Battling the Elements

Street fairs are usually scheduled for Spring and Summer in the hopes that the weather will be good for outdoor activity. The Chamber of Commerce assigned us a place in the Forest Hills Arts and Crafts Fair on Austin Street this past weekend. We were way down at the end of the fair's route next to the Jewish Center's booth and an Italian Sausage stand (which sent a wonderful aroma in our direction all day) in front of the Men's Wearhouse. If you've ever been to Austin Street, you know where that is.

Setting up around 8:30 in the morning for the 11:00 fair was a challenge because of the wind. The two people in the church who helped me in the morning, brought their own canopy, but we had no sandbags or bricks to keep it from blowing. If there was a list of things a church plant needs, sandbags would probably not be on it. Bricks? Maybe later, but not right now. It was all we could do to keep the canopy and our literature from taking flight. It seemed that we experienced a week's worth of weather in the course of one day.

Our presence there was good because it was the first time some people in the community had heard of us and we were able to hand out information about Ascension Church letting people know when and where we meet for worship, our plans for Vacation Bible School and other ministries we have. Despite the weather, the street fair was well attended. Late afternoon rain caused us to close up shop before the fair was actually open, but because the conditions were so strange, by the time we had everything packed up in the car, the sun was shining and the wind had ended. Go figure.

Last weekend also marked another annual event. Baseball's Evil Empire invaded Queens for a three game series against the Mets. With one run deciding each game, the Mets took two of the games (although their star closer blew a 4-0 lead in the 9th inning of game two, preventing a sweep... a meltdown which resulted in me yelling at my television set), sending the Bombers back to the Bronx to continue their second-rate season in the American League East. We must protect this house!

I know some of you are thinking I draw too much inspiration for church planting from baseball. To that, I reply: "I have but one objective... to see a winning team in Queens." I'll let you figure out what that means.

A Change in Plans

In my last blog entry, I mentioned that Michael and I were planning a fundraising trip for this week. Well, that trip is now postponed until late August. If you read this blog regularly, you know Michael has a herniated disk in his back which he re-aggrivated last week. His doctor advised him that a trip that would involve long drives in the car would be a bad idea right now, and the earliest he would be well enough to make the trip would be in a couple of months. So, once again, we experience a roadblock in our plans, but God is sovereign, and while the cancellation of our trip is disappointing, He wanted us here this week. As we have been proceeding through the week, it has become apparent why God wanted us to stay in Queens this week.

This year marks the 100th anneversary of Forest Hills. In 1906, developer Cord Meyer renamed the Queens farming community of Whitepot to attract new residents. The Chamber of Commerce is promoting this milestone all year, including this weekend at the Austin Street Arts and Crafts Fair. Ascension Presbyterian Church is a member of the Chamber and has purchased booth space at the street fair. We will have a variety of books and informational material to hand out at the booth, and have asked some people in the church to participate and interact with people in the community. This is the first public event in which Ascension Church has been involved, and we are excited about the opportunity to present our public face. I've had to do a lot of leg work for this, and Michael has been busy with the planning for it as well. If we had gone on our planned trip, an already difficult task would have been even harder.

If you're reading this blog in the New York City area, please stop by our booth. The rest of you can pray for us as we have this great opportunity to develop new relationships and meet new people.

Engaging the
Culture

Ascension Church is embarking on some bold outreach programs, embracing a call to engage the culture with the Gospel. This Saturday, a number of us will be attending a seminar on The DaVinci Code in an effort to better understand the claims in the film and the book, compare and contrast them with the claims of the Bible and of Christ Himself, and discuss how the Gospel addresses the issues raised.

The release of this film has resulted in a number of responses from Christian groups, ranging from boycotts to protests to lawsuits. We are looking at this as an opportunity to have Gospel conversations because of the issues it raises, not as an opportunity to draw battle lines in the Culture Wars. We are hoping to come away from this seminar with some great ideas so Ascension can develop discussion groups and other outreach programs in conjunction with the film.

Michael and I also attended a conference this past week to learn about Christianity Explored, a basic introduction to the person and claims of Jesus designed by an Assistant Minister and another chap from All Souls Church in London (John Stott's church). We are likely considering using this curriculum as yet another way to engage the culture.

The Indie Society will have its first meeting tomorrow night and it too will seek ways to take advantage of the cultural mecca that is the New York Metropolitan Area. It will also be designed to develop accountability and stronger relationships between the younger adults (primarily singles) who either attend Ascension Church or have a friendly connection with us, through the workplace, neighborhood, or other relationships.

Michael and I will be traveling on a fundraising trip next week, and as a result, I may not have the opportunity to post an update here, though I will try. If not, please log on in two weeks so I can pick up where I left off. Take care for now.

Getting Online

To me, the term "getting on line," always meant something I would do at the bank or grocery store. While the rest of the country waits "in line," New Yorkers wait, "on line." One goal of my blog is to provide education to those of you west of the Hudson River and south of the Mason-Dixon line so you would learn not only about our church planting work here, but also to paint a picture of life in Queens. So if, in your travels, you meet someone who tells you to take your purchases and get, "on line," you've probably just encountered a New Yorker.

These days, "online," indicates internet activity, and Ascension Presbyterian Church has entered that realm. I've added a link to the website on the right side of the blog template so you can check it out yourselves. It's a work in progress, so there's not much by way of information on the site, but it will be developing over time. The design is great and the general information is helpful. We do have a purpose statement, directions to our new worship facility, and contact information, but you should check it often to see what is added in the coming weeks.

Speaking of our new worship facility, this Sunday marks our first service in the public school auditorium. Please pray for us to make a smooth transition and that our new 10:30 worship time will bring more people through our doors as we continue to grow.

Other News: New York City has issued a bit to host the 2012 World's Fair. In 1939 and 1964, the expo made its home in Queens. If we get the fair, it would be great to put Queens on the world stage in this way. Generally, the World's Fair is a showcase of human achievement. Maybe our church could get a pavilion at the fair and provide a showcase of God's achievement. Just a thought.