Great news! Last Thursday, Robert Hall was baptized into Jesus. Tonight, Connor and Emily Montgomery are to be baptized into Jesus. It's been an unbelievably great, blessed week for MFCOC.

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While knee-deep in moving boxes, I have discovered it is so much easier to move two miles across town than it is to move 500 miles across a state line.

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Today, I share with you some insights from John Mark Hicks. The following was culled from his blog and is wonderful insight regarding the missional meaning of the "new wine and wineskins" passage.

Text: Luke 5:27-39.

Luke’s Jesus teaches, for the most part, at the table. But the table is more than teaching for Jesus, it is the embodiment of the kingdom of God. It is not merely oral teaching, but social demonstration of the kingdom of God. Jesus’ table exhibits a new way of living—new wineskins for new wine.

Sometimes (a good example is Bock’s NIV Application commentary) the story of Levi’s calling (5:27-32) is separated from the discussion of fasting (5:33-39). The headings in the NIV tend to separate them as well. But the controversy over fasting takes place as part of the banquet scene. It may function as a summary of the whole chapter. Jesus calls a sinner like Peter to be his disciple, touches a leper, and heals a paralytic. And he eats with “sinners.” At the very least, however, it is part of the table conversation at Levi’s house.

New wineskins (or, new garments) represent the newness of Jesus’ ministry which is the in-breaking of the kingdom of God. The parable puts into words the previous deed of Jesus—his reclining at table with sinners. The parable illuminates the deed, and the deed illuminates the parable.

Jesus took the initiative. He found Levi, a tax-agent or collector; part of a despised, wealthy, and exploitive social class in Palestine. He invited Levi to join his group, a different sort of group—to embrace the kingdom of God. Levi left everything and followed him, which is a narrative indicator of his repentance.

Levi then took the initiative. He threw a “great banquet”—a festive celebration, reclining at the table with his friends. He had been invited to participate in the kingdom of God—he was celebrating. Joy is the appropriate response; his friends are the appropriate co-celebrants. They are his circle of friends—“tax collectors and others” (left undefined by Luke’s own description).

But others were there as well, observing the celebration. They were shocked by Jesus’ presence at this gathering. They made it clear that they regard Luke’s “others” as “sinners.” These are the very people who, in their view, are excluded not only from the kingdom of God, but excluded from social interaction with the righteous. They are the outsiders. The Pharisees are separatists—they separate themselves from the unclean and impure. They isolate their righteousness so that they enjoy table only with the righteous.

Jesus’ response values a total reversal of the Pharisaic attitude. Instead of separation, Jesus sits at table with the “others.” Instead of prideful isolation, Jesus seeks relationships with the “others.” Instead of distant condemnation, he sits with the “others” to invite them into the kingdom of God. This invitation is a call to repentance, to a new way of living—a new life.

New life is possible because someone new has arrived. The Bridegroom is here; the Messiah and his kingdom have arrived. It is a new garment. It is new wine for new wineskins. It is new era. The old is passing away, and everything is becoming new.

The Pharisees recognized the newness, and they objected. “The old is better,” as the proverb goes. The Pharisees rigorously pursued fasting—twice a week even. This, in fact, was an expression of their separatism from the unclean (“sinners”), their yearning for the Messianic age that had not yet come in their estimation, and sorrow over their present status as a conquered nation.

But Jesus’ disciples don’t fast. They feast! Oh, they will fast when the Bridegroom is taken from them, but while he is with them they will feast at the great banquet Levi has thrown. They will eat while the Bridegroom is with them (and he will be with them at the table in the post-resurrection community as well).

The new is better than the old. But the new is not simply a matter of eating rather than fasting. Rather, the message is about what that contrast represents. To eat is to sit with sinners and invite them into the kingdom of God. To fast is to separate oneself from sinners and condemn them to their own depravity.

The new wineskins are not minor adjustments to ritual (e.g., no more fasting), but it is to embrace the kingdom of God in the present. It is a new way of living.

New wineskins are not about praise teams, responsive readings, drama in the assembly or even new methods of “doing church.” It is not about the latest fad in order to be “new,” “current” or “relevant.” Rather, it is life transformation—a new way of relating to people, embracing “the other,” living in reconciling ways, dismantling the barriers that divide.

To use new wineskins or to put on a new garment is to act in ways that demonstrate the presence of the kingdom of God in the world. Jesus did it at table with sinners. We “do it’ in our own context.

We demonstrate it when we seek out friendships and show hospitality to the “others” in our culture—the poor, the homosexual, the Arab, the illegal alien, the disabled, etc. We demonstrate it when we sit at table with the “others” and invite them into the kingdom of God. But the invitation rings hollow when it is shouted at a distance, with a shrill voice filled with hatred and condemnation. It only rings true when we are at the table with them.

We are followers of Jesus. We followed him into the water, we have followed him into the wilderness, and now we must follow him to a table with “others.” Disciples of Jesus cannot do otherwise. But, remember, it also the path to suffering—to being mocked, scorned, excluded….it is the way of the cross.

I've been bemoaning a more than hectic pace on here the last several days. Mike Cope posted the following on his blog this morning and it definitely resonated with me.

When I have time to breathe, when I'm not pressing at full speed for an extended period of time . . . I am happier, I'm a better husband and father, I'm a more prepared and compassionate minister.

But when I feel like I'm in a full-court press all day long for an extended period of time . . . depression creeps in, I become fragmented and abrupt, and I look for ways to retreat from people.

Anyone else out there feel like life needs to slow down? Not always, of course. There are times we need to speed along. But we weren't made to stay at that pace. There is a rhythm in scripture that calls for rest, fun, joy, and relaxation that we too often miss out on. In the words of Gandhi, "there is more to life than increasing its speed."

I've been reading a helpful book by Carl Honore called In Praise of Slowness: How a Worldwide Movement Is Challenging the Cult of Speed.

Honore says the idea for the book came when he was rushing through one more airport and he saw a book entitled The One-Minute Bedtime Story. His first thought was that this was an answer to prayers. He had been in tug-of-war battles with his two-year-old son over reading every night. He'd been wanting to get through stories more quickly so he could get back to his agenda: supper, emails, reading, bills, more work, etc.

But a moment of insight fell over him: "Have I gone completely insane? . . . I am Scrooge with a stopwatch, obsessed with saving every last scrap of time, a minute here, a few seconds there."

I'm not suggesting this applies to any of you -- :) -- but just in case there are one or two others needing to ratchet it down a bit now and then, I'm going to include a few choice quotes.

"This book is not a declaration of war against speed. Speed has helped to remake our world in ways that are wonderful and liberating. Who wants to live without the Internet or jet travel? The problem is that our love of speed, our obsession with doing more and more in less and less time, has gone too far; it has turned into an addiction, a kind of idolatry."

"Then there is the human cost of turbo-capitalism. These days, we exist to serve the economy, rather than the other way round. Long hours on the job are making us unproductive, error-prone, unhappy and ill. Doctor's offices are swamped with people suffering from conditions brought on by stress: insomnia, migraines, hypertension, asthma and gastrointestinal trouble, to name but a few. The current work culture is also undermining our mental health."

"All the things that bind us together and make life worth living -- community, family, friendship -- thrive on the one thing we never have enough of: time."

"Despite Cassandra-like mutterings from the speed merchants, slower, it turns out, often means better -- better health, better work, better business, better family life, better exercise, better cuisine and better sex."

"In this book, Fast and Slow do more than just describe a rate of change. They are shorthand for ways of being, or philosophies of life. Fast is busy, controlling, aggressive, hurried, analytical, stressed, superficial, impatient, active, quantity-over-quality. Slow is the opposite: calm, careful, receptive, still, intuitive, unhurried, patient, reflective, quality-over-quantity."

"In our hyped-up, faster-is-better culture, a turbocharged life is still the ultimate trophy on the mantelpiece. When people moan, 'Oh, I'm so busy, I'm run off my feet, my life is a blur, I haven't got time for anything,' what they often mean is, 'Look at me: I am hugely important, exciting and energetic.'"

Well, enough quotes. You see where this is going. The book isn't just full of chastising. It is chocked full of glimpses at life lived at a more sane pace.

Some of the chapters are:

"Food: Turning the Tables on Speed"
"Medicine: Doctors and Patience"
"Sex: A Lover with a Slow Hand"
"Leisure: The Importance of Being at Rest"
"Children: Raising an Unhurried Child"

Let me encourage you to check this book out. If your library doesn't have it, you can rush to the local Barnes and Noble or put in a rush order at Amazon!

Think back to some of those best moments in life. Honestly, didn't many of them involve a slower pace? "Quiet time" when you didn't feel like you had to wind up the reading and prayer in ten minutes. Preparing a meal where the cooking and the conversation were part of the ritual. Taking a walk, a hike, a bike ride. Reading a book to your child or grandchild as the child soaked in the words and the attention. Visiting at length with a friend. Looking across the table at your Beloved during a two-hour meal, remembering births, deaths, challenges, and joys.

Many of us need more than an evening off. We need a radical change of lifestyle. Does that resonate with anyone?

Yesterday was a day for the ages. A historical, record-setter!

The mercury reached 108 degrees yesterday -- the hottest "autumn" day since weather records have been kept. Yesterday's 108 eclipsed the previous record of 97 for September 25. Since moving to Texas six weeks ago, we've yet to see a day under 95 degrees and have only seen rain (more like drizzle) twice. It has been extremely hot and very dry; it's been a scorcher!

Now, for more exciting record-setting news...670! 670! 670! MFCOC, for the first time in the history of the church, had over 600 present for worship. 670 people gathered in an expectant spirit to worship God together. We did get an unexpected benefit from folks who'd fled the Texas Gulf Coast but God's people in Marble Falls went above and beyond in reaching out and inviting friends to be with us.

I hope all of my friends who trapse through my blog will join me in prayer as we follow-up and engage yesterday's visitors in discussions about their life, faith and hope.

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Sporadic Blogging Warning: This week closes the sale of our home in Arkansas, wraps up the end of a short-term lease apartment lease here, requires moving, and the close on the purchase on our new home off Mormon Mill Road. Add to that Friends Day follow-up and the result is a crazy week ahead for me. I ask for your patience this week as my blogging ability will definitely be sporadic.

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I'm really proud of Trae! Being new in town and not making real significant friendships yet, outside of our church family, put my family in a tight spot in advance of Friends Day. The Elders and Ministers had publicly committed to have friends present on Friends Day. Thankfully, Trae bailed us out by inviting her teacher, Mrs. Chisholm. She and her husband, along with two young sons, sat with Mandy and Trae.

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Finally, let me ask you to consider this today: Have you ever noticed how passionate and unashamed little children are when they approach you with "fundraiser" catalogs? Be it Girl Scouts selling cookies or 2nd graders selling boxed chocolates, kids have absolutely no shame in asking for your commitment to purchase items from their fundraiser catalogs.

Why don't we adults have the same passion and enthusiasm as we approach our friends and neighbors with the good news of Jesus?

It's the calm before the storm.

Yesterday, for the first Saturday since I don't know when, I laid on the couch, watched football, played with the girls, ate way too much, and accomplished absolutely nothing productive. It wasn't a "spiritual" Sabbath, but it was much needed rest.

Today is the antithesis of yesterday. This morning is Friends Day at MFCOC. Never in the history of this church have 600 assembled together for worship. My prayer is we'll scale that height this morning. Our post-worship luncheon was moved from the high school cafeteria to the middle school cafeteria since the high school cafeteria is serving as a shelter for Texas Gulf coast residents displaced by Hurricane Rita.

This week, in addition to Friends Day follow-up, we move into our new home! Our originial plans to build were scrapped by the swell in construction costs in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We were able to find a nice, spec home that more than suits our family needs.

Between the move and the Friends Day follow-up, not to mention Mandy and Tori fly back to Arkansas next Saturday for a nine-day visit, this week is going to be a wild, hectic ride.

"Father God. My prayer to you this morning is not that you will bring us numbers for the sake of reaching a goal but that you will bring us opportunities for the sake of living out the mission of Jesus in this world. May our guests today see the way of Jesus in your people. May we be gracious and caring, compassionate and sharing. Let all of God's family in Marble Falls be an extension of Jesus Christ in a special way today and may You be blessed..."

Since August 25th, I have to admit I've watched more Weather Channel than ever before. I've learned that Jim Cantore is their daredevil meterologist so, last night following Bible class, when I saw that Jim Cantore had been dispatched to Galveston, I knew then and there Hurricane Rita was the real deal.

Since beginning my ministry in Texas, we have been in full-fledged crisis management mode. First is was Hurricane Katrina and the evacuees flooding Austin. The opportunity to help, not only financially but tangibly, was a blessing. Now, the shelters are near empty (last night, the news said about 350 New Orleanians were still sheltered in the Austin Convention Center) and are prepping for an influx of folks fleeing their homes along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Hotels in central Texas are filled. Scheduled sporting events are being changed. In one of the weirder things I've ever seen, Texas A&M rescheduled their football game with Texas State from Saturday to tonight. In the press conference to announce the change, the A&M President advised Aggie fans not to come in order to leave highways free for folks fleeing the coast. Weird.

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On a side note, we are having a big Friends Day this Sunday. All the weather in central Texas -- where Hurricane Rita is scheduled to be a Category One hurricane when it passes through -- is forecast to be out of here. But, we are likely to get a surge in unanticipated visitors who've fled the coast.

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All this reminds me of a question Randy Harris posed at the Tulsa Workshop back in the spring. In light of the end-times, Randy Harris asked, "If you know the ultimate outcome, should it change the way you live today?"

There is no doubt Hurricane Katrina has impacted hurricane preparedness. The outcome of Katrina has affected people's response to the forthcoming Hurricane Rita.

And shouldn't our entire existence be the same? As Chrstians, we know the ultimate outcome. We know how the story of life plays out. We know that in the end, those who have expressed obedient faith in Jesus Christ win.

Now, shouldn't that affect the way we live today? Shouldn't we, as people of victorious faith, live victoriously today?

Here's hoping you'll give me an excused absence yesterday. We are trying to close the sale of our home in Arkansas and close the purchase of our new home in Texas within 6 days of each other. The paper trail was stressing me yesterday.

Remember the movie "Soul Food"? Soul Food was a hit in the mid 1990's which told the story of an African American family and the way the family table bonded them. In the movie, the family gathers as one to share not only a meal, but their experiences, joys, trials and laughter. It was a great movie, capturing the way the family table can unify individual family members into a cohesive whole.

Last night, while the girls were watching Fox Family following their baths, I picked up on an advertisement that peaked my interest. The advertisement was sponsored by Family Table and noted that they are designating Monday, September 26 as "Eat Dinner with your Family Night."

The goal of setting that date is to encourage families to sit down together, not in a restaurant but in your own home, as a family (with the television off) and enjoy a family dinner together. Talk together, laugh together, share together.

Way to go, Family Table! Family dinners together where days and lives are a shared experience are as extinct as dinosaurs in our fast-paced culture. But just because the family table is an old-thing, it doesn't mean it's a bad thing!

I invite you to follow the lead of Family Table and spend next Monday evening around the dinner table with your family.

70-17. Are you kidding me?

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I got my first taste of football inside Darrell Royal/Memorial Stadium in Austin Saturday night as the Longhorns and the Rice Owls did battle. Well, they played -- it wasn't much of a battle.

Watching Rice is like being transported back in time. Ken Hatfield. The flexbone offense. A 4:1 run/pass ratio. It reminded me of the Razorback teams of my teenage years.

Remind me again why everyone wanted Hatfield run out of town? Back-to-back 10 win seasons. Consecutive conference championships and Cotton Bowl appearances. All that wasn't enough because the critics claimed, "his offense is too boring."

Not much has changed in the Hills in the last 16 years, except there are no more conference championships and no more January 1 bowl appearances.

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The deer population in and around Lake Marble Falls is mind-boggling. Last night, we were invited for a post-church fellowship in the home of one of our elders who lives in Horseshoe Bay. It was neat to watch the girls reactions to all the deer. The deer in Horseshoe Bay are unbelievably tame -- you can drive right alongside them and they don't spook.

As a result of Hurricane Katrina and the soaring costs associated with building a new home, Mandy and I have purchased a spec home that will be finished next week. The home is situated on a large lot and the adjacent property to the rear is wooded and unbuildable (is that a word?) Anyway, deer flood the woods behind our new home, roaming fence lines to feed in the evenings.

Raising our girls in a setting where they are so close to nature can only be an added benefit. It always amazes me how nature affirms the power, majesty and creativity of God.

Today, I invite you out of your routine and into nature. Find a pathway, a wooded trail, a ranch road and soak in the inspiration of God as conveyed in God's creation.

The line this morning on the USC/Arkansas game is 31 points. Does USC cover? Incidentally, that line of 31 is the largest margin for an SEC team in this decade. How the mighty have fallen.

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Last year, I watched a receiver for Harding Academy have the second best receiving night in the history of Arkansas high school football. Last night, I watched a receiver for Austin Crockett catch passes totalling 335 yards, the fourth best receiving night in the history of Texas high school football. Marble Falls fell to 1-2 on the year, losing to Crockett 50-37.

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Hope you enjoyed the visuals regarding missional versus typical church foundations. Having spent most of my life in typical church structures, the most obvious drawback is there is no funnel for decision-making. Activity is so haphazard in regard to mission that in the typical church, it is likely most (if not all) members don't know and can't articulate the mission of the church.

The attraction of being missional -- not just individually but corporately -- is the unswerving commitment to purpose! Being missional forces us to think locally as "missionaries" think globally. What is the culture around me? What do the local people around me value? How do we make disciples -- which is so much more than simply baptizing the lost -- and equip them, in turn, to be missional?

The missional movement has been a long-time coming that takes the emphasis off of the 3-B measurement of growth (Bodies - how many people? Building - how much expansion? Budget - how much giving?) and places the emphasis on reaching, equipping and maturing individual Christians. If that missional strategy was good enough for Jesus as he called 12 to walk beside him, it should be good enough for us! It has the Master Teacher's stamp of approval!

Missional or typical? What organizational foundation is your church built upon?

The typical church foundation is based on people (staff) and places (the sanctuary). The missional church foundation is based on purpose (the call of Jesus to go and make disciples).

In thinking through these two visible representations of doing church, how does a typical church make the missional move?

Man, am I ever glad this morning to wake up to the blessings of a new day, knowing I am not Houston Nutt. Could the heat be any hotter on that guy?

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This morning, Kenneth Tatum, one of our newest friends from New Orleans is beginning a new job. He's going to work for in landscaping for several days. He's also working toward getting a Texas Driver's License so he can begin work on a construction job in Johnson City.

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Grab your Bible today and go read Galatians 1.11-24. Paul recounts his conversion and the power of God through Jesus Christ to change a life. Conversion is never the story of a great man or woman; it is always the story of a great God whose grace has the power to change.

When change in a person's life is evident, it becomes a source of praise. Notice Galatians 1.24: "and they praised God because of me."

Allowing God to work in my life -- to create in me a pure heart and to recreate in me the character of Jesus -- is a stimulus for praise. May today find us living in the way of Jesus so that the hearts of those around us are filled with joy and thanksgiving for the power of God.

A couple of sports takes on a Monday morning...

* Michael Young leads the American League in Batting Average. Mark Teixeira leads the American League in runs batted in. And still the Rangers are third in the AL West and under .500. It's not all about offense.

* Speaking of offense, what an offensive effort from the Razorbacks. How can any legitimate SEC team ever lose to Vanderbilt at home? I pity the people shelling out big-time bucks to be in Los Angeles to watch this Saturday's game against the vaunted USC Trojans.

* The Texas Longhorns will play in the Rose Bowl for the second year in a row, this time for the National Championship. Vince Young is a one-man machine and there is no answer for his skills.

* Has there ever been a better sports highlight show than NFL Primetime on ESPN? From the production to the music to the commentary of TJack and Berman, I love that show. And having evening assembly at 5:00, I get to watch LIVE!

* The Saints win at Carolina yesterday was great to see. I've never been a Saints fan but I was thankful to see them win yesterday. For one day, the displaced in the Gulf Coast had a reason to celebrate.

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Yesterday, in a special contribution, the Marble Falls Church of Christ membership contributed $25,300 toward aid for Hurricane Katrina. That money, coupled with a $25,000 from our Elders, will assist relief efforts through the White's Ferry Road Disaster Relief Ministry.

This weekend, the Marble Falls Church was home to 13 evacuees from New Orleans. We received them Friday at the Austin Convention Center and checked them out of the shelter. Once out of the shelter, two families were able to make contact with relatives in Baton Rouge on Saturday. We were able to transport them back to Austin to be reunited with their relatives yesterday afternoon. We sent them back with supplies, some furniture, supplies and food to aid them in rebuilding their lives.

Two gentlemen are still with us. Kenneth Tatum plans to stay in Marble Falls. This morning, he is beginning a new construction job. George Madison III is also with us. George is 71 years old and has a host of medical needs (diabetic, pacemaker patient, suffered a leg wound during the hurricane). In addition to his physical illness, George is dealign with the grief of losing his wife in the aftermath of the hurricane. George is currently staying in the home of one of our members who is a retired nurse. George's granddaughter will be coming in from Dallas at the end of the week to take him home.

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Being missional begins and ends with the realization that I (we) are not the end-user of God's blessings. We are called to be conduits of the blessings of God; we are blessed in order to bless the lives of others.

May today find you accepting the opportunities God presents in your path to bless the lives of others.

In our contemporary churches and the tension between the new and old in worship, I think back often to the riches contained in old hymns. I do love the new, reflective praises of God but some older songs contain verses of thought that are without peer.

For example, I want to share with you this morning what I think is the best verse of any hymn ever written. It was penned way back in 1917, nearly 90 years ago, by F.M. Lehman. This morning, I invite you to drink in these powerful reflections on "The Love of God."

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky.

May God bless you today as you bask in the light of God's love. May you relish in the fact that the God of the Universe, creator of heaven and earth, all-powerful Jehovah Yahweh, loves you deeply. May you live today reflective of God's love, extending in some small way the love of God to one who is lost without it.

Yesterday, was a great day! Trae's first day of gymnastics and her participation in the Homecoming Parade as one of the Mini-Mustang cheerleaders. Tori loading up with candy thrown from the floats in the parade. Trae and Tori burning off their sugar overload in the McDonald's playground following the parade. All in all, a great day with great memories.

But the highlight for mom and dad came last evening when Trae told Mandy, "Mommy, when I grow up, I want to be someone who helps people who lost their home in the storm."

Oh, how I pray God will allow Mandy and I to be parents who fan that flame of desire to serve -- the master plan of The Master to change the world.

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Taken out of context, I've heard people often justify their selfishness and unwillingness toward benevolence by quoting Jesus in Matthew 26.11: "the poor you will always have with you."

But do you notice how often the poor are painted in a positive light? The poor widow who gave all she had. Poor Lazarus -- who was overlooked in favor of a rich man in this world -- gained heaven in the next world. Jesus told a rich young ruler who desired to be spiritual to "sell everything and give it to the poor." The brother of Jesus, James, warns against prejudiced attitudes against the poor (see James 2.2).

Jesus, in giving a report for John's disciples to carry back, verified his identity with -- among other evidences -- the truth that the "good news is preached to the poor" (Matthew 11.5).

Last Sunday, the Shepherds at Marble Falls announced to the congregation a commitment of $25,000 toward those suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This coming Sunday, a special collection will be taken to add to the monies committed by our Shepherds. This gift for the displaced will be distributed through White's Ferry Road's Relief Ministry and is dedicated to relief in the Carrollton Avenue area of New Orleans, specifically, members and friends of the Carrollton Avenue Church of Christ.

I'm grateful to serve in a church whose Elders have made a bold commitment to assist those impoverished by the hurricane. I'm grateful this morning to wake up in a state that has adopted 225,000 temporary (or new) residents without first counting the cost.

Jesus's statement regarding the poor always among us was a statement of fact, not a dismissal of responsibility or an excuse for withholding aid.

The decision has been made...it's the Longhorns!

Living near Austin, it is the only logical choice. The Longhorn information is so prolific (and Mandy likes their colors -- they remind here of Tennessee).

Last night, I was privileged to take part in a special meeting of the Marble Falls church leadership to pray over the needs in the Gulf Coast and discuss our response to those needs.

Evacuees from all over the Gulf Coast have made their way into the state of Texas, most heading, or being transported to, the urban centers of Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. Last night, we prayed that God would send to us people who are in need.

At Marble Falls, we have housing ready for at least 25 people and those some initial leads for those who might need employment. Via this blog, if you might know of someone in need of housing, food, and employment in a community with excellent schools, please send me an email (jim.gardner@hotmail.com).

Meanwhile, our elders have made a wonderful statement by committing a sizeable amount from the treasury to go to the White's Ferry Road Relief effort. The Carrollton Avenue church, via one of their elders, Fred Franke, has recommended White's Ferry Road's Relief Ministry as a worthy contribution site.

Next Sunday, we will collect a Special Contribution from among the members that will go to provide relief.

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For a moving, insightful chronicle of Hurricane Katrina and its personal effects, please read Dee Andrews' blog. Dee is a member of the Tammany Oaks church outside of New Orleans. Her story is riveting.

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This morning, as Mandy and I were talking over the fresh scenes out of the Gulf Coast, she suggested, "What if every church suspended their mission trips and funneled all the money to be spent on foreign missions to the Gulf Coast?"

With the massive rebuilding effort ahead on the Gulf Coast, it will require personal sacrifice on the part of us all. Hey, our new home building plans will be put on hold for who knows how long due to the inevitable spike in the cost of lumber and construction materials.

That massive rebuilding effort will not be as "glorious" as traveling to a third world country on another continent. The post-trip report won't be as engaging as the Powerpoint slides of typical mission trips.

Yet the scenes out of New Orleans look third world and the needs are certainly as dismal.

With incredible poverty, homelessness, destruction -- even "genocide" as one refugee at the New Orleans Convention Center said this morning -- the mission field, moreso now than ever before, exists right here in our own backyard.

And that is an ideal moment for the missional people of Jesus to show the way of Jesus to the world.

In the last couple of days, I have shared with you the blessing of being in New Orleans back in February. Worshipping with the Carrollton Avenue church was a true blessing -- a vibrant, growing, interracial mosaic of godliness in the heart of New Orleans.

Last night I received an e-mail from Fred Franke, an elder at the Carrollton Avenue church. Franke is helping spearhead a relief effort called "Operation Nehemiah: Helping the Exiles." Below is the text of his e-mail to me. Please read it and prepare your heart for what you can do to aid.

Jim--

Thank you for your concern and willingness to helping us. And, thank you for
letting us know that Michelle is safe.

I wanted to write you briefly on what we are planning. We have put together an
action plan that essentially involves 3 Areas of Emphasis and Implementation:

1. Evacuees (housing, food, etc)
2. Establishing Temporary Lives (jobs, schools, etc)
3. Returning to New Orleans (several months from now)

Of immediate concern is our numbers that are evacuating elsewhere. They will
need housing & food for their families. We'll need funds that we can get to
those who have evacuated.

An account is being established to provide for immediate needs of our people.
We'll need help from every corrider of the family of Christ for that effort.

We'd also like all churches to start a data base of evacuees--
Names
Where They Are from
Location & Name of Home Church
Names of Elders & Preachers of their Home Church
Current Place of Residence
Current Land-Phone Number Where They Can Be Reached
their email address

We'll need that information when we start hearing from their home church elders
and preachers. We'll then get that information to them.

Please start contacting all churches in your area of the state so that all the
elders from these churches will be able to contact their flocks. It'll provide
a great connect.

Our immediate concerns right now is to fund our Hurricane Relief Account to
immediately assist our evacuees with necessary living expenses.

I will keep you posted.



--Fred Franke
Operation Nehemiah (helping the exiles)