Monday, November 26, 2012

The New Chancel

Shiloh Church is growing into its newly expanded chancel. We suspected that it would take some time for members and friends to explore the vast array of possibilities that the new chancel affords us. I am pleased to say that Shiloh is investigating some of those opportunities in creative and imaginative ways.
 
This week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, volunteers will gather in the sanctuary to begin the process of Christmas decoration. The process promises to be a bit of trial and error. Because of the expanded chancel, the decorations will not be the same as they have been for the past decades. Worship Committee has been working hard to plan for the changes, and has a couple of possibilities. None of us will be certain just how it will all come together, however, until we actually get in there and begin hanging the greens.
 
As planning has progressed for the Christmas Musical, presented at both 10:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 9, Shiloh's Music Director, Mark Barnhill, has been working at ways to fit the entire production to our new chancel. Because of the 12' extension in the rear, and 4' expansion in in front, we are fairly confident that the entire production will be presented from the chancel. There should be no need to move chairs or place part of the production on the floor.
 
Shiloh members and friends may have noticed that the chancel expansion project has included a new lift. The lift resides on the left side of the chancel, as one faces the front, behind the piano. It is barely visible, unless one walks to the side of the chancel and notices the mechanism. With the inclusion of the lift, the project is now complete.
 
Shiloh is fortunate to have had the ability to have done a vast majority of the work itself, relying on staff and volunteer labor. While we ran considerably over budget, the project would have cost us at least $54,000 more, had we not been able to rely on doing the labor ourselves.
 
As I have been saying frequently, way to go Shiloh!  

Monday, November 19, 2012

The Holiday Bazaar

If one considers Shiloh's Fall Fair and the Holiday Bazaar as a continuation of the congregation's annual "Shiloh Church Fair," this past weekend marks Shiloh's 70th annual celebration. Five years ago, Shiloh moved the single event back to its own facility from Hara Arena, split the event into two separate ones, and continued the tradition. The leadership of Shiloh Church has since wondered whether or not the event(s) could be so successful as they had been.
 
Thanks to the efforts of countless persons throughout the congregation, I can certainly claim for the leadership and staff of Shiloh Church that this year's Holiday Bazaar was a huge success.
 
To make that claim, however, the congregation has to understand why we hold such an event. The "Annual Shiloh Church Fair," now "Fall Fair" and "Holiday Bazaar," has never been primarily about money. I can think of at least three more compelling reasons for holding the annual event(s).
 
One: Shiloh Church pulls together to hold the event. The dual events would simply be impossible without persons in the church who take responsibility for the hard work that it takes to make crafts, bake delicious pies, cakes, breads, muffins, etc, make candy, mincemeat and feed hungry shoppers. members and friends of the church spend countless hours in gathering and creating the goods that we sell. The unity formed by working together is palpable throughout the events.
 
Two: Shiloh Church attracts the neighborhood and community. Interestingly enough, the first two persons in line for Friday's opening of the Holiday Bazaar were from Beavercreek. Folks come from far and wide to attain the goods that Shiloh sells. We saw and met more of our neighbors this year than ever before, particularly on Saturday.
 
Three: Shiloh Church practices and extravagant welcome. Those who came to the Holiday Bazaar were affected by the congregation's warm welcome and enthusiasm. The humor became infectious. The mood spread quickly through the crowd. People left smiling and laughing. It is no exaggeration to claim that those who came had a great time.
 
Oh, by the way, alongside working together to provide our community and neighborhood a warm and extravagant welcome, Shiloh raised over $11,000 toward expanding the congregation's ministry. Has it worked to bring the event back to Shiloh from Hara? Yes. Has Shiloh accomplished what it hopes to achieve through the Fall Fair and Holiday Bazaar? Yes. Is it worth it for the congregation to build upon 70 years of tradition? Oh, yes!
 
Thanks to all who helped. Thanks to all who came. If you have yet been involved in the Fall Fair and/or Holiday Bazaar, let this stand as your invitation. Work has already begun on next year's event(s). Join us!   

Monday, November 12, 2012

What a Week!

It is my custom to proclaim at the start of Shiloh's weekly 8:30 a.m. Sunday Mediation Service that this has been yet another busy week in the life of Shiloh Church. It is the closest that that particular service comes to liturgy, as its structure is mainly reflection on and around the Revised Common Lectionary text(s) for the week.
 
I said it again yesterday. As usual, I sincerely meant it. Shiloh is an amazingly busy place. Let me show you a slice of what that statement entails.
 
Shiloh spent months in planning and preparing for the fall meeting of the Southwest Ohio Northern Kentucky Association, which was to be held here at Shiloh on November 10. The planning and preparation certainly paid off. Shiloh's hard work was evident. From the remarkable hospitality, to the great food, to the shape of the facility, those who gathered were impressed. Thanks to Shiloh's Hospitality Team, people felt an extravagant welcome. Thanks to the Next Steps caterers, actually a fundraising arm of Shiloh's chancel expansion, the breakfast, snacks and lunch were wonderful. Thanks mainly  to Sid Manley, the facility was ready for visitors, including those with physical limitations, who might otherwise not have been able to reach Shiloh's renovated chancel.
 
Mostly, the success of the fall association meeting was due to the energetic tone that was established by the joint Discovery Teams. Their unique brand of praise music and sincere worship leadership carried the day. Even the keynote, provided by Ohio Conference Minister, Bob Molsberry, was affected by our Team's leadership. Particularly, the addition of "Big Mighty God" into the context of Molsberry's message of statistical decline overshadowed what might have seemed hopeless or negative. Thanks to you who serve on our Discovery Teams. Your ministry has touched the entire Association!
 
Last night, Sunday, November 11, after our 7:00 p.m. Discovery Time service, the teams and volunteers helped to remove the chairs from the front of the sanctuary, in preparation for Shiloh's 70th annual Holiday Bazaar. Again, Shiloh has spent months in preparation, planning, collecting materials, crafting,  baking, making mincemeat, and cleaning. The congregation is ready to welcome our friends and neighbors in for holiday decorations, baked goods, antiques, jewelry, artwork, raffles, and a few meals together. The Holiday Bazaar will be held this coming Friday and Saturday, at Shiloh Church.
 
Remember the congregation's annual meeting, scheduled for December 2, immediately after the 10:30 service.
 
Yet another busy week at Shiloh Church! See you at the Bazaar!
   

Monday, November 05, 2012

For Whom to Vote

Our home telephone has been inundated the past few weeks with robo-calls, live appeals and personal requests that ask that we vote for one candidate for another. Perhaps out of curiosity, or maybe the political process has worn me down to the point of helplessness, I actually took a few moments the other day to be part of one of the "polls." The questions were about the state of the economy, and how I feel as an Ohio citizen. I answered as best I could. At the end of the poll, the live questioner asked, "So, does that mean that you will be voting for (candidate X) on Tuesday?"
 
"Ummm, no," I said. "I will be voting for (candidate Y)." The caller proceeded to argue with my decision, even though all the answers that I provided were consistent and logical. She continued to try to convince me to support her candidate, even though I had been clear that I would not. Finally, even more deeply irritated by the current political process and tone of this campaign, I hung up.
 
If I were to believe everything that attack ads have claimed about candidates in this election, I would not vote for any of them. The process has become ridiculous and revolting. It insults our intelligence and attacks the personhood of those who are willing to run. It is disgusting. It is embarrassing.
 
Unfortunately, it is the only process that we have available to us. Therefore, I try to rise above the muck and determine for whom to vote. I have decided.
 
Let me help you decide for whom to vote.
 
If you know what a candidate stands for, and if you believe in what that candidate claims, then vote for her or him. If you think that what a person offers is best for whatever level of government that person is running for, then vote for that persons. Be clear, however. Do not be manipulated by the empty, meaningless drone of the media or the vitriol of opposing parties or special interests. Do not concern yourself with what a candidate is not or does not, that she or he failed to do this or that, that a candidate lacks qualities that have absolutely nothing to do with public service, or that he "no longer beats his spouse, tortures kittens, or steals from the church offering plate."
 
Rise above it. Learn that for which a candidate stands. Vote exclusively on that standard. Then, after the election, work with whomever is elected to form a more perfect union. Work side by side with those who voted for the other candidate. Join, hand in hand, to fix the problems that we face as communities, states and a nation. Repair the damage done by the election and campaign process. Let the purpose of shaping a great nation, great states, and great communities override the partisanship and biases that have victimized us all.
 
Vote. Then work with whomever is elected. God's kingdom is available to those who rise above it in order to bring God's will to the process of being a people.
 
See You Sunday!