Minister's Blog

Video: Elevate Your Faith Campaign: Final Three Months!

2010-05-25T20:14:00.000-07:00

By Jay Kelly

Click Here to See Video

This Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 marks the three year anniversary of our Elevate Your Faith Campaign here on the Westside of the Seattle Church of Christ. We purchased our Queen Anne church home on August 28th, 2007. Please keep us in your prayers as we take the final lap of our three-year financial campaign. Our pledge commitment deadline is only three months away. This video starts out with a few of the many locations we've rented for Sunday services. There are glimpses of our special night at the Mountaineers Club when we pledged together to give $1,430,000.00 toward a future church home.

Click Here to See Video

Planting Seeds of Hope in the Northwest

2010-04-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

The Bellingham Church of Christ

Prior to my conversion 17 years ago, I had plenty of dreams and goals. The problem was, none of them included ways of bringing spiritual hope to people. After becoming a Christian, that changed. I began to pray about ways to build up our local church, and as we all naturally do, I began to pray that we would find a way to plant a church in my hometown. God has powerfully answered those prayers.

This last Sunday I had the privilege of preaching at the Bellingham Church of Christ! The church was planted in the summer of 2008 by a courageous young couple from Seattle, Landon and Gina Rawson. After their conversion and training in the campus ministry, they felt called to lead a small group of Christians up north to Bellingham to begin a church. The hard work of every member in Bellingham is obvious and inspiring.

The church service was incredible. The meeting room was packed - they will soon be looking for a new facility, I'm sure. There were many visitors in attendance, including some of my relatives! Currently, there are families in the church from several surrounding communities, and God is helping them build a powerful presence at Western Washington University.

It is great to see what God has done with that small church planting. A few people, armed with seeds of hope, can make a giant difference. As we dream for God to continue to build a strong work in the Northwest, let's remember to pray for communities where we currently have no church. Let's build strong partnerships between our congregations to maximize the potential to reach our cities. Let's support our smaller churches with money, prayers and visits.

Most of all, let's never forget that God is in the business of planting seeds of hope.

The Calling-Driven Life

2010-03-13T10:28:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, a book of similar title swept the nation and propelled a California pastor into the limelight. Among other things, the book confronted the amazing fact that in modern America, we are a land full of opportunity, but lacking fulfillment; a country of ambition lacking moral position; a people who work as hard as any on earth—job, family, soccer, school, community—but occasionally and secretly wonder, “what for?”

I think this is part of what drew each of us to God and His church—an offer of spiritual purpose. Like Jesus, we wanted to find not just our own salvation, but to join his commitment to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). At times, we ran a little wild with this concept, insisting that it was our sole purpose in this life before we meet our Maker. This apocalyptic view of life—forget about daily concerns, all that matters are eternal things—was convenient in our youth. We could eschew participating in this world because participating at that age (most of us from campus ministry) meant studying (ugh) or partying (worldly). Of course I’m oversimplifying. And many of us were not converted as students.

As we got older, participation reared its ugly head—if we wanted to keep our job, let alone get promoted, we had to invest in it. If we wanted to stay married after more than 7 years (the first tension/crisis point for most marriages), we had to actually spend time with our spouse and not just with “our ministry.” If we wanted our kids to mature, we needed to attend them in exploring their world—in school, athletics, clubs, you name it, all the while praying for them to love the Lord. (Most really do).

As I near the quarter pole of turning 50 (April, sigh), I realize that how we live this short life God gave us includes the paradox of both fully participating in this world and preparing for eternal things. God wants both eternal life to come and abundant life right now for each of us. If I’m right about this, then our sense of The Great Commission shifts from “forget everything else and go make disciples,” to more “as you go in this world, make disciples of all nations.” Yes, full time ministry people will feel this differently; our “as you go,” actually is evangelism (!), as well as shepherding.

Where does that leave you (you non-full time minister!)? My answer at 50 is this: pray for, search for, and embrace your calling. Each of us has gifts from God to use in this world, first for the kingdom (Matthew 6:33), second for the planet. Stay focused on this word calling. God has precious work for you to do in this life—you are a steward of your gifts, your vocation, your money, your friends, and your family. Act like it. Ask the Lord to make clear His calling in your life and then go live it. Without a doubt, it will directly touch upon all things eternal.

—Scott Green, Elder, Senior Minister

Worldwide Ligaments in the Body of Christ

2010-02-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

Reagan-era House Speaker Tip O’Neil used to observe, “all politics is local”—meaning that people inevitably care more about what’s near and personally relevant than about what’s going on in the rest of the nation or the world at large. This is normal and its true in God’s church too. “Good news” from around the world is a welcome thing, but not something, as disciples of Christ, we think about all that much as we live our daily lives in Seattle, Washington.

Having said that, it’s important for us here in the hub of the universe (oh, you have a hub too? Cool!) to spend some of our time relishing the fact that we really do have a worldwide family of churches—over 500, with over 80,000 Christians. What’s happening in those places can inspire us and support us. This winter has been a wonderful and poignant reminder for me.

The day after our congregation commended the Wallaces, the Brumleys, the Tachers, and the Greens as Elders & Wives, Lynne and I took off for Hong Kong and China. We had a terrific time reconnecting with Hong Kong leaders—Steve and Jane Chin, Turner and Elizabeth Sinn, Dan and Elexa Liu and many others, then flew to Mainland China where we conducted our first-ever marriage retreat for one of our most prominent underground churches. These disciples live a most inconvenient Christian life, but their convictions call us higher. Here’s a brief clip, a hodge-podge of Hong Kong and China!

In addition, last week, Ron and Linda travelled to Miami to join the ICOC Elders Committee—a group devoted to promoting elderships around the world and to responding to shepherding needs in our churches as they arise.

This weekend, most of our staff travels to Ashland Oregon where we will convene with other Northwest church leaderships at our semi-annual summit. Please pray for us to be closer than ever as a family and for us to find ways to collaborate to speed the missions and maturity of the Northwest. Yours truly has the honor of preaching to the wonderful Rogue Valley congregation on Sunday.

In March, the Greens and Whitakers journey to Germany. There we will continue the “coaching” work the Berlin congregation has asked us to do through 2012. This means the Greens being in Berlin for at least two weekends a year, and one longer stretch of 3 weeks (this coming summer). Berlin is a church currently without full time leadership, but they are eager to learn, grow, and experiment! Say a prayer or two for us, the Kohas (from Boston) and the Herbsts (Zurich) as we collaborate to serve this exciting congregation.

As the world turns…

Scott Green, Elder & Senior Minister

Teen Disciples and Teen Leaders Retreat - "As One"

2010-01-26T14:01:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, over thirty of us attended a Seattle Church Teen Disciples and Teen Leaders Retreat. We had a fun and inspiring time together. Enjoy the pictures from our time together!

Darin Ford

Everything New

2010-01-01T21:44:00.000-08:00

In Revelation 21:5, we see a vision of Him who is seated on the throne, promising to make all things new. I'd like to suggest, on this New Year's Day of a new decade, that this is an old promise, one we have heard again and again, season by season. In fact, each year the Winter comes, where all lies dead or dormant, and then this celebration we call New Years. Shortly after, the Spring sweeps onto stage, shoving every Winter backdrop off to the side.

Spring looms then. New birth. New possibilities. New growth. And we are right to be preparing for that right now.

What then are your ideas about things "new" in your life? It seems obvious to me that God wants us thinking like this, so let's do that thinking. Here's some of mine:

In 2010 I'd like Lynne to have first place (after God of course) in my life. I'm not sure anything has had first place in the past few years--I've allowed so many demands and needs to take the oxygen out of the room. In 2010, I'd like it to be obvious to her that she is #1!!!
I want to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). "Walk" is the operative word here. What does it mean for us to walk together, day by day. I want to renew my search to find out.
Surrender more, do less, and be content--since "each day has enough trouble of its own"
Search for daily inspiration. Is that a run? Yoga? Cheesecake? Whatever. We all have so many "shoulds" in our lives, and often these are good and appropriate. But if we don't take care, the shoulds run everything and we forget to make real choices--what do we WANT to do for God and for each other? What choices inspire us?

May God guide us with clarity as we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (and, I pray, with joy!) in the 2010's...

love,

Scott

Christmas Eve Highlights

2009-12-24T18:23:00.000-08:00

From the Green fam:

Dear beloved family and friends,

Only God knows where we would be without you. Thank you for the difference you have made in our lives, (for most of you, over many good years). Blessed Christmas on this blessed eve.

Some 2009 Green Family Highlights:

Ariel

Finished her first semester of study at Gonzaga University. Hard to believe she has left us as Empty Nesters!
Wants to pursue studies and skills in computer graphics, art, and gaming
Is a Crafter par-excellence (ISTP). Just send her the parts and she'll build you a jet.
Still loves chocolate as much as her Dad (thank God)

Stephen

Almost done with his junior year at Washington University-St. Louis. Majoring in Political Science and Chinese
Gave up college football this year, but the legacy of "31" lives on...
Continues to produce rap & hip hop tracks--his stuff is terrific
Makes a buck or two at college ref'ing intramural basketball games--money for being an authority!

Lynne

Continues her strategic leadership of Womens' Ministries for the Seattle church.
As a three-year cancer survivor, continues to servea and advocate locally, particularly with her therapy dogs at Children's Hospital
Serves as a board member of the international charity HOPE worldwide
Loves working with border collies in sheepherding
Has started a distance Masters program in Communication and Leadership

Scott

Continues to serve as Senior Minister of the Seattle church of Christ, focusing on strategic building and staff development
Is nearly finished with his Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy (June!), with an emphasis in Narrative work
Won an academic award for his paper "For Healing's Sake: Letters to Christian and Narrative Therapy"
LOVES swing dancing with his wife; we will take our second class this winter
Harbors a secret desire to make wine someday

Travel: We were blessed with trips this year to Hong Kong, to Geneva for the EBS, and to Berlin. We are heading to Whistler on the 26th for a snowy family vacation. Scott and Lynne are now working with Valdur & Irene Koha, and Chrisitian and Sabine Herbst in a coaching relationship with the Berlin church of Christ--so more travel is heading our way in 2010. Hope to see you all along the way!

The photo's a bit old, but remembers New Birth...

THANK YOU for supporting the Adoption Assistance Program!

2009-12-17T16:16:00.000-08:00

For the last several years, Karla and I have had the pleasure of overseeing the Adoption Assistance Program, a joint effort by the Seattle and South Sound Churches. The goal? Help families adopt orphans, which is often cost-prohibitive. The result? Our church is full of kids who have found a loving, Christian home! Many are growing up in the church, some families have moved on to other congregations. All of them have a chance at family and faith that didn't exist prior to their adoption.

Currently, we are helping one couple adopt a baby internationally. After that, our fund will again be depleted (a good thing!). As a staff, we will discuss how to collect more funds sometime in 2010. Until then, please pray for the millions of fatherless children in the world today. And thank you for all of your prayers and support for this program! It truly is changing lives.

Enjoy the video highlights of our program:

To see special adoption video click here!

2009-12-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

The two brothers greeting the Seattle church at Christmastime are Normen Rhode and Andreas Webber. Both serve in lay leadership in the Berlin church, a congregation of about 150 Christians. This resilient, visionary congregation is about to enter a season in which no one will be serving in the full time ministry, a fact the lay leaders hope will be short-lived. Many tremendous ministers have served in the history of the Berlin church, including, among others, Dean and Kim Farmer, Christian Herbst, Mirko Russo, and Mathis Wosegien.

Because of this new season, the lay leaders of the church have asked Christian Herbst (now in Zurich, Switzerland), Valdur Koha (Boston) and me—AND our wives—to serve as “coaches” for their church. This first trip for Lynne and me (thank you, Ron and Linda for accompanying us and for teaching the families in Berlin on parenting!) helped us build relationships with the lay leaders, gave us time with them individually to understand their leadership experiences and hopes, and allowed us to attend various meetings with other leaders to attend them on their new journey.

Berlin is a wonderful city, but there simply wasn’t time on this trip to show much more than this clip from the Weinmarkt Christmas market, not far from Humboldt University and the Brandenburg Gate of Frederick the Great. It seemed to us that no one decorates for Christmas quite like the Germans.

On Sunday I was able to share a Christmas-tinged lesson that emphasized Memory, Awareness, and Calling for the disciples. Lynne and I were able to share in abundance about all of you in the Seattle church; our Berlin brothers and sisters were keenly interested in all of you, and in how we’ve navigated maturity issues in our church. I also had opportunity to share on Sunday how poignant it was for me, the son of a US military officer, to be where the Berlin Wall once was—a symbol of conflict, confusion, and longing. The wall is finally gone, but not theses spiritual themes, which still, 20 years later, find their fulfillment no where else as they do in the kingdom of God.

Scott

Greens and Brumleys are in Berlin!

2009-12-05T21:42:00.000-08:00

December 5, 2009: On our way to Berlin, via NYC

The Greens and Brumleys are journeying to Berlin this weekend to help “coach” the church to new levels of faith and opportunity—PLEASE pray for us.

This all began shortly after the Greens summer trip to teach at the European Bible School in Geneva, Switzerland. We are approached by the Berlin church, whose leadership was seeking three “coaching couples” to help them move the church forward (Berlin will soon have no full time leadership and will be relying on a lay leadership group + “coaches”). Berlin asked for a three year commitment, which we agreed to after consulting with our staff and board. Christian and Sabine Herbst (Zurich) and Valdur & Irene Koha (Boston) will be the other coaches. Each couple will go to Berlin once every three months.

And so this is our first trip, and just on the heels of Berlin’s 20^th anniversary of the Berlin wall’s fall.

We first flew with Ron and Linda to Newark from Seattle, with a fine pre-landing view of New York City. Watching New York’s skyline, I realized anew what greatness that city has seen. Though the twin towers were nowhere to be seen (a shockingly concrete reminder that evil remains in this world), the Empire State Building stood tall like the art deco rocket it is. The statue of liberty watched Manhattan Island offshore, tiny but vigilant, watching the harbor, and watching for more of the “tired refuse” that made America hum in the early 20^th century. Thanks to the movies, it’s hard for my generation not to feel connected to New York, even if you’ve never lived there.

More to come…

Darin Ford Baptizes Another Friend, Ruben

2009-11-28T21:12:00.000-08:00

By Jay Kelly

Darin Ford's friendship has changed many lives, including mine. Most recently, he struck up a conversation with a Seattle businessman on a flight into Seattle. Darin told him all about the Seattle Church of Christ and their conversation turned into a spontaneous bible study. Soon after their return this new friend, Ruben Alanis, called Darin so that they could schedule their next bible study. Though he had been a believer all of his life, Ruben came to the conviction that he needed to be baptized into Christ to have his sins forgiven and to become a true christian. Today was that day for Ruben and I have a few pictures for those of you who couldn't join our at Magnuson Park for a cold and windy November outdoor baptism in Lake Washington.

Click here to see the video blog and pics on YouTube

Holiday Question:

2009-11-21T17:10:00.000-08:00

What's your favorite thing about the holidays (Thanksgiving to Christmas)? A few of mine:

-Now that I'm an empty-nester, "my kids coming home"

-Roaring fires that crackle in a way gas fireplaces envy

-Seeing your breath in the cold air

-Eggnog

-Costco tenderloin used for many meals

-Reading "A Child's Christmas in Wales" out loud to our dogs

-Long walks remembering, since holidays help mark the time of memory

-Our Christmas Eve service up on Queen Anne

How about you?

Video Blog 11 04 09 (Luncheon Cruise with Kendra Todd)

2009-11-04T15:10:00.000-08:00

By Jay Kelly

Kendra Todd won The Apprentice, Season Three, and after working for Donald Trump settled in Seattle to build her own business here. Kendra's generosity and enthusiasm have made a difference for our church since she started attending and studying the bible with my wife, Carol and Angela Johnson. She donated a "Power Luncheon" cruise to our recent auction and here are some memories made by the twelve highest bidders over lunch this past Halloween.

Click Here to see this in higher definition or to see past video blogs on YouTube

Day 31: A Month of Gratitude, "Sleep"

2009-10-30T18:07:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

“Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat- for He grants sleep to those he loves.” -Psalm 127:1-2

“…when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down your sleep will be sweet.” -Proverbs 3:24

Some of us (me, included) have the gift of easy sleep. When my head hits the pillow I drift off into rest and restoration quickly; the pillow is not even required. Others of you are challenged in this area. We feel our weakness and need for restoration every night when we lay our heads down. Each night our minds unwind, our bodies restore and we prepare for another day of productivity and purpose. Edgar Allen Poe has been credited as saying, “Sleep, those little slivers of death. How I loathe them.” Some of us wish that we were never weak and could just go, go, go.

Research studies have shown that increased gratitude leads to deeper and more satisfying sleep as well as overall well-being. Have you made a fundamental shift during our MONTH OF GRATITUDE? Do you enjoy any new habits that lead to a grateful spirit? It’s not too late to get serious about counting your blessings every day. If you don’t journal about anything else please consider journaling a daily prayer of thanks to God. Start today and continue until Thanksgiving. See what happens in your heart if you do.

It’s been rewarding for me to have a gratitude focus each of these last 31 days. I must admit, at times, I thought I was crazy for committing to this in a sermon over a month ago, but I’m glad I did.

To those of you who have been following this exercise please let me know how it has helped you and what you have learned. Email me at jay_kelly@mac.com.

HOMEWORK: Give thanks to God for his perfect plan. Our need for sleep humbles us daily and reminds us that we cannot push ourselves beyond very specific limits. We need to be recharged and restored. We need Him; we need rest.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps.

Remember that tonight is the end of daylight savings. Our clocks “fall back” one hour and we get an extra hour of sleep tonight.

Love you,
-Jay Kelly

PS, Happy Halloween! I obviously loved being a cowboy for Halloween. I've always cherished those second amendment rights. Have a wonderful holiday!

Day 30: A Month of Gratitude, "Food."

2009-10-29T22:44:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you." -Deuteronomy 8:10

Amazingly our Month of Gratitude is down to the last two days and we haven’t given thanks for food. One of my favorite aspects of the holiday season was our special food items. My mom, dad and sisters, Shannon and Meghan, and I rushed to the door when the holiday box from Chicago would arrive full of Grandma Kelly's special goodies. The most important item was the raisin/current bread. Second most important was the date nut bread, then potato chip cookies and last was the pitzels which are an Italian licorice flavored snowflake/pancake cookie that I never liked to eat, but we all respected the tradition and would have missed seeing them, if not eating them. Here's a picture of my Grandma (Rose Marie Saviano) Kelly, me and our dog, Poseidon, back in 1966. Gram made her own pasta noodles, her own raviolis, stuffed her own italian sausages and created her own sauces. She was serious about her Italian cuisine and everyone loved her for it.

God blessed me with an amazing wife who is also the best cook in the world (I'm not kidding). Carol makes her own bread often and has learned from her mom to work wonders in the kitchen. Carol always makes her mother’s cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. Our Christmas dinner is a tender ribeye roast and Yorkshire Pudding. One Christmas in L.A. we had a “Bring Your Own Lobster” party with friends and boiled lobster and melted butter and celebrated the holiday in a Redondo Beach kind of way. Food is such a fun way to celebrate special days and make memories. Thank God for good food!

If you’ve ever spent time fasting from food you quickly realize how much we take this great blessing for granted. The smells are richer when you fast. A piece of fruit suddenly seems indulgent; a cracker has a wonderful crunch, a glass of cold milk satisfies you in a special way. Pay attention today.

HOMEWORK: Savor your food today. Eat slowly. Say thanks more than once. Give thanks to God for giving us a diverse array of delicious options that provide more than energy for our bodies, but also joy, tradition, personal expression and celebration.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you one last day tomorrow.
Love,
-Jay Kelly

Day 29: A Month of Gratitude, "Rich Welcome"

2009-10-29T00:14:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

“Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” -2 Peter 1:10-11

What does it mean to receive a rich welcome? I love a good greeting when I’m awkwardly standing at someone’s door trying to figure out what it will be like to be at their place. Can you picture your self at the pearly gates? You’ve crossed over from this life to the next and may be feeling some things about the transition… and then you receive a RICH WELCOME into the eternal kingdom. That is guaranteed to be something special. You are totally at home, at peace, at rest once and for all eternity.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” -John 14:1-2

HOMEWORK: Design your custom dwelling place in heaven. God will want to spoil his kids. What would make it paradise for you? Be specific about the details. Give thanks for God’s awesome promise of eternal life.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay Kelly

Day 28: A Month of Gratitude, "Good News"

2009-10-27T18:02:00.001-07:00

By Carol Kelly (giving Jay a break today)

"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,
And good news gives health to the bones."
-Proverbs 15:30

I love hearing good news! And it is true that the person telling the encouraging news is usually smiling. I love looking at smiling faces as well.
There is new news everyday; some good and it seems a lot bad. Good news tellers are rare in this day and age, but need to be treasured! Sometimes we have to train ourselves to hear the good news. What good news did hear lately? How did it make you feel? Happier? Stronger? How did you feel about the bearer of the good news? Grateful? Then what did you do with the news? I bet you shared it with someone else. Good news is contagious!

HOMEWORK: Filter out the bad news today and train your ear to hear the good. Thank the “good news” bearers in your life and then practice being one!

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Carol Kelly

Day 27: A Month of Gratitude, "Confrontation"

2009-10-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” -Ephesians 4: 15

Who has loved you and loved your common purpose enough to confront you on your sin, your compromises, your hypocrisy or your apathy? Victory rarely happens on the field or off without leadership. Who has told you how it is? Who has put their relationship with you on the line because they loved you more than they loved being close to you at that moment? Give thanks today for the few, the proud, “Your Confronters.” Thank God for the coaches he has put in your life who have called you out and expected more from you than you expected of yourself. Do you have anyone in your life today that would speak the truth to you in love? Sometimes these specific challenges come from our ministry leaders, Bible Talk leaders, spouses and close friends and sometimes they come from more unexpected places like idealistic young christians, our children, our non-christian friends, etc. Who needs you to be their coach confronter today? They will thank you later if you speak the truth in love.

HOMEWORK: Today your homework is watching the 6 minute clip about the power of confrontation and expectation.
Enjoy!

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay Kelly

Day 26: A Month of Gratitude, "Music"

2009-10-25T20:33:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

The power of music is undeniable. The musicians in our church move our hearts every Sunday to a place of worship that we couldn’t possible achieve on our own. The popularity of the Ipod (once known as the Walkman) has swept the globe allowing people to enhance their daily lives by adding a personal soundtrack to any activity. Workouts are inspired; boredom is replaced; memories are retrieved. Musicians once lead God’s armies into battle as the leaders of countless victories.

Music is a form of self-expression that is very personal. Though I am not a musician in anyone’s eyes I have several songs I’ve made up in my quiet times to express my thoughts to God. I have favorite hymns, favorite gospel, favorite country, favorite folk, favorite bluegrass, favorite Christmas, favorite Christian pop, favorite classical, and favorite choral music. Carol dedicated a song to each of our daughters that she would sing to them at bedtime and remind them that it was their special song. Carol’s mother did the same for all of her 10 children.

HOMEWORK: Give thanks for all ways music has enhanced your life. Go on a walk with God and sing some of your favorite spiritual songs to Him. You can bring a songbook with you, if you have one to help you remember. Pay special attention today to all the music you hear and enjoy.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay Kelly

Day 25: A Month of Gratitude, "Holidays."

2009-10-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

At our house we eagerly anticipate the Fall season. Of course, the holidays are upon us now. We’ve all heard in countless conversations the phrase, “time flies.” Older people love to add on their insight that it seems to go faster and faster as you age. Many of us mark time by the holidays throughout the year. They are roadside markers that offer us perspective on the progression of the years of our lives. God’s Word is rich with lists of memorials, annual holidays and specific celebrations that were to be honored annually by his people. Certain families emphasize different holidays more than others because of their ethnicity, religious background or childhood tradition. Whatever your list looks like suddenly you’re running down it again marking time and adding meaning to your life.

Valentines Day,
Easter Sunday,
Mother’s Day
Memorial Day,
Father’s Day
4th of of July,
Labor Day,
Halloween,
Thanksgiving,
Christmas,
New Years,

HOMEWORK: Meditate on the holidays that have meant the most to you throughout your life. What are the sights, smells, tastes and feelings that you associate with these memories? Give thanks to God for the ways your life has been enriched through the observance of special calendar days. Also, consider special plans you could make to celebrate your spiritual birthday, (your baptism day) when it arrives next on your calendar. Develop your own traditions as you celebrate your personal salvation holiday.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay Kelly

Day 24: A Month of Gratitude, "Healing"

2009-10-23T23:16:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

“Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you've sinned, you'll be forgiven—healed inside and out.”
–James 5:13 (The Message)

We serve a God who heals us in every way and seems to enjoy doing it. Jesus was creative, spontaneous and controversial in his healing habit. The human body God gave you to carry your soul through this short life even heals itself when you bang it up. If you bring the subject of scars up around a bunch of guys the conversation quickly turns into a competition for biggest scar and most dramatic story. Your scars remind you of past injury and the healing power of God’s design for your body.

HOMEWORK: Count your scars. Give thanks for God’s healing hand in your life. Make a list of past injuries that once hurt you deeply, but have now been healed. Your scars may be physical or emotional, but they are yours and you wear them as reminders of the power of God in your life.

Thank God that he heals us inside and out. Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay Kelly

Day 23: A Month of Gratitude, "Time Off"

2009-10-22T20:42:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

Even God took a day off! It’s hard for many of us to take an entire day off to do nothing, but rest, reflect and recharge. Fridays are supposed to be my day off. I am guilty of often allowing various responsibilities to spill over into my time off. Tomorrow I am going to take our dog, Divot, for a long ocean-front prayer walk at Lincoln Park. Carol and I will do yoga. After that I’m going to paint for a few hours (not paint the house, but work on a portrait I've been commissioned). I am going to spend time reading one or all of the three books I’m working through right now. Seems like I should do fiction only if it’s time off. Carol and I have been very faithful to Friday night date nights and I’m looking forward to our special time together. We’re going to West Seattle High School’s Homecoming football game. Both Paige and Chandler have been nominated for Homecoming Court.

God’s people have always been challenged by their ambitions, their greed and their lack of faith. Doing work on the Sabbath was punishable by death (Exodus 31:15), why? I’m thinking God had our interests in mind when he forced the issue with his children. “Take time off or I’ll kill you!” sounds like something a father might say to the children he loves who are driving themselves into the ground and not experiencing life the way it was designed to be lived.

HOMEWORK: Make a list of your favorite vacation memories and give thanks for the importance of time off. Why did you enjoy that time so much? What needs did it meet? Consider your schedule. Are you taking the time you need to follow God’s plan of weekly rest? Plan and schedule an entire day that will refresh you some time in the next week. What will you do? How will you feel? Pray for the faith and freedom to experience a personal Sabbath weekly.

When I think of total relaxation and refreshment I think of a nine mile hike at Lake Ozette along the Pacific coast. My tradition on my spiritual birthday (December 16, 1984) is to go camping with God. The pictures show my hammock with pillow and book waiting. My tent has an ocean view. I sleep to the sound of the waves after a day of hiking, singing, journalling, prayer and goal setting. Pray you have similar times that give you strength and joy.

Take time off... or else!

Have fun growing in gratitude. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay Kelly

Day 22: A Month of Gratitude, "Jonathans"

2009-10-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

“Jonathan said to David,’Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.’”
-I Samuel 20:4

“And Saul’s son, Jonathan, went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.” -I Samuel 23:16

25 years ago this month I was studying the bible with Gary Knutson at Bridgewater College outside of Boston. Gary and I always had relationship challenges, but he knew and loved the word of God and was devoted to teaching me the truth, whether I appreciated it or not. I would eventually be baptized on December 16, 1984. A few weeks before my baptism there was a campus devotional led by Frank Kim entitled, “Doing Well Spiritually over Christmas Break.” I was working that Friday. Gary wanted me to switch shifts or take a personal day or whatever I needed to do to hear Frank’s message. Gary was very concerned that if I were to be baptized before Christmas break and have a month in New York/New Jersey away from the body I might not make it. I wasn’t as interested as he wanted me to be and after several back and forth exchanges I hung up the phone in anger.

Over the years I’ve bumped into old friends from my early Christian days in Boston who have said with surprise, “Jay, wow, you’re still faithful?” I was the least likely to succeed in many people’s minds. I couldn’t have made it spiritually all these years without countless friends, “Jonathans”, who’ve helped me find strength in God.

I made a list of 60 names. I decided not to post them knowing I would likely forget the one person who is actually reading this and was forgotten for the moment. Make your own list of Jonathans. Who are the people who’ve helped you find strength in God over the years?

Have fun growing in gratitude. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay Kelly

Day 21: A Month of Gratitude, "A Modern Life"

2009-10-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

It wasn’t that long ago that daily life in America was very different than it is today. Let's take a look at life in 1909, just for the heck of it and give thanks for the fuel-injected, Costco, ATM, frequent-flyer lifestyle we can easily take for granted today. So much has happened in the last 100 years to make life more comfortable and convenient. It is mind blowing if you meditate on it for even a few minutes. 100 years is only one long lifetime away.

One set of my great-grandparents on my mom’s side came to Washington in a covered wagon about 100 years ago. They settled on the Olympic Peninsula in Sequim, WA and later after a back injury while logging my Great-Grandfather Cooley began farming sugar beats in Toppenish, WA where my mother was raised. My mom’s father, Alexander Lee, was the son of a Swedish Ship Captain and a native American of the Haida tribe in Alaska. It just wasn’t that long ago, but let’s take a look together.

THE YEAR 1909 - Some statistics from a century ago:
A postage stamp was 2 cents.
Radio and Vaudeville were all the rage.
Pittsburgh won the World Series.
From 1909 to 2009 world population soared from 1.7 billion to 6.4 billion.
The average life expectancy was 47 years! (My parents are 69 & 74 and Carol’s parents are 83 & 84 and all are in great health thanks to modern medicine and good genes)
Only 14 % of homes had bath tubs.
Only 8% of homes had telephones.
There were only 8,000 automobiles with only 144 miles of paved roads.
Maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
Tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
Average wage was 22 cents an hour.
The average worker earned between $200 and $400 per year.
More than 95% of births took place at home.
90 % of all doctors had NO college education.
Eggs cost 14 cents a dozen.
Coffee was 15 cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a MONTH and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo!
The five leading causes of death were: Pneumonia & Influenza, Tuberculosis, Diarrhea, Heart disease and Stroke.
OTHER FACTS FROM 1909
The American flag had only 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas was only 30!
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write!
Only 6 % of all Americans had a high school education.
Marijuana, heroin and morphine were all over the counter at your local drugstore and were known to be medicinal and "perfect guardians of health!"
There were only 230 reported murders in the entire country!
NONE OF THE FOLLOWING HAD BEEN INVENTED YET:
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, ice tea, zippers, tinkertoys, toasters, band-aids, hair dryers, traffic lights, Wheaties, blenders, bread slicers, bubble gum, Penicillin, sunglasses, ballpoint pens, Monopoly, trampolines, shopping carts, nylon stockings, duct tape, Tupperware, bikinis, disposable diapers, kitty litter, Velcro and milk cartons. The list goes on and on...

Let’s spend some time giving thanks for all the ways that life was easily lived today. I’m writing this on my MacBook and posting it on the global internet which arrives in your homes and offices almost immediately without a postman or the Pony Express. Wow, it just goes on and on.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow. Only 10 more days in our “Month of Gratitude.” Tell a friend how you’ve grown through it.

-Jay Kelly, Seattle Church of Christ

Day 20: A Month of Gratitude, "Valleys and Growth"

2009-10-19T23:12:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” -James 1:2-4

My wife, Carol, came up with this idea of being thankful for the tough times in the past and all the benefit that came from the struggle. Life is a series of peaks and valleys. If not for the valley before and behind we would never celebrate the summit with fists in the air and that feeling of accomplishment in our hearts.

I did some climbing years ago with some courageous disciples, Phil Hildebrand, George Sowards and Clay Jackson. We climbed all over Joshua Tree National Park, Yosemite's Cathedral Peak, Pt. Dume in Malibu and other amazing locations. There is no reward if the struggle isn't real. The summit is only as sweet as the challenge was to get there. (Yes, that's me fifteen years ago)

Some of our past struggles may still bring some pain as we revisit them. Find the blessing in those struggles. How did you grow? What did you learn? Identify each summit for every struggle and attach value to those tough times with gratitude in your heart.

Make a two-column list:
Struggles I’ve Survived and Strengths That Have Surfaced

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay

Day 19: A Month of Gratitude, "Your Gender"

2009-10-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” -Genesis 1:27

Though we have all been made in the image of our heavenly father the different genders reflect different aspects of his perfection, his power and his personality. I asked some guys at a recent men-only worship service what they liked about being male. The guys said they liked being physically strong and aggressive, getting dirty and staying dirty, taking risks and being decisive, fixing things with their hands, protecting and providing for their loved ones, not over-connecting things, but compartmentalizing their lives and focusing on one task at a time and being able to zone out, spending time with other guys and not needing to talk, and many other such things. A group of women might have had a very different list. We also talked about the different roles that our moms and our dads had in the homes we grew up in.

What do you love about being your gender? Give thanks today for all that it means for you to be male or female. What insights do you have about God as you reflect on your gender with gratitude?

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay

Day 18: A Month of Gratitude, "I Can Change!"

2009-10-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.” I Timothy 4:15

Thank God that we do not spend our lives as the exact same person. Make a list of all the fundamental changes you’ve made. Who were you and who are you now? Who or what helped you to make those changes? Remember the fears that once controlled you? Remember the trappings of your youth? What seemed very important to you when you were younger that means nothing to you now?

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay

Day 17: A Month of Gratitude, "In Memoriam"

2009-10-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

Day 17 of the Gratitude Blog... HOMEWORK: Celebrate Today in Memoriam

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.” Psalm 116:15

“Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.” Rev. 2:10b-11

Life is beautiful and unpredictable. Life is short for all of us, shorter for some. Who do you know that is already in heaven? Make a list of loved ones that have crossed from this life to the next. How grateful are you for another day of life here on the earth? What will it be like to be welcomed into paradise by your heavenly father and your spiritual family?

In what ways did these special people touch your life? How does it make you feel knowing they’ve gone ahead of you and have received the gift of eternal life? What do you miss about them?

My friends Chip Stone, Zack Hill and Dan Rice come to mind immediately and then the list grows from there.

Chip (pictured here having an early morning quiet time in his dorm room) was an unforgettable personality in our campus ministry at University of Nebraska.

Zack (pictured with close friend, Andy Winje, to the right) was on the mission team from Denver that started the Lincoln Church. He served as a great support to me when I was leading there.

Dan is a kindred spirit and life-long companion to me. I miss them, honor them and those like them who were faithful unto death. One day we will all walk among them in perfect joy.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay

Day 16: A Month of Gratitude, "Do The Dance"

2009-10-15T22:06:00.000-07:00

By Jay Kelly

Day 16 of the Gratitude Blog... HOMEWORK: Do the Dance!

"You turned my wailing into dancing: you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever" -David (Psalm 30:11-12)

Click Here to Witness the Dance

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps.
See you tomorrow,

-Jay Kelly

Day 15: A Month of Gratitude, "History Lessons"

2009-10-15T00:53:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

This blog is for Day 15 of a month of gratitude.

Homework: Give thanks for all the ways you have been educated. What were your favorite lessons and classes as a kid? Who were your favorite teachers. Did you like history?

Centuries of recorded biblical and non-biblical history can illuminate our paths today. We have countless lessons from the scriptures that teach us so that we don’t have to learn everything the hard way.

“These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you do not fall!”
-I Corinthians 10: 11-12

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
George Santayan, philosopher, poet and novelist, 1863-1952.

Thank God for your brain. Learn something new today and give thanks. You can start with a little trivia…

Today's Highlights in History for October 15:
In 1858, the seventh and final debate between senatorial candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas took place in Alton, Ill.
In 1860, 11-year-old Grace Bedell of Westfield, N.Y., wrote a letter to presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln, suggesting he could improve his looks by growing out his beard.
In 1917, Dutch dancer Mata Hari, convicted of spying for the Germans, was executed by a French firing squad outside Paris.
In 1928, the German dirigible Graf Zeppelin landed in Lakehurst, N.J., completing its first commercial flight across the Atlantic.
In 1946, Nazi war criminal Hermann Goering fatally poisoned himself hours before he was to have been executed.
In 1964, it was announced that Soviet leader Nikita S. Khrushchev had been removed from office.
In 1969, peace demonstrators staged activities across the country, including a candlelight march around the White House, as part of a "moratorium" against the Vietnam War.
In 2003, eleven people were killed when a Staten Island ferry slammed into a maintenance pier. (The ferry's pilot, who'd blacked out at the controls, later pleaded guilty to 11 counts of manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.)
Ten years ago today: The humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Five years ago today: Thousands of people opposed to gay marriage gathered on the National Mall in Washington to call for a constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between a man and a woman.
One year ago today: The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 to win the NL championship series 4-1 for its first pennant since 1993.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay Kelly

Day 14: A Month of Gratitude, "Kids"

2009-10-13T23:05:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. –Matthew 18:1-4

Today your homework is to thank God for the child-teachers in your life. This can be your own children, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, neighbors or Kids’ Kingdom students. Also, thank God for your own childhood experiences which have taught you lessons about him. In what ways were your parents like God? In what ways did God protect, provide, teach, tolerate and train you through human parents as you grew up?

A vivid personal story comes to mind for me about trust. Chandler trusted me completely as a young child. We had just moved to Seattle and were renting a house on Queen Anne in the summer of 1997. Chandler was three years old. We had a “jump into Daddy’s arms” game we’d played regularly whenever I had just parked the car. She would undo her car seat, climb into the back of our Jeep Cherokee, I would open the hatch and she would jump into my arms. One day we’d parked and she’d taken her time climbing to the back. I was distracted talking to Carol and she threw herself into the air with my back to her. It had never crossed her mind that I wouldn’t catch her even if I wasn’t looking in her direction. I heard her hit the concrete driveway behind me. I turned as she was looking up at me and inhaling for a great cry of pain and disappointment. She had been betrayed; her trust had been broken. She didn’t understand why I wasn’t aware that she had launched herself into the air and required a strong, yet soft landing followed by tickles and hugs.

Children trust completely even when the authorities in their lives are not worthy or capable. Children forgive just as quickly as they express their honest hurts and pains. Thankfully, our heavenly father is perfect, does have eyes in the back of his head , so to speak, and always offers us that soft landing sometimes followed by tickles and hugs.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,
-Jay Kelly

Days 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13: A Month of Gratitude: "Five Senses"

2009-10-08T23:36:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

This blog is for days 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 of a month of gratitude.
Homework: Focus on your five senses one day at a time and celebrate with gratitude each of them in a special way. Take some time each day to imagine life without seeing, smelling, touching, tasting or hearing.

Friday, 10/9: Sight. Do you have a friend who is blind? How much time can you spend today with your eyes closed trying to imagine that life? Try getting dressed without sight. Can you brush your teeth and take a shower with your eyes closed. Give thanks and be specific. Consider the importance of visual art and its impact on your daily life. What are your favorite colors and why? You can easily get to a place of deep gratitude for the miracle workings of your eyes.

Saturday, 10/10: Smell. My friend Scott Lewis doesn’t have a sense of smell. They say that smell is the strongest memory trigger of all the senses. When you smell autumn leaves what do you feel? Make a gratitude list of your favorite smells and the memories that they help you experience… mowed grass, rain on pavement, sharpened pencil, coffee, etc.

Sunday, 10/11: Touch. Have you ever experienced a professional massage? The power of touching and being touched is a healing agent and a great gift from God. Researchers say that infants who are held regularly develop far beyond those who are left in their cribs. Touch matters. Try touching the shoulder of those you talk to today. Exchange a neck and shoulder rub with a friend. Give someone a foot massage. If you’re married, get naked and give each other that long overdue full body massage and take your time!

Monday, 10/12: Taste. Food is more than fuel. Food defines our culture, shows our family how much we love them, passes on our traditions, celebrates our holidays. Give God the thanks he deserves for your favorite foods. Why are they special to you? Thank the cooks in your life who’ve prepared them. Cook something special yourself today. Savor each bite of even the most common of snacks as you celebrate this sense today.

Tuesday, 10/13: Hearing. Do you own ear plugs? Try taking some time to experience being deaf. Consider the blessing of music today. What are your favorite types of music? What are your favorite songs from church. If you have a song book take it with you on your prayer walk today and remember those songs from the good old days that moved you so powerfully as a younger Christian. What are your favorite sounds from nature... waves? birds? leaves? Give God specific thanks today for all that you hear moment to moment.

Have fun growing in gratitude these next few days. Hope this helps. I'm going out of town on Rambo Weekend at Deception Pass with the Westside guys. I'll be back and blogging for day 14 of our month of gratitude.

Love you,
-Jay

Day 8: A Month of Gratidude, "Heroes"

2009-10-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

Today is Day 8 of a month of gratitude!
Homework: Heroes are an important ingredient in any great life. Tell one of yours how grateful you feel.

We all need inspiration to achieve our personal best. We have heroes from the past and many living heroes who impact our daily lives by their examples of excellence, their interest in our lives or their passion for their purposes. Who are your personal heroes? Your homework today is to make a list of personal heroes both living and dead. Contact one of your living heroes and tell them how they have inspired you. Be specific as you describe the impact they’ve had on your life.

Three of my many living heroes are:

My father and foundation builder, James Patrick Kelly, Jr (I’m JPK, III): My dad excels in so many disciplines, has a diverse set of interests, loves his family and is living a meaningful and healthy life at 74 years of age. My dad is a great man in the eyes of those who know him well.

My boss and best man, Scott Green: Scott lives his life respecting his principles and directing his passions for the good of all those under his leadership. He has saved me, restored me, guided me and loved me through 25 years of spiritual growth and treasured companionship. Together we are building a strong church and encouraging a family of churches along the way.

My trainer and true teacher, Gregg Marutzky: Gregg combines his exceptional wisdom and tireless work ethic to the service of God’s purposes and God’s people. The Lord of the Harvest has placed fire in Gregg’s heart that has re-ignited me over and over again; he fans many of God’s workers into flame. His crown is being encrusted in jewels.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,

-Jay Kelly (and the Staff of the Seattle Church of Christ)

Day 7: A Month of Gratitude, "Nature"

2009-10-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly
Today is Day 7 of a month of gratitude!
Homework: Remove excuses today! Carry a piece of nature in your pocket and give thanks.

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” -Romans 1:20

The men in our ministry have an amazing annual tradition with an unfortunately polarizing name, “Rambo Weekend.” Those of us who’ve participated in Rambo Weekend are inspired by the tradition. Those on the outside often roll their eyes and drift into visions of Sylvester Stallone covered in blood. The Rambo Brothers have an entirely different perspective. We see 50+ disciples of Christ taking the time to experience God’s creation in a fresh and new way. Only 1 in 3 of the men in our ministry take the trek into Rambo Weekend. It’s not for everyone though our numbers grow every year. Those of us who’ve learned to love it know it’s all about being off the grid, out in creation, roughing it and loving it. We’re packing already for this weekend’s adventure at Deception Pass.

Your gratitude homework today is two-part. First, it’s about getting outside to pray. Go somewhere that you can pray out loud, lift your voice and your hands to the sky. Go in the morning or make it a lunch break adventure. Secondly, I want you to find a piece of God’s creation to carry around in your pocket, place on your desk, your dashboard or your kitchen counter. It may be a stone, a leaf or a feather that reminds you today of the creative power that God employed on our behalf. He made our earthly home beautiful, powerful, practical, and sustainable. He revealed himself as the intelligent designer behind everything we will see, smell, feel, hear, touch and taste today.

Today is all about giving thanks for that which was created for our comfort, our protection, our enjoyment and our knowledge of a heavenly provider who loves us completely.

Put that leaf in your pocket and feel its texture all day and say thank you to eternity’s ultimate artist and provider.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow,

-Jay Kelly (and the Staff of the Seattle Church of Christ)

Day 6: A Month of Gratitude, "Memories"

2009-10-06T07:51:00.001-07:00

by Jay Kelly (Sorry this was posted later than usual)

Today is Day 6 of a month of gratitude!
Homework: Dig Through Some Treasure

“Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” -Luke 2:51-52

As God’s people we are wealthy in so many ways. We have all been storing treasures in our hearts throughout our lives in the form of memories. Your memory if a power gift from God that allows you, at will, to transcend today’s routine and travel back in time. Today’s Gratitude Homework is to go back to your earliest memories and pray through your life in chronological order giving thanks to God for blessings you’ve rarely considered.

This will take some effort as, for many of us, it has been easier to re-live childhood pain and disappointment than pleasure and blessings. Go through the years and say thank you to God. Re-experience your conversion. Paint as vivid a picture as you can manage.

My earliest vivid memory is our house on New York City’s Staten Island. It was my third Christmas and I was a month from being four years old.

I remember my baptism on December 16, 1984. I was nervous and happy. I had a best friend at church visiting that Sunday who would become a Christian himself a few months later.

I remember first becoming a Bible Talk Leader at Boston University under Scott and Lynne Green’s leadership. Steve Chin (pictured) was a big brother and best friend showing me how to lead and love my small group. I could go on and on, but I won’t. It’s your turn.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow.

-Jay Kelly (and the Staff of the Seattle Church of Christ)

Day 5: A Month of Gratitude, "Answered Prayers"

2009-10-04T19:29:00.000-07:00

Gratitude Blog for Monday, October 5:
by Jay Kelly

Today is Day 5 of a month of gratitude!
Homework: Make a list of answered prayers.

We are often riveted when feeling the need for God to answer our prayers for this or that, for him to rescue us, heal us or lead us. What happens next is sad, but common. We don’t even acknowledge his timely responses, but quickly move on the next thing we want or need. Today’s homework is to take the time to reflect, remember and reminisce about as many answered prayers as come to mind. Write the down. Share some with others.

On a personal note… Last night was a night I’ll never forget. Our Second Annual Building Preservation Auction for our historic church building was a series of answered prayers (www.another100years.com). One highlight was the attendance of our new friend, Kendra Todd, winner of Donald Trump’s television reality show, The Apprentice, Season 3. Midway through the live auction Kendra inspired us with her commitment to our cause, a new roof for our historic building. She pledged to match the first ten thousand dollars in donations, dollar-for-dollar, during our “Fund a Need” donation time. We raised over $13,000 in the following five minutes. Her pledge turned that into $23,000. We now have the matching funds needed for our Landmark Challenge Grant to repair the roof and $23,000 becomes $43,000 when we add the grant money we were awarded. We are on our way to waterproofing this amazing piece of history. Thanks to all of you who gave yourselves to this cause.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps. See you tomorrow.

-Jay Kelly (and the Staff of the Seattle Church of Christ)

Day 4: A Month of Gratitude, "Sunday Worship"

2009-10-04T01:17:00.000-07:00

Gratitude Blog for Sunday, October 4:
by Jay Kelly

Today is Day 4 of a month of gratitude!
Homework: Come to church and talk about the gifts you receive every Sunday from the body of Christ. Tell someone at church how you are changed every Sunday as a follower of Christ.

Our God is perfect in power, wisdom, kindness, love, all things…

He designed the practice of corporate worship because we need to be one body, one family to survive this spiritual battle and because he wants our love, respect and devotion. How are you healed, guided, challenged, inspired, reminded, called and filled by your time with the people of God? We are truly a remnant. What you may be tempted to take for granted is like a great gemstone you wear everyday set in a band of gold that is extremely rare to all around you, but common to you. Polish it today. Experience church worship, imperfect body parts and the joy of family in a fresh way with your new eyes of gratitude. Tell someone at church your favorite part of the worship service and why it meant a lot to you.

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps; See you tomorrow.
Love you,
-Jay Kelly (and the Staff of the Seattle Church of Christ)

PS... it's 1:20AM and Carol and I just returned from an amazing auction event for our historic church building. I'll blog about it tomorrow. For now I'm just happy that I'd already written something for tonight to cut and paste so I can go to bed.

Day 3, A Month of Gratitude "Increase Your Happiness"

2009-10-02T19:53:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

Today is Day 3 of a month of gratitude!
Homework: Read Article, “Increase Happiness by 25% today” (link below) only after reading what I have to say about it!

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” -Philippians 4:8

We know the holy scriptures have the answers to all of life’s most important questions, but the world needs to learn this the hard way, taking the scenic route time and time again. The academic world’s best and brightest have frequently drawn the conclusion that biblical principles work. They do not use those terms in describing their conclusions, however. Scientists from all over the world have published research articles about the benefits of faithfulness, meditation, generosity, servanthood, and gratitude. This is today’s homework. Spend a little time doing some online research of your own.

Check out the fascinating introduction to a recent online article…

“Psychological research finds that people's happiness levels are remarkably stable over the long-term. Whether you win the lottery or are paralysed from the neck down, after about three to six months you'll have returned to your usual level of happiness. While these findings are deeply counter-intuitive, they also raise a serious problem for those wanting to increase levels of happiness permanently.
A possible answer comes from recent research in the psychology of gratitude. Yes, you read that correctly - being thankful might be the key to raising your happiness 'set-point'. And there is some good experimental evidence to back up this theory.” -Curious? Check out this PsyBlog article, “Practicing Gratidude can Increase Happiness by 25%.”

www.spring.org.uk/2007/09/practicing-gratitude-can-increase.php

Have fun growing in gratitude today. Hope this helps; See you tomorrow.

-Jay Kelly (and the Staff of the Seattle Church of Christ)

Day 2, A Month of Gratitude, "Whatever You Do."

2009-10-01T18:18:00.000-07:00

Gratitude Blog for October 2:
by Jay Kelly

Today is Day 2 of a month of gratitude!
Homework: “Whatever You Do”

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” -Colossians 3:15-17

Today the gratitude challenge will require focus. Get yourself a scrap of paper to carry around in your pocket, prop up on your desk, hold in your hand. Write on the paper, “Whatever You Do.” The homework is to give thanks to God as many times as possible today for the ordinary, “whatever you do,” things. Go ahead and get weird about it. Use your God-given creativity, something to give thanks for (I'm practically doing this for you). Have some fun and share a few laughs with God.

How many things can you express thanks for today... 10? 100? 1,000?

"Thank you, God, that whenever I turn this faucet on clean water comes out for me to drink, wash & brush my teeth!" (that counts for three)

"Thank you, God, that this closet if full of shirts, pants and belts!" (three more)

Have fun growing in gratitude today… see you tomorrow.

Love,
Jay Kelly (and the Staff of the Seattle Church of Christ)

PS, We'll get deeper with this sometimes for you Emo Disciples, I promise.

Day 1: A Month of Gratitude, "I Appreciate You."

2009-09-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
-I Thessalonians 5:18

Tomorrow, Oct. 1, is the beginning of a month-long journey into greater appreciation of all that God has provided for each of us. The bible is clear that gratitude is to be practiced in all circumstances. Giving thanks takes practice and we will get better at it over time. Gratitude, especially in a challenging situation, is a true indicator of spiritual maturity and a rarely travelled road to joy and fulfillment.

Today is Day 1 and we are going to provide a gratitude exercise prior to each day of the coming month.
October 1: Homework,
Tell someone close to you what they mean to you; Be specific and elaborate on at least three specific things you see in them that have made a difference in your life. The proverb, "familiarity breeds contempt." was credited to St. Augustine. We all know how true it is that those we see every day are least appreciated in a tangible way.

We also understand that we are meeting two needs when we tell those closest to us what we love about them...

"The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated"
-William James (1842-1910) pioneering American psychologist and philosopher, trained as a medical doctor.

They need to hear how much we've benefitted by having a relationship with them. We grow through our gratitude and they grow through realization of appreciation. They hear, "I do matter in this world!"
We hear, "I am loved deeply every day by those I often overlook."

On the eve of each October day we will post a theme of gratitude for you to contemplate in the morning before you begin your day. The staff is praying that our themes will have a profound impact on your life as you go forward from your quiet time each day.

With love and gratitude for your faithfulness,

Jay Kelly and The Staff of the Seattle Church of Christ

Anticipating an Amazing Auction Night

2009-09-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

It's been a great day of church business. A special highlight was our auction planning meeting tonight at the house with April Brown, our auctioneer. Everyone was excited about all the good news; It's obvious that God is working to help us host a very special night for a great cause. Aaron Johnson put together a little intro video for one of our celebrity guests, Kendra Todd, who won Donald Trump's, "The Apprentice, Season 3." We will be auctioning off a Power Lunch with Kendra for those interested in learning about her experiences on The Apprentice and working for Donald Trump and most recently hosting her own show on HGTV, "My House is Worth What?"

You won't want to miss this special night as we save one of Seattle's historic buildings and have fun doing it. All funds raised will go toward preserving this Queen Anne historic building at 2555 8th Ave. West, Seattle, Washington 98119. The "Building Life" silent and live auction is this Saturday, October 3, 2009 at 6pm. You can register in advance or pay at he door. $30 includes finger food, fine wine and friendly neighbors having a good time for a good cause. If you haven't registered, it's not too late. Go back to our main church website or find secure online registration at www.another100years.com.

Our Daughter, Chandler, is Baptized

2009-09-16T16:44:00.001-07:00

By Jay Kelly

Click Here for my YouTube Video Blog (same video)

Two Special Denver Memories

2009-09-04T12:24:00.000-07:00

By Jay Kelly

Being here at the International Leadership Conference in Denver has been truly life-changing for me already. Carol and I served in the ministry here from 1988 to 1992. I was the singles minister, the campus minister at Metro State College and at University of Colorado, Boulder and spent time leading a ministry of marrieds as well. There are old friends around every corner and in every classroom of the conference.

My two favorite times spent here so far were taking a road trip up to Boulder to climb up to my old prayer spot overlooking CU, Boulder and showing Daren Overstreet where Carol and I were married. Here's a short video clip of both of those outings...

9 months to go...

2009-08-03T18:12:00.000-07:00

Just finished a formal presentation today for SPU's MFT program. That was my LAST assignment for the summer quarter--YES! This means I now have 3 more quarters til graduation. I've finished 54 of the 70 credits (3 years, part time) and should finish my clinical internship shortly after Christmas. The journey has been long, grueling, and completely worth it. Stay tuned and pray for me to "translate" these amazing experiences into something really useful for our fellowship--I am 100% confident it will enhance the maturity and sanctification of our wonderful church!

Many thanks to Jay for mentioning my labors this past Sunday. I had no idea how guilty I felt about taking this on until he mentioned how behind it the staff and church are.

Thanks to all!

FUN - by Linda Brumley

2009-07-19T22:13:00.000-07:00

Ron’s prayers always, always begin with gratitude. No matter the object of his current prayer--no matter the gravity or urgency of the requests he has to lay before God-- he always begins with the things he’s thankful for. His evening prayers almost invariably begin with thanking God for a “fun day”. Fun. Fun is a high priority in Ron’s life. He looks for it everywhere. If he can’t find it in the natural course of events, he creates it. But he always gives God the credit for it because it is one of the great blessings in his life.

Sometimes, when I hear him praise God for the fun in a day, I have to do a mental recap to see if I can pinpoint the fun he is referring to. Often I find I would have thanked God for a pleasant day or a peaceful day or a productive day but, for Ron, it’s almost always a fun day. I love this. It cheers me and challenges me.

Last Tuesday evening when we were praying together, I was especially listening for the “fun” in his prayer. We had spent the day (from noon to 5:30pm) at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, seeing a variety of oncologists to discuss my upcoming mastectomy. The five hours could have been described as informative, but surely not as fun. Add to that the fact that we finally got out of there just in time to fight rush hour traffic on near empty stomachs to get back across the lake to our home—you get the idea.

So Ron began his prayer: “Father, thank you for a good day. Thank you for medical expertise and our access to it…..” How perfectly fitting--it was a very good day!

Record Teen Attendance at NW Youth Camp

2009-06-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

Almost 300 campers, counselors and staff directors are spending this week at Pinelow Campgrounds outside of Spokane, Washington. Please keep them in your prayers. Jermaine and Stefanie Peacock and ministry staff from all over the Northwest U.S. and Western Canada are busy helping the youth of our churches grow in their devotion to Jesus and the bible.

Carol and I were there for the first night of camp. Mark McCune preached an inspiring lesson and the entire Spokane Christian Church joined the campers for the Sunday night festivities.

Below is a little clip of the first flagpole gathering on Sunday afternoon...

Seattle Church of Christ Receives Preservation Award

2009-06-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

I am continually amazed by all the ways that God has used our recent purchase of our 8th Ave. West church building on Queen Anne to further His causes and bring his people positive attention and abundant support from the community.
On May 20th of last month Scott Green, our lead evangelist, and Charles Robison, our Queen Anne Mission Town Leader, attended the 35th Anniversary Celebration of HISTORIC SEATTLE, an organization devoted to preserving the heritage of our city. Our church was honored with a Preservation Award for Community Partnership for Historic Preservation. Mayor Greg Nickels and many honored guests heard Charles Robison tell the story of our church building's near brush with demolition and eventual rescue. It has been almost two years (we closed on 8/28/07) since we purchased this architectural masterpiece and moved into our first church home.

Click here to link to the evening's program.

We are on the verge of becoming a Seattle Historic Landmark. Thank you to all who have helped us along the way. We received a generous restoration grant from 4Culture.org and are planning our October 3rd Auction Event to raise the matching funds needed to restore our roof and assure the building will be a thriving community treasure for many years to come.

Regarding Blogging by Linda Brumley

2009-05-29T21:58:00.001-07:00

An old friend in another city called me last week to say she’d read my blog. It was the first blog I’ve ever written. I felt suddenly uncomfortable with such widespread self-exposure. I found this unease floating in and out of my mind all day long. That night, embarrassment settled in more firmly and I turned on my pillow to tell Ron that I regretted putting myself in the spotlight. I hated the thought that perhaps the blog had been self-centered and I offered him the chance to join me in self reproach by reminding him that I had read it to him and had sought his advice before posting it.

In a fashion I’ve come to depend on for the last 48 years he said: “That blog wasn’t about you. It was about helping others with your vulnerability. Turn over and go to sleep.” Ron: ever dependable to gather in the fragments of my sanity and bind them up with logic for another day/hour/whatever. I settled in for the night pondering whether to think of myself as an egotistical altruist or an altruistic egotist.

Altruism has to be among the most challenging qualities we’re called to as followers of Jesus. Introducing a concise summary of Jesus’ other-centered life the apostle Paul admonishes us: “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

We’re not asked to live out a sort of self-deprived stoicism in disregard of our own interests as if that might somehow benefit humanity. Rather, in recognizing our own needs, we become better able to understand the practical and emotional needs of others. We gain a keener sense of empathy with our fellowmen as we navigate our way through the struggles of our own lives. We are better equipped to “…do to others what you would have them do to you….” (Matthew 7:12) And if we approach life’s circumstances alert to the lessons that will teach us to lend an ear, lend a hand, and offer an appropriately consoling word, we better understand the beauty of the way Jesus approached his humanity:

“For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way…. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:17, 18).

Visit to San Diego by Linda Brumley

2009-05-21T22:09:00.000-07:00

I’m at my daughter’s house in San Diego today on a trip that was planned months ago, and that I for sure would not have taken if I’d had a crystal ball. A week ago today, I learned from a surgeon at UW medical center that tissue he’s removed and sent in for biopsy revealed that I have breast cancer--again. I’m tired and I’m sore and maybe a little out of whack emotionally, but in no way in despair or panic mode.

People are kind and concerned and solicitous of my well being and I’m grateful. They tell me that I am in their prayers and this is more than reassuring, it’s a joy. It’s amazing to me thinking of my name being mentioned to God multiple times a day from so many sources--amazing!

Many urge me toward optimism, but I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic. I feel neutral--very still inside, very trusting that God is on the case and he’s got tomorrow figured out. I only know about today.

It’s sunny and beautiful here. I have a comfortable bed, assurance of three good meals that I don’t even have to cook, people to delight in and laugh with, family and friends who are on the same page with me spiritually.

I dread another surgery and I think that’s normal. I hate the thought of more chemo, but I can ride that wave (however grumpily--you can pray about that!), but I think I’ve finally learned to live one day at a time through a crisis. I love that Jesus explained to us that each day has enough trouble of its own! (Matthew 6:34) He so fully understands our humanity and the limitations of how much we can cope with effectively. He gets it that we are made of dust and I’m extremely relieved.

So today, I’m with my daughter and her great husband and their adorable, fascinating, talented, healthy kids. And right this minute, I’m home alone with their very cute, and equally stupid puff-ball of a dog, Ace (no offense intended, but I could tell you stories). He is sitting at my feet gazing up at me with these enormous brown eyes that look for all the world as if he’s sympathetically aware of my diagnosis. And until his playmates get home from school, he seems to have single-handedly embraced the task of filling my world with compassion. It makes me giggle. It’s a very good day.

Wed. Night Live Strikes Again

2009-04-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

The City Men Bible Talk Groups have been taking turns hosting our mid-week services. Each group has taken ownership, put their heads together and used their talents to inspire the rest of us. We've had some fun teaching, sharing, singing, acting, etc. which makes for an unpredictable and memorable evening. These times have touched our hearts and given us great discussion themes for our discipleship groups that follow.

Here is the skit that the Queen Anne Mission Town guys did this past Wednesday, 4/15/09.

2009-04-03T12:09:00.000-07:00

Church Leadership is a Family Affair
By Jay Kelly

I had the opportunity to spend Wednesday and Thursday of this week in Sacramento with Drew and Kathy Nitchoff. We have been friends since we first served in the ministry together in Denver, Colorado in 1988. Carol and I had just moved out from Boston to help Preston and Sandie Shepherd build the Denver Church. Drew is an old friend.

Back to Sacramento… Drew had humbly asked me to come and help his leadership group iron out some differences. That is exactly what happened. We spent some time getting to know each other. We prayed. We shared scripture and we talked at length about the power in Matthew 18 to guide us toward reconciliation. We recognized that sin is a constant threat to our relationships and we fought back with our hearts and our bibles open. We all left happy and hopeful. The Sacramento leaders that I’ve gotten to know are an amazing group of men from different walks of life who are determined to come together and support the Nitchoffs’ leadership of the church there.

The more diverse the members of a leadership group the more potential strength there is to compliment one another and fill in the gaps (or to drive each other crazy). Our Seattle ministry staff is all over the map in terms of personality, talent and leadership style. We’ve been working well together effectively and happily for 12 years now. These, my best friends, couldn’t be more different from me, or one another… I grin thinking about the Greens, Brumleys, Kellys, Overstreets, McCunes, Fords, Whitakers and Wallaces being thrown together with Erin Ulm (office mgr.) and a few zealot interns. What an unlikely family affair we are. Our staff has intellectual edges and military pledges, artistic training and can fish when it’s raining. Okay, I’ll stop. You get the point.

As a member of such a diverse team it is easy for me or any of us when considering our own strengths and preferences to mislabel them as our “oh so deep convictions.” The next step on that poorly lit path is to look with disappointment at those around us that lack said “oh so deep convictions.” In truth, these are the areas of my spiritual life that come more easily to me than they do to others. As much as we may long for those around us to be more like us, embrace our priorities and mimic our habits we would be much weaker for the ease of it. A few classic scriptures have helped us to honor one another even when we do not understand or relate:
Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”
Matthew 7:3, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
Matthew 18:32-33, “… ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’”

I’m proud of the unity and strength of the Seattle Church. Scott and Lynne Green have done a great job helping all of us in the church here to obey countless “One Another” scriptures. We have matured as a fellowship and are building a church that is a happy place to be a Christian. I thank God that I can say I would wish my life here on anyone.

Our Visit to the Bellingham Church Planting

2009-03-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

By Jay Kelly

Your Calling

2009-03-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

We've made this year's theme all about "Calling," to highlight the need for each of us to tap into our God-given abilities and use them in this world for eternal purposes. So how's that going? Do you know what your gifts are? Are you using them for God, his kingdom, and for others?

Don't try to do that perfectly. Who knows what our "best gift" really is? The other night, I was washing the dishes and humming the finale to the Overture of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro. Why, you ask? Because I was tapping into a memory from 2nd grade, when I used to listen to my parents' classical records ad nauseam. As I washed dishes, it struck me that I could remember the cascading notes from clarinets and flutes in that piece, and I could remember noting that even when I was seven! Yikes.

So is music really my thing? I imitate well on piano, but I can't write. But I think I probably do have an unusual gift for music. Nevertheless, I'm glad beyond measure that Darin Ford is our Music Minister and that I get to preach and teach.

So find a passion rather than the passion and put it to work. You'll be happy you did.

New York, New York

2009-02-20T16:43:00.000-08:00

(Please see video below; some of you will recognize Sam Powell, Cynthia Powell, Larry Craig, Jim Brown, Teresa Brown of "Upside Down," and Oneitchi from Africa missionary lore)

Hardy & Healthy. To people familiar with the New York City church in our ICOC family, those two words come as no surprise in describing the 3000-ish disciples of that great church. Lynne and I just returned from a weekend in NY--New Brunswick New Jersey to be specific--where we served as keynote speakers for their annual married retreat, this year entitled “Fireproof.” While we were there, we had the joy of getting to re-know Sam and Cynthia Powell, who quarterback their staff leadership team. Moreover it was a thrill to get to know the NYC elders (a shout out to the Kellys from the Craigs!) and their thoughtful, engaged marrieds ministry. We also had a chance to reconnect with Ryan McCullough, who works for the Central Jersey church as a campus intern and was converted here in Seattle while a student at Lakeside HS. Lynne and I spoke to their staff on Friday evening, then to the marrieds on Saturday and Sunday.Our conversations there were so “normal”: deep, respectful, open, inquiring, and warm.

Planted in 1983 by Steve and Lisa Johnson (currently leading the Portland congregation) and a handful of disciples from all over the US, the NY church lit a candle for the world in the 80’s and 90’s, sending leaders, missions money, and mission teams all over the region, to Africa, and to the Caribbean. They pioneered arts ministry and the so-called Daytimers ministry for those (again, often artists) who work at night, and produced ineffably moving muscials like Upside Down and Slingshot which still encourage us today.

Like most of us, the last few years have been hard on NY. Most recently, confusion and chaos have, thanks to dedicated elders and other leaders who kept their spiritual heads, segued into respectful reform that has the NY church on the move again in every way. The maturity is palpable and the congregation grew by 250 last year. Pray for them, even as we ask them to pray for us. My personal hope and prayer is that our two churches will forge close ties in the near future--how else to placate Kelly and Whitaker (Mr. Hell’s Kitchen), right?

I said, am I right? Are you talkin’ to me? Are you talkin’ to me?
Ah, fuhgeddabowdit.

Our Singles Ministry is Growing

2009-02-06T14:53:00.000-08:00

By Jay Kelly

I'm very proud of the brothers and sisters in our singles ministry here in the Seattle Church of Christ. John Novak is an engineer in Belltown who was met by the disciples at the Seattle Art Museum. George Hwang is a physical therapist in West Seattle and was brought to church by Chelsea Zhang.

Northwest Staff Retreat

2009-01-25T22:29:00.000-08:00

Northwest Staff Retreat, Victoria, BC
By Jay Kelly

2009-01-22T10:45:00.000-08:00

Martin Luther King Day with HOPE Worldwide
by Jay Kelly

On Monday, January 19th, we celebrated Martin Luther King Day in a very special way. The Red Cross and HOPE Worldwide worked side by side with hundreds of member of the Seattle Church of Christ to help inform the community about the causes of house fires. We distributed Red Cross tip sheets on fire prevention and emergency plans in case of a fire.

Here is a short video with clips from our day of service.

Rocky Mountain High

2009-01-13T10:14:00.001-08:00

This past week, Danni and I got to attend the National Campus Minister's Planning Conference and we bring you greetings from beautiful Boulder, Colorado. About 30 Campus ministers and some spouses attended a three day planning conference where we discussed the state of campus ministries around the country, planned for the ICMC and in general, encouraged each other to grow in our ministry and personal lives. I can't tell you what a blessing it was to attend a meeting with a group of leaders who are passionate about taking the campus ministry work around the country higher. There are times when the spiritual tank of inspiration gets low and we need additional sources of inspiration. Fortunately, we are a part of a unified Kingdom where inspiration, input and discipling flow freely. I don't exactly know how it happened, but I left Seattle a bit discouraged and came back refreshed. Maybe it was a change in altitude, or perhaps it was a change in attitude.

Danni and I got to spend time with two of our best friends, Troy and Kim Criss from Gainesville Florida. We exchanged Christmas presents with them and I have to admit, Danni and I came out the winners: We gave them coffee and smoked salmon, they gave us Florida Gators gear. Thanks Troy and Kim for your love and friendship, go Gators! We also got to hear inspiring messages from some of the different campus leaders around the Kingdom. Danni and I were inspired to dream big dreams again, and to be courageous enough to pray desperate prayers to God again. Most importantly, we heard from Mike Taliaferro, who challenged us to find a balance with our personal lives and enjoy marriage and raising our children. I want to thank all the brothers and sisters who shared their hearts to inspire the leaders. We are truly blessed to have this great Kingdom.

On the second day of the conference, I got a special treat, and that was Ryan Flynn arrived. As you know, Ryan was hired as the campus minster at Colorado University in Boulder. Boulder is the perfect place for him as its a five minute drive from campus to the Rocky Mountain Foothills. Ryan wasn't the only ex-UW student there, Marcus Wallace (Tacoma), Jeff Henderson, and Nate Bigbee (both on staff in San Antonio), were there as well. Jeff and Nate are doing great in the ministry and wanted to let everyone here know they are having fun, but miss Seattle.

On the last day of the conference, Danni and I had an afternoon date/quiet time where we drove up into the Rockies to pray and enjoy all that God had created and indeed it was good. We tried to capture the view from up there, but pictures don't describe the panoramic feel from just the foothills of the Rockies. A few miles high, the air was thin and as we prayed for a renewed commitment to our marriage, our parenting and our ministry I was sure that God could hear us because we were that much closer (this is just my opinion)!

Maybe God didn't hear us any better, but it felt amazing just being there. I guess that's why they call it, "Rocky Mountain High".

We want to continue thank the amazing church we have here in Seattle and encourage one another to take it even higher in '09. Our prayer is that not only campus ministries, but all demographics of our U.S. Churches would be successful this year!

Love,
Alex and Danni

City Men's Mid-Week, "Wednesday Night Live" Skit

2009-01-10T22:57:00.000-08:00

By Jay Kelly

We're trying something new for the City Men's Mid-Week Service. Each Bible Talk group will have their chance to host "Wednesday Night Live.' The host BT will have creative freedom to inspire and instruct us with skits, songs, improv, testimonies, drama, comedy or whatever works for them. We're infusing mid-week with zeal, ownership and creativity. Each host group's presentation will be followed by an inspirational video and a discipleship group theme. We're planning our own spiritual Oscar Night and will have red carpet awards for those who have used their gifts in life-changing ways. Our Mission Town Leaders tried to set an example with their sharing and skit, "Creature in the Closet."

Click Here to see it on YouTube

Mingles Bring in the New Year

2009-01-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

... Or Click here to see Video Blog on YouTube

White As Snow

2008-12-21T10:37:00.000-08:00

Some snowed-in Sunday cheer:

2008-12-11T23:55:00.000-08:00

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

Last night my wife and I saw a movie that reminded me that everything great in my life is a gift from God. Although I personally feel that the first movie was a lot better, the second movie in the Chronicles of Narnia series, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008), brought me to this spiritual epiphany.

I won’t destroy the storyline for those who haven’t seen the movie but I do want to share about the scene in the film that led to think about my life and my relationship with God. About three quarters into the movie, in the fight against the tyrannical Telmarines, one of the kings and queens of the past (Lucy, Edmund, Peter, Susan) i.e. the protagonists of the film and “good guys” of the movie, Peter the magnificent, wrestles with whether or not he should put more faith in own abilities to lead the group against the tyrannical Telmarines or to put his faith in the power of Aslan (the Christ-God-like character in the story who has been absent up to this point in the movie). Seemingly frustrated with Aslan’s disappearance, Peter tells the others that they can defeat the Telmarines without the help of Aslan. Peter feels this way because in the first movie, Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005), he with the help of others defeated the antagonist of the first movie, The Wicked White Witch. His little sister, Lucy, disagrees with part of his new-found confidence in himself and says: “You need to remember that you didn’t defeat the Wicked Witch all by yourself.” Her words are true because in the first movie, Aslan, the Christ/God character in the movie is one who ultimately defeats the evil White Witch. By saying this, Lucy is trying to convince Peter to humble himself and ask for Aslan’s help instead of trying to defeat the Telmarines on his own. Although he doesn’t respond to her words at first, at the end of the movie, Peter does look to Aslan for help and as a result, Aslan does make an appearance in the battle between the two parties and comes to the aid of Peter and the others. How much of difference does Aslan make? You will have to rent the movie to find out for yourself.

I was convicted by Lucy’s quote because I started to think about my own life and then I asked myself if after looking at good things that have gone well, do I “really” give glory to God and remember that it is him who has been responsible for any success that has taken place in my life? As I thought about it, I was guilty because I know that in my everyday life, I should give God much more glory than I do. God has blessed me with the opportunity to serve as a full-time intern in a church in Tacoma, Washington, for the past 2 and ½ years; I have a loving wife who is both beautiful and spiritual; I have been a disciple for always 9 years; I have been a part of several thriving campus ministries in the Northwest and even got a chance to go on a mission team to Spokane, Washington; I have a host of family and friends that love me and give purpose and meaning to my life; and many more blessings in my life (too many to count really). However when I look at what’s went well in my life, one constant reminder that I always I need to go back to is that I am not the reason that I have been successful: It is all because of God.

So as I close, I want to remind you the same way I was reminded last night: Every great blessing that you have in our lives is not because you are so great, but that serve a great and glorious God. Everything that has gone well and the blessings waiting for you in the next year (and for the years to come) are because of his grace and his undying love for you.

In this “film of life,” let’s not forget who the real Aslan (God) is in our lives!

Holiday Traditions on Campus

2008-11-29T22:01:00.000-08:00

I guess it's that time of year again,you know the holiday season. My wife and I start our holiday season on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving with our annual T-day Devotional. Now I know what you're thinking, "Devotional right before Thanksgiving break?". We'll the annual T-day Campus Devo is a different devotional entirely: we don't start off with singing and I don't preach for an hour, yet it still somehow manages to remain fun. This year, my wife got the ball rolling, spending the better half of a day preparing three turkeys (and I don't mean me and the kids) for the almost 70 students that came to have dinner with us Tuesday night. It's our campus tradition: The students bring the desserts, the side dishes and the zeal; while Danni and I cook the Bird. Okay, I didn't actually cook anything this year, but I did baste the Turkeys when my wife asked me to.

So why do we love this tradition so much? Well, we all get to exercise our turkey muscles two days early. That means we don't go into Thanksgiving with out a warm up. The students must love it, because this year was the biggest it's ever been. We apologize to any mothers who had students that seemed disinterested in the Thanksgiving meal, yes it was all our fault.

Truthfully, we love the holidays, the students that are in our ministry and those coming around for the first time. We have so much to be grateful for and so much to share. I guess I get to exercise my muscles of giving thanks and loving the people God has put in my life and that's why I truly love this time of year. Tuesday, I looked around our packed living room and saw a whole lotta college students joing hands in sincere prayer, grateful for what God had given them. That made me happy. I then looked at the table and was astonished at what the students brought: ham, pies, mashed potatoes, greens, gravy oh my. Jolynne was holding my daughter while Mike Kim had his hand on my son's shoulder. My lovely wife didn't even see me peeking at here during the prayer. I surveyed the room and thought, I am truly one very blessed man. Happy Thanksgiving and let's bring in the Christmas Season.

actual photo of real food brought by students

Miss Keyser's Big Day

2008-11-28T12:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a little 7 min. video to go with Megan's post below...

Inspiring Westside Teen

2008-11-18T11:25:00.000-08:00

Madeleine Keyser began studying the bible a year ago. When we first started talking about studying the bible we were sitting in a cute UDistrict tea shop. Even sharing a sugar cookie can turn spiritual with a woman as deep as Madeleine.

She is currently a sophomore at Nathan Hale High School. She serves in ASB leadership, is a radio DJ at her school's radio station (c89.5), is a stand out big sister, and a constant fixture in the teen ministry. Most first attempts to describe Madeleine start out something like, "she's just so cool..."

It is so inspiring to know a teen of such strong character so young in her life. Her pledge of a clear conscience towards God will serve her so well in this life. I also am confident that her decision will help so many of her hearers, it already has had such an impact on her friends. While Madeleine was studying the bible her friend from school began coming to church with her. Her friend liked it so much that she began bringing her 2 sisters and her mother. Her mother liked it so much that she began studying the bible and got baptized last summer. Madeleine's friend is also studying the bible, and has been so inspired by the changes she's seen in Madeleine and their relationship.

Madeleine was baptized on the sunny Saturday morning, November 15, 2008. Her experience while studying was certainly a time of change in her life, but the moment she came up out of the water she knew this was the start of a journey that will last for the rest of her life.

2008-11-14T15:39:00.000-08:00

By Jay Kelly

Every time I walk through our church courtyard I am reminded of a very special group of people who recently spent the day serving our church and our community.

This group of young men, Troop 72, and their willing and wise parents spent an entire Saturday scraping, sanding, caulking, priming, painting and eating slice after slice of pizza. It was a sunny, warm October Saturday, the 18th. Sullivan Brown, our local Eagle Scout, had orchestrated the entire day. His idea was to serve the community by helping to restore a historic building in his neighborhood.

Sullivan had called me months before to discuss possible projects that he and his troop could handle. He was interested in projects that would make a difference in our restoration efforts.

On our assigned day we were there at 8AM and everyone worked hard all day. God had granted us warmth and sun, which was key for primer and paint to adhere and dry. The original eighty-year-old leaded glass windows were set in wood frames that were in serious need of attention. Much paint was peeling, some wood was rotting. The boys and their parents followed the direction of their resident contractor-dad, Doug Shay and did an amazing job. Doug installed our new lights with the help of Jim Gore

I’ll always appreciate another reminder that there are people all over Seattle that are willing to work together to build community, preserve history and sacrifice for the good of others. Thank you Sullivan and your fellow Boy Scouts. We cherish the memory of your service and our beautifully restored windows.

My BU Roommate is a Disciple and a Hero

2008-10-22T15:50:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

I always knew Sokoun was a special brother. I loved our discipling relationship. I led the bible talk group and was supposed to be his leader, but it seemed that I learned more from him than he learned from me. His heart was always very passionately connected to the lostness of those around us. He shared his faith more than me; he prayed longer than me. He was one of those people that are hard to lead because they are always running ahead of you in the areas that matter most. Sokoun was a groomsman in my wedding 20 years ago. I'm proud to be his friend and brother for the last 20+ years. I'm still praying to be more like him.

Check out his inspirational story on TIME and CNN

Hello from Kiev, Ukraine's International Leadership Conference

2008-10-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

Click here to see video blog on YouTube

The City's Mission Town Leader Men's Retreat

2008-10-08T10:39:00.000-07:00

By Jay Kelly

The churches of the United Kingdom

2008-10-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

On our recent anniversary trip, Lynne and I were privileged to not only visit the Kiev church, but also the Birmingham, England church led by Andy and Tammy Fleming. We spent four days with them, including a two-day retreat with all the leaders (most of them lay leaders) of the United Kingdom churches (and those of Scotland and Ireland as well!). Here's a clip of the retreat (some of you will recognize Malcolm and Penny Cox, Mike deSouza, and the Flemings), with a little "shout out" to Seattle:

The leaders of those churches have struggled and overcome in their quest for a more mature kind of unity between the churches (not unlike what we've forged here in the Northwest family of churches). It was a GREAT honor to add our experiences to theirs on how to build respectful yet humble unity, and how to build the local works with "costly stones."

Lynne and I both feel that in the days to come, we will be building more ties with these churches--stay tuned!

Kiev Part III--hello from Estonia

2008-09-23T03:08:00.000-07:00

BE SURE TO skip down and read/view all three Kiev installments. Here's the last part of our Kiev time--a shout out from the leader of the Tallin, Estonia church. We had a two day retreat with all the Kiev, Ukraine, and Central Euro leaders. Who is that beautiful emcee on the intro?

love from Scott and Lynne

Sunday in Kiev (part II of three)

2008-09-23T02:58:00.000-07:00

Tech difficulties are being overcome! Here's Sunday in Kiev, featuring a Seattle Cossack preaching...

The Miracle of Kiev

2008-09-23T02:31:00.000-07:00

Read on: video to follow!

Last week, Lynne and I were privileged to serve for and be witnesses of an amazing work of God in Kiev, Ukraine. Many of you will recall the miracle of Moscow in 1991--the LA mission team that began in Red Square with fear, trembling, and prayer, and went on to discover that God had prepared a remarkable remnant of seekers perhaps unique in our generation. Hundreds were baptized into Christ that first year, and soon mission teams proliferated all over the former Soviet Union. One of those plantings grew fastest of all--the Kiev church led by Shawn and Lena Wooten (Lena being one of the first Moscow converts). If I'm remembering Shawn's recounting correctly, 28 were baptized the very first week! Later that year, they experienced a Sunday on which over 200 were baptized (that took about four hours).

Since that time, the Kiev church has become a church of over 1000 disciples with nine other Ukrainian churches planted. The Wootens spent many years away from Kiev, working in Moscow and spearheading the work of HOPE worldwide for Russia and Eastern Europe. About a year ago, they were asked by the Boston church to serve as missionaries for Ukraine and Central Europe. They now reside again in Kiev, and had invited us to teach the church and Ukrainian/European leaders over a week's time--Scott preached NINE times and ran out of words!

Over a thousand years ago, Vladimir I decided that Kiev should be a Christian city and literally forced every resident at sword-point to be baptized. Today, the Wootens and their spiritual family are praying for the same--not by force (!) but by conviction. Have a look at these video witnesses...

Here's a hello from Shawn and Lena:

More videos of Kiev to come, but I'm having technical difficulties at a Cornwall internet cafe!!

Love,

Scott (and for Lynne)

2008-09-19T04:41:00.000-07:00

A shout out to the Seattle women from KIEV!!

Bellingham Church Has First Service

2008-09-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Danielle and I got the chance to take our family up to Bellingham for the inaugural service. The experience was nothing short of amazing. God has performed miracle after miracle in Bellingham in order to make Sunday's Service a success for the 40 people in attendance and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

Saturday afternoon: The weekend started with a drive that was significantly shorter than we anticipated. After having traveled to Portland three times in the three previous weeks, I felt like we were there before we realized. The scenery was breathtaking, especially the last 15 miles between Burlington and Bellingham. We rolled down the windows and enjoyed a sunny, crisp fall afternoon drive.

Saturday evening: Landon and Gina hosted us for a tasty Italian dinner (props to Gina). We sampled a homemade sauce and got the chance to meet Mark Geising, a disciple from San Diego, whose family moved up here a few years ago. We had a wonderful dinner talking about Bellingham life and learning more about the different members of the mission team and talking about the answered prayers that coincide with the Bellingham Church planting. Justus and Jael watched Fifel while we all fellowshipped.

Saturday late night: The Vanderyachts joined us as we put the kids down to catch up and talk about the mission team. It was great to hear about the things God had already done before the team arrived. We talked about the ministry, joked with one another and had an amazing time. About midnight, my eyelids were too heavy and we had to call it a night. Landon brought out a housewarming gift from one of his neighbors, we drank some of it and stayed up a bit longer. It was good. :)

Sunday morning: There is something cool about being in a new city preparing for Church. I drove around Bellingham and found a coffee shop where I sipped a latte while enjoying the view of the Sound by the Bellweather Hotel. It was a great QT spot. Danni and I shared a latte later that morning as we went over our communion and prayed.

Sunday Service: Service went smoother than we could have imagined. We met in the gateway center, about a half mile from WWU. The building was new and the facility was cozy. When I walked in, it reminded me of when we used to meet in the Hyatt. I met two of Landon's neighbors that showed up for service and worked my way through the fellowship that included disciples visiting from Seattle, Eastside and even a couple on vacation.

Scott Wellington led the congregational songs, while Bernadette Anderson, who drove up from Seattle, kept the audience in key. After a welcome/communion by me and Danielle, Landon preached a short but powerful message entitled: What type of Church do we want to become? He spoke about being a Church that's involved and being a Church that's purposeful. Looking around the room, I thought about what the room would look like in a couple of years and smiled at the idea of having a Church of 50 in Bellingham really soon.

Post Service: There was a old school burger drive in right outside of Church. That's another benefit of being in such a prime location, you can walk to lunch afterwards. The family ate burgers and fries and shared a blackberry milkshake. We got to see the Rawson family one last time before we left and said our final goodbyes for this trip. We got on the freeway and I let out a sigh of relief, knowing that Bellingham was in great hands and feeling certain that God had set up this time and this place for the Bellingham Church to begin.

If you or someone you know is interested in visiting the Church, call Landon or Gina 253 350 6367.

Musings on Turning 70 - by Ron Brumley

2008-09-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Turning seventy is a shock to my system. Nothing in my mind allows me to think of myself as much older than 25. What lessons has age taught me? I can think of three offhand.
1. Gravitate toward God.
I don’t know how many days lie ahead, but for every day past, I’m grateful for God’s clear presence in my life. The best days have always been when I’ve drawn near to God, found direction in His word, stayed mindful of His presence, depended on His power and remained grateful for His blessing.
2. Cherish Children.
Children keep me young. Their innocence, exuberance, humility, trusting natures, endless curiosity, and eagerness to laugh and play inspire and delight me. I want to stay childlike until my last breath!
3. Value those who share your values
The quality of the friends you choose will largely determine the quality of your life. I am so grateful for the Christians who are my companions. There’s great comfort and pleasure in being around people who are aiming for the fruits of the Spirit in their hearts and an impact for good in their lives. Plus, they give great birthday presents—like Starbucks gift cards representing the decades of my life—THANKS!!! (can’t wait til 80).

Paige Kelly Gets Baptized!

2008-08-29T13:52:00.001-07:00

By Jay Kelly

CLICK HERE to see this and other videos on YouTube

St. Peter's in Rome

2008-08-27T02:03:00.000-07:00

Some building thoughts:

But seriously folks, some irony of pagan Rome...

Greens at Roman Coliseum

2008-08-26T00:26:00.000-07:00

My first colossal try at video...

Bellingham Mission Team Send Off

2008-08-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

By Jay Kelly

Just a short video blog of the Bellingham Mission Team being sent off last weekend...

Click here to see it and other videos on YouTube

“We Hiked up Koko Head!!!”

2008-08-13T23:18:00.000-07:00

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned." The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear."
But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12: 18-24)

In a vacation that my wife (Naomi) and I took to Oahu, Hawaii, at the end of June, we and her brother (Bryan) hiked up Koko Head Mountain on the Eastside of the island. If you are unfamiliar with this mountain, Koko Head is a mountain summit in Honolulu County that climbs up to 151 feet (46.02 meters) above sea level (http://www.mountainzone.com/mountains/detail.asp?fid=7772456). To say that the hike was difficult would be an understatement. I thought I was going to die. As you hike up the mountain, only walking on discontinued railroad spikes, one starts to really ask themself: “What in the world am I doing?” However when you reach the top, you see one the most beautiful views one could ever see. We (myself and my wife, her brother, Bryan, could do this hike in his sleep) were sore for days and we both agreed we would never do it again but at least we could say that we did it one time in our lives.
Despite how trying of a hike it was, it did remind of my life as a disciple. As we climb or live from each day to the next, there will be times of doubt, questions, and challenges; but for those who persevere, there is a great reward waiting for us (Revelation 21: 7). Let’s all hang in there till the end no matter how high the “mountains” in life become.

Some Thank Yous...

2008-08-01T23:57:00.000-07:00

Lynne, thank you for how much forgiveness you've given me, for enduring the headaches I've caused you of late;
Ariel, thank you for being resilient, patient, and esp. for the hugs;
Stephen, thank you for your determination to be a man ruled by conviction, not whim, even though whim is tempting; thank you for "going for it"
Ron, thank you for all your comfort--you are like Barnabas;
Jay, thank you for the craziness;
Mark, thank you for coming here;
Daren, thank you for staying here;
Alex, thank you for your humility;
Darin, thank you for your pure love for God, which "Shines"
NW leaders, thank you for your trust;
Greg, thank you for being my friend;
Bruce, thank you for the laughter;
Wedgewood BT, thank you for the insight!
God, thank you for the beautiful people you've put in my life...

I see you

2008-07-26T09:28:00.001-07:00

We had a tremendous Bible Talk last night at the Keysers' house--sitting room only! We had a rather open-ended discussion about Vacation, the Journey, and Heaven; yes, it was a challenging thing to pull together.

One insight from last night worth repeating for the day out of Heb 4:12ff--in the context of not wanting the Hebrew Christians to miss their chance at the ultimate Sabbath Rest (heaven), the writer dwells on the power of God's Word and how all is laid bare before God to whom we each must give account.

What's the link? I think this: God sees us as we really are: "I see you, Scott." His Word goes deep and exposes the Truth about us to....ourselves as we read it.

When we read God's Word, then, we see what He sees about us. And that helps us "make every effort" to enter the promised land.

"I see you, Scott. Do you see what I see?"

We're back from Vancouver

2008-07-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

By Jay Kelly

Serving Temporal Ends

2008-07-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

I've now finished about half of my academic curriculum at SPU in Marriage & Family Therapy. I have, however, about two years to go including all the impending practicum and internship hours. This augmenting of my ministry calling and career has been an inspiring, though sometimes tiring, experience.

One overarching insight about being a "therapist": it will be the first thing I have ever done professionally that primarily serves a temporal interest--a value in "this life" rather than for "eternal life." Everything else I've ever done in the ministry--evangelism, teaching, counseling, training, discipling--has pointed more towards eternal things: how and in what condition we get to heaven.

And so this endeavor has helped me see the world through the lens of most of our members--doing the kind of work (accounting, engineering, computing, teaching, whatever) that does not directly connect to the life that is to come, but rather serves the temporal times in which God has placed us for now. It's different. But it's normal.

Perhaps then, indirectly, we labor for our own stewardship, which has eternal value for our character, and potentially eternal value for those we serve and work with.

Shalom,

Scott

Back from Dan Rice's Funeral

2008-06-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

by Jay Kelly

Wanted to share a little about our time in St. Louis at Dan Rice's funeral...

Click here to see the short video blog on YouTube.

A Dear Friend Crosses the Finish Line

2008-06-20T17:25:00.001-07:00

By Jay Kelly

A treasured disciple crossed his finish line today and I lost a dear friend for now. Dan Rice died unexpectedly this morning though he seemed to be in great health. He and his wife, Heide, and Carol and I became fast friends when we were all single interns for the Denver Church twenty years ago in 1988. We’ve been close ever since. We later served together in the Los Angeles Church. Dan and Heide lead the Las Vegas church and have spent the last several years serving in the full-time ministry in the Church in St. Louis.

Pictures of us 10 and 20 years ago...

I rejoice that he has been so faithful in his love relationship with God. I mourn deeply for Heide and their two children, Alex and Taylor. Our kids are the same ages. I can’t imagine. Dan had just finished running two back-to-back teen camps and was leaving today to build homes for the poor in Mexico with Casas de Christo.

So many lives have been touched by Dan; mine is one of them. Dan and Heide served as guest speakers for the Seattle Church Singles retreat in Port Ludlow several years back and inspired our Singles Ministry greatly. He has always been an insightful teacher and preacher. He’s also been a famously mischievous teaser and talker. He loved to push the boundaries of appropriateness and indulge in hilarious self-depreciating humor. We are kindred spirits in those and many other ways.

I will miss Dan until we are together again in a place where there are no more tears.

Click to see the Disciples Today announcement.

Shering Reeves Gets Baptized!

2008-06-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

By Jay Kelly

Believe me when I tell you you've never seen a baptism quite like this one. It was so encouraging to see these three fly through the air on their way to the waters of salvation. The hot tub was just to warm up after the inspiring Lake Washington baptism.

Click here to see the video on YouTube

Who is My Father?

2008-06-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

The past weekend was a time for depth. Saturday night, Ron and Linda hosted our first annual Father-Daughter dance at the Queen Anne building. Fun, beautiful, kinetic (I guess this applies to both the dance and to my daughter Ariel!) and of course, "deep," (the Brumleys had armed each table with a series of cards with questions for the Dads like, "when's the last time you cried?") the evening was just enchanted enough to be believed.

Sunday morning church services featured a thank you to all the Dads out there--you, know, we appreciate it even more than we think! The UW ministry ran the whole church service--graduation Sunday--and it was a brief reminder of how much we love and need the next generation of zealous disciples.

Some close friends of ours lost a Dad on Father's Day--we are grieving with them.

On Monday, the staff sat at the feet of Steve Staten, an elder, evangelist, and teacher from the Chicago church. Steve taught on the subject, "Who is my brother?" helping us navigate the confusion endemic to denominational Christianity as we seek to share our faith with patients that need the healing rather than with doctors who don't. Stay tuned.

The question can be confusing: who is my brother exactly? A better question, that keeps the first one in humble perspective, is, "Who is my Father?" The closer we are to Him, the better we know Him, the longer we walk with Him, the clearer it all gets...

Go in the strength you have…

2008-06-09T16:11:00.000-07:00

I have been waiting months for this day: June 8, 2008. It marks the last meeting for those interested in the Bellingham House Church planting to make a commitment. Landon and I have been dreaming about moving to Bellingham for a while now and it was refreshing to see those who are eager to share in this dream.

Our numbers were small but we are not ones who shrink back. Eight people have confirmed their pledges to be apart of the house church and it will be enough. The family that will be relocating up to Bellingham is one of love, laughter and sacrifice. As long as we have a bible talk, we have faith the Bellingham House Church will be a success and designed exactly the way God intended.

Our official send off will be August 10, 2008 at the Northwest Christian Conference. We will then start relocating to Bellingham and our first service will be September 14, 2008. In the meantime, we will be meeting for midweek at the Queen Anne Building. This time will be used to build relationships with one another and to receive training from the ministry staff.

We are so excited to see all the amazing miracles God will do in Bellingham. We are still asking for your prayers. And since Bellingham is such a beautiful city, you should come visit us!

The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have an save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” Judges 6:14

True Companions

2008-06-05T22:06:00.000-07:00

"The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true."

- Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

From left to right: Marcus Wallace, Matt Rollins, Emanuel Eguia, myself. Pier 66.

I turned 24 this last Wednesday. I was completely encouraged by the love showered on me by so many disciples. The fellowship felt so true. It felt so refreshing, so life giving. It also felt so... out of character. I had to break off the stiffening rust of bad habits, open back up and resurrect lost practices. I have to admit, I've been a little stale in the fellowship these days, too guarded really. How has your fellowship been, how's your surrounding company doing? Beyond church. How is it on a daily basis? That's what's been missing for me and probably why this week felt like a drink of cold water. It brought me back to days where my fellowship plate was full.

I worked Monday, kind of a personal organization day.
Got sick Tuesday. Dave White bought me chicken noodle soup and a huge Gatorade. I was knocked out for most of the day, but really appreciated the gifts. I also chatted with Emanuel Eguia for a good half hour. He spent all weekend much sicker than I was. We chatted about life's challenges and things we'd been learning from our quiet times. I'm grateful that these talks have been common for us this past year. Eman has become a best friend in a year's time.
Wednesday was the the tops (or so I thought). My girlfriend dropped off cookies, candy and a handmade banner outside my house at some early morning hour... I was still asleep, so the surprise remained in tact. Throughout the day I got so many encouraging phone calls and Facebook messages wishing me a Happy Birthday. The best came from Aaron Helmers giving me a heart-stirring rendition of 'Happy Birthday' via voicemail. What a voice!
After work, got a quick coffee time w/ Todd Schoeplin before men's midweek. Todd is a hero in the faith to me. I deeply admire his love for God and his spiritual mindset towards life. We discussed our fellowship woes and confessed that neither of us felt that sharp in the fellowship lately (hmmm, might this be a theme?).
Men's midweek - inspiring. Thanks Jay. Really looking forward to a summer of 'Passionate Spirituality' and this time with the bros.
Afterwards Brandon Renfrow and I celebrated the day w/ Beer and Pizza (yes, that event deserves capitalization. Brandon always appreciates a good public 'shout-out.' There ya go bro). Sometimes the simplest times are the best. Do you have people you can simply be with? End of day, went to bed.

And then there was Thursday (the actual top)...

Miyoko (my girlfriend, who I could write a whole blog about... but you wouldn't want to read) planned a birthday dinner for me at Anthony's on Pier 66 with a group of some of my closest friends. The table was filled with laughter and many memories. What a gift, to be "surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses." God was not to be left out, and gave us a sunset over Elliot Bay complete with a glowing rainbow touching down on Qwest Field. After a crippling dinner we made our way to the pier for some pictures in the gale force winds of June 5th(seriously... June 5th?). This night will stick with me for a long time.

From left to right: Emanuel Eguia, myself, Miyoko Kim, Marcus and Naomi Wallace, Matt Rollins and Jen Harvey.

This was a special week. For me the family was all it's meant to be. What about next week though. Does it have to be any different? Why? Shouldn't the fellowship always be this fulfilling? I know I'd sure like it to be! I also know it's time to get rid of weak (or week) fellowship and get back to the true, life giving fellowship Jesus intended for us. May we all seek to give and to have this kind of company in our own lives!

"The blogs are long while the Company is true."

"We have it so good"

2008-06-02T00:29:00.000-07:00

“And everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the Tent of Meeting.” Exodus 35:21

I am pleased to announce that at yesterday’s worship service, our church (The South Sound Church of Christ) collected two thousand dollars ($2,000) to help assist Patrice Abijibly (member of the Seattle Church of Christ) and his family fund a benevolent trip they will be making this summer to the Ivory Coast in West Africa. The Abijibly’s will be working with HOPE worldwide to provide food, clothing, and other monetary needs for those who are less fortunate in the country.

As a part of the service, Patrice shared and showed a video that explained the extreme level of poverty in homeland. In this heart-moving film, we saw the poor in a way that many of us had not them seen them before. We saw families who lived in one room shacks and even heard the stories of several children who could not even attend local schools because they had no money. In addition, we also listened to other children and adults discuss the challenges they faced each day because they or families members of theirs were infected with the HIV virus.

The great part of the video was that it also showed the impact that HOPE worldwide is making on the community. Through a host of different projects and programs, HOPE has been extremely influential in meeting the physical and emotional needs of the poor. One example in particular was the creation of a support group by that brought orphans together to talk about their lives and how to deal with the pain of the past in a positive way.

After the film ended, Patrice both encouraged and challenged us that as Americans and as disciples, we need to reach out and sacrifice for others because we can. Thankfully our church gave more than any of us could have expected. This was probably the most encouraging part of the two thousand dollars ($2,000) that we collected. On a normal HOPE benevolent Sunday, we usually average somewhere between four and seven hundred dollars ($400-$700). The two thousand dollars ($2,000) we gave was truly an “offering” not just to Patrice and HOPE, but “one to the Lord.”

In response to such giving, I am reminded of the amazing churches that we all a part of (South Sound Church of Christ & the Seattle Church of Christ). I want to share this story so that we focus more on the positive things going on around us instead of the negative. Too many times we talk about what needs to change (more studies, better discipling, stronger families, etc.) instead of remembering the blessings that God is doing all around us. There will always be things that we need to change in church but let’s not forget to smile at the great things that happen when our hearts our moved to sacrifice for him. The truth is, despite our all of our sin (from the past and present and future), we are in “a great and giving church” because we have “a great and giving God.” Let’s remember this as we live our lives as Disciples of Christ.

Marcus Wallace
South Sound Church of Christ Intern
June 2nd, 2008

Our Weekend Trip to the Vancouver Church

2008-05-29T20:03:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Darin and I had the privilege of spending an entire weekend with Brian and Sara Felushko and the Vancouver Church. Brian and Sara were gracious hosts and great examples of service – they served tirelessly all weekend. Friday night was time to unwind and then meet Brian and Sara for a great dinner and time of fellowship.

On Saturday, we had an all day devotional and workshop, 9am to 4pm, with the Worship team. Darin preached an inspiring lesson entitled, “The Heart of Worship.” We had a great time of Q and A afterwards, followed by lunch and Part II of the workshop. The worship team in Vancouver is full of servants, eager to use their talents for God.

On Sunday morning, we met with the entire Vancouver Church, Darin preached a great lesson and then we enjoyed a time of rich fellowship with the disciples following the service. We even saw some Seattle disciples who were in town visiting for the weekend. We ended the weekend over lunch, discussing the weekend, with the Felushkos, Andy (who leads the Worship Team in Vancouver) and his wife, Cathy.

We feel even more bonded to the church in Vancouver. Our hearts were truly refreshed after our weekend in Canada.

Fun and Fellowship in Pt. Townsend

2008-05-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

Last weekend the Bible Talk Leaders from the South Sound held a Leaders retreat in sunny Pt. Townsend. In keeping with our congregational theme "Shine," the weather was amazing, the lessons were inspiring, and the fellowship was invigorating.

We started our weekend with lesson entitled "Shine on the Lost." We talked of the need to rethink and recommit ourselves to the evangelism of our individual mission fields. We followed it with a great talk about renewing our evangelistic efforts. After a lunch break, Marcus Wallace, Greg Miller and Walt Channell taught a lesson entitled "Shine on the Fellowship." The topic was the ever-present need to recommit ourselves to humility, openness and transparency. We ended the first day with a group feast at a local Chinese restaurant, where the food was plenty, the fellowship was energizing, and our waiter was out of control. Once he got to telling jokes, there was unfortunately no reeling him in!

We ended our weekend together by worshipping as a group on Sunday morning. The lesson was entitled "Shine on ME," where I spoke of a foundational principle of all spiritual leaders: being committed to personal transformation and renewal. Following more fellowship and lunch, we all headed home, filled up by an inspiring weekend in a wonderful little town with a close group of friends...counting the days until next year!

Daren Overstreet

Take a Break

2008-05-22T17:25:00.000-07:00

By Scott Green

If you’re feeling stressed, you may need this warning I got this from the internet:

“There is a dangerous virus being passed around electronically, orally, and by hand. This virus is called Weary-Overload-Recreational-Killer (WORK). If you receive WORK from any of your colleagues, your boss, or anyone else via any means DO NOT TOUCH IT. This virus will wipe out your private life completely.

If you should come into contact with WORK, put your jacket on and take two good friends to the nearest grocery store. Purchase the antidote known as Work-Isolating-Neutralizer-Extract (WINE) or Bothersome-Employer-Elimination-Rebooter (BEER). Take the antidote until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system.

You should forward this to five friends. If you do not have 5 friends, you have already been infected and WORK is controlling your life.”

(OK, this is not a literal recommendation, but everyone, ease off the gas: “each day has enough trouble of its own” right?)

Hugs,

Scott

Jake Smith is Baptized on the Eastside! by Ron Brumley

2008-05-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

Tuesday evening, just after our men's midweek session, fifty or so of us gathered at Enatai beach on Lake Washington and shared in the baptism of Jake Smith, our next door neighbor. When we moved into our new condo unit, Jake was immediately open to our friendship and we quickly "adopted" him as our son. Our own kids, all of whom have met Jake over the course of the last three years, refer to him as their "brother from another mother".

It has been a thrill to help Jake come to know God, to make Jesus the Lord of his life and to talk him through many doubts, fears, and misunderstandings. Several of the guys were involved in his actual Bible studies and have become some of his closest friends. Jake is an amazing young man. As many shared on Tuesday evening, he is a man of integrity, energy, enthusiasm, love for people and a great friend to many. And now, can be added, a man who loves God, Jesus and his word!

I am confident that God has wonderful plans in store for Jake, "plans to prosper him and not to harm him, plans to give him hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

God Makes It Grow! by At Ford

2008-05-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we had an exciting event happen in our lives. We started the neigbourhood Bible Talk that Darin and I had dreamed of for a while. When we moved to the North Sector two years ago, we prayed for God to move us into a neighbourhood where our neighbours would become disciples. Darin quickly became know as the “mayor of the neighbourhood” - being the first person to meet and greet every new move-in.

A few months after we moved into our home, Darin suggested that we have neighbourhood potlucks every other month. Amazingly, our neigbours wanted to have potlucks every month – one of them even suggested every week! After a year of monthly potlucks - a different neighbour hosted each time - Darin and I were even more eager to see how God was going to use our potlucks. A few months ago, during one of our dinners, one of our neighbours asked Darin if he would start a neighbourhood bible study. Darin declined!! Of course not – we were excited but we did not want to get our hopes up too much in case this was just being said for the moment. The next morning, she emailed Darin and said she was very serious and had been talking to other neighbours who wanted to join as well. We had our first neigbourhood bible study last month and will be having our second one next week.

I am reminded of the scripture in I Corinthians 3:6 – “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” It is incredible when we do our part and watch God make it grow.

Random pictures of my kids - I had to include them!

We're in the News!

2008-05-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

By Jay Kelly

"Church Restoration Continues" is the headline this week in the Queen Anne News. The article is by Russ Zabel who wrote about us when we first purchased the building.

"The congregation and leaders of the Seattle Church of Christ have big restoration plans for the former Christian Scientist church they moved into last year. They've also launched an effort to hold a live and silent auction at the end of May to raised money for the work."
Read Entire Article

The Saddest Thing...

2008-05-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

(Read Ron's San Diego update below, then come back to this post)

I don’t follow horse racing but because I’m addicted to both trivia and rareness, I usually watch the 3 minutes of the Kentucky Derby each year, wondering if a horse might win the elusive “Triple Crown,” something that hasn’t happened since 1978 (back when I was in high school, Jimmy Carter was President, and the telegraph was invented). Today “Big Brown” won the derby (as predicted); finishing second was a fly filly named Eight Belles.

A few seconds after the race was over, Eight Belles collapsed on the track. Right at that moment, I had to answer the front door and left the TV. When I returned I learned that Eight Belles had broken both her front ankles and had to be euthanized right then and there on the track. I got a little teary for a horse I didn’t know and an industry I don’t care about, remarking out loud, “that’s the saddest thing I can think of…”

Why is that? Why should it even affect me? I’m thinking back to John 11 when Jesus learns that Lazarus has died and sees the torment of his sisters. The Bible says that Jesus was deeply moved and wept. Of course, Jesus knew he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, so why did he cry?

It must be because death has a sting, even for God (1 Corinthians 15:55-56). Death is always tragic, always painful, even when we see resurrection on the other side. It’s painful to God, and when we’re in touch (even with horses we do not know), it’s painful to see. I suppose the innocence of animals is a large part of today's pain as well.

On tomorrow’s Lord’s Day, as we commune together remembering Jesus’ death and sacrifice, may we be deeply moved at the tomb that is now empty. May we feel the sting of death enough to appreciate salvation from its jaws.

Just back from San Diego...

2008-05-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

Dispatch From Ron Brumley:

Linda and I had the good fortune to travel to San Diego last weekend, to visit with our daughter, Gretchen, and her family. Besides all the wonderful grandkid stuff, a highlight for us was the opportunity to worship with the Pomerado Region of the San Diego Church of Christ. In 1965 Linda and I, along with our first two babies, Greg and Meredith, began to worship with what was then called the Poway Church of Christ. Now, 43 years later there are four regions of the church that is spread out over the San Diego metropolitan area.

We were very encouraged to see how our old church family remains to be faithful and obedient to God and how it has grown over the years. As in most other places throughout our brotherhood, the San Diego church has patiently implemented changes that better meet the needs of its members. We are also encouraged to realize the close relationship they feel with the Seattle church.

There is a special joy in my heart, feeling as I do, as a "father" to the church there. As John said in 2 John 4, "It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us".

The San Diego Church of Christ is a great example to all of us , through many trials over the years, of love, faith, service and perseverance. Thank you, San Diego Church of Christ!