Credo ↔ Oratio

Good evening.  My name is Tim.  I’m a knitter

[You respond: Hello Tim]

Yes, the fiber arts can be a bit addictive and as bars are to alcoholics, Men’s Knitting Retreats are to fiber folk (at least male fiber folk).  There have been east coast retreats… west coast retreats… and now finally we had our very first midwest men’s knitting retreat.  It started Thursday in Chicago, migrated to SW Michigan on Friday, and lasted until this afternoon.  I wasn’t able to do Thursday or today, but did enjoy the privilege of spending Friday and Saturday with the guys.

We stayed at Circle Pines and enjoyed field trips to Mar Haven, Briar Rose Fibers, and Circle R (Alpaca) Ranch.  Of course, we also spent hours of knitting, enjoyed a (brilliant) class on lace blocking by Mathew Hesson-McInnis (Aka MHM), started a charity project (the group is knitting a “Taste of Aran Afghan Pattern” by Janet Szabo)….  all wonderfully (but, flexibly) organized by Todd (aka ChiKnitterGuy).

All in all it was a great time with great people… Enjoy it a bit vicariously….

[PS: the images are a big reduced for the sake of bandwidth; if you attended the retreat and would like full-sized pics, drop me an e-mail.]

Grace and Peace,

`tim

Of the many things a minister does with his or her time, the one we are most often judged on is our presence in the pulpit and/or time spent leading worship. That makes sense, of course, since most of what we do is either in small groups or with individuals, and worship services are one of the few things that even the least-involved and least-connected people in a congregation still occasionally attend.

There are a variety of ways ministers and congregations tend to imagine a pastor’s job description…

There is a sense of truth to each of these views (and several others). Lately, however, I’ve been struck with the image of “conductor” or “facilitator” – particularly within the context of worship. Why? Because the biggest failure each of the above-mentioned positions tends to promote (with the possible exception of the fourth) is that, at a very basic level, they tend to imagine the minister as the primary do-er of ministry in the congregation. Something that, as far as I can see, has absolutely no biblically backing whatsoever.

If the minister is the primary do-er, then the minister’s role is to be the primary worship-er… the primary pray-er… the primary engage-r of the scriptures. If, on the other hand, the pastor’s role is that of “conductor” or “facilitator,” the s/he is charged with helping those on the other side of the pulpit and communion table to worship… and pray… and engage the scriptures.

That doesn’t mean that a minister isn’t worshiping and praying and engaging the scriptures as an individual (and as part of the body). Indeed, in a very real sense, s/he ought to have a certain expertise, experience, and training in exactly those things (as the Reformed tradition has consistently, albeit decreasingly, demanded). However, conducting a choir is a very different thing than singing in one (although most conductors can and have sung under the leadership of other conductors). A facilitator’s role, rather than trying to get a group to come to a particular conclusion, is to help the group discern a particular direction (often even something very different than the facilitator would have individually concocted.)

Pull the image over into ministry and all sorts of light bulbs begin going off in the thought-bubbles over our heads. A minister’s role is to bring together the body of God’s people and help them unite together in worship and prayer… to help bring them to the point where they are individually and communally engaging the scriptures.

What use is it if a minister gets in front of a congregation on Sunday morning to worship on their behalf… and pray on their behalf… and engage the scriptures on their behalf?

My answer: None!

I can do all of those things in the privacy of my own office or living room without the bother and distraction of a congregation watching me. If, on the other hand, a congregation gathers together each week (or even, dare I suggest it, more often!) and joins together to do each of these things as a gathered body, then something far greater is taking place. A minister, in this sense, is charged with making sure the congregation joins (metaphorically, if not literally) in on the same song… the same verse… the same words; a pastor is to help pull together the dozens of diverse and sometimes divergent souls and help weave them – even if for a short time – into a single tapestry of worship, prayer and word.

The problem? This view of ministry doesn’t give the pastor great power and prestige (which, in my experience, many ministers want and are hesitant to give up) and it doesn’t give congregations the ability to sit back and simply let it happen around them (which, in my experience, many congregations have become quite used to and are hesitant to change).

Those two problems alone (not counting the fact that minister-as-primary-do-er is an entirely unbiblical concept) are enough to ensure that minister-as-conductor or pastor-as-facilitator aren’t frequently-embraced images – from either side of the pulpit!

I wonder what it would take to change that?!

Grace and Peace,
`tim

It’s autumn… that means pumpkins. Unfortunately, I’m the only one in our house who truly loves a good pie crust so pumpkin pies aren’t on the top of the menu. However, pumpkin seems to be one of the the ingredient of choice this year, so there are a variety of wonderful pumpkin recipes out there. Ari, over at Baking and Books posted a delicious looking recipe for Pumpkin Scones with Autumn Spice Glaze. I knew immediately that I wanted to give it a try. This morning was the chance!

They’re the perfect texture (not too dry, like scones sometimes are, heavy enough to be scone-y but light enough to skirt the adjective muffin-like). Next time I’d probably make them a bit thicker, and I over glazed them (according to JJ… although I’ll admit I’m more of a sweet tooth than she is). Great recipe though – and check out her blog, if you like food, you’ll certainly not regret it!

Grace and Peace,
`tim

Tonight was my first time presiding over a Classis meeting. It went well, I think!

Here’s a copy of what I said in my “report”:

October 20, 2009
Zeeland Classis Fall Meeting

I stand before you this evening with an uncertain mixture of both excitement – at the privilege of leading us through our business today, and terror, as I recognize that our gathering has the potential to be heavily influenced by a handful of restless elephants in the room. It seems to me, that there are a half-a-dozen or so topics that threaten to hijack us not only this evening but in the coming years. Each with the potential to quietly, but undeniably, trample us into corners of defensiveness, narcissism, and disunity. So I wanted to begin this evening by simply naming the reality that, like any other creature, us humans – when we feel cornered – often act out in ways that look very different from the priorities of God’s kingdom that we claim to uphold. Part of our responsibility as Christians is to resist that temptation, as natural as it may be.

We gather this evening as Elders, Deacons, and Ministers to do the business of God’s church and become, increasingly, the people of God. We gather, not merely to represent our constituencies or simply to get our own particular pet-projects through the system, but rather, that through what we do here, the world around us may see what it’s like when God’s people work together – even in the midst of difficulty…. even when we disagree.

Zeeland Classis is not the same Classis it was when I came into it 9 ½ years ago….

There are reasons for all of these things – good reasons, even. Historic reasons… economic reasons… psychological reasons… even, of course, spiritual reasons. Some of which are far easier to discern than others. The world, after all has also changed. Politics, today, are immensely more polarized than they were 10 years ago. The economy is, even after whatever recovery we may have experienced lately, still uncertain. The world, to many of our congregations – as you well know – has changed from a place of relative comfort, to a place of danger.

We no longer trust that when we turn on our TV’s or log into our blog readers, we’ll find something good or encouraging… instead, we fear – reasonably – that we’ll hear of another terror attack or school shooting or pandemic outbreak.

All of this, of course, means that Christians can no longer pretend that the world is our oyster – even here in Zeeland Classis. We can no longer imagine ourselves as part of a global Christendom. Children no longer grow up knowing the basics of the faith. Many of them – even here in Southwest Michigan – don’t know the difference between Abraham and Paul… or between the Gospels and the Psalms. God’s kingdom has not yet come in all of it’s fullness and we do not yet experience it fully here on earth as it is, even now, in heaven. We live today, perhaps more than any time in the past century, in a world increasingly like that of the scriptures.

And yet, as new as this reality may be to us, it is nothing new to Christianity. The Christian faith has often grown and flourished in cultures like the one ours is becoming. History has shown over and over that hardship almost-universally forces us to figure out what’s important and to work together collegially, even, perhaps especially, when it’s difficult…. or we will not survive.

Today, the words of the scriptures ring a bit more loudly in our Classis than they once did:

…you are [chosen], a royal priesthood, [holy], God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people;
Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, (the author so powerfully writes) I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he come to judge. 1 Peter 2:9-12 (NRSV)

Imagine, if Zeeland Classis could somehow become known as an entity that was so honorable in what we do and how we do what we do, that those around us would see us as an outpost of God’s kingdom.

Imagine, if Zeeland Classis would somehow live into our calling so fully that, even the world around us would find itself driven, eventually, to Glorify God.

Finally, all of you, (the author of 1st Peter continues a chapter later) have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called…. 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NRSV)

Let us pray.

A few weeks ago I promised something tatted for a friend of mine (aka JB); unfortunately, the bookmark I was working on was so ugly that I decided to dump it and work up something new with the same thread. This one is similar pattern, but more generous turns on the extremities (the 5-picot chains balance out the ends better than what I was previously doing.) This kind of thing, unfortunately, is a common problem since I seldom use patterns for bookmarks like this and like trying new things (which sometimes bomb.) (I tend to develop tatting patterns by trial-and-error rather than a plan-it-all-out-in-advance as I do with knitting patterns.)

It’s made out of JJLizbeth thread, size 20. I’m new to this particular thread (available from Hobby Lobby) but absolutely love it. It’s wonderful to work up and produces and defined and solid knot but it isn’t at all clunky.

For those interested, the rings are all 5-5-5-5 and the chains are all 3-3-3-3 (with the exception of the ends of each extremity, which are 3-3-3-3-3-3). It’s approximately 3 1/2 inches wide and 4 3/4 inches long. If you’d like more specific details, drop me an email or a comment and I’ll gladly write it up more carefully.

JB – if you’re reading this, I’ll bring it to the meeting we have next week.

Grace and Peace,
`tim

OK, let’s be clear, I’m not on the market for a new bike. My ol’ 2006 Diamondback Century is perfect for me – it’s made it through 3 Ragbrai’s without a problem and I expect several more thousand miles out of it. Having said that, sometimes a bike is a thing of beauty. I have yet to see one that rivals Renovo.

Seriously, click on the link and check them out.

I’m particularly infatuated with the Purpleheart and Ash:

Beautiful. (yeah, pricey… but still…..)

Grace and Peace,
`tim

Have you ever heard a piece of music that is so beautiful it almost hurts… a piece with dissonance so perfect that it’s achingly profound? Well, if you haven’t, Arvo Pärt’s Magnificat is it. I ran across an wonderful YouTube version of it this evening (although the video is a bit bizarre). Enjoy…

Grace and Peace,
`tim

We’re about half way through a vacation in Chicago – having a great time.

We’ve been to Ikea (an old favorite), Whole Foods Market (our first time), Trader Joe’s (first time… we’re in love…), a Hawaiian restaurant (in honor of Terika!), Wow Bao (yummmmmm!) – just to name a few.

Today I even got to take my first trip to Loopy Yarns. It wasn’t as big as I expected, but I did pick up some great Merino Top:

Anyhow, thought I’d touch in.

And have I told you how much I LOVE mass transit?!

Grace and peace,
`tim

You remember those little “Ho-Hos” (by Hostess) from when you were a child? They were like little chocolate “jelly” rolls with cream filling. Well, at some point (prior to High School, because I used to make this when it was our turn to bring treats to youth group), I ran across this recipe. It’s a 9×13 chocolate cake that reasonably resembles Ho-Hos. My guess is that I originally found it in the “Lester Cookbook” (the best “community” cookbook ever made!)

Now-a-days, I occasionally make it for funerals, which is why I pulled the recipe out this time. It always goes over well and several people asked me for the recipe so I thought I’d just put it up. If you want a printable version, you can download the .pdf here.

Whatever the resemblance, what’s not to like about a cake that has as much sugar in it as flour?! Be a bit careful baking it; if you over bake, the cake gets a bit dry – still tastes good though!

Ho-Ho Cake

Cake

Preheat oven to 325º.
Grease and flour 9×13 pan.
Mix Sugar, Flour, Salt and Cocoa in large pan.
Boil Water, Margarine, Oil for 1 minute.
Add boiled liquids to dry ingredients.
Mix in Eggs, Sour Milk, Baking Soda, Vanilla. Beat Well.
Pour into pan and bake at 350º for 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool cake before putting on other layers.

White (middle) Layer

Dissolve Sugar in warm Milk, Water and Vanilla; beat with mixer.
Add shortening. Beat 5 minutes.
Add Powdered Sugar. Beat 5 minutes.
Spread over cooled cake. (Important that the cake is cooled or the white layer will melt!)

Chocolate frosting (top layer)

Bring Sugar, Milk & Margarine to boil. Boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and add Chocolate Chips.
Mix well until Chocolate Chips are completely melted and mixture is smooth.
Cool mixture. (Very important or the white layer will melt!)
Drizzle over white topping.

Enjoy!

Grace and Peace,
`tim

EDT: the blog copy was missing flour (the .pdf version was accurate).

I went to the Michigan Fiber Festival today! Yay! If you’re at all interested in animals and fiber work, it’s worth a trip to one, some day. The Michigan one is the only fiber festival I’ve ever gone to, but it’s a good time and the price is right – only $5 to get in ($8 for the whole weekend) – and parking is free!

Last year I went home with very little (two lucets – one for myself and one for a friend). This year I had loftier goals; I wanted fiber.

As you may know, my dear wife got me a spinning wheel and, although I have some fiber, I’ve been waiting for the festival to pick up something a bit new and different. I did!

Upper Left: “Blue Heart” – 4.5 oz Corriedale from Barbara Lambrecht in Wayland, MI. (no website… yet.)

Upper Right: (Black) – 1/2 pound Columbia/Romney Roving from Centennial Farm Wools in Charlotte, MI.

Lower Left: (Dark Grey) – 1/2 pound Jacob Sheep Roving from Sweet Grass Farm in St. Johns, MI.

The most exciting purchase of the day, though, is that lower right-hand corner: 2 oz. of Buffalo! It isn’t Quivet, but it’s beautiful. Mixed with just a hint of wool. It’s soft, unbelievably warm, and Bonnie (from Catalynje Fuffalo Fiber Co. in White Pigeon, MI) is a hoot. I stopped at their booth last year and fell in love with the stuff but really didn’t have anything to do with it; this year, though, I have a wheel — I’m going to make it into a 2-ply with some Corriedale (that I already have)… eventually, anyhow!

On top of that, I had the chance to meet (in person… not just online) with a bunch of Ravelry-ers:

And from the podcast The High Fiber Diet:

(that’s Bethanyg, CoggieT, and yes, me)

I also finally got to put a face to CJ Kopec, who lives just down the road, but I’ve never actually met in person:

(dontcha just love those “hold up the camera yourself” shots?

Of course, alongside all of the people, the barns were full of alpacas, sheep, goats, and bunnies – I was a good boy, though, and didn’t whip out the Discover card and bring one home! (I’d rather stay married!)

All in all, a good day; next year maybe you can came to! It’s great to be around an entire group of people who are pleasant and friendly – that seems so rare.

Grace and peace,
`tim