(Thanks to my men's LifeGroup for the ideas that follow.)   "In The Garden" is one of the best-loved American hymns of the 20th Century. Back in my Mt. Carmel days, I well remember saying, "Turn to #314 in your hymnal and let's stand and sing 'In The Garden.'" Yet the hymn's refrain makes some deceptively shocking claims: And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known. Shocking claim #1:  it's me and Jesus in our own privileged world and private relationship. Shocking claim #2:  no one else has ever known such intimacy with Jesus. Ponder that.  No one else in all time or in all creation has been as close to Jesus as I am right now. Of course the irony in that is this:  if you're really that close to Jesus, you don't go around boasting about it. So In The Garden's sweetness belies the false picture of the Christian faith at its core. I don't imagine we'll be singing it at Good Shepherd any time soon.  But there's always Elvis' version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NH_is7VuCI

Guest blogger Tina Williamson put this together:  

  “Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, transgender, gender neutral, marriage, divorce, polygamy, SCOTUS, equal rights, discrimination…”  There’s a lot of noise out there surrounding the subject of sex. But what if all of these topics were only one part of a much more important conversation. What if to deal effectively with these issues, we have to start somewhere else? Let’s Talk About Sex. Come participate in a 4-week class at the Corner Campus of Good Shepherd Church where speaker and teacher, James-Michael Smith, will teach us not what to think, but rather how to think Biblically about this important topic in our culture today. Dates: Tuesday evenings, October 27th - November 17th, from 6:30-8:30 pm at the Corner Campus (across Moss Rd. from the worship center). Cost: $15/person Childcare available (for babies-5th grade) with registration. Children must be registered. Recommended age 15 and up. (Parents can decide if appropriate for ages under 15 and must attend with their child). To register, click HERE.  

One of our Good Shepherd staffers found this doodling on his young daughter's bedroom desk:   And then a fellow UMC clergy sent me a note that concluded with this sentence:  Thanks for being a . . .  disciple who invites all people into a living relationship with Jesus Christ. From the pen of a 12 year old girl to the keyboard of a young pastor who has never even been to our church on a Sunday morning.  Evidently, our inviting all people mission statement resonates with both our church and the larger fellowship of United Methodists. We say it, write it, think it, and pray it all the time.  When we first adopted it in 2011, one of our ministry friends told us, "Just about the time you get sick of saying it is when the people of your church will first start hearing it."  Well, I'm not sick of saying it yet -- probably because I believe in it at the core of my being.  I've told many of you before that while I am a very disciplined person, before inviting all people I was not a disciplined leader. Problem solved as statement saturates.

On Sunday, we issued a challenge to the people of Good Shepherd in the wake of last week's historic flooding in South Carolina: Let's set the World Methodist Flood Bucket Record. We don't know what that record is, mind you, but knowing how the people of this church respond to radical challenges, we thought we'd give them this one. We are hoping to receive 500 buckets this Sunday.  In fact, we've already rented a 26 foot U Haul to accommodate them. So what is a flood bucket? 1.  It really is Methodist.  Our United Methodist Commission On Relief (UMCOR) spearheads the flood bucket ministry all around the Methodist world.  Which means all around the world. 2. It gives flood victims a hand up.  By providing essential cleaning and recovery items, it empowers those struggling with flood recovery to have a stake in the clean up efforts. 3. It allows everyone at the church to be involved.  Many in the church will not be able to take a short term relief trip, even to a place as close as Columbia.  However, all people who call Good Shepherd home can be part of this Radical Impact Project. 4. It connects with the generosity that God has hard-wired into our DNA.  The $45 or so people spend on a bucket is not a substitute for what they give to church; it is instead a sacrifice over and above regular giving. 5.  It is intensely practical.  Listed below are the items to place in your flood bucket.  Go to a local department / home improvement store, load up, and radically impact our South Carolina neighbors this coming Sunday.     5-gallon bucket with resealable lid

• Buckets from fast-food restaurants or bakeries can be used if washed and cleaned;
• Do not use buckets that have stored chemicals such as paint or pool cleaner;
• Advertisements on the outside are acceptable.

• Liquid laundry detergent
  • One 50-oz. or two 25-oz. bottle(s) only.

• Liquid household cleaner
  • 12‐16 oz. liquid cleaner that can be mixed with water;
  • No spray cleaners.

• Dish soap
  • 16‐28 oz. bottle any brand.

• 1 can air freshener
  • Aerosol or pump.

• 1 insect repellant spray
  • 6‐14 oz. aerosol or spray pump with protective cover.

• 1 scrub brush
  • Plastic or wooden handle.

• 18 cleaning wipes
  • Handi Wipes or reusable wipes;
  • No terry cleaning towels;
  • Remove from packaging.

• 7 sponges
  • No cellulose sponges due to mold issues;
  • Remove from wrapper.

• 5 scouring pads
  • Remove from wrapper;
  • No stainless steel, Brillo pads, or SOS pads (nothing with soap built in).

• 50 clothespins

• Clothesline
  • One 100-ft. or two 50-ft. lines;
  • Cotton or plastic.

• 24-roll heavy-duty trash bags
  • 33‐ to 45-gallon sizes;
  • Remove from the box.

• 5 dust masks

• 2 pairs kitchen dishwashing gloves
  • Should be durable enough for multiple uses;
  • Remove from packaging.

• 1 pair work gloves
  • Cotton with leather palm or all leather.

 

Assembly Directions

Place all liquid items in the bucket first. Place remaining items in the bucket, fitting them around and between the liquid items. Sponges, scouring pads, clothespins, and trash bags can be separated in order to fit all of the items in the bucket. Ensure the lid is closed securely.

Important Notes

• All items must be new except for the actual bucket and lid.
• All cleaning agents must be liquid and in plastic containers. No powders, please.
• If you cannot find the requested size of a liquid item, use a smaller size. Including larger sizes of any item will prevent the lid from sealing.
• If all of the items on the list are not included, please put a label on the bucket indicating what has been omitted.
• Cleaning buckets are only used within the United States. They are not opened to verify the contents unless there is indication that some items have been omitted.