Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Days 4 and 5: Tuesday in the Warehouse, Wednesday Moving Stuff


Tuesday and Wednesday have been relatively light work days for us. On Tuesday, we went to the warehouse that serves as the storage facility and staging area for the regional Angel Tree Project. (N.B.: The copyright for the term “Angel Tree” is held jointly by the Salvation Army and Prison Fellowship Ministries; use by any other entity is a violation of copyright. Enforcing that is part of Jim Garrett’s job!) In 2007, the local Angel Tree Project provided at least three toys, an outfit of clothing and a Christmas stocking to each of nearly 15,000 children. Distribution takes place at the made pace of 50 families per 15 minute interval. Following the Christmas rush, there are toys and clothes leftover, people bring in items late or take advantage of after-Christmas sales to purchase gifts for the following year. As a result, it takes until approximately March 1st to sort through and to package up the gifts and clothing that will be held for the following Christmas.

In addition to warehousing materials for the Angel Tree program, the warehouse behind the thrift store also serves as the clearinghouse for regional Salvation Army disaster response. In order to facilitate the latter, it’s important that as much space as possible be made available in anticipation of a regional (or, as in the case of Hurricane Katrina, national) disaster.



Through the early afternoon on Tuesday, the gang of four sorted toys while I sorted clothing. Perry had the fun of driving the forklift while Brian merely hauled pallets from one area to another. Barry enjoyed being in the thick of things but he was mostly in the thick of the very dirty warehouse floor. He was so dirty that I bit the bullet and arranged for him to visit the grooming salon at the local PetsMart for a bath and brush. He was much improved afterward!




Once we’d run out of things to do at the warehouse, the students were eager to get moving, so we came back to the SA headquarters (SAHQ?) to clean up, catch our collective breath and get a bite to eat. (Meanwhile, I took Barry to the spa and explored the nearby mall.) Later, we went to the movies (“Atonement”) and visited Heine’s coffee (two of our group made a return visit to Graeter’s) before returning to catch up on the news (“The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report,” of course!).


Today, we helped with the office move, hauling stuff from one part of the old building to another and then helping to unload the trucks at the new building. We were hosted at lunch by members of the local chapter of the University of Michigan Alumni Association, which was a lot of fun! We completed our work at the new building by 3, after which the guys went to the Frazier International Museum while the women went to the Muhammed Ali Center. As I write, we’ve finished dinner and are contemplating our evening plans. (I for one need to get some WORK done!)

Peace, Shalom, Salaam,
Pastor Sue






Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Days 2 and 3: Louisville Sluggers, Lexington Lute-Episcs, Thrift Shop Joys

Sunday, Sunday, continued...



Our game plan did indeed involve baseball in the form of a tour of the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum. It was really neat to see how they select and harvest the trees and make the bats. I had no idea of the differences between the bats made for amateurs and those made for the pros. The latter can choose from about a thousand different designs for their bats, not counting the cupping, finishing and labeling of the bats. Since 2006, MLB players have used pink bats at games played on Mother’s Day with the profits from sales of the bats going to breast cancer research. There is talk about (probably blue) bats to raise monies for prostate cancer research but MLB and the Louisville Slugger folks have yet to come to a consensus about that. It occurs to me that a little well-placed pressure from the public might encourage them to put that into practice. Each of us received a mini Louisville Slugger at the end of the tour.


Following our visit to the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum, we got a bite to eat and then hit the road for Lexington, where we worshiped, ate and visited with the good people at the Lutheran Episcopal Ministry Center (LEMC). Barry Neese, the pastor, and I became acquainted while mucking out houses and uprooting dead trees at the regional campus ministry gathering in New Orleans in 2006. As it turns out, Barry was serving in ministry in Logan, Utah, when Perry was in Price. Small world, eh? We enjoyed Holden Evening Prayer and dinner with the students. With so many engineering majors, we felt very much at home! Each week, a congregation in the community (Lutheran or Episcopal) provides food for the community meal. It’s very cool to emerge from worship and find the food ready to go! We very much appreciated the hospitality offered by Pastor Barry and the students at LEMC. Finally, we began a new photographic tradition: Taking pictures of T. Barry with the human Barrys we meet. Barry Neese is the first. (We’ll have to pick up pix with our local Barrys when we return home.)

Back at the SA headquarters, we were joined for the night by a group of 45 from John Carroll University who are participating in a program called, “Students Today, Leaders Forever.” Begun a few years back at the University of Minnesota, JCU has just joined the program. They travel by bus from city to city, doing team building within their group and community service in each community they visit. Naturally, Barry made the rounds visiting all of the young people in the group and welcoming them to their home for the night!



Day Three: The Thrift Store and More
We spent the majority of our time today helping out at the Salvation Army Thrift Store. SA, as many know, pioneered non-profit thrift stores. The one in Louisville serves as a clearing house for a wide geographic area. Jessie, Laura and I were assigned the task of tidying up the clothing racks: sorting clothing by item and color, hanging them in a tidy manner and removing empty hangers. Brian and Perry replaced damaged ceiling tiles, a process that required Brian to climb up on a high ladder; we suggested that spending time in the air would be good training for our young, aspiring pilot!

This evening, we attended worship on the “backside” of Churchill Downs, which is the only race track chaplaincy erved by a Lutheran pastor. Two worship services take place simultaneously: one in English and one in Spanish. Following worship, the two groups commingle over dinner, which is provided by one of 46 area congregation. It’s a very interesting and intensive ministry. We’re hoping to visit him at Churchill Downs and to learn more about the people he serves.
Before heading back to the SA, we stopped at Graeters, the local premium ice cream shop. I may pay for the indulgence but it sure was yummy! This morning (Tuesday), we're off to sort toys!

Peace, Shalom, Salaam,
Sue

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Light from Louisville!

Spring Break 2008: Day 1: The Adventure Begins!

We picked up the mini-van on Friday and Perry carefully loaded his car-top carrier. On Saturday morning, Perry, Casey and Jessie arrived bright and early and ready to go. One problem: The folks at Enterprise had failed to tell us that the van locks itself - even when its running - and that’s exactly what it did. While we put a call in to AAA, Perry went in to A2 to pick up Brian and Laura. Naturally, it took the guy 30 minutes to arrive and 2.5 seconds to unlock the van. The rest of the group soon arrived, the luggage was loaded and we were off!

The GPS dubbed, “Simone,” we made our way south through Ohio and into Kentucky. Jim Garrett caught up with us by phone and directed us (with Simone’s capable assistance) to the Salvation Army’s outgoing headquarters in Louisville. A word about that.

SA is currently in the process of moving from one facility to another. And when I say “in process,” I mean we’ve been told to be careful to label stuff or it’s likely to get shipped out with the next load! The items that do remain are labeled and awaiting removal to the new location, an old high school just a few short blocks away. The move will put the administrative offices in close proximity to its shelters as well as provide a larger and more updated space. Over the past 90 years, the current facility has served as a home for pregnant teens, a birthing hospital, a rehabilitation center and, currently, the Salvation Army headquarters. For most of the week, we’ll be the only volunteers in residence, though this evening we’ll be joined by 45 students who are passing through. After settling into our new digs, we headed south to Hodgenville where we met the Garretts for dinner and the show at the Lincoln Jamboree.

Elvis and Friends

“Those people up north don’t know what they’re missing.” So said the gentleman sitting in front of me at the Lincoln Jamboree! And he’s right! We had a rousing good time enjoying the sounds of the Jamboree Gang and the entertainers for the week. We were particularly impressed with the teenagers who performed and agreed that no one should be surprised to hear more from Blake Whitlock in the years to come. If you enjoy country, bluegrass and gospel music, you’ll want to put the Lincoln Jamboree on your itinerary! (You’ll want to be sure to leave time to take a close look at the country music memorabilia on display.) We received a very warm welcome from Joel Ray and all the good people in Hodgenville who truly epitomize “southern hospitality.”

A Visit with Joel Ray

Pump it up: The Jamboree is an event, so, it was about 1AM by the time we returned to our “home away from home” at the Salvation Army. Perry and Brian settled into a little VIP apartment on site, with Perry taking the bed and Brian the couch. With the transition to new quarters underway, beds had already been moved and Jim couldn’t get his hands on mattresses for the night. He graciously provided us with air mattresses from home. Well, pumping up those air mattresses was an adventure but we stepped up to the task. Jessie and Laura in particular did a bang up job of establishing the right connections and getting the air flowing. Before 2, we were all tucked in and Barry was learning a new concept, “slumber party.”

Day 2: Sunday, Sunday!

Since we’ll be worshiping with the Lutheran-Episcopal Campus Ministry at UK in Lexington this evening, we all enjoyed sleeping in this morning. (What a luxury!) Perry went off to the urgent care to have a weepy eye checked (it turned out to be allergies rather than pink eye) and we’re establishing our game plan for the day. (It's likely to include the Louisville Slugger Factory!)


Pastor Sue

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Reflections on the NIU shootings


Dear Friends,

By now, you've heard of the shootings on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

We are aware of one alumna who serves on the NIU faculty. I have been in touch with her and, thankfully, she is safe. She was in a building next to Cole Hall where the shootings took place and could see the emergency personnel as they responded to the tragedy.

The Lutheran Campus Ministry at NIU could not be in a more central location, caddy-corner from Holmes Student Center and in close proximity to Cole Hall. It is my understanding that the Presbyterian, Methodist and Episcopal Ministries are currently housed at the Lutheran student center which has naturally become a gathering place for students, faculty, staff, families and members of the community. Campus ministry staff of all faith traditions are hard at work tending to the pastoral needs of a community that has been shaken to its core.

I trust that you are keeping the entire NIU community in your thoughts and prayers.

While it may be easy to think that our small expressions can make little difference, nothing could be further from the truth. Time and time again, people who have suffered as the result of violence (9-11, Virginia Tech, etc.) have shared how very much the emails, cards, notes, prayers and expressions of concern have helped to bolster their spirits during these seasons of grief. What may seem a small gesture - when combined with those of many others - amounts to a tidal wave of care. As the baptized people of God, it is appropriate that we participate in such expressions of God's love.

Should you wish to be in touch with the members of the Lutheran Campus Ministry community, you may do so as follows:

The Rev. Diane Dardon
Lutheran Campus Ministry
401 Normal Road
DeKalb, IL 60115
815-756-7700

I will share that this event is having a deeply personal effect on me.

  • My mother earned both her master's degree and doctorate from NIU and we lived on the edge of the campus for a year while Mom took courses toward her doctorate.
  • The NIU campus was my playground and I honed my research skills in its library.
  • My beloved English teacher from senior year in high school is now a Professor of English at NIU; thanks be to God, he is safe.
  • My dearest friend is an NIU alumna and native of DeKalb; her mother is a retired member of the counseling staff who has been called in to care for those affected by the shootings.

My ties to this community are many and my awareness of the landscape acute. I am reminded that, though we often think such tragedies are happening to "someone else," "somewhere else," what affects some affects all; for we are one in Christ.

Tomorrow, when we gather for worship, we will read the reassuring words of Psalm 121:

I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and for evermore.

Amen.

Yours in Faith,
Pastor Sue

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