August Breakfast

Jeff, Adam, Ken and Rich, it was nice breaking maple bars with y'all this morning.  Thanks for the chance to meet, eat and pray (there's your next book title Rich).  I really appreciate the chance to hear a few moments of reminder of God's grace; discovering a thirty year old confirmation letter from your father, standing in line as co-workers with a principal that expelled you, comforting a grieving new widow and holding a new-born baby on the same day, memories from Minagua and unexpected church growth.  Hearing y'all share reminded me of fishing for pink salmon yesterday and catching nothing (til much later in the day), I saw a kingfisher.  Since seeing them cruise through the Oostanalee Creek of my neighborhood, these have been my favorite bird.  Gerald Manley Hopkins wrote a poem that combines these two thoughts:

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell’s
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves—goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying Whát I do is me: for that I came.
Í say móre: the just man justices;
Kéeps gráce: thát keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God’s eye what in God’s eye he is—
Chríst—for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men’s faces. 

The poetry connection comes at no extra charge today.

Community
Saturday August 17th 12-4, Zion's River Block Party
Saturday, August 24th, 10-3, Mt. Tahoma,  Convoy of Hope. Click here for details
Diego Wendt event at Ft. Steilacoom August 16-18
Welcome Pastor Bill Greaver and Tacoma First Congregational to South Tacoma
Oak Tree Park Stewards in the Park Hikes.  Tuesdays, 9:00-12:00 til September 3rd.  

Prayers
Prayers for YFC camp this Friday as well as the Manitou Arts Camp

Next Meeting
Wednesday, September 11th at 8:30.  School Prayer Walk. Once again, we'll meet at Manitou Park Presbyterian to begin our 3 school prayer walk from Manitou Elementary to Gray Middle and finishing at Mt. Tahoma.  Rich is going to reprise his letter from last year so that we can drop it off to let the staff know we're praying for them.  Though we may not know it, I received several comments from teachers that noticed us passing and were thankful for our prayers.  If you can think of ways we might additionally offer our assistance to the schools (PTA support, hosting teacher prayer breakfasts, etc.) feel free to send to Rich for him to include it in the letter.

In Christ,
Ken