The Journey

2009-07-10T12:58:00.001-07:00

For those who would be interested, here is the online video of the ordination service. You can skip ahead to the 99 minute mark if you just want to see the actual ordination part of the service.

Ordination and Commissioning Service from Covenant Communications on Vimeo.

10 Years

2009-06-28T10:24:00.001-07:00

As I have been reflecting throughout this ordination weekend here in Portland, I found myself returning yesterday morning to the first few chapters of Ezekiel. Here's the story...

Ten years ago this month, I was a 21-year old kid who was madly in love with my Lord and had a heart that was so wide open and willing to follow Him to ends of this earth. That summer led me to spending a few months in Ecuador - where I was seriously considering spending my life somewhere in the foreign mission field. I was zealously seeking after His voice to speak loud and clear into my life.

Then one morning in June of 1999 I was reading Ezekiel 2 & 3 (God's call into Ezekiel's life) and God, in His mysterious ways, literally lifted the words off of the page and transformed then into His call for my life. Now...I had sensed some kind of call into some kind of vocational ministry, but I had not received any clarity until that morning.

From Ezekiel 3:4-9 God said, "Mark, I am not calling you to a foreign land, where they speak a foreign language. No, I'm calling you to the Church in America - a Church that is often hard and obstinate. And you will love them, my Bride, with an undying and obstinate love, so as to break through to them."

Fast forward...it has been ten years since the seed of that call was planted in my heart by God. And what a journey!! All I can say is that my love for God has not diminished, but has matured in ways I never thought possible. And my obstinate and unyielding passion to see the Bride of Christ in America be revived, renewed, reformed, resuscitated, and (in some cases) resurrected has only grown more passionate with each passing year.

I am humbled by His great love and faithfulness. I am humbled by the act of His Church last night in ordaining me to His service. And I find myself this morning personally revived, renewed, reformed, resuscitated, and (in some odd way) resurrected. :)

Ordination

2009-06-21T15:32:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know that it's been a long time since my last post (in my head, I am a much better blogger than reality testifies too!) :) Well, my last post talked about the fact that I was on the road to ordination. It turns out that that road will come to completion next Saturday evening (June 27) at 7pm in Portland, OR. For those who are interested you will be able to actually watch that service live on the internet - just go to http://covchurch.org/am/2009/am-live I've been told that the service is pretty awesome.

On The Road To Ordination

2009-02-01T13:38:00.000-08:00

So...I know that I have a lot of catching up to do here on this blog...and perhaps someday I will get around to that...but for now I wanted to at least update some on the fact that I had my final ordination interview here today in Chicago and I am now officially in the final steps of being ordained come this June in Portland, OR. For those of you who have prayed for me throughout this process...thank you! (keep praying!) ;)

Who Would Have Thunk?!

2008-11-18T18:55:00.000-08:00

Yep...it says $1.95

I'm excited! :)

One Year

2008-11-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

Fall has been absolutely gorgeous here! Some say it has been an unusual fall...I say they are just pessimists! :)

Today marks my one year point from when I first began at Cascade Covenant Church. The year has really flown by, but it has been an extremely blessed and wonderful year. Things continue to go very well both in my ministry and personal life. I am in a good place and I am happy.

Thanks for your support and prayers!

Catching Up...

2008-10-19T21:00:00.001-07:00

So I am way overdue in posting some pictures from this past summer and a trip I was able to make down to California at the end of June...better late than never. The first couple are from the few days I was able to spend at Lake Tahoe with my mom and cousins (Kami & Kaiti). The rest are from my time at a cabin near Pine Crest with my family on my dad's side.

The whole crew!
Cousin Aaron & my sister Most of the nephews!
Some say they can tell we are related!

Coming Soon... !!

2008-09-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

For the few and faithful that have been checking to see if I would ever blog again...do not fear...you will see a post with new pictures and all in just a few days. I'm in CA for a few days and when I get back and upload pictures, blogging at "The Journey" will once again continue! ;)

249th...and so happy!!

2008-06-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

Well...this morning I ran my second ever 5k race. I'm not quite sure why I ran it. I've never really liked running, but I have been faithfully in the gym for the past 3 months as part of my efforts in my family's own competitive version of the Biggest Loser (which I actually won last week!). So, I saw a flyer two weeks ago for this local 5k in the Snoqualmie Valley and I signed up. No friends were excited to run it with me, so I ran it by myself.

Now if you really know me, you will know that this is very unusual activity for me but I think it is indicative of a very positive and healthy corner I have turned. Perhaps motivated by my turning 30 two weeks ago and surely motivated by my family's Biggest Loser competition, I simply am very happy. I'm getting more into shape and healthy...ministry continues to go extremely well...I live in a very, very beautiful location...and I have gained some wonderful friends here.

So...I may have come in 249th in todays race...but life is good...and I am happy.

Now all I need is for the sun to finally come out!! :-)

Mikey

2008-05-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

Last week Mike Johnson came up to visit for a week. Mike is from my hometown and I basically count him as my little brother. It was great to have him up here and I look forward to his next visit.

We were pro golfers - the 9 hole par was 35. I got 60, Mike got 61.

Yep...like I said...pro golfers.

Mike had the fall under control

We went to a Mariners game and got there early for the batting practice and Mike actually caught a ball with his hat in the stands...although he did have to wrestle a few kids to get the ball and his hat back.

What can I say? I'm still a novice at taking these kind of self pictures.

Gospel of John...or Guitar Hero?

2008-05-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...why not both!!

I just thought I would share a few pictures from my community group this past week. We've been doing a weekly inductive Bible Study in the Gospel of John and decided to have a night of pure fellowship. This ended up being an evening of Guitar Hero...but kinda minus any heroes. :-)

I also thought I would share a few pictures from an event we did last Sunday evening. Our staff hosted a "Mahalo Luau" for everyone in the church. It was an awesome evening. We had more than 250 people show up for it! Our lead pastor, John, told people that if we had more than 200 people show up he would do the hula...but he did not do it alone...he called me up there with him. Thus the hula skirt...

Just a view of our sanctuary gone tropical...

Happy Passover!!

2008-04-19T22:09:00.001-07:00

Happy Passover! Tonight I had the privilege to celebrate Passover with a family within our church. What a joy to remember what the Lord, our God, has done for His people since the beginning of time and also through His Son, Jesus Christ!

Free Rice

2008-04-14T23:17:00.000-07:00

So I was watching the evening national news tonight and they shared this fascinating story about a website that is out there. The website is www.freerice.com and basically it is a site that helps students learn new vocabulary for the tests like the SAT. BUT even way more cool is the fact that for every word they get right 20 grains of rice is donated through the UN to help fight hunger in the world. Tons of rice have already been handed out because of this website. So if you are teacher (or someone who wants to learn more words), check out the site!

Thoughts on Fear

2008-04-14T22:29:00.000-07:00

I have spent the past few weeks really thinking about fear as I was preparing for the sermon I gave yesterday entitled "Freedom from Fear." So, I thought I would just share a few thoughts from my sermon prep...

The biggest breakthrough for me was in my reflection on the topic of the "fear of God." You see, much of the sermon focus was on freedom from fears, but in the end I realized that if we are to be free from our fears it requires that we have one fear: the fear of God.

Growing up in a pretty typical evangelical setting, my theology was shaped heavily by John 15:15 --- that Jesus said he no longer calls us servants but friends. God has always been my "buddy", therefore I have always had a hard time every time I came upon Scripture that exhorted me to have the fear of God.

I know feel like I am understanding it much more. To fear God is to realize that he is omnipotent (all-powerful) and omnipresent (everywhere-present) and therefore able to do anything. He has full power to judge and, as Jesus talks about in Luke 12, He is the one to fear over death because He has the power to do anything to us beyond death. BUT He has also extended us grace through His Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, our fear of God is a mixture of trembling reverence and intimate, grateful awe.

So, when it comes to our other fears...if we truly have a "fear of God" in which we recognize that God is all-powerful and ever with us, this "fear" should be the banishing factor to all these other lesser fears.

So, these are just a few thoughts... I'm trying to figure out how to post audio of some sermons I do. But below you can find an excerpt from the sermon...

"Sometimes I fear…

…for the health and safety of my family
…for the poor within our valley and whether or not they will be able to pay their next bill or find their next meal
…for the broken-hearted within our community and whether or not anyone is aware of their hurt and providing comfort and care for them
…for our neighbors who are enslaved to one addiction or another and if they will ever find freedom
…for the children that are dying every moment because of disease or famine
…for the nations that are continuing to kill thousands upon thousands because of a particular ethnicity or religious affiliation
…for the countries that seem to be hit by natural disasters over and over and over again
…for the continents that seem to becoming annihilated by the AIDS virus
…that our environment and ecosystems will not hold out much longer
…that my generation will not be able to doing anything about these things
…that we have already screwed things up beyond repair for future generations to come

…that our world is falling apart right before our very own eyes
…and that the people of this world have grown far too hard-hearted to come anywhere close to hearing the Good News of Jesus Christ

Sometimes I fear.

Sometimes I fear, but then I open my eyes and look around…
…and see that there is a God who has created every river, tree, and mountain
…that there is a God who is working wonders in the midst of a chaotic world
…that there is a God big enough to have shaped this world and created a universe that my mind cannot wrap itself around…and therefore big enough to handle any fear I might have
…that there is a God that has always been and consistently is and will forever be

Sometimes I fear, but then I remember…
…that this God has never once faltered in His faithfulness to His creation
…that He that created all that I see…this God cares about the smallest detail…and has always been a God who is for the hurting, the broken, and the hopeless
…you see, I remember that this God put it all on the line by sending His son Jesus Christ for this world’s salvation…for you and me
…I remember that Jesus Christ has conquered death and with it, He has gone ahead of me and conquered every possible thing I could fear
…you see, I remember that in Jesus Christ I am free and I am more than a conquerer

Sometimes I fear, but then I worship…
…and when I worship, my fears dissolve
…because when I worship my eyes are re-opened and I remember…
…when I worship I am in communion with this gigantic, all-powerful, always-present, God of love
…and I am changed
…and I am transformed

And I fear no more."

California Surprise

2008-03-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I was able to get away from Washington for a few days and do a surprise visit to California. I stayed a night with the McCutchens near Santa Cruz and got to especially hang out with their beautiful daughter, Violet. Then I went up to San Andreas for the weekend to surprise my parents. It turned out that this weekend was the opening weekend of "Suessical the Musical", a high school musical that my mom is directing and has poured all of her time and energy into over the past two months. So, it was fun to be there with her and cheer her on. I also beet my dad, step-mom, and friend David Ivan at Risk. Monday, I went down to Sacramento to stay with my step-sister, Robin, her husband Mark, and my two cute nephews Justin and James. Then, I drove up to Paradise today to visit my grandmother for lunch and then drive back down here to Sacramento where I am enjoying their free internet while I wait for my flight.

It was one of those brief vacations that felt much longer than it really was. So I feel blessed and refreshed right now! Below are a few pictures from the weekend (I still have to get better at pulling out the camera and taking more!)

I snagged this picture from the McCutchen's blog - this is me and their daughter, Violet (7 months old)
Beautiful Pacific in Santa Cruz
Lunch with my grandma Catherine

60 Plus Degrees and Beautiful!

2008-02-19T19:30:00.000-08:00

The past few days here in Washington have been beautiful. The highs have been in the 60's and it has been those type of days where the sun is out and warming you but the air is still nice and cold - a great combination and preview for Spring and beyond! I love it!

Chicago

2008-02-04T20:43:00.001-08:00

Last week I had the opportunity and privilege to go spend a week in Chicago for Covenant Midwinter conference and its pre-conference connections. This is our annual pastor's conference for our denomination. The best part of the conference is being able to reconnect with old friends that are now serving the Lord all around the United States. I barely took any pictures, but every so often I pulled out my phone and took a shot.

I could fly by Mt. Rainer a thousand times. It was a beautiful, crystal-clear day on my outbound flight from Seattle to Chicago.
I was able to get out to Chicago a day early and spend some time with my dear friends Ryan & Kelly Beardsley, who have just begin their graduate studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
I was able to recconnect with many dear friends during the Midwinter conference, but I was really blessed to room with Dan Teefey for the week. The day this picture was taken, we just happen to be basically wearing the same clothes, except our pin striped shirts were in matching Christmas colors.

A Sad Day...

2008-01-16T23:23:00.000-08:00

It's final...complete...done... I am working through my grief and loss of my Californian identity. Last month they punched a hole in my California drivers license. Today was the end-all of the process. I took off my California plates and fastened on my Washington plates.

(moment of silence)

Goodbye California...

OK...seriously, everything continues to go great! Today was anything but a sad day. I had my first gathering with a new young adults community group that I've started leading at my place. There are 11 of us - nice and cozy eating and meeting together in my nice small apartment. It was awesome and I am stoked for what lies ahead.

Just an FYI for any of my Chicago and/or seminary friends - I'm heading out there for Midwinter and will be there from Jan 24-31.

Putting those seminary books to use!!

2008-01-11T14:55:00.000-08:00

I know that I am a little behind on my blogging, so here is the beginning of my attempt to catch up a little bit. I just wanted to show how I've begun to put my seminary books to use. Below you'll find the before and after shots of some of my set up for our Christmas Eve services last month. I never pictured myself using my commentaries in quite this fashion! :-)

By the way...we had 3 great services that night!

Installation

2007-12-17T22:21:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday I was officially installed at Cascade Covenant Church as their Associate Pastor of Worship & Community Groups. Mark Novak, the superintendent of the North Pacific Conference, came to our church to do the installation. Below is a video of that portion of the service. (My first time ever uploading a video to this blog!) It was a very cool morning.

A side note...it was quite humorous some of the responses I got to the title of "installation." A good friend of mine and colleague in the church thought perhaps I was being treated like a window...being installed and all. Some other guys who work in the computer tech world kept suggesting that I needed to be rebooted...as if I was a program needing to be rebooted...that metaphor took me a couple extra minutes to catch on to. If you're not quite sure what an installation is, check out the clip...Novak explains it a little bit.

26 to 56 in 24

2007-12-03T20:56:00.000-08:00

So, we had about 1 1/2 feet in snow yesterday. Well...today our temperatures were in the 50's. All the snow was melted...plus it has been raining. So, the Snoqualmie valley has gone from being buried in snow to being in danger of flooding (which I guess isn't too unusual here...don't worry my place shouldn't ever be in danger of flooding itself).

So, here is a picture from Snoqualmie falls (which is right after the merging of the three forks of the Snoqualmie river that flow through North Bend). To get the best idea, scroll down my blog to my posts from this summer and compare the picture of the falls then to the picture from today. Needless to say, it was thunderous just being at the observation deck.

Yeah for Four Wheel Drive!!

2007-12-02T16:41:00.000-08:00

Let's go back in time about 5 months. Asks candidating Mark to some within the church here in North Bend, "So...do you guys get much snow here?" "Oh not really... every so often we get a few inches, but it never sticks much."

Well...we had about 1 1/2 feet dump on us over last night!! When I left for church this morning, it was time to put my 4x4 to the test. And it did great...although I am still such a novice when it comes to driving in the snow. Needless to say, church attendance was...intimate this morning. A few were pretty die hard about getting to church. Not only did John our senior pastor have to walk because he was snowed in, but one of my band members (David) walked over 2 miles through the snow with his electric guitar strapped to his back to get to the church by 7:30 am. These are awesome people!!

So, here are a few pictures that I took with my cell phone from today.

The Church
It was awesome to see some of the kids pitching in to help clear the front walkway.
My driveway this afternoon
Pictures from my front yard.

Pastor

2007-11-11T20:39:00.000-08:00

Surreal.

Humbling.

These are the two predominant words that come to my mind as I consider this new chapter of my life as a full-time pastor.

Let's see...it's the 11th of November, so...that means I have been an associate pastor at Cascade Covenant Church for 11 days now. This church has been so absolutely welcoming to me. It really does feel like a good fit and a wonderful new home.

It just blows my mind that this is my job. It is that "something" that has been lurking in the unclear realm of my future for 10 years. And now I am here...and yet this is just the beginning.

Surreal.

And I really do come into this job with some form of reverent fear and trembling. It is as if I keep saying to the Lord, "Who me?" I am absolutely humbled by this call to serve and I cannot do this without Him.

Humbling.

So, sorry (to the few of you who have been checking) that it has taken me so long to update since my first day. Really, this upcoming week is a "first week" of sorts. It is this first week that I really dive in with the worship team and begin leading from the platform next Sunday.

As always, I covet your prayers.

Up on the Pass...Which is Only 20 Minutes Away!

2007-10-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

That's right...Snoqualmie Pass is only 20 minutes away from North Bend. This is where the local (pretty good-sized) ski resort is. Granted, there is no snow yet, but it is supposedly on its way very soon. So, here are few pictures from my exploring today (tomorrow I start at the church). Welcome to my back yard!

Reason #24 why I love my car.

"Real" Starbucks

2007-10-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

So...I don't know if this is a sign of the times or a mark of true maturation, but I met with someone this morning at our local Starbucks (yes...North Bend has one real Starbucks and one drive-thru Starbucks) and I bought a cup of COFFEE. Yes...a cup of coffee...not a mocha or a frappucino or a chai latte...just a straight cup of coffee. I realized later that morning that this was the first time I have ever just bought a straight cup of coffee from a coffee shop - and I wasn't even intentional about it.

So, maybe this is what it feels like to grow up...and become a true Washingtonian again.

Deep thoughts by Mark... ;-)

Welcome To My New Home!

2007-10-26T23:22:00.000-07:00

This is a snapshot of the most eastern part of Snoqualmie Valley, at the feet of the Cascades and Snoqualmie pass (on a rare sunny day). This is where I live now in North Bend, Washington. It is absolutely beautiful and I feel so blessed to be living in the midst of this creation.

I moved up here a little over a week ago. I am now at the end of my boxes and I officially begin at Cascade Covenant Church next Thursday as their associate pastor of worship and community groups. Lots of transition - but it is good...it is very good! I hope to share more later.

"More Ready Than You Realize"

2007-10-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

Perhaps this is my first "book review" on this blog, but I thought it would be a healthy discipline to do this after I read particular books. This is the first book that I've read by Brian McLaren. McLaren seems to have been one of the main authors that really started to first begin writing about postmodernity and Christianity some years back.

I don't know if this is the best book of his to begin with (he seems to have earlier, more "meaty" books), but it was definitely a fair read. A lot of it has to do with evangelism in a postmodern culture. He uses a two year dialogue and "spiritual friendship" with a postmodern-esque woman, whose pseudo-name is "Alice," as the paradigm for the book.

A lot of what McLaren is talking about in this book takes me back to the book "Emerging Churches" that I read a year ago. At the core of such postmodern Christian thought is the idea of belonging before believing. The argument is that the "modern church" has set up an unhealthy pattern or prerequisite of believing before belonging. In other words, many churches (whether they are aware of it or not) will not wholly welcome a person into their presence or fellowship unless they have taken steps A B & C (you can fill these in with such things as: said the "sinners prayer," been baptized, taken a membership class, put on a perfect mask, joined some committee or Bible study, etc, etc.).

The idea of "belonging before believing" is really countercultural to the above mentioned "modern church." For me, it definitely stretches my "boxes" and comfort zones, but at the same time reminds me that perhaps this is really what Christ taught us to do. To provide a church culture that allows people to belong before they believe really (at the core of it all) means to provide a culture of unconditional love. It says you are welcome to hang out with us no matter what your past and present is. It says that we will love you and accept you and invest in you with no other agenda but that of the reality that He first loved us. It invites you to participate in the New Testament culture of Jesus of Nazareth, who seemed to spend the majority of his time not with the religious folks, but with the "sinners."

McLaren suggests that church folks should consider re-evaluating their commitments. He suggests that if we really want to fulfill our mission in this postmodern, 21st century, then we need to not be overcommitted by things within the church. In other words, not have our whole lives revolve around church activities, but get more involved in the community; to pick up hobbies that allow us to interact with neighbors and strangers alike.

Obviously there is plenty of room for critique within these lines of thinking. The greatest danger, and the thing that I am wrestling with, is where does one draw the line (if there is a line to be drawn). Yes, we are called (I believe) to be much more of a "belong before you believe" community but how does one create a welcoming and loving community that isn't also an absolute condoning and "anything goes" type of community? (Does that make sense?)

Jesus. This is one of the most mysterious things about Jesus because he did just that. He created that type of environment and community - the type that just sometimes seems near impossible. So, I am but still a very young student and disciple of Jesus Christ, trying to figure this all out. Lord, have mercy on us all and show us the way.

Aloha Friends

2007-10-05T23:16:00.000-07:00

I finished my sub job last Friday and spent the weekend working the "Endless Summer" weekend camp at Frontier Ranch (I worked the "Fathers & Sons" weekend two weekends prior - with a visit to the Moreens in Roanoke, VA on the weekend in between). It was a great weekend because I was able to hang out with the McCutchens again as well as Cara MacDonald (who was the camp speaker). Last Sunday was my last day of employment for a month - yes I won't be officially working at all for the month of October. I then hung out in the Santa Cruz area for a few days and then flew out here to Hawai'i where I've been chillin' with the Imigs (Tyler and Christen - they're the ones I lived with for the summer while I did my hospital chaplaincy over a year ago) all week. (See some of the pictures below) Tomorrow I head to L.A. to hang out with my sister for a few days and then back up to San Andreas for a few days of final packing...and then I finally will head up to North Bend permanently (although I won't still officially start at the church until November 1). So there's a brief update on me. :-)

AHHH...HAWAI'I

My Beach boombox - featuring Mr. Tyler Imig on the Ukulele (his first album will soon be in the top ten!)

Me doing a float in the nice Hawaiian water.

Tyler took me on one of his Hawaiian "hikes" - we conquered the Olomana peaks (you can see the third one in the background between us).

This is me after summitting the first peak - I was done...I was content just laying there on the bare perch 1600 feet above the windward side of the island. (Also, you can see the two peaks in the background.)

Mr. Hjelmervik...Reporting for Duty

2007-09-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

I mentioned previously that during the month of September I would be doing some substitute teaching. Well...for the remaining three weeks that has turned from general subbing to a "long-term" (that is, until the end of September) sub job. I am now teaching 10th grade English and World History - never done that before...but I must admit that I always thought it would be interesting to teach an English class.

So anyways...Mr. Hjelmervik is back at Calaveras High...for the next 3 weeks...just an FYI

New Wheels

2007-09-03T21:40:00.000-07:00

So...far all of you who have ever had to squeeze into the back of my teal-colored 2-door Ford Escort (affectionately called "Sketch" this past summer at camp)...do not worry...you will never be asked to attempt that feat ever again. Yes I know...this will probably come as deeply sad news to you, but that 1993 Escort is no more. Two weeks ago I purchased the below pictured 2001 Ford Escape XLT and I'm loving the change and upgrade. Now I am even more ready to move back up to Washington! So...If you want a ride, let me know... :-)
Also, if you're curious...I'm basing myself out of San Andreas right now, mostly relaxing and also doing some subbing at Calaveras High. The plan is to relax and recoup a bit (as well as travel some) and then I'll be moving up to North Bend come mid-October.

Summer #6 All Done

2007-08-21T14:12:00.000-07:00

My 6th and final summer at Frontier Ranch finished this past Saturday. It was definitely a summer well spent! This was probably the most quality and incredible staff I have ever been a part of at Frontier Ranch. So...thank you to each of you for being a part of this summer and blessing me and blessing the kids!

So...what's next for me? In essence a kind of 2 month sabbatical. I've been kinda going non-stop for a long time now, so I am taking some intentional rejuvenation and down time. I will "base camp" in San Andreas for the two months - travel some, substitute teach in CUSD a bit, and mostly...relax. Then, in mid-October, I will move up to North Bend, WA, and officially start at Cascade Covenant on November 1.

It's Official!!

2007-07-31T21:25:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday Cascade Covenant Church in North Bend, WA officially voted and agreed to extend me the call to be their new Associate Pastor of Worship and Community Groups. I have gladly accepted that call and will be moving up probably sometime in October.

Thanks for your prayers! (Keep them coming!) Again, you can check out more info about this church by looking at their website.

Yep...Still at Camp...and Lovin' it!!

2007-07-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

Striking the pose of our favorite mouse
Twin Day! My twin was Yard Sale. Gatch Gatch and Whistler (Brian McCutchen) were also twins.

Check out those sweet beards - it's like boy band beard meets the FuManChu!

Candidating...

2007-07-18T22:52:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I candidated at Cascade Covenant Church in North Bend, WA. This is part of the call process I have spoken about before on this blog. Basically, to candidate with a church is the final step in the process. It is, if you will, like being engaged to one another - where we each have eyes alone for one another.

This was my second weekend at this church. The first one was an interview weekend primarily with the search committee. This past weekend was more about me being introduced to the larger church (and visa versa). This entailed me jumping into one of their worship bands and leading them in rehearsal on Saturday morning and then leading the congregation in worship on Sunday morning, as well as sharing a brief word about my life, my passion, and my call to ministry.

The position is the Associate Pastor of Worship & Community Groups. This is the first time this church has ever had this specific position. The church is an extremely healthy and missional church made up of about 400+ people. To learn more about the church, you should check out their excellent website by clicking here.

So...basically it all seems to be like green lights ahead. The search committee and leadership team have decided to recommend to the congregation that I be hired. The final step is that the church-at-large will vote on Sunday, July 29. As always, your prayers are deeply appreciated as I continue on this journey with the Lord.

Here are some pictures from my recent weekend in North Bend...

This is the main entrance to the church

Notice the amazing view of Mt. Si from the church. This mountain is so cool - it sits right next to the town. In fact, the whole Snoqualmie valley is so very cool. Tons of outdoor opportunities...hiking, fishing, mountain biking, kayaking, skiing/snowboarding...the list could go on!
This is the foyer - notice the long hallway on the left...there are a ton of rooms for Christian education.
This is the sanctuary - below is a picture someone took on Sunday morning while we were leading worship.

Snoqualmie Falls - glorious!!

This is one of the nearby lakes, Rattlesnake Lake. The ridge in this picture is one that locals hike up sometimes 2-3 per week during the summer.

I was able to connect with a few friends on Sunday afternoon/evening [above: Matt and Jen Radel; below: Cara Mac] One of the other cool things about North Bend is that it is only 30-60 minutes away from many of my old PLU/college friends.

Camp...

2007-06-25T22:59:00.000-07:00

This picture says it all...

Discernment

2007-06-17T23:16:00.000-07:00

I'm in the call process with the larger Covenant church.

This means that I am having interviews with different churches with different ministry positions.

This means that I am in much need of wisdom and discernment.

All of this means that I would deeply appreciate any prayers that you might offer on my behalf.

Thanks!

From Sea to Shining Sea...

2007-06-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

Or rather...from big lake (Michigan) to shining (cold) sea...

Brian and I landed here in Santa Cruz one week ago and began our respective jobs here at Frontier Ranch - Mission Springs. I've spent the past week in leadership training with a wonderful leadership team (pictured below), along with various other support staff and early arrival counselors. It will be a great summer!

Tonight, for my birthday celebration, a group of us will be executing our extraordinary bowling skills in downtown Santa Cruz. :-)

Pretending to be normal

Showing their true colors

CAL-I-FOR-NIA Here I come (or 'Here I am')

2007-05-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

So, Brian and I arrived safely to San Andreas last night and unloaded my portion of the 26-foot truck (seen below). After the crazy portion of our drive, everything else ran smoothly. We stayed in the rockin' town of Elko, NV on Wednesday night. En route to California on Thursday, we met up once more for lunch with our friend Greg in Reno (where his parents live).

Tomorrow, I will leave San Andreas and head to Scotts Valley and then on Sunday, my 12 weeks at Frontier Ranch as the staff pastor begin. I am really excited to serve there! It will also be fun to have my buddy Brian as a boss! (He's the new Frontier Ranch director.)

Below are my state signs. The last one is of Nevada. It turns out that California's sign on Hwy. 88 is so small it is nearly unnoticeable...but I am sure I will have many more pictures to post here this summer that will prove that I am truly in California.

Salt Flats

2007-05-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

If you've never crossed Utah's salt flats, it's really quite something. Here are a few pics from our journey two days ago...

On the Road Again...

2007-05-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

So I graduated on Saturday...moved out of my apartment on Sunday...and started the drive westward on Monday with Brian McCutchen. Our first leg of the journey was crazy! We drove from Chicago to Longmont, CO (just north of Denver). We left Chicago at 2:30pm yesterday and arrived here in Colorado around 11am (noon Chicago-time) this morning. Yes...we drove through the night (yeah for Coke, Mountain Dew, and coffee...and a good buddy who rotates driving with you so that you can rest). We are staying with Brian's grandma and aunt, who are tremendous hosts. Off to Nevada tomorrow! Woohoo!

So...I have a habit when I drive across the US to take pictures of the states welcome signs. This was the only one from our first leg that was in the daylight.

Crack of dawn in Nebraska.

Very cool story...We knew that our very close buddy Greg Nealon was leaving Chicago on the same day, but we figured he would be way ahead of us. That is until we saw his car on the I-80 swing in front of our truck. So we stopped off somewhere in Iowa and had dinner together.

Thanks!

2007-05-20T20:52:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone that helped me move out of my apartment today. Your help was HUGE!!!! Special thanks to my mother and sister. It was great to have you out here this weekend and your aid in packing up the apartment was priceless. I love you both dearly!

A Few More Recent Pictures...

2007-05-20T15:29:00.001-07:00

Blogger has a limit of five pictures per post so here are a few more pictures from recent days...

Good buddies (and raquetball friends) Jason & Jeremy

"Senior" Dinner w/ the Sharkey's and Dan Teefey

...because youth choir is the coolest!!

Graduation

2007-05-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

Dah..dah..dahdahdahdah......dah......dah..dah..dahdahdahdah.......
(to be sang to the tune of "pomp & circumstance)

Well...it's official...I'm no longer a North Park Theological seminary student! Graduation was yesterday...a very beautiful spring day. Here are some pictures...

w/ the McCutchens

w/ Greg & Maren

w/ the Wright's

w/the Healings

w/ Mark Hakanson

A Blog Parable

2007-05-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

One time in a not very far away place and really but only minutes ago this parable took place...there once was a blog reader that logged onto this blog and asked, "Blogger...so how is seminary going?" The blogger replied, "Blog Reader...I'm done!!" "Done?," was the inquisitive blog readers response. "Done indeed!!!" the blogger replied without any hesitation. "Wow!" responded the blog reader. "Yeah, I know...pretty incredible, huh?!" smiled the blogger. "It's about time," joked the blog reader. "You're telling me!!" laughed the exhausted blogger.

The End.

Amen and Amen!!

PS - can you guess the point of the parable?

Illinois can actually have good weather!!

2007-04-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

What do you know?? Illinois can actually have good weather! After the past couple of months I was becoming disheartened - but I believe that spring has finally sprung here.

This past weekend I went camping with my small group guys at Starved Rock State Park (about 2 hours southwest of Chicago). It was a great weekend. A few things surprised me: 1) It's been a looonnnggg time since I last went camping. In fact, this is how optimistic I was about my potential camping opportunities when I moved to the midwest nearly 3 years ago - I left all of my camping gear in storage in California. So, I had to borrow everything we used this past weekend. I have learned that I was wrong.
2) I think I had my first altitude change in Illinois since I have lived here. It was the strangest thing but on Friday night, when we descended into the canyon where the park is, I was oddly quite excited that we were actually going downhill - and that it wasn't an on-ramp to the freeway! 3) A tent made supposedly for three adults can't even fit 2 - unless they sleep diagonally in a slightly crunched position. 4) I haven't lost my magic touch with a bowling ball...but someone else I know has! ;-)

What wasn't so much a surprise but more of a giant reminder and affirmation was how much love and respect I have for the guys in my small group: Cody, Ryan, Mike, Ben, and Chad. I have been blessed to be hanging out with these guys in various ways for almost three years now. I am blessed uniquely by each of them and their friendship. This weekend was great - but it was also a reminder that I am again in a season of transition and change - a season of putting closure to many relationships and friendships. It is not so much a season of sadness as it is a season of joyful reflection.

Thank you Cody, Ryan, Mike, Ben, and Chad for a great weekend and a great year! And thank you Lord for these men - for their hearts - and for where You are leading them!

It's What We Should Be All About

2007-04-15T13:24:00.000-07:00

Resurrection.

Clearly, since I was lugging my N.T. Wright book all around Europe and am currently doing a directed study course on what he has to say about resurrection, I have recently been thinking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ just a tad more than I normally do.

I am at no apex of synthesis by any means...rather, I feel like I have just only begun to dive deeper beyond my regular random wondering. Yet, I already have some important things that have been weighing upon my mind and heart regarding the resurrection of the Son of God that I thought I would share here and perhaps engage in dialogue with some of you. (Plus this was the topic of a sermon I preached this past Monday at the seminary chapel.)

First, I have been thinking a lot about how it seems that many Christians (note: when I say "Christians" it's not a them/me thing - I very much included in this group), when it comes to day-to-day worship and talk, seem to primarily focus on the cross rather than the empty tomb. I would never argue that we need to lessen our focus on the cross, but rather walk through the cross (and all its implications) to get to the empty tomb, and there intensify our concern and focus. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul seems to make it pretty clear that if Christ is not risen then our faith is in vain and is futile. Never mind the reason Jesus died on the cross (i.e. for our sins) - if He had not risen from the dead and conquered death (the ultimate punishment for sin), none of it would have mattered - He would have been like many other extraordinary, and now dead, religious leaders that this world holds in high esteem. But this is not the case. Whether we are fully conscious about it or not, our Christian faith is absolutely hinged upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

So, I also find something else very ironic. It strikes me very odd how so many people are turned away from God because someone very close to them has died. This is not an argument against grief and mourning - in fact, I sometimes wonder if we do enough grieving and mourning in our society. Rather, what is ironic to me is that such death would turn someone away from a God who not only was able to raise Jesus from the dead, but has also promised to raise us from the dead. Granted, it is rarely an immediate resurrection, but a resurrection designated for a later point in time.

But these are just some of my initial thoughts...Now that I am back from my travels I am in a little bit of an identity crisis with this blog - i.e. I'm not quite sure what to blog about. I'm sure it will become more natural...but for now, I can't promise a regular schedule...but keep checking back. :-)

4 Languages, 5 Countries, 7 Plane Flights, 27 days, and 750 Pictures Later...

2007-04-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

...I'm home. :-)

Last Post from Europe

2007-04-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

Today is Palm Sunday...a day that I will not soon forget. Today is actually a day that I have long been looking forward to. I was able to worship at St. Paul's Cathedral this morning. And this was not one of their normal worship services. It began outside nearby in PaterNoster Square. There we were led into the cathedral by donkeys, children, priests, and many palms waving. I was actually able to grab a seat right up front, under the massive dome again. The cathedral choir sang - we sang - and we celebrated communion. Again...a day that I will not soon forget. (I should also mention that it was quite powerful that the whole service was presided over by all women priests.)

So...3 1/2 weeks later...here I am, heading home tomorrow. Is my thirst for travel quenched? Perhaps momentarily...but I imagine it won't be too long until the next adventure. (Now I need to go sub a lot and make some money) :-) But I do feel very blessed and humbled by the privilege to even be able to travel. Thank you again for those who have been praying for me - and for all who have been faithfully checking out this blog...hopefully you have enjoyed it so far.

At London Tower, with the London Bridge behind me.

Good ol' Big Ben

The procession into St. Paul's

(Notice the donkey at the front of the line)

The front of St. Paul's

Jesus

2007-03-31T14:10:00.000-07:00

A song that has been going through my heart the past few days:

In the morning, when I rise

In the morning, when I rise,

give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,

You can have all this world,

But give me Jesus

When I am alone

When I am alone,

give me Jesus

Give me Jesus,

You can have all this world,

But give me Jesus

I sat in St. Paul's cathedral yesterday for the daily evensong service, right under the massive dome. As the most beautiful boys/mens choir music resounded throughout the air, I became quite overwhelmed with emotion. Here I sat in a church that has been ministering the Gospel for over 1,400 years, stories as old as creation being told by wall, portrait and glass of a God who never abandoned nor stopped loving His creation. Then it really hit me...into this massive story He has woven my life and my call.

To be a minister of the Gospel....to be ordained...these are far from light things. Yet my call is not something new or even extra-ordinary. I am one piece of a massive mosaic that God has created, creating, and using.

I am humbled...very. And here is the reality: Jesus. A regular prayer of mine is: Jesus, I cannot do this without you. It is not that I believe that Christ isn't present always through His Spirit...rather, it is I that is often absent.

Honestly...it really blows my mind that I am in a relationship with Jesus Christ. We see portraits of royalty, presidents, and celebrities...but, for most of us, we will never even have one word with any of them. Yet, the greatest celebrity of all time...the man whose portrait is all over the world and massively painted on the dome of St. Paul's...this Messiah...with Him I have an intimate, faithful friend...an advocate...a Lord and Savior.

So...I am in a state of much humility and adoration right now. There is a kind of resuscitation that is occurring. It is not an easy path by any means...but it is more than worth it. So...here is a bit more of the internal stuff that has been happening over this trip. :-)

Thank you Jesus.

Unexpected Friends

2007-03-29T11:25:00.000-07:00

This trip has been full of the blessings of unexpected friendships. I have already mentioned on this blog my new conenctions with Israel, Knut, and Egil, but I wanted to update on the most recent two.

To get to Barcelona from Bergen, I had an overnight stopover in Stansted, London. I really had no idea what I was going to do for a place to sleep, so I had loosely set up some not so cheap housing through the internet, since Stansted said absolutely no sleeping at the airport.

So, I was on the plane and I got talking to the guy next to me. Chris is from Norway, but living in Stansted as a pilot for an airline. Upon hearing a little of my story and finding out that I was part Norwegian, he offered me his spare bedroom. We had a good night hanging out and he was able to drive me to and from the airport. Takk Chris!

On my way up to Skye, I discovered that another backpacker, Oliver, was following the same route I was and was, in fact, booked at the same hostel in the small town of Broadford. This realization began a two-day period of companionship and friendship. This especially turned to be great as we were able to split the cost of a day car rental and go explore and hike around the island. So, thanks Oliver for your companionship and friendship! Cheers!

I'm Absolutely Attracted to...

2007-03-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

...Creation!! This is something that I have become keenly aware of on this trip. I feed off of God's creation. To breathe the fresh air of the Norwegian fjords or the Scottish highlands or to simply stand in the sun and wind...it all just rejevenates me.

So here are some more pictures from Scotland...

Sunrise from the window of my hostel room on Skye

The rock pilar in the distance is called "The Old Man"

Me at "The Old Man" after a healthy hike through the Scottish mist

Look who got to drive on the other side!

Travelling is like a Candy Store

2007-03-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

Cheers mates! I've been in the UK since this past Sunday and I just finished my tromping around Scotland and landed in front of a computer with a substantial amount of time to blog.

When I arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland last Sunday, I couldn't help but feel like a little boy in a candy store. I just get so excited when I visit a brand new place...especially such a beautiful place as Edinburgh and Scotland. The city is beautiful - the landscape is amazing - and the people are quite hospitable. (Every time I hear someone speak in a thick Scottish accent I just get this big smile on my face...it's so cool - so are their taxis)

I decided that I had had enough of cities on this trip, so I hopped on the train and went to the farthest northwest point I could - to the Isle of Skye. The train ride up there along the west coast was beyond amazing! And then the island was so peaceful and beautiful - lots of fun exploring. I left there this morning and am now heading south, staying in Newcastle tonight.

This was the hostel I stayed at in Edinburgh...right at the base of the castle!

Edinburgh at night

In the Edinburgh castle overlooking the city

On the train ride to Skye - I think this is one of my favorite pictures I've ever taken.

This bridge is the one that students in Harry Potter take to get to their school!

It turns out you can only post so many pictures in one post...so post again I will. :-)

Top Ten Unimportant Observations (so far)...

2007-03-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Today is a day of travel for me (from Barcelona to Birmingham, England to Edinburgh, Scotland). So, I am at Birmingham Airport right now and needing a little break from my N.T. Wright reading, so I decided to write a "top ten" list of observations I have made so far in my travel. These are not very important and not worthy of reading too much into nor meant to be hostile toward the nations and citizens that they represent :-) , but nonetheless, here they are: (Note: when I say Europe, I speaking of this trip which includes Sweden, Norway, Spain, and the UK)

There are no drinking fountains in Europe (well...I've seen one at an airport...and I don't think you can count the public fountains in the plazas)
I once paid 2 dollars to go the bathroom...I've probably spent close to 20 dollars on toilet use!
COFFEE...lots of it...in the morning...during the day...before bed (caffeninated, mind you)...I'm not really that big of a coffee drinker
Bread...bread...bread...bread...(often quite good varieties)...and sometimes cheese (although Knut is quite the omlette chef)
"Oh...you're checking your bag? There's a ten dollar charge for every flight!"
"Oh...did you want coffee, juice, a snack, or even water on this flight? I'm sorry there's a charge for that too!"
I'm not quite sure what has happened to my California skin...but Chicago is probably due the credit on my odd ability to be dressed less warmly than those around me. (In Barcelona, I was so excited that it was near the 50's that I left the jacket at the hostel, bust out my sandals that I had been packing around for just that moment, and went to the beach!)
The lines at Birmingham Airport...Boooooo!
Prices in Scandinavia and the UK. To give you an example: A regular, non-super-sized, McDonalds meal, sandwich/fries/drink, in Norway (that was a lot of commas and slashes!) cost 80NOK, which translates to over 13 dollars!
Thus, I sadly confess that I have eaten way too many hotdogs (mostly in Scandinavia). A hotdog and soda at the local minimart was the cheapest meal to be found (at about $5). I've been pretty neutral towards hotdogs in the past...but let's be honest...I don't intend to eat a hotdog for a long time when I get home. :-)

Alright...my £3 are almost up on this computer...hope you enjoyed this!

Ahh...a working USB port!

2007-03-24T04:01:00.000-07:00

So, here are some pictures from Barcelona...

¡Bienvenidos a Barcelona!

2007-03-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

I´ve been in Spain for the past two days exploring Barcelona. It is both a beautiful and busy city. Yet in the midst of the city buzz, God has been faithful and we have had some sweet fellowship. Something about being in an unknown place by your self...there is a bit more space for God to invade. It´s not that one needs to exotically travel to find deeper intimacy with God...well, it is just what it is. Thank you for your prayers! ¡Dios le bendiga!

Well...I was going to post a few pictures of Barcelona but it looks like our friendly neighborhood easyInterneyCafé does like to read USB devices. Next time...

The Quest for Heritage

2007-03-21T05:25:00.000-07:00

His name was Hans Jacob Hjelmervik. He left Norway and moved to the USA around 1900. His son was Helmer, whose son is Neil, whose son is me. I've always carried a fair amount of pride about my Norwegian blood...so yesterday it was exhilarating to find my way to the birthplace of my great-grandfather - Skånevik.

Originally, I thought I would not be able to find my way down there from Bergen because it is such a maze of fjords. But with the help of my Norwegian friends, I was able to find a route. After two ferry rides, I was there. (By the way, I believe I have used every major form of transportation in Norway: plane, train, bus, trolley, subway, ferry, and even a funicular!)

I spent the afternoon walking around the village. I wasn't sure if there were any Hjelmervik's there, so I just walked into the grocery store and asked the clerk. She knew of one, and tried calling him for me on both his land line and cell phone. But to no avail.

When I asked if there was a map of the town, she directed me to the hotel. I asked the clerk and told her who I was, and she said that her husbands mother was originally a Hjelmervik. She was very helpful in explaining the area to me. It turns out that south of Skånevik is a place/homestead called Hjelmervik.

I walked up to the town church and walked through the graveyard trying to find names that I was aware of from my heritage. There, I was joined by the hotel clerk's husband. I did not find any names that I knew, but I was blown away by how many Hjelmervik's were there. Hjelmervik is a pretty unique name in America. As far as I can tell, there were two brothers (Hans being one of them) that came over to America and so if you run across a Hjelmervik in America, I always assume we are fairly close in relation.

After my few hours in Skånevik, I hopped on the bus to Haugesund. It turns out the bus driver's mother was also a Hjelmervik! The great treasure was when I came to Egil Hjelmervik's house in Haugesund. We had been emailing for a while and were pretty sure that there was a connection. And there was! He brought out a framed family tree that took our family back to the 13th century - all the way back to a viking!

So I am very happy...but I am already looking forward to my next visit back here to Norway. :-)

The Town of Skånevik

The view looking out from Skånevik

Notice the homestead of Hjelmervik on this map

Homeland Hospitality..."Tusen Takk!!"

2007-03-21T05:03:00.000-07:00

I have been in Scandinavia (Sweden/Norway) for almost two weeks and I have been so blessed by the hospitality of new friends. Some (Erik & P-A) I have known since last October when then came to Chicago. Others (Knut/Lena & Egil and family) I met at the train/bus station for the first time, and they ever so graciously opened their homes to me. I did not originally plan on doing this, but I made it throughout Scandinavia without once having to rent a bed.

SO... tusen takk!!!!! A thousand thank you's to my gracious hosts!!!! It was such a unique blessing to stay with each of you!

P-A Karlsson (Per Anders - to the right) was my host in Stockholm, where he is finishing his studies to become a Swedish Covenant pastor. Erik Andreassen (on the left) was my host while in Oslo, where he is a pastor (especially for young adults) in a Norwegian Covenant Church. (picture from last October)

Knut Moholt and his wife, Lena, are close friends of Erik above. Knut is both a senior pastor and a youth pastor in two Covenant churches in Bergen, where they were my wonderful hosts.

My long lost cousins!! This is Egil & Stine Hjelmervik, and their two daughters, who are my third cousins. I cannot describe how cool it was to connect with them and receive their wonderful hospitality in Haugesend.

España, Norge, and America

2007-03-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

Today I had the privilege of touring around Oslo with my Norwegian Covenant brother, Erik, and another Christian brother, Israel, from the island of Tenerife, Spain. We went to the world cup of skiing at Holmenkollen Park (the home of the 1952 Olympics) - so, if you were flipping through channels today and came across a ski competition from Oslo, you might have seen me on TV (that is, in the crowd - not going down the ski jump!).

It is a joy to meet other ministers from around the world. I am both encouraged and challenged by them (the two today, and the many in Sweden). They have great faith and are serving the Lord quite diligently in countries that are far more "secular" than the USA. Yet they carry such a hope and joy for their communities and nations.

Yesterday, I spent the day on my own around the city. I went to Vigelandsparken, the famous park full of statues of people in all of life's situations. Then I went down to the peninsula of Bygdøy, and went to the Norsk Folkemuseum and the Vikingskiphuset. Tomorrow I hop on a 7 hour train to travel across the beautiful landscape of Norway to Bergen.

Below are some pictures from the past two days...

Erik, Israel, and I in front of the ski jump at Holmenkallen Park

At Vigelandsparken.

At the Viking Museum

Showing my Norwegian Pride!

PS - Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Velkommen til Norge!

2007-03-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

I arrived here in Oslo, Norway today. The real journey begins now, as I will be mostly travelling on my own for the next 2 1/2 weeks. BUT the solo part does not quite start yet. I am staying with my new good friend, Erik Andreassen, until Sunday morning here in Oslo and then I head west in search of the homeland of my Hjelmervik heritage. It is quite exciting to be here in Norway and I look forward to the days to come!

Some pictures...

At the southern edge of of Akershus Festning (a castle/fortress/church right in Oslo) overlooking the bay (Pipervika)

Looking down Karl Johans Gate (the central street of Olso) with the royal palace at the end.

Looking down on the countryside of Norway from the plane

This picture is actually from Stockholm yesterday. My closest professor/conductor from PLU, Dr. Richard Sparks, and wife, Kathryn, were in the city also and we met up for lunch. (I'm really not good at keeping my eyes open for flash pictures!)

Mmmm...Fika!

2007-03-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

"Fika" with friend Lisa

Fika seems to be a daily activity here in Sweden. A very common thing said by our hosts this past week has been, "Now it is time for fika!" Fika is, in essence, a delicious break time. It entails either coffee or tea and usually some delicious, sweet snack. One can engage in fika in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening. One can have fika really as many times in the day as you wish. Although there is good food and drink involved, I think the primary purpose of fika is the fellowship that is included.

Fika seems to be a priority in the lives of many of the Swedes I have met. It makes me wonder where fika is in our American culture, in the Church, and in my own life. We tend to be a go-go culture, with little rest and even less times of authentic fellowship. Yes, some churches have a coffee hour once a week, but fika seems to occur much more often here. And now to be the theology student that super-spiritualizes a thing like fika: perhaps fika with God should be some sort of spiritual discipline. Think about it...Fika doesn't seem to be an appointment...it simply is a part of life. To have a fellowship with God that is natural, authentic, and can occur at any time in the day - this is the kind of fellowship I desire more of in my life. (end theological reflection)

Here are a few more pictures from wandering around Stockholm...

In Old Town with Lisa, Benj, and Marcia

Benj, a Sweden veteran, took us to this very cool Irish restaurant (although I ate Swedish food) that had all these cool dungeon-like rooms in the basement to eat in. After dinner, we participated in the piano sing-a-long that was already under way. Aaron, our friend and Covenant missionary to Sweden, is also in this picture. Three hours very well spent!

Sometimes I like to pretend that I am a professional sunset photographer.

P.S. We have had some amazing weather here this week!

Prisa Gud!

2007-03-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

Praise God! It has been a joy to be in the company of these Swedish brothers and sisters, along with a Norwegian brother this weekend. I love meeting new people and especially meeting new people from very different nationalities and backgrounds. It has been a joy to worship in a variety of different settings this past weekend - to sing praise to God in the Swedish tongue and to partake in the Lord's Supper with this larger fellowship of believers.

Here are a few new photos...

Overlooking part of Stockholm with Swedish friend, Daniel.

Our whole class made up of a bunch of Swedes, Americans, and one Norwegian.

If you are wishing that you too could participate in such a way, you can do so in part by praying the Lord's Prayer in Swedish and then offer a prayer for the extremely secularized country of Sweden:

Vår Fader, du som är i himlen.
Låt ditt namn bli helgat.
Låt ditt rike komma.
Låt din vilja ske,
på jorden så som i himlen.
Ge oss idag det bröd vi behöver.
Och förlåt oss våra skulder,
liksom vi har förlåtit dem
som står i skuld till oss.
Och utsätt oss inte för prövning,
utan rädda oss från det onda.
Ditt är riket, din är makten och äran,
i evighet. Amen.

Välkommen till Sverige!!

2007-03-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

Hello from Sweden! I have begun my journey in Europe. The first leg of my journey is here in Stockholm, Sweden. I'll be here for a week. The bulk of that week (and primary purpose of this travel) will be in a class setting with theology students from Sweden and one pastor from Norway.

After recovering from a day of jet lag (I think I had 5 hours of sleep in a 72 hour period) I had a wonderful day today of exploring part of Stockholm with my classmates. The weather is nice and warm - i.e. in the mid-upper 30's (which is far better than recent days in Chicago!) It is a joy to interact with fellow ministers of the Gospel from other parts of the world and to engage in their culture and land. So here are a few pictures from today...

This is PeA, my good friend that I am staying with here in Stockholm. We are at the back side of the Palace.
A viking ship!! Yeah!! Here with Jo Ann, the dean of students at NPTS.

I am blessed...

2007-03-01T21:30:00.000-08:00

I was reminded tonight, and in recent days, how blessed I am especially because of the men in my small group. These are no ordinary men that I have had the priviledge to journey with for almost three years - they are warriors of God made up of authenticity, integrity, compassion, gentleness, and, last but not least, craziness.

Sometimes I am fooled into thinking that they are the primary beneficiaries in this group - but I have been overly blessed by their companionship, their prayers, their wisdom, and their love. So, I find myself in an extremely grateful place tonight - for them and for the many others before them. Thank you!

Let Her Rise!!

2007-02-08T15:17:00.000-08:00

Let the Church rise from the ashes

Let the Church fall to Her knees

Let us be light in the darkness

Let the Church rise!

At the Covenant MidWinter conference this past week I encountered the above chorus from the song "Let the Church rise." They are powerful words and they truly represent my heart's desire and prayer for the Bride of Christ.

I truly believe that God's heart towards the Church at-large is one that is overflowing with the deepest abundance of love and yet, at the same time, is also one that holds much frustration towards Her. One of the clearest example of this mixed heart is found in Revelation 2-3. Just listen to some of this heart exemplified there...

"...Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first..." (Rev. 2:4)

"...I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God..." (Rev. 3:1b-2)

"...I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth..." (Rev. 3:15-16)

There is no doubt that these were harsh words, but they were also words of truth. I would really, really like to believe that the church in the US is in a healthy state, but it is not. When you take a moment to push back from Her and look at Her state - Her exemplified mission, Her vision, Her Kingdom advancement, Her impact in the local and global community - unfortunately more often than not I hear the echo of Christ's voice from Revelation and many other parts of Scripture. And it breaks my heart.

It breaks my heart partly because I know that it is not just a poor corporate bill of health - it is an individual one also. The words from Revelation above can far too often be spoken to my heart also. This is not just a "them" issue - it is an "us" issue.

And yet...more than the brokenness that I feel...more than the frustration...is the most overwhelming hope that I cannot contain. I believe with every ounce of my heart that the Bride of Christ will overcome! She will continue to wake up and rise from the ashes! And as this happens, the world will witness one of its greatest transformations and be blessed. This hope, my friends, is what drives me continually into ministry and into a continual deepening love relationship with Christ, my Lord, and His Bride.

The Return of Polo

2007-01-27T13:00:00.000-08:00

Polo is back! It was almost ten years ago that "Polo" first came to be at Frontier Ranch, Mission Springs (Santa Cruz, CA). He spent 2 1/2 summers serving as a counselor at FR. In the summer of 2000 he was the men's team counselor at FR, and for the fifth summer in a row he returned to Mission Springs in 2001 as the Assistant Director of Wild Oak.

At Frontier Ranch, the staff go by nicknames. Some people have pretty cool and funny stories behind how they got their nicknames - just ask my friends 240, Kujo, and Brita. Mine was a bit more plain. When you attach my first name with my middle initial you get "Marko," which naturally beckons for the response of "Polo."

I had five glorious summers at Mission Springs as Polo and then I entered the "real world" and no longer was able to give up my summers to work there. Mission Springs entered the category of memory. So, you can imagine the surprise I had when the Lord started to make the way possible to work there again. Going back to camp was something I had entertained in my imagination in a light and humorous manner. But then within a very short period of time, the Lord opened the door and put his smile and permission upon the opportunity to return.

So...Polo is back for one more summer!! Before going to a church as a pastor sometime next year, I will serve at Frontier Ranch as the Camp Shepherd/Pastor for the staff and campers. I'm stoked about this opportunity and would covet your prayers as the summer draws closer.

To Blog or Not To Blog...

2007-01-20T21:45:00.000-08:00

Five plus years ago I was adament that I would be the last one to ever get a cell phone - I scoffed at those who gave in. Two years ago I had barely heard about MySpace, much less about Blogging. I thought..."Blogging?! Why would I ever write things on the internet for anyone to read?!"

But here I am in 2007. I have owned a cell phone for over 4 years now; it is nearing one year since I created a MySpace; and now I have this blog. I would like to think of myself as fairly tech savvy and yet at the same time I have this odd resistance toward technological progression.

So...I really have no idea what I will write here or how often I will post. Like I wrote at the top of the screen, I have been on an awesome journey so far in life with my Lord. So, I imagine this will at least be a place where I can share some of this journey with those who care to walk along for a while. Enjoy!