fear the community
(or not?)


anyone remember this post? to this day, i still like going back every once and again and reading it. beyond the "hannah (and caroline) and me" and sports-tinged posts, i think this short and sweet entry set the tone for what this site would become. it captures a true and telling snapshot of many of the frustrations that still lingered from my having left the HUMC staff. several of the comments helped me realize that (a) some folks were reading what i had to say and (b) some of them were as surprised and upset with the decision to cancel the halloween carnival as i was. the last comment by then senior pastor owen was the best of all, though, because it highlighted the obvious discomfort that some "concerned" folks had with the idea that i may have still been in conversation with young people (then and now friends) that i used to serve in the role of student pastor. the "concerned" may have won the battle, but i believe that the war is still up for grabs.

call me delusional (and i often am), but there is a part of me that will always wonder if the stink that i raised three years ago caused a wave that collected with other like-minded (and rational) waves on shore that made a difference in the halloween carnival being re-instituted on the campus of huffman united methodist. not that i am asking for any credit in the matter. i couldn't care less really why it happened (ok. that's a lie. i am always more concerned with the "why" it happened.). it just makes me happy that the beast is still alive. and it makes me happy to be a part of something that i believe is a genuine difference-maker at a place that i still believe can genuinely make a difference.

that said, i am happy to report that the halloween carnival is back again this year. that said, i am happier to report that we are bringing back the freaking box maze (!!!) to the proceedings as well. you ask me for a group/company team-building project idea, i will give you the box maze. there is absolutely no other event (outside of a mission trip/choir tour) in my church history that has provided a better example, from start to finish (the blueprinting. the collecting of boxes. the construction. the duct tape. the night of the carnival. the destruction. the clean-up.), of the concept of "team" as our trips in box maze heaven accomplished. am i wrong? what could be more inclusive? worried that you don't have the skills to contribute? i would argue that even you can pick up a box. i would argue that even you can throw away that box. i would argue that even you can use duct tape. and i would apologize to those of you with no arms to accomplish these tasks. but i would tell even you that you could serve the role of surveyor, eyeing the spawn of the beast and giving instruction on where more tape must be placed. it's the end all, be all metaphor for church. it is the box maze. and it's back!

more good news? it's on freaking halloween. in the past, some (probably "concerned") members of our crowd have frowned on the idea of putting the halloween carnival on halloween. "we might attract the ne'er-do-wells." "what happens if someone comes with bad intentions?" "halloween carnivals love the devil!"...or other logical arguments. i say "poo" to the naysayers. i say in the middle of the (currently, though rising) sixth most dangerous city in the country, it stands to reason that we might provide safe haven and alternative to those that want to dress up for fun and candy and not be afraid that they will roll across real (and truly intended) police tape as they march through our community's streets. then again, i could be stupid (and i often am).

there is a part of our church, maybe even the consensus whole, that is scared to death of what our ever-evolving "community" might bring with them if we ever truly "invited" them inside our walls. and that consensus could probably make good points as it relates to their fears. but that does not excuse the fact that fear is only in the mind of the beholder. it's a state of mind. it's complicated, i get it, but it's something that doesn't have to grip you and guide you to making short-sighted and safe decisions like watching fox news all the time. fear is something that can so simply be turned on it's head if one person or one group or one church can redefine the fear into something positive. fear canceled the halloween carnival at HUMC in 2005. but i do believe fear brought it back. and i do believe that fear is bringing back the box maze. and i do believe that if we keep doing carnivals on the day that they should be held and if we keep making box mazes and metaphors for what church should really be, we can re-learn and understand that, yes, we are an old church, but we are not dead yet.

viva la box maze!!!