Outreach Ministry at the Unity Center, a ministry of Broad Street UMC

Last Wednesday I met up with some of the Holston Conference Hispanic Ministry Team (a sub group) in Cleveland, TN at the Unity Center.  One of our group had been there previously and wanted to share with the rest of us what was going on there.

I found the Unity Center.  It wasn't in the main part of town.  It was in a residential area.  I stopped in the driveway to take a picture of the building as I arrived.  It was a church building with another building in the back.  Truthfully, I hadn't done any research on the place prior to going.    

Since I got there a few minutes earlier than the others, I waited in the back between the two buildings.  While I was waiting, I saw this leaf on the ground.  A heart leaf.  It made me smile.  I didn't know then, but my heart was definitely going to be touched by the afternoon's experiences.

I knew we would be meeting with a David Ketchersid.  His name caught my attention because I worked with Bill Ketchersid at Bryan College back in the day.  Not only did I work with Bill at Bryan College, but we also worshiped together at 1st UMC in Dayton, TN.  Bill passed away this past summer on a mission trip to Peru.  Ketchersid isn't a very common name, so I was curious to see if there was any relation.  In meeting and talking with David, I learned that he and Bill were cousins.

The rest of our team arrived (all but one who wasn't able to make it due to a funeral) and we knocked on the door to the activities building.  We learned from Mary Reynolds that Wednesdays is "project day" and that David and his wife Mary were down in the Melting Pot building across the street.  I saw the word "French" on the white board and got excited that I might be able to speak some French that afternoon.

We went down to the Melting Pot building and met with David and his wife.

The building had several spaces for meeting and that very afternoon, some of the kids would be in that building for their projects.  (I didn't take pictures inside the Melting Pot.) We learned about the history of the Unity Center, that they do summer camps now, and have about 150 kids from elementary to high school in this year's program.  The program is open 4 days a week, M-Th, but could be open five days if funding were available.  They operate primarily with volunteers, but there is a small paid staff.

I stood back in awe as I listened to all that they do and have done.

Then, David mentioned that he needed to get going because he is one of the bus drivers.  I asked if I could ride along on the bus route to see how that worked and off we went.  There are three buses at Broad Street UMC used in this ministry. David is one of three drivers.

Off we went to the first of three school stops for the first round of pick-ups.  As the kids boarded the bus from the elementary school, they looked at me quizzically.  One asked, "are you Santa's wife?"  I thought that was an extremely random question until I caught a glimpse of one of the other drivers later.  He resembled Santa.  Aha!  Connection made.

One girl sat down next to me and two others sat in the seat across the aisle.  We headed off to the next school.  On the way over there, they asked if the driver would turn on the music so they could sing.  So, he cranked it up and they started singing.  It took me a few moments to recognize that they were singing their hearts and lungs out about Jesus.  Wow.  It blew me away.  The kids were excited and smiling and singing along.  The music was from a musical they had done last year.  They had their favorites and had hand motions to go along with some of the songs.  Watching those kids sing and smile made my heart smile.  It also touched a place deep inside me that also brought tears to my eyes.  I was overwhelmed by the experience.

Then the girl next to me noticed my wedding ring and asked if I was married.  I said "yes" and she said "yuck" and proceeded to tell the girls next to us that I was married and they all reacted like the first one.   That was a funny moment that allowed me to be back in the present and continue observing.

We picked up at two other schools and had a load full.  We got to the Unity Center and unloaded.  They went right in for snacks.  Mary and her crew were serving.  The kids dropped off their backpacks, got their name tags, got their food.

I met up with the team and got a tour of the building.  Wow.  There was a music room, an art room.  There was probably much more that I saw and don't remember and that I didn't see.  We went across the street to the former sanctuary and I was really blown away there.

What an incredibly creative use of space!  There were reading spaces (a reading room even), places to do games, etc.  Downstairs was a workshop.  There had obviously been a major transformation in order for this to take place.  There had also obviously been lots of vision, energy, time, and prayer that had gone into this endeavor.

What struck me was that ministry was being done in this community and meeting a huge need for the families.  It was innovative in many ways and yet common.  It took vision, yes.  But it also took people simply being willing to get out of their comfort zone to just do it.  It took using a space that was traditionally used for one thing and using it for something else.  The beauty in all of this is that the space is being used!  Often.  The program uses volunteers, some that have been raised up in the program.  Some of the kids are second generation.  Their parents were in the program as kids.

The activities at the Melting Pot and the Unity Center (both of which are part of Unity Center) gave me hope.  Seeing those kids last week engaged was life giving.  Our opportunities in our communities will be different because our needs will be different.  The question to ask is 'what is the greatest need in our community?'  Then, the next question to ask is 'how can our faith community meet that need?'  It may take several faith communities coming together and working in unity to meet the need.  Not all faith communities are blessed financially as Broad Street UMC.  But, all faith communities can assess what resources they have at their disposal in order to meet what the community says is the greatest need.

Here is a link for you to learn more about the Unity Center: Unity Center Website

If you'd like to donate to them, I know they would appreciate your donation.  If you are in the United Methodist Church, the Unity Center is one of the Advanced Specials. It is Holston Project No. 151 and is listed in section "N" on page 4 of  The Advance: Advancing Hope in Christ's Name (2015) edition. 

Blessings on your journey,

Debra

False fellowship... reflections from the Jesus Calling devotional on October 19

Today's devotional reading from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (October 19th) is one of those "cause for a pause" readings.  There were several phrases that caught my attention, such as: "defenses down", "false fellowship", and "artificial atmosphere".  Was it just the alliteration that caught my attention of these words or was it something more?

As I've pondered the reading, I believe it is something more.  In these devotionals, it is Jesus speaking.  A previous sentence mentions erected barriers between people.  "Facades abound in the world, even in My Body, the church.  Sometimes the church is the last place where people feel free to be themselves.  They cover up with Sunday clothes and Sunday smiles. They feel relief when they leave because of the strain of false fellowship."

Wow.  That statement can be both an "ouch" and an "amen".  It is an "ouch" because the truth hurts.  It is an "amen" for all the people who are living that way.  But it doesn't have to be either.  The church can be a place where people feel relief when they arrive, because they know they are among people who are walking the journey of life just as they are, with its ups and downs and ins and outs.  They have come to a place where there is love of God and love of one another.  They are able to take off their facades and lay them down.  This is authentic atmosphere.  This is what the devotional refers to as "defenses down" in the first paragraph: "COME TO ME with your defenses down, ready to be blessed and filled with My Presence.  Relax, and feel the relief of being totally open and authentic with Me."

What if we were to live into authentic atmosphere in our daily lives and it carried over into corporate worship?  Then instead of false fellowship, there would be true fellowship with defenses down.  The body of Christ would be focused on the reason for gathering in the first place, the corporate relationship with God.

The last paragraph of the reading provides the solution to the false fellowship: "The best antidote to this artificial atmosphere is practicing My Presence at church.  Let your primary focus be communing with Me, worshiping Me, glorifying Me.  Then you will be able to smile at others with My Joy and love them with My love."

Whether it is within the walls of a church building or a with a group of folks gathered for fellowship, the goal is always authenticity, isn't it?!  Why would we not want to live authentic lives?  Why would we not want to be true to who we were created to be?  Why gather with any group of people if the relief comes when we leave them instead of when we arrive?

In order for me to live with my defenses down in a corporate atmosphere, it is an intentional decision I must make in my private time.  It isn't always an easy one.  As this devotional reading points out, there are many who erect barriers and wear facades.  I have written previously about wearing masks and the decision to not wear them anymore.  Though it is more difficult at first to live into one's true and authentic self, it is a much more free life.  Living into one's true and authentic self without masks and facades doesn't mean that one shares anything and everything about themselves all the time.  However, it does mean that one keeps the defenses down, is open and authentic with self, God, and others.

Today's reading made me think.  Are people more relieved when they gather or when they leave a fellowship time?  I hope to set an example that wherever I am, people are free to be themselves in front of God and others.  May it be so.

Blessings on your journey,

Debra

P.S.  The Scriptures listed in today's reading: 1 John 1:5-7; Exodus 33:14; Philippians 4:8-9

October is flying by... reflections on life

I don't know about you, but October is flying by for me.  Today is October 16th and this is my first blog post of the month.  What?!?!  Yes, it's true.

This morning's sky caught my attention with the blue attempting to break through in-between the jagged edges of the white and grey clouds.  The sky is now clear blue with some wispy thin whiteness interspersed in places.

I have so many things swirling around in my heart, mind, and soul that I don't really know where to begin.  I have been keeping up with my journaling for the Clergy Vitality Group in which I take part.  We are keeping a silence journal, a reflection of our silence times.  We have an overnight silent retreat coming up in a couple of weeks up at St. Mary's Sewanee. I'm really looking forward to that.

Many quotes that I've seen from Contemplative Photography, Alive Now, Weavings, and Shalem Institute on Facebook have directed me towards silence, reflection, and/or being still.  That continues to be a theme in my journey.  And as I've noted before, I imagine that to be an ongoing one until the end of my days because I find that I need more and more stillness in my life.  Not only do I need it, but I enjoy it.  To simply "be" and to be able to refresh and recharge, to be able to listen and discern.... ah..... this is the beauty of being that gives strength for the doing.

In this morning's reading of Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, a phrase caught my attention--"living channel".  I often think of myself as a "bridge", a bridge person.  I connect people to others and I connect situations.  From the Scriptures, I have used the term "vessel", desiring to be an empty vessel used and filled by God for the sake of others.  But "channel" is new to me.  The devotion is written as Jesus speaking: "When you need comfort, I love to enfold you in My arms. I enable you not only to feel comforted but also to be a channel through whom I comfort others.  Thus you are doubly blessed, because a living channel absorbs some of whatever flows through it."

Hmmm.... that got me thinking.  As a living channel, I not only receive from God, but what I receive is passed along to others.  As I am willing to allow God to flow through me as this living channel, then I will absorb some of that which flows through it.    That flowing can go both ways.  If I am going to be in the midst of ministry as a living channel, there may be some back flow at times.  In those cases, I will trust God with whatever flows into the channel, that it will be used for the good of the Kingdom and the glory of God and God's creation.  What I mean by this is that life has its difficulties and even downright yucky times.  We aren't immune to those nor or we to avoid them.  It's okay to be in the middle of chaos at times and/or rough situations.  I am learning to be still in these times too.  I am learning to allow the chaos to swirl and allow the Creator to let me know when it's time to take the next step.

One more thought for today.  I was encouraged this morning to read Rev. Paul Doehrmann's final sermon.  He was a second career pastor, starting around age 50 and recently retired from preaching in Ossian, IN.  His final sermon was entitled "Soli Deo Gloria-- To God Be the Glory!"  His words were encouraging as was the fact that one of the parishioners at one of the 3 churches in my appointment thought to get a copy of this sermon to me.

My goal is to listen to the One voice and to live my life in such a way that it is evident that it is to God for whom I am living.  I don't always get it right.  In fact, rarely does a day go by when I can say that I've had a perfect day.  But that's okay.  It's not about perfection in the sense of not making mistakes or dropping balls or spinning plates (figuratively).  It's about seeking to know God, love God, serve God.  My heart's desire is to love God and to love others.  In order to do that, I know that I must love myself too.

As a fairly new song (or at least new to me) says, my life isn't falling apart, it's falling into place.  The song is "Just Be Held" by Casting Crowns.

Here are the lyrics:

Hold it all together
Everybody needs you strong
But life hits you out of nowhere
And barely leaves you holding on

And when you're tired of fighting
Chained by your control
There's freedom in surrender
Lay it down and let it go

So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away
You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your world's not falling apart, it's falling into place
I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be held

If your eyes are on the storm
You'll wonder if I love you still
But if your eyes are on the cross
You'll know I always have and I always will

And not a tear is wasted
In time, you'll understand
I'm painting beauty with the ashes
Your life is in My hands

Lift your hands, lift your eyes
In the storm is where you'll find Me
And where you are, I'll hold your heart
I'll hold your heart
Come to Me, find your rest
In the arms of the God who won't let go

That's a powerful song that can meet me in a different place, depending on where I happen to be at the time.  How about you?

Being still, being held by the Creator, making that time and space to enjoy BEING in relationship with the One who created me.... that's what gives me the strength to then get out and do.

To God be the glory.

Blessings on your journey,

Debra