It’s no secret that I love the snow!  Bring it on! Let is snow!  It makes everything bright and new.  I often refer to it as confetti from heaven.

As I sit here in my office, I’m watching the water drip from the roof creating beautiful icicles outside on the edge of the gutter and the bushes below.  The snow melts and beautiful ice crystals form.  It is still frozen water, but in new form.  Instead of piles of small separate crystals (snowflakes), the water is now mixed and bonded to form an icicle.  This is a reminder of the transforming power that surrounds us.  Just a few weeks ago the view was filled with a multitude of autumn colors, and I had a deer friend visit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The landscape around us has been changed by the winter snow.  The landscapes of our lives can be changed as well.  God sent Jesus into the world as a wee babe to bring the transforming power of the Holy Spirit into our lives.  When we are in an active relationship with God and Jesus Christ the transforming power of the Holy Spirit moves through us and brings change.  Sometimes the change comes gently like a wonderful spring breeze.  Other times it comes like a winter storm blanketing us and making all things new — white as snow.  Either way a beautiful thing is happening.  It takes great faith to trust in that when the winds of the Holy Spirit begin to blow.  That’s why God created us to be in community with one another.  In community we can help one another understand and share in the changes that transformation brings.

I love the snow!  And, I love each one of you!  God is doing a beautiful thing in our midst.  God is creating and re-creating in our midst making things bright and new.  As we move forward in ministry together, I look forward to sharing in these moments with you.  Transformation is happening, and I look forward to seeing where the winds of the Holy Spirit are going to take us.

with love, Laureen 🙂

 

 

Throughout Sabbatical my time praying, reading, journaling, having holy conversations with others brought forth a very clear message – SIMPLIFY. UNIFY. Upon reading the Discernment report from Regional Associate Pastor, LaTaunya Bynum, that message was confirmed. Our worship, our ministry is to be simplified. I was hearing this within my spirit and seeing it within my mind’s eye. As I read the discernment report, the bits and pieces of what I was hearing through all the holy conversations I was having during sabbatical began to fall into place. A vision began to be formed. Evan and I talked.  Beth and I talked. Karen and I talked. Dave and I talked. But, most importantly, all of us – all of you, were talking with God and God was talking to everyone within our congregation.  It was through these holy conversations that a vision was born.

Upon my return, I met with the Worship and Christian Education teams to have a holy conversation and talk about the vision. After enthusiastic discussion, they
voted to move forward with the vision. Then on Wednesday night, the new vision was shared with the Board and Elders. The new vision includes moving to one worship service
for Advent and January.  Everyone will worship together. The worship service will be a blended service that reflects all of who we are. We will take the very best of both our current worship hours and create worship that is relevant and reflective. Worship will begin at 10:00a.m. with nursery and Children Worship and Wonder available. Following worship at approximately 11:15a.m. there will be nursery, Children’s Sunday School classes, Chi Rho and CYF Sunday School classes, Adult Bible Study, and a new class which Evan and I will lead called “Going Deeper.” In this class, we will have open discussion related to the day’s scripture and topics.  Below is our new schedule, which will begin Sunday, December 1. I look forward to our Advent journey together.
with love,
Laureen ☺

Sunday Schedule – Begins December 1
9:00a.m. Prayer Group
9:30a.m. Choir
10:00a.m. Worship, Children Worship and Wonder & Nursery
11:15a.m. Sunday School, Adult Bible Study, Children’s Classes, Nursery, CYF & Chi Rho, “Going Deeper”

We celebrated “Homecoming” this weekend at the Roe house. No fancy suits or dresses, no expensive dinners out. Instead, we enjoyed Corey and Collin both home from college for the weekend. As our homecoming weekend began, the laundry room overflowed with dirty clothes, the family room floor became the recipient of large shoes, and the refrigerator quickly emptied.

Saturday night did not see us putting on dancing shoes. Instead we ate Chinese takeout, settled into the family room, and watched a movie. For me, most Saturday nights are filled with my final sermon/worship/Sunday prep. The gift of sabbatical enabled me to thoroughly enjoy this special homecoming night with my men. Thank you!

Sunday morning, I came downstairs, made a cup of tea and navigated my way around the collection of shoes scattered on the floor. For years I have grumbled about the shoes all over the family room floor. But, I have to admit that my heart warmed as I sat in prayer with my tea gazing over the shoes decorating the room. They were evidence of the love present in our home this homecoming weekend.

We chose to “go home” and worship God with our church family in Kettering at Central Christian Church. It has been over ten years since I have worshipped on Sunday morning with my beloved faith family of origin. My heart was filled with tender love as I sat with Mark, Corey and Collin with our church family who nurtured and shaped us. In the midst of our Central Christian family, Mark and I were dedicated as infants, made our confessions of faith, were baptized, grew our relationship with God and one another in Chi Rho and CYF, exchanged our marriage vows, dedicated Corey and Collin as infants, acknowledged my call to ministry, witnessed Corey’s confession of faith and baptism, and celebrated my ordination into Christian ministry.

Yesterday, we were home! Embraced by many of the saints that helped raise us and teach us about the true nature of God’s love. Reconnected to friends who shared our younger years. It was a blessed homecoming!

I am looking forward to coming home to my beloved church family in Middletown. I miss worshipping God and sharing the Lord’s Supper with you. We have 20 days remaining in our sabbatical time. Until we celebrate my homecoming with you, I continue to pray for you. I also lift special prayers for George, Beth, Evan, our Elders and church leaders who lead with Christ’s light and love.

I will see you soon, and look forward to the “shoes” we will scatter in Christ’s name together!

with love, Laureen 🙂

I’ve had a couple busy weeks recently.  In the midst, I met Jesus in jeans — refreshing and soul gratifying.  In the midst of preparing to be out of town, I paused on a Thursday with Nancy Schaefer and attended worship at CHCA (Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy) where Nancy teaches.  The worship was led by high school students.  And, yes, they were wearing their jeans.  One of the most moving moments of our time of worship was when we were singing Hosanna by Hillsong.  In the midst of the song surrounded by teenagers we sang,

I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith
I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We’re on our knees
We’re on our knees
Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest

 

 

Standing in the midst of a new generation, my heart swelled with God’s love and awe as I experienced the Holy Spirit through the pure faith of the generation surrounding me singing to their Lord, Jesus Christ.  They sang with selfless faith, and led me into the midst of holy presence.  All while dressed in jeans.

The next day, we headed to Athens for Parents’ Weekend at OU to visit with Collin.  He’s settled and doing very well.  I left Athens for Davidson, NC for a week at the Davidson Clergy Center.  I will share more about this divine time with you later.  I will say this about my week there… I met Jesus in my jeans, in my workout clothes, on my bicycle, alongside a horse, and on a comfy couch in my khakis.  You will be hearing much more about this week in the months to come.  I thank you for the incredible opportunity.

On Sunday, September 29, Mark and I went to Legacy Christian Church in Harrison, OH.  Some of Elders may remember this church from a conference we attended there several years ago.  One of the greatest gifts Legacy offers to those attending worship is hospitality — come as you are, be who you are.  So, with this in mind, I got up Sunday morning and put on my jeans and went to worship God and Jesus Christ.  When we arrived we were greeted with the love and hospitality God intends.  Throughout worship there were moments filled with grace, light and love.  Rev. Mark Garrett (Lead Pastor), Rev. Willisa Redford (Children and Family Pastor), the praise band and Elders led us into the presence of God through song, message, prayer and the breaking of bread.  Our time of worship concluded with a grand celebration of four baptisms!  Truly divine moments.  And, yes, they were wearing their jeans!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the baptisms, all those participating and the pastors put on t-shirts and shorts.  The t-shirts read, “I made a spectacular splash!  Legacy Christian Church”   The baptismal was portable and sat in the center of the worship space.  As we witnessed new believers making a “spectacular splash” into a new life with Jesus Christ, I heard God singing in my heart, “I see a generation, rising up to take their place, with selfless faith.”  These were indeed rising up to take their place alongside others of the faith.  In our jeans, we were celebrating the revival of spirit, light and love in Christ’s name.

As followers of Christ Jesus, we are called to share the Good News with those who do not know Jesus.  In our world today, that means putting on our jeans.  What I mean by this is that whatever you do in your jeans plan on meeting someone who needs the Good News.  Most of the time we do not meet those who need the love of God and Jesus Christ when we are dressed in our Sunday best.  We meet them in our jeans, in our everyday clothes, doing our everyday tasks (shopping for groceries, cheering on the sidelines of a game, sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, etc.).  In your jeans, you are called to meet someone new, someone outside your social circle, someone lonely, someone busy, someone much like you (or not).

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, ¹⁹For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. ²⁰To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. ²¹To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. ²²To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. ²³I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

Who are you — who will you become in order to share the Gospel.  Will you set aside your comfortable/preconceived ways of what is a proper Christian?  Will you sing a new song accompanied by guitars and drums?  Paul did not change who he was.  He simply used all aspects of himself to reach the lost.  Paul didn’t hide his past, he didn’t put on pretty clothes and cover up.  He allowed God to use all of him to be witness to the the Good News of Jesus Christ.

People need to know God.  They need to see Jesus in you.  This means putting your Jesus jeans on and being a part of the world that is not pretty.  Being part of the the world that is broken.  How do you do this?  By putting on our Jesus jeans and allowing God to use us as witnesses of the Good News of Jesus Christ, we become part of the generation that is going to bring about a revival.  Whether you are 9 months old or 90+ years old, you are called.  Set aside your Sunday clothes, put on your Jesus jeans, sing a new song and share!  Our community, our city, our country, our world is in need of a revival!

Let me know where you and your jeans are going, what song you are singing, and who you meet!

with love, Laureen 🙂

 

 

The theme for this past weekend was “Adventure!”  On Friday, I traveled to northwest Ohio to visit my friend and colleague, Mary Jo Bray.  She is a very special woman of faith and a blessing to my life and the lives of so many others.  One of the joys of sabbatical has been the ability to worship with my clergy friends.  Our callings keep us from being able to share this sacred time together.  So, this weekend provided time to be with God and Mary Jo!  Thank you!

Sunday morning I attended the 8:30 a.m. traditional worship, Sunday school, and the 11:00 a.m. contemporary worship.

The Rev. Mitch Maxted, Senior Pastor, preached on Luke 15 filled with the parables of the lost (sheep, coin, son). The main point of the message was that the joy is in the finding. Being found by God is filled with great love, hope and grace.  Mitch summed up my experiences of the weekend.  Whatever our adventure, God kept finding me in moments of joy and filling them with love.  Worship also brought a special invitation to Christ’s table by Mary Jo (both times).  Her joyful spirit reflected Christ’s light and welcomed all to come as one and share in the meal of salvation.

God found Mary Jo and I throughout the weekend and often surprised us with incredible moments. Friday night we laughed harder than I have laughed in years. Have you ever laughed with friends and God? There’s something so uplifting and spirit filling in these moments.  On Saturday, Mary Jo took me on a Wyoming adventure where we found God in creation. We traveled to a Native American Buffalo Preserve in Fremont, Indiana (not Wyoming – just felt that way).  We were taken in a safari-style truck out into the middle of a large herd of buffalo.  We were blessed to see a two-day-old calf (pictured below).

Our guide shared with us that the calf would most likely not survive the winter.  Most buffalo calves are born in April, May and June giving them time for their hides to mature and put on weight before winter.  Unfortunately, this little calf may not have enough time for its body to mature.

 

Following our trip to “Wyoming,” Mary Jo invited me into a piece of her soul.  She took me to her cottage on the lake.  God blessed us with moments of awe and grandeur.  We enjoyed the landscape of beauty before us as we ate lunch, and then we canoed around the lake.   It was as if God created perfect the weather and setting for us to pause in divine spirit with one another.  We concluded the evening around a fire with more family and friends of the northwest.  To say the least, my weekend in the great northwest Ohio, was filled with love, laughter and light!

 

I miss hearing your stories and where God is feeding your soul.  So, please share in the comments below where God is finding you and bringing joy into your lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On another note… We have reached the midway point of our sabbatical time.  Only 47 days until I return.  I continue to use the hammers in my prayer time, and hold each of you in my prayers.  Next week I will be traveling to the Davidson Centre for their Clergy Renewal Program.  Over the past weeks, I have been reading and journaling in preparation for my time at Davidson.  The week promises to be one of divine renewal, growth and self discovery.  Thank you for this opportunity to grow, heal and live in God’s divine Light!

with love, Laureen 🙂

When was the last time you allowed yourself to dream with God? Whether it is daydreaming or in your sleep, God moves in our lives through our dreams. Last night I traveled to Beargrass Christian Church for worship led by Andra Moran renowned worship leader and Christian musical artist. (www.andramoran.com)

God and Andra invited the congregation to dream. From the moment we walked into the sanctuary until the last note was sung, we journeyed with God (and Andra) into a dream space filled with the light and love of Christ. Words cannot completely express the gift to my spirit this time of worship continues to be.

As we were invited to dream and pray with God, a piece of my soul opened – a piece I had not realized was closed. But, indeed my worshipful dream center had been repressed. Last night it burst open once again, and I was released into a place of wonderment and joy dreaming with God!

Our vision of Expressions! worship came flooding back into my spirit. Butterflies, joy, hope, light and dreams of soaring with GOD filled my spirit! God has called us to dream together… to create more joy together… to soar in Christ’s LIGHT together!

God calls us to dream. When we open ourselves to dream with God, we become co-creators with God. Do you dream of peace in your life? How about joy in your job or home? I encourage you to prayerfully daydream about these desires of your heart. Allow your worshipful dream center to burst open, and begin creating with GOD.

Dream with GOD and when I return we will continue our journey together… our journey filled with dreams… our journey filled with beautiful “Expressions!” of God’s love.

with love, Laureen 🙂

Let’s dream together. Share your dreams in the comment section below.

We are one month into our sabbatical time. I thought this would be a good time to touch base with Dave Lombard, sabbatical mentor and prayer partner. To do this we took the weekend to connect to some of our faith roots. Dave, Linda, Mark and I went to The Cane Ridge Meeting House in Paris, Kentucky on Saturday and then worshipped Sunday at Paint Lick Christian Church with our beloved minister, The Rev. Ted Faulconer.

I’ve been to Cane Ridge multiple times over the years, and each time I am reminded that I’m connected to a moment in the Christian faith that has transformed the lives of people for centuries. Standing in the church where Barton Stone preached and led, touches something in my spirit. God has called me into a line of ministers that have profoundly shaped the Christian faith in America. With this, comes responsibility. I do not take this responsibility lightly. God has called me to continue a ministry that began with brave men on a new frontier.

One of the greats in our faith tradition who has taught me, guided me, and loved me in the faith is Rev. Ted Faulconer. Sunday, Mark and I sat in a pew and worshiped like we did as teenagers (although, we did not pass notes) with Ted leading us in song, in prayer, through the scripture and Word, and to The Lord’s Supper.

My heart was filled just as it was as a child. It was filled with the great love of God. Ted has a very special way of sharing the pure love and joy of God and Jesus Christ. Ted’s message was one that spoke directly to my heart. It was as if God was speaking directly to me and no one else was in the room. Logically, I knew it wasn’t just for me, because Dave, Linda, Mark and about 30 other people were in the sanctuary, too. But, it was a divine moment of worship as one in the pew learning as a child of God.

After worship, we went to Ted and Barbara’s home for lunch. We reminisced, laughed and caught up with one another. I also had opportunity to sit at the knee of this wise, wise man of ministry and ask questions. His insight and practical wisdom will benefit us all in the years to come.

Thank you for this time and opportunity to connect to the roots of my faith. This is fuel for my spirit and renewal for my passion in ministry. Please feel free to post your sabbatical questions in the comment section below.

with love, Laureen 🙂

My week living in the CrossLight has has been full and interesting: prayer, journaling, biking, reading, packing Collin for college. Since getting Collin moved into Ohio University, I feel a little lost. No children at home, no church to pastor… It’s odd… My rudder seems directionless. It seems to be wobbling from side to side causing my spirit to drift.

Today, I awoke looking forward to entering into God’s house to worship, pray and sing praises. Along with the joy and exhilaration came an emptiness. My heart was missing YOU, my church family at FCC-Middletown.

Mark and I decided to go to church with his sister, Jennie, and her family in Cincinnati. When we walked in the doors we were greeted by a retired pastor we know from Camp Christian, and then several others we know from Camp. Then I looked up, and there it was… The CrossLight.

Not quite the same as ours, but confirmation of Christ’s light. Confirmation that I was home.

As worship continued, the confirmation kept coming as we sang praise songs, as the children’s choir sang, and as the Word of God was shared.

My rudder was finding direction in the CrossLight. I was being led by the light, I was being embraced, and ultimately I was being invited to Christ’s Table.

The familiar words were spoken, my heart swelled and tears filled eyes as I was reminded that through Christ, through his gift of life I was connected to YOU, to Collin, to Corey, to my Mother and Grandmother, to God and Jesus Christ. I had not shared in this common meal since sabbatical began. Since I was with you last. Today I sat at Christ’s table, welcomed and loved as a beloved child of God no longer drifting, no longer aching. Fully absorbing the grace-filled connection we have through Christ!

I pray that as we spend this divine time apart that you are fed as you come to Christ’s table welcome to all. For it is at Christ’s table that we are connected to one another. It is here that we are reminded we belong to one another no matter our physical location.

Miss you with love, Laureen 🙂

Today, Mark and I went to church with our friends, John and Susan. A rare treat sitting with dear friends and worshiping as a member of the congregation. Standing shoulder to shoulder with loved ones, singing praises to God was a divine connection my soul relished. I was free to allow the spirit to flow. As the worship band played and we sang at the top of our lungs, Susan and I laughed at how our children get so embarrassed when we sing like this. It was in these early moments of worship that the joy of God soared into my spirit! In these moments, I entered into a new, worshipful, divine conversation with God.

The sermon was “Tolerating the *#$@*!” based on Revelation 2:18-29. The point of the message was that the church in many ways has become too tolerant of our culture. One of the downsides of being a preacher is that as I listen to the sermon I wonder how I would preach the same text. Today, I found myself wanting more. I didn’t think he went deep enough. Although, the sermon was very sound and thought provoking, I wanted him to go deeper, answer the question. The question he brought up. Where is the church too tolerant? He never stated the issues. He only vaguely referenced there were issues, so I was left hanging. Was he talking about sexual promiscuity (adultery, sex outside of wedlock), escalating racism, consumer greed, or something else? I wanted him to reveal to the church the word he was hearing from God. He didn’t.

When the sermon was over, we stood and sang again, but this time my heart was still seeking answers, still wondering. I left worship perplexed. Maybe this was purposeful. Maybe this was done in order to keep the conversation going. For me, the conversation will continue. I will keep thinking, keep wondering, keep having this divine conversation with God.

Where are you having divine conversations with God? Are they only on Sunday mornings? When the sermon and worship are over, does the conversation stop? I hope not. I pray that you are pondering divine things with God throughout your week. I would love to hear about the divine conversations you are having. Leave a comment below and join the conversation here in “The CrossLight.”

with love, Laureen 🙂