The Q Chronicles

New Year, New Chapter

2012-01-17T11:17:00.001-05:00

Here's the latest update to the Friends of Germantown Hope:

Dear friend,

Greetings from the Germantown neighborhood in Philly! We are thankful to be in the new year--full of promises of new manifestations of God's faithfulness--and thankful for you who have been sticking with us through the years in prayer and support. Here is the G.Hope crowd during our annual Christmas Carol in the neighborhood:

There is some personal news to share with you from the Lee family. As some of you know, Christe and I had been in a friendly race to see who would get employed full-time first; the other would become the primary caretaker of our two boys, Amoz and Theo. God has answered our prayers, and Christe is the official winner. Yesterday, she started her new job at Esperanza Health Center as the Manager of Healthy Cafe and Fitness Program.

We are deeply appreciative of Esperanza Health Center for their continuing mission to provide quality healthcare to the under-insured and under-served in Philly. We were also appreciative when I was employed with them temporarily (for 3 weeks in November and December) when Esperanza needed some help with getting the new site in Hunting Park opened up. (I was privileged to work as the official photographer of the Grand Opening, which was a wonderful celebration of what the Lord is doing in Philly, that featured special guests John Perkins, Ron Sider, Manny Ortiz, Ruth Naomi Floyd and Mayor Michael Nutter. If you are interested, you can find the photos here.) And now we are doubly appreciative that Christe has found a good match for her gifts at Esperanza (she was recently certified as a Personal Trainer by the National College of Sports Medicine, and she was employed for 4 years at Philabundance Community Kitchen as an Employment Retention Specialist).

As for me, I will continue to serve as Pastor of Germantown Hope Community Church, father to our two boys, and adjunct faculty at Esperanza College of Eastern University and at Biblical Seminary. From the beginning of this year, I started teaching 3 classes in Bible and theology at Esperanza College (no relation to Esperanza Health Center, though maybe the Lord is telling us something... esperanza is Spanish for hope), an Associate's degree college serving an urban and Hispanic student body. We are now finding that our plates are much fuller than they were before! We would very much appreciate your prayers for our transition into the new chapter of our life.

G.Hope is also looking forward to a new chapter of the Lord's activity. We are praying especially that he would make us a praying church and a witnessing church. We have much more to grow in these regards! Over the last three or so months, we've had two all-day church prayer days, and they were times of the Lord doing something new with us. Please pray that we as a church will find new refreshing and new depths of faith as we deepen our walk with the Lord, and that the edifying we find in prayer will flow out into a joyful witness to the kingdom.

One last note: I wrote a couple of blog posts for Biblical Seminary Faculty Blog--I contribute about one post a month. If you are interested (they may shed some additional light to the mission of G.Hope), here are the links:

Thank you for your continuing friendship. Until next time.

Shalom,

Kyuboem Lee

Is Talk of "Incarnational Ministry" Legitimate?

2012-01-09T12:07:00.000-05:00

Roofline Sunset | Germantown, Philadelphia | 2006 | © Kyuboem Lee

Cross-posted from Biblical Seminary Faculty Blog:

Among urban mission circles, there has been a history of utilizing the phrase “incarnational ministry” to speak of re-neighboring as a mission strategy. Christians who have sought to serve impoverished inner city neighborhoods would move into those communities to not only minister to those communities, but also to become a neighbor in every sense of the word, and minister with the community. Christian community developer Robert Lupton has termed this re-neighboring strategy: “return flight.”

The theological impetus was found in the Incarnation--the central Christian teaching that the eternal Word of God, the second Person of the Trinity, became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. God the Son took on the human condition fully by fully becoming human yet still remaining fully God. By the time you read this, Christians worldwide will have recently celebrated the Incarnation at Christmastime. And thus, as Christians, we follow Jesus, the eternal Word, who “became flesh and blood, and moved into our neighborhood” (as Eugene Peterson translates John 1:14 in The Message).

But is such language legitimate? After all, the Incarnation is a never-to-be-repeated event centered around the one and only God-man Jesus Christ. We declare that there is no other name under heaven by which we are saved. We believe in the utter uniqueness of the one Mediator between God and humanity. Who could be like him, and who could do what he has done? If we talk about “incarnational ministry,” doesn’t it take away from the once-and-for-all nature of Christ’s Incarnation and his utterly unique nature as God-man (his hypostatic union, in the language of the creeds)?

A very good question, and one that needs to be answered much more fully than a blog post is able. But let me offer just a couple of beginnings and sketches of ideas in response which deserve much further treatment.

One, the nature of the church is unique in a way that is analogous to the unique nature of Christ. New Testament at various places calls the church “the body of Christ.” This is more than a figure of speech--it speaks of the unique nature of the church as the bodily presence of Christ in the world now. Christ, the Head of the church, resides physically in heaven, but his body, the church, imbued with his Spirit, lives and acts as Christ in the world. That’s why Luke can say as he begins the Book of Acts,“In my former book [the Gospel of Luke], Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach.”

The implication, of course, is that the subject matter of Acts is what Jesus continued to do and teach. But Jesus doesn’t make a physical appearance in Acts save in a few short paragraphs here and there. What could Luke mean? He is referring to what Jesus continued to do and teach through the church and through his Spirit who descended on the church at Pentecost and continues to indwell his body of believers now. The creation of the church, it could be said, is the whole point of Jesus’ work of redemption--so much so that Paul in Eph 3:8-10 declares that the work God is doing in and through the church is the mystery which has been hidden in the ages past but is now being revealed.

The church is indeed a marvelous creation. It is a group of fallen and fallible sinners, marred image-bearers, that is nevertheless indwelt by the very Spirit of God. It could even be said that the church has these two natures in hypostatic union, in much the same way Jesus was both fully God and fully man. The church is, in other words, a mystery that elicits the same kind of wonder and awe that Paul demonstrated in the Scriptures.

Two, the church is commissioned and sent into the world in the same way that Christ was commissioned and sent into our world. In John 20:21, the resurrected Christ breathes the Holy Spirit on his disciples (the church) and declares, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” The mission of Christ continues in the ongoing mission of the church. And the way he was sent is to be Immanuel, God’s very presence with us--in other words, Incarnation. There is an analogy here for the church’s own sentness. As Jesus was the Word of God made flesh among us, so the church is Christ made flesh in the world.

To be sure, the church is not Christ himself... but we represent him; we are his ambassadors; we mediate the Lord and his revelation to those who need his redemptive work to be operational in their midst. So we cannot to carry out our mission in the ways that seem best to us. Rather, we are to carry out our mission in a way that is analogous to how Christ carried out his mission while he was bodily present on earth. In other words, we are to be incarnational. Thus we do not broadcast words only; in order to proclaim the gospel, we move in and get close to those we seek to serve and reach. We establish friendships and we participate in the life condition of those we have been sent to. We establish solidarity. We weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. We become all things to all men so that by all possible means we might save some (1 Cor 9:22). That’s incarnational language.

One of the implications is that the church is commissioned to practice contextual theology. Because the God of the Scriptures is not a God who dictated his revelation from his heavenly throne room but rather a God who revealed himself in the most intimate way, by becoming one of us and embodying his revelation in the person of Christ, we as Christ’s body must go to the world and seek to theologize from within the cultures and neighborhoods and social groups, not dictate what God is like from the outside.

Much more needs to be said--the implications are tremendous!--and hopefully I will have more opportunities to do so in the future. But for now I hope I have demonstrated grounds for the legitimacy of “incarnational ministry.” And more than that, I hope I have whet our appetites for the manifestations of such wonderful theological treasures becoming enfleshed in our own churches and in our own lives, so that the mission of God may be realized among us to his glory.

Merry Christmas, and a Blessed 2012

2011-12-30T12:48:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas, and a Blessed 2012, originally uploaded by kyuboem.

This one is from our recent trip to the New York Botanical Garden, while staying at my longtime friend Joseph's. Have a wonderful New Year... from our family to yours.

The Strengths of the Bi-Vocational Pastorate

2011-11-30T05:22:00.001-05:00

Wall 4 | Germantown, Philadelphia, USA | 2006 | © Kyuboem Lee

(Cross-posted from the Biblical Seminary Faculty Blog; I will be contributing there about once a month)

The bi-vocational pastorate is on my mind a lot lately. With the changing economy, we increasingly hear of the portfolio career—it’s “what’s trending now.” And relatedly, I am hearing more and more of a rise of the bi-vocational pastor—I hear anecdotes of them coming from all corners of the US. Of course, many inner city pastors and immigrant pastors have been carrying on bi-vocational ministries for many years, but now it seems bi-vocational ministries are cropping up in the middle-class neighborhoods as well. In the world of mission, there has been a well-established tradition of “tent-making” missionaries, following in the footsteps of the original Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul. Finally, bi-vocational ministry is on my mind a lot because I have become a bi-vocational pastor myself.

Having planted a church in an inner city neighborhood in Philadelphia with the generous financial support of our denomination, we graduated from the grants a few years into our church planting effort. However, our mission of reaching our economically challenged community has not led our church plant into affluence, and I’ve had to become more and more bi-vocational.

I should carry out more research and back this up with some hard data, but I suspect that I am not alone, and we will see a rise of the bi-vocational pastor in the future. Why?

We live in a post-Christendom world. The church’s influence on society isn’t what it used to be. This is not necessarily a bad thing. The church has an opportunity to rediscover its identity as a missionary body, if it no longer holds the position of landlord of this world. Instead, we are, and have always been, strangers and aliens here, witnessing to the city of God to come. But in a post-Christendom world, the necessity of the clergy is no longer assumed. It will be harder and harder to keep funding a large class of full-time pastorate.
We also live in a post-denominational world. We are seeing a decline of churches in matters of giving and availability of resources. The economy is bad, but denominations are seeing bad times too. Grants for church planting work are way down. We have to do more with less.
We live in a global world, where the global cities are teeming with immigrants. Christians are a significant part of this global migration movement, and many of them support themselves with other jobs and carry out their calling into ministry—this is how they are able to carry on sharing the good news of Jesus in their new homes.

Bi-vocational ministry is a hard road to take—there is the toll of carrying out double duty, the financial insecurity, the pressure on the family and the church, the potential to be divided. Many sermons won’t have polish. However, I also see that there are some surprising benefits to going bi-vocational.

It forces us to develop the other gifts in the church. Often, pastors haven’t developed the other gifts in the church because… well, they didn’t have to. They could carry out the work of the ministry by themselves. When pastors become bi-vocational, however, they are forced to depend on others to carry out the work of the ministry, and leadership development becomes a priority. One of the battle cries of the Reformation was “the priesthood of all believers.” Bi-vocational pastorate may more fully realize that vision.
It also forces us to be creative in our church models, and develop ministries that are much better suited to our contexts. In order to more effectively reach our world, we need church models that are more nimble, flexible, adaptable. We may need to adjust our expectations and visions, because our current ministry models may be better suited to a Christendom of the past than to our world now. For example, mega-churches are certainly effective in certain contexts, but they will prove to be a bad fit in many post-Christendom contexts—contexts that are becoming increasingly prevalent.
The bi-vocational pastor can potentially become much more incarnational. The pastor becomes one of the “working stiffs” who (really) shares in the joys and sorrows of those we are seeking to reach.
It can mean great opportunities for evangelism. In the older model, pastors have been cloistered away among the churched. In the bi-vocational model, the gospel messenger is loosed into the world, for the pastor is now constantly interfacing with relational circles that used to lie outside the reach of the pastorate. Pastors are not just servants of the institution called the church; they are also missionaries of the kingdom who have the gospel to share with the world.

For better or for worse, I see the rise of the bi-vocational pastorate in the future. This development entails great challenges, and the church will need to re-examine how we carry out theological education, models of ministry, allocation of resources, among other things, in the light of this shift. But it can also mean great opportunities for the kingdom. Church leadership and theological education institutions would do well to examine the implications of the bi-vocational pastorate, and those called into ministry would do well to consider it a path worth taking.

G.Hope Work Days

2011-11-12T10:41:00.001-05:00

Here's the latest piece of news over on Friends of Germantown Hope:

Last Friday and Saturday, G.Hope held two Work Days to give some much needed TLC to our well-worn building. Kurt, who runs a contractor business and serves as an elder, organized the time. Various members pitched in and gave their time, some of them whole days, taking time off from work, working alongside each other, in a true community effort. Kurt's in-laws also traveled up from Maryland to give us a full 12-hour day on Saturday. As a result, we now have a worship space that feels brand-new. Moreover, through this process, we were able to get back in touch with what it means that we are a missionary body called together to serve alongside each other in this place. For this, I am grateful and encouraged.

Here's Kurt, leading the way:

Here are his in-laws, Vicki and Alton:

And here is the very nearly finished product:

You can find more photos from the Work Days here.

On another note, thank you to those who have joined us in our 50/50 Campaign. We are grateful for your financial support--you enable us to continue our ministry in a place without many resources. We still have a long way to go, though. Would you consider becoming a part of our team of givers and join the 50/50 Campaign? Details are here.

On still another note, this time a more personal one, my family has been blessed by so many of you who have stepped in and supplied our needs in such varied ways, be they spiritual or physical--through intercessory prayers, financial gifts, words of encouragement, times of friendship, and even an interest-free loan for car when our old one died. They were all right on time. You remind us that the kingdom of God is bigger than we could imagine, and that we can depend on our Father to supply all our needs. Thank you for being the Church. May the Lord supply all of your needs as well, according to his glorious riches in Christ.

Until next time.

Shalom,
Kyuboem Lee

A Brief Visit to The Big Apple

2011-11-05T16:33:00.001-05:00

A brief visit to the Big Apple, originally uploaded by kyuboem.

I took a Bolt Bus up to NYC this morning at the crack of dawn to take care of some personal business. On the way, I had the pleasure of meeting a couple who were on their way up to run in the New York City Marathon tomorrow. They had running shoes strapped to their bags, and I had to ask if they were runners, and if they were on their way up to the marathon. They were and they were. So we got talking about running and the joys and agonies thereof.

I'm excited for them, and I'm thinking about my own Big Run coming up in couple of short weeks. Blessings to all those running in the New York City Marathon tomorrow; my prayers, and my cheers, are with you!

While on the PATH train in NYC, I took a couple of snaps. The above is one of them.

Where Wissahickon and Ridge Ave Meet

2011-11-04T14:47:00.001-05:00

Diallo and Kaheem

2011-10-18T12:49:00.001-05:00

HIP_340476668.644585, originally uploaded by kyuboem.

Theological Discussions with Amoz: The Depravity of Creation

2011-10-11T22:36:00.000-05:00

Just to set it up: With the change of the season, we've been having the sniffles and the coughs around the house.

Amoz: Why did God have to create germs? [An aside: I've wondered many times the same thing about mosquitoes.]

Kyu: When God first made them, germs weren't bad; they were good. As a matter of fact, even now they do some really good things. We need germs to live. Do you know when they became bad?

Amoz: No. When?

Kyu: When Adam and Eve disobeyed God.

Amoz: Man... Why did Adam and Eve do that?

Kyu: Why do you disobey?

Amoz: Well... (sheepish smile)

Kyu: That's why Jesus needed to come and save us.

50/50 Campaign Redux

2011-09-30T13:56:00.002-05:00

If you are interested in our inner city church plant in Philadelphia and would like to pray for us, please consider joining the Friends of Germantown Hope group here. Here's the latest letter I've shared with the group couple of days ago.

A letter to Friends of Germantown Hope: 50/50 Campaign Redux and Other News

Dear Friends of G.Hope,

This week, members of G.Hope will be sending out letters to their family and friends in our renewed effort at 50/50 Campaign (50 friends giving $50 per month towards Germantown Hope's ministry). We would very much appreciate your prayers for this effort as letters go out, conversations get started, and prayers are prayed. (You can read the letter here: http://bit.ly/oYiRxi )
Would you prayerfully consider being a part of our promotional efforts? Perhaps you know people that would love the opportunity to support our ministry. If you are interested in sending out a fund-raising letter (similar to the one that G.Hope members are sending) to your own contacts, but as a Friend of G.Hope, please get in touch with me, and I will share an appropriately worded letter with you.

And would you prayerfully consider being one of the 50? Some of you have committed to giving as a part of the 50/50 Campaign. And many of you have reached out to me and expressed that you are praying for us. Your companionship has meant so much to us. May the Lord encourage you in your walk as you have encouraged us.

In other news, Sis, one of our dear members, led Play Street on Tacoma Street (where we have been conducting street camps in the summers past) for all of this past summer, with help from neighbors and other church members. And recently, she was officially appointed the Block Captain of Tacoma Street! (Though she'd been one unofficially before.) The Lord has given her grace to overcome many obstacles and brought her to this place of leadership in his kingdom, and we are grateful to what the Lord can do in our lives. Recently, I saw her leading a big group of children to church on Sunday, and I was so thankful to the Lord who has formed her into a shepherd of young souls.

On a personal front, I have been on an active full-time job search for a few months now. (I shared with you before about how I was going more fully bi-vocational.) It isn't an easy environment for a job search; there are others in the church who are in a similar situation. We would appreciate your prayers as we press on--for perseverance, hope, and faith.

Thank you, friends, for walking with us. May the Lord supply you too with the hope that overflows from his gospel today.

Shalom,Kyuboem Lee

Overheard in the Lee Household, Pt. 4

2011-09-02T15:23:00.001-05:00

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

HIP_335317642.401249, originally uploaded by kyuboem.

It's that time again! Here are the latest from Amoz and Theo, especially as we celebrate (that's right, parents; it's OK to celebrate) the kids finally heading off to school. You will notice that Theo has become much more talkative and a lot more expressive about his own ideas.... Back to school... It's the most wonderful time of the year....

Theo, I'll buy you a new Beyblade when I'm 6. / Where will you get the money? / Well, aren't there any jobs you can get when you're 6? (8/29/11)

When I grow up, I'll be a hunter. I'll hunt for my food. Like chicken. (8/27/11)

(Theo edition): I want to play baseball and be in Phillies. Then Phillie Phanatik will hug me. And kiss me. (7/27/11)

(Theo edition): Mommy, you know what I don't like? / What? / Barbies. (7/26/11)

Theo, what do you want to be when you grow up? / I want be Amoz. (7/25/11)

You don't have to go to the hospital if you're just sick. Only if you have a broken arm or if you're going crazy. (7/5/11)

I have to button up my shirt because I have a dragon tattoo on my chest, and I don't want people to know I belong to the... DARK SIDE! (6/15/11)

Mommy, why do you have mud on your face? / To look pretty. / Well, you don't look that pretty. (6/13/11)

And pick up that tennis ball canister. / It's called a blaster dookie bazooka. (5/30/11)

...and the best gift you could give on Mother's Day is be really good./ Is Mother's Day only once a year? (5/8/11)

_____ doesn't like me. / She likes you; she's always hugging you. / *That* is tackling. (4/17/11)

(Theo ed): Mommy, come fart with me! (3/20/11)

The flowers are blooming! It's springtime! / Does that mean there's no school today? (3/14/11)

Why don't MarioKart characters wear seatbelts? (2/25/11)

I'm preparing a romantic dinner. / ? ...You're preparing a gigantic dinner? (2/15/11)

Lady With a Teapot

2011-07-12T18:08:00.002-05:00

Lady With a Teapot, originally uploaded by kyuboem.

Via Flickr:
(c) Kyuboem Lee | 1989 | 16" x 10.5" | Pastel on Paper | Collection of Ruth Naomi Floyd

I'm beginning to build a portfolio of my paintings and drawings on-line. This one is the first of the lot, and the first (and only) one I ever sold--to the one and only Ruth Naomi Floyd. She was kind enough to loan it to me so I could take a picture of it for the portfolio.

Zumba!

2011-04-13T10:51:00.001-05:00

[A message sent out to the Friends of G.Hope Group--please join us:]

Hi friends of G.Hope,

This Saturday, April 16, at 12 noon, our church will start Zumba classes at our local playground, Happy Hollow (4800 Wayne Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144). Christe has been teaching Saturday classes at our church building for a few months now, and based on the positive response we've decided to move the venue to Happy Hollow to make the classes more open to the community. We hope to make many more connections with our neighbors through these fun classes that also serve a need here. Please pray with us for this effort, and if you are interested, come out and join the fun!

And... Here is a related message from Christe:

Hi Friends!

The Youth Group of Germantown Hope Community Church is putting the FUN in FUNdraising!!! We would like to invite you to our Mother's Day Zumba Dance Party on May 7, 2011 from 12:00 - 1:30pm at Happy Hollow Playground. Come ready for a 90-minute workout led by yours truly!!! See the attached flyer for more info. Please spread the word! Mark your calendars and get ready to celebrate and support GHope Zumba style!!!

Thanks!
Christe

You can find the flier for the Mother's Day Dance Party at http://bit.ly/evJTvb (or, if you are reading this on The Q Chronicles, you can find the flier on this post; feel free to pass it along). Thanks!

[Side-note: Christe's been a fitness instructor for a few months now, and loving it. She teaches Zumba and BodyCombat--a fitness class made of martial arts moves--at the Roxborough and Ambler Area YMCAs. Are you a Y member? Feel free to come to one of her classes at the Y!]

Journal of Urban Mission Newsletter, March 2011

2011-03-29T13:47:00.000-05:00

The Global Mission of the Church

Journal of Urban Mission Volume 2 Issue 1 has been out for a few weeks on-line now. It has been a privilege for me to work with authors who have been participating in the kingdom work going on in Beijing and Nairobi, and to bring the publication of their writings to fruition. [Read more at JofUM.com.]

Review: Planting Churches in the 21st Century

2011-03-11T10:49:00.001-05:00

Over on the Journal of Urban Mission, I wrote a review for Stuart Murray's book, Planting Churches in the 21st Century, an essential reading if you're into church planting (or the mission of the church) at all. Here's a teaser:

What questions do church planters need to ask? Author Stuart Murray, to answer, leaves no stone unturned (almost), and helps us craft a deeply-reflected missionary strategy that is unique to each church planting situation, eschewing a one-size-fits-all approach.

Check it out here if you get a chance.

Friends of G. Hope January Update

2011-02-03T16:37:00.000-05:00

The following was sent out to Friends of Germantown Hope yesterday. If you'd like to join the mailing list, you can do so here. Make sure you state your reason for joining, otherwise your request will be denied as spam. Thanks!

Dear friends of G. Hope,

I wanted to share with you some good news on the church's financial front. This past Sunday, our treasurer Becky reported that during the past half of our current fiscal year (July-Dec 2010; our fiscal year runs from July to June), we exceeded expectations and had a net income of about $350. That was around $4,000 more than we had projected. (Although we had significantly cut costs, we were still projecting to lose about $3,800 in that time.) This was also the first time that we broke even after coming off our denomination's church plant grants. This represents a milestone for us; thanks to the Lord's provision and your partnership, we are maturing as a church and mission in our neighborhood. This is an encouragement for us as we look forward to what the Lord has for us in the future. May we be emboldened to take steps in a life of faith and mission. Praise the Lord with us. Thank you for your support and friendship.

This Saturday, we will hold a prayer retreat. The theme for our day will be "Loving Each Other into Mission." Our friend from Spirit & Truth Fellowship, Barbara Weidman, will be leading the time. Please pray with us that the Spirit will make us one, that he will renew us in our love for the Lord, his kingdom, and each other, and that he will lead us to walk together into the next stages of our mission in Germantown.

I praise the Lord for your friendship with us in the ministry! May the Lord quicken in you also a love for his kingdom and its news, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Shalom,

Kyuboem Lee

Snowfruit

2011-02-01T13:19:00.002-05:00

Snowfruit, originally uploaded by kyuboem.

This is what it's been like here in Philly for the last week or so. Lots of snow still on the ground; they're predicting freezing rain for tonight. Pretty to look at; not so safe when traveling. Many of us here in Germantown are looking forward to a warmer weather!

Overheard in the Lee Household, Pt. 3

2010-12-28T15:50:00.000-05:00

Part 1 | Part 2

It's been a while since I got all these collected--this post spans 15 months of Overheard in Lee Household's. Theo has joined in the conversation, and to our surprise (sometimes to our delight, sometimes to our chagrin), he's as much a talker as Amoz. Looking back over these, I'm struck by how much better the boys are talking now. Superheroes and movies have been a big theme. I know that these moments are fleeting and I need to enjoy them as God's gifts; I hope you get some enjoyment out of them as well.

I don't need a dog because I have a brother. (12/10/10)

What's the last number? (12/9/10)

Amoz, we should pray for Korea; there's been fighting. / You mean, like ninjas came out to battle? (11/26/10)

Chwokwat! / You mean, chocolate, Theo? / Chwokwat! / Can you say, sleepy? / Yes, shweepy! (11/15/10)

Amoz, that was a lot of poop; it was like a pile of poop. / Yeah, it was like a castle of poop. (11/14/10)

[Mommy catches a snippet of How to Train Your Dragon] Why do they call him Fish Legs? / Because that's his name. (11/11/10)

(Theo ed): (Watching How to Train Your Dragon) I scared of dragon. But that's OK. It's just movie. (10/23/10)

Do you know what an anniversary is? / Yeah, it's when your mommy and daddy can't be with you and you have to go to someone else's house. (10/4/10)

Maybe I will marry Melody, and when the babies are sleeping, we can watch violent movies, or Simpsons, things which that are not for kids. (9/13/10)

[Theo edition]: Don't worry, golf ball. Theo will save you. (7/28/10)

[Theo edition]: [watching Achilles in the Trojan War, cartoon for kids] Ouch. Toe. Fall down. (7/2/10)

[Theo edition]: Potty. I don't like it. (6/30/10)

Jesus is in my lungs. (6/28/10)

I farted. / No, I farted. / No, I farted! / No, I farted! / Will you stop it?! (6/23/10)

[smelling little brother Theo] No, I can't be scared forever! I have to fight Stinky Man! (5/23/10)

[watching Qubo on TV] Woohoo! They're giving cash for gold. Maybe we can get some cash for gold? (5/23/10)

Mommy--Daddy, Theo and me are Koreans. You are not a Korean; but you are a Korean sometimes. (5/3/10)

Daddy, did you see me fart and make bubbles in the bathtub? (4/27/10)

You shouldn't eat too much chocolate, because you will get wired. (Thanks, Grandpa W.) (4/6/09)

I am strong. I am mighty. I am not Jesus. I am the Incredible Hulk! (3/30/09)

Mommy, can you carry my juice? I don't have three hands. (3/29/10)

Mmm, I want to eat my pizza! Oh wait, I need to wash my hands. I've been picking my nose all day long. (3/3/10)

I like guns and swords. / I love you, Amoz. / I love weapons. (2/26/10)

Mommy, can Spider-man stick to snow? (Those in Philly will understand.) (2/16/10)

Cows are made of meat. (2/14/10)

Wow, Daddy, you are the Amazing Shovel-Man! (2/11/10)

I'm sorry I sleep so little... but that's how kings sleep. (2/8/10)

Finish your dinner, Amoz. / I'm full. / No room for treats then? / There's a small room right here for M&M's, but not for dinner. (2/2/10)

Ack, Theo! You ripped my book! You are The Ripper; you're a villain. (1/23/10)

Amoz, you are such a contrarian. / No, I'm not. / You don't even know what that means. / Yes, I do. / You just proved my point. / No, I didn't. (1/19/10)

Amoz, I am in charge of giving out the m & m's. / And I am in charge of eating them. (12/30/09)

we have to go to the library tomorrow; my books are doomed. (12/18/09)

what did you eat in school today amoz? / broccoli poop. (12/15/09)

[to the tune of Row Your Boat] Poop, poop, poopy poop, poopy poopy poop; poopy poopy... [you get the idea] (12/10/09)

i'm making pho broth. / mommy, did you put your foot in it? (11/29/09)

hey mommy, can i play with those two knives? / no, definitely not. / one for me and one for theo. (11/29/09)

Don't stretch out your underwear Amoz, you should wear it; it's not a bow and arrow. (11/26/09)

Sorry I woke you up, Theo. It was an accident. Accidents happen. (11/24/09)

[Theo ed.] Da-Da (11/7/09)

I have to fight Master Shifu. / Why? / Because he beat up Kung Fu Panda. (10/5/09)

(as we were about to embark on a swordfight) shin guard! (10/4/09)

Amoz, if you had a dog, what would you call him? / I call him Tofu. / A cat? / I call him Zero. (9/30/09)

Christmas 2010 card

2010-12-16T22:26:00.002-05:00

Initially Elegant Holiday 5x7 folded card

Shutterfly has elegant holiday invitations for your party.

View the entire collection of cards.

G.Hope Street Camp 2010 Slideshow

2010-07-24T10:56:00.000-05:00

The camp wrapped up yesterday. Here are some pics from the time.

G.Hope Street Camp 2010 Slideshow from Germantown Hope on Vimeo.

A Little Photography Fun

2010-05-21T13:37:00.000-05:00

First bit of fun is the Hipstamatic iPhone app with which I've been taking pics that mimic Instamatic cameras of many years back. (You can find the growing set here.) I've probably assaulted my Facebook friends with way too many of these photos. Sorry, I couldn't stop; they're just plain fun!

The second bit of fun is handing an image over to a Photoshop artist / photographer extraordinaire friend on Flickr to do with it whatever she will. I took a self-portrait with Hipstamatic (the first image), then gave The hills are alive the go-ahead, and she came up with this really cool edit (the second image). Some people are just too talented.

Enjoy!

Journal of Urban Mission: Now Live

2010-05-05T14:52:00.000-05:00

On Friday evening, during our ride out to Camp Donegal in Airville, PA, for Germantown Hope's prayer retreat, I received word that the Journal of Urban Mission's website was now live. I knew I rode out there to spend time with people, but I had to excuse myself for a few minutes to spend time with my phone, and send out word over Facebook and Twitter using whatever signal I could get out there (when was the last time I saw an "E" in that space on my phone?), and make a couple of calls to let folks know.

I wrote about my role in the start of this new journal earlier, and back then (in February) I predicted that the launch would happen in 2-3 weeks. Since then, I'd been telling people who would ask when the launch would be, "We're so close...! Next couple of weeks." I'd been doing that for the last three months. Well, no longer--very happy about this.

There was much more work that was involved in the design, development and launch of a website than I'd ever imagined--we're still working the kinks out. But I'm glad I've been working with pros like Greg Ash (our web designer) and Matt Bainton (our web developer). Prayerfully, this will be the new start of a growing global conversation on the subject of urban mission. Why don't you come over and check us out, and leave a little shout-out if you're so inclined? We could also benefit from a growing support community that believes in the mission of the Journal. I want to ask you to prayerfully consider joining us.

For those of you who have been following along on the Friends of Germantown Hope Group, this duty represents one of the ways that my role will be evolving in the coming days. I'll spell the other ways out some more in subsequent posts. In the meantime, help me celebrate the launch of JofUM.com by spreading the word! Thanks.

Theo, after a BBQ rib

2010-04-12T15:12:00.002-05:00

Theo, after a BBQ rib, originally uploaded by kyuboem.

Just wanted to share a photo of Theo, taken yesterday evening in our backyard.

Good Friday and Easter Sunday at G.Hope

2010-04-10T17:22:00.002-05:00

This Easter season at G.Hope was an uplifting one for us, full of signs of Christ's resurrection.

It began a week and a half beforehand, actually, when the church got together for a time of affirmation of my good friends Scott and Kurt, who'd been with me in the church planting work from the beginning, who had grown in this work along with others, and who were to be ordained as the church's first elders on Easter Sunday. I was deeply encouraged at the outpouring of love and affirmation for them. And not only for them; but also for the church. I believe it was the best congregational meeting we have had.

I believe their ordination was doubly gratifying for me because I could remember the periods of hardship that we went through as a young church plant, and also because Scott and Kurt were "homegrown" leaders. Randy, who joined us on Easter Sunday for the ordination, said he was encouraging another church planter with our story. "It takes a long time for a church plant to develop leadership. You can't get discouraged or anxious too quickly. And it's always best to grow your own leaders."

On Good Friday, Mt. Airy Community Church joined us for a joint worship service. We are seven years old; they are a year old. We share a lot of the same joys and struggles, so it was mutually encouraging for both congregations to commune, worship together, and pray for each other. I don't think I ever had so much fun worshiping during a Good Friday service! I know it's supposed to be a somber time, but when one meditates on the price Jesus was willing to pay out of love for us--rejection, betrayal, miscarriage of justice, cursedness, torture, execution, godforsakenness--I think gratitude and joy is an appropriately worshipful response. And it was just fun to have our sister church there. We are praying that we would partner together to do community-oriented ministries in the coming days. After all, Germantown and Mt. Airy are neighboring communities, and we want to see both our communities reached and transformed with the resurrection life of Christ.

On Easter Saturday, kids got together to dye eggs at church. What's gratifying for me about this was that Sis, pretty much on her own, headed this up. Here she is with two of our teenagers, Kristeen and Stephen, in between pumping our kids full of candy (something that she's really good at).

Stephen, Sis and Kristeen share a laugh during Easter Egg Dyeing.

We asked the kids what Easter was about, and of course their response was something like, "Candy day," so it was our pleasure to tell them about Jesus' death and resurrection, and how that promises new life to all those who believe. Here are some other pics from the day:

Caleb, Amoz and Man Man

Egg Dyeing

On Easter Sunday, there were many reasons for us to celebrate. The day marked seven years for us as a church. Scott and Kurt were getting ordained. The Watkins family was making a public profession of faith, and their five children were all getting baptized. And it was the day to celebrate Christ's resurrection! All of these things speak of new life, of course, especially the new life that's present in the church. And we get to see that resurrection isn't some fairy tale but a living and present reality in our lives today.

Randy led the whole congregation in prayer as we ordained Scott and Kurt into eldership.

Dré and Donna and the kids and their testimonies made me joyous, and the church responded with great heart. I remember especially Dré talking about how he wanted to end it all, put a bullet into his head, at one point in his life. "And look at me now." Donna talked about how she got baptized because she was looking for her dad’s approval. But now, "I believe for myself." Praise God.

The Watkins family, who made a public profession of faith and whose five children were baptized on Easter Sunday

I did five baptisms, one right after the other, for the five Watkins kids.

Theo, Minda and Diallo

Scott with his baby daughter Natalie

I'm an Uncle Again

2010-04-03T12:42:00.004-05:00

Last week, my sister Soyoung, my brother-in-law Phil, and my two nieces Skye and Claire welcomed Cordelia into their family. Now, I'm an uncle to three nieces. And Phil is now--more than ever--the only man in the house. Not that he's complaining.

I don't know how you feel about firearm purchases, Phil, so maybe you could start working up a reputation as a secret ninja for hire. You'll have a hard time keeping all them boys knocking down your door behaving gentlemanly.

You can get the whole birth story over at Soyoung's blog.

Congrats, guys! We can't wait to meet dear Cordelia in person!