New Life Men in Pearland Cross the Border to Build

There's an awareness that is growing in congregations around the country..."church isn't something that we go to...church is what we are..." It's about vision and movement and an intentional tending to the delicate needs of the world outside the door of our churches. And when that discovery becomes personal, congregations and in particular the men in those congregations find themselves involved in amazing things...

In January 2007, Pastor Ricardo Sinisterra led two car loads of men from New Life LC in Pearland to a "sister" congregation, Christo Rey in Reynosa, Mexico. The community's existence has taken shape as people continue to live on the "edge of town," near the dump with a population that continues to grow week by week. This community lives in extreme poverty and the roads are made of mud and only a couple of vehicles ever find there way there. People walk a variety of paths to come together on Sunday for worship and Bible study and a community meal, often the only meal some get on that day.

There are many children there and this new ministry finds itself with unique opportunities and unique challenges. Two challenges in particular were to bring joy to the lives of the children at Christmastime and to expand the worship space that has existed now for a number of months there. The men's group at New Life were ready to respond.

As the weeks of Advent unfolded, the New Life men asked families from the congregation to bring clothing and toys for the children at Christo Rey. The response was amazing! As a result, an entire SUV was converted, with seats taken out, to a U-haul cargo wagon top to bottom, door to door and were delivered on Epiphany Day, January 6, the day we recall the "3 kings" came to visit the Christ child. What delight the parents and children experienced with this huge surprise.

The next day, the men poured concrete and placed beams and added 40 feet to the existing worship space at Christo Rey. The men stayed for worship, they sang, they prayed and they gathered to celebrate the Lord's Supper and rejoice in the "family of God" which God had put together that day. One man mentioned, "it was a Christmas miracle! It changed their live and mine!"

Another trip is being planned to Reynosa on the first weekend of December. And more trips are planned after that. There's an awareness that is growing in congregations around the country..."church isn't something that we go to...church is what we are..." It's about vision and movement and an intentional tending to the delicate needs of the world outside the door of our churches. And when that discovery becomes personal, congregations and in particular the men in those congregations find themselves involved in amazing things...

How does your men's ministry reach out? A trip to Mexico or Port Arthur or New Orleans is not the goal. Mission trips that are a "one-time" event or projects that are ongoing both qualify...

• Is there a woman in your congregation (or a friend of the congregation) who needs her porch steps rebuilt?
• Can the men of the church provide a "quick stop" auto check (tires, oil, belts, etc) for those who are widowed or single parent moms, just before the weather turns cold?
• Does your congregation have a group of men trained to visit other men when they are hospitalized or at home, on the mend and unable to drive? Who can help?
• Which man has a "sermon" in his wallet and is ready to preach just in case the pastor gets sick at 7:30 AM on Sunday morning?
• Which men attend the City Council meetings and School Board meetings in your community and report to the congregation their work and decisions?
• Are the men in your congregation equipped to pray and then serve others willingly?

Intentional, perisistent and consistent efforts by the men in our congregations makes men's minstry both worthwhile and desirous for others to take part! Think BIG. God thinks BiGGER!

St. Paul's, Baytown Men Assist Rita Recovery

Here's a link to the St. Paul's, Baytown, TX Men in Mission story on their web-site...if you have a similar story to tell or another story to share from your men's group...please send it to me and I'll add it to our list...

So, thanks to Rip and all the guys at St. Paul's, Baytown...your efforts make our vision statement make sense...

Lutheran Men in Mission..."that every man grow in his relationship with Jesus Christ through and effective men's ministry in every congregation..."

Here's a story you'll want to share...

http://www.stpaulsbaytown.org/new_L_M_M.html

Brian

Men's Ministry---Needed Now More than Ever

If you are reading this blog for the first time, then let me tell you that this is the first time I've shared my thoughts on this blog but not the first time I've shared my thoughts on this matter. And the matter is the necessity of each congregation in our synod accepting a posture of claiming the urgency of the development, re-development and strengthening of the quality and shape of the ministry to and with men. Someone simply said, "if the church is like a car, then it won't go far on three wheels (worship, education & outreach). The fourth wheel is men's ministry!"

I have been serving as the Coordinator for Men's Ministry in our synod for just about a year. I guess that's what I get when the men from my congregation placed a resolution on the synod assembly floor in 2006 requesting a position such as this be created and then was subsequently asked by our out-going (you can take that 2 ways!) Bishop, Paul Blom to serve the synod this way. I said, "yes, I will," and I must tell you that I have been blessed beyond all belief by the great work that is being done by so many men in our synod and encouraged by even greater things to come! In fact, our new bishop Mike Rinehart has already become one of our synod's best advocates for men's minsitry.

I have visited in many congregations; it'snot enough, but it's a start. I have spoken to hundreds of men; but I'm just experiencing the tip of the iceberg, I'm sure; and in so doing I have learned much...such as...

• many of our congregations do not have an identifiable men's ministry;
• most of our congregations can point to two to three men or a group of men who qualify "loosely" as the men's group there;
• some congregations have a remnant of men's ministry, mostly made up of WW 2 veterans. Their work and devotion to Christ's Church must be celebrated & affirmed;
• some congregations are doing unique things with men that old established former ALC congregations would be understood as "different" or "strange;"
• some congregations have a men's ministry but do not have any connection to Lutheran Men in Mission, existing as "isolated" men's group, not relating to other congregations;
• some congregations are hopeful to build and establish a kind of men's ministry that many are talking about.

But, the bottom line is that men's ministry is most often misunderstood or described in a way that minimizes the amazing work and call that Godly men respond to day after day. The confusion is summed up in the old saying... "we put on our God face on Sunday and the rest of the week we do as we want." And even as how untrue this really is, it's a posture that leads to minimizing the impact Lutheran men actually have. But, there is hope as one man after the next discovers that faith and daily work are intertwined, that faith and family are indivisible, that faith and self-direction are essential and the quality of life in a man increases when these elements are tended to daily and in an intentioanl way. We all desire a stable world; we all want a strong nation; we all wish for peaceful communities; and we all want our homes and congregations to be filled with love and generosity and harvest for God's kingdom. I beleive this can all be true...at all levels and it will take one many at a time to make the difference and our goal is to leave no man behind...

It is my hope that this blog will open doors to men around our synod. Men of all ages and especially the young men in our church ages 19-30. As I said, it's my hope and prayer that we do not leave one man behind and I hope you will prayerfully join me in that same posture. It is already happening...God is doing a great thing ...again...as a ground-swell of ministry to and and with men and those most important to them, empowered by the Holy Spirit continues to surface and grow stronger each day. So, let us trust God's faithfulness, as we open our hearts and minds to the teaching of his Son, Jesus. We have nothing else to do but commit our lives to the work we have been given in this time and place as we await the fullness of the coming Kingdom of God.

So, your thoughts, quips, comments and questions are welcome here....just "blog on," and join in the conversation or write me directly--- brian@newlifelutheran.com.

Brian Gigee, Lead Pastor

New Life, Pearland, TX