Catching Up!

So much to write about, so little time! You know, as with anything else in life, if I would just spend five minutes a day posting, I could get pretty good at this! Life continues to be blessedly full! Here are some of the highlights:
1. I got on the scale last night and, for the first time in my life since high school, I have finally dropped below 200 lbs.!
2. The Stars keep winning!
3. I had the chance to go the Byron Nelson on Saturday (and, o.k., I admit it I also went for a few hours on Thursday afternoon
in-between appointments) and it was amazing to watch those guys play!
4. On Monday I went to General Conference and got to introduce the lunchtime choirs.
5. At GC yesterday they approved researching a new hymnal for the church. I've got some thoughts on this one, as you can imagine!
I hope to spend some time posting on all of these things in the near future.
But, for now, I got's to go!!!

Thanks, Liz!

A big thank you to my colleague, Liz Edwards, for coming up with a great name for our new worship series. Drum roll please...the name is: SoulCafe
I love it! Refresh your soul, experience amazing new worship, participate in it, ignite your worship imagination and connect with God and others! Good stuff. Obviously, there are more than a few nods to Leonard Sweet! :)
Good stuff! i am drawing a lot of energy from this project! More to come!

I need some help with a name!

Hello! I hope you are having a great Monday! I need some help. In two weeks I'm going to begin a quarterly worship series. Once a quarter we will host a different style of worship that will be preceded by a lecture with dessert/coffee to talk about the service and then we'll go and expereince it.
The first service will be a Taize service. Other styles of worship we will cover will be worship from the Iona Community, jazz, gospel, evensong, world music, etc.
Here's my problem! I need a name for this series! It needs to be engaging!
I would love to hear some suggestions from you!

A Word of Encouragement from Joshua

Greetings!
I've had so many different things I wanted to blog about but it's been a very full week/weekend!
Here's a thought for you (from The Daily Message): consider writing these words from Joshua on a card and putting them somewhere where you will see them on a daily basis this week.

"Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take!"

Friends, it's true! Be strong, have courage, don't be timid or get discouraged in your faith and in your work for God, because God is indeed with us, every step of the way!

To God be the glory!!!

A Word from Brother James

(This post, as I read it, has a really long introduction, so if you want the good stuff from James, skip the first three paragraphs. Peace!)

This morning I had a great opportunity to catch up with an old mentor/friend, James the Brother of Jesus. As I was preparing to ride the old stationary bike (LDL problems will not take care of themselves, I'm afraid) I decided that I really needed to catch-up on my daily Bible reading. Late last year I got it in my mind that I should try one of those "read through the Bible in a year daily reading Bible" plans. So, January 2nd (already a day behind) I bought a copy of "The Daily Message: Through the Bible in One Year." Good stuff! I think The Message is a great devotional Bible and a terrible study Bible (which it was never intended to be). So far, I have really enjoyed it and have found it's organizational structure to be quite helpful in keeping me going. I have had a few, miss a couple of days stretches but, I'm trying to keep up!

After finishing up Deuteronomy, we came to the Letter of James. I LOVE James, for it always challenges and humbles me. I chose to do my final Bible study for my ordination requirements over Letter of James. Luther, for all he got right, was way off when he called the Letter, "an epistle of straw." I think, if anything, James writing is a necessary corrective to the continual human temptation to believe that, by thinking we hold all of the right intellectual answers, that we are somehow living as God would have us to live.

There's a much more eloquent way to put the previous thought but I"m just now sipping the first cup of coffee. Today's brew was a gift from my in-laws from their recent trip to "The Big Island" of Hawaii. Mmmm....Kona coffee, who could ask for anything more!

Here are a words from James that especially spoke to me this morning:

"Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, "God is trying to trip me up." God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one's way. The temptation to give into evil comes only from us."

(As a pastor, that challenges me to find ways to lovingly remind my parishioners that evil is not the will of God and that God doesn't "test people" by putting them through horrible things. I have heard this said on numerous occasions and it always breaks my heart for God. Starting in May I'm going to be leading a Sunday School class over a wonderful book that deals exactly with this issue by Leslie Weatherhead, called "The Will of God." It is an amazing book, I think everyone should read it! Plus, it's inexpensive and short!)

"Post this at all the intersections, dear friends, "Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongues, and let anger straggle along in the rear."

(Hmmm...I wish I knew someone with a ton of money who would put that piece of Scripture up on billboards across the world, what a great word for all of us!)

" Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk that counts."

Not much to add to that other than may it be so for all of us!)

And finally, a word for all of us to consider (and it's implications) in our lives:

"Where do you think all these appalling wars come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. The come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't your and will risk violence to get your hands on it."

General Conference

The 2008 General Conference of The United Methodist Church is nearly upon us. I could post on this forever, so I'm not sure where to start. I think this general conference and the next one will be historical conferences in the history of the Methodist movement. It is my hope and my prayer that this conference will show the world that it is entirely possible to treat people with whom one has substantial disagreements, with grace and love. Our delegates are facing many significant challenges and I am praying for the delegation from my conference and for the entire General Conference to be open to the Spirit and to treat one another with love, dignity, and respect.

As a member of the North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church, I am supremely confident in the delegation that we are sending to Ft. Worth. We are blessed with incredible leadership in this conference and I look forward to seeing how God will work through them in the coming weeks. I was speaking with the chair of my Order today and through our conversation my hope was strengthened in the Church and it's ability to become a better semblance of what God intends for it to be.

Today we had a time apart with the Order of Deacons to fellowship and to pray for the Board of Ministry as it selects names to consider as chairpersons of the Orders of Clergy and to pray for General Conference. I was blessed to be able to serve as the song leader for our time of worship together. As I looked around the room at my fellow deacons, truly, my sisters and brothers in Christ, and when I saw them immersed in worship and singing songs to God about justice and about loving people, and about walking humbly with God, I felt the Spirit moving. I was reminded that God is actively at work all over God's Creation, and I remain humbled to serve in a part of God's Kingdom.

It was, our our lead delegate to General Conference, the Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball (truly a hero of mine) says, a "Glory Be" moment!

I am hopeful for the results of the work of this General Conference. I plan to attend several days of the conference (a few working on behalf of The Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts) and I will post some reflections on what I see.

May we continue to find ourselves chin-deep in God's good work!

Spring is officially here!

It's official spring is here! When I was a boy I could always tell spring was here by two things:
1. The smell of fresh-cut grass
2. Opening day of baseball!

I remember my very first MLB game. I was in the second grade and my dad took me to Fenway Park in Boston to a day game. For those of you who know me well, you know it was love at first sight! So many memories come to mind when I think about that day: the festival atmosphere on Yawkey Way, the unreal emerald color of the grass (it felt like a sanctuary in the midst of the city) the smell, oh the smell! Popcorn, peanuts, beer and Fenway Franks! I mostly remember hanging out with my dad in great seats (six rows off of home plate, thanks Miller Brewing!). The Sox were playing, ironically enough, the Texas Rangers. Oil Can Boyd was the pitcher and I remember Pete Incavilia getting spiked on a play at home that day. What a great set of memories!

Now, I realize the offical beginning of spring when I expereince several other events:

1. Mowing my own yard (not as romantic as the smell of fresh cut grass, especially
considering my allergies!)

2. The arrival of the Stanley Cup playoffs! (Go Stars!)

3. Leaves and flowers (I was pretty much unaware of these things for the last decade or so.)

4. The Masters

5. And, of course, baseball!

The Masters Tournament wrapped up yesterday. Did you see it? I'm not sure what it is about the Masters and about the British Open, but I just can't tear myself away from the t.v.! In my next life, I'd like to be reincarnated as a professional golfer. (I don't actually believe in reincarnation, btw, but it's a fun idea to play with.)

The course at Augusta is always pristine (probably an environmentalists nightmare) and I'm still pretty bummed about women not being allowed to be members, but I find the history, the course, and the competition riviting.

One of my closest friends on earth has been at the last two tournaments and I love hearing his recounting of the event. Truly, it sounds like a magical place! Maybe one of these days...

The Fruit of the Spirit

I've been reading Shane Claiborne's newest book, "Jesus For President" and it is working on me! Do you ever have books that do that? Last week when I had some time to really get into it I had one of those moments where I realized that the Spirit is trying to get my attention with this book and so I prayed that God would let the book do the work on me that it was supposed to do. Let me just say, the Spirit is following up on my request!!!!

Just one example:
At one point in the text, Claiborne relates a story about how he and a friend of his got beat-up in their neighborhood in Philly. During the beating, Claiborne proclaimed to the young men who were beating them that, "They (those attacking them) were created by God for something better than this. We are followers of Christ and we do not fight."

Really, that's pretty extraordinary given the power the redemptive myth of violence holds on our culture.

A few paragraphs later Claiborne talks about meditating on the fruit of the Spirit. And so, I decided that I would read and meditate, a lectio divina exercise, if you will, on the fruit of the Spirit every morning and every evening for at least a week. My specific goal in this is that the fruit of the Spirit will be manifested in myself in the way I treat others.

The discipline has been effective. I have found myself exhibiting a bit more self-control and gentleness in the way I interact with others. Certainly, I have experienced peace in a much more profound way. Yesterday after work I took some time to just hang out with my daughter and play in the backyard: it was peaceful and GLORIOUS! Honestly, it was the most peaceful hour I've had in weeks!

Just in case you would like to try this yourself, you can find the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. The passage is as follows (from the NRSV):
"By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things."

Can you imagine what the world would look like if even just the self-professing Christians could exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in their everyday lives?

You might try praying for the Spirit to guide you as you read and pray these words. After your prayer, slowly read the Scripture out loud (if you like, you can read them to yourself). Wait in silence for a bit, allowing the words to penetrate you. Then, read them again, slowly. As a particular fruit or word jumps out at you, stop, ponder it in your heart and listen to what God is speaking to you. You can do this for as long as it is helpful to you. When you are done (and you'll know when it's time) give God thanks for your life and for the day and ask the Creator and the Spirit to help you exhibit these fruits in your life.

It's good to be home!

I tell you, I missed my girls after being gone for a week on the road! It's great to be home! With the travel and a week off from rehearsals, I am having a tough time getting back into the groove. It's not a good feeling. I am hopeful that a few days back in the saddle will help!
I hope you are having a great week!

Easter 2008 Litrugy

Easter Sunday
Argyle United Methodist Church
March 23rd, 2008

Sung Call to Worship Worship Ensemble
Before the Throne of God Shane & Shane

Welcome Rev. Kory Knott

*Song of Celebration Worship Ensemble/Congregation
Christ the Lord is Risen Today Charles Wesley, arr. Pat Carey

Registration and Announcements Nathan Bryant
(keep em’ quick! roll announcements on the screen before service!)

Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer Nathan Bryant
(print text here)

Offertory Chancel Choir, KM2, Argyle Ringers, Congregation
Concertato on “Thine is the Glory” arr. Robert Powell
(print text here for congregation to sing)

*Doxology Congregation
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow

*Song of Preparation evensong band/Congregation
All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises Lincoln Brewster

The Message Rev. Kory Knott
????
Scripture Here

Song of Reflection True Love Phil Wickham

*Song of Commitment Congregation
Lift High the Cross Kitchen and Newbolt

*Choral Benediction Chancel Choir
Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah G. F. Handel

*Benediction Rev. Kory Knott

The Reproaches

The following liturgy comes from THE UNITED METHODIST BOOK OF WORSHIP.

The Reproaches: Christ’s Lament Against His Faithless Church

1) O my people, O my Church,
what have I done to you, or in what have I offended you?
I led you forth from the land of Egypt
and delivered you by the waters of baptism,
but you have prepared a cross for your Savior. R

2) I led you through the desert forty years and fed you with manna;
I brought you through times of persecution and of renewal
and gave you my body, the bread of heaven;
but you have prepared a cross for your Savior. R

3) I made you branches of my vineyard
and gave you the water of salvation,
but when I was thirsty you gave me vinegar and gall
and pierced with a spear the side of your Savior. R

4) I went before you in a pillar of cloud,
but you have led me to the judgment hall of Pilate.
I brought you to a land of freedom and prosperity,
but you have scourged, mocked, and beaten me. R

5) I gave you a royal scepter, and bestowed the keys to the kingdom,
but you have given me a crown of thorns.
I raised you on high with great power,
but you have hanged me on a cross. R

6) My peace I gave, which the world cannot give,
and washed your feet as a servant,
but you draw the sword to strike in my name
and seek high places in my kingdom. R

7) I accepted the cup of suffering and death for your sakes,
but you scatter and deny and abandon me.
I sent the Spirit of truth to lead you,
but you close your hearts to guidance. R

8) I called you to go and bring forth fruit,
but you cast lots for my clothing.
I prayed that you all may be one,
but you continue to quarrel and divide. R

9) I grafted you into the tree of my chosen people Israel,
but you turned on them with persecution and mass murder.
I made you joint heirs with them of my covenants,
but you made them scapegoats for your own guilt. R

10) I came to you as the least of your brothers and sisters.
I was hungry but you gave me no food,
thirsty but you gave me no drink.
I was a stranger but you did not welcome me,
naked but you did not clothe me,
sick and in prison but you did not visit me. R

Good Friday 2008 Liturgy

Below you will find the liturgy for the 2008 Good Friday service at Argyle United Methodist Church. I will include the text of The Reproaches in the next post. They are very powerful.


GREETING Liz Edwards
Christ himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.
That we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, graciously behold this your family, for whom our
Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
--after The Book of Common Prayer

HYMN Why Has God Forsaken Me? (put the following text in the bulletin and on the screen)
“Why has God forsaken me?” cried out Jesus from the cross
as he shared the loneliness of our deepest grief and loss.

At the tomb of Lazarus Jesus wept with open grief:
Grant us, God, the tears which heal all our pain and unbelief.

Jesus, as his life expired, placed himself within God’s care:
At our dying, Christ, may we trust the love which conquers fear.

Mystery shrouds our life and death but we need not be afraid,
For the mystery’s heart is love, God’s great love which Christ displayed.


SCRIPTURE LESSON: Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Todd Mead

PSALM 22 (Text on UMH 752, the Response will be Todd Mead
“Why has God forsaken me?” cried our Jesus from the cross
as he shared the loneliness of our deepest grief and loss.)

PROCLAMATION OF THE PASSSION STORY Liz Edwards
John 18:1-19:42
(Or sermon)
A TIME OF INTERCESSORY PRAYER
Kyrie Eleison Taizé Community
Kyrie, Kyrie, Eleison

MEDITATION AT THE CROSS
PROCESSION OF THE CROSS: O Sacred Head, Sore Wounded
Rev. Joe Stobaugh, soprano saxophone & vocals, Anastasia Markina, piano

(Process a plain wooden cross into the church, explain that the people may come forward and kneel briefly before the cross or can touch it and pray at any time)

SILENT MEDITATION

THE REPROACHES: CHIRST’S LAMENT AGAINST HIS
FAITHLESS CHURCH
(read by Todd, Liz, Joe from the congregation)

SUNG RESPONSE: No. 488 Jesus, Remember Me

A TIME OF SILENCE

*THE LORD’S PRAYER Liz Edwards

*CLOSING HYMN No. 298 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

*DISMISAL Rev. Joe Stobaugh
May Jesus Christ, who for our sake became obedient unto death, even
death on a cross, keep you and strengthen you, now and for ever. Amen.
All depart in silence.

Maundy Thursday Liturgy

Hey There!
As promised (though very late) here is the order of worship we used for Maundy Thursday. We had a service of footwashing in over which half of the congregation participated! I was amazed at the level of participation! It was a beautiful and holy moment!

*GREETING: Rev. Kory Knott
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Christ has prepared a feast of love.

*HYMN No. 626 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
1st Stanza: Solo; remaining stanza’s: all

*CONFESSION AND PARDON Todd Mead
My sisters and brothers, Christ shows us his love by becoming a humble servant. Let us draw near to God and confess our sin in the truth of God’s Spirit.
A brief silence for individual contemplation.
Most merciful God, we your Church confess that often our spirit has not been that of Christ. Where we have failed to love one another as he loves us, where we have pledged loyalty to him with our lips and then betrayed, deserted, or denied him, forgive us, we pray; and by your Spirit make us faithful in every time of trial; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ. But Christ suffered and died for us, was raised from the dead and ascended on high for us, and continues to intercede for us. Believe the good news: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
Glory to God. Amen.

*PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION (write one) Rev. Joe Stobaugh

Psalm 116:1-2; 12-19 (UMH 837 sung, use response 2)

HYMN No. 628 Eat This Bread

SCRIPTURE LESSON 1: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 Todd Mead

HYMN No. 624 Bread of the World

GOSPEL LESSON: John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Rev. Kory Knott

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION

*THE GREAT THANKSGIVING (use Mark Miller’s and teach the congregation before hand.) Rev. Kory Knott
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Life up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing always and everwhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth. You spread your people with the blood of lambs smeared on their doorposts. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna in the highest!
Blest is the one who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. He is our Passover Lamb, he was betrayed and handed over to the authorities.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

Words of Institution

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died;
Christ is risen;
Christ will come again.
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna in the highest!

Epiclesis

By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at the heavenly banquet. Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever.

Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna in the highest!
Hosanna in the highest!

*THE LORD’S PRAYER

BREAKING THE BREAD

GIVING THE BREAD AND CUP

A READING FROM THE GOSPEL

A SERVICE OF FOOTWASHING (Give Kory a quarter page layout of Holy Week for Palm Sunday!)

*HYMN No. 292 What Wondrous Love is This

*DISMISSAL Rev. Kory Knott

*GOING FORTH

Greetings from the Road!

Hello Friends!
I hope these Great Fifty Days finds you well! I am the most inconsistent blogger of all time. Last week it was all I could do to get to the church because of a bit of tiredness and this week I'm on the road in Nashville! To my Tennessee friends: I'm sorry I didn't call you, there's just no time in this week's schedule to hang. I wish we could though!!!!
A few quick updates:
1. I am reading a book that is changing my life: "Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals." by Shane Claiborne. If you've read his other book, you know what I'm talking about. I'm praying really hard that this book will do the work it needs to on me and that I will have the courage to respond faithfully.
2. Gene Simmons from KISS was at the table next to me at dinner last night.
3. I'm going to go into the studio on Saturday to lay down some tracks for a demo for a new cover band I'm playing bass in.
3. More importantly, I continue to be overwhelmed by God's grace and love. I hope you do too.
Have a great day!