A Cold Reality

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that one of the fears that people have about ministry in New York City is that people here are cold to the Gospel. While that is true, another fear that some may have its downright cold here... period.

The weather forecast for the overnight temperatures has the mercury dropping to 10 degrees or below in some parts of the Tri-State area. This is not the kind of January I experienced living in Mississippi three years. One weather man on a local radio station characterized this weather as, "rude." Yeah, that sounds about right.

I also liked these pictures... especially the dog sled because it reminds me that as cold as it may be outside, I still don't see thise mode of transportation outside my door in the morning. Plus, I'm sure you generally wouldn't expect a picture of a dogsled on a blog where the focus is on ministry in Queens.

The cold temperatures and frightening winds, do not stop the work of Ascension Church, however. We have a 6:00 am discipleship study that is surprisingly popular. People in the church are getting involved in small groups and other ministries that we run and there is an enthusiastic response from both visitors and regulars about the work God is doing here in Queens. On top of that, there's growing excitement about the future. We are approaching our first anniversary after going public last April. We have big Easter plans that are beginning to take shape including another community activity similar to our Family Christmas Celebration that went so well last month. As those plans gain more definition, I'll update you right here.

Remember to check this blog each week (Thursday) for updates on our work here so you can keep me, Michael (the pastor) and Ascension Church in your prayers.

A Climate Change
I know it snowed in Malibu, CA yesterday and that's a little strange. Two weeks ago, we hit the low 70s on a Saturday ... also strange. Whatever you wish to use to explain the phenomenon; Global Warming, the Greenhouse Effect, The New Jersey Turnpike, or any other "inconvenient truth," the fact remains; we recognize when things are not the way they should be. In any event, yesterday, we had some bitter cold weather and a touch of snow today. As uncomfortable as these things are, it's January and it feels like January, and Jack can sleep at night.

The Gospel brings to light that something even bigger than warm winters and frozen citrus crops has gone down. Since the Fall, people have been out of communion with God and all of creation has been groaning for restoration. In Eden, there was another inconvenient truth that took hold: sin. Since that time, it has been clear that things are not what they are supposed to be. Only the Gospel can bring about the restoration and renewal for which we all yearn.

That's why we're here, preaching, teaching, and living Grace in central Queens and we're pulling out all the stops.

One of our many goals for the coming year is to find some office space. This will bring us a neutral, official center of operations and give us an even stronger placement and position in the community. In the atmosphere where God has put us, this is one little step we are looking to take (among others) to bring about a climate change ... a spiritual climate change.

DIFFERENT ROADS

Amongst all the friends I made when I was in seminary in Mississippi, there were only a few authentic northerners in the mix.One of them, my friend Stephen, e-mailed me this week to tell me he was taking a Senior Pastor position at a church in New Jersey. Since graduation last year, he'd been an associate pastor at a church in northwestern PA.

Another friend of mine, Joshua (link to his blog on the right) is getting ordained this coming Lord's Day. Joshua is what I call a Pseudo-Northerner. He's actually from Virginia, but he went to school in Pennsylvania. Additionally, many of my Mississippi friends called him a Yankee. Anyway, he's at a church in Delaware, so God brought him to Newark (In DE it's pronounced "New Ark" to distinguish it from the one Noah built for the flood. In, Jersey, same-spelled city pronounced "New-erk").

Nothing against the South, many of my dearest friends and supporters are southerners. Jason, perhaps one of my best friends is serving at a church in Oak Ridge, TN. I'm happy to see the Gospel preached anywhere God plants a man to do it.

All this to say, I'm excited to see friends of mine working up this way. You see, in some Christian circles, there is what I would characterize as "Yankeephobia," a feeling that anything north of the Mason-Dixon Line is a cold, Gospel wasteland where people hate God and have abandoned and notion that Jesus could be real to them. In contrast with years past, mission work in New York or Boston has replaced deepest Africa as the most intimidating ministry destination. I have to admit, there's a bit of truth to this perception, but there are people fitting that discription all over the world. Preaching Grace is a tough road wherever you go.

So God leads us down different roads. He brought me here to Queens and there's nowhere else I'd rather minister. Sure most of my friends are engaged in full-time ministry and are ordained while I'm relegated to part-time ministry while fundraising continues, and ordination, God-willing remains in my future, but God gives different gifts to different people and uses them as He sees fit. I'm thrilled to see how God is directing the paths of my seminary friends and even more excited about the Gospel both in their churches and here at Ascension.

Please keep 2007 in your prayers as Ascension Presbyterian Church continues moving forward for the Kingdom.

How Quickly we Forget

It doesn't take long once the Holiday season draws to a close to see the ghosts of Christmas past waiting on the street for their final destination... mulch in a city park most likely.

As much as we anticipate certain things, like Christmas, birthdays, graduations, etc. we always need to keep moving forward without too quickly forgetting our past. We had a great Advent season at Ascension Church, but we can't simply rest on the laurels of God's work last month. There's momentum now, and there's much ahead for the new year.

Our youth ministry has seen impressive growth, I am continuing to explore joint activities with other churches, outings, fielf trips and the like, as well as continuing to develop material that will maintain the interest of Junior High kids while giving them a firm grasp of the Gospel. It's actually quite a challenge. I've managed to squeeze in some relationship building with other youth leaders in Queens, and hope to forge a stronger partnership with them in 2007.

Over the next week or so, I will also be meeting with some active minded people to iron out plans and activities for our Young Adults Ministry that will take us through the Spring season. There's been great response to the program so far, and there continues to be a real need for this kind of ministry in Central Queens.

I would also like to bring out some more interest in musical ensembles during our Lord's Day worship services. I've put together two quartets so far, and there seems to be growing interest in having more. I'm not the music director at the church, but I think that a good music program greatly enhances our worship.

Hopefully, this year will usher in further progress with regard to my ecclesiastical position. Between my full-time job, and my work with the church, studying for presbytery licensure will present a formidable challenge. I ask for your prayers.

I must also mention how great it was to visit my sister and brother-in-law in Connecticut for New Year's. My arents were in town for the holidays as well. None of that is really the point. The biggest thing for me is the chance to spend some time with Tyler and Zachary, my nephews. I just don't get to see them as often as I'd like, but hey, it's more frequently than I did when I was in Mississippi.

Lastly, many of you have been anticipating my year-end gift to my supporters. I just picked them up today and will hopefully get all of them in the mail no later than Monday morning. Let's not call them a year-end gift at this point. How does "2007 Kickoff Gift," grab you?