Thursday, February 22, 2007
The road warrior
It snowed on Saturday. All day.

I worked at the coffee shop. All day.

Driving home along the windy Hwy 68 at 5:30 pm, a dastardly road sign leaped from out of nowhere to attack my car. In an act of shameless bravado and instinctual self-defense, I found no other choice than to run the sign over with my car.


That should teach it a lesson.

But then my poor car did not emerge unscathed.


In the end, it may have been a final act of self-sacrifice. I received a call today from the body shop that the repair to the car exceeds 75% of the car's value. Apparently that was a solid gold headlight that got smashed. And in the state of Kentucky, such a proportion of repair-to-value equals "we put your car to sleep." Although, that final decision will come from the insurance company sometime tomorrow.

And so I await nervously for the phone to ring.

posted by Peter at 11:22 PM
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Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Ash Wednesday
Ready or not, here comes Lent.

That means time for reading TS Eliot:
.....
Because these wings are no longer wings to fly
But merely vans to beat the air
The air which is now thoroughly small and dry
Smaller and dryer than the will
Teach us to care and not to care Teach us to sit still.
.....


That means time for reading Kyle Potter:
We rededicate ourselves in practical ways to prayer, to seeking and listening to the counsel of our brothers and sisters, and in learning more deeply the Way of Life. In this practice-able, regular actions - these ways of making space - we invite the Lord to purge our personalities of the dross of the old nature, and to refine us more and more as part of the new creation.


Count me among the "not ready." Life barrels along like a runaway train. I don't feel very spiritual today. I haven't much at all lately. But then maybe that's part the point of Lent.

I don't have to feel today. I get 40 days to get ready for that... 40 days "to know Christ and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings."

If days could be song lyrics, today's would be...

I am so out of tune... with [Y]ou.

Did I tell you I got a new toy back at Christmas? Forgive me if I neglected that. I've had precious few opportunities to play with it. But I've finally posted a few new pictures--from Cliffview Retreat Center, the first snow a couple of weeks ago, a local Over the Rhine show and who won between my car and a road sign.

And lastly, the wedding website is now live.

posted by Peter at 10:57 PM
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God Grew Tired of Us


If you're local, here's a film event you don't want to miss this weekend.

Kentucky Refugee Ministries invites you to join us on Friday, February 23rd at 7:10pm at the Kentucky Theater for the showing of God Grew Tired of Us.

This is a film about young Sudanese refugees and it is the winner of the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

Performance by Lexington Children's Drum Choir before the film at 6:30pm, a short presentation by local refugees and a photographic display.

General Admission: $6.50 at the door.

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posted by Peter at 12:50 AM
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Thursday, February 15, 2007
Hospitality inventory for a local church
I've been wanting to share this for a while, and since I've also been desiring to get back into the rhythm of blogging and while inspiration (or homework procrastination?) strikes, here it is.

This was put together by Dr. Christine Pohl who taught both the hospitality and community courses I've taken over the past couple of months.

What are we doing in church that communicates welcome?

If we walked around the church and did a "hospitality inventory" of the space, what might we find?

How do staff members and church leadership embody and express hospitality? Do we see hospitality as a significant part of staff job descriptions?

Where do we struggle with hospitality--as a church and as persons in leadership?

Who are the strangers in our community that need welcome?

If hospitality is central to the Christian life, how could we make it central to formation and worship?

In what ways do our worship and spiritual formation help us notice those who need welcome?

How could we become more attentive to expressions and acts of hospitality in worship? Do we see ourselves as guests of God in worship--how could we cultivate that understanding more fully within our worship services?

How might we be more sensitive in pastoral care to needs and opportunities for hospitality?

In what specific ways might we nurture our children and youth in the practice of hospitality? Are there things we are already doing that we could build on?

How could our local and global missions work embody concerns about hospitality more fully?

How might we shift our orientation in mission to emphasize some of the grace and gifts of face-to-face ministry?

What could we put in place in our work of mission and outreach that would remind us of the importance of allowing others to minister to us?

Do any of our present practices in mission and social ministry reinforce the notion that we have all the resources and 'they" have all the needs?

In our families and homes, what are we already doing that we could build on?

In our work places, how could we embody a deeper commitment to hospitality?

What are the obstacles that need to be addressed in family, home, and workplace?

posted by Peter at 11:33 AM
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