New York Trip 9/29

I plan on leading a trip to New York City on Sat 9/29.

We will leave at 7:00AM and return around 11:00PM

For those interested I plan on going to the Mets game at 1:10 PM vs the Marlins.

Not everyone has to go to the game. The following ideas are also a possibility.

Visit various NY landmarks (Ground zero/ historical sites/ Empire State building etc.)

Walk through central park

Visit various museums

Shopping

Walk through different ethnic areas (Chinatown Little Italy etc.)

See a Broadway show Matinee 2:00PM (50% off tickets are available for some shows at a ticket window off of time square plan on paying $50-$60 cash only)

For those going to the game there will be some time for shopping and touring. We will arrive in the city at approx 10:00AM and leave around 8:00PM. The Mets game including subway ride out to Shea would be from about 12:15PM-4:45PM

The costs will be as follows.

Gas/tolls/Parking $5.00

Subway unlimited rides $7.00

Meals $10-$15

Mets Tickets $9.00

Total cost if going to Mets game $35-$40 If not going to game $25-$30 (meals and transportation only)

If you plan on going please contact myself Bill Umberger at wumberger@yahoo.com or let Tim know on Sunday

Please let Tim or I know no later than Mon 9/24 if you plan on going to the Mets game.

Please let us know by 9/27 if you are panning to go but are not going to see the Mets.

Wednesday Night

Common Ground is meeting tonight in the auditorium at Summit at 7:00pm. I forgot to announce it Sunday! So come, and spread the word.

God Help America!

I started reading this book a couple of days ago and I really have been enjoying it. Its called Under God - Triumph And Tragedy : Stories of Americas Spiritual Battles. Its writen by the same people that did the Jesus Freaks books about the martyrs. And so far I have only read about eight chapters. But its amazing to read about the hand God had in the shaping of our country. How our founding fathers prayed about every aspect in writing the Declaration of Independance. And the biggest emphasis has been on the sacrafice they made for our country. Just the fact that the first Continental Congress met was treason which was punishable by death. Yet they believed in their country so much that they risked their lives and the lives of their family. One story I read today was about Abraham Clark one of the signers of the Declaration. The British came to his house and told him that if he didn't sign a letter saying he renounced his claim against Britan they would kill his sons. He the British said something to him that made him realize that he couldn't sign that paper, "You backwoods colonists can never stand against the power of the British Empire. Don't be a fool, your sons lives - their freedom - is at stake." He then realized that their freedom was at stake. And not their freedom from the British POW camps. But their freedom from the British tearany. If he broke down to free his sons the entire country could be at stake. They believed in what they had and what they needed to do. They took a stand even though it could have cost them their lives. And by all accounts the British should have slaughtered us. But we had God on our side. And then I sit back and look at what our country as become and it makes me sad. The blood of so many has been spilled here and in other countries to give us the freedom we enjoy. And we are not even thankful for it. God has been taken out of the country He helped to create.

I also read something that I really agree with and I wish the Bible was still in schools. There was a man named Dr. Benjamin Rush and he said this in one of his pamphlet, twelve reasons the bible should be the central textbook in schools, "I lament that we waste so much time and money in punishing crimes and take so little pains to prevent them....We neglect the only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government; that is, the universal education of our young in principles of Christianity by means of the Bible...equality among mankind...respect for laws...and sober and frugal virtues.

I would recomend that everyone read this book. Like I said I have only read about 8 chapters but I am already in awe of the power of God in shaping our country. Its a great read and very eye opening.

Prayer Request

Hey yall writing yall from sunny virginia. Acctually the past three days have been kind of dreary but we are making the best of it. Anyway I just have a quick prayer request. I recently contracted strep throat for the third time in 7 months. I have struggling right now to find a job so money is pretty tight. So if yall could be praying that I can either a. get a job very quickly. b. be completely healed without having to go to a doctor or c. both. C is my favorite choice. I know that virginia is where God wants me and I know he will provide all the money and resources I need. But it is difficult when you are away from home and sick. So just be praying that God will provide and I know he will! Thank you all! I miss hanging out with all yall!

ABF Night (6/10)

We are meeting at Bill Umberger's house tomorrow night at 5:00pm for some games, a meal, and probably a movie. We're planning to eat around 6:30 or so. So come ready to play games like Ultimate Frisbee, Wiffle Ball, or inside games. It's gonna be a good time.

Directions to Bill's house:
Go North on I-81 to exit 206. Take a right onto RT 374 East. Follow this for about 3 miles. It will turn twice once left at the stop sign then right at the Shell station. After the second turn go about 1/2 mile then bear right onto a gravel road Abbotts Rd. (The highway will bear left so it is pretty much straight). Go about 1 mile on this until you get to a stop sign turn right onto another gravel Rd. I am the second driveway on the left (Box 63C Green mail box) about 300- 400 yards from the intersection. Go 400 yards up my driveway to the house.

Address

Hey as many of you know I am starting a new chapter in my life. I am moving out of NEPA!!! So here is my address and such in case anyone wants to get ahold of me.

Amanda Sikorski
3400-H Weeping Willow Dr.
Lynchburg, VA 24501

a.j.sikorski@gmail.com

Cell: 570-335-2178

So now that everyone has my address I expect lots of cards and letters ;-)! I will miss everyone dearly and I love each and everyone of you!

Memorial Day Weekend Hiking Catskill Mountains

I am planning on doing some hiking Memorial Day weekend. Most likely on Monday Memorial day.
The hike I am looking at is an all day hike of approx 10 miles over 3 of the highest mountains in the Catskill's. Slide mountain the third one is the highest with an elevation of 4180ft. The hike will take from 8-10 hours. You will need to bring your lunch and we will probably get dinner on the way back.

This is a challenging hike and I would recommend that you have good sturdy shoes or boots and be in good physical shape if we do the 10 mile hike. On the left is a picture of the more challenging part of the trail. It shows my sister-in-law and I coming down what we will be going up when we hiked this section 3 years ago. This is as extreme as it gets though .

I am open to changing this plan depending on the weather and what people are interested in doing.


If you are interested in going hiking please email me at wumberger@yahoo.com or respond to this post.

Please let me know if Sat or Monday works best for you. Monday is best for me so I plan on going on Monday unless there are a number of people interested that can not go on Mon.

Thursday Night

Common Ground: Summer Season
Summer is here (Almost). And that means renovation and change and the grass grows again and we have to cut it, etc. But we, or some of us, get to wear sandals again and swimming is an option once more. Anyway, what this means for us is change, smaller size, and things to do.

Thursday Nights
Our plan is to meet together on Thursday evenings each week for most of the summer. We will begin meeting this week, Thursday the 10th. We'll meet this week at the Benedict's house at 6:30pm, but we won't start whatever is we're doing until 7:00pm.

Directions
We live on Rt. 107 one mile west of I-81 (exit 202). (So Dalton or Waverly people might take 107 towards 81 instead of 81). Anyway, it's very simple, yet easy to miss. So pay attention. These directions are based on a person leaving Clarks Summit. I assume Bill knows how to get there. :)

1. Take 81 NORTH and get off at EXIT 202 (Fleetville/Tomkinsville).
2. Turn LEFT off the ramp (towards Fleetville; this is 107).
3. Drive one (1) mile on this road.
4. Our driveway road is ON THE LEFT, as soon as you begin to drive downhill. There is a green mailbox there with "Benedict" on it. There is also a "For Sale" sign there. (NOTE: if you arrive at a stop sign, you've passed it and must turn around!)
5. Turn LEFT onto this dirt road, and keep going until you see our house (it's the only one!)

Update

Hey Everyone,
I just wanted to say, "thanks" for praying for me. My trip to see my grandma went really well. She didn't look as thin as I thought she would and she was in good spirits. We even went and sat outside in the sun for a while. I said my goodbye's and am as prepared as I can be to let her go...

Scared

Hi Everyone,
I would appreciate your prayers this weekend. I am going to Western NY to visit my Grandma. She has been in poor health for quite some time and in an assissted living/nursing home the last few years. Recently she has taken a turn for the worst. She has lost a significant amount of weight and the Dr.'s suspect cancer thru her whole body but we do not know for sure. I am trying to prepare myself that this may be the last time I will see her. I know she will look a lot different than the last time I saw her (Christmas) and I am not sure/scared of how I will respond. Part of me just wants to remember her the way she was, but I sense the Lord wants me to go. She is a believer.
Thanks,
Heather

Passion for Scranton

The Scranton Rescue Mission is showing the Passion of the Christ this Saturday at 4pm. At around 2:30 there will be a group going out to encourage people in the city to come to this event. If any of you are thirsty for some opportunities to share the Gospel with hurting people, I can tell you that this is a wonderful chance to reach a dark generation with the glorious hope of salvation. This is going to be a big event and Phil (Executive director of SRM) has made a special request for people to help from our community. If you are interested, please leave a post or call me (Drew Jackson) at 570-585-9016 or email to drewjack80@gmail.com

Another great opportunity to minister is coming up soon! SRM is having another "Work Day" on April 21st at 9am. Men and women are needed to plaster and paint walls. So if you are more of a behind-the-scenes or hands-on person, this is a unique opportunity to serve. Agian, if this interests you, contact me ASAP.

Thanks Commoners!

Let's Play Bob The Builder

We're taught in schools that vision and mission and the whole kitten's cabootal of "purpose" is supposed to be laid down and defined (by leaders?) before the organization can grow. Right? Wrong--or at least it is for us. And no, we aren't an organization. We're a community of people on a journey, and we are all on this journey together. (Ahem) Vision and mission develops as we develop or grow together (the process of becoming like Jesus). Which means I or she or Rick W. and me don't have an edge over anyone else on determining who or what we are all about. So, it's up to us to express with words what is important to us as a community. And that changes as we change..or it should, I think. I mean we can read the Story of God and find out what He's up to today, but we have to figure out what that looks like for us right now. Are you with me? Here's your role in this. Think about the following, and answer it honestly. Okay?

What are our core values as a community? Meaning, from your perspective, what is most important or indispensable to us as common ground? (simply click the comments link below and follow the directions to respond with your answer. answer more than once to keep your points clear! but don't just think, "oh that's nice" and browse on. write at least one thought, deal?)

New York April 21-22

I am organizing a trip to New York City. This will be an overnight trip. Sat-SUn. We will be attending Times Square Church in mid-town Manhattan that Sunday.

You can check out their website at http://www.tscnyc.org/

On Saturday we will discuss what we want to do in the city.

Some options are:

Visiting Museums (I can get some discounts)

Central park

Shopping

Walking around seeing various sights (Times Square Ground Zero etc.)

On Sunday afternoon some of us are planning to go to the Mets game immediately after Church. They are playing the Atlanta Braves on that date.

Another option for Sunday is to do more touring or if we take more than one vehicle some peole could go home early

As far as costs You should plan on about $75 $85 if going to the Mets game

Subway fare: 14.00

Meals: 35 -40

Admissions: 10-15 (depending on what we do)

Gas/parking: 5.00

Mets ticket (upper reserved) 9.00

I will be covering the cost of the Hotel

Please let me know no later than April 18th if you want to go

If you are interested please contact me wumberger@yahoo.com or 570-222-2161

Re: New Outcomes (Conversation point)

"I imagine churches that believe deep friendships change people. [...] When wer'e not careful, our churches can lose the spirit of true hospitality and friendship that are the core of life-changing relationships. When I speak of hospitality, I don't mean a lunch-in-the-church-basebment kind of hospitality. I mean something that takes the kindness and generosity of those meals and adds a new level of vulnerability. This vulnerability is a step beyond accountability. Accountability assumes a person will do her own work as she seeks to live a Christian life while others will do what they can to keep her on track. Vulnerability is a call beyond merely asking others to hold us to living in the way of Jesus [following Jesus :)]--it's inviting them to participate in our efforts to do so. Vulnerability allows those around us to paticipate in our redemption [...]" (p.167).
(Pagitt, Doug, Preaching Re-imagined: the Role of the Sermon in Communities of Faith, Zondervan, 2005)

I read this recently, and it struck me! It's so easy to leave change up to Sunday Morning, Sunday School, Sunday Evening, and Wednesday night preaching. It's easy to think that change is supposed to happen as I read my Bible and pray every day. But would you think I was heretical if I said that I don't think the Bible teaches this? (not to mention I don't think it works, but you'll have to ask me why)

Change is rooted in close friendships. Change is the product of people living out what it means to live together in fellowship with the Spirit and Jesus' blood (see 1 John 1). Accountability is for Joe at PNC bank, or Beth at McDonalds. It's for anyone. But, not vulnerability. Not spirt-led speaking into the lives of our brothers and sisters. Even Sermons though. It may be harder for some than others, but nearly anyone can spend 30 hours on a text of Scripture with ample books preparing a cookie cut out sermon to "deliver" to people complete separated from where they really are in their lives. But not vulnerability. Only those who drink from true, Living Water have the drive to be vulnerable enough to invite another into his story so true building can take place. What would our common ground community look like if we were wiling to be vulnerable with one another and pursue change in each other? What will we have to do differently for us to realize this new reality?

Movie Night 3/10/07

We are having a movie get-together this Saturday, March 10, at 7:00pm! We will watch a good movie, and have a little discussion about what we saw. This would be an excellent time for us to get to know each other and friends not familiar with our common ground community. So please feel free to bring a friend or two or three.

Directions. I think the easiest way for me to give you directions is to point you to google. :) We are watching the movie in the basement at Steve and Nancy Lampman's house. For directions, follow this link. I'm pretty sure this is accurate, but I will verify this tomorrow so you have nothing to worry about. The directions are from BBC, but you can easily change the directions if you need to.

Scranton Rescue Mission

This is an email i recieved from Phil Shultz, the pastor who is running the SRM:

We are going to have a major Work Day on March 10th at 9am. We hope to gut the second floor of the red brick building and put up sheet rock- the task is such that we could use about 40 volunteers. 14 brand new windows will be installed this week...so it should be so could when you come to serve!

We have several needs for items (could really use them by next weekend)- let me know if you are able to meet any of these needs: Paper towels, lysol wipes, take-out containers, plastic knives, toliet paper, table cloths- disposable, coffee, coffee filters, and aluminum foil.
As of right now, Saturday and Sunday are open for this coming weekend. Could really use a church group to come and serve this weekend.

Helping the Hurting, in Jesus' Name"

Rev. Phil Schultz, Executive DirectorScranton Rescue Mission

www.ScrantonRescueMission.com

P.O. Box 470 Scranton, PA 18501-0470

(570)561-9866

If you are interested leave a response,

Or send me an email @ drewjack80@gmail.com

Mosaic Podcast

I told you that I would post a link to the podcast from the church I referred to last Sunday. I almost forgot. :) The following is a link to Mosaic, a large group of Jesus followers in Los Angeles. The sermon series I suggest you listen to is "Soul Cravings," by Erwin McMannus. http://mosaic.org/podcast/

Nursing Home 2/21/07

We have an opportunity to minister to our elders in a nursing home this Sunday afternoon (the 25th) roughly from 1:00pm until 2:30 or so. We will hold a church service for them, and sing with them before simply talking and spending time with them.

As of now, there is only 2 who have committed to going. I would like to have one of you play the piano and another two or three lead them in some hymns. We can meet up after common ground and eat lunch together if you wish, before driving down there together.

I do need to know if you will come with us Sunday. Repy to this post or drop me a line at timbenedict3@gmail.com. Don't be shy! It's an amazing time.

Keep journeying and following our Jesus!

Please Pray...

Hey everyone

Just wanted to get on here real quick and ask you guys to be praying for my family. I'm in NJ right now where my Great Aunt (my Dad's Aunt) is in the hospital. I won't go into all the details because there are a ton of things wrong with her (bad heart, blood disease, cancer,..) but the doctors don't expect her to live much longer. I was suprised that she made it through last night. We went to se her 3 times yesterday (which was difficult to say the least)...She was asleep most of the time because of the drugs they're giving her and the times she was awake she wasn't really there...for the most part she didn't recognize anyone and kept calling for her mother (who's been dead for years). At this point they are just trying to make her comfortable (that's really all they can do) so we're basically just waiting...So anyway, please be praying for the whole family. My Aunt is a Christian so I know I'll see her again after she's gone but there are many unsaved family members we'll be coming in contact with over the next few days and this could be a HUGE opportunity to share Christ with them.

Thanks

Elizabeth B.

Scranton Rescue Mission

Hello Commoners,


This is the first post concerning the efforts in Scranton to reach the homeless for Christ! There is much going on down in the city and there is always room for your help. Right now we have need for men and women to come down Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings at 5:30. If you need a ride or don't know how to get there just meet everyone down at Nordling Hall at BBC around 4:45pm on any of these nights. There is also much work that needs to be done to the buildings to get them up to code. So, if you are more inclined to work with your hands there will also be periodic work days. You will need to send me your Email address here (drewjack80@gmail.com) so that i can put you on the mailing list if you want to know when there are "work days".
In the future i will be posting specific prayer request concerns and praises. To get that started i will tell you that a man named Hakim accepted Christ last night (2.17.07)!

Stay tuned and post any questions you may have or email me with them.