Merry Christmas from the Jones Family!

A post-graduation portrait

A number of years ago it became quite popular among many families to send out a family Christmas letter along with (or instead of) Christmas cards during the holiday season. Such letters often include a family picture, information on each family member's life during the previous year and a Christmas greeting of some sort. We never really got into that tradition, but today I would like to offer up a digital version of the Jones Family Christmas Letter. I threatened on Twitter this week to make it fictional and test who has been paying attention for the past year, but that idea was shot down. So here's the real scoop...

Will & Michelle- Prom Night!

Let's start with the big events of 2013. Will graduated from high school with honors and has now completed his first semester at St. Pete College. Between school, working at Chick-fil-A and maintaining a growing relationship with his girlfriend Michelle, his life is quite busy. He continues to love movies (even as you read this we may be at The Desolation of Smaug, and we cannot wait for Anchorman 2!), writing and music, and half of his Christmas list is made up of vintage albums (actual vinyl!) because he loves the classic sound. He just may be my son! :) The highlight of my year was the reunion of the FUMC-Kissimmee youth family in April and a chance to catch up with so many old friends. Officiating at Jen Gastler Chan's wedding and getting to spend time with Hal, Joanne and Christine was also a real joy. I had more surgery in July, and I am still in wound care every Monday waiting for a chance to be able to wear a real shoe on my right foot again. But I feel great, and have been able to resume some of my work as a domestic goddess (under my secret identity as Agnes) here at our home in Tampa. I have started volunteering a bit with the technical arts ministry at our church. I also continue to write (this blog continues to be such a blessing to me!) for anyone who asks me to and enjoy conversations with friends from all over the country through the wonders of technology. Marilyn...well all she does is hold it all together! She continues her work in a downtown law office and continues as supermom to Will and as my wife of 27 years now. Watching Will graduate was a little hard on her, but having him still around has been a blessing to us both. Most Sunday mornings you can find us at Van Dyke Church, and we still love to gather around the TV for The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother and Modern Family- among others. Our extended family- my mom and Marilyn's family- continue to be an important part of our lives, and Michelle and Lisa Jewett are like family to us as well. As with any family, we have our struggles. But through faith and a willingness to count our blessings and live ABOVE our circumstances instead of under them, we are surviving quite nicely...

King of the Beasts

But to be honest, it always feels like my family is MUCH larger than mentioned above. We receive words of support and encouragement so often from friends who have been a part of our various youth ministries from through the years. Many of my oldest friends- and by oldest I mean I have known them the longest, not that they are old, because if they are old so am I - continue to check on and support me. I'm talking about you, Tammy, Steve and Denise!  I would also be remiss to not mention Sabrina Perry, James Robinson, Teresa Tysinger, Todd Willis, Susan McBane Tuggle and Jerry Hanbery and the many others who so often light up my life and lift my spirits. Ashley Goad, Marie Allen Duke and Jennifer Wood Jones also check on me and keep me going. We often dine with friends at our local Chilis, where we have our own personal waitress- and Kelly is part of our family too! My Twitter family is still growing and still amazing, showing me grace and support at every turn. Jenn, Robert, Tina, Jason, Johnny, Amy, Liza, Pam, the entire POTSC (People of the Second Chance) community and so many others are always there to bring a smile to my face. And no list of family members would be complete without mentioning Conner the Dog. Our 10 year old cocker spaniel is my constant companion. Which most of the time is a very good thing. As you can see, my family is large- and it is quite a blessing.

The FUMC-K Family Reunion

So what does 2014 have in store?  It is our prayer that my legal matter will be brought to a conclusion sometime early in the year, freeing me to travel and to seek new ways to be in ministry. It would be so amazing to meet some of the people I have grown to love through Twitter. I hope to take the best of the nearly 1400 posts to this blog and put them in some sort of book form. It would thrill me to begin talking about a reunion of folks from my days at Springfield Friends Meeting (assuming I can travel again) and a follow-up to the FUMC-K event of last spring. And I want to pray for YOU. I love getting prayer requests and being able to go to God on the behalf of the people I love. It is an honor and a blessing to me. More and more I want to live my life in a way that shows others the love of God whose name is Jesus and the true meaning of GRACE! I ask for your prayers as we face this new year together.

We hope you enjoy the holiday season and that it is full of blessings and joy. From my family to yours, have the merriest of Christmas seasons! After all, there's only 11 more sleeps 'til Christmas!  Much love to you all!

Jesus, the only hope for me is you- and YOU alone!

How To Keep Christ in Christmas (it's not what you think!)

 My dear Quaker friend Edith Shepherd posted this quote on Facebook Wednesday. With all of the talk about a "war on Christmas" and keeping Jesus the "reason for the season" I could think of nothing that felt more appropriate to share today. While we complain about Santa taking over and too many people saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, the world wonders what all the fuss is about. People are starving for love, and we are supposed to be the ones who show them that love. His name is Jesus! If we want Christmas to be about Jesus, then we need to be about doing the WORK of Jesus. Hear these words...then DO them!!!

“Want to keep Christ in Christmas? Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, love your enemies, and do unto others as you would have done unto you.” 
― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience

Because of Jesus,

Magic Moments: Christmas at The Grand Floridian

You can take the kids out of the youth room...

As we continue to get into the spirit of Christmas and some great memories of years gone by, today's youth ministry Magic Moment comes from my years in Kissimmee.  There are few parings in life that seem less likely than a youth group full of wacky teenagers and the ultimate Walt Disney World luxury resort, The Grand Floridian. Yet through a series of wonderfully strange circumstances, we wound up having a wonderful youth group Christmas party in one of ballrooms at the GF in 1997. This is the story of that evening. Enjoy this Throwback Thursday memory!

It was our habit in those days (1994-2000) at FUMC-Kissimmee to have very formal Christmas parties. Everyone dressed up and we would have the event catered. For a number of years the party had been held at one of the lakefront homes of some of our wealthier members, in houses so large that the over 100 youth in attendance were barely noticeable. In 1997, none of our very generous hosts were available on the dates we wanted, and I began to search for other options. Our church was loaded with folks who had WDW connections, so I began to explore those channels as well. A church member who was also in management with Disney (I believe his name was Jeff) suggested that if we could find an unbooked conference room or other meeting space at one of the resort hotels that we might could get a decent price- and so he began to look for such a location. The only thing available was one of the grand ballrooms at The Mouse's most exclusive resort. I assumed it would be cost prohibitive. but Jeff got us a great deal, and we decided to go for it. As you can tell from the picture, this is not a quaint little hideaway; this was the big time!  Princess Diana, Michael Jackson and almost every celebrity you could name had stayed there; and now the youth ministry of First Methodist Kissimmee would party there!  Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction...

OK...so maybe the karaoke wasn't PERFECT...

Youth Ministry is always full of surprises and adventures that you cannot predict and never expected, but there were very few events in my career as surreal to me as having our church vans valet parked at the GF!!! And that was only the beginning. Disney does everything with excellence, even if it is for a local youth group paying bargain prices. It was a great night; the catering, the service, the karaoke and the elegance were perfect. The students, many of whom had grown up in the shadow of The Mouse and were thus a bit immune to the normal Disney magic, were totally WOWED by the treatment we received and the beauty of the location. It was a truly magical night and a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Yep...it's the people!

I have written before that it's not the location, the food, the gifts or the service that make a youth group Christmas party great- it's being with people you love and care about and celebrating life together. And that is so very true. But for this one night and this one very special memory, maybe it was a little bit about all that other stuff too! :) I don't know how many student ministries have ever been blessed to have their Christmas parties at WDW, especially at the GF. But I am so glad to have my name on that short list. Be blessed, my friends!

Jesus- the only hope for me is you...and YOU alone!

Christmas Memories of Springfield Friends Meeting

The average church-goer has no idea the madhouse a church becomes during the Christmas season- especially for church staff. You think Black Friday is crazy for retailers? That's a one day sprint. Working at a church in December is a marathon. It's nuts. It's ridiculous. And it's the most wonderful time of the year! Every church I ever served had wonderful traditions for the Advent and Christmas seasons, even if some them did wear me out. But I love the memories that were made over the years. And some of the very best times were at Springfield Friends Meeting (1986-1994).  

Quakers don't actually do Advent in the traditional sense, but the preparations were much the same. I have never seen a worship room that looked better when decorated for the Christmas season than the one at Springfield. It was simply gorgeous every year.  In those days the first weekend of December was set aside for Friend Day, a major outreach event for the church. It required a fair amount of planning, and it was tempting to breathe a sigh of relief when it was done. But in fact, the runaway snowball that was Christmas at SFM was just beginning. Over the following weeks every adult Sunday class would have a dinner party. Every women's "Circle" would have a party- including the epic Cookie Exchange that had my wife and her friends each baking 12 dozen cookies to share in what now seems like a completely insane event! People we never saw any other time would throw parties. And the Pastors (myself and Max Rees) and our wives were not merely invited. We were EXPECTED to be at every party. It was quite a marathon, but it was a labor of love.

And this was just one couch full of youth...

The party season usually ended for us when we would host the youth ministry Christmas party at our home. Our home was beyond tiny, yet we would cram nearly 50 people in for an evening no one ever wanted to miss. In the later years, after the first party would end a second party would break out for the youth group "alumni"- those who had graduated and were home for the holidays from college or wherever. It was always one of my favorite nights of the year.

And then the season's grand finale came with the Christmas Eve candlelight service. Springfield was not a large church, so there was one service at 7 PM. I would put luminaries around the sidewalks and the parking lot. There would be amazing special music. a homily from Max, and then the candle lighting. The entire gathered group would circle the meeting room, united as the family of God in celebration of the birth of the Christ-child. It was always the perfect finish to a wonderful month. No matter where I am on Christmas Eve, I am still aware of my Springfield family and the worship taking place in High Point, NC. 

There are many who lament the busyness of churches this time of year, concerned that the institution just adds to the hustle and bustle of the season and draws attention away from the true meaning of Christmas. And they are at least partly right. But all of the parties and gatherings also help solidify relationships and build connections among church members and the staff that serves them. I may have occasionally complained back in the day about attending a Christmas party thrown by 70 year old women, but I would not trade anything for the great times we shared. The first Christmas was loaded with hustle and bustle too- that's how Mary and Joseph ended up in a barn. It's just part of the deal. And I PROMISE you this - the connections built in my years at Springfield are still so strong almost 20 years after I left that if I could hop in my car and be there for Christmas Eve, I would. In a heartbeat. Just to be part of the circle of candlelight and to be able to say "Merry Christmas" to some of the best people I know. So I'll say it here instead- Merry Christmas, Springfield family! I love you guys.

Jesus- the only hope for me is you- and YOU alone!

Stuff Jesus Said

"He will be the truth that will offend them one and all..." ~ Michael Card  

There has been a lot of chatter among USAmerican Christians as of late about money - and some of it has been quite contentious. Are believers blessed with wealth as a result of their faithfulness as those who preach the Prosperity Gospel believe? If we are blessed, are we called by Christ to share with the under-resourced around us as Pope Francis insists? Do REAL Christians hoard their money for a rainy day or share it with those on whom it rains every day? Shouldn't the poor among us be pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, joining gyms, sleeping more and eating healthier food so they can have better lives? I fail to understand how most of these issues are even debatable, because I find scripture to be pretty clear. We may not want to hear it, and certain financial gurus may not want us to know it, but all we have belongs to God, and we need to share it with those in need. It starts in the Old Testament (all scriptures in this post are NIV):

If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Deuteronomy 15:7-8

Our churches still take Old Testament tithing very seriously, but I seldom hear sermons reminding us of the OT directives to save money to make a special offering to neighbors in need every 3 years (Deuteronomy 26) or to have a Year of Sabbath and a Year of  Jubilee (Leviticus 25). It's kind of like how many are quick to quote OT scripture that backs up a particular point of view, but conveniently ignore the laws against eating lobster and barbeque. Jesus came to bring a new covenant which would fulfill the law. He was very clear on the issue of wealth accumulation. We cannot serve two masters, and material wealth often becomes an idol. I have written before that everything Jesus said & did is more important than anything ANYONE has ever had to say about what he said and did- and I believe that with all my heart. It's all about Jesus. So what did he have to say on the subjects of money and taking care of our neighbors?  Here's some stuff Jesus said...

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:23-24

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.  You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’  “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Mark 10:17-23

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Matthew 5:42

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:2-4

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 

 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”  Matthew 25:41-46

In Genesis, Cain asked God the question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Read the words of Jesus again. Read Acts 2: 44-45, where we are told that in the 1st century church, "All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need." Revisit the Old Testament laws. God has an answer for Cain, and for the rest of us as well. Scripture is both implicit and explicit that we are indeed to love and care for our sisters, brothers, neighbors and friends. Uncle Ben from the original Spiderman movie said it best- "With great power comes great responsibility." Oh wait..that was stuff Jesus said too! "To whom much is given, much is asked." We are blessed to be blessings. God has given us His love and everything else we have so that we might change the world for others. It's just not that complicated.

So I will let the theologians and the preachers debate the issue all they like. But for me, the One who calls me to follow him has already said all that I need to hear. And that's all I've got to say about that...

Because of Jesus,

A Christmas Bonus

I worked for churches for a lot of years. You would think that if any organization would understand the significance of Christmas and the birth of our savior, it would be the church.  And for the most part, that is correct. But while the corporate world often gives a monetary bonus to their employees during the Christmas season, none of the churches I worked for ever did. I received all kinds of gifts from youth and their families, and I never actually felt cheated.  But still...

There was one quasi-exception to this. While I was at Springfield Friends Meeting, every year a wonderful older lady named Margaret Ellington would give a cash "bonus" to staff members. Margaret was not some wealthy widow who liked to throw around her money to impress people. She was a secretary for a furniture company who was still working at the time. She shared her money from her heart- and as such, it was both significant and generous. There were people in the church with a whole lot more money who would have screamed to the heavens if the church tried to give a bonus. Margaret just took matters into her own hands and shared the love and the spirit of the season with us each year. 

The gift of the Christ child was one of unconditional love. Margaret's gifts to us were the same. I pray that this Christmas season I will give from the heart and honor the birth of Jesus and the gift of grace that was given to us all. Bless you, Margaret, for all that you gave and all that you taught me.

Jesus- the only hope for me is you- and YOU alone!

Peace on Earth

Today is the second Sunday of Advent, and I want to talk about the candle of Peace. The prophet Isaiah, when listing the names of the coming Messiah, said that He would be called the "Prince of Peace." And in fact, Jesus does bring a spirit of peace and love to the hearts and souls of many people each day. But when it comes to peace in our world, those same followers of Jesus have often done precious little to help the cause. The Christian church has often been at the forefront of causing divisions in our world rather than helping to heal them. We are so quick to point out our "superiority" and the faults, flaws and differences in others that we fail to grasp the fact that the love of God is meant to bind us together, not separate us.

Over the past 30 years or so, the evangelical church has often supported political positions that make us seem like war-mongers. We worry about being safe from communists, terrorists and others who wish USAmerica ill, so we build vast armies and greater weapons.  We live in a world where some defense is needed, I suppose. But we too frequently use violence as a first choice instead of the final option. This shows an incredible lack of faith in God. The great Tom Leher once wrote about Israel, "The Lord's our shepherd says the Psalm, but just in case- we're gonna' build a bomb!" Our strength should be found in our faith, not in our weapons. We ignore Jesus' teachings about being peacemakers because they do not fit in with our fears. On the world stage the followers of Jesus have too often failed to honor the Prince of Peace with our actions.

Why is this? I believe it is because we fail to be peacemakers as individuals. I grew up knowing too many "church" people who talked of peace- and were willing to fight with anyone who disagreed with them! We cannot bring peace to the world if we can't bring it to our homes and relationships. I cannot have anger and hatred towards my next door neighbor and expect to bring the love of Christ to the larger stage. I cannot reach out to a hurting world if I don't make peace with my own family. When I was in the 8th grade, the school chorus I was in sang a song at our Christmas program called Let There Be Peace On Earth. The message was simple- if there is to be peace on our planet, it must begin with each of us. One relationship at a time. I have heard the song hundreds of times since, and it never fails to move me. The angels left the shepherds with a promise of "peace on earth and goodwill towards men" on that most holy night we celebrate at Christmas time. If peace is to begin with you, then who is it you must make peace with? Who must you forgive? Who must you ask for forgiveness? Who must you compromise with in the name of love? Read the lyrics to Let There Be Peace On Earth (or click that link to hear it on YouTube) and decide- in a country where we spend endless hours discussing our differences, what will YOU do to bring us together? It's Christmas. Light the candle of peace in your soul- choose to make a difference. Choose peace. 

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth

The peace that was meant to be.

With God as our father

We are family.

Let us walk with each other

In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me

Let this be the moment now.

With every step I take

Let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment

And live each moment

With peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Jesus, the only hope for me is you...and you alone!