Out of the Rabbit Hole

I've been in the "rabbit hole" for a while. The holiday has given me a chance to take a breather. I'll be catching up in the next few weeks and getting back at my regular pace.

I'm almost finished with "Everything Must Change" by Brian McLaren . I'll share some of my reflections on the book soon, but I thought I might share this picture that I took in the Dominican republic last month. It goes well with the following line from the book.

"I think about where the path of gross inequity leads - globally, nationally, locally. I think about the streets of Latin America and Africa, where every widow must be protected by iron gates and every wall topped with razor wire or broken glass to keep out desperately poor people who have found robbery the only way to survive."pg 248


=-=

Unexpected Surprise - Fooling the Pastor

Dear Park Slope Family,

I want to thank you for that unexpected surprise yesterday. You really got me! The gifts and words of encouragement really touched my heart. As a matter of fact I was a bit speechless. Thank you Missionettes for creatively disguising your award service and thank you leaders for putting it all together. The special Dinner was excellent. Thanks Emma & Ariel for lending us your beautiful home.

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

-Philippians 1:2-6

Big Hugs

Pastor Luis

=-=

C.S. Lewis on Leadership

"Authority exercised with humility, and obedience accepted with delight are the very lines along which our spirits live."

-C.S. Lewis

Balance

I just finished a preaching series called "Balance" and these folks took me seriously (LOL). There's Deacon Noemi leading the pack with Gilbert right behind her. These are a few of the pictures from our annual Apple Picking Saturday in Battleview Orchards, New Jersey. Though it drizzled off and on, God gave enough time to pick apples, have a picnic and enjoy an epic game of whiffle ball. Deacon Jon got lucky and struck me out once. Would you believe that?

=-=

Metro Hope Church: First Preview Gathering

Church Planters Jose & Mayra Humphreys had their first preview gathering on Sunday, September 23. The gathering took place in Harlem's National Black Theater. There was a fantastic turn out of well wishers and those seeking a unique church experience.

They incorporated media and arts into the gathering. Leslie Rios, an artist from Manhattan’s Lower East Side, did spontaneous painting while Pastor Jose preached on Mark 2, the story of the paralytic.

Jose and Mayra are committed to a wholistic praxis of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Last week they were able to collect canned goods and gently used clothes to be given to the African Services Committee, an organization in Harlem that works with African refugees and immigrants.




Jose and Mayra have been long time friends. I can attest to their heart for the city and a heart to serve people in an authentic way. Metro Hope is positioned to be a catalyst for revolutionary change in the city as well as an model for urban community.

Metro Hope Church is one of the churches that we support at Park Slope Tabernacle.

Let's continue to pray them....

Check out their blog CrackPots
For more info about Metro Hope check out http://myspace.com/metrohope

"Adelante como un elefante"

=-=

Latino Leadership Circle to host "The Question of God"

The Latino Leadership Circle is hosting a series of relevant movies that will encourage discussion and reflection.Movies will follow group discussion on topics presented in the film. Everyone is welcomed but seating is limited. Please register ASAP. The Question of God, explores in accessible and dramatic style issues that preoccupy all thinking people today: What is happiness? How do we find meaning and purpose in our lives? How do we reconcile conflicting claims of love and sexuality? How do we cope with the problem of suffering and the inevitability of death? Based on a popular Harvard course taught by Dr. Armand Nicholi, author of The Question of God, the movie illustrates the lives and insights of Sigmund Freud, a life-long critic of religious belief, and C.S. Lewis, a celebrated Oxford don, literary critic, and perhaps this century's most influential and popular proponent of faith based on reason.

Date:	Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Location:	The American Bible Society, 1865 Broadway, New York, NY 10023
Cost:	Free of charge, but registration is required

Click Here to Register

For a recent interesting NY Times article entitled, "Defender of the Faith?" which argues that towards the end of Freud's life, he sees value in religion, click here.

I recommend this movie discussion for friends who struggle with belief in God and college students who, at best will confront an agnostic view of God in the classrooms.

=-=

San Juan et. al.

We're really soaking up all the great thing Puerto Rico has to offer. We visted "El Morro" yesterday and wandered around el "El Viejo San Juan." The people are "bien chevere" with us everywhere we go. The coqui lulls me to sleep at night and the warm Caribbean sun greets me at the dawn of each day.

=-=

IMG_0232.jpg
Originally uploaded by pastorluisalvarez