enough to experience this. Grace and Peace, Scott

Keeping Score

   We need to keep score. I am not talking about keeping a score of the ways we've been wronged. I am talking about keeping score of the things that have gone right. How do we do that?
   In large indoor arenas, the scoreboard hangs over the very center of playing surface. Fans at a football or basketball game can look up and see who is ahead and how their team is doing putting points on the board. In outdoor stadiums, the scoreboard is on one end of the field, but the score can also be found in other spots, too.

Ted Williams jogging past the Green Monster's scoreboard

   One of the country's most famous sporting venues, Fenway Park in Boston, has the scoreboard integrated into the wall of left-field itself. The scoreboard, added in 1934, forms the lower half of the Green Monster, for its size and color, is still updated by hand from behind the wall throughout the game.
   Is it too late to have a scoreboard installed in the walls of our church during the renovations happening right now? Why, you ask? Because I think keeping score is important.
   Stretch with me here, but I think Jesus even modeled keeping score for his disciples. In Luke 10, Jesus sends out his disciples with specific instructions and specific tasks. They returned telling of what happened while they were out. Luke 10 captures it with, "The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." (see Luke 10) He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." Jesus is celebrating the wins they had while they were out being the disciples that he was teaching them to be.
   Andy Stanley teaches that every organization needs to work hard at identifying what a 'win' looks like. We all need to know what it looks like to get it right. I've heard three stories in the last few days of how Epworth is winning:

• Recently one of our teenagers, at a funeral for a loved one, stood in front of the crowd and shared. That is a win.
• A group of 17+ ladies have committed to praying 'around through' things that God is putting in front of them during the Season of Lent. That is a win.
• A regular visitor to worship brings their child to Epworth and trusts our volunteers to help pass on faith to their precious boy. That is a win.

   The truth is, Epworth people are faithful. Epworth people are getting things right. Epworth people are growing. We are putting points on the board, and living out the mission Jesus gave to His followers. Well done, church.
   Grace and Peace, Scott

Finding the Space Needed: Lent

   Construction is about more than just materials and labor. You have to know where to place things, and where to leave spaces in your work for other things to occupy. In last week's meeting, the Epworth Building Committee talked at length about the space above the new ceilings that will soon occupy our hallways. Space is important.
   My mentor, Coach John Wooden, referred frequently to space. He said you could learn a lot about basketball by watching the players without the ball. Good players move well in space - that area where no one else is located. Success in sports is moving in space to be in the right place to score.
   We probably don't consider the importance of space enough. Our lives are filled up. There us no room for space. We cram our days, our cars, our homes, our calendars. Most vacations are so filled up with stuff that people return home tired.
   We must be intentional about space. Creating space requires our attention and our diligence.
    The Season of Lent started this week on Ash Wednesday. Lent is a forty day period, excluding Sundays, during which disciples of Jesus Christ prepare themselves spiritually for the remembrance of Christ's suffering, death and resurrection.  The name is derived from the Old English, lengten, a reference to the lengthening of the days in the spring. Beginning in the second century, Christians would undergo a brief period of fasting and prayer in preparation for Good Friday and Easter. The number forty corresponds to the many key moments of space in the Bible. Such moments can bring much needed space between the demands and the 'doing' of life. This season is a time for more intense and intentional spiritual growth during which we remember the message, the life, the suffering and death of Christ.
   In the tradition of the ancient church, I am inviting Epworth people to do three things this Lent:
1.  Be in worship every weekend you are in town.
2.  Give up something as a fast and expression of your faith and identification with Jesus' suffering.
3.  Be quiet. Join the whole church in spending a few minutes each day with the sound off. Instead, listen to the leading of God through prayer and simple meditation.
   I need some more space; not to get away from people or responsibilities. I need more space to get closer to the best stuff of life. May Lent be a holy time to find the space between for all of us.
   Grace and Peace, Scott