Category: Blog

I got to drink out of a 300-year-old cup today!  Well, it was at least 300 years old.  For all I know, it had been around for good while before that.  But I am pretty confident that it was in use at the turn of the 18^th century.  Doesn’t that sound exciting?  Makes you want to jump on a plane, ride it for 8 hours, transfer to a bus and ride that for another 2 hours – right?  Just to drink out of a 300-year-old cup?

What if I reminded you that cup was in use before the Revolutionary War?  How many things do we have in America that are still in use from 30 years ago, much less 300 years ago?  A few institutions – churches, hospitals, universities and businesses have been around since the Revolutionary War.  But not much else.

What if I told you the cup was actually a chalice?  And that Robyn and I were able to drink out of it (it was an Anglican church) as a part of Holy Communion?  Each month back home we celebrate Jesus’ words – this is my blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins!  Drinking the blood of Christ from a 300-year-old chalice takes on a whole new level of profound that you don’t find when using the little plastic cups!  It starkly reminded us of the thousands of times our Christian brothers and sisters had done the same thing at that very spot with that very cup for hundreds of years!   Very cool!

How about if I told you the chalice was Samuel Wesley’s chalice that he used leading his church in Epworth, England?  Samuel Wesley was John Wesley’s father.  John Wesley was the founder of the Methodist movement.  He was born in Epworth.  Called it his favorite place in the world.  So, as a part of our visit to England, Robyn and I had communion with the very cup that John Wesley took communion with!  Very, very cool! 

To make it even better, we took it with the pastors and their spouses from my covenant group.  For several years now I have been a part of a group of 8 pastors who support, encourage and hold each other accountable.  We meet together twice a year to check in.  We also email each other weekly and text a prayer for each other each Sunday morning.  And we do crazy trips together.  Run 200-mile relay races from Chattanooga to Nashville.  Trek through the Florida Everglades.  This spring I took two covenant brothers with me to Kenya.  Now we are here along with our spouses (at the behest of the Florida Conference) to explore our Methodist roots.

So I got to drink out of the 300-year-old chalice used by John Wesley as I celebrated communion with my wife and colleagues and closest friends – not to mention thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ.  I would say that’s a pretty good first day!  More tomorrow.  For now, reflect on this:  In what ways do you celebrate your spiritual roots in faith?  What practices connect you to your spiritual mothers and fathers in Christ?

-Rev. David Miller

I have been thinking about Abraham today.  Robyn and I are taking care of last minute details before leaving on our trip to England.  We are being sent on a continuing education event sponsored by the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. For 10 days we will be touring sites related to John Wesley.  Though our flight today (Tuesday).  Our trip really began on Monday.  That’s when we took our children to the airport for their flight to Minnesota where they will be spending two weeks with my sister Lisa.  Let’s just say they weren’t terribly excited that we are leaving the country without them.  Oh, and our youngest came down with strep throat on Saturday!  You are welcome Aunt Lisa!

Anyway, my point is that traveling to England for 10 days isn’t something that happens at the drop of a hat.  Getting the children off, taking the dog to the sitter, changing money, doing the laundry, stopping the mail, making sure the phone works overseas, and making arrangements to miss work are just some of things that go into traveling for a while.  Which brings me back to Abraham.  In Genesis chapter 12, God comes to Abraham (then Abram) and says:   “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.”  And Abraham grabs his bride, packs the house, loads off the camel and sets off to a place he has never seen. He doesn’t even know how far it is or what direction it is!  And yet he goes. 

I wonder what that was like for Abraham.  Was it chaotic?  Was he excited?  How did he manage such a change?  I travel for ten days and the earth moves.  Why would Abraham do such a thing?   Why would anyone do such a thing?  St. John of the Cross once said – to come to the knowledge you have not you must go by a way in which you know not!  Perhaps the power of travel – whether for 10 days or for the foreseeable future lies in going a way which we know not.  And in doing so come to new knowledge.  At least I hope so!  More tomorrow.  For now – may you find a new way to go today!

Peace,

David 

SOUL is running a Parables and Problem Solving Camp for the kids of South Street. They are also serving in the community and renovating parts of the South Street Campus.

Cuba. A journey into the past. Aging infrastructure, crumbling roads and vintage 1950’s era cars. And… smothering heat! Our small team shared worship with four Methodist churches in eastern Cuba, and along the way we met some amazing folks. I would not necessarily describe the plight of our brothers and sisters on the island as desperate, but the conditions are poor, and the need is great. The average monthly income is $10 to $15. The price of an egg is $0.30. Yet the passion flows, and we found the Holy Spirit in every house, and in every heart. We were humbled. We were inspired. We grew!

This morning the team wrapped up our water meter installation project! After lunch, we drove through the Media Queso procario where Agua Viva installed the first well. It was quite humbling to see the living conditions in these communities, and quite obvious that they would not have had access to clean water without the good work of Agua Viva. Then we had the pleasure of going to the drill site go see the latest well come alive with water. Amazing!

Part of the group handed out more shoes to the community kids, and then continued the afternoon with VBS, where Lyndsey made balloon animals for the little ones.  We ate yummy mangoes off of the trees and headed back for our farewell celebration with the Agua Viva team, where we shared Communion.  Tomorrow we head to the resort for some R&R and play time!

Our journey continues… Although we speak different languages, being a kid is a universal language.  When our Winter Park kids play with the community kids, the community kids just light up with joy. All of our Winter Park kids are trying to practice their Spanish with the community members. We got a bit of a surprise the other day:  when we were installing the water meters, Kent had had told us that there were only 5 water meters that we had to install – there were actually FIFTY. Kent had made an error in translation. Ha!  Weather-wise, it is either very hot and humid or rainy and muggy – much like Central Florida, but the rain can cycle in and out multiple times/day. More of the donated shoes from our kind Orlando friends were given to children who lived around the work sight. They were so excited!

The Kent Akins team left Saturday morning for Los Chiles, Costa Rica for a week of serving with Auga Viva Serves.  They hit the ground running on Sunday.  They skyped with the Promiseland Children back home at FUMCWP, attended a beautiful church service and led the community’s children in small groups, took a tour of AVS wells in the area, and sorted and distributed the hundreds of pairs of shoes so generously donated by FUMCWP members and their friends.  They also found time to receive some puppy love from the new AVS mascot!

Stay tuned for more pictures and stories as the week progresses.  God is moving in this place!

In Promiseland on Sunday, the kids made 200 hygiene kits for the refugees that are stranded in Los Chiles, Costa Rica. The kids packed the bags with a washcloth, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste. They also put in cards that said “Know that you are loved!” on the front. Each card was also personalized by the kids with a note or coloring. Thank you to all the kids and volunteers that helped spread the love of Jesus Christ with this meaningful project for people in need.

We welcome home three returning mission teams today and celebrate their service: The Rebuilding Hope team led by Steve Schaal worked on building accessibility ramps, installing water lines and plumbing fixtures, and painting in Dalton, GA.  The Impact Singers served and sang their way to Key West and back at places like senior centers, botanical gardens and a wildlife refuge.  Locally, Student Ministry served at South Street all week by providing day camp and working on projects around that community.  Yesterday, our first Costa Rica team left for Agua Viva Serves.  They are led by Kent Akins, and will work to provide clean water and build relationships through offering VBS in Los Chiles this week.  Please keep them in your prayers.  Our church is practicing being the hands and feet of Jesus this summer all over the world!