Taking Steps at NEXT

We are experiencing a great week for NEXT worship this week. On Monday, Andrea Ryan started as the interim children's director for NEXT and Micah Burdick started as the NEXT Worship Leader. In addition, Chad Cooper started as the Director for Student Ministries for the church. Each one of these individuals have a crucial part in helping develop ministries for NEXT. In the same way, each person participating in NEXT has the same crucial role in developing ministries of invitation, welcome, learning, serving, and worshiping. Angie and I are excited as the team continues to grow and new opportunities to minister begin.

Let us support one another in our ministries. Pastor Steve mentioned during a staff meeting that we need to help people succeed in their task by giving them what they need to succeed. Micah is already moving quickly to connect with potential worship team members. Andrea is working with Angie and the church's children ministry team to move forward the children's activities during NEXT. She recently found curriculum for this fall that will be a valuable resource in teaching our children about Jesus.

Now, I ask what do you need to succeed in your ministry? Come and share with us your thoughts, your hopes, and your dreams. Let us continue to work together and with God to flourish the ministry of NEXT!

See you Sunday at 5pm as we join together in fellowship and worship. We will be discussing a powerful way to share Christ with others.

Live Life Loud

Angie and I (and several others from the church) had the great opportunity to lead a church camp this past week (July 5th-9th). The camp was for incoming 5th-7th graders. We enjoyed an awesome week of interacting with the campers, getting inspired by God, and avoiding the extremely high temperatures for at least awhile. One of the highlights of the week is always the theme song for the week. This year we used Hawk Nelson's "Live Life Loud" (listen here). This was a great song for the campers to connect with since it calls them to live life loud. We directly connected this song to living life for God. The beginning of the week they were hesitant and quiet. By the end, they were yelling the song and have continued singing it since camp (this comes from reports of the parents).

One of the amazing impacts I see after camp each year is how the theme we used can speak to us all. How many of us are careful when we express our faith? When do we tell others that we are Christians? This continues to be a topic people ask and how to do it respecting others while also sharing the love of Christ. I've come to realize each person will be comfortable at different levels of expression. For some, they naturally talk about their faith and talk about it quickly in a conversation. For others, they would prefer their actions to speak about their faith. No matter your comfort level, the important lesson is that we are sharing our faith. God calls us to live life loud so that our actions, words and thoughts express the love of Christ that we have experienced and desire to share. The reality is that people are watching. When they see us living out our faith, they will begin to ask why we live the way we do. Therefore, we can share our faith at any moment of our lives because we are living our faith. This is living life loud!

In order to help us live life loud, we are speaking about knowing our faith story and sharing our faith during our Sunday evening gatherings. We begin at 5 p.m. and you're invited to join us. Dinner and childcare provided.

I'm excited as we all live our lives loud for God!

"Suitcases" and Packing

On the radio there is a new song by Dana Maclean that says, “you can’t run when you’re holding suitcases.” (listen to the song here) This image really struck home and made us wonder. Are we all carrying too much? Sometimes we carry overwhelming debt; guilt over harsh words; uncertainty about the future; fear of failure; physical pain; illness…you add your burden. Do you worry if you are a good enough friend, spouse, son/daughter, parent, employee... Add in God to the mix and many of us carry uncertainty about what we believe.

This last weekend, our family moved. If you have ever moved, you know the stress of purging, organizing, and packing. You know the stress of asking people to help, because moving pianos and wrapping plates is not something people just look forward to doing. Yet, this past weekend we literally had people holding our suitcases. They concretely took our burden on for themselves. This is what we hope for NEXT.

NEXT will not only be a worship service, but it is a worship gathering. As we come together, we invite you to come just as you are and not try to be anything you are not. This is a burden you don’t have to carry. We hope to create a place where others will literally help you carry your burdens and dance, laugh and shout when you experience joy. As we sit down for a meal after worship and in small groups, we long to have a place where people can ask their deep questions about life, religion, and Jesus Christ. In this gathering, we know the Holy Spirit will meet us there to offer lessons for life, forgiveness, encouragement, and inspiration.

One of the lines in the suitcase song says, “there’s nothing holding you back now, just run.” NEXT let’s run together.

Curtis and Angie Olsen

Back to School!

This last week, the Olsen family marked another milestone … Drew started preschool. We are not sure who was more excited about shopping for school supplies, mom (Angie) or Drew. Drew was excited about getting a new backpack and Angie was excited about new crayons. Tuesday morning with backpack full of cool new stuff, we took a picture of our little man for posterity. Looking at him, he seemed so big and so little all at the same time. When we went to see him in his class, he was sitting so politely and looking studious. Weird and wonderful?! He was all smiles when we picked him up and when we asked how the day was he said, “School was pretty fun.” This is high praise from a 4-year-old: kudos to Sunbeams Preschool!!

There was so much excitement and newness this last week and also a realization of how quickly time passes. It made us wonder why we lose this exuberance for learning and meeting new people as we get older. On September 8th, we are kicking off all our new classes at Platte Woods United Methodist Church for the fall. We are hoping you can recapture some of the enthusiasm for meeting new people and learning something more about the God who loves you extravagantly. It is not too late to sign up for studies!

We are both teaching classes this fall and are really looking forward to growing deeper in our faith. Curtis is teaching Starting Point, which is a conversational environment where you can explore faith and experience community. This is a safe place for people with questions about faith, as well as those who want to learn about the Bible and Christianity. Angie is teaching a class called Hope for Humanity/Hope for Creation. This study explores the Bible’s instruction on how to live a sustainable life caring for the earth and our neighbors. As a former environmental engineer this is an exciting class to facilitate.

Are you excited to go back to school also? We sure hope so and Angie says bring new crayons if this makes you happy!!!

London...WOW!!!

We left Salisbury this morning for the last time. Leaving our "home base" for the week was bittersweet. The hospitality has been incredible; the walks along their charming cobblestone streets has been a joy; and waking with the backdrop of an elegant cathedral cannot be beat. Yet, each step of this journey is amazing, because today we arrived in London. You cannot arrive in this vibrant, busy city without being awestruck. We walked from Westminster Abbey to Big Ben and across the Thames River to the London Eye. Then we returned to the heart of Methodism in Britain, Methodist Central Hall.

At Methodist Central Hall, we learned about Methodism in Britain and were excited to hear about their many plans to reach people who do not know the love of God through Jesus Christ. Many of their churches are declining also, but they just see this as a new challenge to bring the living Word of God to the people where they are today!

We had our first adventure on the Tube today and did not get separated or lost, praise God! What a joy it was to spend a quiet evening at the Canary Wharf and satisfied our silly craving for pizza at Gourmet Pizza. It was lovely to be outside just the two of us, but we are missing the boys quite a lot today! Tomorrow we hope to have our hearts strangely warmed with John Wesley's memories at Aldersgate! Jolly Good!

Homework, really???

None of us were looking forward to today. We were required to give group presentations about what we have learned on the trip and what we will do with these new found insights when we return. It felt like homework, but like many other homework assignments we have had it turned out to be so worthwhile. It was wonderful to hear other people's insights from the trip and realize how many different ways this has helped all of us grow in our faith. This trip has helped us all get back to the core of who we are as a people of faith. We are to be about loving God and neighbor, and the Wesleys reminded us that grace leads the way. In seminary, we read tons of books about the founders of the Methodist movement, but until this trip they were just characters in a book. Now, they are living breathing people who struggled with what this faith calls us to do and be. They are peopled who realize methods like prayer, fasting, scripture reading, and acts of mercy/justice help us grow into the image of God. Pretty awesome people to look to as powerful examples of Christ followers.

After we finished our group assignments, we toured the Salisbury Cathedral, which has been the backdrop of our life this last week. It was started in 1220, but incredibly it only took 38 years to build (we will be seeing the Yorkminster later this trip whose building also began in 1220, but took 250 years to complete). We heard a boys' choir and their angelic voices raised us up to God. We could not help thinking of our boys and hope they will always want to sing praises to God with the same passion. We ended our evening with a trip to something a little more modern, the movie theater. Seeing Robin Hood while in England was pretty fun, especially since we drove by Nottingham a few days ago.

Love and peace to you all!!!

On the Move(ment)

Today we went to Bristol. The drive was the most beautiful drive on our journey so far. We saw one of the white horses of Wiltshire on the hill (similar one seen in the new Robin Hood movie). In addition, the rolling hills and small towns made for a wonderful tapestry of countryside. We can imagine John riding through this land often. It is said that he rode about 250,000 miles on horseback. We know John was short, but now we wonder if he was bow-legged also. :)

Upon arriving in Bristol, one of the first things you immediately notice are the new buildings mixed in with the old buildings. Bristol was heavily bombed during the war so they had to rebuild the city. The two main locations we were visiting was the New Room and Charles Wesley's house. The New Room was a building comprised of a sanctuary and a preacher's room. This place was central to the Methodist movement because it was a place where the preachers could come and rest, study, and prepare sermons before heading out on their circuits. In addition, it was a central location for ministry with the poor that worked in the mines around Bristol and with slaves coming in on slave ships. John preached strongly opposing slavery right in the middle of the slave trade hot spot. His boldness was inspiring and is an example for us all. To mention a fact, Bristol is where American Methodism began since preachers were ordained and sent to America from here.

Charles Wesley's house was an interesting place to visit because it gave us greater insights into the "other Wesley". Charles is not as well known as John, but still had a major influence on the Methodist movement. This is because he wrote over 7,000 hymns that proclaimed the Methodist beliefs and scripture through music. We still sing some of his hymns today. We stepped into his study and were humbled by just being present where much of his work occurred.

Our afternoon was spent walking around the downtown area of Bristol learning about the history of the city and where Wesley was active. One of the most significant locations was where John preached outside for the first time. After preaching outside to more than 3,000 people, John said, "submitted to be more vile." He realized how significant outdoor preaching could be even though he did not like doing it.

The last thought about Bristol is remembering the story of Charles Wesley and the Kingswood's miners. The miners were unclean and despised by the people of Bristol. Charles brought them to receive communion in an Anglican Church and they were denied because of who they were. As a result, the Wesleys and the Methodist movement began providing communion for everyone. This is why we invite everyone to partake in communion today so that no one is denied Christ's holy supper. God's love and grace is for ALL!

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ........Ah, Rest and Sabbath

We enjoyed worshiping with the Salisbury Methodist Church this morning and appreciated the rest this afternoon. We truly experienced the body of Christ while praising God here in Salisbury knowing people in our home areas would be praising God later the same day. The message proclaimed by a lay preacher encouraged everyone to love one another with humility and not to be so focused on ourselves. The heritage of John and Charles Wesley lives on in the singing of hymns. We sang Charles's hymns with the intentionality and gusto John instructed in the front of our hymnals. We received wonderful hospitality from the congregation and enjoyed our conversation with a retired pastor's wife.

This church has a great admiration for Francis Asbury who served as the Superintendent of the Salisbury circuit. Asbury left Salisbury when he was called to mission in America at the age of 23 and never returned to England. He is considered the father of American Methodism. Our connections are strong.

Today, we finally experienced the traditional food of England, fish, chips, and peas. It was lovely. We also now truly understand why the English drink so much hot tea, it is quite cool when it rains. Amazingly, this is the first day of typical English weather during our trip. This made it a perfect day to snooze and read as rain fell outside. We learned the importance of standing back from the curb when raining after a car splashed water in our faces.

Going to dry off now, Cheerio!!!

On the Road Again...

Most of the day was spent on a bus traveling from Bawtry to Salisbury. Toward the end of our journey, we stopped by a lesser known historic site in England called Stonehenge. :) We enjoyed our time walking around the henge as we learned of the place's significance. No, this place was probably not created by Merlin, giants, or the aliens, but by dedicated, creative, and strong people. Though Stonehenge was smaller than anticipated by us, the original users of the place surely found it emposing and majestic as they would approached from the river below. The commitment and expertise to move the 5,000 lb stone slabs from Wales is a testament of resolve and creativity. It is almost impossible to take in the fact Stonehenge has stood for 5,000 years.

Upon return to Salisbury, we ventured out in search of traditional English food and ended up enjoying excellent Indian food with friends. If you ever travel to England, you must partake in Indian food here.

We forgot to mention that we checked in with our almost 4 year old son Drew. The first sentence from Drew's mouth was "I'm cutting." There is nothing quite like the panic you fell from thousands of miles away when you hear those words. Thankfully, Grandma Olsen made sure they were kid scissors as he was cutting the dead heads off of flowers.

Thanks to the grandparents for all of your help!

Holy Moments and Squidgy Moments

Amazing day! We explored Epworth today, the place where Samuel and Susanna Wesley served a church and raised 10 children. After years of reading about the Wesleys, somehow being here today made them real for us. Here are todays highlights:

1. We saw the rectory (house) where they lived for 40 years. Impressive to have a parsonage that is used for over 250 years. It was amazing to see a crib like the one Susanna rocked all her children to sleep in at the rectory.


2. We touched the baptismal font Samuel used to baptize all his children. WOW!


3. Probably most meaningful was standing where Samuel (father) and John preached. The picture with this post is right in front of the Market Cross (city center) where John preached to a large crowd saying "I am NOT ashamed of the gospel of Christ." When John was not allowed to preach inside the St. Andrew's Church because he was too much of an "enthusiast", he stood on top of his father's grave outside the church and preached in the open air. Powerful reminder that nothing should stop us from proclaiming the gospel.


4. Stood by a life-size replica of John Wesley. Did you know he was only 5'2" and 110 pounds. What a powerhouse for God in a tiny package.


5. Learned new English words - squidgy and gorgeous can be used to describe a yummy fudge brownie and moorish describes when something is so good you want more! Please try to use these in a sentence tomorrow with an English accent. :)

Thanks for following our travels. More tomorrow. Peace and grace...

Today's Guide in Oxford: Tasmanian Devil

Wow, we are tired! We had a whirlwind tour of what is considered the cradle of Methodism: Oxford. We learned that the speed for walking in England is fast or hyperspeed. Our tour guide Tim was awesome, but it was difficult to keep up and capture everything that happened in Oxford. Our schedule for the day was insane! And to top it all off, the techie of this couple forgot to bring the charger for the camera so pictures were very selective.

Just to name a few of the highlights from today without full details:

1) Oxford Tower - place where the Wesleys went to visit the imprisoned, which helped them gain a better understanding of the physical and spiritual chains that bind people and the freedom that comes with faith.

2) Christ Church - church where John and Charles was ordained. For many of the early years of Oxford University, Christ Church was the central place of activity. This would be probably more interesting for most to know that we visited the great hall of Christ Church, which was the inspiration for Hogwart's great hall in Harry Potter.

3) Lincoln College - this college (many different colleges, including Lincoln College, comprises Oxford University) was where John Wesley was a fellow (tutor, instructor, mentor for undergraduates). This is the location where John Wesley began the Methodist movement by the creation of the Holy Club (accountable discipleship group). Most personally meaningful for both of us was sitting in the chapel where the Wesleys worshiped daily while in Oxford.

There were so many other highlights, so we'll tell you the rest of the story when we return. If you wonder where we are tonight, we find ourselves in Bawtry, England and will remain here until Saturday morning. We visit the birthplace of Methodism tomorrow when we go to Epworth where the Wesleys were born and raised.

Day 2 - Flipflops and Wesley's Communal Focus

It is only day 2 and we have already been enriched by other clergy and laity all as excited as us about searching out our roots and growing in God's grace. We enjoyed chatting with our “little men” last night by Skype, if even for a few minutes. They are adorable, happy, and well cared for by our parents, even though grandma decided to cut their hair in our absence (love you mom). We are enjoying the time as a couple and have only disagreed once about the best angle to shoot a picture of the Salisbury Cathedral. Pretty great considering jet lag :). Our best shopping experience so far was in Poundland (UK version of Dollar General) where we bought British Flag flipflops for the community showers. I know Wesley wants us to be more communal in orientation, but we still prefer an en-suite bathroom. Okay, on to more weighty matters...

We are experiencing information overload after today's series of lectures and group conversations. The focus of today was to share insights about the Methodist movement and the lives of John and Charles Wesley in preparation for our sight visits tomorrow. We learned about accountable discipleship where followers journey together to grow further in love with God and with neighbor. In addition, we discussed the missional focus of the Methodist movement and their focus on the poor. The Wesleys made it clear how social concern is an outpouring of our personal relationship with Christ. Therefore, to grow in grace, there must be acts of piety (devotion to God) and acts of mercy (serving others). They also clearly modeled how God's love has no distinction of gender, race, and social class. We don't get to choose who we love, but we must love all just as Christ loves all. We who are Methodist come from really exciting roots and we hope we can reclaim the sense of movement versus establishment.

After all this foundational learning, we cannot wait to venture out to see places of historical significance to the Wesleys. After reading and studying our tradition for years, it will be so moving to have context for the words.

Enough for tonight, may your day be as filled with grace as ours!!!

Wisdom from England

On the first day of the Wesley Pilgrimage, we have learned everything from the seemingly mundane to the profound. We learned that it is pigeon mating season, therefore, do not leave the windows open because a pigeon may see it's reflection in the window and see an attractive partner...We'll move on... We have also been informed that when it gets warmer here, the men take off their shirts and it often is not a pretty picture!!! Again...Moving on...

Let's get to the valuable moments in our day. We have learned that John Wesley visited Salisbury (our current location) because his mother Suzanna was living with one of her daughters after her husband Samuel died. The connections to Wesley here in Salisbury are strong and one of the first preaching houses founded by Wesley is here. We visited the church today and will worship with them on Sunday.

The most profound moment for both of us was a reminder of how the Wesleys and the "Methodists" shared a common identity that inspired those who had no identity. Many individuals had "no" identity in the 18th century due to social norms, but Wesley recognized all as blessed and beloved of God. These social norms were centered on class and economic status, so the poor and illiterate were considered throw aways. This was dramatically influenced by the country's transition from an agricultural to industrial society. The distance between the rich and the poor was ever widening and the existing church was not responding. The Wesleys did respond by meeting these people where they were and giving them a voice. The Methodists allowed all people to use their gifts and talents to serve God.

Our parting thought... Are people searching for identity today and is the Church meeting them where they are? Good night, more tomorrow...

Legacy Blog

This past weekend, I (Angie) had the honor of preaching about legacy. When one talks about legacy, it inherently means the subject matter is morbid. Death is not an easy topic to discuss and I am sorry to those who thought I was preaching about an “imminent” legacy. I have not been diagnosed with a terminal illness, but appreciate all the concern for my well-being.

This sermon series highlights Dr. Randy Pausch’s “The Last Lecture,” and the realities of his story mean we delve into dying and what we leave behind. Dr. Pausch was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and was asked to give a “last lecture” at his beloved Carnegie Mellon University. He was conscious of the fact he would not be around to teach his children all the lessons he wanted to teach him, so he used the last lecture to capture some of those insights for his kids. None of us know how long we have on this earth, and out of gratitude for God’s gift of everlasting life in Jesus Christ we are called to live life like we appreciate it. We do not have to be presented with a diagnosis of just a few weeks or months left to live to make sure our priorities are in line with God’s hope for our lives. My challenge to all of you is to reflect upon what you will leave behind from your time on earth, and I am not talking about a monetary inheritance for your family.

I want to share again some of the insights I gained from my own reflection on legacy. IF I was not here to raise my boys, here is what I hope for them. As a mother of two precious little children, I hope they know I love them, know God loves them, and know my hope for them to be part of something bigger than themselves. This means my greatest hope for them is to live life as a part of the body of Christ. As they grow up, I hope they accept Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of their life, so they will experience real and everlasting life.

I am depending on all of you and the Holy Spirit to show Christ to them. Being a part of the body of Christ will mean they know God's love. They will never walk alone and will always have the support of the family of Christ's body. It will also mean they will be taught what true treasure is and not what culture will want to sell them. They will learn treasure is from Christ's gift of salvation to them and they will know gratitude. They will be empowered to not only be concerned with the well-being of themselves and their immediate family. They will want to work to alleviate the suffering of the world. They will be taught to think of others before themselves so that others may experience real life in Christ. They will be conscious of the gloriousness of creation and be good stewards of this blessing.

I hope my life always points toward Christ and my legacy is one of love. We are not called to focus on our own mortality. We are called to appreciate the moments, care for others more than ourselves, and share God’s gift of real, eternal life with others. This is a legacy worth leaving!

What's for Dinner?

If you are like us at the Olsen household this is a very, very, very common question. Right now if you allow Drew his opinion it is always the same, “TACOS.” Since we cannot have tacos every night, we consistently have this conversation. Curtis and I say we do not care what we have (but we really do) and no one has an idea (except Drew). The thing that constantly amazes me is how we always have something in the cabinets or we can go to the nearby grocery store. We do not go hungry though the conversation drags on and on. Yet, some do not have the luxury of this silly conversation.

Last Saturday, 14 Platte Woods United Methodist Church folks went out to a green bean field near Lexington, Missouri. We went there because of a call God has placed on our lives to serve those in need: To love our neighbor as our self. The Society of Saint Andrew (www.endhunger.org) has developed relationships with farmers in our area to harvest the crops left over once their machines have finished. Last year Society of St. Andrews volunteers helped bring 24 million tons of food to people in need. This was food that would otherwise rot in the ground.

It was a powerful experience knowing what we picked would go to someone in need. This nourishing bounty of the earth would calm some true hunger pains. The hard part was leaving knowing there was so much left. When we came home and that evening were tempted to ask that same question — “What’s for dinner?” — we paused in thanks for our options!

Watch for upcoming opportunities to go pick crops for our hungry neighbors!!!

In Christ’s love,
The Olsens

Drew Meets a Bishop

Annual Conference this year was one of the best we have ever attended. The speakers were inspiring and there were wonderful learning moments. The focus on reaching out to the community for the sake of the kingdom of God was a needed reminder, and we could go on about this for a long time. But one moment really stands out for us: Drew met a bishop.

The first woman bishop of Mozambique was there speaking at a workshop I (Angie) attended. After her talk, I went up to visit with her about our team of missionaries currently in her country. While we talked, Curtis and the boys arrived to take me to lunch. Drew burst through the back of the room, ran with the exuberance only a 2- (almost 3) year-old can have to me. He ran smiling and yelling, "Mommy." He does not hesitate and says to the bishop, "I Drew, and I a big boy." Then he proceeded to introduce her to Zachy, daddy, and his mommy. Then he says, "You name." By this point the bishop is down on his level smiling and you instantly see her love for children. Drew did not know most people are impressed by bishops and wait their turn. He just wanted to meet her. There was just pure joy in meeting a new person.

I am so excited to have had this opportunity to meet Bishop Joaquina Filipe Nhanala. In conversation with her she instantly knew Chris Sams and her love for his work at the Carolyn Belsche Orphanage was obvious. She happily told me she was part of starting this orphanage and was happy to report children who have grown up in the orphanage are now pastors, doctors and teachers in the community.

If you have ever wondered if the money you gave to the orphans in Mozambique make a difference: it does. Right now Chris and Becky Sams, Colleen and Alaina Barclay, and Mary and Christopher Barth are representing us to Mozambique. Be in prayer for them. I know they are being a blessing. Right now they are meeting someone out there who is now going to know their brothers and sisters in Christ in Missouri love them, because Christ loves them. Happily, I believe they are meeting these new people with just as much joy as our Drew.

God’s World in Our Hands

In Junior High, my science teacher showed us the TV special “Poisoning of America.” It was one of those moments when my innocent understanding of the world was turned upside down. As a parent, I would love to protect Drew and Zach from every moment like this, but they are so important as you grow into an adult. This show vividly portrayed the reality of how much trash we produce and how we are running out of space to put all our waste. Images of trash barges with no place to be go and marine life strangled by plastics will always stick in my mind. This made me sad for the world and then made me want to do something to help.

In college to become an environmental engineer, I learned the problem went beyond the U.S. My understanding of how interconnected we are on this earth becomes clearer through the years. Yet, it was not until seminary I realized the most important lesson about the environment. God cares how we treat the earth. God created the earth and everything in it for us to take care of and enjoy. God’s world is in our hands.

I wonder though: is God happy with the job we are doing? Every day more news reports tell of increased cases of respiratory issues in children, drought and famine, dangerous flooding and waterborne diseases, and animals on the verge of extinction. An increase in global temperature and pollution are linked to all of these devastating problems facing our world. God’s creation is hurting due to our choices. God’s greatest command to us is to love God and our neighbor. Our neighbors are struggling and choices we make can either help or harm them. People of faith are called to put their love of God and neighbor into action by caring for God’s world.

On May 2nd, we are having an exciting event at Platte Woods United Methodist Church. From noon to 5 p.m., we are hosting an environmental festival with practical info and fun. There will be informational and hands-on displays about Earth-friendly choices. There is so much we do every day in every way to show God we care about all He created and shares with us. Come learn about ways to love God and the environment:

• in our homes, in our yards and as we travel
• with what we eat, buy and throw away
• as active, informed voices for care of God’s world

Eco Elvis will be in the house, performing the hottest "green" tunes. We will give away reusable shopping bags, plus free trees for the first 100 to arrive. There will be an amazing Green Car Show plus activities and snacks for children of all ages. For the convenience of families with young children, free childcare will be available for children 5 and under.

Some people say the problems facing the earth are too big, but I have hope. If people of faith start praying for God’s healing for the earth and start loving God with their actions amazing things can happen. Is anybody with me???

Spiritual Teething

1 Corinthians 3:1-9 (focus on 1-3a), “And so, brothers and sisters,* I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, 3for you are still of the flesh."

As parents of a 4½ month old, this scriptural image used by Paul is really in our face. Zach is currently in the process of getting his first tooth. It is not easy. He is generally a very content baby who rarely cries, yet now he squirms and cries out in distress. At first we did not recognize the signs, but now we see the constant chewing, drooling, and cries of pain as one of life’s moments of growth. Though we know getting teeth is a good thing, because it will mean he will move from milk to solid foods, the process is hard. It is hard both for us parents and for him.

In this Lenten season, it makes us think of how sometimes growth and transformation can be good, but very difficult. The same is true when we examine our spiritual journey with God. The scripture we reference talks about Paul’s call to the people of Corinth to quit quarreling and focusing on themselves. He wants them to focus on the ways God is calling them to grow in the Spirit and out of the selfish focuses of the flesh. God calls us to labor and allow God to work in and through our lives (1 Cor. 3:8). “For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Cor. 3:9).

This Lent each of us is called to self-reflection on the ways we are living out the greatest commandment to love God, our neighbor, and ourselves. In those ways, we are called to increase through God’s power. We are also called to do the hard work of giving up milk, the infantile focuses on only our needs, and replace them with the solid food of loving worship, prayer, service, and giving. Being truthful about who we are and where we are on this path may cause us pain to recognize our failures. However, just like teething, growth for God is a transformational pain that will be a lifelong blessing.

Our New Son has Arrived!!

Well, surprise, surprise, nothing went as expected during this pregnancy, so why change it now. Zachary Curtis decided to arrive a day early at 12:34 am on October 16th. He weighs 7lbs and 12ozs and is 20 inches long. He is beautiful and has lots of dark hair.

Angie is doing very well after the delivery and continues to rest and to admire Zach. She is thankful Zach came on our fourth wedding anniversary since she had not purchased a present for me. I believe a new son is a great present and a wonderful blessing.

Drew had no idea what was going on when we woke him up at 9:30pm to take him to sleep at a friend's house. He was very excited to be riding in a car at that time of night. We believe he will be a great brother, but oh how his world is about to turn upside down.

As 4am goes by, I thank God for wonderful children and an amazing wife. What a day! God is good, all the time! May God surprise you this day!

The Birthing of Blog and Baby!

Well, it's time for the Olsen's to blog. One of our greatest family joys is that Angie and I are able to minister together at the same church. In a similar fashion, we are going to join together to blog our thoughts and insights of ministry and of life. As many of you are aware, Angie is pregnant with our second child, and yes, it's another boy. She has had a difficult pregnancy and is thrilled to say that a c-section is planned for Friday morning. The conversation of baby has been occurring often around our house as we attempt to help older brother Drew understand that we are adding another person to the family. He understands that Angie is carrying a baby, but thinks that everyone else has a baby in their belly also. This is when I got into the car and drove to the YMCA for a membership.

During the past 9 months, we have received support in so many ways. Angie's and my parents have been helping overtime to keep Angie and I sane. In addition, many of you at the church have provided meals and gift cards to ease our concerns of meals. And most importantly, we are amazed at the amount of prayer that has been lifting us each and every day. We thank you for reminding us of the power and blessing that is found in a community of faithful people.

We can now say that we are "done" with this pregnancy. We are ready to see our new baby that God is sharing with us. One lesson we just learned in doing our first blog is that Angie and I talk differently and write differently. This is going to be a fun and interesting dialogue.