FROM TIME TO TIME- 'Perspectives'

Every once in a while it's good to hold perspective.  Every once in a while we realize the compass gets dropped or we've turned the corner to a path unfamiliar and undesired or we've listened to the voice of one who does not have a our best interest at heart!  "From time to time"... the old saying goes... and it's biblical... part of the work and rest... the rhythm of being fruitful and experiencing 'sabbath/rest' ... from time to time to stop and change the oil... from time to time... to stop and smell the roses...and bring some to the one we love the most!  From time to time to review the highs and lows of life... from time to time to tend to the grace that is gift to us in order to continue on after that time of self-assessment... from time to time to consider the brevity of life and  the desire to be a partner in the community being built for us and around us and within us... from time to time... make a short list of the important matters of the mission and ministry of the men in the Gulf Coast synod... so, let me tend to some BIG rocks and let you know this...

 

 

 

1. All the men in all of our congregations are involved in this work!  How is your congregation's men's ministry keeping track of how this is going and who is tending to what? 

    2. The Vision: "that every man have a growing relationship with Jesus Christ through an effective men's ministry in every congregation."

 

    3. National ELCA LMM web-link: http://www.lutheranmeninmission.org/.  This is a great place to begin when looking for ideas and opportunities for men's ministry in your corner of the kingdom.

 

    4.  The Gulf Coast connection: http://gulfcoastmen.blogspot.com/ to find information, inspiration, a place to connect and event calendar.  YOUR ON IT RIGHT NOW!

    5.  LMM Synod FACEBOOK page:
                         https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/322608116647/

    6. Synod Leaders:

• President: Mark Dentler (Advent/Houston) markdentler@sbcglobal.net
• 1st VP: EJ Hanhart (St. Paul's/ Baton Rouge) ejhanhart@gmail.com
• 2nd VP: Velon Burnett (Messiah/Cypress) mvburnett@sbcglobal.net
• Secretary: Doug Eaton (St. Martin's/Sugarland) doug_eaton@att.net
• Treasurer: Ps. Sam Brannon (St. Paul's / Columbus) sambrannon@gmail.com
• Synod Men's Ministry Coordinator: Rev. Dr. Brian Gigee (New Life/Pearland) brian@newlifelutheran.com

Please keep this information available as these men stand ready to help...

        7.  EVENTS:

• 2013 Synod Assembly Men's "Breakfast Break-Out" Saturday May 18 @ Camp Allen. Speaker: Mr. Rich White, LMM National President
• "Disciple Project" @ TLU June 24 - 28 "MEN @ WORK" (Leadership Training for Year-Round Men's Ministry)

• you can get started here:  http://gulfcoastsynod.org/events/the-disciple-project/

• Fall Men's Leadership Gathering @ Camp Lutherhill "One Year to Live" Retreat September 19-20-21, 2013
• Tri-Synod Men's Huddle: March 21,22 & 23, 2014 @ Briarwood Retreat Center (NTNL Synod hosts)  This is the PRE-Gathering to the National LMM event (see below!)

     8.  NEXT National LMM Gathering:

• The National LMM Gathering/Assembly will be held in Nashville, TN July18-19-20, 2014. The Pre-Assembly gathering is July 17 - 18, Assembly (Business Meeting).
• The theme is : "GUYS, GUTS AND GOD'S GLORY." This promises to be an exciting gathering in a fun city to visit. If you have not already done so at your synod LMM gatherings this year, please elect or chose delegates (voting members) to represent your synod to vote on issues and elections at the assembly.
• Hopefully, the 3 synods from TX and LA will have a significant contingent attend and return to our respective synods with renewed faith and energy to keep tending to this important work.

      9. SYNOD PROJECT:

• At this year's annual gathering in February our men voted to help complete a project at Principe' de Paz in Houston.  Doug McNaughton of Holy Comforter will take the point!
• Principe' de Paz's pastor, the Rev. Adriana Johnson-Rivas has a growing outreach to families via a 'soccer' ministry to families.  They have 1 good field but room for 3 fields including upgrading Field # 1 to a tournament a field and building some bleachers and a stand for refreshments.  This will take some planning and 'hands on' plus some financial support to complete.  Ps. Pedro Suarez, our synod's Director for Evangelical Mission will also assist us in this plan.  Pray.  Stand by.  Step up.  It's on !

    10.  GENERAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT:

• Over the years, all congregations have been asked "from time to time" to share a financial gift to the ELCA's LMM national campaign but to also share a gift to support the 4 "LOVE PROJECTS" of our Gulf Coast Synod LMM  1) Camp Lutherhill; 2) TLU; 3) Synod LYO; and 4) the mission of LMM's support staff.  If your congregation has sent a gift this year...thank you... and if you have not will you please send a gift to Ps. Sam Brannon (mark "Gulf Coast LMM") at St. Paul's LC  PO Box 267  Columbus, Texas 78934.

From time to time it is good for us to stop and check our oil, check our compass and see that we are on a path that leads to life and listen to the voice of the one who calls us from darkness into his marvelous light!  It was no coincedence that Luther picked a 'rose' for his crest of faith!

 

One man @ a time; no man left behind,

 

     Brian

 

            Gulf Coast Men's Ministry Coordinator

"Troubled Hearts Need Someone to Trust"

Jesus, we are told, had compassion on the people he met.  He loved them.  He was designed for that!  The description about Jesus and those good folks was that he felt as if they were like sheep without a shepherd; and on very basic sheep and shepherd playing field, this is dangerous turf.  Life and death kind of stuff, ok?  In Jesus' mind, the remedy was simple.  "Troubled hearts" needed someone to believe in.  This reality remains our reality.

 

In the 14th chapter of John's gospel Jesus told his disciples, "do not let your hearts be troubled.   Believe in the Father and also believe in me."  You remember, it's the 'many mansions" or "many rooms" passage reminding us that God's house is a big, big house and there's room for me and room for you and room for more than we can imaging.  Jesus is just that kind of host!  But, while many focus in on the believe in Jesus and believe in God portion of this text, I'm drawn to the open phrase... "do not let your hearts be troubled."  Here, Jesus seems to think that you and I have some sort of power to do this... and we do and the answer is clear... faith...our faith... Christ's faith... leads us to discover the grace that makes the difference.

 

I saw a short video clip the other day of a young teenage boy who was brave enough to tell his parents.."I don't believe in God anymore."  The scene was the kitchen table.  The son was half-turned facing his dad.  Mom was in the back shadows and the moment he declared his new freedom to be out on his own, the mother comes racing forward with a bellowing voice and says..."what the f%$#k do you mean you don't believe in God anymore?"  The boy was stoic.  "Well I just don't" came the reply.  Then mom barks in again.  "Ok, fine, then we're going to church EVERY Sunday for the rest of your life."  Still the son stood firm.  "How did you decide this? How could you change your mind?  You just had your Confirmation day only a month ago?" his mom continued the shout!  The boy remained calm and stated, "Well, I just don't."  To which the mom declared and got right up in his face with her extended pointer finger and said, "Well if you don't believe in God, then listen buster... there will be no Christmas for you!"  Take that scenario in again...

 

I was in a large room full of people when this video was shown.  There was a mix of laughter and groans.  Rightly so.  The room was filled with pastors, interns and youth ministers.  Lots of folks were focusing on the young man.  Many had obvious reactions to the mother's words and actions.  I sat with a deep sense of sadness watching the father of this young man and husband of this woman say absolutely nothing.  Not even a laryngal sound.  His body posture never budged.  No reaction whatsoever.  He might as well not even have been present in the room.  [NOTE:  A man's silence is not often his best friend nor an encourager to those around him].  I wasn't stunned, and not surprised.  Just sad.  This was just another example on a growing pile of reasons why men's ministry is so important to our families and our churches and the world.

Troubled hearts DO need someone to trust.  So, to all the KING's Men... the news is getting out... thank you....Others are asking the right questions... this ministry with and to and for men is ongoing and in a time of transition... AND from time to time... it is critical that we gather together to meet and talk.

 

A date has been set!  Some will be coming a short distance... others want to come the night before... so the plan now is to do both...

 

 There's a flyer sent to all our churches to print and post in high traffic areas and in the men's bathrooms at your church... help your pastor and staff get this done... FEB 22-23 is the Friday night and Saturday for our time to meet... and could even serve as a 'road trip' for our young college guys... keep reading...

 The agenda for "I AM GOD's OWN" will look like this...

• A Friday night pre-gathering @ Living Word from 6:00 pm - 10:30 ish (guys from longer distances are staying at hotels of their choosing near I 10 and Mason Rd.).  There will be pizza and beer/wine and some casual conversation... and then watch a movie (past years = Gran Torino and Frisco Kid) and share in a conversation for faith take-away. LMM has a new deck of cards called "Man Talk... which is good for poker, Hold'em, War, and other games but each card helps men engage in meaningful and sometimes risky conversation...  I also give thanks in advance The Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest for helping fund this pre-event!
 
• Saturday's agenda is stream-lined... breakfast...devotions... plus instead of a keynote speaker we will view the DVD documentary, "I AM" by Tom Shadyac and then have break-out sessions for some Lutheran 'talking points' . You will be encouraged and challenged by this news... 
• We are required to have a business meeting to elect officers and promo future gatherings and get a sense of some common purpose for our men via some work projects.
• Some 'after lunch' break-out sessions will include... "Spiritual Direction 101"... "Jump -Starting Your Men's Ministry" and "Men's ministry for the Long-Haul".
• We will also point to April's One Year to Live Event in South Carolina as well as a week-long training for pastors, youth ministers and leaders of men at TLU's Disciple Project the last week of June;
• A 'tools' table will be available with books and resources...
• EACH CONGREGATION WILL RECEIVE 2 COPIES OF THE SYNOD LMM HANDBOOK (REVISED)

NOTE:  Let's agree it's a difficult thing to get younger dads to come... but this will be of value for them... WORK YOUR CORNER OF THE KINGDOM! Also, as an incentive, our synod men will waive the registration fee and cover all meals for "college" men who take a 'road trip' to Katy... we will also place cash in their hands for 'mileage' as an acknowledgement of our commitment to them! Please let your college age men know!

 Down the road...OUR SYNOD will be hosting an LMM "One Year To Live" retreat (sweat lodge for Lutheran men) SEP 20-22, 2013 and will accept 12-15 men only @ the Camp Lutherhill hosted event...  If you have other questions, call me... 281.485.1818

 

The John 14 passage is most often read at funerals... not because it is a word for the dead... rather, this is THE WORD for the living... as we lead lives with untroubled hearts the KING's MEN will live with a deep faith and all others will see that in us and will follow, too!

 

Pray hard.  Love deeply.  Let grace work for you!

 

One man @ a time; no man left behind,

       Brian

 

                Coordinator for Gulf Coast Synod Men in Mission