US Cellular

My little cellular provider from home hit me with a massive roaming charge (only $111.00, I guess it could have been worse) so I will be sending them $150.00 shortly and hopping over to AT & T. So...how is it that a national plan has roaming charges, you ask? Beats me...

An African Creed

We believe in the one High God, who out of love created the beautiful world and everything good in it. He created man and wanted man to be happy in the world. God loves the world and every nation and tribe on the earth. We have known this High God in the darkness, and now we know him in the light. God promised in the book of his word, the bible, that he would save the world and all the nations and tribes.

We believe that God made good his promise by sending his son, Jesus Christ, a man in the flesh, a Jew by tribe, born poor in a little village, who left his home and was always on safari doing good, curing people by the power of God, teaching about God and man, showing that the meaning of religion is love. He was rejected by his people, tortured and nailed hands and feet to a cross, and died. He lay buried in the grave, but the hyenas did not touch him, and on the third day, he rose from the grave. He ascended to the skies. He is the Lord.

We believe that all our sins are forgiven through him. All who have faith in him must be sorry for their sins, be baptized with the Holy Spirit of God, live the rules of love and share the bread together in love, to announce the good news to others until Jesus comes again. We are waiting for him. He is alive. He lives. This we believe. Amen.

Called to God's Mission

(from the UM Hymnal, number 593 "Here I Am, Lord")

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord,
If you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people's pain.
I have wept with love for them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my word to them.
Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord,
If you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will tend the poor and lame,
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide
'Till their hearts are satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord,
If you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

KingdomTide

Apparently the school's Dean of the Chapel is responsible to produce a devotional for the ATS community's year. Today was the first day of classes so this is our first day of our KindgomTide Reader. Let me tell you - I am some impressed. Not sure if I have commented on him yet, but I will surely be talking about our Dean of the Chapel a good deal in the coming year. JD Walt is his name - our DotC and Vice President of Community Life. No doubt I would think as highly of Houghton DotC, Dr. Brittain, but I wasn't around the year he was hired.

This is the cover of our community devotional:


I will also be posting shortcuts to our Chapel services (video or audio) that I am sure readers would enjoy.

Warning - Motion may make one dizzy.

Since arriving in Wilmore I have had the feeling that I have been here before or at least that I am as at home here as anywhere I have ever been. The community and camaraderie are the same as I found at Houghton with one obvious difference: ATS students are called to vocational leadership within the Church. Houghton students would likely be leaders in the Church but may or may not have vocations of ministry.

This aura, the Spirit of God filling the air - it is a truly remarkable thing. I hesitated to address this since I have so many friends who ought to be here as much as me and who aren't, during this season, able to come to a place like Asbury. I have decided to break the silence.

How awesome God is! I have yet to sit in the Chapel or in a lecture (classes started today - yay!) and find that I am not touched by the Spirit - to the point of holding back tears. My God has at this time graced me with confirmation. Confirmation of my call, confirmation of His leading to this place. I have also been blessed to meet incredible professors and fellow students whose very presence speak of the goodness and witness of the Spirit.

Someone tell me if I am stealing this thought from someone. Sometimes as God brings you to the next step, phase or season you wonder if you have ever lived fully before. That is the sort of rapture that is in my soul as I am touched by the Spirit. Maybe that is CS Lewis...