Starbucks and the Church

Some of you know how much I enjoy Starbucks. I know it has its detractors – from taste gurus to locals to why-is-it-on-every-corner-fatigue. But I love it. And I’m sure you’ve heard the news lately over Howard’s "transformation agenda" to refocus the store on its original mission and first things: taste, experience, community, etc. So when I picked up a free cup of the Pike Place Roast two weeks ago Wednesday, I couldn’t help but notice the original brown logo and new cup. But what really caught my attention was the wording on the cup under the jacket:

This is what we know to be true: We opened our very first store in Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington, in 1971. We still roast our coffee ourselves. Less than 3% of the coffee in the world is good enough for Starbucks. We served the best cup of coffee 37 years ago, and we still do today. Introducing our new daily brew: Starbucks® Pike Place Roast.

It immediately made me think of Jesus and the church. Why? Because of these words:

Let me pass on to you what is of first importance. Christ died for our sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. Once we were no-family: now we are the family of God. And the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead nearly 2000 years ago is still calling women, men, and children to wake up to new life here. Now. Taste for yourself and see: the Lord is good!

Sure, it’s not all Scripture (I took a few liberties), but it rings true. And in an age where we pass so many churches with catchy slogans trying to reinvent themselves, wouldn’t it be refreshing and bracing to see, to experience, the essentials themselves?

calling my fellow Florida homeowners

Y'all, I just got the call from my insurance agent (who is officially on my "A" list just for this whole thing) to deliver some good news to me. I couldn't keep it to myself and decided to celebrate by telling y'all about it and putting up this, my 100th post on this blog. Hooray!

Last summer or fall, the state of Florida launched a program called My Safe Florida Home. I don't know much about it, except that it is supposed to help and reward homeowners who make their homes more hurricane proof and verify it by having a wind inspection done. At the time, our agent sent out letters to everyone recommending that we have it done and gave us the names of some inspection companies. We didn't do anything about it because the inspection cost $150 and "might" save us "some" money. I have better ways to spend $150 than on a "might", honestly.

A couple months ago, I realized that I needed to insure my camera and equipment, since I take it all over the place with me, run out into the ocean carrying it, and do other hazardous activities with it (it's pretty active). My agent asked if we had done the wind inspection. When I sheepishly said that we hadn't, he told me about a company called WB Sanders which will do the inspection for free (don't ask me how they get paid because I don't know). He also said that he thought we would save a bit of money because our roof is pretty new (same age as Elanor, in fact, as I recall having water pour into the house during a rainstorm while our roof was essentially naked and I had just come home from the hospital... certainly not in any emotional shape to yell at the roofers on that one). I filled out the form, set up an appointment with the company, and waited. I've told a few friends about the inspection because, hey, it's free, right?

Charlie (my agent, whom I adore right now) just called. Our premiums went down by just about 60%. Which, at our current rate, is a truly phenomenal amount of money. It's going to seriously affect our escrow payment. I am completely bowled over. Charlie is my hero.

It made me realize, you know, I think most companies insure homes more or less blind, right? So we are all probably paying more than we really need to, because they have to charge based on a house that might just fall over in a hurricane. Having the wind inspection just gives us a chance to show that our house is actually in pretty good shape. (Yes, our roof is new but our windows are original to the house--pretty bad, actually.)

What I'm saying is that if you live in Fort Myers, call this WB Sanders company (239.931.3880) and get your wind inspection done. Even if you only save a little bit, with your rates being as high as I'm sure they are, it's totally worth the 30 minutes it takes to have the inspection done.

If you've been wondering why I haven't posted in so long, it's because I've had two significant projects on my plate: 1) the church website, and 2) the MOPS spring fundraiser. The website is up and now all I need to do is fill in the content as I get it, and I am going to put the pictures up for the MOPS moms today!

easter report

I almost just don't even know where to begin with this post. Easter is a holiday which takes on a whole new meaning when you have a closely loved one who has died, I think, and the fact that the resurrection is the act which gives us cause to hope for a reunion really never ceases to awe and move me. So really, whatever else is going on during Easter (and let me tell you, the very thought of baskets and candy and eggs never even crossed my mind once this year), when it comes, I am always thrilled to think of the promise this day holds for me (for all of us, I know). If you don't know, I am thinking specifically of my mother, who died nearly ten years ago after a long and courageous fight with cancer.

Bill quoted someone today (I don't know who) who, on his deathbed, was dictating the following to his secretary: "I am about to leave the land of the living. No, wait, don't say that. Say instead that I am about to leave the land of the dying; I am about to enter the land of the living." Y'all, that right there is the promise of Easter. We are all dying--some more quickly that others, true, but we are all dying. And the empty tomb whispers to us that death is not the end, but only the beginning.

Sorry, that's not what you came here for, I know. I will say that I lay awake for several hours last night, my mind churning with thoughts, not necessarily of what might go wrong this morning, but of so many issues for which I feel responsibility right now. To top it off, it rained steadily for much of the night. Normally, I love falling asleep listening to the rain outside, but last night I kept thinking of the walk to church this morning (the road is still mud for much of its length and sidewalks are not yet poured) and of all those who would be parking in a field near the church and down the road (instead of paving parking lots which get only intermittent use down here, we leave them as grass, which is a great idea except for the mud). And then I started thinking about everything else I'm working on. And then the rain would start in again and I'd think about that. For hours.

I have to say that the logistical side went incredibly well this morning, from what I could see. Parking and shuttling seemed to go smoothly and everyone made it in and out of church in a timely fashion. We mingled on the lawn. Everyone looked just thrilled to be there. Seriously. Inside the service, it was no different. The choir had an energy I felt I hadn't seen in quite a while (plus I loved that they weren't wearing robes!), and the entire congregation just exuded joy. Pastor Jose, the pastor of our host congregation, and his translator Ilso (sp?) attended all three services and shared a blessing with us. They are so warmhearted and generous; it is really awesome. The services were all pretty full. The number that I heard for the total for the entire morning was 1,734. I just still have a hard time believing it!

All in all a delightful morning and a satisfying new beginning. There were several of us taking pictures all morning to document and since I did, I'm going to share a handful of favorites with you:

Bill with Pastor Jose and Ilso (sp?).

Our organist's hands at work. I like hands.

I love daddies who hold their little girls tight.

Our sign this morning: it's still the old Gulf Coast Church of Christ sign but someone spray painted over their name for us.

My piglet, hard at work in the nursery. I think she is making a craft.

I have a thumb sucker, too, so I love thumb suckers.

The girls insisted that I take their picture, too.

A blessed Easter to you all. Hold tight to the promise of a new life, a new beginning, and a new hope. (Sorry, I couldn't resist that one.)

packing up

Sorry for the quiet week. The reality is, not much to report. Teens came by all week long to help Andy and other staff box up their offices and load them into their cars to head for home or the new office. I went in one day to show the staff how to use the new online mail (hooray for Google Apps, not that some of them will ever use it, but it's nice to know that I've done my part to train them).

We had our final service at Covenant on Thursday, a joint service with both congregations attending. It was a lovely service--much more uplifting than many Maunday Thursday services I've attended. The music was provided mainly by the choir from Grove City College (I think, someplace like that in Pennsylvania anyway) and they were stunning--ethereal, reverent, delightful. Bill's sermon was wonderful...my main memory of it is that he opened with a personal story. It's unusual for a pastor, I think, but he is a very private person and it's rare for him to use a personal story as an illustration, which is unfortunate because I think it adds real depth to the message. The pastor is not just preaching the Word anymore, but he is showing us a little bit of himself in it, adding in his own humanity to share with us. And isn't that what God did with Jesus? The Word became flesh--he clothed himself in humanity and took everything that entailed upon himself. He took a love we couldn't understand because it is so far above us and brought it to us in his hands. Which we promptly nailed to a cross.

We noticed some tears towards the end of the service, but Andy's comment was he felt that they were shed mainly by those who had chosen to stay. I did notice one person in particular wiping away tears and I wondered what his/her thoughts were last night, the last night before we truly go our separate ways. A man from Covenant prayed for New Hope (kind of) and Bill prayed for Covenant (with much love and charity, which impressed me because my impression has been that he has been a focal point of more than a few attacks). I can't say that I was very sad last night, even as I sat with two of my children in the only church they have ever really known. There are faces that I know I will not see on a regular basis anymore, as they are choosing to stay, but many of those who are choosing to stay are unfamiliar to me, for varying reasons. The separation from the people I have come to call my church family is sad, but I feel no twinge of regret over the building, the property, or any of the things we are leaving behind. After all, that is all they are: just things.

I wish I could share deeply with you today, anything about Easter, but I will confess to having nothing. This week, Michael and I discussed God's inadequate battle tactics: instead of squashing Satan with his thumb, stepping down among us in his undeniable glory, or giving us signs which no one could dispute, he chose instead to send his only son in abject humility in order to rescue us. Beginning his career as a helpless newborn, learning masonry from Joseph, wandering Israel homeless for three years, and finally dying a painful and despicable death--really, is this the kind of God anyone in their right mind would choose to follow? I think not, but we do, each and every day. But one day, when we are confronted with the undeniable fact of his glory, when Jesus asks us, "Do you really love me?", we will be able to say, "Lord, you know that I love you." And he will know it, because we've loved him even when there was no good reason to do so. Easter is our reminder that glory waits for us beyond the cross, beyond the grave.

next time you swing by fort myers...

Stop by and get a cup of coffee and a donut at Bennett's Fresh Roast. They are just off of West First Street, about a block north of the new Publix, and I will say that the donuts are out of this world. Just amazing. They make everything from scratch (even the beans are roasted on site) and it is really good! They serve a limited lunch, with a bit of a twist: only two items are offered each day. Yesterday, I went and had a turkey pita with mango chutney; the other option was a lettuce wedge salad with bleu cheese. The chutney was fantastic and it was real turkey and cheese, not deli sliced. Today, we rode our bikes up for donuts (a long ride for Caroline but she did it!) and they were working on the vegetable soup for today's lunch.

Andy stopped by earlier in the week for lunch and noticed that the soup of the day was a recipe from Cook's Illustrated. Now, if that isn't a testimony to how good the food is, I don't know what is. Anyone who can appreciate good recipes and is willing to use them (when they could buy cream of broccoli from Sysco, really) is good people in our book.

The decor is fresh and fun. The coffee is great, too, and the people are even better. I have a new favorite place to escape to when I can get away for a cup of coffee and free wifi without the kids. Oh wait, when does that happen? Well, Andy may be holding office hours there, anyway.

yesterday

So, yesterday found me writing my resignation letter for Covenant. It was weird, really - ending something but at the same time continuing it. Effective March 21, I and most of our staff will no longer work at Covenant - but at New Hope Presbyterian. Of course, working out of the house will be a change ...

In other news, I tried to start a kitchen fire last night. You know I love to cook and I was in a rush (due to an hour long grocery trip with the kids) so i didn't put all the groceries away which meant that there was no counter space (we have little enough as it is) and so I put the Joy of Cooking on the back of the stove (yes, you can tell what's coming) and 45 minutes later while stirring risotto I said ...
"That doesn't smell like roasted pork or sauteed greens!"
... and what did my eyes behold but a half-moon bright orange glow partially obscured by a smoking white book. Yes, the Joy of Cooking was en fuego, my friends! I yelped, grabbed it, flipped it over (such a nice bubbly-brown ring pattern!) splashed it with water ... and went back to cooking. It now sits happily back on the shelf.

And in still other news, I finally started reading, for the first time (gasp!), The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Sallinger. Maybe that's why I am feeling random ...

UPDATE (3/16 evening): if one accident wasn't enough this week - I tried to slice off my left index finger tip on Friday night. I was slicing homemade bread (yes, that is another kitchen misadventure worth its own post) when my super-cool super-sharp knife (thanks David and Rabia) went into my finger, not the bread. After the instaneous moment of thought "why'd the knife meet resistance OH MY GOSH that's my FINGER not the crust!" I had to quit the crouton-making business and go for the bandaids. All I could find was this "Cars" movie-themed one - thanks, kids. It beat the Little Mermaid, though. Oh - and I finished Catcher in the Rye, and it wasn't what I was expecting. That book grew on me - I didn't like it until about 1/2 way through. I can see why your average teen finds something to cherish in its pages. More on that later. Oh - and it was our last Sunday at Covenant. Hello New Hope!

we are new hope

I wanted to tell you (since you asked, Gibby) that our (temporary) website is live. Like a lot of things about our new church, it's not done yet, but we felt it was important to get at least the basic information up as quickly as possible. So there you go. Oh, late edit to this post, in the interest of full disclosure, I had almost nothing to do with the current site. I volunteered to do the new church site and then started hyperventilating, thinking, "What have I done???" Happily for me, a friend is cranking up his own business which is, conveniently for me, a web design business. So he had the happy job of creating this site in a big hurry. Kudos to Bejan and you can visit his company here. All I did was the temporary logo (the real one is coming soon thanks to Kreathaus!) and start setting up staff emails and boring things like that.

I missed church yesterday due to being in Tampa at the BARF (isn't that a hilarious acronym? It's actually the Bay Area Renaissance Festival and yes, I will have pictures) with some dear friends who we don't get to see nearly often enough.

I did hear that it looks like we really will not be taking any of our fish with us. (Remember the sermon about leaving the catch?) New Hope and Covenant have been negotiating to see if there is anything that we are currently using which we can buy to have at the new church. Apparently, there is pretty much nothing, as Covenant expects to be continuing to use everything.

I think that's about all I have to say about that.