Posted in Ministry

SOTC draft

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Today I divided up the congregation into family groups for our elders. But I didn’t it differently than I’ve ever done it before. In the past, each elder got a part of the alphabet. This time, I gave each elder people they knew, either through worship, activities, or small groups.

How did I do this?  I printed out a list of our families on card stock and cut them up. Then I took a piece of paper for each elder and wrote their name on it. Next, I went through each name and gave it to an appropriate elder.

Afterwards, I realized we could have done it like a draft. Each elder takes a turn and takes a name, based on who they know. Probably would have been a lot more fun.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see how this works. Instead of contacting people they don’t know and never see, the elders will see most of their family group frequently. It’s not perfect. There will always be a few they will have to get to know. But I think it will work to our advantage.

Posted in Life

Baby it’s cold outside?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

People begin to act really strange when it gets cold in Florida. We are so used to temperate weather that any night below 40 throws us for a loop.

We scramble for coats, blankets, sweaters, whatever to keep us warm. We lament the cold, cold, cold, cold temperatures. The thing is, we all moved here from up north. At least most of us did. Where temps were in the single digits in the winter. Where we went out and shoveled snow in single digit temperatures. Where winter lasted months, not days.

I remember running when it was 20 below zero. I think I did it more to prove that I could. Tights and nylon running pants. T-shirt, turtle neck, and nylon running top. Hat, two pairs of gloves, and a scarf over my face. Plastic two pairs of sock. Four or five miles in Des Moines, IA. Actually, it wasn’t so bad. Once the icicles formed on my mustache and I was under way, it was pretty cool to be out in pretty cool temperatures. Crunch snow, bitter air — I felt alive. A survivor. Not a victim of the weather, but someone who could overcome and survive the worst conditions.

So 30 degrees in FL? Piece of cake.

Posted in Grace, Life, Ministry

Premature Ephiphany thoughts

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Even though Epiphany isn’t technically until Wednesday, we’ll be celebrating it in worship tomorrow. I’ve never been at a church where the worshipers were willing to get together on the actual day of Epiphany, so we usually observe it the first Sunday in January.

It seems like everyone likes Epiphany. Perhaps that’s because the account of the wise men coming to worship Jesus with their gifts is such a familiar story. Few are aware of the significance of the day, but they like it anyway, because who doesn’t like presents?

The actual arrival of the wise men would have been a very strange occurrence for Mary, Joseph and Jesus, Christmas-crashers, as it were. Gentiles in the house? Well, they brought gifts…

Most of us Gentiles tend to forget we’re Gentiles and what an amazing truth it is that the Gospel is for us, whether we bring gifts or not.

And lest we forget, Matthew’s gospel does not tell us where they came from, other than the “east.” He does not mention how many wise men there were. Or that they rode camels. Or that they brought a drummer boy along with them.

Posted in Life, Ministry

Reading your Bible in 2010

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I am constantly reading through my bible from cover to cover. I began this some seven or eight years ago, reading through a different translation each time. So far I’ve been through the New International Version, God’s Word, English Standard Version, Today’s New International Version, New Living Translation, and am about halfway through the NET Bible from bible.org. It usually takes me more than a year to do this, so I don’t always start on January 1.

Even though this is a good habit, there are pitfalls to reading the bible in this way. Typically, Genesis and about half of Exodus are pretty interesting. As soon as you get into the specs for the tabernacle, though, it gets tedious. Leviticus isn’t much fun, either. Most people usually give up by then. The other problem is that you will spend a long time in the Old Testament before you get to the New. And if you don’t have a good handle on the whole story of scripture and how the books fit together, you can soon get lost in genealogies, laws, and Hebrew poetry.

Are there some good ways to approach reading your bible in 2010? Absolutely.

  • If you’d like to go through it cover to cover, subscribe to Daily Walk. It’s a little guide that helps you know where you’re at and where you’re headed, and you’ll get through the bible in a year.
  • Use the suggested daily readings in The Lutheran Service Book. Old and New Testament are mixed up enough to keep you going. There are lots off other daily bible reading plans you can find online.
  • Alternate between Old and New testament books, using a good study bible or handbook to give you an introduction to each book as you go.

Each day I also read five Psalms and one chapter of Proverbs. I start with the Psalm that corresponds to the day of the month, and add multiples of 30. So today I read Psalm 1, 31, 61. 91. and 121, along with Proverbs 1. Tomorrow will be Psalm 2,32,62, 92, and 122. Psalm 119 (the longie) is only read on the 31st of the month when it occurs. A pretty nice way to read through the bible’s hymnbook often.

I’d be interested in learning about some ways that you’ve read through the bible.

Posted in Life

What’s in store for 2010?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

This has been a very eventful year for my family and I. My oldest, Adam, graduated from Florida State University. My youngest, Olivia, started high school. My oldest daughter, Katie, had an awesome internship this summer at an amazing Christian music venue. My wife Lisa and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary with a trip to Alaska.

What’s in store for 2010? Another college graduation, lots of high school events, some travel I’m sure (like to St. Louis, where my son attends seminary). Most of what we’ll experience will be a surprise. We really don’t know what’s coming.

I don’t have many resolutions to make. I already exercise, read my bible each day and pray, watch what I eat, and don’t smoke. Maybe I’ll make some reverse resolutions and exercise less, eat more, and get out of shape. I could start smoking. Then I would have some positive resolutions I could make for 2011.

I don’t think it’s supposed to work that way, though

Posted in Ministry

Who goes to church the Sunday after Christmas?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Apparently quite a few people. Many of my clergy friends in town (mostly Bsptist) sat it’s their worst attended Sunday of the year. Several even cancelled their services. For us though, it was about the same as the rest of December.

Over the years, I’ve had many baptisms on this Sunday, since many families can be here. One year I baptized five little ones at once, which is a record for me. I even had pretty good Bible class attendance. Go figure. Actually, I can’t. It’s one of those unpredictable things.

After preaching five services in four days, I welcome a “routine” week, and a little lighter schedule.

Posted in Ministry

The day after

Posted on by William Douthwaite

The day after Christmas. Finally a good day to rest and relax after a busy Christmas season.

There is always a day after. A day when life gets back to normal. Like the day after Noah and his family finally got off the ark with the animals. Or the day after Goliath goes down. Or the day after the temple is dedicated. Or Monday after the resurrection. We’ve been changed forever by the events that have just happened, but now we settle into a routine once again. We will prepare and celebrate again in the future, but that day is as much as a year in the future.

When Christmas is at the end of the week, Sunday comes again very quickly (like tomorrow!). After saying so much about our Lord, suddenly it’s time to preach again. It won’t be a routine day, though, for we will have a baptism. And we will have many guests with us again. And we will pray much about the new year to come.

Posted in Ministry

Who goes to church on Christmas Day?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Yesterday, I wrote  about those who attend on Christmas Eve. Now I’m pondering church attendance on Christmas Day. I grew up in a household where we went to church every Christmas Eve and Day. Every year. Without exception.

However, when I began serving in my first parish, I discovered that virtually no one else had that experience. Christmas Eve is the big event. Christmas Day passes by and no one hardly notices. Most churches around me do not have a Christmas Day service. Some even cancel services for the Sunday after Christmas.

But I’ve discovered that worship on Christmas Day serves our members and guests who do not drive at night and cannot attend a Christmas Eve service. So we generally have a whole different group of people.  There are some overlaps, but not too many. It’s a smaller service, with a chance for more conversation and prayer, unlike the packed sanctuary of Christmas Eve. I find Christmas Day worship very meaningful.

Posted in Ministry

Who goes to church on Christmas Eve?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Christmas Eve is one of the biggest attended worship services of the year for us. Easter Sunday is the other. Why is that? Who goes to church on Christmas Eve?

  • If they’re in town, most of our regular attenders will be there.
  • If they’re in town, a good number of members who rarely attend (once or twice a year, at Christmas or Easter) will be there.
  • Visiting relatives will be there.
  • Some first time worshipers will be there, too.

That last group is the one that really interests me. How did they find us? Why did they choose us? What are they looking for? Chances are they will slip in and slip out without meeting me, so I don’t often get answers to these questions.

The Christmas Eve culture is an interesting one. So many spend so much time and money on the commercial and consumer dimension of the celebration. So why all of a sudden devote time to worship? I am sure they like the music. Or they’ve been told “we’re going to church.” Or it’s something they’ve always done. I think it’s awesome when you see a whole family sitting together.

I used to feel a lot of pressure to communicate the gospel clearly to those whom I will only see on this night. That’s important, but I don’t feel that pressure anymore. I like to tell the story because I like to hear the story of my Savior coming to save me. And I think everyone else likes to hear that story, too.