January 2014 Breakfast

Thanks to Ken and Adam for hosting us at the YFC office.  Coffee, donuts AND fruit!  Thanks guys (and yes Ken I did go back for some grapes.) 

The depth of our sharing in personal and pastoral situations is an encouraging indication of the trust we're building between one another.  Thank you for the prayers gentlemen. 

After prayer we spent some time discussing the meeting Rich, John and I had with Talana Penton at the Tacoma School District central office.  She had responded to a letter we dropped off at the schools during our prayer walk at the beginning of the school year.  We'd offered to help in any way we could.  She asked how we'd like to help.  What followed was a good discussion about where our strengths might match their needs.  The one area we agreed upon was to serve as emergency grief or tragedy counselors.  Other than that we agreed to explore the idea with the rest of the group.  This is what we explored at this morning's meeting.  How might we respond to the invitation of the school district to be more involved in the success of the South Tacoma schools?

The answer we landed upon was Point Break.  Click here to read more about it.  We're going to explore this possibility and discuss it at our next meeting.  Which is now on Wednesday, February 5th at 8:30 at Manitou Park Presbyterian. 

October Breakfast

Thanks to John at Green Pastures for hosting us this morning.  I always enjoy the coffee mix but I can't tell you how happy my taste buds were when I starting chomping that pumpkin muffin on the way to a meeting.  The only downside were my regrets for not taking one of the cranberry-orange muffins.  Those were really good, oh yes and the meeting was too.

It was good to catch up and hear how well things seem to be going with our respective churches/ministries.  Also thanks for the chance to discuss the question, "Do our churches tend to mostly attract the folks who already seem to fit?"  I can't speak for everyone else, but it was a helpful conversation for me.

Blessings on the rest of your Octobers and we'll meet again on November 13th at 8:30 at Zion's River.

Grace and Peace,
Ken

September: Back to School Prayer Walk

Well we couldn't have asked for a better day to have a prayer walk.  September really is one of the best months to live in Tacoma.  Jeff, John, Ken, Rich and myself gathered around 8:30 at Manitou for some sugar free donuts and coffee as well as conversation.  Our prayers are with Rich's church as they walk through the valley of the shadow of death with one of their families whose 18 year old son died last week.  Thanks to Rich for sharing the struggle with us.

Fueled up on sugar and caffeine we headed out to walk the "education triangle" that is Manitou-Gray-Mt. Tahoma.  We stopped at each school to offer prayers for the staff, students and family as well as to drop a not of encouragement off to the principal.   The note offered to be available to help in any way we could this school year.  Rich offered a healthy warning before we signed the letters that we should not be surprised to get a call next week to help chaperone a dance.

We finished at Mt. Tahoma having in one sense done very little, just whistling against the wind, when you consider the magnitude of challenges and struggles and possible even tragedy that each of these schools have and will face.   What difference does a little prayer and walk make?  Thank God that the answer is not in our hands.  Today we sowed, others water, but it is God that causes the growth.

Grace and Peace.

Next meeting, Wednesday, October 9th at8:30 at Green Pastures Presbyterian 
Next, next meeting: Wednesday, November 13th at Zion's River Church

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

March Breakfast

Jeff really puts on a nice breakfast.  This morning we had grapefruit and a low-carb (aka high meat) kiesh like concoction and stellar coffee.  I'm not sure I"m going to need lunch today.  Thanks again Jeff.

I feel that our conversation this morning was fruit born from our meeting faithfully over several years.  It was really nice to share a bit of a free-flowing conversation that ranged from the difference in Korean and American culture to children and worship to how we approach sabbath days.  There is a lot of talk about the benefits of being in conversation with folks who have differing views, but this morning I really felt the benefits.  Good conversations tend to find both ground that is common and foreign.  We draw close on the common which allows us to hear the foreign.   It was encouraging and challenging to do experience the fruit of those conversations this morning.  Thanks Jeff, Rich and John for coming to the table.

Even with all of the deep discussion we were still able to share some opportunities arising in the community.  Here they are in no specific order:

March 29th Good Friday  9:00-1:00  South Tacoma Cross Walk.
     Join us for a 5 mile walk around South Tacoma to the places where people have died as the result of violence over the past 6 years.  We will meet in the Starbucks parking lot at 56th and South Tacoma Way at 9:00 then walk to the site of 10 homicides where we will offer a brief remembrance and prayer.

April 18th 11:30-1:30  Love Inc Pastors Luncheon 
    Many of us are aware of the good work Love Inc has done over the last several years.  THey are in a process of reevaluating their ministry style and focus and would like the input of congregations.  Rich will pass along details as they become known.

Hosted at Tacoma Christian Reformed Community Church
Must RSVP at execdir@loveincpiercecounty.com

May 10th  8:30-3:30  Day Retreat at St. Placid's Priory in Olympia
     Jesus frequently removed himself from the crowds and disciples to talk and listen to the Father.  Over the last few years I have discovered the value of doing a similar thing for a whole day.  The priory is the home of a handful of Benedictine sisters but also a site of retreat where anyone can come and spend time alone.  To schedule a day or overnight retreat simply check out their website at www.stplacid.org or you can join me on May 10th when i go down for a day retreat.  Let me know if you would like to go so that I can reserve a room for you.

August 24th  Convoy of Hope
     A number of churches, businesses and agencies are partnering for this one day event at Mt. Tahoma High School during which groceries, prayer, health care, community services, entertainment, lunch, games and children's activities will be shared.  IF you are interested in learing more, contact Ryan Jordan at 479-799-1022 or RJordan@life-center.org.

Grace and Peace,
Ken

Next Breakfast:  Green Pastures Presbyterian Church (66th and Junett) 

December Breakfast

"How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity..." (Psalm 133)  Brian, and the Psalmist's prayer captured the nature of our gathering this morning.  For the past year Brian, Tony and several other south end pastors have been doing what our cadre of South Tacoma pastors have been doing for several years; meeting, eating, sharing and praying for one another to build trust so that we might be better able to respond when God calls.  This morning we joined those two groups together and though there was no 'oil running down anyone's beard' it was good.  (A quick aside; the fact that our group is male dominated is unintentional, we look forward to welcoming some sisters some day as well.) 

Thanks to Rich for hosting, good luck finishing all of those donuts.  We also look forward to meeting again in January.  Keeping with the spirit of unity, the South Enders are going to return the favor and host our next meeting.  We'll meet on Thursday, January 10th for lunch at 12:00 at the church Brian pastors, Hope Community Church at 158 S. 46th Street, Tacoma, 98414.  Here is the link to their website.

Til then, Happy Advent and Merry Christmas!

November Breakfast Recap

Thanks to John and Green Pastures for hosting this morning.  John promised us that danishes are better for you than donuts though I think that may be like saying that 1/4 lb burger is better for you than 1/3 lb burger.

I continue to appreciate the growing depth of our conversations in which we are able to discuss everything from cancer to depression to sex offenders to universalism.  Perhaps what makes each of these conversations so rich is that: a) they arise from our situations of ministry or home rather than just from our minds and b) we've developed enough trust to share our struggles and things about which we might disagree.  As part of our mission is to develop trust, I left this morning encouraged.

Another thing about which i am encouraged is the work Brian Olsen has done to establish a similar ministerial group across the interstate in the South End.  Recently Brian and I talked about joining the groups for a meeting and it looks like there  is no better time than the present.  And so, next month we will meet on Wednesday, December 12th at 8:30 at Evangelical Reformed Church just off 74th street not far after you cross South Tacoma Way.    7435 South Madison Tacoma, WA. 98409is the exact address. 

Until then, have a great Thanksgiving,
Ken