All Good Things...

Dear Ones,

By this title I do not mean the Nelly Furtado video. I do not mean the movie of the same title coming out next year. And I most certainly do not mean the Mandy Moore song. If you thought of the last episode of Star Trek the Next Generation, you're in the ballpark. I remember watching that series finale in the basement of my college dorm with a bunch of other people...but I digress. I refer with the title of this post to my position as Student Assistant Pastor with BUMC. This Sunday, August 24th, is my last Sunday both on staff and as a regular part of the worshipping community.
I do not, however, consider it the end of my relationship with BUMC. You are all in my heart, as I hope I am in yours. As I have been saying, its been a challenging and wonderful journey these past two years. The Book of Worship of the UMC has an Order of Farewell to a Pastor in it. Part of that ceremony is for both the pastor and the congregation to offer and ask for forgiveness from each other. So I do with you: I ask for forgiveness, and I offer to you as well.

But, of course, the story cannot end there. And while 'all good things must come to an end', the band Semisonic reminds us that 'every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end.' It is with joy that I tell you that the new seminarian entering into relationship with college students is Casey Langley (see pic)! She's goes to school at Princeton Theological Seminary, and I'm excited about her coming on board at BUMC. Friend her on Facebook!

As for the older young adults (a.k.a., the young professional types), they have created their own ministry group called Bridges. They will be in relationship with a different seminarian, Mike Sparrow (see pic) from Drew Theological School.

My friends, go in peace and go with God. Pray for me, as I pray for you. Consider Christ in all that you do.

Blessings,
Kevin

Ghosts of Cold Wars past

Hello my friends,

Just some jots and tittles today, as I see it's been too long since I last posted. This upcoming Sunday is my last sermon at BUMC. If you can make either the 8:30 or 10:00am service, it would be good to see you. If you haven't heard yet, the blood donation/lunch plan is off for tomorrow - there was no one who could give me a definite yes that they were going to participate.
In other news...when I was a "young-an", it was sort of like living in the middle of an action movie. We, the United States, were the good guys. And our enemy, on the other side of the world, the Evil Empire, was the USSR. Being a Cold War kid was quite an experience. I figured it was something that you all would miss out on. BUT, what I'm seeing out of Russia these days is sort of frightening. Putin is an old-school KGB guy, and he's pulling the same kind of stunts that I used to see as a kid. 'Taint good, as we say up north.
The Olympics are underway, and our own Michael Phelps is doing his best fish impression. It's amazing how as a race, humanity keeps bettering itself physically. We keep reaching new peaks of physical ability. If only the same could be said for us as a race, spiritually. But I fear that is not the case. That makes me curious...I wonder what a Spiritual Olympics would look like? What events would there be, and how would you judge them? Things that make you go hmmm...
That's all for the moment. My last Sunday at the church will be the 24th. Whenever it is I send out my last blog post, I'll do my best to introduce you to the seminarian(s) who are joining the ranks of BUMC once the new school year starts.
Be well my friends.

Peace,
Kevin

PS I've decided I'm going to wear a Hawaiian shirt to my wedding instead of a tux...what do you think of the above pic? Can you picture that with a black suit jacket?

Sunday, Bloody Sunday!....er, Saturday.

Have you ever taken a close listen to U2's song "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"? There are some folks who are die-hard U2 fans who have never realized that there is a deep Christian perspective to much of their music. Check out the lyrics..

I can't believe the news today
I can't close my eyes and make it go away.
How long, how long must we sing this song?
How long, how long?
'Cos tonight
We can be as one, tonight.

Broken bottles under children's feet
Bodies strewn across the dead-end street.
But I won't heed the battle call
It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall.

Sunday, bloody Sunday.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.
Oh, let's go.

And the battle's just begun
There's many lost, but tell me who has won?
The trenches dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters [Matthew 10:35]
Torn apart.

Sunday, bloody Sunday.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.

How long, how long must we sing this song?
How long, how long?
'Cos tonight
We can be as one, tonight.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.

Wipe the tears from your eyes
Wipe your tears away.
I'll wipe your tears away.
I'll wipe your tears away.
I'll wipe your bloodshot eyes.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.
Sunday, bloody Sunday.

And it's true we are immune
When fact is fiction and TV reality.
And today the millions cry
We eat and drink while tomorrow they die. [1 Corinthians 15:32]

The real battle just begun
To claim the victory Jesus won
On...

Sunday, bloody Sunday
Sunday, bloody Sunday..

Where I have put in [] there is a scripture reference in that line...and of course, check out the part at the end: To claim the victory Jesus won. This is a political protest song, but it's also much more than that.

So take a closer listen to what you may think is secular music...sometimes you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that faith is flying just below the radar.

And speaking of blood...the last Young Adult activity while I'm around will be Saturday, August 16th. We'll be going to the Blood Donation Center in Princeton. Meet at the church at 9am and we'll head over. Then, after we all have donated blood, we'll grab some lunch. If you haven't already, get back to me by this Sunday, the 10th, so I know how many will be going.

Alright - be well my friends!
Peace,
Kevin