Wednesday, April 30, 2008

me: having a good day yet?
Brandon: to early to tell....Yours?
me: yup
woke up at 3:30
wrote a letter to a guy that needs prayer
then went back to sleep until 7:00
Brandon: I like the ordination certificate [Bob's]
me: just waiting now for Joe; need to take him to work, then I'll head in to the office
that screen is gonna get hung finally!
Brandon: yeah I saw they were there yesterday
me: We were gonna hang it over the pulpit area but decided it would be too much of a neck stretch in most applications. Lord willing, we're hanging it right in front of the baptistry up in the ceiling. It will look slick
Brandon: cool
me: We'll still have a projector on either side of it...just smaller frames than we have had but that will allow for the choir to still be up in the Choir Loft too. When there's no choir up there we'll be able to have all three projectors going...with different images if we want.
Brandon: Will it be similar to where the screen is projected now?
me: yeah...The middle screen is 13 feet long
and we'll just have to make the side screens maybe 3/4 the size we have them currently
Brandon: okay
me: but we can play with it some after the middle screen is up and we see what we've got...
but I envision some cool stuff happening
 for instance
Brandon: just in time for vbs
me: during a celebration and reflective worship medley
have the words on both sides...and have a silent DVD of footage that has been shot during the week that involves what has been happening out in the mission field around us.
Also, its been a long time in the vision-cast...
but I also want to see/hear one video testimony each week
involving stewardship not just tithing testimonies...
but also, the testimonies of those who made a commitment to do something and how it turned out
so that new people, young people, or lukewarm folks might be spurred on to love and good deeds whenever we gather together.
Brandon: yep
me: It will encourage us as a body to get a glimpse into what's happening in other parts of the Body
Brandon: to see God at work
me: ...and all the more as we see the Day approaching
yeah. This page will become greater and more complete as we collect the testimonies of God's People:

http://www.bellroad.org/newsite/media.html

Brandon: I like it
me: Hey, is it alright to share this chat for my journal.
Brandon: yeah sure
me: I don't have much time to write and its what I'm happy about this morning anyway
alrightee
Brandon: alright
me: Have a great day on the Mission Field...
Brandon: yep I will
me: where is your workplace?
Brandon: Sunset and 65
me: hmm  OK, brother. cu l8r
Brandon: bye. have a great day
 

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Yesterday, I arrived at the Office around 7:30am. and worked until my 8:50 appt. with a local chiropractor. It had been one week since Dr. Harding had adjusted my Atlas bone. He asked how I was doing and I told him that my lower back was only slightly hurting still. Yet the hot-spot at the base of my neck was pretty tight on Saturday. I said, "It was just stress...nothing serious. Just deadlines."

Dr. Dennis Harding (himself, the k of a baptist p) jokingly advised me to "...remove ALL the stress from your life."

Later, he asked me if I regularly take a day off.

I replied, "mmm, not really...
                  but I never feel guilty when I do!"


Then he said, "That's how my Dad was.
                          His ministry was 24/7"


I went back to the office, worked until noon, then decided to take the rest of the day off. After a trip to the bank, Cathy and I split a salad at Downtown Auburn's Organic Cafe. Sitting outside the cafe in the courtyard, we recognized Kalyani and Tap (some Indian friends we have met in our door-to-door visitation).

It was Tap's 16th birthday that very day. Good ol' pastorob reached down before reaching out and brought a sweet smile making the teen's face even prettier. The heart rules over the head in the ENFP (the lunchtime discussion Cathy and I were having).

Then, we walked to a Japanese Sushi restaurant and split a combo luncheon. Our waitress was Sang (a Korean student at Sierra). Sang's aunt owns the restaurant. Had to give that young lady a good tip as well.

This talk about 'tips and teens' has everything to do with the final point of Message No. 45

GROWing as a Giving Christian

and in the mention of Hannah in the yet-unpublished Ordination Message from last Sunday afternoon.

   to be uploaded:  Pastor and People (2 charges)

From there we went to the post office and I decided upon our next destination: Grass Valley's Biblical Gardens. We started listening to a CD of Bob Knapp's Ordination Service on the way. There's some good stuff in Pastor Dave's charge to Bob and more good stuff in my charge to the churches at Dunsmuir and BellRoad.

We were content to be the only people in the Garden. Thoroughly enjoyed our quiet, reflective walk on the pathway through the hallowed grounds, we lost track of time for awhile. Afterwards, we drove to downtown Grass Valley and went to a movie at the Del Oro theater followed by a long walk. Finally, we shared a combo meal in the courtyard of a fancy restaurant.

The mosquitoes showed up so we moved inside to finish our coffee and generously tipped our waitress, Cabrina.
Later that evening I spoke with my son, Jeremiah, about his job waiting tables at Wine & Roses in Lodi. He is quite happy about that job and states that he hasn't received less than 18% tips since he started.

I shared that we have been focusing on tipping well so we'll reap what we've sown (even for Jerry's sake). I then affirmed his long-held conviction to tithe his income.

A low-stress day it was.


update: in 23 hours, there were an additional 358 hits on our Auburn Journal story:

Elvis Presley's Little Brother
       at 8:24pm Monday night: 1967 views

Monday, April 28, 2008

I added some of my archival video clips in the right column this morning. You might wanna take a trip down memory lane (or look into the future).

Since Yoko decided to sue the producers of 'Expelled', I decided to remove my clip entitled "Whose Working Class Hero Was He?" from public access.

Although I wrote the lyrics of 'Unconditional Love' to the tune of 'All You Need is Love' as social commentary as a tribute to Lennon's influence upon me, I wanted to protect the innocent.

I was planning on quoting Lennon if ever brought before the Magistrates:

"Music is everybody's possession;
   it's onlt publishers who think that people own it."

                                                   -- John Lennon (source)

psss...if you wanna see the clip and hear the song
           featuring Jerry Patterson (drums), Greg Brayton,
                          Jamie Bailey, Josh Wilson (guitars)
...shhh...email me
              and I'll send you a 'private' link to the
                     'unpublished' video.

Oh yeah, if anybody wants to see the 1.5 hour video of "Christmas in Mayberry"...same thing applies:
    email me.

As of 8:59 pm. last night, the Auburn Journal's
      Elvis Presley's Little Brother
      announcement had been visited 1609 times

Do me a favor, if you have time, dear reader, click on that site, register with the Auburn Journal with some cool name and leave a comment.

If you have a personal-Elvis story, that would make a nice comment. If you have ever seen Rick Stanley on TV or read one of his books, that would also be worth mentioning.

If you are overseas, I'd like our little town of Auburn to see that you checked in with us.

If you have never even heard of Elvis before, that's OK, say so. If nobody comments on the article, I'll be kinda sad, so make my Monday a bit brighter, OK?

THANKS.

Here it is:

Elvis Presley's Little Brother is coming to Auburn

I wrote this entry on my way home from Experiencing God on Sunday night. I may add a bit more when I come to open the doors for BSF in the morning.
 


Sunday update: post-morningService....

DeeDee and Alice visited after having been to the website, googled and watched a bit of last year's picket against 'me?' and 'the church'.

Several other visitors this morning. Lotsa fun on the BellRoad Express! Mary Price took over the narrative for the third parable.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Yesterday morning, Cathy and I arrived on the BellRoad campus at 7:00am. It was a busy morning of making 'HUGE SALE' posters, Rick Stanley promos, resourcing our sales workers with brochures, and burning CDs for visitors. Meanwhile, we also hosted the Foothill's Association's annual Teachers' Training event.

I ran to my bank branch in downtown Auburn. With a smile, Jennifer, thanked me for the CD that I had given her the week before. She reported that she has been listening to it in her car. She said that one song, in particular, was especially meaningful to her:

Trust in the Lord

I told Jennifer that my blind buddy, Greg Brayton, plays the acoustic guitars on that song.
TimeTravelers may wish to note the verb-tense of that last sentence: Greg 'plays'...--not Greg played...

Last I knew, in the present day, treatment for Cancer had made Greg's fingers too sore to play his guitar. I'm reminded of Pastor Wesley's great desire to 'work while it is yet day for night cometh when no man can work.'

My <unfinished> doctoral work has been on the transmission of one's testimony. With that in mind, I sometimes take refuge that this column and its network of hyperlinks works while I sleep.

Although this web stat couldn't track every visitor, I enjoy seeing which nations were represented thus far during the month of April.


Numbers have gone down since I was working alongside other writers but that in no way troubles me. During the last week, I've been contacted by a friend I had run with from 8th grade into college (as well as a friend Cathy and I had known in the eighties). So, in case you're reading this...

"Hi, Ann"

"Hey, Patty"

This morning I have asked Pastor Bob Knapp to preach for us at BellRoad. On April 13th, Pastor Bob was called to serve as the pastor of First Baptist Church in Dunsmuir, California. With today's message, we will continue the process of truly being the 'sending' church for Bob and Diana.

At the request of the 'calling church', an Ordination Council will also assist in 'testing' Bob's call from the Lord. Should all go well, there will be a public ordination today at 4:00pm.

Bob's message is entitled "Unless they are Sent" from the tenth chapter of Romans.

While BellRoad Bob preaches to the adults, I will go into Children's Church (on the BellRoad Express). I plan to have the children reenact three stories told by Jesus (pantomime with subtext). How's that for kinesthetic style, Patrice?

Someone on wikipedia doesn't go for the efficacy of teaching toward the kinesthetic learner. Perhaps God should have simply lectured Jeremiah about the Potter's Wheel?

Last night, Cathy and I went to the Union Gospel Mission for BellRoad's monthly outreach. Bob Knapp also brought the evening's message. I observed that Bob is 'riding high'; he testified/preached with a confident smile and passionate demeanor.

Right after the 'altar call' a man named Alex came up to Cathy and me for prayer. He had been in the program before but has had confusing circumstances arise since he's been back out on in own. Both Cathy and I prayed what was on our hearts and minds for this precious soul.

The BellRoad Crew went to Brookfield's afterwards.


Friday, April 25, 2008

I just returned from Friday Morning with the Deacons. A full car this morning. The windows were getting foggy by the time we were finished. We prayed...and it was good.

The issue of triangulation has surfaced several times in recent months. Cathy and I were taught years ago as growing parents that we needed to be careful to present a united front as 'the parents'. Four children were entering the teen years and we needed to have a strategic plan to survive and thrive.

It wasn't at all easy. Our children (each one) have tested that unity of purpose.

For better, for worse; in sickness and in health.

We had committed our marriage to such lofty ideals.

When the kids would come to me in an attempt to recruit me for whatever cause (usually against their 'unreasonable' mother), it wasn't always easy to see what was happening until after the smoke cleared.

I came to a point of adopting this stance:

"Look, <insert name>, I have worked long and hard on my relationship with <insert name>. YOU need to do your work on 'your relationship' with <insert name>."

In the church, we're supposed to follow Matthew 18 and Galatians 6...but that ain't always easy to do.

...and, I've learned that it doesn't always 'work'....

Triangulation?  What exactly is it? 

I found a blog by a guy named Dan Oestreich. I don't know his politics or anything other than that he teaches 'leadership'. Yet, a time-sensitive google search-and-forward for a staff member caused me to choose this piece--mostly because of his mention of '...like Junior High School'. I hope that this will be helpful for everyone who happens by it.

Here is an excerpt. I recommend that you take the time to read the entire article.

"Broadly speaking, [triangulation] refers to all those times when a person is inconsistent in his or her statements, saying one thing to another individual directly, and something else at the water cooler or over the phone, or otherwise "in private."

The reputation of the person discussed is often defined by the water cooler discussion.

"So-and-so is fundamentally insecure, that's why she has to dominate every discussion."

"So-and-so is manipulating the situation for his own gain."

"So-and-so has no back-bone – why doesn't he stand up for himself – he's always getting walked on!"

Sometimes these are framed as questions such as, "Don't you think so-and-so is…?

This allows the listener to chime in and build on the premise. The inevitable conclusion of these discussions is that somehow it will be us who have to pay for the problems of others. These can be more or less serious diagnostic discussions or they can pretty much look like Junior High School."


        read the entire article:

        The Devil's Triangle  by Dan Oestreich

Earlier this week Eli Tavarez (from FBC Galt) came to Auburn to visit me. He brought a friend named Art with him. Cathy and I joined them at Wings (the airport grill) for lunch. There, we met a local character named Rosemary Peters; she joined us at our table.

That re-connect with Eli and a subsequent letter from dear Virginia (at fbcgalt) spurred me on to look at their church website and see how things are going there. My former secretary, Jennifer, had uploaded our Liberia timeline at a different host and I was impressed at the higher resolution so here it is:



Today, I'm gonna take my guitar and m'lady and do a home-visit with a Christian who has started hospice care. The extended family is gathering around this patriarch and I've been invited to come and interact with the strumming of an earthly harp and the voicing of some comforting songs. I am humbled to accept such an important role in the process of family bonding.

At noon, we will meet with Christy and our newly-forming Rick Stanley advance-team.


Thursday, April 24, 2008
 

I watched the film 'Expelled' last Saturday night.

  see the trailer: click here

I recognized the familiar strains of Lennon's song 'Imagine' immediately and noted an example of 'fair use'. I'm surprised to learn that Yoko has filed a lawsuit asking the court "to stop the filmmakers from distributing, selling and promoting the movie".

Yoko and Expelled

She shouldn't be able to win that suit. In my humble opinion, the small slice of Lennon's song in no way violates the spirit of copyright law (but maybe it does since it was for commercial use)..

Meanwhile, the news item simply draws more attention to the movie that challenges Darwinian theories of Evolution (and as a side-issue connects Margaret Sanger-Planned Parenthood with the Eugenics movement).


Tuesday, April 22, 2008

I spoke with Rick Stanley yesterday. We clarified his plans for coming to Auburn to be with us on Sunday, May 18th through Wednesday, May 21st.

To learn more about Rick's story about growing up as the brother of Elvis Presley (and how he came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior), you can read this story I posted at the Auburn Journal:

  Rick Stanley


Monday, April 21, 2008

My back was 'killing me' yesterday morning but I expected that I would still step up to the plate and preach. At the altar, I called upon Deacon Dave and Rita to pray for my healing. The prayer was heartfelt and received with tender love for these two precious souls.

Almost immediately after, the pain was excruciating. I haven't ever used that word before in reference to my own pain level. It got worse as the night went on.

I've received counsel in the Body of Christ so I am acting accordingly. Unfortunately, I had to run a parent mission today (unnecessary and irritating--that's life--'a parently').

Here's yesterday's message:

  'Growing as a Giving Christian'

The sermon outline should be available as a pdf file if you downlload it from the sermonplayer:

  www.bellroadradio.com

Aunt Bee at the Auburn Pharmacy


Sunday, April 20, 2008

This morning I will preach a message entitled "Giving as Growing Christians". It has been a restful weekend for Cathy and me. Daniel, Cerissa, and Mary went along with family friends for a vacation at the oceanside.

Last night, Joe, Cathy, Kyla and I went to Grass Valley to see Ben Stein's documentary: Expelled. This was a good opportunity to spend some time with college age students.

Here is the movie site for Expelled: click here


Friday night's audio has now been uploaded on www.bellroadradio.com


If you missed the event I hope you will take time to listen when you get a chance. Remember, you can always download the mp3 file and burn it to a CD. Listening to messages and music during drive-time is a good way to grow in understanding. Others regularly download these files for their iPods and listen while they run or work out at the Gym.

Escape from 4 Generations of Polygamy
Irene Spencer at BellRoad: click here

I was googling around and followed a link to another local website where I had started a profile for our church. I was surprised to see that two of our members had 'rated' our little local church. They were both on the same day so I probably had provided the link in a journal entry.

Here's a scary thought: If you have attended our church, and have a bit o' time to spare, consider leaving a comment at the Auburn Buzz. I think you will need to sign your name. Remember...you're rating the church...not Jesus himself.

Auburn Buzz
 


Saturday, April 19, 2008

Currently, there is an online way to share stories and events at our local paper's website:

 www.auburnjournal.com

This media tool will be helpful to serve and support our church's ministry and testimony. Look at my profile there and acquaint yourself with how it works. If you wanna leave a comment on anything you will need to register.

  pastorob at Placeropolis

I tried to upload a bit of video but couldn't get it to work for me, so I went ahead and uploaded this Auburn Outtake on googlevideo. Here's the link:

  Aunt Bee at the Auburn Pharmacy


for the rest of April: click here

November, '07 - April, '08  click here