I am sure that it is no surprise to anyone that daveraines is my pastor.  I am a member of his 1/4 time church, St. Paul Center United Methodist Church, which is located across from Thurston High School.  His 3/4 time, downtown Springfield church is Ebbert Memorial United Methodist Church.  Ebbert is housed in a beautiful, old, partially brick building that the Springfield Chamber of Commerce has honored with a beautiful picture postcard.  The Springfield Museum actually has a replica made into a Christmas Tree Ornament. 
 
These two churches are distinctly different.  St. Paul Center, which has only 37 members now, used to be much larger--in a different era.  Now they are able to provide space for the Child Development Center affiliated with Thurston High School.  This Center is housed
in the only building that is topped with the Christian Cross.  This building was the original Sanctuary for St. Paul Center.  Currently the Sanctuary is housed in the largest of three buildings on the church's property.  The third building houses the Early Education Program.  This program is utilized by several school districts to school handicapped children.  At certain times of day many school buses from different districts are visible on the property.  Safety is an issue here.  Cooperation is needed to meet the needs of both buildings which house small children.  Occasional safety issues involve Thurston High School Students on Church Property.  Both the church and the Springfield School District are working hard to cooperate and to assure safety for all involved, adults, youth, and young children.
The members of St. Paul Center include persons with widely diverse political and theological viewpoints among its 37 members plus non member constituents.  A current goal is to reach out to the surrounding community.

Ebbert Memorial has received considerable attention recently since their sanctuary has been redone and rededicated.  Noteworthy are its stained glass windows.  The congregation has been long established and is known in Methodist Circles for being conservative in nature.
It should be noted that there are members that are trying to upgrade that stance.  My personal viewpoint is that they are a warm and loving congregation.  One of their outstanding current programs is providing a meal for the homeless and/ or hungry every Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. in the white building called the YOUTHHOUSE which faces on "C" street.  I have found myself challenged to help with this program most weeks.  This congregation also provides sack lunches free of charge to anyone who requests same.  Members amd friends also take sack lunches in their cars to give to those persons requesting help on street corners.  Many of us feel that is better than giving cash which could be used in less than positive ways.  These programs are included in many other ways this downtown Springfield church reaches out.

I think Pastor Dave needs to be commended for spending all the time it takes to be a pastor to so many persons, to preaching at two churches almost every Sunday, to be aware of the needs around him, and to spend the time it takes to call on his many parishoners who find themselves in hospitals, nursing homes, residential care facilities,  and assisted living facilities.  Occsionally he is criticized for not making more home visits.  From where is the time for that supposed to come?  After all even ministers need time to follow a spiritual pathway, to build up energy to cope with persons with all kinds of problems, physical, mental and emotional.  Some of us seem unaware of this as we make demands on daveraines time.  I pray that God will forgive me when I request more of his time than he can afford to give.
I pray that all of us let Pastor Dave know how much we appreciate him.  May we all be aware that he is a husband of Kathy and a father of two teenagers, Kevin, a student in the honors college at Arizona State, and Becky, a freshman at South Eugene High.  I know he is very committed to family prayer time, (including being thankful time) and to spending time alone with each member of his family.  Right now Kevin is at home from Arizona for a few weeks--precious time in their family life.

May we all express appreciation to Dave for all he does to make each of our lives better.  May we encourage him in his personal pursuits that make it possible for him to have sufficient energy to help each of us experience God and Jesus Christ in our personal lives.  







 

What DID "The Homeless" mean to me?
"They" meant the beggars on street corners to whom I gave a sack lunch from Ebbert or a nourishing breakfast bar.  Most of them were appreciative but I didn't get to know them. While I could feel concern for them, I was not too deeply involved emotionally--I did not visualize that it could be Christ that I was seeing hungry.

What DO "The Homeless" mean to me now?  What has changed my attitude?
Helping to feed the hungry every Wednesday night at Ebbert Memorial United Methodist Church.   Getting to know the hungry persons as individuals.  Sensing some of their dreams and aspirations.  Learning the pitfalls that many of them face, i.e. needing to achieve sobriety or better mental health or to get out of jail.

After all of us have eaten, some of us participate in a prayer service with Taize music and communion.  One of the action things we do is fill out prayer cards for other workers and/or for the individiuals who have just eaten a nourishing meal--maybe their first that day.  We pass these cards around the circle.  Each of us take two or three cards home with us to remind us for whom we need to pray.

One of the cards which I took home with me on December 10 really hit me between the eyes.  It said, "(we pray) For all our guests who are living on the hillside: warmth, health, safety."  I hadn't stopped to think that the young couple with whom  I had been speaking were leaving the warmth of  the "Youth House" to go sleep outdoors.  Think about how the cold affects you.  Then realize that any inconvenience we experience is far less than that of  the homeless who dwell outdoors.

Another card I took  home  spoke to me, also:   "For Jesus to be a real living presence in the lives of the poor, raising them up."

As these words by Christina G. Rossetti say:     Love came down at Christmas,
                                                                                      Love all lovely, Love divine,
                                                                                      Love was born at Christmas,
                                                                                      Star and angels gave the sign.

                                                                                      Worship we the Godhead,
                                                                                      Love incarnate, Love divine,
                                                                                      Worship we our Jesus,                    
                                                                                      But wherewith for sacred sign?
                                
                                                                                      Love shall be our token
                                                                                      love be yours and love be mine;
                                                                                      love to God and neighbor,
                                                                                      love for plea and gift and sign.

"Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?  And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?"  And the king will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me."     Matthew 25: 37b-41.
                                                                                                                   Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts .      Bonnie

Seven months ago I had total knee replacement surgery.  I had been warned about some of the problems I might face.  But  no one mentioned  how difficult it could be to come home without help.  (There is always the possibility that it was mentioned but this, know it all, former case manager did not listen.)  How do you get the frozen dinner from the freezer to the microwave when it is time to prepare a meal. I still needed to be supported with a walker.  It was a scary time and without being aware I became deeply depressed.    ( Isn't it amazing how knowledgeable one can be in retrospect?)

I am normally a spiritual person.  For several months I experienced difficullty in making a connection with God, but I kept trying, encouraged by daveraines.  I was always aware that he was confident my better self would survive.

All of a sudden metamorphosis had happened.  I experienced happiness, I could smile and giggle again.  I reached out to others and was supportive to friends.  The world was suddenly a much better place.

Now I continue to work on the transformation process.  I attempt to live a Christian Life.  I firmly believe that we can experience the Kingdom of God here on earth if we let God work in our lives.  This takes constant endeavor and a continual, ongoing reaching out to God AND for me, at least, a constant reaching out to others, a consciousness of "being in ministry to others around me,  Of course this includes my husband ,Bill,  who has lived in a locked Alzheimer's Care Unit since January 22, 2008.  Bill is a retired United Methodist pastor, but now it is my responsibility to read Scripture and Devotions with him.  It just occurred to me that I should ask him to pray for us both.  He continually asks why he cannot live at home with me.  When I explain to him, again and again, that I am not physically capable of caring for him, his response is "Then I need to come home to take care of you."  Try answering that.

Needless to say I am grateful for the fact that I feel Jesus Christ working in my life, that the Holy spirit has inspired me and that God is present with me.  

Recently daveraines has kept his congregations aware of "means of grace".  Many positive things are at work in my life.
I hope that my improved communication with God will allow my spiritual transformation to continue to grow stronger.  Reaching out to others makes me feel stronger day by day.  GOD FEELS ALIVE IN ME--I ALSO FEEL ALIVE IN HIM/HER.  Thank you, God.

I may be 78 years old, but I am young at heart.  If you have been reading the blog of my pastor, daveraines, you know that the youth at Ebbert Memorial United Methodist Church in Springfield, Oregon, have been experiencing a 30 hour famine to raise money for WORLD VISION as they help hungry children in many countries.   I spent some time with the group (Middle and High School Youth) when they were just about six hours into their thirty hours of not eating.  They were drinking water and juice and having a good time playing games and making a long paper chain representing hungry children.  They were fun to be with.  (The relentless energy of middle school boys never ceases to amaze me.)

Tonight I had the privilege of being with them as they celebrated communion of bread and juice to break their fast, and then enjoyed a potluck dinner provided by their families and other church participants.  What a good experience.  Since my retired minister spouse is now in a Residential Care Facility, I am able to be supportive of occasions like this, and they help keep me young.

I actually attend both of the churches of which daveraines is pastor.  I am a member of the smaller one, St. Paul Center United Methodist Church.  Since music is an important thing in my life, I enjoy singing in the Choir at Ebbert.  Sometimes I leave right after the anthem so I can be at St. Paul by 10:30 a.m. when the small ensemble there practices.  Then I only hear the sermon once.  Other  times I get two chances to absorb what Pastor Dave is saying.  Right now we are involved in the three rules of John Wesley and the roots of our denomination.  I have been a Methodist all of my life, since I am a preacher's kid.  This Lenten subject matter is fascinating.

I also enjoy a good laugh.  i probably need to cultivate my sense of humor, sometimes I am too serious.  Some of those persons with whom I spend time keep me laughing, encouraging me to lighten up.

The two churches are quite diverse, as are their activities.  My life is enriched by the members of both congregations.  I find my mind challenged by individuals at both churches.  I just plain enjoy people of all ages.

 Once again I ask the question, HOW DO YOU JOIN THE CHRISTIANITY COMMUNITY?  It that a closed shop?  Some of us would like to show that we too believe in JESUS CHRIST.

Attending a conference of fellow United Methodists is always cool.  You see friends you haven't seen for months or years.  The content of speakers today centered on John Wesley and also learning to love those with whom you might not agree theologically.   The speaker utilized a little book written last year by retired Bishop Reuban Job, who happens to be the Bishop that ordained daveraines in Iowa.  I have been aware of the writings of Bishop Job for some time now and his new little book, "THREE SIMPLE RULES A Wesleyan Way of Living"Unite contains much for me to learn.  daveraines had posted the three rules on his blog on Friday, before he was able to buy the book on Saturday.  Serendipity or Holy Spirit?

I know there are many forms and varieties of worship.  I am fairly familiar with one Synagogue in the area in which I live.  It appears they have an organization much like the small, main line protestant congregation to which I belong.  I do have a new acquaintance who is Muslim.

My question is:  If you are involved in a faith community, do you think it is important to get involved in helping the organization realize its goals?  Are you interested in making life better on this earth and helping your fellowmen or women.  Do you think it is important to take action to take care of this earth?

I personally believe that my life is enhanced when I can help life to be a little better for someone else.