If you’re an AU student, you already know that American University has closed for the day, canceling all classes and activities. If you’ve been around The Gathering for any length of time, you know how I feel about canceling corporate worship gatherings — it absolutely kills me! But when the University shuts down like this, there’s nothing we can do. We wouldn’t be able to get into any non-residential buildings on campus.
So…tonight’s Gathering at AU is cancelled.
But, remember, The Gathering isn’t a worship event. We’re a community of people loving Christ, serving a generation, growing into the image of Jesus and caring for each other along the way. That doesn’t stop because of snow. We’re still The Gathering and God still has things He wants to do tonight. Who knows what that might look like – but I might check out The Gathering – AU’s Facebook group for some thoughts.
All of DC is snowed in. Classes are cancelled. What better way to celebrate than a special snow day edition of The Gathering Podcast?!?
It’s currently working it’s way to you through iTunes; but if you just can’t wait to listen, you can download it here: http://www.gatheringonline.org/2010/02/08/snow-day/
Some random thoughts for sure. But also something out of Ephesians that can really help shape today. Hope you enjoy it and are encouraged.
See you on campus this week!!
John
What a great weekend to be out of DC — until I came home to this. Even for a kid from Upstate New York, that’s a lot of snow!!
I can’t think of a better place to spend a snowy weekend than in Deep Creek, Maryland. It’s an amazingly beautiful lake town in the mountains of western Maryland. It’s a place I go often with groups from The Gathering and a place that holds a lot of meaning to me personally. I’ve actually planned to head up there this weekend for a while now – the snow is just an added bonus!
Weekends like this are so important to me as a leader and pastor. Life can get so busy. It’s going to be awesome to shut my cell phone off, power down the computer, trust the Twitter world will hold up just fine without me and pull the plug on the tv. I really want a weekend alone with God to think, to pray, to dream and to write. It’s amazing what God will do with 48 hours when He has your full attention.
So, that’s my plan for the weekend. Hope you all have a great weekend and survive the snow if you’re on the East Coast. I’ll be back online Sunday or Monday.
Your calendar is either going to be your best friend or your worst enemy. There are days when it feels like both, I know. But, in general, it’s going to tip in one direction or another.
Direction #1: Your calendar is filled with things you don’t want to do, aren’t gifted to do and aren’t moving you in a direction you want to go. It’s a way of keeping everyone else’s demands on your time straight. It becomes a slave driver and you’re the slave. You wince when the meeting reminder alarm goes off. You feel like you’re being robbed of life on little meeting at a time.
Direction #2: Your calendar helps you accomplish everything you want to get done in a day. It helps you focus on your priorities. It helps you ensure you are spending time with the people who matter most. It guarantees you’re moving in the direction you are called to go. It’s not filled with obligations but rather opportunities. That meeting reminder goes off and you have a sense of “yes! I’m so looking forward to this conversation.”
Now let’s be real – I doubt any of us fully live in Direction #1 world. But I also doubt most of us (myself included) live in Direction #2 world either. Yeah, it’s probably helpful to know where you’re at on the spectrum. But what really matters is what direction you’re moving. So, the question for all of us is what changes can we make today to reallocate our time in a direction that better reflects God’s priorities for our lives? Not an easy question. But worth kicking around in your mind.
Took this shot on my way out of AU last night. Definitely a snowy night but, wow, was it beautiful!
We did a totally unplugged worship time. No Sound equipment. No screens. Just the Word of God and a room full of people celebrating Christ. It’s a night that will stand out in my mind and heart for a long time to come.
I loved sharing the night with all of you who braved the weather to come out and worship. Thanks for bring there. But more importantly, thank you Jesus for stirring something powerful in each of us.
Wanted to make sure you were aware that Passion has just made their “Passion2010 Digital All Access” pass available online. For only $20, you can download several of the talks from Passion2010, some bonus songs and a photo album. All of that and a soon to be released album from those amazing days in Atlanta. If you click here, you’ll land in the right spot in the 268store to order the All Access Pass.
I don’t use this blog to push products. But I have no problem using it to recommend resources that will grow your relationships with Christ. So, it’s in that spirit that I say – GO GET THE ALL ACCESS PASS!!!
I have absolutely no idea how I first fell into this habit. But when I have a million things to write or think through, I almost always find myself doing the same thing: I find a really quiet and dark corner in the house (usually my room or the basement), sit on the floor, turn off as many lights as possible and do my best to meld with my Mac. Funny things is, it works. I think it’s related to shutting out distractions…or, it may be a sign of mental illness (if it is and you know which one, go ahead and leave a comment!).
One way or another, it’s what I’m doing right now. I’m putting the finishing touches on our next series for The Gathering, working on plans for Haiti, hoping to answer emails and getting ready to send out a message to our Gathering prayer team. So much to do. Praying God will give me His words for the week and somehow those would flow from my heart and brain through my fingers onto a screen.
By the way, if you read this tonight, I would love it if you would pray for me as I write.
I have absolutely no idea where I’m going to get the time, but weeks like the one we just had make me realize I need to blog daily. I can’t believe I haven’t posted since Tuesday morning. So much has happened since then – so many great moments, conversations, worship gatherings and thoughts. I would love to write at length about each. But instead, let’s go with the quick, random recap of the week:
- Tuesday night at AU = beautiful
- Students taking communion
- Mike and Magen leading so well
- “You Alone Can Rescue”
- Allan sharing his heart and moving us all
- Love how loud the Kay Center gets
- Production team is amazing – wrestlers and marines get the job done!
- Wednesday staff meeting = I love this team
- Please, Mason, stop moving our rooms!!!
- Smallest “ballroom” I’ve ever seen
- Chris, Matt and our production volunteers are AMAZING
- Haiti panel
- Stories that need telling
- There is Hope For Haiti. His name is Jesus.
- Students who are the embodiment of all we pray for in The Gathering
- So glad you interrupted me, Sarah!
- That room was packed
- Hello, UMD!! Nice to have you back
- Where did you all come from?!?
- Thank you for letting me share what God is doing in Haiti
- Mike Juday is funny!!
- Loved my conversation with LJ
- Got very cold
- Rest
- Not enough rest
- Dinner with Haiti team from Mason
- Virginians have got to figure out how to deal with snow
Whew…I loved every minute of it. Can’t wait to see what this week holds.
John
