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Thursday, March 31, 2005

Off to the Northwest

Today is my last day in the office... I will be traveling to the Pacific Northwest tomorrow for the second World Tour this spring. As of right now, here are the places you can find me if you're interested in learning more about NNPCW:

University of Washington, Seattle, WA
University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA
Church of the Indian Fellowship, Tacoma, WA
Portland State University, Portland, OR
Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Presbyterian Women of Seattle Presbytery, Seattle, WA
Olympia Presbytery, Olympia, WA
Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA
Campbell Farm, Wapato, WA
Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA
Whitworth College, Spokane, WA

I also still have time available for other visits, so if you're in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho, please contact me soon and I can schedule time to meet you. Also, if you happen to live in Ephrata, WA or Toppenish, WA and want to learn more about NNPCW, come watch the mighty Kodiaks of Cascade High School take on your school's fastpitch softball team-- my little sister is Cascade's pitcher.

For those of you seeking a preview of this spring's World Tour, the presentation on mystics and martyrs will be a major feature. For lack of any better inspiration, the official title I gave it was "Toil and Trouble: The Subversive History of Women in the Christian Church." It deals with the voices of women in Christianity, highlighting instances where women took a place of prominence in religious discourse, and where the institutional church historically silenced them. I discuss some of the early women martyrs, spend quite a bit of time on medieval mystics, and also talk about the phenomenon of witchcraft accusations in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Here's a teaser question from the presentation-- do you know what a medieval anchoress was? You'll have to invite me to come and speak at your school to find out!

My flight from Louisville doesn't leave until 9:05 am, so I will try to post a bon voyage blog for you in the morning before I leave. I won't be getting home to my own bed (in Washington, that is) tomorrow night until pretty late, so hopefully you'll hear from me before I leave. Wish me safe travels!

"If I take the wings of the morning, and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast." --Psalm 139:9-10

Kelsey

posted by Noelle at 9:58 AM | link | 0 comments

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Desperate Housewives

All of us staff just got our complimentary copy of Presbyterians Today in our mailbox this afternoon (I told my roommate she could cancel her subscription, but she said it was a Christmas gift from her parents). It includes a television review on the show Desperate Housewives. Personally, I think I've only seen part of the first episode. However, the show has swept the nation as a "guilty pleasure" program.

Teresa Blythe's review is a good one, actually, from a gender standpoint. She points out, "Most of the world's 'desperate housewives' are women in Third-World countries who have to do tedious and back-breaking work at home (while tending the children) in order to make a few pennies a day-- much less than what most of us earn" (24). It also judges this show as an accurate reflection of American materialism that has lost touch with the spiritual and any sense of community. But hey, at least it's not another cheesy reality TV show.

As I said, I haven't seen enough of this show to tell you what you should think about it. In fact, I don't watch enough TV to tell you what to think about any show. My last "can't miss" program was another Teri Hatcher hit-- Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

The review, though, does bring up an interesting point about the privileged lifestyles of many Americans. Have our possessions interfered with our connections to nature, to one another, and to God? We use our wealth to create secure little worlds for ourselves, bubbles where money brings complete independence, and independence prevents us from getting hurt. We exploit our world's resources (and the people who produce them) so that we don't have to rely on our neighbor for help. We buy the best in services so that we don't need the strength only faith can provide.

We're desperate, all right. Yet here's what is so exciting about the women I work with: in a culture of alienation, NNPCW women dive right into the middle. You want to experience the pain of others and to make a difference in it. You want to go beyond helping-- you hope to come alongside those in your communities, transforming the systems that cause their pain. And you see your community as the entire world. You are creating a new culture, one in which connection replaces alienation and God's love permeates our self-absorbed little bubbles.

You're doing great work, and I'm honored to know you as you do it. Thank you.

"How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?" -- 1 John 3:17

Kelsey

PS-- Thanks, Viola, for the Donne passage and the others. It has been a while since I've read the Holy Sonnets, but I should revisit them. I always loved their theological nuances.
posted by Noelle at 1:18 PM | link | 0 comments

Tuesday, March 29, 2005

For Cinder

I just spent my lunch break talking to my mom... and no, she didn't call me because I had not yet posted this morning. We have a twelve-year old German Shepherd, and Mom is going to have to put her to sleep this afternoon. Now, I've never been one to get super-emotional about the loss of pets, maybe because after losing my dad, a dog didn't seem to have as much impact on my life.

But I'm pretty sad about Cinder right now. Have any of you ever seen the movie, "All Dogs Go To Heaven?" If I have, I don't remember it. The title strikes me, though, because from a traditional theological understanding, animals don't go to heaven at all. They're not humans, and don't have the relationship with God that humans do. I suppose some people would argue this point with me, but that's probably the general conclusion if you stop and think about it.

Of course, how many of us really understand the afterlife to begin with? I know what I was taught as a child-- I used to sing a song all the time for my church congregation called, "In My Robe of White." It talked about flying away to meet Jesus in the clouds, walking along streets of gold, and the like. Many will swear up and down that this best represents the afterlife. Others simply talk about our souls "being with God," whatever that means. I'm sure that the Presbyterian Church has a teaching on it that falls somewhere in between.

As I thought about Cinder today, though, I realized that sometimes it is necessary for the human spirit to believe. Hebrews 11:1 tells us, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Sometimes, even when our reason constantly pushes us toward doubt, we tenaciously cling to hope because we have to. There are things we have faith about because our very survival in this world depends on it-- because that belief reaches us in some deep place that all the intellectualizing we do can't bring us to. This kind of faith is intuitive, it is emotional, and it stays with us even when all reason turns its face from us. It is faith the Holy Spirit plants within us.

When my dad passed away almost six years ago, Cinder took it hard. Whenever Dad's truck rolled into the driveway, she perked up and went trotting off to meet him. Yet when the door opened and someone else got out, you could visibly see the disappointment in her frame as she turned away and walked off. Cinder may have been just a dog, but she mourned my father in her own way as much as we did in ours.

I don't know the fine points of Reformed teaching on the afterlife, to be perfectly honest. But in my heart, here's what I imagine for Cinder today after she falls asleep in a little Washington town: that old dog will open her eyes, lift her head, and see the man she's been looking for these last six years coming toward her with a shy smile on his face. She'll bound toward him as he says, "Come here, Cinder." And he'll never leave her again.

I certainly can't prove this, and I doubt the church would theologically back me up on my sentimental little image. But this picture of her passing gives me far more comfort than any doctrinaire statements would. And I hope that in the great mystery that is the Divine, I will have a similar welcome from God someday.

"We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death." --1 John 3:14

Kelsey

posted by Noelle at 12:28 PM | link | 1 comments

Monday, March 28, 2005

Swamped

My most abject apologies for being so tardy on the blog today. I'm surprised that my mom hasn't e-mailed me yet to ask me why I haven't posted. I did get one phone call, though....

Happy Easter! I hope you all had a good one. I spent the weekend with my extended relatives in Tennessee attending Pentecostal church and eating really good country cooking. I also finally saw Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ with my relatives. I will refrain from proffering my personal opinion of the film, except to say that if you can't handle some seriously graphic violence, you probably should stick to reading the Gospel accounts and not see it.

I do have good news from the office, though-- the spring issue of Sisters Together is finally off to the printer, and you should see it in your mailboxes sometime in April. Highlights include an opinion forum about prejudice, as well as some practical articles on spiritual discernment and transitioning out of college. Also, for those of you who are moving next year and want to continue to receive the newsletter, please fill out and return the card inside requesting your updated contact information. We want to do two things with that info-- update our woefully out-of-date database, and also create an online directory of NNPCW members and alumnae to facilitate communications. It isn't a project I've had much time to work on since I became the only staff person currently working in Young Women's Ministries, but if I had some significant response I would definitely find time to develop something.

I am also still planning on visiting the Pacific Northwest next week, and I still have room in my schedule to meet with you. Please contact me if you're a church or campus group that would like to learn more about NNPCW, REYWT, or young adult opportunities in general. I would love to come visit!

Well, I'm afraid I have to go back to work now-- intern hiring is still consuming most of my pre-World Tour office time. Unfortunately, I'm just as swamped tomorrow as today, so don't expect to hear from me until after lunch on this blog. Until then....

"Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord'; and she told them that he had said these things to her." --John 20:18

He is Risen!

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 4:27 PM | link | 1 comments

Friday, March 25, 2005

Good Friday

"Yet dare I almost be glad I do not see
That spectacle of too much weight for me.
Who sees God's face, that is self life, must die;
What a death were it then to see God die?
It made His own lieutenant, Nature, shrink;
It made His footstool crack, and the sun wink.
Could I behold those hands which span the poles,
And tune all spheres at once, pierced with those holes?:

--John Donne, from "Good Friday, 1613. Riding Westward," Verses 15-22.

When I took a class my senior year on John Milton and the Metaphysical poets, I really thought I was going to hate it. I was an English major in college, but not because of my deep and abiding love for poetry. Yet I always liked John Donne. He writes some of the most vivid love poetry in the English language, partly because he always brings the sacred into it. As a member of the clergy, he also wrote many religious poems. Part of the impact for me of this particular poem, written on Good Friday, lies in the line, "What a death were it then to see God die?" It really does, for me, capture the darkness of the crucifixion.

It is Good Friday, a time for reflection. The lectionary for today is:

Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Psalm 22
Hebrews 10:16-25 or 4:14-16; 5:7-9
John 18:1-19:42

For those of you who haven't seen the "Jesus Loves Feminists" t-shirts that NNPCW sells, one of our top ten reasons why Jesus loves feminists is because "they were there until the end." Indeed, John 19:25 mentions three different Marys present standing near the cross during the crucifixion. Women have always been faithful, from the beginning of Jesus' ministry to today, where we make up the majority of most churches. Live in that faithfulness, knowing that on today of all days you celebrate God's powerful love for you. Have a wonderful Easter holiday.

"When Jesus had received the wine, he said, 'It is finished.' Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." --John 19:30.

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 10:47 AM | link | 0 comments

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Maundy Thursday

I wanted to let all you Southerners out there know that I just committed the travesty of eating leftover grits again.... someone made garlic and herb grits for an Easter breakfast over in Worldwide Ministries (I snuck in after they all went outside for the division photo), which well may be the best grits I've tried yet. Nothing brightens my day like free food. Hmm, hmm... the cinnamon roll I snuck out is exquisite.

Today is Maundy Thursday. If you read the blog earlier in the week, you know that today Christians commemorate the Last Supper. The lectionary for today includes:

Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-17, 31b-35

You may remember that the word "maundy" refers to the new commandment that Jesus gives Christians, to love one another. Perhaps, then, today is an appropriate day to remember all the people in the world that we don't show our love to. From those afflicted with HIV/AIDS in Africa to the woman down the hall from us, it is all too easy to forget what it is to love. Love requires action rather than emotion. It is agape rather than eros. How have we acted to show God's love, and where have we failed?

Holy Week is a good time to remember, and to repent. Take some time out today to remember what it means to love one another, and then take time to act on that love. For the song is right when it says, "They will know we are Christians by our love." There are too many times where we proclaim Christ with our mouths while denying him in the same breath by our actions.

"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." --John 13:34-35

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 12:35 PM | link | 0 comments

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Devotionals

One of the great things I'm discovering about Holy Week-- if you don't know what to talk about on the blog, every day of Holy Week has a piece of the lectionary attached to it! For those of you who would like to spend time doing devotionals out of the lectionary, here are today's passages:

Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 70
Hebrews 12:1-3
John 13:21-32

The passage from Hebrews really stood out to me today... it talks about Jesus running the race, enduring the cross for what lies beyond. We all have moments where we feel like we're "enduring." We endure in everything from classes to broken relationships. We endure the pain of a hurting world, feeling that we can do nothing about it. Yet in all of this, do we ever consider what lies beyond? Do we have a reason for why we endure? This question sits in the depths of our existence-- why do we keep going?

It seems that Jesus kept going, even when he didn't really want to, because he knew that he could bring about change. The Easter story's appeal lies in the fact that it is the ultimate underdog story-- this poor carpenter guy becomes immensely popular by preaching a radically different social order, and reaching out to touch (both literally and figuratively) "the least of these." So, as all of us have seen time after time, the institutional giant (in this case, Jewish religious leaders and Roman authorities) comes in to squelch him. End of story, right? Another "crazy" bites the dust.

But that's not the end of the story. Even death, in this case-- death of a man, death of an ideal, death of a new way of being and living-- is overcome by Jesus. Jesus endured the cross because he believed so strongly in the "new creation," and that change is possible. And when Hebrews tells us to "look to Jesus" as we run our own races, it is telling us to look beyond to a world changed.

Many of you see the world for what it is, and know it isn't a pretty sight. Many of you also see the world as a place that has been the same forever and will be the same forever-- there's no point in advancing gender issues, or any other cause, in the face of the giant. The Easter story is for you.

"...Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1b-2

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 10:04 AM | link | 0 comments

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Thoughts on Holy Week

The week has started off in such a hectic rush that I failed to point out the obvious yesterday-- this week is Holy Week, the week in which Christians commemorate the events in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This story and our beliefs about it are central to what Christianity means for most of us. I may be wrong, but I imagine that all Christians celebrate Easter in some way. Yet how many of us know about or mark the other major celebrations of Holy Week? I'm going to spend a few minutes today highlighting Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday-- their historical context and how churches celebrate them.

Palm Sunday, observed the Sunday preceding Easter, has been marked since the early medieval period. By 1000 AD, Roman Christians were attempting to follow the passion of Christ as closely as possible, and this celebration was a major part of that. Most of you know of Palm Sunday because churches usually hold a palm procession into the sanctuary to commemorate it. Often, churches will also read the entire crucifixion story during worship in lieu of a sermon (as my church did this last Sunday).

Here's a question for you-- what in the world does "maundy" mean? And how does it have to do with the Last Supper, the event that Maundy Thursday commemorates in the life of Jesus? It comes from the Latin translation of "a new commandment" in John 13:34, mandatum novum. In Catholicism, it was the day in which excommunicated members of the church could be readmitted. It is older than Palm Sunday, having been observed since the fourth century. I went to Maundy Thursday service for the first time last year, and found its emphasis on taking communion very powerful. The stripping of the sanctuary at the end symbolizes Christ's stripping by Roman soldiers before crucifixion. Some churches also do a footwashing ceremony on this day. And one factoid I find interesting... the Queen of England gives out coins to the elderly on Maundy Thursday after leaving church (I believe the number of people she gives coins to corresponds to her age).

Good Friday is more well-known, perhaps, than the other two, and observed by more denominations. Though this has always been commemorated, early Christians combined this celebration with Easter in the celebration of Pascha (Greek for "passover"). Good Friday, which seems somewhat misnamed, may have come from the term "God's Friday" as the day in which Jesus was crucified. Commemorations today depend on the church-- often Protestants will hold worship between noon and 3 pm to mark Jesus' hours on the cross. One observance, known as the Tenebrae, leads the congregation to repent of its sins by slowly enclosing the church in darkness. It ends with a loud noise, symbolizing Jesus' last cries on the cross and the earthquake that greeted his death.

I think that's enough knowledge to soak in for one day, so I'm going to get back to work. I hope you decide to attend Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services this year. They provide powerful pauses in the busyness of spring. More importantly, they provide opportunities to listen for God's voice and the hope of Christ in an increasingly dark world.

"So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you." --John 13:14-15

Kelsey

posted by Noelle at 9:38 AM | link | 0 comments

Monday, March 21, 2005

The Power of Illusion

Terribly sorry, everyone, that I'm running so late on the blog today. It has been a bear of a busy, busy, busy day.

Well, good news and bad news from a weekend of men's NCAA tournament basketball. Gonzaga, who I had predicted as a Final Four contender, was knocked out in the second round. However, contrary to my other bracket predictions, both Louisville and Washington made it to the Sweet Sixteen... where they play one another on Thursday at 7:10 pm (right during Maundy Thursday service, no less). If anyone has Husky paraphanalia they want to send me to hold my own against all these Cardinal fans, feel free to pass it on by Thursday :). Unfortunately, the only team I was really interested in in the women's tournament, Louisville, was knocked out in the first round yesterday. Bummer.

I spent lunch watching the first part of a documentary called Race: The Power of an Illusion. This particular piece of the documentary focused on race as a biological myth. Now, you might be asking, "How can race be a biological myth when there are certain physical characteristics that belong to certain groupings of people?" Well, from a genetic standpoint, those truly are nothing more than skin deep. Did you know that there is ten times more difference in genetic makeup between two fruit flies than between myself and a person from Kenya? And that 85% of all genetic variations are between people who come from the same locality (and are considered the same race)? You hear racial stereotypes all the time-- things about African-Americans being better athletes or Asians being better at math and science. What the video points out, though, is that from a biological standpoint traits such as athleticism, intelligence, and musical ability stem from a complex interaction between several genes (not just one) and various environmental factors. They're certainly not genetically common to any one group of people.

As for the visible physical characteristics that we mark as "racial," those have more to do with the geographic location of your ancestors than anything else. Skin tone deals largely with your ancestors' distance from the equator. Even sickle cell amenia, which is characterized as a disease afflicting those with African ancestry, actually has a higher rate of occurance in any population whose ancestors lived in malaria-infested regions-- including the Mediterranean and the Middle East, but not including the southernmost parts of Africa.

If this is true, and there really is no deeper biological basis for race, then what else is race but a very, very powerful social construct? Maybe Paul was more right than he even knew in saying that "we are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). Even he, too, points to the roots of race as a social concept-- he talks about the elimination of the dichotomy of "slave and free," a category which underlies later motivations to determine biological racial markers (i.e., if we're enslaving or mistreating other humans, we have to prove that they're inferior to us in order to justify it).

It was a fascinating film, one I would definitely recommend to anyone for some sort of open forum about issues of race and power. I'll let you know when I see the other parts of the documentary. Have a great rest of your Monday!

"For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-- and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." --1 Corinthians 12:13

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 2:01 PM | link | 0 comments

Friday, March 18, 2005

Women Bloggers

It's March Madness time! This year, I'm rooting for three teams-- Louisville, in homage to my current domicile, Gonzaga, and Washington. The good news is that both the Huskies and Bulldogs won yesterday!! The bad news? All three teams play in the same bracket. It is very possible that Louisville will eventually go head to head with UW (and for those of you from home, yes, I will root for Washington in that case).

You might be asking yourself right now, "How does this have any connection to NNPCW?" My answer? It doesn't :).

Anyway, I read an article yesterday about women bloggers. The article evaluated why there are so few women bloggers in cyberspace... or better put, why so few women bloggers are getting noticed in the mainstream media and on the big blogs. Yes, for those of you not at all familiar with the world of blogging, there is a hierarchy of blogs-- people who have risen to the top, people whose thoughts and opinions are read by thousands every day. Getting noticed in the blog world, apparently, requires you to get a mention in one of these all-powerful columns. This is something I don't anticipate for Network Notes anytime soon.

There are several opinions as to why women aren't getting recognized in the blogsphere. For many of the male bloggers that wrote on the topic, it seems that women are not combative enough to "take" the sometimes nasty world of blogging. After all, we're raised to be nurturers and all that. And if men do criticize us or our intellectual stance, we'll (to get right down to it) get our feelings hurt.

First of all, as a college-educated person, I can definitely take well-considered, legitimate criticism of my ideas without getting my feelings hurt. While I do tend to prefer consensus-building over conflict, I sat through too many class discussions and had too many professors critique my English and history papers to break down at the first sign of opposition. Arguments that women can't handle criticism of their ideas are belittling our intellectual capabilities. Are we back in the 18th century or something? I think Mary Wollstonecraft was writing about this in the 1790s. Come on, folks.

That said, I do think the world of blogging, like many of the male-dominated spheres of influence, feeds on power. And in a forum where power dynamics are everything, it isn't enough to legitimately criticize someone else's ideas-- you have to do it in such a way that you assert your dominance over the other. You attack them to belittle their intellect as a whole. You essentially cut them down, undermining their power every time they speak until they cease to oppose and your ideas reign supreme. There always must be an alpha, and attacks must be viciously repelled in order to maintain the alpha position.

Maybe this is why so many of us women haven't been able to make it big in the blog world (or the world of politics, or anything where that dominance system exists). Do I think that this means we should go out and train women to be as nasty and ruthless in their critique as some of these men, so that they can get their blogs read, or get elected, or make it big as an op-ed writer in The New York Times?

Heck, no. Women's liberation, in my mind, is as much about liberating us all from this power system as it is about women being noticed by the power players. Getting attention from the establishment requires us to buy into it, to play by its rules. I would rather be authentic to who I am and have the five of you out there who actually read this blog read it, than have a million readers but have to belittle and humiliate other people to do it.

Because I don't believe that's what feminism or Christianity call us to. All this derided emphasis on feminists as "consensus-builders" just means that feminists believe in human dignity-- a person, and her or his thoughts, are worth more than your selfish attempts to aggrandize your own power. And you know what? If we believe that God loves every single human being, enough that God would give Jesus on the cross for all humanity, then doesn't God also believe that a person is worth enough for you to be respectful in your dialogue with her or him? Did Jesus go around putting down the Pharisees with his sparkling wit when they challenged him?

I can't speak for other women, but it's okay by me that the establishment isn't featuring my blog. If we disagree in this free-for-all of ideas known as cyberspace, then great. But I'm not going to posture as a vindictive, backbiting, nasty girl so that I can play with the "Big Boys" to get my ideas considered out there. That's not how I understand women's empowerment. And it's not how I understand God's call to humanity.

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." --Ephesians 5:1-2

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 11:02 AM | link | 2 comments

Thursday, March 17, 2005

St. Patty's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Now, I don't have to confess this, since none of you can see me right now, but I'm not wearing green today. It just didn't occur to me that it was St. Patrick's Day until I saw the giant tent the Irish pub was setting up across the street from where I dropped my car off to be worked on today. Yes, for those of you who know of my love and devotion to my car, the 'Stang is sick :(. Her left ball joint has gone bad, but she should be good as new by sundown. Good news for all the CoCo and Leadership Event Planning Team members with fond memories of being shoved in her backseat (sometimes with luggage, when her trunk refused to open).

However, I still want to pay my homage to the Emerald Isle. So I went to www.historychannel.com and found out some tidbits for you all. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, as you probably know, and today is thought to be the anniversary of his death. Irish raiders kidnapped the young Patrick from his home in Britain in the early centuries of Christianity, and during his captivity he turned to God. After escaping captivity, he felt called to return to Ireland as a missionary. The website says that contrary to popular belief, Patrick didn't actually introduce Christianity to Ireland-- there were already a few Christians there. He did, however, popularize Christianity by incorporating pagan symbolism into Christian celebrations. The Celtic Cross? A blend of the sun, which was already worshipped in Ireland, on the Christian cross to make veneration of the cross more appealing to the people. However, he did not banish all snakes from Ireland.

Irish people have celebrated St. Patrick's Day since his death. Though this day falls during Lent, the Irish take a break from fasting and have a feast of meat after going to Mass in the morning. Yet the first parade for St. Patrick's Day took place here, in the United States, in 1762. It was held by Irish soldiers serving abroad in the English military (since England was the occupying power of Ireland at the time).

During the 19th century, when Irish Catholic immigrants were victims of racial prejudice and stereotyping by the Anglo Protestant majority in the United States, St. Patrick's Day parades became an important show of solidarity and political strength in the Irish-American community. Today they are celebrated around the world, particularly among the 34 million people in the United States who claim some Irish ancestry (Ireland itself only has a population of about four million!).

I hope you enjoyed the little history lesson, and that you enjoy St. Patrick's Day. One final, interesting factoid about St. Patty's Day in Ireland-- until the 1970s, all pubs were closed on March 17 for the religious observance of the holiday. I'll bet you never would have guessed that!

"One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, 'Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!'" --Luke 14:15

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 9:38 AM | link | 0 comments

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Ways to Pray

When I was a little girl, I heard all the time about prayer warriors-- people who would sit for hours in their "prayer closets," talking to God. My grandmother's first cousin's wife, in fact, was once deep in conversation with God at 2 am when she looked out the window and discovered her daughter's friends TP-ing the house! I know another teacher in my old high school who prays for each of her students, every single morning before school.

Praying is definitely a discipline, one that I greatly admire. It is one of the most basic ways of connecting with God-- a period not only to speak your heart's anguish, but also to listen for God's still, small voice to you.

For some of us, prayer comes easily. For others, though, it is hard to be a so-called "prayer warrior." There are many ways to pray, though, and the PC(USA)'s Office of Spiritual Formation puts out great resources on it (check out www.pcusa.org/spiritualformation). If you don't find sitting in your room with a candle to be the best way of centering yourself for prayer, here are some suggestions from that office for bringing your body into worship:

NNPCW also has some great information in the discussion resource about embodied prayer, and the importance of not trying to separate our minds from God's good creation of our bodies when we worship. Take a look at it-- if you're not a contemplative type, these ways of praying may resonate more with you as a way to connect to God.

May you find rest in the busyness of life today, and may you hear God's voice through the din of the world.

"David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod." --2 Samuel 6:14

Kelsey

PS-- As you're using these new prayer techniques this week... on Palm Sunday local Palestinian Christians are going to walk from Bethlehem to Jerusalem with donkeys and palm branches to symbolize the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem 2000 years ago. However, since 1990 Palestinian Christians and Muslims have not been able to enter the Holy City to worship God. They will most likely be stopped at an Israeli checkpoint and prohibited from entering Jerusalem. Please pray for our sisters and brothers in Christ as they witness to peace and to God's love for all the children of Abraham.

posted by Noelle at 9:25 AM | link | 0 comments

Tuesday, March 15, 2005

The Ides of March

"Beware the Ides of March...." If my memory serves me correctly, that was a line in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, and March 15 was the day on which Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE. If it is your finals week, perhaps this line has new meaning for you.

Maybe some of you, like me, had to perform Julius Caesar in high school. I actually played Caesar during the assassination scene-- I had a particular penchant for playing Shakespearian death scenes in school. In college, my English prof told me he'd never seen anyone leap off the chair to the floor like I did the day I played a poisoned Queen Gertrude in Hamlet. You see, there is just so much humor for modern audiences in a death scene from Shakespeare. The male protagonist always tragically exclaims, "I am slain!!" and then goes on for another ten minutes to talk about his impending death before he finally croaks. Has anyone else noticed this? ...Umm, okay, so I guess that was just me.

What's going on in the office today, you ask? Well, simply put, a whole lot and not much at the same time. I'm still trying to scrounge up visits for the World Tour to the Northwest. If you're reading this and you're from the Pacific Northwest, you need to get on it and ask me to come visit! Otherwise, I'm just going to sit around and watch fastpitch softball in my hometown of Dryden, Washington (pop. 200) for two weeks.

The spring issue of Sisters Together is also on the drawing board right now. I'm still working on layouts, and only then will I do the desperate scramble to fill all the empty spaces that are left over. You should know, though, that some of our best features have come out of my moments of desperation. The wonderful article in the last issue by Rick Ufford-Chase, moderator of the General Assembly, was written in a day after I happened to encounter him at a staff meeting. Any suggestions for Sisters Together? Right now would be a good time to mention them.

The Racial Ethnic Task Force also met again last night, where they made more great recommendations for how we can make NNPCW more responsive to women of color. The topic of discussion was the brochure and starter kit that we send out to new members. Among their suggestions:

I'm thinking that when we hire a new intern for Young Women's Ministries, she can tackle some of this work. Applications have currently closed for that position, and we will be interviewing soon. Moreover, the interview process is complete for the Racial Ethnic Young Women Together Program Assistant, and we hope to be able to announce that position soon. Keep checking here to hear the news first!

So that's the latest from NNPCW. I know midterms and finals are here for many of you-- keep marching forward, and just know that it will all be like a bad dream in a few weeks :). And in all the hectic worries of studying, don't forget what is really important.

"But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.'" --Luke 10:41-42

Kelsey

posted by Noelle at 11:05 AM | link | 1 comments

Monday, March 14, 2005

So I went to church yesterday. Nothing new about this, of course-- I generally go almost every Sunday. I'm trying out a new church that I kind of like, and for Lent, the pastor has been preaching on the Beatitudes. Yesterday, she talked about Matthew 5:9: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Perhaps for me, the point that echoed most in my mind is that peacemaking does not eschew conflict. When I think of peace, I tend to think of an absence of conflict. Peace means no war, right? Peace means harmony and agreement in our homes, in our communities, in our nation. Peace is a room where I make a point and everyone nods their heads enthusiastically.

If what I just described is peace, then yeah, peace is a pipe dream. Because that kind of peace would essentially require all of us to be the same person, with the same material needs (all of which could be fulfilled easily) and the same beliefs. The bottom line is that we don't live in that kind of world. We all carry different experiences and different circumstances that inevitably bring us into conflict with one another. You aren't the same person that I am, so we don't always believe the same things. I may have more resources to get what I need than you do, which will lead to conflict when we're competing for the same things. Any discussion of peace has to take conflict into account, because it is one of the defining realities of human existence.

So, Jesus, what does it mean to be a peacemaker? I certainly don't know all the answers to that question. There are two points, however, that I reflected on during yesterday's sermon. One is that as Christians, we have to be willing to confront for the sake of the Gospel. If we see a world that isn't living up to God's vision, that isn't reflecting God's love (which is much of the time), then we need to stand up and say so. I would certainly consider the prophets bearers of God's shalom, but they were coming into conflict with religious leaders all the time. We call Jesus the Prince of Peace, but Jesus didn't hesitate to speak up on behalf of people without the power to speak for themselves. Speaking God's vision for the world is always going to bring you in conflict with someone else. But real peace requires working through conflict rather than avoiding it.

I also thought about how work for peace, like everything else Christians do, has to stem out of love. So many of the destructive conflicts we do see today are born out of hatred. Sometimes there are good reasons for that hatred. But does that really get us anywhere? If bare bones Christian teaching is to love God and love your neighbor, then that has to be at the forefront of everything we do. Conflict for the sake of proving you're right or for revenge just perpetuates cycles of violence. Peacemaking has to stem from love of God and love of God's creation, bringing justice while letting go of retribution.

The Presbyterian Church has an entire office devoted to peacemaking, complete with a young adult network of peacemakers. If this is something you're interested in, go to www.pcusa.org/peacemaking/ for lots of information and resources. In June, Transforming Fear Into Love: Peace Building for Our Time will take place in New Mexico. There are special opportunities for college students to work at the conference and get a totally free trip in exchange. You can contact Amanda Craft at 888/728-7228, ext. 5624 if you're interested in more details.

Thanks for bearing with me as I ruminated on peace this morning :). As you go through the week, I hope you find shalom in unexpected places.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." --John 14:27

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 10:57 AM | link | 0 comments

Friday, March 11, 2005

Pioneering Women

Bad, bad Kelsey... I belatedly realized that in all the mayhem that has been my life recently, I missed International Women's Day on Tuesday. So in this little blogsphere, today is our celebration of International Women's Day.

Conveniently for me, the latest issue of Presbyterians Today ran a feature entitled "The Church's Pioneering Women" for Women's History Month. This highlights the struggles of women to be ordained in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), on the eve of celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of women ordained as deacons (1906), the 75th anniversary of women ordained as elders (1930), and the 50th anniversary of women ordained as ministers (1956).

The article by Amy Starr Redwine highlights Margaret Towner, the first woman ordained in the northern branch of the Presbyterian Church in 1956. Even though key clergy in her presbytery supported her ordination, the article says, "Many people felt that only a man could visit hospitals and perform weddings and funerals. And the only time Towner was allowed in the pulpit was the Sunday after her ordination when she gave the benediction" (16). Yet Towner continued to serve, and inspired other women who followed. You can read the entire article at www.pcusa.org/today/cover/cover.htm.

The feature also points out other women who paved the way, like Rebecca Reyes, who became the first Latina woman ordained to the ministry in 1979, and Thelma Adair, who in 1976 became the first African-American woman to moderate the northern branch's General Assembly. Adair spent her year as moderator bringing issues of justice and civil rights into the larger church's discourse.

Today, those of you who grew up Presbyterian don't really think twice about women's call from God to be ministers. In fact, by 2025 the denomination estimates that over half of all active ministers will be women. Yet statistics also indicate that the larger a church's membership, the less likely it is to have a woman as its head pastor or co-pastor. Is this because women like serving in smaller congregations, or because there are lingering prejudices that prevent women from being called to the "tall-steeple" churches? As we see the continuing feminization of the ministry, what will this mean for the way we understand and express our faith?

One final thought-- as a program, NNPCW stands on the shoulders of these women. It was their perseverance, their determination to answer God's call in their lives, that allowed us to pursue our vocations as leaders in the church and society. So thank you, Margaret Towner. Thank you, Katie Cannon, Sarah Dickson, and Rebecca Reyes. Thank you, Holly Haile Smith and Thelma Adair. You truly are some of the foremothers of NNPCW.

"Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." --Joel 2:28

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 9:56 AM | link | 0 comments

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Martin Sheen and Other Momentous Taco Events

Ah, nothing like eating lunch at your desk because you're too busy to stop working. Before you wring your hands in pity at my plight, remember that after two weeks of having too much down time, it is nice to be neck-deep in the action again.

Some of you may remember my post from February 3, highlighting the Presbyterian Church's boycott of Taco Bell because of their refusal to negotiate with tomato pickers in Florida. Well, Taco Bells everywhere are clanging joyfully because the boycott is over!! In what has been termed an historic agreement for farmworkers advocating for human rights, Taco Bell's parent company, Yum! Brands, agreed this week to work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) to push for reforms in the condition of Florida tomato pickers.

First, Taco Bell has reached an agreement with its suppliers to pay a penny per pound more for tomatos, an increase that will go directly to the wages of farm workers. Taco Bell now won't do business with tomato suppliers that refuse to pass on the increase, and will work with CIW to make sure that the increase indeed goes to the workers. Yum! Brands will also lead efforts in the fast food industry to push for legislative reform in Florida regarding the conditions under which the tomato pickers work. So the Coalition of Immokalee Workers has called off the three-year boycott of Taco Bell.

The "Truth Tour" vigil at Yum! Brands that was to take place in Louisville this weekend will now be replaced by a celebration here at the Presbyterian Center, the National Gathering for Fair Food and Justice. And guess who's going to speak at this celebration-- Martin Sheen! Okay, so granted, I don't watch the West Wing, but I thought he was really good as Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg. This won't be as exciting as the time last year when I saw Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst filming Elizabethtown in a back alley of downtown Louisville, but Martin Sheen isn't too bad. Plus, I'm glad he supports CIW.

So for all of you who have faithfully abstained from your Taco Bell burrito for the past three years, I say this: Stop what you're doing right now, go to the local Taco Bell, and chow down, knowing that your boycotting efforts really did make a difference.

"You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever." --Psalm 30:11-12

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 12:25 PM | link | 0 comments

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Texas Summary

Good news-- I made it back to Louisville in one piece, despite the dire omens of seeing the feature on the Today show. I'm very, very happy to be home, although I saw lots of cool people in Texas. I won't have much time to enjoy the moment, though, as I'll be hopping back on a plane for the Pacific Northwest at the beginning of April for another two week tour. After that, though, I should get to be home for a bit.

Reflections on this tour... I had a lot of preconceived notions about what Texas would be like, and it really wasn't like I thought it would be. I met with a wide variety of groups from a wide variety of cultures, and I found that to be unique. I've often heard that New York is a melting pot, but Texas truly shows it. In Dallas and Houston, I encountered new immigrants from Brazil and Nigeria. In San Antonio, I stayed in a primarily Latino neighborhood. Then there were the Native Americans I met while in Nacogdoches, and the two historically black colleges I visited in Houston and Austin. In that sense, Texas is surprisingly cosmopolitan.

I also thought Texas would be brown and flat. Yes, I was right on one count-- it is pretty flat, especially if you've grown up in the Northwest. But eastern Texas is actually pretty green. They have nice trees and grasslands.

One thing that did live up to expectations, though, was the friendliness and hospitality of the people. Generally, Texans were very kind to me when I visited. Two groups even gave me gifts for coming (a rare event)-- Sam Houston State gave me a t-shirt, and Rice gave me a very stylish khaki visor (which I will wear during church softball this summer). Thank you so much, everyone, for your hospitality.

And in case I didn't mention it, I did go to the Space Center in Houston (excellent suggestion, Rebecca-- it was awesome) and to the Alamo.

Until tomorrow!

"Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved." --Philippians 4:1

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 9:20 AM | link | 0 comments

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Final Pack

Well, folks, it is the end of the 2005 Texas World Tour. I've completed the "final pack," where I switch my packing around for air travel as opposed to car travel, and try to cram any t-shirts and brochures I haven't given away into my suitcase. I'm thinking about buying a new carry-on... in a year, I've worn this one into the ground. It is literally busting at the seams today.

Actually I'm a bit nervous about flying this morning... just my luck that as I was eating breakfast and watching TV, the Today show did a feature on surviving plane crashes. So I now know not to wear polyester on the flight (I'm not) and how to brace myself during impact. Actually, I did find out some heartening statistics-- 56% of all people in plane crashes actually survive the crash, and there are five million takeoffs for every fatality. So even if I do get in a crash, I have a 50-50 chance. And thanks to the Today show, I know what to do to survive. Um, yeah. Please send up a prayer for my safe travel home... I'm really, really wanting to get back to Kentucky today and see a certain someone ;).

I have to leave for the airport now. Check in tomorrow for some reflections on the overall tour. Goodbye, Texas!!

"Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your might to all who are to come." --Psalm 71:17-18

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 9:52 AM | link | 0 comments

Monday, March 07, 2005

No Room at the Inn

I've been enjoying my stay in San Antonio with my friend Casey... we've explored the city quite thoroughly by now, from art galleries on First Friday in the Alamo District to Mariachi Mass at the historic San Jose Mission. I also had a great time last night with the Presbyterian campus ministry at the University of Texas last night. I preached on Mary Magdalene for worship last night and met with a leader of Sisters in Spirit, an NNPCW-affiliated campus group at UT. Plus, I topped it all off with a Cadbury Creme Egg-- my second favorite thing about Easter :).

A sobering experience this morning, though... Casey is a Jesuit Volunteer, as I may have mentioned, who specifically works with her parish's social services program. Every morning, Monday through Friday, people come into her office asking the church to give them emergency money to prevent their utilities from being shut off. This morning, a woman came in who is literally going to have her baby via C-section tomorrow. She needed money to pay her electric bill, but the church had already given her more than their maximum, and she couldn't go to the other agencies in town to ask for help because she is giving birth tomorrow. Think of that-- worrying about coming up with money for the electric bill today when you're going to welcome new life into the world tomorrow.

Casey ended up working things out for her, so she should be able to keep her power. As I was walking back here, though, I thought of the Virgin Mary and Joseph, who were told when they went to Bethlehem that there was "no room in the inn." And I thought of a woman, bulging with child, told that her power was going to be shut off because she couldn't pay her bill.

"About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”–which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" --Matthew 27:46

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 11:48 AM | link | 0 comments

Friday, March 04, 2005

Hangin' with the Jesuits

Hello, everyone, from San Antonio, Texas! I made it safely last night after doing a Bible study at Huston-Tillotson College in Austin with four women. Hagar was very reliable, allowing me to have conversations with all sorts of people all the way down last night. The women at Huston-Tillotson were great. They brought their own perspective to the text, one of God reaffirming faithfulness with the daughters of Zelophephed when they asked for help. They said that God is always faithful and just, even in the difficult times. They particularly pointed out how God took tragedy for these women-- the loss of their father-- and used it to transform all of Israel. It is important to realize that God can use our great suffering and loss for powerful change in our lives, both personally and as a society. I know I've seen that in my own life, and that knowledge sustains me through hard times now.

This will have to be a short post-- I'm borrowing a computer from the rectory of the Catholic church where I'm staying right now. My friend, Casey, is a participant in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps program, and Internet is not part of their living arrangements. There are probably eight or so people in her house, plus other random church folk who live nearby. I have my own little room, though, so that is good. They do all sorts of service and social justice activities in the parish. From what little I've seen, it looks really cool.

I'm off to Trinity in San Antonio this morning, and then will have all day tomorrow off to hang out with Casey. We will probably do the riverwalk downtown and see the Alamo, among other things. At some point, we'll also go back up to Austin and hang out, since I'm delivering the sermon at UT-Austin Sunday night. So, for lack of anything else to tell you, I'll give you a break today and make it a short post. Assuming I can get Internet access again, check back in on Monday for stories of the adventurous weekend of Kelsey, Hagar the Cell Phone, and Kelsey's childhood friend Casey!!

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." --Romans 8:28

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 11:08 AM | link | 0 comments

Thursday, March 03, 2005

God

Yesterday I visited both Texas Southern University and Rice University here in Houston. The rain was awful-- I almost had to swim from my car to the Wesley House at TSU, and I got absolutely drenched. This was why I chose to spend the afternoon at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston before going to Rice. But today I finally leave Houston and head to San Antonio, which I'm very excited to see. I've heard wonderful things about the culture there, and I'm meeting up with an old friend.

At Rice, our discussion about women in the church actually wound its way around to the issue of inclusive language and God. I've talked about inclusive language before in the blog-- check out the post from February 10. A new question came up last night, though, that I thought was interesting: does God actually have a gender? Where in the Bible does it say that God is genderless?

Theologically, I think many people would agree that God doesn't have a specific gender or sex, even if the Bible doesn't state it explicitly. At Rice, we talked about how God is complete within God's self. Biologically, men and women need one another to propagate the species. Yet God needed no one in the act of creation-- all creation springs from God alone. Why would God need to have a sex?

Moreover, humans-- both male and female-- are a reflection of God. Genesis 1:26 says, "Then God said, 'Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness...." Verse 27 goes on to say, "So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." If both men and women are created in the image of God, it would logically follow that God has characteristics of both male and female.

If you see God as an exclusively male God, you can point to the overwhelming number of passages in the Bible that refer to God in specifically masculine terms. Even Jesus, in Mark 14:36, refers to God as "Abba, Father" (Abba is Aramaic for Father), and Jesus came to earth as a man. True-- God does have masculine characteristics. But Jesus also uses feminine images of God in Luke 13:34, the "hen gathering her chicks" passage, and Luke 15:8-9, the parable of the woman with the lost coin. Several Old Testament passages also parallel God with women. Can we just ignore these references in our understanding of God?

So does God have a specific gender? It is fascinating to hear how some people historically have answered this question. The 13th-14th century Catholic mystic, Julian of Norwich, wrote in Revelations of Divine Love:

"A mother can give her child milk to suck, but our precious mother, Jesus, can feed us with himself. He does so most courteously and most tenderly, with the Blessed Sacrament, which is the precious food of true life" (http://www.gloriana.nu/mother.htm).

She argued that different elements of the Trinity have different gender characteristics-- God the Father is, well, the father, Jesus is the mother, and the Holy Spirit is grace. I don't know that I would necessarily hold with that theologically, but it is an innovative take on the question nonetheless.

So basically, God's lack of gender is what we talked about at Rice. Because if God does not have a gender, then God isn't limited by our understanding of gender characteristics. God is loving and strong, tender and protective, a provider for our needs on all levels. Throughout history, gods have been limited in this way-- look at the Greek pantheon on Mount Olympus. Believing in one supreme deity means we believe that all the best of the human condition is created in the divine image. To say God is one gender limits and reduces our God.

"Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you." --Isaiah 49:15

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 9:31 AM | link | 0 comments

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Young Adults in the Church

I woke up with the most awful nightmare this morning... I dreamed that I was taking calculus from my high school history teacher, and that I hadn't studied at all while I was gone on the World Tour. I had two tests to make up, and I realized that I knew absolutely nothing about calculus. I begged Mr. Simonson to give me a week of study time, and he agreed, but then I realized that there was no way I would get an "A" on the exams when I didn't know jack about calculus to start with. When I woke up this morning in a panic, I had to keep telling myself, "You're not in school anymore, Kelsey. You're not in school anymore." So don't think those nightmares end with that little piece of paper, my friends.

I visited with the offices of the Presbytery of New Covenant here in Houston yesterday, and we had a wonderful discussion about young adults in the church. They told me that congregations are hungry for resources from the national office about how to reach out to college students in campus ministry, and how to create programs for young adults that keep them in church between the end of their college years and the start of their families. For those of you who think the churches don't care about us, they do. They just have no clue how to reach out.

I tell people who are trying to start women's groups on their campuses that the first step is to assess the need-- what is missing from your campus, spirituality-wise, that you could start a group to provide? Congregations need to ask the same questions. What do college students and young adults in your area need that you could start a group to provide?

My answer to that question would be resting spaces and fellowship opportunities. The lives of college students are so programmed and scheduled-- a lot of times what I see many of you craving is a place to rest, relax, and just be. For NNPCW groups, that usually leads into discussions about our lives as women and support for one another as we explore that. For a lot of campus ministry groups, that means free food and a chance to hang out with others who share your faith. Either way, they fill a similar need.

The need for young adults not in college is slightly different-- we need places to meet other young adults that aren't bars and nightclubs. I spoke to a couple of twentysomethings in Dallas who are part of a twentysomething group at their church. They said the group just gives young professionals like them a chance to hang out, get to know one another, and study the Bible with other Christians. They invite their friends, too, even if those friends aren't Presbyterian. In fact, I sometimes hang out with a similiar group of Baptist young adults in Louisville. Churches need to develop groups where people who are new to an area can meet other people-- not singles groups for romance, but real fellowships where people can find friendship and companionship as they seek God's will in their lives. For us, the hunger for that sort of connection is definitely there. The door is open for the church to step in and meet a need, if they can only see it.

So if you are a college student or young adult, approach your church about starting a campus outreach or a young adult group. If you're an older reader belonging to a church that wants to start something, find the need and meet it. Start a program, and start inviting people to it. Advertise in the newspaper if you have to. Because even if you think your congregation isn't equipped to do it, I'll bet it can. You just have to be willing to allow new blood and the congregational transformation that comes with it.

"Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor." --Romans 12:9-10

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 9:37 AM | link | 0 comments

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

The Long Haul

Yesterday I went to the University of Houston for lunch and to display my NNPCW "wares." I talked to a few people, and perhaps scared a some when I plopped down next to them and introduced myself as they were chowing down on their taco salads. However, it was a good visit, and a couple of women definitely seemed interested in the Leadership Event.

Life on the road can be kind of taxing, and I must say that circumstances in Texas have conspired to make it especially so. On Friday in Nacogdoches, for instance, I locked the keys to my rental car in the trunk. So after walking a quarter of a mile, complete with bags, searching for a street sign to give to AAA (thank God for AAA), I stood around and waited for the locksmith to come and let me in the car so I could pop the manual release on my trunk. Luckily, it did take less than an hour.

Yesterday a new catastrophe occurred-- my cell phone randomly stopped receiving service. And no, for those of you who know me all too well, I did not drop the cell phone before this unfortunate occurance. I got out in the car last night and, like a sick baby, drove it all around the neighborhood, vainly seeking a spot where it might get reception again. But alas, it was in a cell phone coma.

Today, however, God smiled upon me-- when I took it to the Verizon store, they exchanged the phone for a new Motorola, no questions asked. I'm back in business with my new cell phone... cell phone number four in the past seven months, for those of you who are counting. I think I'm going to start naming them after women in the Bible. I christen this one Hagar, because God supplied her in my hour of need as I was wandering through Texas. The last one will be Jezebel, though, because she cruelly betrayed me.

I'm off soon for lunch to meet with the Presbytery of New Covenant. I'm going to share about all the young adult programs of the General Assembly Council, so it should be fun-- hopefully more than two people will show up, because that is kind of discouraging. Then I'll probably head off to Galveston for the afternoon to enjoy some Southern charm. Until tomorrow!!

"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." --Psalm 73:25-26

Kelsey
posted by Noelle at 11:32 AM | link | 1 comments