Date: 2012-02-19
To: First UMC Bloomington IN
Miles today: 0.0

Passion rebuilds the world for the youth. It makes all things alive and significant. Ralph Waldo Emerson.We attended 4 services at First UMC in Bloomington, IN two services in the sanctuary, one service in the great hall and one at Open Doors at a theater 1/2 block down the street from the church.In preparing for my three minute presentation to the church about my call to hike, I researched cervical spine fractures so the congregation could see how blessed I was to be even able to hike the AT for HIM. My research humbled me even more because I was unaware how really blessed I am not to be a quadriplegic. I learned in doing that research that The incidence of spinal cord injuries in the US is about 11,000 a year resulting in 6,000 deaths and 5,000 new cases of quadriplegia. The overall incidence of cervical spinal fracture without spinal cord injury is 3%. I am one of the 3% - thank you God and thank you Indiana Conference for all the prayers on June 2nd, 1999.Incredibly the sermon scripture, Mark 9:2-9 was on the transfiguration and Jesus leading Peter, James and John up a high mountain where Jesus was transfigured and they saw him talking to Moses and Elijah. Right after the scripture Pastor Mark introduced me and I shared how Judy and I would be climbing many mountains for HIM as we did a thru hike on the AT.Pastor Mark Fenstermacher's sermon than shared the vision the leadership of the church derived from God in a meeting held on January 28th, 2012. He summed up the vision God gave the leadership for direction of the church in three words, as stated by one of the laity at that meeting, connect, grow and serve. What amazed me was Good Shepherd UMC in Fort Wayne, IN had a similar meeting of the leadership and also came up with three words attract, build and utilize. Do you suppose that is coincidence - I don't. Now the question becomes can these churches act on this message from God? A young leader of the church, Jonathan Purvis, who was at that meeting shared with the congregation after each sermon what that vision meant to him. It was great to hear him support that vision. It was great to see him support that vision while holding his daughter Sophie in his arms. It was great to see him become emotional about my dream and how Camp Indicoso had been a part of his Christian Walk. It was great to hear a young man say he would support that vision by being all-in (totally committed) to the ministry at First UMC Bloomington. Jonathan gives me hope for the future of the church. It was only after the second service, that I realized he was Judi Purvis son, the District Superintendent of the West District.I was overwhelmed by the Open Door service by all the youth and it motivates me even more to complete my call to hike the AT for HIM and raise pledges per mile for all the church camps in the Indiana Conference. It was an incredible day of worship for Judy and I from the time we entered the church and were personally escorted to the location of the first service by the organist's husband to sharing the FUMC Youth Pancake Breakfast after the last service at Open Door with Arlin and his wife.   Radical hospitality is alive and well at First UMC Bloomington.