Saturday Benediction, July 20, 2024

Each camper will receive little surcie*, a packet of liquid IV, which is advertised to be more hydrating that water. We, your chaplain and leaders, hope that Salkehatchie will be hydration for the soul, an act of service and selflessness that will inspire all year long until we are together again. 

Attached to the surcie will be the following prayer: 

 “You have been RENEWED, RECLAIMED and REMIXED. Go forth and REMOVE that which is not of God. REBUILD that which is! You are blessed to be REHYDRATED!”

*A surcie—is a word with Scotch-Irish roots that many Southerners use to describe a “just-because” gift—delights any time of year. This word, "surcie" is used intentionally, because perhaps like the blessing of the boots, our campers might be reminded of Salkehatchie when they see or drink a liquid IV or other hydration aid in the future. It will be a "delight any time of the year" that reminds us of Columbia Salkehatchie.

Friday Devotion, July 19, 2024

Friday: RECLAIM    

Matthew 3:13-17    Then Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized by John.  But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Read: We have reclaimed this house! It has taken all week and LOTS of hard work, but you have accomplished something huge! Remember the work, time, and effort you (and your site team and homeowner) have put into this home. What have we reclaimed the home for? What is the reclaimed purpose of this family? 

We have looked all week at RE-words. We have REMIXED, REMOVED, RENEWED, REBUILT, REHYDRATED AND RECLAIMED...not only have we looked at the home with new eyes we hope you have looked at yourselves with new eyes, “RE” eyes. With God’s eyes. Eyes that have claimed you from the very beginning. Eyes that have looked at you and said, “This is (insert name), whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Before we even started working- God claimed and affirmed and loved each one of us BEFORE any work was done here. The work is important, but the relationships with one another and God are life-changing. To see your life with “RE” eyes means seeing possibilities everywhere. For today and your remaining time try looking at those around you with “RE” eyes. Reclaim them. 

Check-in or Challenge: Site team, Tonight at worship we have a special service including communion. You will have an opportunity to share a memory from the week if you want (it is not mandatory to speak). We invite you to find a symbol or token from your site to place up front. An object that means something to you from this week. Something you can take home with you to remind you that you belong. Site leaders, remember that goal from Monday? “Learn a task, job or something on the site that they want to tackle or accomplish. Maybe something brave or something that would require persistence when they don’t want to. Hear those things and help them this week to accomplish it.” Have you done it? Have you connected with each member of your team? I hope so! 

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help us to love you, to love one another, and love our neighbors. Remix our hearts to be more aligned with you. Remove, renew, rebuild, rehydrate our souls and reclaim us through your Holy Spirit. May our work, words and action honor you today. Amen. 

Thursday Devotion, July 18, 2024

Thursday: REHYDRATE, 

John 7:37-39 living water   Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive.

Read: Today’s the downhill slope! By now we’re feeling hot, tired and maybe a little short with each other. Do you feel like you are sharing rivers of living water? Or rivers of sweat? We suspect you may feel like you’ve shared a lot of sweat, and we hope you have had TONS of water! 

When something is dehydrated - it’s withered, puny and sad looking. It’s aching and crying out for water. We can feel like this too. After long days of working outside in the heat we can start to feel withered and puny and in desperate need of a drink of water and the restoration water brings. 

We can feel this in our spiritual lives as well, whether we know we’re dehydrated or not, in fact when our bodies feel thirsty we are already dehydrated. Sometimes our brains take longer to recognize our needs! Sometimes our brains don’t recognize our need for a relationship with God. 

In the same way, it’s hard in the midst of the week to see that the work being done is holy work. We can see the progress and often assume that it is all being done with our strength. Today, remember that this work is not all done by you but done by God through you for the glory of God. Look at your site-mates and homeowners: can you see God working through them? Have you gotten time with your homeowner? Have you made any new friends? Houses will come and go. PEOPLE are much more resilient and long lasting. Have you invested in rehydrating the people around you? 

Check-in or Challenge: Site team, Have you thought about your site cross or symbols? In addition to repairs and relationships we traditionally leave a cross from the site team at the house. Also, tomorrow you will be asked to find a symbol, something that you get to take home to remind you of our time this week. Start wondering what you might want to bring to worship Friday night and home to your life. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help us to love you, to love one another, and love our neighbors. Remix our hearts to be more aligned with you. Remove, renew, rebuild, rehydrate our souls and reclaim us through your Holy Spirit. May our work, words and action honor you today. Amen. 

Wednesday July 17, 2024

Wednesday:  REBUILD, 

Ephesians 2:19-22   So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Read: It’s day 3, so we’re probably still tearing some things out, but today is also the day to be making plans to start rebuilding this home. Our scripture today starts off reminding the listener (that’s us) that we are no longer strangers, but members of God’s household. What does it mean to be a part of God’s household? Does it mean that this home we are working on is God’s house? Would you do a different quality of work if we thought of this home as God’s home? 

The scripture goes on to talk about Christ as the cornerstone. A cornerstone is the stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls. It’s a piece that is essential to the walls standing. What joins us together to come and partner with (insert name of your homeowner's) family? In one word: Jesus. Jesus is our cornerstone, He is why we are connected and why we are here. We are here to do the work of Christ in the world and this week that means work of all kinds- physical, relational, and mental, and hopefully some fun too! 

As you are working today, be challenged to work as if this home is God’s. Also, think about how you yourself are being changed, being rebuilt; that your spirit is a “dwelling place” for God by the Spirit. 

Check-in or Challenge: Site team, How is your homeowner’s spirit seeing the project continue? Site leaders, follow up with your team. If they had a project or skill they wanted to tackle, have they started? Do they need support? Remember, the work is important, but the people are more important. You know this. Lord, bless our site leaders with heart after yours! Amen. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help us to love you, to love one another, and love our neighbors. Remix our hearts to be more aligned with you. Remove, renew, rebuild, rehydrate our souls and reclaim us through your Holy Spirit. May our work, words and action honor you today. Amen.  

Tuesday Devotion, July 16, 2024

Tuesday: RENEW

Isaiah 40:30-31
Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Read: Yesterday we removed so much from this home. Well done. That was a big work. Today, we begin the process of renewing a new and right spirit in this place. 

The word “renew” has a few definitions, one is to restart (an activity) after an interruption. That description applies, we started yesterday and we restart today. God gives us a fresh start each morning! That’ll preach! If tomorrow wasn’t your best day, you can repair relationships today and start renewed within your spirit and in community. If tomorrow was great you can reconnect with that attitude and continue today! New opportunities each morning! We are not limited by the past.  Thank you God! 

The second definition is to give fresh life or strength to; revive to replace. To give fresh life! We are working together to give this home a fresh life! We are replacing the old with new, we are putting things in new places. This applies to the items in the house… as well as the thoughts and attitudes of our spirit. This house no longer represents the defeat or discouragement of the past but the renewing of strength. The house will be stronger, the family will be stronger and you each will be stronger. You may not feel that way at the end of the day, you might feel physically weary, but we hope that in your spirit you are beginning to feel stronger, renewed by the work of the Holy Spirit through this team’s hearts and hands. The work you are doing matters.  We are proud of you. 

Check-in or Challenge: Site team, Do you know your homeowner's name(s)? Are there any projects they hoped for we might consider? Something you might ask for at Wednesday’s potluck dinner with the church? Leaders, Remember, the work is important, but the people are more important. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help us to love you, to love one another, and love our neighbors. Remix our hearts to be more aligned with you. Remove, renew, rebuild, rehydrate our souls and reclaim us through your Holy Spirit. May our work, words and action honor you today. Amen.  

Monday Devotion July 15, 2024

 Monday: REMOVE                                  

Psalm 51:10-12

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

    and put a new and right spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

    and do not take your holy spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

    and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Read:    Remove is a fitting word for today as today is DEMO day. It’s time to remove what is not working in this house and create a new and right spirit in this place. Not only are we working to remove that which is broken in the home, Psalm 51 reminds us we as followers of God are also called to assess and remove things in our life that do not serve us or God. 

Psalm 51 is a text we often read on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Lent is that season in the church when we remember our need for a Savior. The reminder that we are not doing life all on our own, but we are dependent on God and one another. Psalm 51 was written by David after he royally screwed up. It was bad. David knew he needed to remove what was not working in his life. David knew this because his good and trusted friend Nathan showed him his sin. David needed to remove his sin. David also knew that he, himself, could not do that. David needed God to remove it. And God did. Let’s have a holy Lenten moment today as we remove items from this home. A moment to ponder our need for a Savior. What are some things you want to remove from your life? What are some needs of your spirit you are hoping God and Holy Spirit can remove and reclaim in your heart? (pause, take a holy spirit deep breath) Ok, don’t get stuck in the bad, the list of to be removed…remember God’s love for each of us. Remember David? David was called a man after God’s own heart. After all his mistakes. No one is beyond God’s love, grace and mercy. God will remove it. God already did. 

Check-in or Challenge: Leaders, please in the midst of your to-do list take a moment, even the briefest moment, to check in with your people. Learn their names. Learn something fun about them. Learn a task, job or something on the site that they want to tackle or accomplish. Maybe something brave or something that would require persistence when they don’t want to. Hear those things and help them this week to accomplish it. Remember, the work is important, but the people are more important. You know this. Lord, bless our site leaders with heart after yours! Amen. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help us to love you, to love one another, and love our neighbors. Remix our hearts to be more aligned with you. Remove, renew, rebuild, rehydrate our souls and reclaim us through your Holy Spirit. May our work, words and action honor you today. Amen.  

Cola Salk 2024 Theme Background

 “This is the Re-Mix!”

Way back in 2016 we did a theme called “RE.” In the theme we, Amy Gustafson and myself, used RE-words to highlight different theological experiences of faith and experiences on our job sites. Words like Rebuild, Restore, Renew… and you will see some of these words again.  This summer, in 2024, we are revisiting this idea in a more streamlined way. We are looking at the greatest Re-Mix of our understanding of following God in the Bible. Jesus’ remix of the Shema.

The Shema is an Old Testament prayer to remind God’s people to love God with all their mind, soul and strength. (Deuteronomy 6: 4-9). The Shema prayer expresses the essence of Judaism, that God must be loved and obeyed at all times. Jesus remixed this prayer and understanding of what it means to be faithful by adding, love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36-40.) It's one of the greatest remix's of scripture!

Being a faithful Christian is loving God AND loving our neighbors. What we are doing this week, as we get to know one another and our homeowners, as we work hard to help one another, is loving God and loving our neighbors in our words, deeds and actions. 

What to expect in the daily devotions:

The format of the daily devotions is intended to be quick and impactful. It’s a selection of Scripture and a devotion to be read aloud. A check-in or challenge issued which is your cue to pay attention, and to talk to your people about the challenge at lunch or breaks. Then it will conclude with  a prayer, which is the same prayer each day in the hopes to reinforce the theme. 

The devotions will be posted daily here on my blog so those at home can follow along with the devotions that our Columbia Salkehatchie campers will be reading and pondering each day. (July 13-20th)

Sunday Sermon, July 7, 2024

This is the manuscript of my second sermon at Grace UMC on Harbison in Columbia, SC. Preached Sunday July 7th, 2024. The sound was not working in the livestream so I'm sharing it here in case anyone would like to read it.

*Please be gentle in reading and remember this document is written to be shared aloud. It is not written as a polished or academic style document. It's a little bit like looking behind the curtain of my preaching process. Also, for those in the room where it happened, I at times will improvise and go off "script." 

July 7, 2024 Genesis 2:8-17

Sermon Title: Garden of Eden, part of the Road Trip Series

Goals: Set up series. Emphasis on God is with us from the Garden of Eden to Emmanuel God is with us in Bethlehem. This is the thread of the series, and the story arc of the Bible; God is with us! 

Notes: Garden of Eden. The goodness of God, the provision of God. Adam and Eve were kicked out, but God’s provision was still there. We may not be in the garden, but we still have the benefits of God’s good earth. Humans are not the totality of God’s creation. Introduce the theme of awe, how can someone look at God’s creation and not be in awe of God. Reference the creation psalms, glory of God, the heavens tell the glory of God. Who is God that God is mindful of us…

Sermon: 

Something you don’t know about me; I love to drive. I have taken the boys even when they were little on long solo trips to Ohio, before getting married single girl thought nothing of jumping in the car and driving away. I love road trips. Snacks (gummi sharks), audiobook and miles of open road. (pause) Love it. So, when I was thinking about summer preaching (which is defined by usually lighter topics) I thought…(pause) let’s go on a road trip! And since we’re traveling by imagination, what would be some iconic destinations? (breathe)

We’re going to start with the Garden of Eden, head to Mount Sinai, then to the River Jordan and end up in Bethlehem for a little Christmas in July. The thread that connects each of these stories is God’s presence and provision. God provides everything in creation, God gives order, God provides instructions and a way in the wilderness, and God is with us, Emmanuel, the name which means God is with us, God comes to Bethlehem. The Messiah, our Savior is with us. It’s going to be a beautiful trip. 

So, first stop, (pause) the Garden of Eden. The garden of Eden is described in the Book of Genesis, primarily in chapters 2 and 3. “The exact location of the Garden of Eden remains a mystery, but we do know its general vicinity. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers are the clearest landmarks [and are mentioned in today’s scripture reading]. We also know that early civilization centered in the Fertile Crescent, the area sweeping through modern-day Kuwait, Iraq, Syria and Israel. Eden was either located in the northern mountains around the source of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, or in the southern delta region, closer to the Persian Gulf.” (Wayfinding Bible see page 11) I think it’s amazing that theologians, archaeologists and scientists have an idea where the Garden of Eden was located! 

From today’s text we know that the garden of Eden was a paradise created by God as the dwelling place for the first human beings, Adam and Eve. It was abundant with every type of tree that was pleasing to the eye and good for food. Verse 9, “Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” God provided both beauty and the practicality of food. I love the emphasis made on pleasant to the sight, I think so often we get caught up in the day to day grind we forget to stop and marvel at the beauty of creation. The beauty of the shape of the canopy of a tree or the shape of a green leaf. It’s amazing that a tree, something that is typically large, grows from something as tiny as a seed. And when you think about the odds against a seed growing, “some estimates suggest that only a small percentage of seeds (often less than 10%) may successfully germinate and grow into mature trees in the wild. (nature.com)” Yet, we have trees! It’s a miracle worth admiring. And the trees were designed by God to be both beautiful and fruitful. That’s amazing. And a good reminder to stop and admire creation. When was the last time you marveled at creation?

If we look to the psalms, we find many examples of the wonder, the moments of awe and admiration for God’s creation. Moments when we connect with the sacred through the beauty of creation. God created humanity with so many pathways to connect to God. Beauty is a powerful way. Have you ever driven on a long stretch of road and come round a bend or crested a hill and just been in awe of nature? I’m thinking of coming round the bend near the Saluda grade by Asheville and the magnificent view of the blue ridge parkway. Or as a kid when we turned on to Locust Avenue and I could see the white chicken barns of my grandparent’s farm. We take trips to see God’s beauty, in the natural settings we see or in the people we are visiting. We, as humans, need beauty. I know that may seem strange in our world today to declare that humanity needs beauty, because practicality and convenience have displaced beauty as a value. Yet something happens to us in those moments of beauty when we encounter God in creation. (Brian Zahnd, Beauty will Save the World) When was the last time you marveled at creation?

The Bible highlights this experience, of marvel or awe or wonder, in the psalms. In Psalm 8, the Psalmist marvels that despite the vastness of the universe, God cares for human beings and has crowned them with glory and honor. Psalm 104 is a majestic hymn celebrating God as the creator and sustainer of all life. It vividly describes various aspects of creation—water, mountains, vegetation, animals—and praises God for provision and wisdom in sustaining all of creation. Psalm 24, praises God's sovereignty and holiness, acknowledging that the earth is the Lord's and everything in it is God’s. It emphasizes the beauty and significance of God's creation as part of God’s divine ownership. When was the last time you marveled at God’s creation? 

Our reading today ends with the command to avoid the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Most of us know the rest of the story, Adam and Eve are tempted and eat the fruit. They are kicked out of the garden. It’s a complicated story, and has theological ramifications and has at times been used to subjugate women and to teach that humans are inherently evil…I’m not sure the Bible, as a whole, supports all the ways that the creation story has been used in the world. But I think it is important to highlight that God’s provision did not end in that moment when Adam and Eve exited the garden. God clothed Adam and Eve and creation, the land, plants, animals all of that remained. God continues to care, to be mindful of us. God is present, providing for our needs and seeking ways to reconnect to humanity. We will talk more about God’s rescue plan when we get to Bethlehem. 

The Jesus Storybook Bible, that I read to the children for children’s sermon puts it like this: “God wrote I love you in the sky, and on the earth, and under the see. God wrote this message everywhere. God created everything in the world to reflect God like a mirror, to show what God is like.” (Jesus Storybook Bible, page 12) The creation story teaches us what God is like. God is a creator. God is a provider. God wants creation to succeed and not only have life but to have beauty and joy and wonder! That’s amazing. When was the last time you marveled at creation?

It's amazing that despite Adam and Eve being kicked out of the garden we, even today, benefit from God’s good creation and provision. Humans are not the totality of creation, there is more to the story here. God’s provision remains for humanity and for all of creation. God’s story begins in the Garden, just like our road trip, but God’s story far surpasses any road trip we can take because God’s story is written in every place, every face…God’s story is written in love. God did not create the world and walk away, God has remained. God is with us in our struggles and wins and every mile of our faith journeys. So the question I leave you with today to ponder this week is When was the last time you marveled at creation? When is the last time you truly had a catch your breath moment of marvel at the goodness of God? As we journey onward, may we make time on our journey of faith to look for beauty and marvel at God’s goodness in creation. Amen. Amen. Amen. 

Blessing the Boots Saturday July 13, 2024

Saturday Evening Worship

On Saturday evening the campers will receive their Salkehatchie shirts and in a brief worship service we will bless the boots. 

Boots?

Well, the idea for Blessing of the Boots came from reading this blog: https://slmedia.org/blog/a-new-prayer-for-putting-on-your-shoes

The blog writer, Marie Anne Torres writes: “The prayer comes from the Missionaries of Charity, the order that Saint Mother Teresa founded. The sisters recite specific prayers as they dress themselves with each major article of clothing (according to Mother Teresa - An Authorized Biography). This particular shoe prayer anchors me, pushes me forward — and is delightfully hard to forget as it’s associated with your shoes. The book explains, “As they put on their sandals they committed themselves to following Jesus [by saying], ‘wherever you shall go in search of souls, at any cost to myself and out of pure love for you.’” There are many parts of this prayer that really resonate with me. To begin with, this short prayer is a form of surrender, of mission, and a declaration of love, all in one — all while putting on your shoes. This prayer is also a verbal and physical reminder to be a witness of the Gospel, an instrument of evangelization everywhere you go; wherever you may journey with your shoes on.”

I loved Torres simple reminder to imbue a daily task, putting on shoes, with meaning and prayer. So on Saturday night, we are going to hand out the camper's Salkehatchie t-shirts and then have a liturgy of blessing their boots.

Below is the prayer we will use, and each camper will receive a copy to review each morning. I invite you to join us this week in praying for our campers and homeowners as you put on your shoes for the day.

“As we put on our boots*, let us commit ourselves to following Jesus [by saying], ‘As I go to serve today, let me attend to both the task and to the souls I encounter. Out of pure love for you, God, let me preach, in words or deeds, the Good News!’

Romans 10:15 (CEV)  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!

*boots, work shoes, sneakers…what you are wearing on your feet to work on your site.