We just had our annual meeting at FCBC. Now for you who don’t know what the means here is an explanation. Our board of deacons presents the budget for the year and the membership votes for, against, or abstains. The board works hard at reviewing numbers, costs, and tries to anticipate what will come  our way in the new year. Have to say they do a great job! (If interested the budget passed).

Now as part of this process I write briefly about the past twelve months, what I see as positive and negative from my perspective. This time I noted that possibly in three years I will be considering retirement. Not a soul said anything about it after the meeting. But…wow the emails started coming not just from the church family but some from the broader community as well. Here is a brief list, “You can’t go. Can’t believe the deacons would allow it. Why are you abandoning us? You aren’t that old. What will you do with your time? You would miss us.  You were the pastor for my daughter’s wedding and presided over my father’s and grandfather’s funerals. You just can’t go. Nope, there is  no debate.”

I really appreciate such comments but I’m sure there were others who thought , “Wow about time.” But just didn’t write it out. Yet, honestly we all realize there are realities to life. At some point I will have to go.

For Christmas I got a new pair of Converse. Now I love these shoes! Have ever since I was a kid. Problem is I’m really type A when it comes to keeping them clean. Probably because when young they were expensive and I was expected to care for them. No matter how rough they looked you lived with them until… just maybe you got another pair. So…I  work really hard at keeping the white parts white. Every time I wear them out comes the rag and they get a complete cleaning! But heres the thing…no matter how hard I try after a year of life no matter how diligent they start to look a little dingy.

Now I’m not saying I’m looking the worse for wear. But there does come a time when you say, I sure would like a new pair of converse. Ones with new skills, new gifts, a new direction. (You get I’m talking about me and not shoes now right?)

Here is my point. Thank you to all you who wrote and said, “not yet.” The reality is I’m not done quite yet. I still have a race to run but its all about timing, its all about God’s direction. Won’t hang the converse up this time, still have a path to walk with you. But…well you know.

Dear God, when we weary of the journey, strengthen us by your Spirit to imagine new heavens and a new earth. Keep me on the path. Amen.

Today is my wife’s birthday! God bless you dear heart! When I took her early this morning to sit with the twins the little ones shouted out, “Happy Birthday Grandma!” Promptly giving her balloons, flowers and great hugs.

When I looked at their beautiful faces I was reminded of what James Finley states in his book on meditation. “The meditation practice we might find ourselves gravitating toward could be baking bread, tending roses, or taking long, slow walks to no place in particular. or we might find ourselves being interiorly drawn to painting or to reading or writing, poetry or listening to certain kinds of music….Or our practice may be that of being with that person in whose presence we awakened to what is most real and vital in our life.”

While I watched “grandma” settle in with the toddlers, one in each arm. Holding, snuggling, kissing, laughing and yes giving instruction. I was seeing oneness with our Savior. May God allow us more awareness of His presence in our daily lives. Thank you dear wife for teaching me daily about walking hand in hand with our Savior!

Dear God, enlighten the eyes of our hearts so we may  not only see and receive your mercy but also notice the places in our daily lives where you call us to extend love, mercy and hope. Amen.

See you on the path.

 Sorry I’ve been gone for so long. Have missed you all! But lets see if I can get back on the path. Just before Christmas I visited the Mission Dolores in San Francisco California. In the cemetery there is the marvelous statue of Father Serra walking the path. He seems to be taking a presence break.

What do I mean? Well the skill of merely pausing for five minuets and spending some time in the Presence of our Savior. Why not try it now? Make it Simple: Just decide to stop right now. Breathe: Notice the temperature of the air as you take it in. Take a deep breath. Expand your chest. Exhale and Let it Go! Let go of everything that does not serve you. Let go of that to-do list. Just ask God to walk with you now. Breathe In. Breath Out. Breath Out. Breath In. Do you feel the energy? Be Present: Notice what is attracting your attention.  Draw in the Deepest Breath of Your Day. Breathe in gratitude for this day. Exhale, let go, and say HELLO to this present moment.

Whenever you experience stress, worry or pain this day take a break and walk with your Lord. You know what to do.

Dear God, wherever we look today allow us to catch a small glimpse of you. Let us enjoy this day! Keep us on the path.

 I’ve always been a fan of astronomy. As a young man had a telescope, ground my own mirror in order to build a scope, took hundreds of astral photographs. But most of all just enjoyed being outside looking at the wonders of the universe.

This last Sunday was really excited to see the blood moon and the total eclipse. But, for us in Fresno the clouds never dispersed and our view was hampered. But…I kept going out, I kept thinking just maybe I’ll catch a glimpse. Then sure enough the clouds parted for just a moment and I got to see, for a few seconds a heavenly sight.

The Psalmist declares, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” Psalms 8:3-4

Then I got to thinking. What if we lived our daily lives in the same way as I did that night? What if we continually checked to see if we were living in such a way as to honor our Savior. Why? Because won’t be long. Live in anticipation of the coming Savior. Oh sure there are some clouds, some tough times but really won’t be long. Won’t be long brothers and sisters Jesus is coming. Stay on the path.

 My preparation for the Advent season has already started. I decided to do some woodblocks representing the various announcements from the Lord regarding the coming Savior, which requires time and planning. I’ve enlisted the help of my mother to do some embroidery (thought would be good to have mixed media) my daughter to produce a pulpit banner to hold the prints and my wife for critical review.

I want the coming seasons of Thanksgiving and Advent to be a time of Joy. To be a season filled with music! So my theme this year is to center on the biblical songs of God’s people as they await the Savior.What a joy to pause, to consider, to prepare worship items to help shepherd the flock.

Of course you don’t have to wait for advent. You can raise your voice today in prayer, in adoration, in joy. Take a moment to enjoy your walk with the Savior right now!

Dear God, we are often so rushed we have no time for You. We stumble, trip and even fall into obedience dragging old habits, time schedules and mindsets with us. Help us today to delight in your voice and to tell someone the good news of the Savior today. Don’t wait…rejoice now!

See you on the path.

What a week! Someone stole all the copper wiring out of the parking lot lights. The organ decided it was just too tired and didn’t want to play any more. I strolled into the men’s bathroom and part of the metal closure fell out of the door frame and whacked me on the head. I have a bump.

One of our parishioner’s stated, “Everything is broken.”

My answer: “Of course! This isn’t heaven.”

Sadhu Sundar Singh, an early twentieth century Indian missionary made this statement, “Diamonds do not dazzle with beauty unless they are cut. When cut, the rays of the sun fall on them and make them shine with wonderful colors. So when we are cut by the cross, we shall shine as jewels in the kingdom of God.”

Okay brothers and sisters as you travel the path it is your time to shine. To show those around you that we are safe and secure because of the sacrifice of our Savior. Of course the path gets bumpy from time to time but at least we are on the path with our God.

So, pray with me, Dear God, help us from making crosses out of tiny slivers of discomfort in our lives. Help us to see and recognize the true crosses we are called to bear, those whose heavy weight leads us down the path to freedom and provision of others. Amen. I say again Amen!

All over the news is Pope Francis and his visit to the United States. What will he say, what ramifications for our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ? Pope Clement said in the first century, “If we review the various ages of history, we will see that in every generation the Lord has offered the opportunity of repentance to any who were willing to turn to him… Jonah told the Ninevites they were going to be destroyed, but when the repented, their prayers gained God’s forgiveness for their sins, and they were saved, even though they were not of God’s people. We should be suppliant before him and turn to his compassion, rejecting empty works and quarreling and jealousy, which only lead to death.”

With so many friends, neighbors, and co-workers taking a moment to watch the media about the Pope and his visit this is a wonderful opportunity for you. How? To talk about your own journey, to share with friends and neighbors how you have walked the path of salvation. Don’t miss these God-given seconds to share a moment of hope. Someone’s life could be changed by the Popes’ visit.

 Last Sunday we had our first ACT, Adaptive Change Team, meeting. I was literally shocked at the number of people that showed up. In fact, I was little agitated because I hadn’t prepared enough food for everyone. But, the meeting went well even without food. The facilitator did a great job of discussing the process, asking where people were at this current time with the fellowship and what they expected to get out of this time together.

As a 131 year old congregation the next five years are going to be crucial. We must consider direction, population, culture and how to best be used by God in this changing world and community. We must ask ourselves, “what ministry challenges are we currently facing for which we do not presently have an answer, but which must be addressed if we are to live into God’s future for us?” I have been praying for this process to take hold for the last nineteen years. Finally God has brought the right person to lift up and move our church family to look at what lies ahead. Praise God!

Last Sunday I also started pushing our congregation to ask this question: “How many moments of every day can I live in the awareness that God is right here and surrender to his will? I encouraged them to let me know how they are doing each week. In the Practice of the Presence of God Brother Lawrence states, “…One thing is necessary: we must, nevertheless, always work at it, because not to advance, in the spiritual life, is to go back.” So…how is it going?

I am praying for your walk today pray instantly for me, “who am yours in the LORD.”

We’ve had several parishioners in the hospital. Praise God the number has decreased. Today I was in one more waiting room, yes waiting, to see if I could come in for a visit. But it wasn’t possible so as I hung up the phone a young man sitting there asked, “Would you pray with me?”

As we sat together, him talking about his wife. How she was going through critical surgery and he just didn’t know where to turn. An older woman walked over and asked, “Will you pray with me too?” There we sat lifting lives up to our Savior. With bowed heads we gave to God our fear, loss, irritation, and anger. We didn’t pray for changed circumstances but we did ask for power to walk through the circumstances. As we finished I looked up and one of the nurses had stopped and was praying as well. Together we said “amen”.

Now I’ll be honest I had been a little frustrated. Had came to visit someone specifically but was denied. Why? Obviously because God wanted to provide a word of comfort, and to bring some blessed peace to another. Ignatius of Loyola once said, “Flock together, all of you, as to one temple of God, as to one altar, to one Jesus Christ.”

I don’t know what you are facing today. But I do know this…get with your brothers and sisters in Christ so you can have the power and the presence of the Living Savior in your life. Why? So you don’t have to go through this alone. You are in my prayers and I will see you on the path.

Today we remember the firefighters, the policemen, the mothers, the fathers and the grandparents all now gone. We remember those who did their duty until the towers came down. We remember those who waited for help that never came. We remember those who gave blood, who gave time, who lifted up prayers to help the survivors and their families.

I have been told that remembering can only truly take place if we have a deep and personal relationship with another. Let that be so as we remember 9/11. May  we grasp in some small way the pain of loss, the personal affliction of those left behind. May today be a sacred moment where we lift our heads, and our hands in prayer.

Dear God, uphold those who grieve today. Uphold those who weep at the memory of a lost one. By Your Holy Spirit grant this nation and her people peace so we might comfort those who mourn and that we might strive toward peace. Bless this nation and her leaders so that one day there will be nor more days like 9/11.

Prince of Peace hear our cry and our plea.