All Saints.

The service on All Saints Sunday was particularly moving.  My pastor, Von Unruh, admits that it is his favorite Sunday of the year because ... "On all other Sundays, we focus on God's glory as we offer to God our praise. Rightly so. But on All Saints, we do something we otherwise do only at funerals. We praise the beauty and sanctity of our brothers and sisters in Christ. On this day we say to God, 'See? We really can do this!'...

He continued with this image, "John saw a multitude so vast no one could count it. People were gathering from every nation, tribe, language, and people, filling the whole earth! He saw the holy army of God, men and women of faith whose fight had not been 'against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark work and agains the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms' (Ephesians 6:12). The army was unlike any he had ever seen. They weren't battle-hardened veterans dressed in combat fatigues. They were the blessed martyrs of the church, dressed in white robes. Their sacrificial blood mingled with incense, their lives the aroma of prayer pleasing to God. Dead to the world but alive to God, those saints encircled God's throne, the alleluias they sang God-directed and Spirit-prompted. A countless host found life-giving solace in God's love, life-altering peace in Christ's offering, joyous assurance in the Spirit's presence, strength for their journey to the table, blessed companionship in fellow pilgrims. For two thousand years, through gates of pearl, God's people have streamed unstopped, 'singing Father, Son and Holy Ghost.' Some claim the stream has dried to a trickle in our day, but they're wrong. That stream, now swollen, is a raging overflowing torrent."

What a powerful way to think of all the saints that have entered our lives.  What a motivating image for the lives of service we have ahead.  What a comforting thought of the ones we have loved and lost.

Von concluded by having us think of how full the pews really are when we gather ... "the dad you loved, still looking out for you; the friend you miss, even after all these years - all white-robed martyrs now - reaching for our hand as we encircle the Lamb on his throne." And maybe it's the same when we gather at Mountain T.O.P.  I'd like to think of all that have come before, are here now, and those yet to come, fellowshipping and communing together as we work for the Kingdom.

Volunteers who paved the way.
Volunteers who serve today.
Volunteers who will help move God's plan for this mountain to completion.

Just this past Fall, two Mountain T.O.P. saints passed away.  Dennis Mitchell, who participated in AIM for many years during the early to mid 90s and shared his voice at Friday night worship services, and Jim McCaig, a member of Pulaski FUMC.  His friend and fellow AIM participant, Shane Woodard, said Jim was a long-time lover and supporter of Mountain T.O.P. And, that he was wearing a fish hook on his jacket when he was buried. To which his wife commented, "He's still fishing."

Perhaps we can visualize these and other Mountain T.O.P. saints gathering around the throne proclaiming, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty..." but also remember that they are still here with us ... fishing for people.

Your overflow is someone else's necessity.

Kim told me about this Nooma video she watched at church on Wednesday night.  There are very powerful thoughts streaming throughout...

Here's a preview:

"...after awhile they started to wonder if they weren't the one who were actually poor."

Here's the video:
(enjoy the Spanish subtitles)

Corner by Rob Bell

Here's a way to help if you're inspired to do so:

Mountain T.O.P. Annual Giving Fund

Disappointment.

Well, the title sounds a little debbie downer-ish, but I'm not here to be a debbie. The only little debbie I like is the kind you eat.  I'm not a fan of other debbies.

Disappointment is an intriguing feeling and I've thought about it today.

I read once that "disappointment can be cured by revamped expectations."  I think this can sound harsh, but if you apply it to a situation it makes sense.  Think of what disappointment brings about.  Frustration. Stress. Tears. Pain... and in situations of great cost, intense suffering. I'm disappointed when I expect someone to do a) or b) for me.  I'm disappointed when I want someone to act/work/live a certain way. I'm disappointed when someone doesn't live up to the expectations I have for them in my mind...

And see, at least in some cases, I think we expect too much.  We expect without ever telling the other person what it is that we expect... and well, then our expectations are set too high.  All to say, maybe disappointment is cured by revamped expectations.  In some sense, I control how disappointed I am with a certain outcome.

I think about this a lot in personal relationships with people. What do I expect of my mom, my best friend, my significant other?  Is it realistic or is it just what I want?  Is it just how I think a mom,  a best friend or a significant other should act or did they really let me down? When I am let down or disappointed by one of these people, is it because I expected something different? ...

What I've come to understand through these situations is that God is the only person that will never disappoint us.  Never let us down.  Never give up.  Never respond in a way that isn't out of love.

Just think of these verses in Romans 5:3-5, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

Suffering, that which comes by being disappointed, is met with rejoicing.  Why? Because we find joy in the only thing that never disappoints: GOD.  He who has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Or, in other words gently spoken to me by a friend, "Love is patient... and He's always up to something beautiful."

Intergenerational.

I was recently asked to contribute to an article in The Reporter with thoughts on the benefits of intergenerational ministry.  It's funny how God brings forth the "selling" points I should be using when talking about Mountain T.O.P.  Just one week prior an AIM camper suggested we market AIM by emphasizing the intergenerational experience. (Yes, of course we read the evals!)

Missy Buchanan, author of "Talking with God in Old Age," is a contributing writer to The Reporter. (She's also been on Good Morning America!) We connected partly because she's my boyfriend's aunt.  See how connections make a difference!

Anyway, I'll share that link when it's time.  For now, I wanted to share about someone who motivates me.

Mrs. Alice Shaw is from Longstreet UMC in Memphis, TN.
Alice is a hard worker, a mother, a good friend.
She likes big bows in her hair.
She is 82.

The Thursday night she arrived this fall for AIM, we had a great talk on the new Fellowship Porch. We talked about her sons, Doc and Richard, and her daughter-in-law, Terrie.  We talked about how long she's worked on hospice service (12 years), which she thinks is very therapeutic.  And then after about 30 minutes, she reached into her pocket to show me the note she was holding onto.  It read, "If you're wondering if your mission on earth is over ... if you're still alive, it's not."

That one note said a lot.

Alice's note indicates a lifestyle of service. Her fearlessness models one.  She isn't held back by age or lack of mobility or feelings of inadequacy.  If you're alive, serve. Don't succumb to fear. "Fear breeds a deadening caution, a holding back, a stagnant waiting until people no longer can recall what they are waiting for or saving themselves for.  When we fear failure more than we love life; when we are dominated by thoughts of what we might have been rather than by thoughts of what we might become; when we are haunted by the disparity between our ideal self and our real self; when we are tormented by guilt, shame, remorse, and self-condemnation, we deny our faith in the God of love." - Brennan Manning, The Signature of Jesus


If you're alive, serve.

It's always a matter of faith.

I'm constantly inspired by the people who love this ministry and fight for it.  This morning I received a phone call from Jim Smith, an adult leader who started bringing Mt. Zion youth a couple of summers ago.  Since his first experience at camp, Jim has been a faithful advocate of Mountain T.O.P.  It goes to show that when you experience God in a life-changing sort of way, your lifestyle becomes one of giving because of gratitude.  For some people that giving comes our way, and for that we are extremely grateful.

Jim called to say that the UM Men of the Illinois conference collected tools for Haiti back when the earthquake hit.  With an overwhelming response by the UM church, there are 6,000 pounds of tools without a home.  THAT'S RIGHT. SIX THOUSAND POUNDS OF TOOLS.  Can you even imagine? Because of the overabundance, the conference is willing to share with organizations that need them.  And because of someone who believes in MTOP and understands our need, we will be getting more tools!  Jim is even going to check them out, put them in a trailer and bring them down. Wow.

And all of this got me thinking ... at times we aren't sure how it's all going to happen.  How will we have enough money to make it?  What happens when we don't have anymore money?  What if people aren't able to give this year? (Questions I know every non-profit asks at the end of the year.) But the truth is this: God always provides, mostly in ways we don't expect.  If you remember, we sent out an October Newsletter that highlighted different ways to give to MTOP.  One of them is to provide money for more tools. And well, instead of money, we got tools.

I think what we have to maintain amidst trial is faith.  Trust + patience = authentic faith.  Or, as someone smarter than me puts it, "Perhaps this is the essence of faith: to be convinced of the reliability of God." - Van Breeman, Called by Name.  

I think for as long as God wants people to keep working for Him through our mission, He'll keep inspiring His people to give even more than their weeks/weekends of service. It's not that we sit around saying, "It will be okay."  We take action. We give. We do. We fight. We ask.  But as long as we're trying to facilitate change, convinced of the reliability of God, we will, in fact, be okay.


Here's how you can help: Annual Giving Fund

Stay Salty . . .

In Matthew 5:13 Jesus says, "You are the SALT of the earth". Jesus doesn't mean the salt that's in your salt shaker or the salt that keeps your car on an icy road. During the time when Jesus was preaching the Sermon on the Mount salt was highly regarded. The Roman government would even pay the Roman army with salt (that's where our term SALARY came from). Romans were even able to pay the very oppressive taxes with salt. So for Jesus to call us "the SALT of the earth" in essence means "You're important. You matter. You're valuable."

You ARE the SALT of the earth - that does not say "you are the salt of the earth if you do this, or read this, or do this work, or help this person" Jesus said, "You ARE the salt of the earth". There's nothing you can do to make yourself more salty than you already are. But the rest of this verse goes on to say that salt can lose it's saltiness. What are ways that we as Christians can lose our saltiness? Doubt, technology, commercialism, consumerism, guilt, "I'm not good enough" thoughts? Jesus doesn't want us to lose our saltiness. He wants us to be able to be used by him. Did you know that the salt industry claims that salt has 14,000 uses!!! Can you imagine how many uses we can have if we are willing to have God use us??? Me neither!

No matter where we are, on the mountain or in the valley, God will use us if we're just willing!

So let's go out there and STAY SALTY!

Front page, above the fold!

We made the front page of the Grundy County Herald (10/13/11)!

An Adults In Ministry (AIM) fall weekend Ministry Production Team (MPT) from Weekend 2 was pictured at the site, the Grundy County Food Bank (GCFB). Caption under the picture reads, "Mountain T.O.P. Ministries comes through in a big way". Glen Vanden Bosch, director of the food bank, shared this quote, "They were a wonder to behold and we at the food bank are most grateful for their spirit of friendship and willingness to give of their time for the GCFB. Thank you!"

MTOP has been able to partner with the GCFB in many different ways. They are a great supporter of the ministry here, and we are thankful to Glen and the leadership at GCFB. They are one of a few food banks around the county who seek to provide basic necessities to families who are struggling. Despite his health issues, Glen spends many hours a week picking up food to distribute monthly around Grundy County.

Glen and his team provided hot lunches for the MPT as well as set up visitors to check on them. The MPT built a 70' wall to divide the new food bank building into usable space. We appreciate the opportunity to serve hundreds of families through the partnership with GCFB!