First week of jury duty is over. Can’t tell you or discuss anything about the case, but it certainly has been interesting. We are dealing with a sub-culture that I didn’t know much about. Learning some interesting insights.
From 9-5 each day, when not in the court room, the jury is locked up together in a small room. Gives you lots of time to talk. The world is full of fascinating and interesting people.
One to three more weeks to go depending on how things work out.
Popularity: 9% [?]
May 4th, 2008
Rick Meigs
Well, as much as I was really hoping not to get selected, I just got notification that I have been picked as one of 15 (out of a pool of 200) to serve in a jury trial. The selection process has been going on for about two weeks.
As much as I have always enjoyed fulfilling this civic responsibility, this trial will last from two weeks to a month (most cases are just a day or so).
Can’t say anything about the case until the trial is over, but at least I now have an excuse for not blogging. Not that I really need one. To quote Andrew Jones, “Don’t feel like it. Don’t want to. Don’t have to.” :-)
Popularity: 15% [?]
April 24th, 2008
Rick Meigs
An interesting verse to mediate upon as it relates to much of the American church today.
Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. (NLT)
They were arrogant and spoiled; they had everything they needed and still refused to help the poor and needy. (CEV)
Are we also guilty of pride, gluttony, and laziness while the poor and needy suffer around us?
Pride: An air of arrogance, smugness and self-importance.
Gluttony: Consuming the treasure entrusted to us by God on ourselves. Even that portion which we “give back to God” is spent in our faith communities to support programs and staff to satisfy our own wants and perceived needs.
Laziness: Indolent, idleness and slothful. Unwilling to make others a life priority or to put ourselves at regular inconvenience to help our neighbors and community including the poor and needy.
Popularity: 29% [?]
Technorati Tags: Missional Church, Emerging Church
April 6th, 2008
Rick Meigs
This will be interesting to watch and see how well Todd’s message is received. I’m sure he would welcome your prayers and let me know your reaction if you attend (or have) one of his Three Is Enough conferences.
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Three Is Enough Groups – Spirituality For the Sake of Others
Todd Hunter, former CEO of Alpha USA, launches new ministry to focus on spiritual transformation
BOISE, ID, April 2, 2008 — Effective April 1, Todd Hunter (51) transitioned from his role of National Director at Alpha USA to launch a new ministry focused on helping pastors and lay leaders reach a generation that has become disenfranchised from the church.
Under the new non-profit, Society for Kingdom Living, Hunter will develop his writing, speaking and professional activities in the areas of conversational evangelism and the 21st century church. Hunter has a passion for evangelism but is convinced that Christianity in America has a massive image problem that stymies most attempts at evangelism. With the basic premise that Christianity needs to be re-practiced in order to help make followers of Jesus in this generation, he is developing resources and events that include writing a series of three books, the first to be published by InterVarsity Press, developing conferences, and teaching at key seminaries.
His first major conference to be held in Minneapolis on May 16-17 features conversational evangelism pioneers Mark Mittleberg, Becky Pippert, Dan Kimball and Garry Poole and Rick Richardson. Hunter has asked Jim Henderson and Off The Map to produce these conferences.
Hunter will begin this ministry by teaching and consulting on Three Is Enough Groups. These groups are designed to show people how to undo un-Christian faith by showing them that heaven is not the goal of Christianity - it is simply the destination. Being the servant - otherly people of God - is the goal.
Through his writing and teaching, Hunter will encourage churches and lay leaders to begin forming Three Is Enough Groups to help individuals pray, grow and serve. Keeping the groups small and focused insures that evangelism can happen anywhere, in the midst of people’s busy lives. Meeting in their most natural places of community – the workplace, school, or at the local coffee shop - Three Is Enough Groups will go on the Journey Inward of spiritual transformation and the Journey Outward of serving others. This will be done through the power of the Holy Spirit, for the sake of others - the least, the last and the missing.
Hunter will continue to be a consultant to Alpha USA and will remain on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He will have an active role in promoting Alpha, teaching on Alpha’s practices, building relationships and advising the organization on strategy.
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Popularity: 31% [?]
Technorati Tags: Three Is Enough, Todd Hunter
April 3rd, 2008
Rick Meigs
Update: Looks like the server for this link is down. Maybe some Leprechauns have been busy. You can find a cached version at Google here
In honor of good old St. Patrick’s Day, here is an Irish Blessing for you. Click on the image.
Popularity: 43% [?]
March 16th, 2008
Rick Meigs
In my motorcycle riding group Jose has shared the hard times that have come his way including needing a place to stay that cost less. He will soon need to move. There is more to the story, but I’ve been praying on how to help. Please whisper a prayer for Jose if you can.
Intercessions
“May those without shelter
be under your guarding
this day O Christ
“May the wandering
find places of welcome.
O son of the tears, of the wounds,
of the piercings,
May your cross this day
be shielding them.”
Popularity: 57% [?]
March 3rd, 2008
Rick Meigs
The Hermeneutics Quiz is designed by Scot McKnight to clarify how you understand the Bible and how you apply it.
After taking the quiz, I find that I’m a moderate on the Hermeneutics Scale.
According to Scot McKnight, “The moderate hermeneutic might be seen as the voice of reason and open-mindedness. Moderates generally score between 53 to 65. Many are conservative on some issues and progressive on others…. Moderates have a flexible hermeneutic that gives them the freedom to pick and choose on which issues they will be progressive or conservative. For that reason, moderates are more open to the charge of inconsistency. What impresses me most about moderates are the struggles they endure to render judgments on hermeneutical issues.”
You can take the test online here or read more about it here.
After taking the quiz, let us know how you scored.
Popularity: 70% [?]
Technorati Tags: Hermeneutics Quiz
February 28th, 2008
Rick Meigs
According to his brother Charles, Larry Norman passed away at 2:45 am, Sunday, February 24, 2008. He died of heart failure at his home in Salem, Oregon, which is just down the road from Portland. Larry is often called the ‘Father of Christian Rock.’
What a memorable comment from Chris Willman, senior music writer for Entertainment Weekly, on who Larry was and how he lived his life:
“He really could’ve been a star if he were singing about something other than Jesus.”
Wiki entry on Larry is here.
Larry Norman singing, “Why Should The Devil Have All The Good Music?” and this great late set with Mike Roe.
Popularity: 60% [?]
Technorati Tags: Larry Norman
February 26th, 2008
Rick Meigs
Portland was named by Forbes as the second most “lustful” city in the USA (tied with San Antonio, TX). You can read more in “America’s Most Sinful Cities.”
Popularity: 67% [?]
Technorati Tags: America's Most Sinful Cities, Forbes
February 18th, 2008
Rick Meigs
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