July 2014

Text | Optional Link Give thanks and celebrate Jean Vanier quote             "When I visit communities, I frequently ask, "How do you celebrate?"  If they say, "We don't celebrate," then I know the community risks death."  I think this is not only true for our communities but for our families and even our own souls.  Vanier goes on to say, "We must learn to celebrate.  I say learn to celebrate, because celebration is not just a spontaneous event.  We have to discover what celebration is.  We know quiet a bit about parties, where we are artificially stimulated by alcohol to have fun.  We know what movies and distractions are.  But do we know how to celebrate our togetherness, our being one body?"     Yesterday we spent our monthly A2J retreat focusing on Celebration.  We spent a few hours acknowledging God's great love and work in our lives.  It was a powerful time that breathed life into us that will enable us to continue to give our lives to God, one another and our neighbors.   Italy Report Overview Danny and I spent 10 days in Italy.  We flew into Milan and drove down to Rome and back up to Trento, we drove over 900 miles and saw a lot Italy.  Our friendship was strengthened through this trip.  One of my personal highlights was to see Danny give his History of Church Divisions talk at the Wittenberg meetings.  He did awesome, it was so well received by all of the European leaders.     Rome (A2J Partnership) In October I was with the Kincaids on a scouting trip seeking the right place for them to live and the right ministry partnerships to connect with.  They moved to Rome on Good Friday.  Danny and I spent 3 days with them strengthening friendship, getting to know their kids, and praying and dreaming together how A2J Phoenix and A2J Rome can be grow in partnership and support.  It was a great trip. Todd, Christie, Adam and Madison Danny and I getting a tour of their neighborhood To learn more about their ministry click here Trento, Italy (Wittenberg 2017 Meetings) A key European leader made the comment during out times how interesting it is that a couple from Texas (Thomas and Amy, read their story clicking here) would be used of God to initiate the Wittenberg 2017 initiative.  I thought a lot about this during the 5 day meeting and I came to the conclusion that it is here in America where the consequences of the body of Christ being divided is felt so extremely.  We live in a time where a pastor in America can be quoted as saying,"if you don't like my church then go start your own 'damn' church."  Lord have mercy.    Wittenberge 2017 addresses specifically the 500th anniversary of the division that occurred during the reformation, but the more we gather to pray and seek God's heart we become more convinced that we are called also to address the divisions that go back farther.   The1054 schism between and East and West and ultimately to the first division in the Church between the Gentile and Jewish Christians in the first century.  To read an excellent report from this gathering click here (then click on Trento pdf.) Praying for Sister Joela Sister Joela is one of the leaders of the Evangelical Sisters of Mary who have a branch in Phoenix (Kanaan in the Desert) click here to learn more   To see a lot more photos from Wittenberg 2017 Gathering click here