Saturday, January 27, 2007

50th Birthday Party - Part 1

For my 25th birthday Gloria surprised me with a party. I mean really surprised me. I had no idea and was completely clueless. I told her that I was going to give her a surprise party for her 30th, and had to throw 3 parties to accomplish that goal (the first 2 were to throw her off).

On approaching his 50th you would think that a smart guy would be suspicious that his wife would throw another surprise party. But no, still clueless! – I’m going to make a movie and call it “Clueless in Columbia.”

So here are the clues that a smart guy should have picked up on:

Gloria was cooking a large rice-broccoli pot on Sunday morning and asked me to stir the pot. We seldom cook that large a quantity of food unless we are having dinner at church. Generally we put something in the crock-pot if we are cooking on Sunday. But she told me that she was preparing it for Sarah and me to eat while she was in the hospital (she had major surgery Monday, came home on Thursday, and is slowly recuperating).

She asked me to make sure Sarah was awake. Now Sarah is a big girl and usually gets up on her own.

Charity and Lee showed up at church. They were in town for the weekend and planned to go with his folks to church (or so I was told). Charity told me that they changed their mind.

My very dear friend, Bill Oswald, along with his wife Becky, showed up at church. But since he is the previous pastor I wasn’t terribly surprised to see them.

An elderly gentleman wished me Happy Birthday. I told him my birthday was 2 weeks away.

We always sing Happy Birthday/Anniversary on the first Sunday of each month to cover the entire month. Since it was Lee’s actual birthday, and since he was a visitor, we sang for him, and then the church insisted on singing for me. I argued that we would sing for me in a few weeks, when we did the February events. But they insisted anyway. Somewhere along the way I made a joke about having driven the Buick to church because it could hold more presents than the Saturn. But I still was clueless!

When I finish the announcements I always ask if there are any announcements that I have forgotten, and when I did, my brother walked in the back door. I would love to have seen the look on my face because I was so shocked. You see he lives in Miami, you know the city in FL where Tony Dungy will win his first Super Bowl, 600 miles from here. I pointed at him as he walked down the aisle and said something to the effect that he was my baby brother and he lived in FL. He came and stood beside me and spoke for a few minutes about being my little brother for 46 years.

Then the Music Minister announced that we were all eating together after church, and the light, dim though it was, began to glow. Sarah pinned a boutonnière on my lapel, and the service continued. One of the congregational songs was “Til the Storm Passes By,” and Bill and I along with Al, a deacon, went to the platform and sang a trio on 1 of the verses. Bill and I sang “Sweet Beulah Land.” Sarah and Charity sang “Until Then” a song Charity said she first heard me sing at Hillview (the Montego Bay church I grew up in), in 1990.

After I preached we went to the Quigley Building (our fellowship hall) for lunch. I think that is when I first realized that we were having a party. I told you I was clueless! It was a great party, as good as my 25th, and the church folks were very gracious with their cards and gifts – we really did need the Buick!

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Colts vs Patriots

I think this was the only football game that I watched this season. Most often on Sunday afternoons I take a nap, read the paper, and watch football all at the same time. In spite of that I cannot remember watching an entire game (maybe that has more to do with my impending 50th birthday than anything).

It was a well-fought game and even had me on my feet a couple of times. The play that I enjoyed the most was the interception at the end of the game. The Patriots were looking to score in the last minute and a Colt (don't know who he was) intercepted Brady's throw. Now I don't know a whole lot about football, but I assume that players are taught that when they intercept a pass they should run for a goal. This player started to run and then it seemed like he realized that all he needed to do was to lay down with the ball. It struck me as very funny. One minute he was running hard and the next he was laying on the ground and his teammates were jumping on top of him.

My favorite football team has been the Tampa Bay Bucs, because during the 5 years that we lived in Lakeland, FL, Tony Dungy became the head coach and the Bucs started winning games. But we left Lakeland for Columbia and Dungy left Tampa for Indianapolis. The year after he left the Bucs won the Super Bowl, and have gone downhill since then. Manning was the QB for UT Knoxville during the years we lived in TN. So Dungy and Manning together cover 2 of the 3 States that we have lived in, and they both are likable guys.

I was planning on traveling to FL on Super Bowl Sunday and missing the game but I asked my deacons if they would mind if I was gone on Sunday, and they don't. So my plan is to drive to my sister's (she is older than me but reminds me that she looks younger) on Saturday (I will be fifty years and 1 day old). On Sunday morning I will go to my brother's church, and on Sunday afternoon I will go to my sister's church (my brother-in-law is Youth Pastor) for their Super Bowl party. My parents are in FL for the winter months, and my Mother's birthday is 5 days after mine. Some time that weekend we will celebrate her 85th, my 50th, my sister's graduation (Summa Cum Laude), and who knows what else. Sarah is going with me and Gloria will stay home to recover from the surgery she had yesterday.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

My Very First Post - yippee!

My favorite website forum is Sharper Iron. I am a fairly regular poster there. Recently there were links to 2 posts on Dan Burrell’s blog, titled:

01/05/07 - The Top 10 News Stories of Interest in Evangelicalism in 2006, and

01/08/07 - The Top 10 Significant News Stories Impacting Fundamentalism in 2006.

Number 3 on the Fundamentalism list was – Independent Baptists and Southern Baptists – Merging or Simply Working Together?

Since I pastor an SBC church I responded to the discussion on SI (under the name JohnBrian) about that issue.

Here are my comments and the comments of fellow SI posters. (you might need to read Joel’s Line in the Sand article to fully understand his post).

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[JohnBrian]

I pastor an SBC church and will be leaving it sometime this summer. (Several years ago I made a commitment to the church that I would stay until this summer).

Where do I go from here: Do I go back to the Independents - I graduated from TTU? Do I join the Reformed Baptists, now that I identify myself as a Calvinist? Do I join the GARBC, after all I grew up in the home of BMM missionaries? Do I go to another SBC church - my daughter and son-in-law are at Southern Seminary?

My folks came out of the Canadian Fellowship of churches, but since I was raised in Jamaica and only lived in Canada on furlough, I don't have any real association with that group. In some way I fit into a whole bunch of different groups, and someone in each of those groups would likely separate from me because of my association with another group.

What am I to do?

I've got it - I'll start my own church - the Calvinistic First Baptist Reformed Separated Bible Church. That name is too long for a sign so I'll have to abbreviate it. Let's see - CaFirBaRS Bible Church. Now, if I can convince my wife to join the church, we'll have the preaching and the piano playing taken care of.

Maybe it would be simpler to just go for counseling. :)

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[Larry]

Quote:{if I can convince my wife to join the church, we'll have the preaching and the piano playing taken care of.}

But what will your role be?????

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[Joel]

Congratulations John,

Excellent note. What's clear is that you're not at all worried about your self-identity. That my friend is refreshing. John, I have great news for you. I just received a note from the alphabet committee on "Types." You will be receiving your very own "Letter." We will be sending you little "pins" to stick in that letter (This will be based on the old letter-man's jacket concept). Because of your time at TTU - we will be sending you a little bus to pin on the letter. Oh yes, because of your affinity to Reformed theology - you will be getting a brass tulip pin (in your choice of 4 or 5 pedals!). To commemorate your fellowship with the Canadian brethren, Don will be sending you a maple-leaf pin. In connection to your GARBC affiliation we will be sending you a pin with the number "18"!

By the way, because you will be the leader of your own group, this means (amongst other things) that you get to choose the official logo, colors and of course letterhead!

This also means that your wife, once she joins said church, can be the official queen of your "Type."

Outstanding!

Joel

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[JohnBrian]

Quote:{But what will your role be?????}

I'll get to count the offering!

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[JohnBrian]

Quote:{Congratulations John,

Excellent note. What's clear is that you're not at all worried about your self-identity. That my friend is refreshing. John, I have great news for you. I just received a note from the alphabet committee on "Types." You will be receiving your very own "Letter."}

Now I need that t-shirt to put all of those pins on. Or maybe I could drag out my Boys Brigade Shirt and pin them on it.

On second thought, that shirt is way too small, and who remembers Boys Brigade anyway. (I was in BB when we were on furlough the year I was in the 6th grade)

****
[JohnBrian]

Since I am (I think) the only SBC pastor that posts on SI, I can rightfully claim to speak for all (snicker, snicker) Southern Baptists. Who is there to argue that I cannot be the spokesperson.

What power, what prestige. It's at least worth an honorary doctorate from somewhere. :)

****
[Bruce Countryman]

Quote:{Since I am (I think) the only SBC pastor that posts on SI, I can rightfully claim to speak for all (snicker, snicker) Southern Baptists. Who is there to argue that I cannot be the spokesperson.

What power, what prestige. It's at least worth an honorary doctorate from somewhere. :)

Think again John. There is a John that is a pastor at Saddleback. See his latest posts under politics on Rick Warren on Meet The Press.

But hey, if you really want an honorary doctorate, I'll be glad to have one issued from one in Hammond Indiana. They have one that is in a mail-in category. I tried to get one for Larry, our resident moderator from Michigan, but they said he was unqualified because

1. He doesn't shout when he preaches. (underqualified)
2. He uses words with more than three sylables. (overqualified)

I'll see what I can do for ya pal!

****
And thus endeth the writing of my very first post on my own blog - Thanks Sarah and Charity (and Lee too).