"Lutheran Men in Mission Stimulus Package"

LUTHERAN MEN IN MISSION STIMULUS PACKAGE


To all the KING'S Men...

• K now Christ!


• I nvite others to join God's team!


• N urture your faith through prayer, worship & daily Bible reading!


• G ive your time & money to support God's work in your congregation!''


• ' ( ' = a sign of "possession" and it's about "belonging"---who we are and whose we are!)


• S peak well of your pastor and the men in your life!

KING'S men...that's who we are!Or think of it this way...

"one man at a time...no man left behind..."

And if that doesn't strike you...try the ELCA's Lutheran Men in Mission "vision" statement...

"That every man grow in his relationship with Jesus Christ

through an effective men‘s ministry in every congregation."

KING'S Men...I pray that we all sense God's Holy Spirit leading us to be just that...

In February, I was able to gather with Doug Haugen, our Director for ELCA LMM and other leaders of Lutheran Men in Mission. We met in Chicago. It was cold. But, we were indoors, safe and warm and conversation boiled with enthusiasm and hope as we celebrated the "stimulating" news of LMM's 5.01 C.3 status and a certain Independence from ELCA benevolence support. And what was so exciting is that information was shared that LMM could now receive...are you ready..."free money"...

Yes, that is right...but, nothing's free, eh? Well, ya, sure, ya betcha...not exactly...but pretty close...so keep reading as I pass on this note from Doug...

Dear Partner in Men's Ministry:

Challenge! We are living in challenging times, yet the opportunity for reaching men for Christ has never been greater. Thanks to your support and participation 2009 is our most exciting year of ministry yet. We continue our emphasis on Bible distribution and study, events that make disciples of men and assisting congregations to become a culture that welcomes young men.

Along with that, we are focusing more than ever on leadership for your congregation. Through events we are sponsoring in each region of the country over the next two years we are helping congregations like yours make disciples of men by training leaders with the most up to date information and resources.

More exciting news! Challenge!
1) Three men have stepped up and issued a challenge. Our goal is to raise $60,000 in the next six weeks. These men will contribute $30,000- and challenge the rest of us to match it by May 15.
2) LMM is now enrolled in the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans GivingPlus program. If you are a member, Thrivent will contribute $1 for every $2 you contribute up to $600. In other words, your contribution of $600 would be matched with $300. Please see the attached form for more information and return the form with your gift to the address below in order to have your gift matched. (ACTUALLY, the form cannot be linked to this blogspot...but if you shoot me a quick e-mail...like right now...and ask for the form...I can send it back to you to download, complete and return to LMM with your gift...)

Now, that is exciting news...stimulating news and a way for Lutherans to share what is ours...our faith, our hope, our love and our gifts...

Second, allow me to wish you a joyful 50 days of Easter...may the risen Christ be your north star for all that you say and do...

And remember...do share this note with others in your congregation...and see who is willing to come with you to Camp Lutherhill Friday and Saturday, May 15-16 to help "spruce up" the grounds before the campers arrive in June...there is no cost for housing...just meals but we'll need to know how many from your church are coming so that the chef will have enough to feed us...

Lastly, whatever you have been doing with the men in your church...keep it up...keep encouraging...have them go back and re-read some previous postings on this blog...

One man @ at a time; no man left behind,

Brian Gigee, Gulf Coast Synod Men's Ministry Coordinator

"Resolution"

To all the KING'S Men...

K now Christ!

I nvite others to join God's team!

N urture your faith through prayer, worship & daily Bible reading!

G ive your time & money to support God's work in your congregation!''

' ( ' = a sign of "possession" and it's about "belonging"---who we are and whose we are!)

S peak well of your pastor and the men in your life! KING'S men...that's who we are!

Or think of it this way..."one man at a time...no man left behind..."

And if that doesn't strike you...try the ELCA's Lutheran Men in Mission "vision" statement...

"That every man grow in his relationship with Jesus Christ

through an effective men‘s ministry in every congregation."

KING'S Men...I pray that we all sense God's Holy Spirit leading us to be just that...

As people enter a new year, many find themselves barking out one resolution after another. I'm not even going to make a list of all the resolutions made on 12/31 or late in the afternoon on 1/1 because most of them are already undone...we've all been there...done that!

I did a quick look in five or six of my Bible translations, though...The Message, the NIV, the New Revised Standard Version and even in the People's Bible along with New King James Version...and as I tried to locate references to the word, "resolution," I found none.

The word, "resolution" does not appear in the scriptures! (If you find a translation where it does, please let me know!)

But, I'm not alarmed nor discouraged. After all, who needs a new year's resolution to begin to live a certain way or change a certain behavior, when Christian men like us are already given license to be reformed, transformed, conformed and informed by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God who is Jesus? But, if you are in compelled to look in the mirror of your own life and heart and if you desire to make positive adjustments in your doing and being...then consider some of these things before you leap...

When Paul wrote his letter to his friends at Ephesus, he reminded them that the world was dangerous. In fact, he called "his generation"---evil. He also reminded them that standing with one another, supporting and nurturing each other was a critical component to daily life in the Body of Christ. About 2000 years later, we see the world is not that much different...

• Of the men who married between 1970 and 1974, just 46% were still in that marriage after 30 years;
• Of the 72 million children in America under the age of eighteen, 33% of will go to bed tonight without a biological father in the house;
• Children in female-headed families are five times more likely to live in poverty, repeat a grade, and have signs of emotional problems compared to families where a father is present;
• More men in our culture will know that JFK and Marilyn Monroe hooked up once or twice than those who know Lydia was a seller of purple and provided a Jesus-style hospitality as reported in the Acts of the Apostles;
• By the time a child reaches the age of 6, he or she will have spent more face to face time with the TV or computer than they will with their father for the rest of their lives.

This may not sound like an overt list of evil, but this is a tell-tale sign that much in our life and culture is broken. Today in the news, a man with a good German Lutheran name (Schrenker) from Indiana was reported to have stolen investments monies from clients, his wife was filing for divorce, the local agents confiscated his 6 computers, his files and he was found at a road side rest in Florida after flying one of his two planes south, parachuted over Alabama (the plane was on auto-pilot and crashed in Florida) and then took a motorcycle out of the storage facility he rented and drove to Florida and is now in a Gainesville hospital after slitting his wrists. Was this guy a member of one of our Lutheran churches? I don't know and even if he wasn't, there had to be one nearby and so I ask, "how did the Christian men in his corner of the kingdom fail him?" "How did he fall through the cracks?" Is this just the first of more desperate actions to come by the men we know? What do we resolve to do about this?

Perhaps now more than ever, it is time for our pastors and our lay men to bond together to see that every congregation in our synod show signs of an active and engaging men's ministry. I'm not going to list all the ways that you can or should do this. Each congregation must prayerfully discern what is the best way to move forward in the context they find themselves. This blog-site is filled with stories and ideas and this blog-writer is willing to come and visit with your men (and pastor!) to find ways in your setting to train and support the ongoing work of men's ministry.

What are we RESOLVED to do? Who are we RESOLVED to become? When will we be RESOLVED to act? Why would we be content to be RESOLVED to do something else? And as the old Jewish proverb reminds us..."If not me, who; if not now, when?"

It is true that the word, "resolution" does not appear in the scriptures...

But the resolve of God in Christ is clear...we have been...

• created in the image of God to bear fruit in the world;
• wiped clean in our baptism from the stain of original sin;
• claimed by God and made members of the Body of Christ;
• gifted with the Holy Spirit with a power that the gates of hell cannot keep out;
• sent into the world to be light, leaven bringing hope and love to all around us.

Perhaps our new ELCA vision statement makes it more clear...

"God's Work. Our hands."

One of my favorite quotes is from St. Benedict... "ora et labora." It simply means, "pray and work" and that in the end is my daily resolution...it is the rythym of life...it is the path of God that gives meaning and purpose to life and reflects the resolve of Jesus whose prayers and work led him to the cross so that sin, death and the will of the evil one would no longer bind our hearts, minds and hands...

May your resolution be a revolution for you, God and the world...

One man at a time; no man left behind,

Brian

"VISIONS & DREAMS" FOR 2009---Questions from Bishop Mike Rinehart

To all the KING'S Men...

K now Christ!
I nvite others to join God's team!
N urture your faith through prayer, worship & daily Bible reading!
G ive your time & money to support God's work in your congregation!'
' ( ' = a sign of "possession" and it's about "belonging"---who we are and whose we are!)
S peak well of your pastor and the men in your life!

KING'S men...that's who we are!

Or think of it this way..."one man at a time...no man left behind..."

And if that doesn't strike you...try the ELCA's Lutheran Men in Mission "vision" statement...

"That every man grow in his relationship with Jesus Christ
through an effective men‘s ministry in every congregation."

KING'S Men...I pray that we all sense God's Holy Spirit leading us to be just that...

Just a few months ago before Hurricane Ike wrecked havoc with our routines and whatever we used to refer to as "daily life," I sat down with Bishop Rinehart responding to his request to "share a vision" with him about men's ministry in our congregations and synod. We talked over lunch for about 90 minutes. He asked me questions and when we were done he asked, one more..."can you post this vision on our web-site and get this idea out to our pastors and our men?" It was also couched with the question, "and you will consider serving as the volunteer coordinator for men's ministry in the synod, won't you?" I said, "yes," to the first question without hesitation. The "couched" question required a more prayerful response and yet the answer is still the same..."God willing and with the help of the pastors and other men who are leaders in our congregations, I know this ministry can continue to grow and be a real gift to our men, their families, our congregations, this synod, the ELCA and the world! So, to all the KING'S men...let's dream and vision a bit about 2009... our conversation went something like this...

Question: "How strong is our synod's Lutheran men in mission?

Answer: That depends. At a synod level between 1/3 and 1/2 of our congregations have an identifiable men's ministry, a contact person and a communications link via phone, e-mail, etc. Each congregation is in its own place and journey; some farther along than others. Some not at all. However, I think the strength of Lutheran Men in Mission may be found in what we "don't know" and "don't see." It's all those men who are faithful in marriage and family, contributors to the life and breath of congregational ministry, diligent in their work and those kinds of things that are hardly credited as men's ministry. Our Lutheran Men in Mission must see themselves in a larger way than cutting grass, handing out bulletins, and gathering for breakfast and Bible study once a month.

Question: So, what is men in mission's greatest challenge?

Answer: Its a 3-legged challenge. One is to continue to the work of connecting pastors and men to this ministry and using it as a catalyst for all of congregational life. This is an ongoing "strengthening" process; two, is find ways to bring the other men (long-time members, new members, men with addressable stressors) on board and allow the work of men to be celebrated at many levels; and three, to force a conversation about "faithing" our daily life and work so that all the men in our churches don't see Men in Mission as something else to do...more work to plan and accomplish...more "to do's" on the schedule, but to see the work that is already being done by so many and for so many as a legitimate expression of men's ministry.

Question: OK, so how does this get done?

Answer: Well, we've been working on this for almost 5 years. For me, it goes back to the all-synod men's banquet we held in February 2004 when Coach Don Capers was the head coach of the Houston Texans and was the keynote speaker at that banquet. That night was a wake-up call. It was inspirational for all and our synod raised over $5000 to buy more LMM Master Builder Bibles to be distributed in our congregations. Men's ministry isn't rocket science. It's harder. At least that's what guys like Pat Morley, Doug Haugen and Rollie Martinson say. It's work that has begun, is continuing to be attended to and we won't stop until as Isaiah and St. Paul used to say, "til every knee bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord." It is work that requires a coordinated effort with pastors and leaders, with congregational groups and clusters of congregations as well as seeing to it that every man understands the opportunity to have a role in this work.

Question: That sounds like a daunting task. Is this a recipe for failure?

Answer: Well, it is and it isn't. The truth is we have no real "showcase" congregation in our synod for men's ministry. Even when people ask me about the men at New Life in Pearland, I'm quick to respond...Oh, don't use us as the litmus test. We're way better at this work than we used to be; but those who are involved will tell you we have a long way to go!" But, what is essential here to convey is what Dwight Moody liked to say..."I like the work that we're doing now better than the work we weren't doing before." And I think this is critical to our men's ministry posture. We can't fail because whatever we do is most likely better than or more than what we never did before!

Question: So, is this all written out?

Answer: Yes. It's not THE plan; but it is A plan and most likely a plan that will help upgrade the men's ministry in any of our congregations. It's posted on http://www.soggyshoes.org/ and is also part of the synod reports for 2007 presented at this past year's synod assembly. If anyone has need, I can send a hard copy in the mail or even better yet, come in person to address a men's group and talk about dynamics and the mechanics of being effective. We start where we are go from there.

Question: Good. How do we de-girlify our/the ELCA’s men’s ministry strategy?

Answer:

• Continue challenging intergenerational conversations; make connections;
• Teach pastors and men to evaluate their setting, speak to the men directly during their worship experience and MOST OF ALL expand the image of men’s ministry beyond cutting grass, & being ushers;
• Make use of Camp Lutherhill for men’s events;
• Do congregational review of current “men’s ministry” items & expand list;
• Provide ways for men to use hands, back & hearts in church and community (i.e. Hurricane recovery, mission trips, Habitat for Humanity, Church plant upgrades, landscaping, softball, bowling, BBQs, etc.)
• Review the potential "feminine" facilities and find ways to "man up" the interior of our building and/or at least find a "place/space" to feature men's ministry;
• make it a congregational tradition to give a copy of the LMM Master Builders Bible to each man who joins the congregation. (not as part of the public welcome in worship but quietly afterward, with each man targeted with this gift and an invitation to "read it" and bring it to Bible study;
  

Question: What other dreams and visions do you have for our synod's men?

Answer: O,bishop, that will require another lunch and another blog entry. But, I WILL ask the pastors and men of our synod...

So, KING'S men...what dreams and visions do you have for yourself, your small group, your congregation, the synod? Drop a note back here and let's talk some more...

One man at a time; no man left behind,

Brian

"LOVE'S LONG REACH"

NOVEMBER, 7, 2008

To All the KING'S Men...

I write this on the occasion of what would be my parents 56th wedding anniversary. On the afternoon of November 7, 1952, Howard Gigee and Doris Hall made promises to each other to love each other and stand by each other through thick or thin 'til death they would part in front of God's altar and in the presence of their families and friends as well as The Rev. Dr. William F. Schmidt at good old St. Paul's Lutheran Church at the corner of Fifth & Caroline Streets in Youngstown, OH. What a grand occasion it was. I have pictures to prove it! But, like all of life, those promises were kept as long as promises can be kept and despite almost 35 years of marriage it was only death that did their marriage in. My father died in 1987. My mother died this past February but not a year goes by that I don't sense love's long reach from both of them when this day shows up on my calendar. Happy anniversary "Bud" and Doris! And try not to cause a commotion for the saints that stand near you even now...

This is not the first time I've written about my parents; but it is the first time that I've written about them in the context of their being part of the "saints in light" we remember on a Sunday as we did this past week. Some took time to "remember" on Saturday, November 1st while others waited a day and gathered with others in the holy places of God to honor those who have lived in faith, died in faith and made sure that this gift of faith was passed on to a next generation. And while I brag a bit about the faith of my parents, I suspect there are like persons in your faith life that you can point to as well as those who made certain that the Word of God and sacraments were placed before you...

My mother's faith had the German Lutheran imprint on it. She got it from her mom even though my grandmother's life was snuffed out by a drunk driver when my mother was 8 years old. Turns out things have changed since then as that drunk driver had four road kills before the law did anything about it. Her Uncle and Aunts took over when her mother's voice could no longer be heard each day. Faith in God was deeply rooted in the Schultz home; so it wasn't a difficult choice for Uncle Fritz and the others to step up and step in...

My father's faith was a cross between Methodism and a Scottish Presbyterian ethic. My paternal grandmother was a kind and quiet woman but showed a certain sense of boldness when she divorced by grandfather when my father was 14 (circa 1944 and no doubt a war ravaged culture played a role in her anxiety and sense of fear for the future!). Seems my dad's father loved "strong drink" more than he did his wife and children and especially more than he loved Jesus....In fact, I have many memories of my father searching the streets for his wayward father who by the time I was growing up in the 1950's and 1960's had pretty much become a street rogue and died a drunken and violent death. A child's love of parents is irrational and seemingly never-ending and I can only say that perhaps my father's love and concern for his father was a reflection of the growing faith in him that implicated God himself as the one who never stops loving, scouring the horizon and reaching out for us...

I need to tell you that I miss my parents. Obviously, my father much longer now than my mother. I miss calling them up on the phone and telling them about my day and about their grandchildren. I miss hearing stories from them and sitting in a restaurant and having a cup of coffee (my mom's favorite drink) or a plate of deep sea scallops and a piece of pie (how my NY farm-raised father ever discovered scallops remains a mystery but his mother could cook a tantalizing pie!) I miss sitting in the back yard of the only house they ever owned in the cool of the summer watching the 4th of July fireworks or waiting for them to arrive for a visit to Texas...I miss my father's determined hugs and my mother's lectures despite my adult opinions that often described "another way." I miss them both, but I sense that their love continues to reach out to me and through me because part of what was them is part of who I am now. It's a gift of God that reflects the mystery of God and a gift that must be acknowledged joyfully from time to time...

My parents weren't famous. They weren't notorious. I never saw their faces on the magazines at the check-out counter at Kroger's or H.E.B. They didn't seek to be famous or live with such abandon to risk notoriety; but they were known in their neighborhood. They were appreciated in their community. They gave themselves to God and Christ's Church without any sense of getting anything back as they both realized how Jesus had provided so well for them already...

So, as we move to a time where people are getting a bit more thankful about life, I'm grateful for the faith of my parents, for their modelling of a life that was filled with struggle and accompanied by heart-ache and yet overflowing with joy and satisfaction. They were not the poster children for being simul justus et peccator, but they certainly qualified. They didn't ask for much and gave away so much more...they are the saints of God that I want to aspire to and the kind of saintly lives I pray my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and their children and grandchildren will aspire to as well...

In Paul's Letter to Titus, we recall what he wrote about Jesus...

"He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. 6 Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. 7 God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come - an eternity of life! 8 You can count on this." Titus 3: 5b-8

This new life that Jesus gives is the love that reaches out to us all from way way back and has the power to reach out to those who come after us...as the new song goes...

"Rejoice in God's saints...today and all days...a world without saints forgets how to praise..."

But, that's not all...

"Their faith in acquiring the habit of prayer; their depth of adoring, Lord help us to share!"

And so we do; and so we are...and may LOVE's long reach grab ahold of your heart and mind this day and each day to come...

Brian

Seeking a Jesus Kind of Leadership

To all the KING'S Men,

In a post-Ike-kind-of-life, I'm praying that our men would seek a Jesus-kind-of-leadership life!

The scriptures present Jesus way of life this way...


7 LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES THAT JESUS MODELED

1. IDENTIFICATION: KNOW WHO I AM
+ Jesus said: I am ...the Light of the world... the Son of God...the Way, the Truth and the Life...the Bread of life.. (Jn. 8:12, Mk. 14:62, Jn. 14:6, Jn. 6:35)
+ Jesus said, I testify on My own behalf... John. 8:18 (RSV)

+ Therefore, we are God's children, God's men, the King's men...we know who we are!

2. CLARIFICATION: KNOW WHAT I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH
+ Jesus said: "....I know where I came from and where I am going..."Jn. 8:14 and
"I must proclaim the good news... for I was sent for this purpose..." Luke 4:43 (RSV)

+ Therefore, we continue to seek out men to integrate a faith that works for us each day!

3. MOTIVATION: KNOW WHO I AM TRYING TO PLEASE
+ Jesus said: "I only try to please the One who sent Me..." John 5:30 (NCV)
"No one can serve two masters..." Luke 16:13
"I have brought you glory here by completing the work you gave me..."

John 17:4 (NIV)

+ Who are we trying to please? God? Self? Spouse? Boss? Neighbors? Pastor?

4. COLLABORATION: WORK WITH A SMALL GROUP

+ He appointed twelve . designating them apostles . that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach.. Mark 3:14 (NIV)

+ Then He said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay
here and keep watch with Me... Matt. 26:38 (NIV)

+ Who is in your small group? Do you have one? Can you help start one? Start another?

5. CONCENTRATION: FOCUS ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT
+ As the time drew near for His return to heaven, He moved steadily onward toward Jerusalem with an iron will.. Luke. 9:51 (LB)
+Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God... Luke 9:62 (LB)
+ Martha was distracted... So Jesus said, .You are worried and bothered about so many
things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one..... Luke 10:40-42 (NAS)

+ Someone once said, "you can find out what is important to a man by going through his bank statement." What's in your wallet?

6. MEDITATION: LISTEN TO GOD CONTINUALLY
+ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.. Mark 1:35 (NIV)
+ News about Jesus spread even more. Crowds came to hear Him and to be healed...but
Jesus often slipped away to be alone so He could pray.. Luke 5:15-16 (NCV)
+ Plant your roots in Christ and let Him be the foundation for your life. Be strong in your
faith, just as you were taught.. Colossians 2:7 (CEV)

+ As a man of God, do you prepare for worship like you prepare for your work? Like going on a date? Like planning your vacation? How do you prepare to spend time with God?

7. RELAXATION: TAKE TIME TO RECHARGE
+ Crowds of people were coming and going so that they did not even have time to eat. He
said to them, .Come away by yourselves, and we.ll go to a lonely place to get some rest... Mark 6:31 (NCV)
+ Jesus came enjoying life.... Matt. 11:19 (Ph)

+ Secrets of Lasting Leaders include:

• DIVERT DAILY
• WITHDRAW WEEKLY
• ABANDON ANNUALLY

If there is no such thing as a "normal life" then the life we lead as we attempt to live a Jesus modelled life will be a blessing not only to ourselves but to others as well...

Thank you, men, for being the face of Jesus to others...

Brian

"DIDN'T GEORGE CARLIN DIE?"

Labor Day weekend brings back all kinds of memories for people over 45. Picnics, parades, a day off from work were all part of the routine. Still, many are off on Labor Day even though our practices have changed with telethons, NFL special games and a quick trip to the mall, etc. But, no matter what, one thing we remember is that churches are normally gearing up for their Fall ministry of teaching and preaching..."back to work" someone yelled! Summer's over!

And here's a familiar verse from the writer of the Old Testament's book Ecclesiastes, the one called, "The Preacher." Chapter 3:1-8 are words we've heard...

1 There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth: 2 A right time for birth and another for death, A right time to plant and another to reap, 3 A right time to kill and another to heal, A right time to destroy and another to construct, 4 A right time to cry and another to laugh, A right time to lament and another to cheer, 5 A right time to make love and another to abstain, A right time to embrace and another to part, 6 A right time to search and another to count your losses, A right time to hold on and another to let go, 7 A right time to rip out and another to mend, A right time to shut up and another to speak up, 8 A right time to love and another to hate, A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

Yes, it's that time again...Rally Sunday for Sunday's Cool and it leads us to the battlefront...and just in case you were paying attention...we're in a life and death battle with the forces of evil in us and all around us...are you prepared for the fight? I'm checking my spiritual ammo... Are you?

As I backed out of my drive-way this morning, my neighbor Ken was retrieving his morning Chronicle. I rolled my window down and we began to chat. He wanted to know how my son, Nathan did his first week of college. He's excited to learn that his brother Kenneth may be playing football at U of H this Fall. Ken, the neighbor, is a "deacon" at Shadycrest Baptist and loves the Lord and his neighbors and knows them all by name. He also loves the children in our neighborhood and asked me to pray for him as he was presenting to his church board tonight a desire to buy another bus for his church. I got clarification. Bus= 15 passenger van. But, it's a good deal no matter who's doing the buying...and I told him I'd have our whole church pray for him...

Ken glanced down on the passenger seat and noticed my copy of George Carlin's book, "When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?" The front cover has old George sitting in DaVinci's Last Supper with a fork and knife in his hands. I told him I like to read what others have to say about Jesus and life and stuff...so, I picked it up...and I said, "hey, Ken, listen to this," and I began to read from the Introduction...

"Since this book comes out in the Fall, I'd like to take advantage of this early opportunity to wish you all an enjoyable Christmas season and happy New Year filled with good fortune."

And then Carlin goes on in his usual acidic style...

"Of course, I realize this can't happen for everyone. Some of you are going to die next year and others will be crippled and maimed," he went on..."Still others will be stricken by diseases that can't be cured or will be horribly scarred in fires. And let's not forget the robberies and rapes---there will be lots of them...." and his concluding remark..."Therefore, many of you will not enjoy the happy and fortunate New Year I'm wishing for you. So just try to do the best you can."

We both chuckled. And then Ken got this quizzical look on his face, looked at me and looked at the book and then looked at me again and said, "Didn't George Carlin die?"

I smiled and said, "Yes, everybody gets to die..." and I pulled away and drove around the corner and God spoke in my ear and whispered..."Yes, but everyone doesn't really live..." ...a thought that took me straight to the end of the movie, "Second Hand Lions" when the now all-grown-up nephew of the McCann brothers exclaimed, "Yes, they lived, they really lived!" It's true. Everyone dies. Not everyone really lives.

Our theme for this year's Sunday's Cool is "Growing God's People!" It's about living. Living well. It's about living in the grace and love God. Living rich and deep in God's love, mercy and grace. It's about living as God's people with purpose and passion...as if our very lives and the life of the world depended on it...and it does...for nobody else will do for the world what God calls Christians to do...and that leads us to Sunday's question...you know...the one parents hear often from their children..."why do I have to go to Sunday School?" And the simple answer is...because Sunday's Cool provides us a setting to learn of God, to learn of Jesus, God's Son and to learn of God's Spirit who will guide and direct our lives so that we live well...each and every day...month after month, year after year, season after season...to live well...and as one person says, "better than I deserve..."

Psalm 90:12 reminds us... "Oh Lord, teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well! "

A short but important prayer for all God's people! We are life-long learners. Young and old. And what does this look like? How will we know? How will others know? Well, it takes us right back to our 7 faith practices...

+ Pray + Worship + Study + Invite + Encourage + Give + Serve +

So that we might live well and live deeply in the love of God not only for ourselves but especially for others... "Everyone gets to die...but, not everyone really lives..."

Brian

QUESTIONS FOR CONVERSATION:

• Who is the man in your life that helped you realize others are watching you, too?
• What does it mean for YOU to "really live?" Is it a God-thing? Something else?
• What would you say to a young man you know he was told he had one month to live?
• What time is it in your life? What season? What's next?
• What are you doing, reading, re-viewing that is feeding your life?
• Have you taken time today to pray? Did you make a list?

"WHAT CAN OMAHA DO FOR YOU?"

LMM NATION TAKES BIG STEPS INTO THE FUTURE

I write this note on the heels of a 4 day road trip from Houston to Omaha and back. There's much to report! There's much to rejoice about! There's even more to look forward to...

First, let me recognize a few good men..."boots off" to Bishop Mike Rinehart for attending this historic gathering. To my knowledge he was the only ELCA bishop present who didn't have to be there! "Boots off" because he and Pastor Charles Parnell of Salem, Welcome rode motorcycles to Omaha. Prayer for their safe journey were also shared by Pastor Kerry Nelson, Covenant, Houston who led the motorcycle run up the highway on his way to Sturgis with friends and a preaching day in Grand Forks, ND. Velon Burnett, member @ Covenant, Houston and current President of Men in Mission in our synod was there also with his other Pastor, Brad Otto as well as 2 other CLC men, Sig Cornelius and David Steele (who also brought his wife, Martha!), Calvin Bongers, Zion, Houston, Kenny Sanders, Peace, Pasadena, Scott Quillen, Hosanna, Mandeville, LA, John Gestl, New Life, Pearland as well as my son, Nathan and myself.

Along with the men from the other 2 TX/LA synods we had more men present than when we met in Charleston, SC in 2005 and it was reported at the event this was the highest attended event in LMM history...So, thank you, men from the Gulf Coast Synod for representing our synod, our congregations and ourselves so well! And most of all, thanks to all of the men in our synod who wanted to go, could not and prayed for us anyway...

Another reason this event will be remembered as historic rings 2-fold...1st, LMM reorganized itself with a new constitution and by-laws making it an independent organization that will no longer need subsidy for ministry from ELCA benevolence gifts. In fact, it is a goal that LMM will be a contributor to the ongoing work of the ELCA as it continues to reach out to every man in every congregation...remember, LMM's mission statement is:

"That every man grow in his relationship with Jesus Christ
through an effective men‘s ministry in every congregation."

The 2nd part of this great event is to point out the successful completion of the $1.5 million "Building for the Future" Endowment Campaign. Men, the goal was not just met...it was exceeded and gifts continue to come in...there are many men in our synod and around the LMM nation that helped reach this goal. I will be given a list from Doug Haugen in the next few weeks and I promise to write personal thank you notes to each of you...

I also want to thank the following congregations for their significant gifts and remind them that a LMM BFTF gift has been given to them...in no special order...and it's in these places that men see the church in a greater way than most...I appreciate their leadership and sacrifice...

• Grace, Conroe
• Zion, Houston
• Covenant, Houston
• Martin Luther, Swiss Alps
• New Life, Pearland
• St. Paul's, Columbus
• Shared Ministry of Fayette County
• Lord of Life, The Woodlands
• Advent, Houston
  

If you would like to make a gift to LMM's Building for the Future Campaign, your gift can be sent directly to the LMM office in Chicago...that link is on the blog spot links on this page..

Now, for some other great news...

QUESTION?---"what will this endowment do?"

ANSWER---What endowments are supposed to do...create an account by which ministry can be done until Jesus returns! This fund will be used in 3 significant ways...sustain the current LMM leadership; allow for new leadership to be developed as we reach out to younger men, ages 19-30 and provide seed money for projects that support this work.

Our Master Builders Bible project continues to bear fruit and Bibles are also being distributed in Spanish as well. LMM gets $15 of the $20 dollars for each Bible ordered via Augsburg/Fortress.

QUESTION?---"what else is the LMM nation up to now?"

ANSWER---What else? Men from all over the country are returning to their congregations this Sunday with a renewed passion for men's ministry. The music of Peter Mayer and Dakota Road was inspiring. The speakers, Ernie Hinojosa, Dick Hardell, Coach Tom Osborne and Pastor Larry Clark were exceptional. They made us think, made us groan seeking forgiveness, made us laugh and reminded us to be hopeful about what God has in store for each of us and his Church!

So, I ask you to bring to worship this Sunday your Master Builders Bible ...a resolution passed unanimously in the LMM Delegates meeting on Friday... and take a deeper interest in the work of the LMM nation. As Lutherans will be reading their Bibles together more and more in the coming decade, all the men of LMM are asked to bring their copy to worship each Sunday as a witness that God's Word is central in all our thoughts and actions...

QUESTION?---"what did you forget to tell us?"

ANSWER---What did I forget? I didn't forget...but I appreciate your enthusiasm and desire to know more ...4 things...one...be on the lookout for a post-synod gathering this October to continue a conversation begun in June about the ministry we share as God's people in the TX-LA Gulf Coast synod...men, make sure that your congregation has men from all 3 generations at that conversation and be watchful for more info from the synod office...

2nd, a Tri-synod gathering is being scheduled for SAT, FEB 21, 2009 in Austin, TX @ Triumphant Love LC and our goal is to have over 300 men (at least 100 from each synod) or more there as we seek to be "Living It Up For Jesus"! So, begin praying about how you can fit into that event and please put this date on your calendars...

3rd, watch for some special opportunities in our synod for training, personal faith development and life mapping as we connect and co-partner with Camp Lutherhill in LaGrange for both work projects and faith projects like "One Year to Live," training for "No Man Left Behind," and a men's get-a-way with a weekend retreat of baseball movies (Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, The Natural, etc) and reflections on men, their lives, women and work...SO, you see men's ministry isn't just Bible study and coffee once a month on Saturday morning...

4th and perhaps most important...our brothers in the congregations and neighborhoods of New Orleans and Port Arthur continue to need our help in the ongoing recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita as well as men are needed to help with work project in New Orleans July 23, 24 & 25 as part of the ELCA National Youth Gathering. You can help by reaching out to Scott Quillen via scottq@sstar.com who will be gathering names of congregations and men to assist. NOTE: When our older men ask, "why aren't the younger men involved in LMM?" one response is to make sure your HS age boys go to New Orleans and that some men from your congregation go with them...that's just one of many examples of "men's ministry" in the 21st century...

Ok, and now just a couple of other comments and questions...

• Call the young men in your church this week before they head off to college. Tell them you love them and wish them well in class and give them your cell # in case they must call!
• Check with your SS staff leader and make sure that there are men teaching (or co-teaching) for grades K-5th grade...point them out on Rally Sunday...our young boys MUST see men involved in God's work this way...
• Are there men in your church who are older, and can't get out? Call and pick them up for worship. Your voice may be one of just a few they speak to that week. Take them to lunch!
• Men...take a breath...walk with God...talk with God..God will talk back to you...listen...
  

As St. Paul once wrote..."I thank God for you always and pray for you. Your partnership is important to me...from the first day and even now..."

One man at a time; no man left behind!

Brian