A few years ago I visited Elsa at her apartment in a local retirement center. Elsa had moved from out of state and knew not a soul in her new area. She moved to this unfamiliar locale because her niece wanted to have her close by. Elsa wasn't able to go to church so we agreed that I would visit her once each month for a brief time of devotion and fellowship.
After my first visit, Elsa asked if she could invite a friend from the retirement center to join us next time we got together. Of course, I agreed. After that visit, the two friends mentioned that they knew several people who had no opportunity to worship. Could they come too? Why, yes! Invite away! At the third visit we had half a dozen people crowded into a tiny senior apartment. After our worship time one of the newcomers piped up: "I know the activities coordinator. Why don't I arrange for us to use the chapel next time. We can even advertise the gathering at announcement time in the dining room." I told her to go for it.
A movement was afoot! We met in the chapel the next month with nearly 20 worshipers. After the worship service, two ladies volunteered to serve as a worship team--setting up everything needed for our time together. A man said that he would invite two people he knew who played the organ and violin. He was sure they would love to add music to our gathering. Four of the original core group strategized more invitations. Elsa told stories of people she knew who didn't know Christ. Wow! God was at work! We had a new church--a satellite church--a church plant--whatever it was--growing by the Spirit of God through His people.
During the Advent season you may find yourself in a few retirement centers and nursing homes. Christmas carolers will roam the hallways. But what about longer-term outreach into these places where so many are forgotten? How many of these dear people are receiving the soul-care they need?
Studies show that by the year 2030, 25-30% of the U.S. population will be 65 and over. By 2050, 40% of 65-year-olds are likely to reach the age of 90! Our nation is aging. The question is: who will be their church? Who will bring the news of Jesus to so many who never listened in our secular culture, but now need to hear of Him as they falter physically and see that death is near?
There is a hunger for real fellowship and genuine hope among older adults. If you're thinking of starting a church plant or a satellite but you don't know where to begin, perhaps you need to check out your local nursing homes and retirement facilities. It may not seem glamorous, but the harvest is plentiful. Just think, the building is available; activities directors are desperate for programming; gifted people are willing and able; the cost is low to non-existent; and loving hearts are ready to welcome you.
Why not lead the way? Why not deploy a team or two or three to start weekly gatherings?
Next week I'll continue by telling Hilda's story and how a Gen-X church revolutionized an over-80 crowd.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
The Un-Thanksgiving Note
My daughter got a nasty note the other day.
She's been experimenting with some new recipes at college. After carefully researching some new delectable dishes, she cooked a fancy chicken and pasta concoction. She and her boyfriend ate about half of the meal. Feeling generous toward a starving dorm crowd, they put the leftovers in the public refrigerator, knowing a hungry, high metabolic rate, university male would most likely scarf down the leftovers.
That's exactly what happened--except for the note they received in the empty leftover container. Yes, the leftover-eater left a note! He scribbled a short critique of the food, outlining what spices were missing according to his tastes. He recommended the addition of a few ingredients and chastised my daughter for the shoddy cooking job.
My daughter was surprised at the note. In addition to its harsh tone, she noticed that the eater didn't stop with the first "repulsive" bite. He ate half a pan--finished it off. Couldn't have been that awful. The note seemed a bit inauthentic.
What hurt my daughter most was the lack of gratitude. I always taught her: "Be happy about what you have, not unhappy about what you don't have." This guy was unhappy about what he didn't have--even though he ate until he was satisfied.
Okay, this gets me thinking: how many "un-thanksgiving notes" do I send God? How many times am I unhappy about what I don't have instead of being happy and thankful for all the Lord has given me?
Yeah, I'm an "un-thanksgiving" note writer. I complain. I wish for the next best thing. I compare what I've got to all the better stuff everyone else has. And God gets hurt by my ingratitude.
Fortunately, my "note" doesn't have the last word. In the face of the worst life offers--death, Jesus overrode our fallenness with THANKSGIVING. As Jesus stared into His friend Lazarus' tomb, He began His prayer this way: "Father, I thank you that you have heard me" (John 11:41). Then he called Lazarus out of the tomb.
Jesus' thanksgiving echoes through His cross and grave into our lives. We're not dead anymore. We have the gift of new life. Filled with His Spirit, we now say, "Thank you."
And on Thanksgiving Day--and every day--we go back to the blessings God has prepared for us. New life. Another chance.
It's just like cooking at college. My daughter is still putting together some great new recipes. She's also leaving plenty of food in the frig for the starving college students. More blessings. Another chance to say "thank you."
She's been experimenting with some new recipes at college. After carefully researching some new delectable dishes, she cooked a fancy chicken and pasta concoction. She and her boyfriend ate about half of the meal. Feeling generous toward a starving dorm crowd, they put the leftovers in the public refrigerator, knowing a hungry, high metabolic rate, university male would most likely scarf down the leftovers.
That's exactly what happened--except for the note they received in the empty leftover container. Yes, the leftover-eater left a note! He scribbled a short critique of the food, outlining what spices were missing according to his tastes. He recommended the addition of a few ingredients and chastised my daughter for the shoddy cooking job.
My daughter was surprised at the note. In addition to its harsh tone, she noticed that the eater didn't stop with the first "repulsive" bite. He ate half a pan--finished it off. Couldn't have been that awful. The note seemed a bit inauthentic.
What hurt my daughter most was the lack of gratitude. I always taught her: "Be happy about what you have, not unhappy about what you don't have." This guy was unhappy about what he didn't have--even though he ate until he was satisfied.
Okay, this gets me thinking: how many "un-thanksgiving notes" do I send God? How many times am I unhappy about what I don't have instead of being happy and thankful for all the Lord has given me?
Yeah, I'm an "un-thanksgiving" note writer. I complain. I wish for the next best thing. I compare what I've got to all the better stuff everyone else has. And God gets hurt by my ingratitude.
Fortunately, my "note" doesn't have the last word. In the face of the worst life offers--death, Jesus overrode our fallenness with THANKSGIVING. As Jesus stared into His friend Lazarus' tomb, He began His prayer this way: "Father, I thank you that you have heard me" (John 11:41). Then he called Lazarus out of the tomb.
Jesus' thanksgiving echoes through His cross and grave into our lives. We're not dead anymore. We have the gift of new life. Filled with His Spirit, we now say, "Thank you."
And on Thanksgiving Day--and every day--we go back to the blessings God has prepared for us. New life. Another chance.
It's just like cooking at college. My daughter is still putting together some great new recipes. She's also leaving plenty of food in the frig for the starving college students. More blessings. Another chance to say "thank you."
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Personal Dumpsters
I have a personal dumpster. Actually, I have two. The city gave each homeowner a set of gargantuan dumpsters for trash and recycling. These replace reasonable-sized garbage cans and recycling bins. Now the thunderous roll of dumpsters is heard echoing throughout the neighborhood twice each week. An automatic garbage collection truck screeches to a halt outside each home, lowers a claw-like mechanism, snatches the dumpster from the curb, dumps the debris hastily into the truck, and returns the monstrous container akimbo to the curb (sometimes it's akimbo; I just wanted to use that word today).
We neighborhood dwellers then obediently roll our empty personal dumpsters back to their nesting places. I have to open the garage door to put mine back. It doesn't fit through the little side door.
That baby holds a lot of garbage. Not a bad deal, really. I can load it up with some pretty nasty stuff. It all fits inside. When Wednesday comes, it's all gone. Time for a new beginning.
When I read the Bible, I hear that God gives you a personal dumpster! Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
That sounds like some serious dumpster action. Load up Jesus with all the refuse of your life. He carts it away through His action for you--living, suffering, bleeding, dying, and rising. Each day, through Word and Sacrament, you have an empty dumpster, a new beginning, a lightened life.
Why, you can even take some of the trash from others and empty their dumpsters by forgiving them "as in Christ God forgave you."
Sounds like a mission, doesn't it? Sounds like a calling. Sounds like something grateful believers do. Sounds like a reason to reach out into a sin-refuse-cluttered world with what the world needs most.
Let the thunderous roll be heard--as you and all the redeemed people of God make the world a cleaner place with His grace!
We neighborhood dwellers then obediently roll our empty personal dumpsters back to their nesting places. I have to open the garage door to put mine back. It doesn't fit through the little side door.
That baby holds a lot of garbage. Not a bad deal, really. I can load it up with some pretty nasty stuff. It all fits inside. When Wednesday comes, it's all gone. Time for a new beginning.
When I read the Bible, I hear that God gives you a personal dumpster! Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
That sounds like some serious dumpster action. Load up Jesus with all the refuse of your life. He carts it away through His action for you--living, suffering, bleeding, dying, and rising. Each day, through Word and Sacrament, you have an empty dumpster, a new beginning, a lightened life.
Why, you can even take some of the trash from others and empty their dumpsters by forgiving them "as in Christ God forgave you."
Sounds like a mission, doesn't it? Sounds like a calling. Sounds like something grateful believers do. Sounds like a reason to reach out into a sin-refuse-cluttered world with what the world needs most.
Let the thunderous roll be heard--as you and all the redeemed people of God make the world a cleaner place with His grace!
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