April 2, 2011
Going Beyond in NYC – Metro Chr Convention 2011
I presented 2 workshops last Saturday at an annual Saturday gathering of Restoration Movement Christians in the NYC region. My family & I have been participating in the Metro for years, way back to its early days when we would make the long drive from Ohio to participate. My two topics this year grew from the Convention theme of “Going Beyond in NYC” – itself an adaption from last year‘s North American Chr Convention. You can download notes from the “Going Beyond in Discipleship” session (answer key at bottom of sheet). The “Going Beyond in Technology” was deliberately more free form, because I guessed that the participants would come w/ different levels of tech interest for themselves and their congregations. The discussion focused on:
- using YouVersion (my specific user account including my notes) for an online Bible resource, including reading plans;
- Twitter to communicate by texting, especially for congregations whose members used text more than email or web;
- blogs for posting lessons and news
As readers of this blog can guess, we barely scratched the surface of using tech for ministry: databases, Facebook, security, etc. – but if anyone has thoughts, feel free comment on this post
May 21, 2010
NYC: great multitude no one could count – especially on the roads!
attenders connecting after sessions at the Metro Chr Convention, including main speaker Clay Perkins (MACU)
Last month for the Metro Christian Convention, this time to drive oldest daughter and Heather as guests for a Long Island-style Sweet Sixteen = long-suffering through NYC traffic 
But worth it both times!
Dr James Hamer, minister @ East Northport Christian (where Heather & I served for 10 years), reflects:
The Metro Christian Convention . . . in Queens was truly a microcosm of the picture given by John: “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9) With regard to East Northport Christian Church, there is represented in our congregation: Romania, Russia, Italy, Philippines, Germany, Puerto Rico, and plain people like myself! (Maybe missed one or two)
Though the attendance of the Metro is only a tiny fraction of the North American Christian Convention or (larger fraction) of the Eastern Christian Convention , my guess is that proportionally, the Metro is the most ethnically diverse gathering in the Restoration Movement. I hadn’t been back since we moved to Maryland, but seeing many friends from days gone by made it worth the traffic
April 20, 2010
ServeFest 2010 OR Metro Chr Conv – choose only one
Can’t be two places at once – often a ministry dilemma (occasionally a family one, too), especially at a thriving church like MCC. Here’s a recap of the Good Morning Maryland @ 9 segment on the Baltimore county version of this year’s ServeFest, including video. Heather & my girls will be volunteering w/ dozens of MCC students and adult sponsors at the Equestrian Center, and then over to MCC’s Mountain Rd campus for the ServeFest tailgate party.
Meanwhile, I’ll be attending the Metro Christian Convention in Queens NYC. Our family used to attend every year when we lived on Long Island, but I’ve not participated since we moved to Maryland five years ago. I’ll be passing along information about this year’s North American Christian Convention and Eastern Christian Convention while I’m at the Metro, as well as spending the day w/ my parents and sister – worthwhile to be sure, but another day when I would like to be in two places at once
November 7, 2009
Three Flavors of Celebration
Heather & I celebrated the 80th birthday of a MCC friend last night – certainly the largest (by attendance) birthday party I’ve ever attended Among the many humorous and touching tributes to a woman of God who has blessed many around her, MCC’s senior pastor Ben Cachiaras closed the evening with a blessing to her in the form of the Apostle Paul’s prayer from Ephesians 3:14-21.
Earlier yesterday, at a slightly larger gathering 150 miles north Yankee fans celebrated the team’s World Series victory with a parade. Though I’m an avid Yankees fan, I didn’t make any of the 1996, 1998-2000 parades; I think I’ll reserve my crushed-in-a-sea-of-millions NY experience for one of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades
Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi celebrated victory in a very different way, by helping a stranded motorist on the Cross County Parkway – I’ve driven the Cross County and he’s compassionate & brave, even if not quite to the degree of another traveler who stopped to help someone he didn’t know. I remember following him from his first days as a Yankee, including my joy at learning more about Girardi’s strong but not overly-confrontational faith.
August 5, 2009
God of this city NYC 09 – beyond words
Six MCC people (Rocky R, Jonathan W, Michael M, Trina Mc, Heather & I) served w/ Church of the Incarnation, Forefront Church, and Westchester In
dian Chr Ch in a quick NYC mission trip Friday 31 July – Saturday 1 Aug. Friday, we gave people flyers about COTI kids basketball camp – Trina & Heather had the most success w/ going to Columbus Av / Amsterdam Av merchants, asking to them to post a flyer in their stores. We gave away free granola bars in Madison Square Park – Trina & Heather had the most success again by the 23rd st & Broadway corner though the whole team determinedly persevered through the pouring rain! The day ended w/ a little sight-seeing, late night SI ferry ride to see Statue of Liberty.
Saturday morning, we worshipped with other Love NYC Day volunteers at Forefront’s Upper West Side campus.
Saturday afternoon, we helped WICC w/ their first children’s event. After a debriefing discussion during dinner, we drove back to MCC, arriving at about 2a Sunday morning (!) – a whirlwind two days, but worth every minute (even the parking ticket – sigh).
July 25, 2009
God of This City NYC 09 change
Ministry = adapting to changes, sometimes last minute and beyond my control – hard lesson that I’m still learning Because we didn’t have the response we’d hoped, we’re scaling back MCC’s short term mission trip to NYC to make it even shorter (Fri 31 July – Sat 1 Aug) – and less expensive. Details here. I regret missing the opportunity to work w/ Community Christian Church NYC & NYC Rescue Mission – but not my will but God’s will be done!
May 29, 2009
God of This City NYC 09 – two month countdown
I’ll be periodically blogging the next couple of months about a MCC short term mission team that will go to NYC Thursday 30 July – Monday 3 August to help six different churches and ministries:
Indian church planter C.T. Abraham and family
- Community Christian Church – NYC
- Orchard Group Indian Project
- Forefront Church
- Igreja de Cristo
- Church of the Incarnation
- NYC Rescue Mission
Here are some past posts about MCC trips to NYC: reflection on 2008 one-day trip, prep for 2008 trip, the 2007 day-trip I planned to go but missed.
Download the first draft promo flyer.
May 13, 2009
MCC-Milligan interns in NYC
Adam Proffitt, Chase Boyer, Andrew Davis, Andrew Duggins, JD Larson
Last Thur 7 May – Fri 8 May, I took 5 Milligan College students who were finishing their MCC internships to NYC for a whirlwind visit. Thursday afternoon, we did a little sightseeing. Friday morning we met w/ church planters who graciously shared their time and wisdom, answering questions about ministry education and the importance of life experience in preparing for ministry. Our thanks to Mark Reynolds from Redeemer Church Planting Center, and Brent Storms and Jared Witt from Orchard Group!
August 4, 2008
reflecting on Love NYC Day
TylerM Tom M Sally C Darlene Taylor Alex L in front of Blender Theatre
Five of us from MCC participated in Love NYC Day. My strongest memory from the day is the feeling of powerlessness-frustration I felt when we ran out of free granola bars and water bottles to give away. I had gotten such a “rush” from the puzzled smiles passers-by had given me, and I wanted to keep that “high” of making a (tiny) difference in brightening a rainy, humid, hectic NYC Saturday.
I rarely feel that eager and excited to share the love of God with passers-by or the people I see more often. I need to feel more urgent and desperate about finding opportunities to share the life saving water and spiritual food of Jesus.
July 7, 2008
Short Term Mission: Love NYC Day – Aug 2
poster for Love NYC Day Aug 2008
Check out details about the short term (1 day!) mission trip to the Big Apple in this matt-berry-info-email. If you’re interested, post a comment here on the blog, or email me.
Because we’ll be serving-reaching NYC folks by “small acts of kindness [that] can nudge [people] closer to God, often in a profound way as it bypasses [their] usual defenses” – wear comfortable shoes and clothing to deal w/ the sweltering sidewalks of Manhattan in August With that in mind, this trip is better suited for mature students and adults.
If you ride in my minivan – transport is free If the Spirit blesses us w/ more volunteers, we’ll carpool. As short term missionaries, I’m asking you to give $50 to cover Forefront Church‘s costs for the day (materials, give-aways, etc.) , but if money is a problem – let me know so we can explore options. My tentative plan is to depart MCC 7a and return by 11p.
If you are already planning on attending “Party Like A Man” – MCC’s men’s ministry celebration wrapping up the monthly Sat AM breakfast study of Tony Dungy’s Quiet Strength – by all means follow through with that!
