Comments for Grand Rapids District http://www.grdistrictumc.org Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:36:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on The Sinner’s Beads by Dorothy Smith http://www.grdistrictumc.org/2012/02/the-sinners-beads/#comment-7427 Dorothy Smith Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:36:07 +0000 http://www.grdistrictumc.org/?p=641#comment-7427 Sure hits home - I have beads handed to me at a Lakers football game - I will look at them differently now. I hope I can get this sto print properly lso Bob can read it. Sure hits home – I have beads handed to me at a Lakers football game – I will look at them differently now. I hope I can get this sto print properly lso Bob can read it.

]]> Comment on The Sinner’s Beads by Kip Brunson http://www.grdistrictumc.org/2012/02/the-sinners-beads/#comment-7396 Kip Brunson Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:05:28 +0000 http://www.grdistrictumc.org/?p=641#comment-7396 Good afternoon, Dear Laurie, Happy to read your Posting today. I too have "beads". They hang from my car mirror. Each time I get in or rn over a pothole, it reminds me of my sins. Some friends and family think they are crazy. However, I KNOW what they remind me of about my life. Bruce and I are doing quite well but miss our darlings each day. I don't care if they are in a better plce, we just want them here with us. Love in Christ. Kip Good afternoon,

Dear Laurie,

Happy to read your Posting today. I too have “beads”. They hang from my car mirror. Each time I get in or rn over a pothole, it reminds me of my sins. Some friends and family think they are crazy. However, I KNOW what they remind me of about my life.

Bruce and I are doing quite well but miss our darlings each day. I don’t care if they are in a better plce, we just want them here with us.

Love in Christ.

Kip

]]> Comment on The Symphony and the Church by Laurie Haller http://www.grdistrictumc.org/2012/02/the-symphony-and-the-church/#comment-7265 Laurie Haller Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:10:22 +0000 http://www.grdistrictumc.org/?p=625#comment-7265 Tim, Thank you so much for your kind words. It was an honor to be at the dinner, and I enjoyed the symphony immensely. I would love to be a part of an interfaith event. On another note, Gary just let me know that your mother died several weeks ago. I had not received the news before now. I am so sorry for your loss, Tim, and hope that you and your family carry with you wonderful memories of your mother. And John, I am glad that someone sent you a copy of the blog. I hae always been a huge fan of the Grand Rapids Symphony and am even more impressed by the influence you are extending to the children in the GR Metro area. Hopefully, we will find other ways to connect in the future. Laurie Tim, Thank you so much for your kind words. It was an honor to be at the dinner, and I enjoyed the symphony immensely. I would love to be a part of an interfaith event. On another note, Gary just let me know that your mother died several weeks ago. I had not received the news before now. I am so sorry for your loss, Tim, and hope that you and your family carry with you wonderful memories of your mother.
And John, I am glad that someone sent you a copy of the blog. I hae always been a huge fan of the Grand Rapids Symphony and am even more impressed by the influence you are extending to the children in the GR Metro area. Hopefully, we will find other ways to connect in the future. Laurie

]]> Comment on The Symphony and the Church by Tim Liang http://www.grdistrictumc.org/2012/02/the-symphony-and-the-church/#comment-7258 Tim Liang Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:46:54 +0000 http://www.grdistrictumc.org/?p=625#comment-7258 Dear Laurie, The Grand Rapids Symphony shared with me your wonderful, thought-provoking article. Thank you for providing me with a different perspective on the Symphony and the Church and the critical importance of being proactive, connected and involved. It was wonderful to meet you and Gary at the Yale evening with the Grand Rapids Symphony. I look forward to future Yale Club events with you, perhaps one on the Church and Community (W. Michigan) with an interfaith theme? Laurie, may we share your inspiring article with the Yale alumni who participated in the evening with the Symphony? Thank you and best wishes, Tim Dear Laurie,

The Grand Rapids Symphony shared with me your wonderful, thought-provoking article. Thank you for providing me with a different perspective on the Symphony and the Church and the critical importance of being proactive, connected and involved.

It was wonderful to meet you and Gary at the Yale evening with the Grand Rapids Symphony. I look forward to future Yale Club events with you, perhaps one on the Church and Community (W. Michigan) with an interfaith theme?

Laurie, may we share your inspiring article with the Yale alumni who participated in the evening with the Symphony?

Thank you and best wishes, Tim

]]> Comment on The Symphony and the Church by John Varineau http://www.grdistrictumc.org/2012/02/the-symphony-and-the-church/#comment-7250 John Varineau Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:10:14 +0000 http://www.grdistrictumc.org/?p=625#comment-7250 Laurie: Somebody sent me the link to this article, otherwise I never would have known about it. What a fantastic article and what a great writer you are. To be honest, I was a little bit worried after the dinner because you were so quiet, I thought that maybe my brash style put you off. Instead, it appears you were doing what so few people do well, listening. You application of the problems we discussed at dinner to the challenges that churches face is, I think, spot on. I sincerely hope that you and I will be able to interact a little bit more from here on out. It is very, very weird that you and I were at Yale together, didn't know each other, and yet here we are in friendly old Grand Rapids, but have hardly seen each other for the past 30 years. Laurie:

Somebody sent me the link to this article, otherwise I never would have known about it. What a fantastic article and what a great writer you are. To be honest, I was a little bit worried after the dinner because you were so quiet, I thought that maybe my brash style put you off. Instead, it appears you were doing what so few people do well, listening. You application of the problems we discussed at dinner to the challenges that churches face is, I think, spot on. I sincerely hope that you and I will be able to interact a little bit more from here on out. It is very, very weird that you and I were at Yale together, didn’t know each other, and yet here we are in friendly old Grand Rapids, but have hardly seen each other for the past 30 years.

]]> Comment on The Symphony and the Church by jeff greaser http://www.grdistrictumc.org/2012/02/the-symphony-and-the-church/#comment-7173 jeff greaser Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:30:25 +0000 http://www.grdistrictumc.org/?p=625#comment-7173 Spot on article of thought this week . By reaching out to the young and questioning minds in our churches and our communitees, we keep ourselves young in thought and conversation. There is room for all range of thought and experience in Gods health and as our children grow in faith so does the health of the Church . Spot on article of thought this week . By reaching out to the young and questioning minds in our churches and our communitees, we keep ourselves young in thought and conversation. There is room for all range of thought and experience in Gods health and as our children grow in faith so does the health of the Church .

]]> Comment on The Symphony and the Church by Carl Black http://www.grdistrictumc.org/2012/02/the-symphony-and-the-church/#comment-7172 Carl Black Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:24:07 +0000 http://www.grdistrictumc.org/?p=625#comment-7172 Good thoughts. To carry your first highlighted point a bit further, how do we (the local church) reflect the community we are in? And how do we remain relevant to the community our congregation serves? Are all of our church programs and initiatives in harmony with our local congregation? And if not, why not? Do we ask our constituents these questions, or do we assume because we know best, or it has worked somewhere else, that we should forge ahead and let the chips fall where they may? If we have learned to exercise caution and diligence when educating foreign missionaries about the local cultures where they will be serving, why do we not pay equal respect to local 'homeland' church locales? Does the degree to which we respect our locale contribute to the 'success' of our children & youth programs? I think so. To Craig's point, I have seen churches reach the 'locals' effectively when the church listens to and respect the youth in the neighborhood. And not surprisingly, the same works for their parents. I'm still learning and asking questions - I hope they are the right ones. Good thoughts. To carry your first highlighted point a bit further, how do we (the local church) reflect the community we are in? And how do we remain relevant to the community our congregation serves?
Are all of our church programs and initiatives in harmony with our local congregation? And if not, why not? Do we ask our constituents these questions, or do we assume because we know best, or it has worked somewhere else, that we should forge ahead and let the chips fall where they may?
If we have learned to exercise caution and diligence when educating foreign missionaries about the local cultures where they will be serving, why do we not pay equal respect to local ‘homeland’ church locales? Does the degree to which we respect our locale contribute to the ‘success’ of our children & youth programs? I think so. To Craig’s point, I have seen churches reach the ‘locals’ effectively when the church listens to and respect the youth in the neighborhood. And not surprisingly, the same works for their parents.
I’m still learning and asking questions – I hope they are the right ones.

]]> Comment on The Symphony and the Church by Glenys Nellist http://www.grdistrictumc.org/2012/02/the-symphony-and-the-church/#comment-7170 Glenys Nellist Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:35:32 +0000 http://www.grdistrictumc.org/?p=625#comment-7170 Excellent point Craig. Laurie...Amen to this! Thank you for being a voice for children. If every UM church would truly take your final bullet points to heart, how healthy our denomination would be! Excellent point Craig. Laurie…Amen to this! Thank you for being a voice for children. If every UM church would truly take your final bullet points to heart, how healthy our denomination would be!

]]> Comment on The Symphony and the Church by Craig L. Adams http://www.grdistrictumc.org/2012/02/the-symphony-and-the-church/#comment-7167 Craig L. Adams Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:56:12 +0000 http://www.grdistrictumc.org/?p=625#comment-7167 A related question might be: who do we mean by "children and youth"? Churches have traditionally thought exclusively of "their own" children and youth: the children of their own members. This is a big mistake. A related question might be: who do we mean by “children and youth”? Churches have traditionally thought exclusively of “their own” children and youth: the children of their own members. This is a big mistake.

]]> Comment on Excellence Success Faithfulness by Terry Merriman http://www.grdistrictumc.org/2012/02/excellence-success-faithfulness/#comment-6998 Terry Merriman Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:03:07 +0000 http://www.grdistrictumc.org/?p=618#comment-6998 Laurie, A truly inspiring post and a great reminder about what's really important in life. Thanks, Terry Laurie,
A truly inspiring post and a great reminder about what’s really important in life.
Thanks,
Terry

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