Each Day Already is a Challenge

Wonderful Wednesday

It always amazes me that people who claim to be writers also claim no time to read the works of others. That makes no sense to me. Just as I think that to be a Christian one must visit with God throughout the day, I think that to be a writer one must read to be informed and to learn and grow.

I was thinking quite a bit about that the other day when I came across this story.

Here's a book shop owner who is burning books...since he couldn't even give them away. http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/05/28/bookburning.ap/index.html

The profession of book writing makes horseracing seem
like a solid, stable business. ~ ~John Steinbeck






When I arrived at the church this morning, the pastor asked me to review some free materials he received about a new ministry program. Our pastor has been trying to help us focus on loving each other within the church, with the idea that if the outside world sees that love, they'll want to be a part of it.

The materials he gave me to review were meant to do just that, plus to reach out to the community.

You can see what it's all about at http://www.arkalmighty.org.

The idea is that our church will have its own web page as part of arkalmight.org where our members can go to list their needs. Other members can decide to help. The postings are anonymous - until the administrator approves both the request and response. Then just the administrator and the two parties know each other's identities.

Once the members are on board with this idea and helping one another, the next step is to let the community know that "help is here." (That's one of the slogans.)

Basically, it's an act of kindness program that matches needs and talents (or time) available.

The free materials that our church received were great. 4 t-shirts, 4 hats, about 50 pins, flyers, door knob hangers, bulletin insert pages, a DVD, and a huge banner.

The DVD shows clips from the movie coming out - Evan Almighty - and talks about how God uses each of us, even when we don't understand, or when God's urging in us seems too small to matter or too huge to make any sense.

I think our pastor was testing me. He could see that I got excited about the ministry opportunity in this, especially since it goes along with what he's been trying to get our church to understand and do.

So, guess what.....

He has asked me to write a sermon about this new ministry - to be ready in two weeks. I came home with a copy of the DVD and materials. Plus the book that inspired this idea. Something that was published about fourteen years ago.

Conspiracy of Kindness: A Refreshing New Approach to Sharing the Love of Jesus with Others by Steve Sjogren.

You know...I haven't prepared a sermon myself in...six years. Well, I did do some children's sermons just four years ago.

Anyway, if I'm not here you'll know that...

I still don't have my own computer up and running. (Yes, it's just the monitor.)

And...I might be working on that sermon.