I have been traveling a lot in my ministry this summer...annual conference/summer camp/mission trip. God stuff, no doubt. But I'm glad to be able to put my hand to the Cornerstone plow for a season. We are at a very odd spot in our history. We are 8 years old, and in many ways we act like an 8 year old! We are trying to grow up, but we're also confused about what growing up means. We have some big dreams for the future, but we struggle to work toward them with real tenacity sometimes. We seem at times to be more concerned with what we're going to get for Christmas, as opposed to what we're going to give, if you know what I mean. Indeed a blessed time to be in ministry, and indeed, a challenging time as well. Our leadership team is meeting this evening to reconnect and to seek the Lord's face as we continue our journey. Pray for your leadership, whomever they may be, as they need your prayers more and more as the times change and we Jesus-followers seek to be faithful to Him and to the changing world!
H20 Camp!!! I can't wait...should be a blast!!! I'll be gone from Sunday afternoon to Saturday afternoon. Have a great week and I'll touch base w/ ya when I gets back!!!
Click Here to Read it Live
Youth Bring Heart to AC08
On a clear Friday morning at Grove City College, youth from across Western PA planned and led a special worship service filled with God’s spirit. At the conclusion, the congregation gave a standing ovation for the effort and heart poured out by the youth to honor and praise God. “That was amazing! Clearly God is at work here!” commented several people in the congregation of over 300 at the 6:30 a.m. gathering.
With a band of four acoustic, two electric and one bass guitars, a drum set, several flutes, an alto sax, a keyboard and over 20 vocalists, the youth band raised the roof of Harbison Chapel in passionate praise. Smiles of joy emanated from band members wearing the day’s red “Love” page shirt.
Janne Walters, a member of Wurtemburg UMC, offered the message on the AC2008 youth caucus theme of “Got Fish?” In an engaging style, she challenged all in attendance to share her Christian mission to invite others to be disciples of Jesus Christ – to go fish!
Featured was a beautiful skit depicting the struggles of a young woman (Rachel Pinkerton of Mars UMC) conflicted to “dance” with Jesus (Sam Richardson of First UMC in Bradford) in joy or succumb to the temptations of alcohol, violence, malice and sex. The poignant interpretation touched the hearts of young and old alike.
“That was a powerful testimony!” said the Rev. Steve Morse, chair of the Sessions Planning Worship Team. “I want even more people to experience what I have witnessed here this morning.”
The AC2008 youth band was coordinated by the Rev. Brett Probert, pastor of Cornerstone UMC in Cranberry Twp. He is always the first to point out that the youth direct the selection and sound of their music even though Probert directs the band.
Each year, the Youth Caucus serves annual conference through many services and hospitality such as:
• Distribution of sessions materials to the body
• Assistance on the plenary floor with microphones and flags
• Service with worship in communion, offerings and more
• Raising funds for the Youth Service Fund and Nothing But Nets campaigns that change lives around the world and here
• Offer snacks, drinks and other items in the YSF Snack Booth in the Display Area
In addition, the youth engage in a Bible study series, have pizza with the bishop, sing, play video games, sing karaoke, watch movies and make life-long friends.
For information on the youth ministries, contact Renaye Hoffman at 800-886-3382, ext. 227.
I'm going to be at Annual Conference at Grove City this week. I HATE the politics but I love working with our youth. They love Jesus...imagine that. Pray for us, and know we'll be praying for yins!
The people at OPT are fantismo. They are fun, personable, and mostly, they know what the hecks they are doing. Good stuff!
I took a road trip to St. Alban's WV yesterday and for the first time in years, I kept track of my gas mileage (dad, please forgive me for I have sinned). I got 40 miles to the gallon on the trip. Sweet! She may be old, wrecked, small, dirty, have crank windows and manual door locks, and a 1.9 liter weedwacker engine, but I'll see you at the gas pumps! (or not!!!)
Carla and I had a great day off on Saturday, then we had an awesome worship service yesterday. To top it all off, we went with some people from Cornerstone to minister to kids whose parent's are battling cancer. We went to a member's farm and had singing, games, food, and horse rides for the kids and their families. What a great church....what a great time!!!
Carla and I feasted today...bacon-wrapped filet mignon on the grill, grilled shrimp and veggie shishkabobs, and homemade black raspberry pie. I'm very glad that the feast was not ruuned.
A contrast in texture
The road less traveled...
Mayday in PA
ONE oil lamp!!! Just what I needed. Thanks Lord, for your signs, and giving me just what I need and just when I need it!
So I have this cold, right? I love getting sick because you are instantly bombarded with a zillion people who know "just the thing..." The other day, I'm having conversation with a woman I BARELY even know.
Woman: "So you have a cold?"
Innocent Victim (me): "Well, ya."
Woman: "I know just the thing. Vitamin C. Take 1,000 mg (which, parenthetically, why don't we just call it a gram? I mean, isn't a 1,000 milli somethings equal to one of the basic units of somethings? I mean, I don't know much but as a fellow student once told me, Brettric is Metric - parenthesis MINE!) of Vitamin C. Take 1,000 mg every hour."
Then, and I swear I am not making this up, she looks me straight in the eye and she says emphatically "the key is DIARRHEA!" OK, now she really has my interest. And she must have known it because she continued.
Woman: "As soon as you get diarrhea, you'll know you have reached your body's tolerance level for Vitamin C. Then just back off 1,000 mg and take that threshold amount and you'll get over your cold."
Me: "Thanks, I think."
Now I guess I have two options, both of which involve wiping. I think I'll just live with the cold for another day or so...
In our house growing up, we weren't allowed to say "shut up." Mom, Dad, if you're reading this...I'M NOT IN "OUR" HOUSE!!! 
Anywho, my rant today is about the ranting about gas prices. I'm tired of hearing it (and hearing myself say it). Carpool. Stay home. Get a Prius. Walk. Move.
This is a global issue...in other words, more that just ME is affected by this. I happened to live in a country where people have almost nothing. They can easily spend a week's wages on a bottle of kerosene with which to light a lamp. Make that two weeks now. And what choice do they have? Not so much...
So let's shut up. We have options. We have freedom. We have choice. And, truth be told, we have money.
Santaclausify - It is the act (verb) of making someone into a Santa Claus (noun) like figure.
Greenify - the act (verb) of making my home more green (adjective), or environmentally friendly.
It is almost like the now almost forgotten McSpeak which was made infamous by the McDonalds commercials of the days of old. Maybe I'll try to mcspeakify my language. Why don't you mcthoughtify about that for a while?!
109 Persimmon Place
Cranberry Twp. PA 16066
I'm back from vacation and excited to be. I feel like there are some really cool things happening in my life and in the life of C3 right now and I'm privileged to be on the ride. I feel like I have a better sense of what Paul was saying to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6: "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God..." Good stuff...and I'm a fannin'.
...is how much I lost by. Yes, I took 2nd place in the biggest loser. Me and the winner both lost 23 pounds, but he weighed less to start with. I did receive the $50 entry fee back as my consolation prize. I may not have won the biggest loser competition but I know in many people's eyes, I won a long time ago. Can I get an amen?
Now I know that may sound strange, especially if you know her, so let me explain.
When we were kids, we had very mean parents. They made us do something called "chores." What this meant was mom and dad made lists of all the things they hated to do, then they made us do them instead. That way they got the stuff done, but they could sit out under the shade tree sipping tall cold drinks while we children were doing, as they called them, the "chores."
Now one such "chore" was cleaning up (or redding up for yins pissburghers an' 'at) the basement. This is where my twin's incredible skill really came to light. We 3 kids would begin cleaning up the basement when, after just a few minutes into the "chore", Brenda would develop an emergency (as if there were any other kind) case of diarrhea. This unfortunate illness would last, interestingly, only as long as the corresponding unpleasant chore lasted. Then she had some inate ability to simply cure herself. Wow.
Now as I begin this long final weekend before the biggest loser weigh-out, I find myself pining for this amazing skill. If only I could develop this illness lasting only through the unpleasant chore of losing weight this weekend, then be healed on Monday after the weigh-out, it would be great.
Any hints Brenda? In the meantime, I think I'll go lick some e. coli...
This is dangerous because I think some competetors are now reading my blog, but here's where I am. I am down 17 pounds (172 from 189) and the final weigh out is next Monday. Please pray for me as my diet has now been restricted to dehydrated water and Metamucil. So in one of the churches we have served, there is this elderly couple. The woman was blind in one eye and had macular degeneration in the other. She, of course, was no longer able to drive and was about 86 years old. Her husband, who'll I'll call "Pappy" was 84 and had numerous health problems. He had several major heart attacks and had bypass surgery several times. He had suffered several major strokes and was completely paralyzed on his left side. The two enjoyed a cup of coffee and a donut from the local gas station where they went each morning to get the local paper. Pappy was the driver.
After one of his lengthy hospital stays, I had gone to visit them in their apartment. It was probably 95 degrees in there and Pappy was sitting in his usual spot, the wheelchair. I visited for a while, feeling badly for Pappy. Here was this once vibrant man who was slouching in his wheelchair, barely able to hold his head up to look over at me. He was nearly drooling from his gaping mouth, but still smiling and pleasant as ever.
After a little break in the conversation, his nearly blind wife in her small squeaky voice says with a big smile, "We have some good news...." Now I'm expecting the announcement of a new great grandchild, or that Pappy was able to secure an electric wheelchair, or something like that. But no, she says "We have some good news...Pappy's driving again!"
Now all that to say...I have some good news...Bretty's driving again!
Good news is open to interpretation....
