Comments for The Vine

Comment on Report from Annual Conference, Day 1 by Mandy Sayers

Mandy Sayers — Fri, 23 May 2008 20:50:27 +0000

Glen, I’m excited to hear about what-all’s going on. I wish I could be there and no I’m not kidding. When will the move to Central Maryland District be effective?

Comment on A Sabbath Heart by Glen Lauber

Glen Lauber — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:02:10 +0000

This is a Sabbath take on the Steven R. Covey concept, “The Time Matrix,” (http://www.orgcoach.net/timematrix.html).

Covey encourages us to focus on the things that are “urgent” and “important,” then “not urgent” and “important.” He encourages us to avoid things that are “not important.” The website gives exmples. Of course, for Sabbath people, this is a good practice for six days a week.

If we do only “important” things on the seventh day, the Rabbi proposes those things should also not be “urgent.” I suggest we try not to do those “important” things, urgently.

Comment on A Sabbath Heart by Mandy Sayers

Mandy Sayers — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 23:55:06 +0000

I heard about a cool read on Sabbath from this rabbi (the Shalom in the Home guy). He says normally we are consumed by the “urgent” and we back-burner the “important.” You know, work is urgent and family is important. On Sabbath, we do not do the urgent. That’s for the other days. On Sabbath we spend bulk time (quantity time) on the important. I found this sort of liberating as a concept.

Comment on Salt Bank v. Salt Shaker by BPrechtl

BPrechtl — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 03:29:14 +0000

Gary Mason’s talks were personally inspirational to me because he made me realize how insulated we are in Howard County. The people he ministers to in Belfast have a daily stark reminder of the pain of hatred and violence - yet it still seems to be the best choice to achieve their goals.

I assumed that only here in the comparable luxury of Howard County, where violence is so distant could apathy be rampant, but Gary told us that even there in the midst of violence, apathy is still present. It prompted a discussion between John Nupp, and a staff member from St. Luke’s and I about whether apathy is simply a mask for fear. It made me realize that outward appearances can decieve and that fear is the thing that the church needs to address and to focus it’s energies on defeating. Only then can we truly act with purpose.