What It Really Looks Like!

Today I had the privilege of being reminded what a true church looks like!

It was at the Mooresville Skate Park in downtown Mooresville and it was a dream of a young man who has been a part of Williamson's West since it's "birth" on Sept. 12, Aram Lumley, and his sidekicks Lance and Joycelyn Armstrong.

The event was "Mission Skate" and young men and women came and brought either food or money for Mooresville Christian Mission's Poverty Awareness and in return entered into a skate competition.

Valerie Chamberlain, the Executive Director of Mooresville Christian Mission, came to share a brief few words about MCM and some folks from Williamson's West were there to show support to Aram, Lance, and the skaters, and a few kind EMS workers hung out "just in case!"

Valerie and I stood and talked about how cool it was to see how awareness and food could be raised for the mission by skateboarding with a lot of young people. I was just happy that there were lots of skaters there, probably between 25 - 30, and all seemed to be having a good time.

Then Valerie said something that still rings in my ears.

"You know, it is really great that West is supporting this. This will make a difference with a different group of people entirely. There's a lot of churches that would want NOTHING to do with anything like this. It would be perceived as wrong."

I looked around at all the people inside that skate park. There was a significant ratio of ink:skin, some interesting and cool belts semi-holding up jeans, and a lot of smiles and looks of contentment as a group of people sharing a commonality had fun.

Were there things that could have been perceived as "wrong" . . . I guess . . . but my comment to Valerie was, "this is what I think it looks like when the church is really being the church." There were people there that had an awareness of a moral code and responsibility to care for one another, to love one another, and to make sure that those in need were being taken care of.

Then I said, "I bet if this were thousands of years ago . . ." and at the same time we said, "Jesus would have been on a skateboard."

And I believe he would have been. He would not have been hanging out with the religious people, he would have found "The people" and then found a way to connect with them in a way that was non-threatening and relevant to their culture and society.

It was so cool to watch a young man emerge as a leader in a new faith community. It reminded me why I love ministry so much . . . because it matters, it ALL matters.

It was an honor to hang out today for an hour and watch guys skate in a quest to get food for those in need. I'm excited to see how this and other components of West will grow and make a difference here in our community. Changing lives and changing the world . . . that's what it is all about!

MISSION SKATE!!!!

Lessons Learned

Beginning in middle school I had the great honor of having a best friend . . . you know, one of those friends that you have all your classes with, you can tell everything to, you stay on the phone for hours, they cover for you when needed . . . that kind of best friend.

We were inseparable, except for one thing. Church.

I was quite the little devout church goer. Every Sunday at least 7 hours then again on Wednesday nights for 3 hours or so . . . and usually at least one night per weekend was a youth function. I was quite impressed with myself in my relationship with God.

One day, while in high school, my friend and I were discussing some pretty heavy life issues. One of our classmates had died unexpectedly that summer and for teenagers, that was a tough reality to face. Things were tough at best . . . and we were struggling with faith.

I would say that was the summer that I finally "got" faith.

You see, all my life I had believed that faith came with black and white answers. And these answers were found in one interpretation of the scriptures (and also in these little 4x6 booklets we used to pass out door to door - may I mention that folks LOVED that!) These answers were never to be challenged or doubted, only taken as absolutes and then shared with all people. But this time - faith needed to be real and it needed to be understood.

As my friend and I were talking (She was QUITE brilliant by the way) she pointed out to me that I did a lot of TALKING about my faith but she never saw me DO anything with it. Could I please "DO" something with it and provide some answers. Could I help explain how God, faith, and peace were real in the face of such a tragedy.

In my spiritual arrogance I argued back that I did have the answers. I did the best with the rehearsed and "pad" answers I had learned throughout my years of "training school" on Sunday nights. Those answers fell hollow in the midst of a situation that was very real. I'll never forget that helpless feeling that afternoon.

You know, I certainly didn't have the answers that day, although I tried really hard to scour my pamphlets to find one! The answer I did walk away with, after much prayer, counsel with my youth pastor, and my friend, was that faith - it's a journey. It isn't a "black and white" issue . . . and little tracks and number of hours logged in a church don't "win" prominence on some kind of religion totem pole.

What it does win is an opportunity to seek and question, knowing that one is not alone and something much bigger and stronger is out there pulling and tugging at us, if we will just be still enough to listen and follow.

On that day 20 years ago I NEVER would have imagined that I would be the pastor of a church that was starting it's very own journey. (First of all - I thought it was sheer BLASPHEMY that a woman would EVER be a pastor/preacher) but . . .

This morning we celebrated being a people on a journey of faith and I have the true joy of serving as a pastor. We are going to be a people that are seeking, looking, listening, and serving as we go day by day on this trip of life together. It's going to be cool to see what ends up happening with the West Campus of WCUMC. There certainly was a great energy and joy in the room as we "owned" that we don't have to know it all but can try to figure it out together. I'm SO GRATEFUL I had a best friend willing to push me on the points that mattered and make me look deeper to claim my faith and make it mine. I believe that was the start of a journey that put me here today!

I believe God is smiling upon a new faith community that is taking "root" in the Lake Norman/Hwy 150 area and it is a true honor to be a part of the journey!

Thanks for the prayers for Williamson's West and Brawley Campus. Looking forward to next Sunday!


NOW - the rest of the lessons learned:
1. Those mics that go around your ear - if you wear earrings that are dangly, there is almost ALWAYS some kind of interference.

2. When you go to CVS Drugstore to get some writing utensils prior to the service and you are a LITTLE nervous b/c you have never launched a church before, REMEMBER to take your car keys BACK to the car so the CVS cashier doesn't have to come RUNNING out to see if the green rubber keyring that said "P4W" (Pray 4 West) is yours!

3. If you get nervous at BIG things and your mouth tends to go dry, when you are having your "first" worship service in your new faith community KNOW that you MIGHT want to have some water!!!

4. DO NOT say to people after worship, "I had to get rid of that Bible!"
There was no table, stand, pulpit - ANYTHING up on that stage to lay my Bible and I talk w/ my hands - so I needed to put it down and I couldn't find anything. BUT I need to keep my mouth shut in regard to HOW I communicate that!

5. Do not try to run with a 6 ft table while you are wearing 2 inch heels and then hide behind it in broad daylight. 6 feet tables are not easily hidden!

6. AND THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON . . . THINK before SPEAKING !!!!! Else NERVES will make you say INTERESTING things to people!

"GLEST" - A combination of Glee and West

I'm behind . . . I've never watched Glee until a few months ago when we went on vacation and because of all the chatter about it, I downloaded all the episodes to my iPad. I didn't know I was missing 1/2 of shows! So tonight I was thrilled to see that it was coming on tv.

If you've never watched it, try to catch an episode . . . they have many "teaching points" in each one!

Tonight's show, however, was probably one of the most powerful I've seen! The "Cheerios" (cheerleaders) were being made to do some kind of strenuous ritual to make sure they were thin enough, pretty enough, etc. to be viewed by a famous reporter that was going to give their coach a prestigious award.

It came time for their performance but much to their coach's dismay it was not the cheerdance she was expecting. The song started with the "atypical" cheerio singing Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful" and before you knew it ALL the "atypical" beautiful people were out on the floor singing and dancing!

It immediately made me think of West! Our commitment to being a place where "atypical" people can come and feel welcome, loved, accepted regardless of personal characteristics that distinguish anyone as "different" in a bad way. We've committed to loving people whether they are long-time Christians or people who are not even sure there is a God. We want all people to feel a part. Far too often religion has judged people based on social status - how they look when they "come to church," their way of worshipping, life choices, physical characteristics like hair color (died perhaps purple or green), body piercings (if I HAD a cool belly button I'd have it pierced too but I don't so I won't!), tattoos - I like those too but have an aversion to pain, and all TOO often these judgments end up standing in the way of people finding their place on path to faith. We are called to love all people. Breaking out of the huddle means loving all people!

On Glee tonight the point was to empower people where they are in their own lives! People should "be the people they are" without feeling like they have to change to be beautiful! What a powerful message . . . thus I've named this blog "Glest" for "Glee/West" . . . now, if we only had their money.

I thought the words of Aguilera's song were appropriate . . .

Everyday is so wonderful, then suddenly, it’s hard to breathe
Now and then I get insecure, from all the pain
I'm so ashamed

To all your friends you're delirious
So consumed in all your doom.... (oohh mmm)
Trying hard to fill that emptiness,
The pieces gone,left the puzzle undone,
Aint that the way it is?

I am beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes words can't bring me down
So don't you bring me down today


Let's be a faith community that seeks not to break down but to build up!
Let's show all people they are beautiful in our eyes, but even moreso in the eyes of God!

"Changing Faiths"

I think it is interesting, especially in light of the sermon yesterday on why folks don't want to be a part of the church . . . b/c Christians are seen as judgmental, hypocritical, and insensitive to the needs of others . . . that this is the article I read this morning in my study time.

This article was spawned by the fact that Ann Rice, famous author, publically renounced her Christian faith. In Saturday's Charlotte Observer it read, "Ann Rice: 'I felt I had to step aside from Christianity'" and then in the article she expounded on why.

'In the name of Christ I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life.'

How sad that Christianity is seen as "anti" everything. Again, it is no wonder people do not want to be a part of a church.

It is the goal of the West Campus to refute that belief. We are not "anti" we are about love and grace, forgiveness and journeys! We are all in need of those things and we are each on a journey that will have great experiences and then times where we find ourselves searching for meaning and belonging.

Take a look at this excert from the Barna Group . . . it is definitely food for thought!

Why People Change Faiths
The survey also explored the top-of-mind reasons why people change faiths. The most common reasons for moving away from Christianity included life experiences, such as gaining new knowledge or education; feeling disillusioned with church and religion; feeling the church is hypocritical; having negative experiences in churches; being in disagreement with Christianity about specific issues such as homosexuality, abortion or birth control; feeling the church is too authoritarian; wanting to express their faith outside of church; and searching for a new faith or wanting to experience other religions.

Among those who were shifting toward Christianity, the most common motivations were going through difficult life events (such as divorce, a health crisis or death of a loved one); getting older and seeing life differently; wanting to connect with a church and grow spiritually; discovering Christ; or wanting to know what was in the Bible.

Age and Change
Most of the people who have made these changes did so as a teenager or young adult. The study discovered that the median age at the time they changed faiths or significantly altered their faith perspective was 22.

One-third of those who experienced a significant faith shift did so during their twenties and another one-third did so before age 20. In total, two-thirds of people who had a major faith change experienced that outcome before the age of 30 (68%). In fact, among respondents over 40, only 5% of them reported making a major shift in their religious affiliation after the age of 40.