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Location: Blogs Brad's BlogMid-Week Missive |
 | | Posted by: Brad Miller | 6/11/2009 1:09 PM | Greetings on this beautiful day,
Community is a wonderful thing. In fact, I think community is crucial to getting through this thing called life. I have known people who believed that they were “self made” but I really don’t think that is entirely possible, and if it is possible, I can’t imagine it feels very good. We need others to help us in the rough patches in our lives, we need others to share our joys and celebrate with, we need each other to balance out our weaknesses and our strengths, we need others to simply have someone to share the ride with.
I learned about community at an early age through the folks in my neighborhood and my church. I continue to revel in the fact that I am part of such a wonderful community as BCC.
Lately I have been thinking about a community that was once very important to me, and if truth be told, still is. I am from Detroit, and every Detroiter will tell you, if we don’t stick together, no one else is going to stick up for us. Detroit is not an easy city. It is a hardscrabble, rough and tumble town. It has seen more than it’s share of economic hard times because of the centrality of the auto industry to its very existence. It is not a pretty town: it’s a factory town. But that has always been part of the pride of Detroiters: we are the Motor City, the birthplace of industrial mass production. We put the world on wheels. More than that, during World War II Detroit earned it’s nickname of “The Arsenal of Democracy” as auto factories turned some of their production over to armaments, tanks and the like. My brother jokes that “Detroit is a good place to be FROM” but still we were always proud of our position as the heart of industrial America.
But the news for Detroit has not been good lately, and with the news of Chrysler’s bankruptcy and impending sale, the bankruptcy of General Motors and the possible disappearance of Cadillac and Pontiac, the city is reeling. When I heard yesterday’s announcement of Chrysler closing 800 dealerships and General Motors plan to close 17 plants and hundreds of dealership, I got an ache in the pit of my stomach. I started thinking about my grandfather, who kept his family intact during the depression by living 100 miles away during the week so he could work at Chevrolet. I thought of my uncles that worked at “Dodge Main”, at one time the world’s largest plant. I thought of my cousin working in the factory for Oldsmobile in Lansing (another company that doesn’t exist) and so many of our friends and neighbors who labored for one of “The Big Three”, mostly doing hard work in loud, hot factories. I thought of my friends who still live in the Detroit area and are affected by the news, whether they work in the automotive industry or not. I wondered how my beloved community was holding up.
Today I called an old friend and asked him just that. “Oh, it’s dismal,” he said, “But we’ll make it. We always do.” I asked him if he noticed anything different with this downturn. “Yeah,” he said, “this time I have seen more cooperation and reaching out between people than I ever remember before. Everyone is hurting, but those who have a bit more are stepping up to help out those who don’t have as much. Donations to food banks and the like are at record levels. Of course,” he added while laughing a “gallows humor” laugh, “It has to be since the need is so high!” “But seriously,” he continued, “I have been impressed with how much a sense of community can pull you through the worst of times; and believe me, I can’t imagine much worse than this. We’ll make it. Don’t count us out yet.” I was gratified to hear his words, and not entirely surprised. Because it is my experience that one of the best tools we have in living this life is community.
Community is a wonderful thing. It gets us through the worst of times, it helps us celebrate in the best of times. I am so pleased to be part of this particular community, the Brookhaven Christian Church. A community that steps up in the hard times to make sure the Gospel is declared. A community that steps up to a critical need in the larger community and asks simply, “how can we help?” A community of love that sustains us and nourishes us. Through thick and thin we know one thing is true: with faith in Jesus Christ and the love and support of each other, our community will continue to thrive. Thank you and thank God!
For an updated prayer list and an updated list of upcoming activities, go to www.brookhavenchristian.org
For your prayer list.
Please keep all those who are traveling during these summer months in your prayers.
Please keep Jim Sosebee in your prayers as he continues to rehabilitate his broken shoulder at Ashton Woods.
Announcements:
Vacation Bible School will be a little different this year. Starting on Saturday afternoon at 4:45 and concluding with worship on Sunday, this year’s theme is “Family Camping Fun” and includes a lock-in “camp experience” on Saturday night. You are invited to attend whether you stay overnight or not, and you are especially invited to Sunday worship which will be in the fellowship hall. Any children that stay overnight must be accompanied by an adult, and we ask that if you are planning on coming, please contact Debbie Kinney now at debbie.kinney@comcast.net so that the proper amount of materials and food can be made available. But please let her know by TODAY!
Also, as part of the VBS activities, you are encouraged to bring canned goods to worship for the morning offering. Bring a can or two or ten and help out those in our community who need a little hand at this time.
Put it on your calendar: the unofficial BCC dance party! On Friday June 19, our own Terry Evans will perform with his band “Terry Lee and the GT’s” at the annual Decatur Beach Party. Tickets are $10 for adults at the gate and $6.50 in advance. Go to www.decaturdba.com for more information. Come and dance the night away with great music and good friends! And don’t forget the 60 tons of sand they bring in for the kids!
And don’t forget that our worship this Sunday will be an extension of VBS as we meet in the fellowship hall with lots of good congregational singing (that would do camp proud!) The dress for this will be very informal, especially since some people will be staying overnight and won’t be brining their “Sunday go to meetin’” clothes with them! If you would like, bring a camp chair or a blanket to sit on as gather around camp style. The sermon is titled “Why the Parables?” and the scripture is Mark 4: 30-34. Have a great rest of the week!
Be peaceful,
Brad
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