25 Years ago .... The Reunion

This weekend was my 25-year, high school class reunion. I had a great time hanging out with longtime friends and reuniting with those whom I had lost touch. My graduating class was right around one hundred students, so everyone knew everyone and I liked that.

Our arch rivals, the Niles Vikings, also held their reunion at the same hotel, on same night, at the same time. They were about three times larger than us, and therefore had a much larger turnout. It was great having them there though, and it turned out that the rivalry wasn't as big as I had believed. We all floated between the two reunions and by the end of the night, we had a wonderful time together. I laughed so much my face hurt. My crowning achievement was stealing the Niles Viking Helmet and wearing it back to the Brandywine Bobcat reunion - I think I look pretty good in Viking wear. It was a grand and triumphant entry; I was king of the world for a few minutes.


As part of the reunion committee, I helped plan much of the evening's festivities. Fortunately, there were a lot of vintage "80's" photos rife with the fodder of many great jokes: big hair, spandex, stone-washed jeans, mullets, and ill-formed mustaches. It was enormous fun.


There were somber moments in the evening, though. The memorial for our deceased classmates was one. There were six in our class who had died; five men, one woman. I knew them all a little and presided over that part of the evening. I spent a lot of time looking at their photos this week and preparing slides with their pictures.


The son of one of the men who died came to one of the weekend activities with his mother. He was there looking for people to tell him their memories of his father. His father had died nine years earlier while he was still a young boy.


It was profoundly moving for me to consider what it would be like for one of my children had I been the one who died nine years ago. Alex would have been eight and Audrey only five.


I thought, "What would my classmates have told my children about me? Would my life be remarkable? Or even memorable? Loving or selfish? Would I be known as severe or kind? A man who loved God or the World?"
I am thankful for that young man. I'll be thinking of him and of my children and how I might want to be remembered after I am gone.

A Great Week at Willow Creek

Just over a week ago, I attended the Willow Creek Association's annual Arts Conference.  This year's conference was entitled Wonder and it inspired just that.  I was able to bring three other folks from my team this year:  Jeff, Kristin, and Elle.  It was a great trip just because we got to spend a little more time with each other.  They are good friends and gifted artists.  I was honored with the opportunity to teach a breakout on leading arts ministry and to do a video showcase with the team.  We also participated in the Film Festival and were awarded first place in two categories and the "Best of Show" for Kristin and Cody Baker's short "What Used to Be True."  Even if you have already seen this, it's worth a another look.  I am proud of our team.  They work hard, they honor God, and they really make me laugh  ... a lot.  I think this will make you laugh, too.

Weekend Arts Preview Clue

OK.  I'm not going to tell you what we are doing this weekend for the arts programming, but I will tell you this weekend may be the most face-melting rock experience ever at Granger Community Church.  

So, come to church; bring a friend.  You and your friend will be happy about that.  I promise.  

Just to pique your interest, here's a little clue about what you'll experience this weekend:

This legendary rock band released their first album in 1978 and later produced a "Best Of" CD they dedicated to their manager who died at the age of 57.  

Can you name the band we'll be covering this weekend?  

First Wednesday - Creative People Embracing Their Creator

Photo by R Mark Beeson From GCC Weekend

I hope you had a chance to attend tonight's First Wednesday service. I think it may have been one of my favorite, all-time GCC experiences; it simply moved me. I sensed in my spirit that the rest of our church may have been moved a little, too.

My position at the church gives me a unique perspective. I have the privilege of being a part of the team that produces our services. I get to be a part of the process that begins with a group of people standing in a room staring at a blank whiteboard and ends with what you see on our weekends or First Wednesdays. Throughout that process, I often find myself with my mouth gaping in awe as I watch gifted people surrender their gifts; creative people embracing their Creator. It's as beautiful a thing as any I have witnessed in my life.

Flying Solo

Photo by R Mark Beeson From GCC Weekend

How can you not love this young man!  Seth Bible.  Yep, you heard it right. His name alone is enough to turn me into a Calvinist - seems predestined to be a worship leader.  I hope you are fortunate enough to spend a moment with him sometime.  You'll leave the encounter better off - I know I  always do.  While Seth has been on our platform multiple times, this is the first time he's led the worship team alone.  Trace, Dan, and Jason have been pouring everything they have into him to help ensure his success.   Seth soared this weekend and I couldn't be more proud of him or my team.  Well done, men!

The Story Behind the Story

Photo by R Mark Beeson From GCC Weekend

I enjoyed last weekend for several reasons; one reason was this drama (you can watch it and the entire service here) Phil, the older gentleman sitting on the fishing dock has been a part of the GCC arts ministry for years and been on our platform dozens of times. He's a good man and a good friend to our church, and to me. The script was adapted from a story from Phil's life. He shared it with us all at a drama team meeting about a year ago. I though Kristin Baker did a great job morphing his childhood story into poignant dialog where an older man imparts wisdom and virtue into the younger. This was Ryan's first weekend on our weekend platform.  He did an amazing job.  It was inspiring to watch Phil pour into this younger, less-experienced actor. So much is added when the drama and the story of the actors behind it are almost the same. I think it creates an uncommon degree of authenticity that truly helps prepare hearts.

"Go On ... (gasp) ... Without Me"

I often think of the scene in that movie ... you know, that movie ... the one where the guy gets shot in the leg. He lets out an agonizing cry and grits his teeth. Then he continues on with a profound limp in his walk. He keeps going and going, bleeding and bleeding, dragging his shot leg through the jungle until eventually, his good leg tires and fails. He falls to the ground exhausted, unable to go any further. His comrades gather around him and he looks up at them and with a sad determination and says, "Go on ... (gasp) ... without me." He gives up - exhausted and resolved that he is finished.

Ever been there?

I consider of my Faith walk and the legs that carry me along my life journey. One leg is my Faith, my relationship with Christ, my Spirituality. The other leg is my Being -my physical, mental, emotional health; my relationships with others. With both legs good and strong, I move swiftly and assuredly through the jungle.

But sometimes I catch a bullet from the enemy in one of my legs. And I start relying solely on the other leg to carry me along. It's funny how I think I can go on and on like that ... never removing the bullet and thinking all along that I can be helpful to my comrades.

This summer Chris and I will be taking some time to rest on vacation. To patch up and get ready. I hope you take the time to do the same ... you may have taken a bullet you didn't even feel at the time.

Top Five Quotes from People Who NEED to Attend the June Workshops at GCC:

#5) "Great Commission? I thought that's what Realtors make."

#4) "My First Impression was J-J-J-Jimmy S-Stewart."

#3) "I wanted Less Clutter and Less Noise so I told my son to go clean his room and turn off the stereo."

#2) "Kids say the darnedest things ... and then we just smack 'em!"

#1) "Let's not call it a split ... let's call it a Multi-Site!"


You need to come to the workshops at GCC June 25-26, 2009.

From Fan to Follower

The best stories draw you in. The best stories aren't about someone else; they are about you. I felt that way this weekend at GCC. I was not just an observer; the actors on stage were telling my story, the one where I let a harsh and controling world get in the way of a relationship with a gentle and loving God. Sometimes looking at your past can be both difficult and surreal.

"No," I thought,"that couldn't have been me. How could I let that happen?"

Yet, it was me; a man tired and bruised, who finally embraced a God who had been there all along. It's good to be reminded where I've been from time to time. It reminds me of who my God is and how deep the capacity of His Love and how far His reach.

Worship Part II

At GCC we embrace the notion that worship is more than the singing and praise we do as a gathered body. We believe worship is about how we live our lives. To help our people get a handle on this, we define worship at GCC as "do the next right thing."

Last week someone caught one of our staff in the act of worship. I thought I would share the following from the South Bend Tribune. Doc is a talented high school students who designs and programs the majority of our light shows at GCC. He would never tell you about this, so I thought I would:

Doc's Rx: Kindness ... Inspired by parents, John Glenn senior helps others
CAROL DRAEGER Tribune Staff Writer

NORTH LIBERTY — With a name like Doc Borlik, a teenager has a lot to live up to.Eighteen-year-old Austin "Doc" Borlik is not a doctor, or studying to become one.

He's ... drumroll, please ... kind.That's it. Ask the manager at the BP gas station in North Liberty what she thinks of the John Glenn High School senior. Bonnie Nemeth gushes."Ohmigod," her sentences begin, as she explains how the typical-looking 6-foot teen does some atypical things.A few months ago, he walked into the store to pay for gas and paused after spotting a handful of receipts the store displays from drive-offs.As though it were a candy bar he was adding to his gas payment, Borlik told Nemeth, "I'll pay for one of those, too," she recalled him telling her as she looked at him incredulously.And so it began. Between Borlik and his mother, Donna, the two now routinely pay at the pump for others who don't pay.Nemeth said the teen has shelled out cash for about seven drive-offs so far.Nemeth was so impressed by Borlik that she called the principal at John Glenn High School, William Morton, to tell him about one of his "wonderful" students.Morton didn't know about the gas receipts, but he knew other things."He is an extraordinary young man," Morton said. "He is a creative individual, very bright, open-minded and very involved in school." Borlik is a member of the marching band and has been vice president of his class for four years.He is also involved in the school's plays and musicals, creating the sound and lighting for most of the high school's fine arts shows.Borlik's talents mixing sounds and lights at Granger Community Church (where he works and worships) is also how he pays for his good deeds.He also operates a side business, "DJ Doc," and provides most of the music for school dances."He does it tastefully because of who he is," Morton said. "I can count on him." Donna said she and her husband, Bob, instilled in their three children the value of random acts of kindness."The kids just always had fun paying for customers behind us in the drive-through," she said as though this is something every family does.And the Borliks do it even when money is tight.Donna and Bob both have been unemployed recently. In September, Bob lost his 25-year job at a door company in Walkerton, and Donna left her job at Sherwin Williams to care for a relative whose parents are in the military in Iraq.Donna recently found work with the U.S. Census Bureau. Bob is in training at Edward Jones. "Doc" Borlik said money isn't needed to help make someone smile: Loading groceries for an elderly person at Wal-Mart will do just fine."He lives from the inside out," Morton said of Borlik, adding that the teen lives up to his unusual name.Donna Borlik said her son's name holds no secret meaning: "My husband just started calling him that. There's no real story behind his name."But there is a story.