What does the church provide?

I posted this question on the church Facebook page.

To our friends on Facebook, what if the church provided everything you feel that a church needs to provide, what would that be? I would like to start a dialogue to answer that question. You can send me an e-mail at donaquila@gmail.com or go to my blog where this question is posted and comment. Help us to help ourselves by answering the still quiet voice of God that is in each of us.

What do you think?

Week nine and beyond - The Journey continues

Today marks eight weeks since the Open Heart surgery. For most of the medical profession this marks the end of treatment while I see this as the beginning of the journey. Rehab will continue for 17 more weeks and at the end I should be stronger and more fit than I have been in a while. Most of the people I have talked to said that their biggest regret was not continuing some sort of exercise program after rehab. I will endeavour not to have that regret. A little setback medically that the doctors are trying to figure out. Not heart related but related to the surgery so keep those prayers coming that it will be identified and settled quickly. It is more of a nuisance than anything else at this point. We are headed to Richmond this week at the end of the week for a Dentist appointment and to see family.
It's funny when God wants you to know something. Everything you read and hear seems to point in that direction. My sermons the last two weeks have been a bit harsh but point to the fact that we cannot ever get comfortable as long as there is injustice and poverty in the world. Our theological stance (what a big phrase) needs to be that we are willing to be in places of discomfort in order to further the Kingdom. That means taking stands on racial issues or poverty or apathy especially within our own communities and churches. I know deep down that my own spiritual journey is lacking at the moment and needs a renewal. So I will working hard on that. But meanwhile I feel moved to press forward with discipleship and a call to christian response in the world around us for the church.
I will continue to leave my random thoughts on this blog from time to time but this intentional focus on healing will likely no longer be weekly. Not sure who is following it anyway - maybe some feedback from others than Tom would help me know who is reading. Blessings and safe travel on your journey.

Week Eight Begins

Today marks the seven week anniversary of my heart surgery. Much has happened in those seven weeks, most of which centers around healing. This week I got a little stronger, preached my first sermon from the pulpit in nine weeks and began the process of organizing an office due to a resignation of our church Admin. Plus, let me not forget a great Vacation Bible School, the first for the church in eight years. It was a full week that wore me out at times. Naps are a great gift of God!
Sunday I challenged the church to hope. First we hope for the promise of resurrection. Now that does not mean we are not sure, rather we anticipate the fulfillment of God's promise in our lives and begin to live as if we have already received the promise. Technically we have, but all too often people think it comes when we die. That is precisely why Jesus kept telling us that the Kingdom was near. As Paul says, though we see dimly now what we will see clearly in the future, we are given a taste of the kingdom now. I can truly appreciate what that means, realizing how fragile life can be.
Well, this week rehab starts. Looking forward to it.

Week 7 begins

Tomorrow (Monday) marks my 6th week with a reconditioned heart. This has been an interesting and yet sorrowful week. My heart goes out to the survivors and families in Aurora Colorado. There is nothing that will provide the kind of answers to this kind of tragedy that families usually seek. And a fellow minister on the Eastern Shore passed from us much too soon. He was an EMS and Fire Fighter and the truck rolled on the way to an accident. Again, there are no good answers as to why these events happen when they do. But the thing that we have is hope. Did you know that in the NRS version of the Bible, variations of the word Hope appear 209 times. Maybe not as many times as other words, but I find comfort in the fact that God's love provides us the kind of hope we need to face these events in our lives that overwhelm us. There are events that we remember so intently that we can tell you the hour, the people and the place when we heard the news. But in Christ, we have the one thing that allows us to not only survive, but to flourish and find joy in the midst of suffering and sorrow. And that is hope. Hope in the resurrection of the body that we will be made new in the image of God and stand in the presence of God. Hope that there is a place for us when this physical life comes to an end. Sometimes it is hope that is the hinge by which our lives flow from one room of life to the other.

This week physically has brought highs and lows as to be expected at this stage of my recovery. The highs are that Bonnie and I are up to 30 minutes of continuous walking at a fairly good pace each day. My daily intake of food continues to improve and some of the taste of food has come back. We visited with the Cardiologist and Endocrinologist this week. The Cardiologist says that I am progressing on a normal pace, that this stinging in my chest might last six months (not what I wanted to hear) and that my strength will slowly improve. The Endo says that my sugars will normalize in three months and then based on the numbers I may be able to back off some of the medicines. So all in all, good news this week. I have too say that the stinging sensation in my chest (like a extremely bad sun-burn) is tolerable most days. I did have to laugh when the Endo suggested that I need to set 180 pounds as a personal goal. Haven't weighed that in 40 years and that would require losing another 20 pounds. I am already down 24 from my pre-surgery weight. Well onward for another week. This week I will involved in Vacation Bible School at Grace, the first time in eight years and then preaching this upcoming Sunday.

Week 6 begins

Today begins week 6 of my recovery. And after looking at Face-book I realized that today is also the day four years ago that my childhood friend, golfing buddy and fellow pastor passed from us. It gives me even more incentive to work hard at doing the right things to recover and then live out this gift that I have been given. Life is a precious thing that we all too often take for granted. I remember some years back dealing with a vet who struggles with the "why" question. Why did he return and others did not. I think there is great theology behind life and death. God gives us life to learn what the perfect creation is and what it was supposed to look like. We humans continually mess that up with our controlling, selfish ways. And yet God never stops loving us. And death is the ultimate love for us. If we have come to faith, death is simply a stepping stone, like my friend Rick who I suspect is singing with the choir and preparing to whip my butt in golf in the heavens. For those who may choose to believe something different, a precious gift of life may be God giving us more time to choose. Or we could be given more time to make a difference in someone else's life for those that believe. 

I remember two discussions around the breakfast table on Friday mornings that used to come up with some regularity. One was that we need to remain still to hear that quiet voice of God. That it is in the stillness of reflection and prayer that God can often talk with us and we (who live in a world of self infused noise and clutter) can truly hear. And that we are running out of time. Whether Christ comes tomorrow or our passing arrives first, we truly have one less day than we did yesterday. And our task to further the Kingdom becomes so important when we realize that we are running out of time. 

What are you going to do with your gift of life? 

Week 5 begins

Tomorrow begins the fifth week of recovery from my open heart surgery. This last week has been a struggle at times to deal with both nausea that seems to hang with me much of the day, every day and the pain from my chest area that has gone from an irritation to a stinging pain. I am sure, after talking with others that this is normal healing stuff I have to deal with, but it wears on you when it is hour after hour and day after day. I am so thankful for Bonnie who has to take care of me and keep me doing the things I need to do. But I will admit that hearing from my children would be nice.
I have pondered what all this means in the spiritual sense. Paul often talked about the thorn that God would not take away. And after talking to the Doctor I realize that I have been given a great gift, especially in light of dealing with this for at least two years and that through God's grace, a heart attack or something bad did not happen. I have been exploring in my mind what it means to have hope. When everything else is wearing that down, what does it mean to share in the hope of the resurrection knowing that we are eternal beings. First it makes this pain and suffering easier to bear. Second it allows us to focus on what we need to be doing rather than what is happening to us. For example, I feel strongly that within the next six months I am going to offer to the community a worship service that is more about interactive discussion centered around a message than a traditional sermon style. It may take some learning on my part to pull it off, but God willing, it may be just the thing to break through some barriers that exist here on the shore.
Week five is a week of doing the same things I have been doing. Taking it easy for the most part is at the top of the list. Walking 25 minutes each day is second. I am thankful for the congregation whose love sustains me during this tough time. I am thankful for Kirk Mariner, retired minister and author who has been filling in who includes me in each weeks discussion to allow me to continue to be in touch. And I am thankful for a God who gives us second chances.  

Week 4 begins

I know, what happened to week 3? Well truth is that today is the 3 week anniversary of my surgery so technically we are beginning week 4. I think that is right anyway. Good news this last week. Getting stronger each day as Bonnie and do our daily walk. The heat has kept us from walking with the exception of the morning walk but we are up to 15 minutes continuous at the moment. Today I am supposed to walk 20 minutes but at the moment its raining so hopefully after it quits.
The surgeon released me. He spent about 40 minutes with us Friday checking me out and explaining everything I have encountered so far and things I will encounter as I recover. He showed us the blockages and its amazing that I am here. God's grace was evident in the pictures.
His nurse asked me a question that I am pondering. She asked, "What am I going to do with this gift?" What do we do with the gifts of God? Do we squander them in our human desire for more? Or do we become Kingdom people who focus on building that which is eternal? What is it that God is going to expect of me now that he has given me life from the clutches of what could have been death?
My work will continue with an added focus on reaching the lost. Even though I serve an established church, to get folks reaching out to the community is almost like creating a new church plant within the walls of the old church. We each have opportunities to share and witness to the power of God each day of our lives. I guess the question we need to ask is, "What do we do with the gifts of God?"

Week 2 begins

I continue my journey in this life changing event in my life. Bonnie and I have reflected on how long I have suffered and did not realize how sick my heart was. God has definitely blessed me that I did not have a heart event before they realized that my heart had four plugged lines in it. Today my exercise steps up from 10 minutes 3 times a day to 15 minutes 2 times a day. Five minutes is a lot. Did not make it the first time, only was able to do 12 before becoming tired. But I know it is important to push oneself in order to get back healthy.
Our spiritual life is just like that. I remember some time back hearing about broken hearts being mended and how those mends leave rough edges. And yet God's love can smooth even the roughest edge, not just forgiving us but working hard to bring us back into a reconciled relationship with God. If only we humans could learn to do the same things. My children could learn a lesson here.
This week I get stitches removed and that all initial follow-up doctors visit which comes on Friday. But as always, as Paul reminds us, we must persevere and run the good race for the Kingdom.

Week 1 - middle of the week

Many thoughts are going through my brain today as I continue to recover. Moments of sheer boredom followed by pain and feebleness. As well as a certain melancholy that I am missing annual conference for the first time in my United Methodist Journey. I am so excited for those memories each year and treasurer them greatly as we gather to share in reunion, conversation, and discussion. So far I am progressing as I am supposed to be doing but the going at times is slow, especially trying to sleep which is an ordeal. Thank God that I have a patient wife in all this, but her tenacity comes from experience and it is good to rely on that. The journey continues......

Week 1 - A New Beginning

Well it has officially been a week since my Quad By-Pass surgery. To believe that I would be sitting, talking and taking short walks is an incredible statement to the power of God's grace and the power of God's healing through the Doctor's, the surgery, and the nurses care. To reflect back now on the last several years, I have been sick for some time and just did not realize that my tiredness and inability to exercise was the blockage. Today is a day of relaxation with some moderate exercise, and time to reflect on this new beginning that God has given to me. What ministries does God want to share with me in my life? What leadership is God calling me to with the church in order to proclaim the Kingdom? I think these are relevant questions for each of us as Christians each and every day. But how more dramatic it becomes when you realize that this physical life can be cut short due to illness. And when given the opportunity to overcome that obstacle, as I did last Monday, what responsibilities are brought with that great blessing.