The Robust Laughter of Community

Read this whole article on Newsweek's website:
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14531390/site/newsweek/

"Some 35 years later, the Bunko Girls, sporting a few gray hairs, are still at it, enjoying long nights of chatter and laughter. But today, their laughter is more robust because it comes from women who have experienced pain, sadness, fear, loss - and life - together. With the monthly roll of the dice, they roll on with their lives, recognizing that while they may not have it all together, together they have it all."

May our community share such robust laughter together for years to come...

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ONE HOUR DELAY!!!

Hello Friends,

Sorry for the last minute notice. I was supposed to take some teens to Funtown today (Monday) but it rained. Postponed the trip until Tuesday and I won't be back until 7:00pm.

So, just like when you were back in school - we are having a ONE HOUR DELAY!!! INTERMISSION will begin with dinner at 7:00pm (instead of our usual 6pm).

Click here to contact Leah if you have any questions.

See you all tomorrow!

by His Grace,
Adam

Community Music

As I enjoyed Sesame Street with Samuel and Joshua this morning, my curiosity finally got the best of me. I have seen this video, "Jump Up," many, many times (click on the link and watch it, it's only about 2 minutes long). I just had to find out who this music group is.

Well, if you clicked and viewed the video, you saw the website belongs to Dan Zanes and the song is his.

The thing that most intrigued me as I explored his website was his commentary on what he calls "Communal Music Making." This is an exerpt from the "questions" section of his website:

Q.	what does the festival five folk series have to do with family music?
A.	everything! my guess is that as a society we play less music together now than at any point in recent history. my hope for all of the cds that we release is that they are a starting point for people to make their own music. people of all ages. if you've been to a show than you've probably heard me mention family bands or neighborhood bands. my message is that communal music making is not only wildly enjoyable but it's easy. it brings us together. it connects us with our past and points toward a brighter future. it's how we can learn about each other and it's available to everyone.

WOW! How this describes our community worship on Tuesday nights! How this describes our ongoing converstation!

How do these comments strike you?

Forgiveness, Pardon, Acceptance...

In Pennsylvania, during 1829, George Wilson was convicted of mail robbery and murder, then sentenced to death. On June 14, 1830, Wilson was pardoned by President Andrew Jackson. However Wilson refused the pardon! What was to be done with a man who refused a pardon and chose to die on the gallows instead?

Here are the words of the Chief Supreme Court Justice, John Marshall, who delivered the opinion of the court:

U.S. Supreme Court
U S v. WILSON, 32 U.S. 150 (1833)
32 U.S. 150 (Pet.)
UNITED STATES v. GEORGE WILSON.
January Term, 1833

"...A pardon is an act of grace, proceeding from the power intrusted with the execution of the laws, which exempts the individual, on whom it is bestowed, from the punishment the law inflicts for a crime he has committed...

"...A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which, delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete, without acceptance. It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered; and if it be rejected, we have discovered no power in a court to force it on him."

In other words, one can be offered a pardon, but that pardon remains invalid unless it is ACCEPTED! An "act of grace" may be "rejected by the person to whom it is tendered."

Somehow, this story gave me pause for reflection... Anyone else?

…and God said, “Yes.

So yesterday morning (Thursday) at 8:30am I received a phone call. Now, I don’t need to remind you that this was the morning AFTER I sent you my email/blog that I was definitively NOT going this weekend.

The phone call was from God.

…well, not directly from God, for He often uses human messengers.

It was my friend Nate’s father. He said he woke up that morning with the idea that he really wanted to help Leah and I get down for the celebration. He said it was confirmed when his wife woke up and said the exact same thing to him.

Dude, how many people does God need to tell before I listen?

Leah observed we often assume that when God speaks, He’s going to tell us to do something difficult or something we don’t want to do. So what happens when He’s telling us to do something we really want to do??? It can be even harder to hear Him because we assume it’s just our own desires speaking. We assume God doesn’t hand out assignments like that – He only delegates the hard, laborious ones.

So more than anything, I feel I owe you all an apology for not trusting the Voice of God from you in my life. God was undoubtedly speaking through all of you, but I was 1) too thick to hear it; 2) did not trust you, my community, as I truly should have. God had to bring another voice to confirm what you said before I believed it. I sincerely apologize. I will earnestly strive to trust Christ in you from now on.

I am humbled. God was speaking to me through all of you, and I almost missed it. I am grateful for His grace, that God would send me, (this doubting “Gideon”) yet another undeserved fleece to confirm His message.

I am humbled. Only because of our community has this weekend been made possible. Scott Overlock is going to teach Sunday School for me. Deb & Rick Meservey (“satellite members” of our community) are taking over my worship leading responsibilities Sunday. The Cranes provided me the monetary gift that you collected (as again, you all KNEW I was going this weekend long before I did)… by the way, that “500 Lobster note” is not recognized outside of the State of Maine… so I’ll have to wait until I return to use it *smile*. This community not only spoke God’s voice to me, but then worked to make “His word become flesh.”

So again, thank you all for hearing God and please forgive me of little faith for doubting the Voice of God in you. I do believe! Thank you for helping me overcome my unbelief!

I love you all.

Adam
(writing from Massachusetts, heading to Pennsylvania tomorrow)

An Open Letter to the Crazy group of people called Intermission

An Open Letter to Intermission

re: Adam’s trip to Pennsylvania

You all have thrown me into an absolute tailspin! You collectively hit the nail on the head the other night – THAT is EXACTLY what TRUE COMMUNITY is: a need is presented within the community and the community responds. It is just SO right! On principle alone I want to yell, “YES! YES! YES!” just to affirm and reward the holy impulse. I mean, if the need had been anyone’s other than my own, I would have been the loudest, most ardent champion of this motivation *smile* I can’t even begin to say how overwhelmed I was in what could have been NOTHING LESS THAN a true God moment.

You all have forced me to wrestle with some of the hard, and somewhat surprising, issues of true community. I feel it appropriate to post this here for further reflection, discussion, and clarification.

Esther shared how hard it might be to loan out her car. However, she rightly concluded, whose car is it really? A poignant truth. An honest reflection. “No one claimed that any of her possessions was her own, but they shared everything they had” (Acts 4:32).

And on the RECEIVING end; may I say just how hard I found it to even consider accepting such a gift? Or how my hands felt paralyzed - completely unable to open up and accept ANY offer of money, bus tickets, rides, etc???

My initial response is, “Why me? Who am I? What have I done to deserve such a gift? Aren’t there others who would be better served by such generosity?” Giving a gift is hard. Receiving a true and generous gift is just as hard.

It is humbling to admit that you need help and that others are willing to help you. PRIDE is a powerful deterrent. How it threatens to destroy true community by preventing us from receiving the grace, love, and friendship that others are willing to offer. “Please swallow your pride / If I have things you need to borrow / For no one can fill / Those of your needs that you won’t let show.” Yeah Laura, you were right and we should have sung Lean on Me…

Moreover, it is overwhelming to experience such an outpouring of love. Just the expression of your care for me has genuinely touched me in ways that I cannot even begin to express.

So thank you all, truly, completely, wholly.

All that being said, I am at peace with my decision not to go. I had already discussed this with my friend and I am honestly looking forward to a weekend with my wife (she having been gone for four days). And there are some other factors as well.

But suffice to say my friends, having examined my heart and my motives, I am making this decision NOT because my PRIDE is preventing me from accepting such generosity (although I hide not from you that I do/would struggle!) but for deeply PERSONAL reasons, some of which have been stated, and some of which remain best unstated.

So as graciously as I possibly can, I want to THANK YOU for your love, I AFFIRM the Holy Impulse that swelled within this group on Tuesday night, and please, TRY ME AGAIN (and soon) *smile* I especially appreciate gifts of stocks, bonds, equities, cash, and cash equivalents *smile*

I love you all. Thank you for our conversation. Thank you for our community.

by His Grace,
Adam

A Violent Grace

This week we begin a month-long discussion on: "I believe in Jesus Christ...suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucifed, died and was buried. He descended into Hell."

Theologian and Author Michael card wrote a book about what he termed, "a Violent Grace."

The Jesus who preached love, healed the sick, held the children we can stomach. But do we have to discuss the cross? It's so barbaric, so crude, so crass, so R-Rated, so offensive, so violent. However, "by His wounds, we are healed." Within the violence of the cross, we find the grace of God.

St. Clare of Assisi said, "What a great laudable exchange." Laudable means "praiseworthy; worthy of high praise." That we might exchange our sin, our wounds, our filth, our vileness at the cross for grace, mercy, and peace is truely a great and laudable exchange. What a beautiful, horrible, violent grace is ours in the cross of Jesus Christ.

I leave you with this quote from Charles Spurgeon:

If you reject Him
He answers you with tears.
If you wound Him,
He bleeds out cleansing.
If you kill Him, He dies to redeem.
If you bury Him,
He rises again to bring resurrection.

Seek fervently. Pray without ceasing. Love dearly. Examine honestly. Listen intently. And on Tuesday night come and listen to what He's done.