Dr. Roosa's Blog
|
November 10, 2006
The appropriate title for this reflection is
“KISS”. “Keep it simple Stephen.”
|
|
Read full article...
|
|
|
October 5, 2006
When the unthinkable happens we want answers, understanding, and rescue. When I was younger I would ask my pastor what he thought. I always expected wisdom and a satisfying response. Now that I am the person that others ask, I am faced with the times when there are no "answers." The school killings in three locations in a week brought us to the edge of such a time.
|
|
Read full article...
|
|
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Welcome to my first blog entry. I'm so pleased for the generous and creative work of Nancy Shaw in the creation of this web site. May God bless us all as the months roll by in ministry and may this web site become a powerful link within the congregation and to the community. Please encourage others to log on to this site and make use of its many features. If you have any trouble logging on or using the site we would love to hear from you. Perhaps we can help with your particular problem or teach you more about using the internet for a good purpose.
I was richly blest this morning as I joined in the “See You at the Pole” annual gathering. It was a warm, joyful time despite the chilly temperature. I’ve grown to love the few ecumenical activities we have as the body of Christ in Alliance. The fellowship transcends our denomination differences and liturgical styles. With simple prayers from the heart we offer ourselves and our community to our Lord. I wonder what those driving by think when they see a handful of folks holding hands around a flag pole at 7 am on a cold morning. I hope no one thinks we are praying to the flag! In this day of minimal understanding of the Christian faith in the community at large you never know.
As we gathered I took a moment to count the number present. I suppose pastors have a hard time not noticing the attendance, whether it’s a Sunday morning or a prayer meeting. There were seventeen men and women gathered at the pole. Four were pastors representing three churches. The rest were from various churches in the community including ours. As I thought about the turnout I realized there two ways I can evaluate its “success.” By the raw numbers or by the divine power that calls us to pray. Seventeen out of nine-thousand is not a large number. Of course there were Middle and High School students gathering at three Alliance schools. I do not know that number. But, working with the 17 adults who gathered we had .0019% of the community holding everyone in prayer. (I used 9,000 as a population for our city.) One’s perspective will determine whether or not this is a discouraging number or a wonderfully successful time of prayer. Many year’s ago the late Francis Schaeffer wrote a sermon that has influenced my ministry many times. His title was No Small People, No Small Places. You can figure out the content of the sermon just by the title. It was this sermon that opened me to coming to minister in Alliance. After thirty-two years of ministry in large California cities, I heard God’s call to a “small town” that is not small at all in God’s economy. God is not moved to act based on “the numbers.” God hears the plea of his people, be it one or millions. Alliance was prayed for today. The heavens were filled with the heart-felt love and hopes of God’s people. I praise God for those who gathered in the early morning light to lift Alliance to the Lord. I offer my thanks to those who came. I also offer my thanks to Terry Grosz who so faithfully plans and leads a ministry prayer in our city.
|
|
|
Pastor's Blog
