08/23/2011 1:51pm eastern daylight time
Upgraded from Magnitude 5.8 to 5.9
Epicenter located at 37.975, -77.969
4 mi SSE of Louisa, VA, about 89 miles away from Washington, DC
Ref: http://earthquake.usgs.gov
All is OK here in Potomac, Maryland.
Archive for the ‘Montgomery County’ Category
Earthquake in the East
2011/08/23Monetary Donation vs. Value of Volunteer Time
2011/04/02“… you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 (NIV)
Jesus’ disciples were sent not only throughout Israel to preach His Gospel, but to foreign lands like Samaria as well. Christ made it clear that his message was for all people, not just any particular single nation.
Your Jerusalem is here, your own home town, your community and local region. Many people find it easy to write a check and send money to Africa, Central America or another place at the ends of the earth, far, far away. But where is the local involvement? He said to go to all nations, not just to the ends of the earth.
The estimated dollar value of volunteer time for 2010 is $21.36 per hour.
The estimate helps acknowledge the millions of individuals who dedicate their time, talents, and energy to making a difference. Charitable organizations can use this estimate to quantify the enormous value volunteers provide.
According to the “Research Brief: Volunteering in America Research Highlights” published in 2010 by the Corporation for National and Community Service, about 63.4 million Americans, or 26.8 percent of the adult population, gave 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service worth $169 billion in 2009.
Figures are also available for each state. Virginia: $22.03, Maryland: $22.32 and DC $32.79 per hour!
Of course monetary donations are appreciated but what are you doing to better your local community through volunteer service?
Montgomery County Council Opening Devotion
2011/03/08Today’s reading is from Psalm 24, verses 1-6.
The earth is the LORD’S and all that is in it, the world and all who dwell therein.
For it is he who founded it upon the seas and made it firm upon the rivers of the deep.
“Who can ascend the hill of the LORD? and who can stand in his holy place?”
“Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, who have not pledged themselves to falsehood, nor sworn by what is a fraud.
They shall receive a blessing from the LORD and a just reward from the God of their salvation.”
Such is the generation of those who seek him, of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
I have some questions and answers for you today.
Q. What are we by nature?
A. We are part of God’s creation, made in the image of God.
Q. What does it mean to be created in the image of God?
A. It means that we are free to make choices: to love, to create, to reason, and to live in harmony with creation and with God.
Q. What do we learn about God as creator from the revelation to Israel?
A. We learn that there is one God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
Q. What does this mean?
A. This means that the universe is good, that it is the work of a single loving God who creates, sustains, and directs it.
Q. What does this mean about our place in the universe?
A. It means that the world belongs to its creator; and that we are called to enjoy it and to care for it in accordance with God’s purposes.
Q. What is the Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible?
A. The Old Testament consists of books written by the people of the Old Covenant, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to show God at work in nature and history.
Q. Why do we call the Holy Scriptures the Word of God?
A. We call them the Word of God because God inspired their human authors and because God still speaks to us through the Bible.
Q. What are the Ten Commandments?
A. The Ten Commandments are the laws given to Moses and the people of Israel.
Q. What do we learn from these commandments?
A. We learn two things: our duty to God, and our duty to our neighbors.
Q. What is our duty to God?
A. Our duty is to believe and trust in God; These are given in the first four commandments.
Q. What is our duty to our neighbors?
A. Our duty to our neighbors is to love them as ourselves, and to do to other people as we wish them to do to us; These are given in the last six commandments.
Q. What is prayer?
A. Prayer is responding to God, by thought and by deeds, with or without words.
Therefore, let us pray:
Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace:
Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will.
Almighty God, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that in tranquility your dominion may increase until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love.
O merciful Creator, your hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every living creature: Make us always thankful for your loving providence; and grant that we, remembering the account that we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of your good gifts.
Heavenly Father, bless all who give themselves to the service of others; that with wisdom, patience, and courage, they may minister to the suffering, the friendless, and the needy.
O God, you are the hope of all the ends of the earth, the God of the spirits of all flesh. Hear our humble intercession for all races and families on earth, that you will turn all hearts to yourself. Remove from our minds hatred, prejudice, and contempt for those who are not of our own race or color, class or creed, that, departing from everything that estranges and divides, we may by you be brought into unity of spirit, in the bond of peace.
Lord God Almighty, as you anointed leaders and called prophets of old, lead us to recognize our true representatives and authentic leaders: men and women who love your people and can walk with them, who feel their pain and share their joys, who dream their dreams and strive to accompany them to their common goal.
In your fire, with your Spirit, embolden and commission these elected officials to serve your people, and to bring real glory to your holy name.
Amen.
Source 1: Book of Common Prayer according to the use of The Episcopal Church, 1979.
Source 2: United Methodist Book of Worship, 1992, Tenth Printing, October 2000.
The Body Has Many Parts
2011/02/25Psalm 100:3 says “Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” 1 Corinthians 12:12 says “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.”
We are the Body of which the Lord is Head, He wills us to be a family, diverse yet truly one. Let us give our gifts to God, so his work on earth will be done.[1]
Each ember loses fire yet joined in one the flame burns on to give warmth and light.[1]
The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place, the church is a people.[2]
So is it here in the Washington DC metropolitan region and around the world. Let us join together and discover the gifts and resources each of us, our congregations and our non-profit ministries have to share with others.
Does a candle burn less brightly after lighting another candle?
Ref 1: “We Are God’s People” by Bryan Jeffery Leech, 1976
Ref 2: “We Are the Church” by Richard K. Avery and Donald S. Marsh, 1972
Spiritual Gifts Overview
2011/02/21The basic New Testament texts regarding Spiritual Gifts are found in Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 2:1-27; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Ephesians 4:1-7, Ephesians 4:11-16 and 1 Peter 4:8-11.
Ephesians 4 says Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, gifts to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. People must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
What gifts do you have that could be used to build up your church and your local community?
Amazing Faiths Dinner Dialogues
2010/07/09Created in 1978, the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington (IFC) brings together eleven historic faith communities to promote dialogue, understanding and a sense of community among persons of diverse faiths and to work cooperatively for social and economic justice in metropolitan Washington.
The following is from the July 2010 InterFaith Connect E-Newsletter published by the IFC. Additional information can be found on their website http://www.ifcmw.org
Interfaith dialogue can be approached from various perspectives. For example, it can be an intellectual exercise in which representatives of particular religious traditions describe the beliefs or practices of their faith with those of different faiths. Another approach is to experience the ritual or prayer of another tradition in order to “feel” what it’s like to observe or participate in that tradition. On a different level, one can emphasize similarities or one can focus on differences among diverse faith traditions.
The IFC approaches interfaith dialogue using each of these approaches, depending on the speakers and the setting. For example, our Amazing Faith Dinner Dialogues to be held on August 8th in homes across the Greater Washington DC area will bring together small groups of people from diverse religious backgrounds living in the same community to share their faith experiences. These dialogues are bound to include both “head” and “heart” sharing, as well as to address the areas of agreement and disagreement among the traditions represented.
There are three ways to join in:
- Be trained as a facilitator
- Provide a host home and meal
- Come as a guest
I encourage you to participate in this event by clicking on the link below.
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGk3MlZIU1lDMUhWYmdTLVQ5aTgyRUE6MQ
Facilitators and those volunteering to provide a host home should sign-up as soon as possible. Guest registration will be open through July 30.
Take Action for What is Right
2010/04/08“Faith in God – and obedience to God, by taking action for what is right, is the only solution to evil. If you don’t live the things you claim to believe, you don’t really believe them at all.”
Quote from Eric Metaxas, New York Times best-selling author’s reply when asked if Bonhoeffer would have a message for people today. Metaxas is the author of the new book BONHOEFFER: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:34 NIV) I have been told that you can learn a lot about a person by analyzing their checkbook. To extend this to our community, one could say that you can learn a lot about the Montgomery County Council by analyzing their proposed budget. Take for example the drastic cuts being proposed for Community Vision.
In his book “Community: The Structure of Belonging” Peter Block asks many interesting questions such as: “How invested and participative do you plan to be? What are your doubts and reservations? What forgiveness are you withholding? What price are you willing to pay? What declaration of possibility can you make that has the power to transform the community and inspire you?”
As the old adage says, “Actions speak louder than words.” What action for what is right have you taken recently? What have you been thinking about and not taken action on?
Big Tents, Little Tents
2010/04/04Scripture tells us in Acts 18 that Paul was a tentmaker.
[In Corinth, Paul] “met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.”
(Acts 18:1-4 NIV)
Both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament speak of wages in return for work performed.
Laban said to [Jacob], “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
(Genesis 29:15 NIV)
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. …
(Matthew 20:1-16 NIV)
When I am asked to preach in my own church, I gladly work many hours on my message and do not ask for anything in return. It is an honor to be asked to serve God in this way.
On the other hand, if a pastor from another church says that he or she is going to be out of town on a given Sunday, I usually agree to preach and am paid the going rate for a Guest Minister, or at least receive a small honorarium.
The end of The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard says “I decided to give to the one who came last the same as you. Can’t I do what I want with my own money? Are you going to get stingy because I am generous?'”
(Matthew 20:15-16 The Message)
Note that I do not ask for a specific amount but rely on the generosity of the church to determine a fair wage for the services I perform.
In the technical services arena, I have non-profit rates that are a third, sometimes a quarter of what my peers charge for similar services. My big tent making job is to provide technical services for a medium-sized non-profit in Montgomery County, Maryland. Last year I agreed to be paid less than my usual rate for some services performed. I also agreed to have a cap on the number of hours worked.
Nearly a decade ago I was at a seminar on the use of media by churches. The speaker said “Jesus was a leading-edge communicator. If he were here today, he’d be toting a laptop and have an awesome website.”
Paul may have carried thread and needles when he went to Corinth but I doubt that he had any tent poles, cloth, rope or stakes with him. Aquila would have supplied the materials. My small tent making efforts are to build websites for those who would otherwise not have them. I charge a nominal fee for web hosting but I donate much time to help build the websites.
In the spiritual realm we are to love God and in this world to love our neighbors as ourselves.
The Greatest Commandment
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.”
(Mark 12:30-31 NIV)
Judging Others
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
(Luke 6:37-38 NIV)
What is a fair price? Seven or fourteen years of labor for the hand of your daughter in marriage? A denarius for a day’s work in the vineyard? To only give credit and no royalties for use of passages from the NIV or The Message?
In the here an now for big tents or little tents, a worker should be paid for their labor according to whatever the agreement is between the parties involved. If I choose to lower my billing rate or to waive a fee, that is an act of generosity between me and the Lord.
A Very Busy Day
2010/03/11It seems like the snow will never go away and we lost most of the month of February due to the Blizzards of 2010 including Round 2. Most of the snow has finally melted but there are shady places where there is still snow, and some remnants (now turning grey) of massive piles on street corners and in parking lots.
I had a very busy day yesterday.
First there was a breakfast meeting at the Key Bridge Marriott to hear about all the good things happening at Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area Their mission is to walk with those in need and mobilize community partners to provide services that offer hope and rebuild lives. I kept bumping into people I know: Sarge, Ingrid, Bonnie, Rodney, Pastor Marv, Trish, Barry and others. Some were from the Lutheran Lay Fellowship and others from Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethesda.
Then on to a gathering of friends for discussion and prayer. The subject of a venue for 200-300 people came up and my friend Landey was not familiar with THEARC. This is pronounced “The Ark” but is really an acronym for “Town Hall Education Arts & Recreation Campus”, a $27 million, 110,000 square foot, state-of-the art complex located in Washington, DC’s Ward 8. After our meeting, Landey drove and I was navigator on a field trip to visit THEARC. Beverly gave us a back-stage tour of the 365-seat theater–the only theater east of the Anacostia River.
I worked at home for a few hours and then enjoyed dinner in the City of Rockville with my wife.
The rest of the evening was spent at the Montgomery County Council Building attending the “Safety Net Coalition” where staff and clients of local Montgomery County non-profits gave testimony to our elected officials. In addition, there were reporters from Channel 4, Channel 5 and WAMU.
Needless to say, this was a very busy day!
Let’s Meet at the Chair
2010/02/02What do you mean by let’s meet at the chair? My friend Tom said to just look for the Big Chair as we were driving down MLK Jr. Blvd in Anacostia. I admit, I’d never even heard of the Big Chair but I was on an adventure with a trusted friend so that didn’t matter.
When we found the BIG, really BIG CHAIR we pulled into the parking lot of a large professional building but found no parking spaces. We drove down a small side street, turned around and parked. Our final destination was the new Big Chair Coffee ‘n Grill.
I’m not a big fan of coffee (I drink decaf) but being with Tom was enough to lure me across the Anacostia River into Southeast. In our travels he and I also frequent the Southeast White House. We found the coffee house across the street from the Big Chair in the historic district.
I asked for decaf and the barista pointed to the large pot marked DECAF and said he didn’t have any! Apparently there is no demand for such a product. He asked me if a decaf fenchpess was OK and I didn’t have the slightest idea what he was talking about. This turned out to be an individual “French Press” coffee-making machine into which he put decaf coffee grounds and hot water. Instructions were to wait for the egg-timer to run out and then very s-l-o-w-l-y push the knob down and press all the flavor into the coffee.
A well-connected businessman came by and we struck up a conversation with him. He turned out to be the landlord of this family-run establishment and is not only interested in real estate east of the river but is also interested in building low-income housing in Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland.
I had a wonderful ham & cheese omelet before checking out the upstairs overflow seating, meeting room and art gallery. After praying for the city in the upper room, we were off to have lunch with some pastors in Fairfax, Virgina, and to continue our adventure for the day.
David Robert Lambert 