:: M squared T ::

:: Wednesday, April 28, 2004 ::

Perversion of Justice

Today's Chicago Tribune has an article about a 21-yr. old man who lost his mother in a drunk-driving accident with St. Louis Rams' Leonard Little. Little got a slap-on-the-wrist sentence and now has been caught driving while intoxicated a second time.

His flagrant disregard for the life of the woman he killed and her family are evident from the article.

"How long, O Lord, how long?"

:: Matt 4/28/2004 12:52:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Homeless Like Me

After the chimney was taken down completely, I was covered in fine gray dust. The GUYS and I went to McDonalds on Kirby & Neil for a quick lunch. Mind you, I walked in and immediately went to the bathroom. I washed my hands and wiped my face.

Then I sat through lunch being stared at or "visibly ignored." I got some very bad looks from some parents sitting near us with their kids. I even overheard some folks commenting about how I was a homeless guy these two college guys were taking to lunch. Now, I admit, my hands were shaking from using the #10 sledgehammer all morning, I didn't shave this morning, and I was covered in dust. I was wearing dirty, ripped up clothes.

I stuck out.

What floored me was the utter disrespect that I and the two guys with me were paid. Mocking jokes were made with little effort to cover the disdain. I realized that the other two looked like highschool dropout farm-laborer types. Irony is that both guys with me are in the top 1% at U of I and I'm applying to the Ivy Leagues.

We are slaves to our perceptions. But I must not judge: there, but for the grace of God, go I.

:: Matt 4/24/2004 04:58:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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...with my bare hands!!!

I tore down a chimney this morning with my bare hands. Ok, so it was just the part above the top of the roof. The chimney came up through the middle of the house at the ridge, equidistant from both gables. I got up there to knock it down with a sledgehammer, and with two pushes rocked it off in one piece. Downside is that I cracked a truss beam when it fell. But 2 1/2 feet of chimney, all in one fell swoop!

:: Matt 4/24/2004 04:48:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Yale University Prof. Dr. Miroslav Volf Interviewed by PBS

Dr. Miroslav Volf was interviewed by PBS regarding issues of faith and culture - faith in everyday life. The interview can be found here. The video can be found here.

Quoting from the Online Transcript:

If I say, "I forgive you," I have implicitly said you have done something wrong to me. If I say, "I forgive you," I have blamed you for infringing [in] some way upon my space, [for having] done something that wasn't right. You have committed [an] injustice. So every forgiveness has as ... part a[n] affirmation of the claims of justice and statement that somebody has transgressed against me. But what forgiveness is, at its heart, is both saying that justice has been violated and not letting that violation count against the offender. I release the offender from what justice would demand to be done for that person. That's what forgiveness is. I think Christian tradition has a very acute and important sense of that and can make an important contribution to proper understanding of, and practice of, forgiveness.

Volf speaks of the nature of forgiveness in no uncertain terms: Forgiving someone declares that a wrong has been done. Nonetheless, forgiveness frees the wronged and the wrongdoer of the burden of the wrong, allowing them to live together in reconciliation.

:: Matt 4/22/2004 04:15:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Intratext Library

I just added an "Eccentricities" link to Intratext.com. Intratext has a lot of sources online in a searchable format. Check it out!

:: Matt 4/20/2004 04:44:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Accordion

A friend of mine loaned me his accordion tonight. I played an accordion for the first time! It's rather easy to pick up... everything just follows basic music theory.

I think someone took a picture of me on their camera phone as I sat on our front porch playing. Hmm... Matt the accordion player?

:: Matt 4/17/2004 11:41:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Weather

It's a beautiful day. And across the street from the church, our neighbors have erected a large, inflatable pink gorilla. It's 2 1/2 stories tall.

Party on...

:: Matt 4/16/2004 05:05:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Cabinetry as a Spiritual Discipline

Working with 90-year-old cabinetry is a spiritual discipline. It is a lot of quiet time alone, scrubbing off layers of paint and varnish that have been on there for who knows how long. People come through the room and talk with me: it gives me the opportunity to love them as I work - listening to their day's events.

There's no cutting corners on this project: I'm doing it because I love it. I want to do a good job. Nonetheless, I must beware of perfectionism. It's all 90 years old. It's had seven coats of paint on it. It ain't going to be perfect.

But it is beautiful!

:: Matt 4/13/2004 10:18:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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A Curriculum for Christlikeness

The right sidebar now contains a growing list of written resources for what Dallas Willard calls "A Curriculum for Christlikeness." A believer engaging in this curriculum intends to shape his or her life after Jesus Christ - to look like Jesus. An outline of the Curriculum may be found in two places in Willard's work:

1. The Divine Conspiracy, chapter 9.
2. "Looking Like Jesus," Christianity Today 34 (August 10, 1990), 29 - 31.

I have adapted this model for use in leading others and myself in discipleship. The resources listed to the right are intended for all who desire to grow in this kind of Christlikeness.


:: Matt 4/12/2004 10:39:00 PM :: permalink :: ::
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Deësidia

Lord Jesus Christ
Only Son of God
Have Mercy on Me
A Sinner

Lord, I give my heart to you.
I seek your kingdom and your righteousness first.

Let me seek nothing but you
You for yourself, not for your gifts

Let me live in the new creation
Put to death my old self
Enliven my heart to eternal life.

:: Matt 4/12/2004 10:30:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Christ the Lord is Risen Today

Alleluia!

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens; thou earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids his rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened Paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King! Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Dying once, he all doth save, Alleluia!
Where's thy victory, O grave, Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies. Alleluia!

(Charles Wesley)

:: Matt 4/11/2004 08:34:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Easter Sunday

Alleluia, Christ is Risen!

The Lord is Risen indeed, Alleluia!

:: Matt 4/11/2004 09:56:00 AM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Holy Saturday

This day is Jesus' day of rest - the seventh day of the week of the Passion.
On this day, he rests, dead, in the tomb.
On this day, no one may serve him - it is against the law; his body may not be prepared.
On this day, Jesus rested from all his work.

Silence

All is quiet
All creation waits
All the birds hold their breath
Let nothing disturb our Lord

Noise

All is loud
All "get back to normal"
All the people pass by, heedless of the power of what is going on nearby
The world continues on as it did before

Night falls
We must rest
Tomorrow we will go to the tomb
Will they let us see him?

:: Matt 4/10/2004 06:35:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Good Friday

O sacred Head, now wounded,
With grief and shame weighed down;
Now scornfully surrounded
With thorns, Thine only crown
O sacred Head, what glory,
What bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory,
I joy to call Thee mine

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered
Was all for sinners' gain:
Mine, mine was the transgression,
But Thine the deadly pain
Lo, here I fall, my Saviour!
'Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor,
Vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

What language shall I borrow
To thank Thee, dearest Friend:
For this Thy dying sorrow,
Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever;
And should I fainting be,
Lord let me never, never
Out live my love to Thee


:: Matt 4/09/2004 11:40:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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House

We have just taken on a major service ministry project: Restoration Urban Ministries has given us a house to prepare for a family that needs it. It needs a new roof, new drywall everywhere, probably new wiring, and some new sink/bathroom fixtures.

If you are interested in donating money, time or materials, please e-mail me!

:: Matt 4/08/2004 07:38:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Application

I am moving toward applying to graduate schools. Please pray that they let me in!

:: Matt 4/07/2004 11:38:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Blog Posting

Over at Living Room, Darren asked a question regarding how to start an emerging church thing in a small rural community. I noticed some connections to what we do in our house, so I posted this comment:

I've been starting an emerging community within a house of graduate students at the Unviersity of Illinois - and I think there may be some analagous issues to being the emerging church there as there is to being in a rural community.

When it comes to "knowing everyone and everyone's business," living in a house together is a good place to do that. One of our fundamental issues in this is to help people see themselves and one another through the eyes of Christ. They *think* they know one another. And, given that our house is theoretically Christian, they *think* they love each other and God. And in many respects they do.

We began to overcome this shallowness and disconnection in relationships by creating community within the greater community. Two of us, being "natives" to the house culture, began living a community lifestyle focused on service to Jesus Christ. As the weeks and months have worn on, others, inspired by our lives, have begun to either join us or begin to apply our principles and lifestyle in their churches, etc.

Note, however, that when we said we created community within the greater community that we did not say that we created *a* community within the greater community. We live out community in the presence of the greater community as members of the greater community - we model it.

Through this, our historical divisions and pettiness has begun to fade - our politics, our territorialism, our "not my job" mentality is beginning to give way to a new sense of being-in-community: the community of love in Jesus Christ.

:: Matt 4/05/2004 08:43:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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All Done

After almost 2 1/2 hours of "what about this, Matt?" and "what about that, Matt?" I'm done with my Statement of Faith and Ministry Application Papers. The academic part of becoming a professional church leader is coming to a close.

Nevertheless, I am faced with the haunting issue that, apart from some kind well-wishes, I have nowhere to go after this year that really wants me. I am a part of the Emerging Church - which doesn't even make sense to most of my network of friends and relations.

So I guess I'm advertizing - I'm finishing Seminary in June, and I have a year (or so, if God calls) to work with before I move on to PhD work. I'd like to work with the Emerging Church somewhere - Australia, Europe, USA are preferable.

Where is God calling me?

:: Matt 4/05/2004 08:31:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Statement of Faith & Ministry Application Papers

I will be presenting my Statement of Faith and Ministry Application Papers for peer review today, and listening to feedback from 1:00 - 3:40. I pray that I may do so in love, knowing that I have been put here for the sake of the Gospel.

:: Matt 4/05/2004 09:30:00 AM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Monday in Holy Week

Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other that the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(BCP 220)

:: Matt 4/05/2004 09:20:00 AM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Anniversary

Thirty-six years ago today, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was gunned down at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, TN, as he stepped out on the balcony.

That day, the world lost a leader who looked like Jesus.

Many today are still affected by racial injustice. I pray that we may continue to live out the King's dream - that of Jesus Christ - that we may all eat together at the table of brotherhood.

:: Matt 4/04/2004 04:41:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Palm Sunday

All glory, laud and honor to thee, Redeemer, King,
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.

Thou art the King of Israel, thou David's royal Son,
who in the Lord's name comest, the King and blessed One.

All glory, laud and honor to thee, Redeemer, King,
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.

The company of angels are praising thee on high,
and we with all creation in chorus make reply:

All glory, laud and honor to thee, Redeemer, King,
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.

The people of the Hebrews with palms before thee went;
our praise and prayer and anthems before thee we present:

All glory, laud and honor to thee, Redeemer, King,
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.

To thee, before thy passion, they sang their hymns of praise;
to thee, now high exalted, our melody we raise:

All glory, laud and honor to thee, Redeemer, King,
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.

Thou didst accept their praises - accept our prayers we bring,
who in all good delightest, thou good and gracious King!

All glory, laud and honor to thee, Redeemer, King,
to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.

:: Matt 4/04/2004 10:19:00 AM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Restoration Team

The Restoration Team went out today, as usual, for the morning. This morning, we worked on some of the property in central Champaign, helping to top off a large dumpster and organize what was left. We still have several weeks of work ahead of us, but we made significant progress in "sprucing" the place up.

We are facing some organizational issues between our group and our ministry partners - making sure there is enough (meaningful) work for our group to do. It is, indeed, an exercise in self-denial.

:: Matt 4/03/2004 11:53:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Uh oh

After spending all afternoon working on projects related to finding employment in churches after this school year, I am starting to get the urge to break things.

I hate bubble forms.

:: Matt 4/02/2004 05:19:00 PM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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Assignments Done

All my assignments for my last seminary class are done. Now I have to present them to my classmates and make revisions based upon their critique. My Master's degree is almost here!

:: Matt 4/02/2004 09:12:00 AM :: permalink :: comments (0) ::
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