***If I disclose anything that I shouldn't be disclosing, please let me know and I'll revise or delete this post.***
Last Friday I was picked up from my apartment complex about 9:30 a.m. We drove to Charlotte, home of the closest Immigration Court for the state of NC. After stopping for a bite to eat, we arrived at the building around 12:15 p.m., just before the family from my church. The other pastor prayed before all of us except the Sra. went inside. According to the government, the Sra. has no status in this country; a really sad sentence. What does it mean to have no status, not even a low status? We waited in the hallway before the court opened at 1 p.m. The kids, all U.S. citizens, showed me their soccer pictures and assorted school certificates that they had brought. At 1 p.m., we went through the metal detector to the waiting room, along with two other families. The other families went into the courtroom before us, because their cases were shorter and simpler. One lady left the courtroom crying. I pulled out a little notebook I had brought in case I needed to take notes (what was I thinking?!) and played tic-tac-toe with one kid before turning over the notebook and pen to the kids to play games. The first phrase for the first hangman game was one work: 'hope.'
Then, we all trotted in to the courtroom and the judge was surprised by how many of us there were (4 adults, 5 kids, and 1 lawyer). After recognizing the kids, they were sent out to the waiting room with one adult. I got to sit and witness the whole thing. After hearing the respondent's testimony, the judge was leaning toward him staying because if he was deported, he would take the whole family with him and 1) one child has a serious heart condition needing regular follow-up; 2) another kid is a junior in high school and wants to go to college; and 3) the only work available to them in Mexico is fieldwork. But, the chief counsel said she'd reserve the right to appeal. So, the judge called in the oldest child who talked about how great his visit to Mexico was visiting his grandparents and that he wanted to go to college and not work in the fields. I couldn't believe the counsel almost asked him, "What do you have against fieldwork?" Fortunately, the kid didn't hear her and she didn't repeat herself. Then the other pastor testified to his relationship with the family and what a great father and church member the respondent is. The lawyer said that testimony sealed the deal. The judge proclaimed that "the deportation order is canceled" - such a phrase that doesn't adequately convey the emotions it causes - Yay! Gloria a Dios! He gets to stay! The kids get to stay! He gets to apply to be here legally. The lawyer doesn't think the counsel will appeal, but they do have 30 days to do so. We walked out about 4 p.m. a little stunned to tell the kids, "Good news!" The sra. cried when we told her outside in the parking lot. We celebrated at Pizza Hut. It was funny to arrive at Pizza Hut and three of us were on our cell phones.
I got my notebook and pen back with lots of games played and a prayer written by one kid in Spanish: (my translation)
Holy God, help me. Let my dad stay, please. I ask you from my heart. Please let him stay. From my heart. Amen.
Even though all I did was show up, the oldest kid told me, "Gracias, pastora."
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Radical Hospitality and Extravagant Generosity
Unidos por Cristo is a mission church; it is not self-sustaining. Our ministries rely on the hospitality and generosity of other churches, individuals, the Greenville District, and the North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. The hospitality and generosity take various forms, but I would like to highlight two United Methodist churches in Greenville:
One of these churches sends a check every month marked "pastor's salary," for which I am very grateful. This same church, when I went to visit to thank them for their support, told me to consider their missions team as my extended staff. Wow! I have staff!
The second church has said (if churches could talk), "You need to transport 7 people? Here's a 15-passenger van! You need a place to stay? Here's a house!" I'm not kidding. At the beginning of my time here, I spent the night with another pastor at her parsonage in Washington. However, for the past few weeks, she's had a mold problem at the parsonage that still isn't completely gone. I mentioned to another pastor about needing a place to stay, and he suggested the retreat house of this church. A block away from the church, it has 5 bedrooms and 3 full baths. The kitchen is stocked with disposable kitchenware. Many small groups affiliated with the church meet at the house, so there are tons of chairs. There are also tons of books, as it is a retreat house. This house is such a blessing! When I went to pick up the key one time from the church office, I mentioned my need for a vehicle that held 7 people. Five youth, my husband, and I were going to a ballgame and we would not all fit in my RAV-4 or my husband's '98 Mustang. The church office staff told me to fill out a short form and let them copy my driver's license, and I could borrow the church van! Ask and ye shall receive!
One of these churches sends a check every month marked "pastor's salary," for which I am very grateful. This same church, when I went to visit to thank them for their support, told me to consider their missions team as my extended staff. Wow! I have staff!
The second church has said (if churches could talk), "You need to transport 7 people? Here's a 15-passenger van! You need a place to stay? Here's a house!" I'm not kidding. At the beginning of my time here, I spent the night with another pastor at her parsonage in Washington. However, for the past few weeks, she's had a mold problem at the parsonage that still isn't completely gone. I mentioned to another pastor about needing a place to stay, and he suggested the retreat house of this church. A block away from the church, it has 5 bedrooms and 3 full baths. The kitchen is stocked with disposable kitchenware. Many small groups affiliated with the church meet at the house, so there are tons of chairs. There are also tons of books, as it is a retreat house. This house is such a blessing! When I went to pick up the key one time from the church office, I mentioned my need for a vehicle that held 7 people. Five youth, my husband, and I were going to a ballgame and we would not all fit in my RAV-4 or my husband's '98 Mustang. The church office staff told me to fill out a short form and let them copy my driver's license, and I could borrow the church van! Ask and ye shall receive!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Most Pleasant Surprise: the Youth
Before seminary, I was an elementary school teacher. I love kids and I love being around them! Also, I've always claimed to like the little kids better than the big kids and that all middle school and high school teachers are crazy to teach that age group. Now, in addition to being pastor, bible study leader, counselor, worship planner, cleaner, etc., I find myself in charge of the church youth group.
Leading a youth group is doubly weird for me because I was in a youth group for only two years of the whole time I was a youth. My family moved a lot in those years and only one of the three churches we attended had an active youth group. In a nutshell, I was dreading becoming the Youth Minister.
But, God is full of surprises and the youth at Unidos por Cristo are one of them! There are eight youth who come, rising sixth through twelfth graders. In four meetings, there has not been even a hint of misbehavior. They do what I ask them to do. They participate and choose our activities (some of which I suggest and some of which are their ideas). Youth group is the one activity at Unidos por Cristo that is primarily in English. And afterward, or after I talk with one of them on the phone, I feel rejuvenated! I am excited! It's as if I were teaching third graders, or playing with four year old's. I enjoy the youth!!
Leading a youth group is doubly weird for me because I was in a youth group for only two years of the whole time I was a youth. My family moved a lot in those years and only one of the three churches we attended had an active youth group. In a nutshell, I was dreading becoming the Youth Minister.
But, God is full of surprises and the youth at Unidos por Cristo are one of them! There are eight youth who come, rising sixth through twelfth graders. In four meetings, there has not been even a hint of misbehavior. They do what I ask them to do. They participate and choose our activities (some of which I suggest and some of which are their ideas). Youth group is the one activity at Unidos por Cristo that is primarily in English. And afterward, or after I talk with one of them on the phone, I feel rejuvenated! I am excited! It's as if I were teaching third graders, or playing with four year old's. I enjoy the youth!!
Friday, July 30, 2010
EBV (a.k.a., VBS)
I did not write last week because I was too tired. La Escuela Bíblica de Vacaciones (Vacation Bible School) was last week. It was the first time Unidos por Cristo ever held their own escuela; usually they sent their kids to a nearby church’s VBS. There was no curriculum from Cokesbury, because Cokesbury doesn’t have any in Spanish. Yes, these kids are bilingual, but some of the mothers are not. However, the ladies decided that we have enough kids, we should do our own VBS, and they wrote their own curriculum for four days, two hours each day.
The Escuela was called “Niños y Niñas de Fe” (Boys and Girls of Faith). The Bible stories centered on those time when Jesus brought someone back from the dead, often because of the faith of their friends or loved ones.
Of course, we sang, because you can’t have VBS without music! Instead of figuring out how to burn music from YouTube onto CD, I hooked the church laptop up to the stereo system in the sanctuary. (Yes, the laptop is actually sitting on the altar.)
Out blasted “Levantate y Anda” (Get Up and Walk)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAFMBinYnwI
and “El Siervo del Centurion” (The Centurion’s Servant)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxvuFW5wTUA
The music director had the kids act out the scenes to “Levantate and Anda” – a mother who lost her son in the town of Nain, the man who lost his son, and the two sisters crying in Bethany over their brother, Lazarus. The refrain says (in my translation into English): “Get up and walk; I am the life. Get up and walk; you were born to live!”
A total of 24 different children attended, although never more than 21 on any given day. Eight mothers and five youth ran the show. Since they weren’t sure if I’d be there, I was only assigned to pray each day and to press the button for the music! The best VBS job ever! (My other job turned out to be giving rides when various family vans broke down; not a bad job, either, although a bit stressful when one van broke down on busy Greenville Blvd. God provided enough for the mom to turn the van into a parking lot before it gave out!)
On Friday, at the end of the week, we held a program in the evening for the parents and it was a smashing success! However, by Friday, I was worn out because I’d been at the church six days in a row, all day during the day each day. I was planning to stay at Joan’s parsonage Friday during the day, but workers came to install new fire/smoke alarms in the church building and unlike the workers installing the central a/c and heat, these guys didn’t have their own key. That meant I had to be there, too. The other reason I was worn out is that I take my strongest weekly rheumatoid arthritis medication on Saturday, in order to be at my best on Sunday. By the end of the week, my energy level is pretty low normally, and it was only lower because of being gone all week and VBS and no rest except in the evenings. I have still been recuperating this week.
The Escuela was called “Niños y Niñas de Fe” (Boys and Girls of Faith). The Bible stories centered on those time when Jesus brought someone back from the dead, often because of the faith of their friends or loved ones.
Of course, we sang, because you can’t have VBS without music! Instead of figuring out how to burn music from YouTube onto CD, I hooked the church laptop up to the stereo system in the sanctuary. (Yes, the laptop is actually sitting on the altar.)
Out blasted “Levantate y Anda” (Get Up and Walk)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAFMBinYnwI
and “El Siervo del Centurion” (The Centurion’s Servant)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxvuFW5wTUA
The music director had the kids act out the scenes to “Levantate and Anda” – a mother who lost her son in the town of Nain, the man who lost his son, and the two sisters crying in Bethany over their brother, Lazarus. The refrain says (in my translation into English): “Get up and walk; I am the life. Get up and walk; you were born to live!”
A total of 24 different children attended, although never more than 21 on any given day. Eight mothers and five youth ran the show. Since they weren’t sure if I’d be there, I was only assigned to pray each day and to press the button for the music! The best VBS job ever! (My other job turned out to be giving rides when various family vans broke down; not a bad job, either, although a bit stressful when one van broke down on busy Greenville Blvd. God provided enough for the mom to turn the van into a parking lot before it gave out!)
On Friday, at the end of the week, we held a program in the evening for the parents and it was a smashing success! However, by Friday, I was worn out because I’d been at the church six days in a row, all day during the day each day. I was planning to stay at Joan’s parsonage Friday during the day, but workers came to install new fire/smoke alarms in the church building and unlike the workers installing the central a/c and heat, these guys didn’t have their own key. That meant I had to be there, too. The other reason I was worn out is that I take my strongest weekly rheumatoid arthritis medication on Saturday, in order to be at my best on Sunday. By the end of the week, my energy level is pretty low normally, and it was only lower because of being gone all week and VBS and no rest except in the evenings. I have still been recuperating this week.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Location, Location, Location!
Unidos por Cristo meets in the building that used to house Grimesland UMC. Grimesland UMC was closed in 1990; Unidos por Cristo was planted in 2000 and the building was fixed up to make it suitable again for a church. The building is in the center of town on the main street through town. What prime real estate!
On the east side of town is a NC Historical Marker for Major General Brian Grimes (1828-1880) of the Confederate Army. His family owned a plantation called Grimesland that roughly covered the same land that is today the town of Grimesland.
In case you hadn't guessed, there are no traffic lights in Grimesland. It is the smallest town in which I have ever spent significant amounts of time.
The other Sunday I walked my husband over to the tienda, La Potosina, to get a Coke before he headed home. La Potosina is also in the center of town, just a block away from the church. Lee was astonished as we walked past Town Hall and the Police Station on the way to the tienda. I told him, "Welcome to Mayberry!" (which is based on Mount Airy, NC).
I walked to the Post Office this past week, across the street from Town Hall, the Police Station, and La Potosina. (I think I get a lot of looks when I walk, because I'm the only pedestrian, but I'm not driving just to go a block down the street!) There were two spaces in the parking lot next to it, both labeled "10 minutes parking for Post Office." Ten minutes! When I go to the Post Office, I allot at least 20 minutes because I expect to stand in line for 10 minutes, minimum! Moreover, I walked to the Post Office about 12:10 p.m. Guess what? The Post Office is closed from 12-2 p.m. daily.
Downtown Grimesland: Town Hall, the Police Station, and La Potosina are on the right; the Post Office is on the left. The view is taken from just past Unidos por Cristo UMC.
View Larger Map
On the east side of town is a NC Historical Marker for Major General Brian Grimes (1828-1880) of the Confederate Army. His family owned a plantation called Grimesland that roughly covered the same land that is today the town of Grimesland.
In case you hadn't guessed, there are no traffic lights in Grimesland. It is the smallest town in which I have ever spent significant amounts of time.
The other Sunday I walked my husband over to the tienda, La Potosina, to get a Coke before he headed home. La Potosina is also in the center of town, just a block away from the church. Lee was astonished as we walked past Town Hall and the Police Station on the way to the tienda. I told him, "Welcome to Mayberry!" (which is based on Mount Airy, NC).
I walked to the Post Office this past week, across the street from Town Hall, the Police Station, and La Potosina. (I think I get a lot of looks when I walk, because I'm the only pedestrian, but I'm not driving just to go a block down the street!) There were two spaces in the parking lot next to it, both labeled "10 minutes parking for Post Office." Ten minutes! When I go to the Post Office, I allot at least 20 minutes because I expect to stand in line for 10 minutes, minimum! Moreover, I walked to the Post Office about 12:10 p.m. Guess what? The Post Office is closed from 12-2 p.m. daily.
Downtown Grimesland: Town Hall, the Police Station, and La Potosina are on the right; the Post Office is on the left. The view is taken from just past Unidos por Cristo UMC.
View Larger Map
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Week 2: Communion and Bible Study
This past Sunday was my first time ever blessing the communion elements and it was cool! I've struggled to find the right words to describe it. There is something that happens in saying the words of institution and then offering that bread and wine to the congregation that is so much beyond my actions.
And this congregation seems to be HUNGRY for life-giving food. They hang on my every word when I preach (hopefully it's not always because they're trying to understand me!). While I prefer to be brief and risk saying too little than saying too much, I think I might need to preach longer in order to feed them more (and in order for children's Sunday school, which occurs at the same time, to have more time!).
In order to avoid the mistakes I made last week, the dirigidora del servicio (a.k.a., liturgist) took it upon herself to make sure there was a printed order of worship besides the PowerPoint. I had also printed out one with the same goal in mind, but I only made one copy and never got it back from her. She helped more by appointing her husband to say the prayer over the offering, so that I couldn't forget it. I did still pronounce the benediction before the announcements - believe it or not, there's no space for announcements in the order of worship in the hymnal and after communion I was just following the end of the service as outlined, having completely forgotten about the PowerPoint and having lost my printed copy.
I felt much more in my element Monday night when we resumed the weekly bible study. Teaching and facilitating bible studies are church activities I'm used to doing, unlike preaching and presiding at the table. We did a short study I put together and then I presented them with four options for how to proceed next with the weekly study. I hope I didn't influence them too much, but they picked my favorite option - Discipulado (or Disciple bible study in Spanish)! Eight of the ten folks who came said they could commit to doing it, a commitment which I had worried about beforehand would turn people off from the study (it's 34 weeks with daily reading to prepare for the weekly group gathering). THEN I talked with my District Superintendent the next morning AND she said there are funds in the District specifically marked for Disciple bible study!! I was wondering how we were going to be able to afford the study, but God had already provided!!!
Friday, July 2, 2010
The First Couple Days
My first Sunday was last Sunday, June 27. The service was a comedy of errors for which the lay leaders gently corrected me each time (like forgetting to bless the offering until after I'd given the benediction). Praise God for a gracious congregation!
My first day in the office was Monday, June 28. The painters beat me to the church that morning and I chatted with one of them on the way in (being one female among 5 or so unknown men, it's best to find that fine line between being friendly but not flirty). He asked about the congregation and I said that the service is all in Spanish and I preach in Spanish. He told me that I speak English pretty good! (It's only my native language...)
That day in the office I had 3 computers with me: the church's old laptop, the church's new laptop, and my personal laptop. The old laptop I set up to defragment all morning (it took 3 hrs) so it was out of commission. The new laptop I couldn't get in to because I didn't know the password. Out of three computers, I could only use one!
I feel like I've been gaining a southern accent the longer I live consecutively in North Carolina (on and off since 1993; the current streak is 3 1/2 years). A lot of it may be being at Duke Divinity School the past 3 years with people from around the country and the world. Then I went to Joan's church's potluck in Washington, NC Sunday evening and I was asked if I had folks up north (why, yes I do). So much for that southern accent.
Finally, the church sign, pictured above. Heather is a very difficult name in the Spanish-speaking world (my parents had no idea when they named me for a purple Scottish flower from my heritage). My name has been spelled Geder (a Spanish phonetic spelling that at least pronounces it almost right because the G sounds like an English H). I've taught lots of people to put their tongue between their teeth to make the TH sound. The senora I lived with in Spain for a semester in college had so much trouble, she finally gave up and said, "I'm just going to call you Estelle"! So the fact that the lay leaders who did the sign got 1 out of 2 H's is pretty good in my opinion! (And they did apologize for the missing H.)
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