MINISTRY

Fine Arts

/ joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

Yesterday, a group of 12 people from our church traveled to Hartford, Connecticut for our Southern New England Ministry Network Fine Arts Festival.

It was held at the Connecticut Convention Center.

We left at 6 AM to be there for 8 AM.

Our first student participated at 10:15.

James is a great drummer.

We had about 3 1/2 hours to kill between performances, so we spent that time going to different rooms to listen in on some of the other 400 participants in the festival. I got to hear a few piano players in the junior category and two preachers in the junior category.

I also got to take a tour around the Art and literature gallery. I read quite a few pieces of poetry and was struck by a piece of blank verse,written by an eighth grader, entitled “THEY TOLD ME I COULD FLY”.

Our two young ladies ended up performing at the same time so half of our group went to the female vocal solo room with Natalie, and the other half went to the original songwriting room with Sadie.

In the end, all three performers received superior with invitation to the national fine arts festival to be held in Orlando.

Florida here we come!

CONNECTION

/ joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

This week has been about two things: prayer and connection.

I guess it could be argued that this week was really about one thing, because prayer is really about connection with God…SO…. this week has been about one thing….CONNECTION.

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I guess if I had to boil my job description down to one word, CONNECTION, could be one of the words that I would choose to describe the job of pastor or minister. There are other words of course: FAITH, LOVE, COMPASSION…but CONNECTION is a good strong doing word for this job. As a Pastor I connect. I Connect myself with God. I connect other people with God. I connect God with people. I connect people with other people….CONNECT….CONNECT…..CONNECT.

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In this world of ever dividing priorities I sometimes feel like this work of connection is a dying art, maybe even a losing battle. As our society polarizes more and more with each passing day, I am becoming more clear that the work of pastors is to help our communities see that the need for connection, with God and each other, has not changed or lessened. The things that divide us must be moved out of the way.

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With some of the issues that lie before us as communities, I don’t have any idea how to begin to move the division out of the way and bring connection back, but my not knowing how to do the work does not change the fact, that is the job. I suppose, if I could do it by myself I wouldn’t need faith or God.

As I sit in meetings with town officials trying to figure out how to alleviate poverty and pain and prejudice, as I sit in visitations with people struggling to work through relational disintegration or chronic pain and illness, I am very aware that the answers aren’t mine to bring. The answers for many of these things lie with God alone and come only through His redemptive power. We are not alone in our trouble, there is a God who loves us and who wants to be invited to the bargaining table of our lives to add His wisdom to the conversations we are having.

That said He needs the invitation.

 He says in Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

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As I do my job I am listening constantly for God’s knock and I am watching continually to see who is answering the door.