This One Belongs to the Reds!!

Pastor Rick
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'This one belongs to the Reds!' That is announcer Marty Brennaman's signature call after every winning effort by my hometown team, the Cincinnati Reds. Having grown up passionate about baseball and the local club, those words are music to my ears. Mind you, they have not been heard all that often in recent memory--it has been ten years since the last winning season for the Reds and fifteen years since they won their division to go to the post-season playoffs.

So last night when Jay Bruce homered in the bottom of the ninth for a walk-off win to clinch the National League Central Division, the joy from the ballpark along the Ohio river extended all the way to Mooreland Road in Kensington, CT!

It's an amazing thing about a baseball team and a sports fan. So much of my childhood memories are associated with the Reds and baseball--so much of my relationship with my father was built around baseball. So much identity is shaped by these memories. Then there is something about the annual six-month saga of a major league baseball season. The players become like people you know (though, of course, you don't). The sound of the broadcast over the radio becomes a companion for half the year. The daily box scores and stories in the sports section of the paper are soap operas for grown men.

So when Jay Bruce hit that home run last night, I celebrated with my son Mike--who came across the room to high-five me. Then I called Mark, who answered the phone, 'Jay Bruce!' Even Debbie recognized it as a special moment, though she is not the biggest fan of the hometown team. I'm looking forward to calling my mom and dad and celebrating with them--baseball is one of the few topics these days that my dad can stay engaged with in a conversation--dementia is taking its toll.

So--this day, this one belongs to Reds' fans everywhere!

Bono and Big-Time Charity

Pastor Rick
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So I just read a report that U-2 lead singer Bono's anti-poverty foundation ONE has made the news. This time the pub is not so good.

The New York Post is reporting that just a little over 1% of ONE's budget has actually gone to actual need. In 2008 ONE received 9.6 million British pounds in donations and dispersed 118,000 pounds to good causes. Salaries for the foundation were 5.1 million pounds.

ONE responded to the reports that they are not chartered to actually meet needs, but to raise awareness and to promote advocacy for the world's poor.

High profile, high-style, high-toned rhetoric about injustice among the worlds' haves toward the have-nots has been the way Bono rolls.

The staff of his foundation seems to be doing well with that.

I have stopped apologizing for my sketicism when the entertainers and pop-culture elites of the world take up 'noble causes' and heap guilt and disdain upon 'rich westerners.' It requires no courage for a Hollywood headliner or a rock star to champion a 'progressive cause.'

But week in and week out I live and serve with real people who regularly sacrifice real time and real dollars to make a difference in other people's lives. It may be in a housing project in New Britain or among orphaned children in Wakiso, Uganda. It may be in a grass-roots effort to fight an indifferent town council in Southington to root out a glitzy porn shop from their town. It may just be one single woman helping an older woman to navigate life and stay in her own home following a major injury.

These are my heroes.

Bono has his millions of fans. For his music--they are well deserved. But the ONE foundation is about 98.8% short of genuine.

That's all I'm gonna say about that.

Church II

Pastor Rick
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REFLECTIONS ON A GREAT SUNDAY

Wow! What a great day this past Sunday was, and I’m not talking weather. The day was beautiful outside and it was a long holiday weekend that traditionally marks the end of summer. So it can often be a ‘throwaway’ Sunday as we plan for it. You know—‘Many will be gone, it's a holiday weekend, so how can we just fill the day and kick things off for autumn next week?’

But both services this past week carried major impact. Praise be to God. And a big thank you to the six folks who shared their experiences of carrying the Kingdom of God with them when they go to their place of work, making work a true Kingdom vocation. Sally Luzietti, Bill Munns, Sarah Leith, Luli Sanchez, Jack Pike and Jody Davis—a big shout out to you guys. You all did a great job sharing your stories. And you all are amazing servants of the King in the places where he has called you to shine your light. (Files containing these testimonies are attached to this e-news letter for all of you to listen to and benefit from.)

I also want to thank everyone who took a risk and shared with Pastor Wes and myself the prophetic words and pictures that you felt God impressing upon you. I know these words and pictures touched many people with encouragement and hope--they became bridges of faith. This is actually one of the roles of the prophetic operation of the Spirit through the Body. When someone shares with us a prophetic message that speaks to our situation, we know that God is 'on the case,' that he is working even when we cannot perceive it, that he has not forgotten our situation.

Thanks to all of you who prayed for others during the service. Even in a short period of time many people experienced real and immediate relief, improvement, healing of physical issues. This is also an expression of the gospel--God is for us and his gracious power overcomes the effects of the brokenness and sickness of this broken and fallen world. I know that this was not 'church as usual,' but that's a good thing, too. Church is when God's people gather in his name and believe he will show up and then allow him to work and intersect our lives with his power and love.

Our staff has received a lot of good feedback from this past Sunday. Thanks for all of you who have shared your reflections and experiences. This is encouraging and helpful. The big question is, 'When can we do this again?' For those who want to live every moment in the moment it is more like, 'Awesome--we need to do this every Sunday!'

We do need to always be seeking for ways to open the doors of the church service to the one we have gathered to worship. Wow--what a concept!

And the needs of a large and growing body like Wellspring are many and diverse. Many of us need basic teaching--we are new to the faith. Many of us need the encouragement that comes through testimony or the operation of the 'now, rhema-word.' Many of us need the challenge that comes from deeper teaching of the themes of the Kingdom of God as they apply to our journey with Jesus or the challenge of a culture that is walking away from its biblical moorings. All of us need the experience of God's presence through intentional corporate worship and the encouragement that comes through fellowship with others.

So each week it is a challenge to plan--and to stay open to the Spirit. We want to focus highest priority on seeking the Lord's presence through worship--that is a given. But we also want to meet multiple other needs as we gather. Some of these things are just informational, like announcements; or practicalities, like receiving the offering. But we always try to minimize these things to make room for the highest and best and most important use of our precious moments together.

Blessings,
Pastor Rick
P.S. Here is an exceprt of an email I received about this past Sunday.
Dear Pastor Rick,
I’d like to share how God touched my life this weekend. This time of my life is very stressful, and the stress has been taking its toll in my neck, and I struggle against sadness and self-pity a lot.

When yo
u asked for any who had physical pain Sunday, I stood to receive prayer. I stood with the intension of asking for healing of my sinuses and hearing loss . . . But when I stood my heart said “I’m so tired Lord”.

When I turned to try to hear testimonies I noticed the nagging pain in my neck had subsided. Some tightness remains but I could and can turn my neck w/out noticing pain. After the service I went to the woman who prayed for me to share with her, what had happened. Rick, she told me she had never prayed for someone in that venue and was not even sure what she should pray for. The Lord blew us away.

My weekend continued to be even more stressful, but I am thanking God for everything (another lesson). I’ve been praying for Him to fill me with His grace. Because without it I could not continue the things I need to do.

As I was driving to work this morning. I was thinking about how I was going to answer the people at work when they asked me “How was your weekend?” I will tell them that “I had a healing this weekend” and that my grandson had emergency surgery. How awesome is that? The healing part and, well, even the surgery. Because after all the worry of this weekend, I am grateful that the Lord is so good to my family. When work and family begin to hurt my spirit, and my neck, I can now remember that God's hands are on my shoulders.
Thanks for allwing me to share this with you.
E. A.