http://www.clemsonwesley.comRSS feeds for Clemson Wesley60http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/79/Important-News-from-Clemson-Wesley.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=79http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=79&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/79/Important-News-from-Clemson-Wesley.aspxAlumni, students, supporters and friends of Clemson Wesley – Today is an historic day for Clemson Wesley! After being involved with the renovation or repair of hundreds of homes in recent years in places like Johns Island, New Orleans and the Bahamas, CW’s “home” in downtown Clemson is finally getting some much needed attention. As I write this note upstairs in my office in the CW Student Center, sledgehammers are flying downstairs as workers are doing some of the demo required as we begin our nearly $150,000 renovation to the building. This project has been a topic of conversation since I first arrived in Clemson nine years ago. In the summer of 2001 Clemson UMC was considering relocating to a new location, a move that finally took place in the summer of 2005. With our properties closely linked, the CW Board knew that a move by CUMC would greatly impact how we might be able to use our building in the years to come, given accessibility and visibility concerns.  After much reflection, conversation and prayer, we decided to maintain a downtown presence rather than relocating to CUMC’s new campus. For several years we tabled the renovation conversation due to the weak economy.  Late last fall, we decided to move forward with efforts to raise the money necessary to do a full renovation and makeover to the current Student Center.  To date, over $130,000 has been donated or pledged to make this happen.  Thank you to ALL of you who have given so generously to make this all possible. God is good! Over the next six weeks, new life will be breathed into the 1960s-era CW Student Center.  It is our belief that what has been a burden and eyesore for a while now will become a huge asset in our efforts to reach new generations of students in the greater Clemson area.  We look forward to an “Open House” event in the fall, some time after Labor Day. Thanks again for all your love and support over the years! lane PS – At this point we are still seeking $20-25K in gifts to complete the project, which includes the addition of a parking area for 7-8 vehicles.  If you have not made a pledge or gift, it is not too late.  Contact me for a pledge card or mail a check made payable to “Clemson Wesley Building Fund” to PO Box 1703, Clemson SC 29633. Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell)www.clemsonwesley.comlaneglazeWed, 14 Jul 2010 15:48:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:79http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/74/CW-Weekly-Devotional--A-New-Mandate.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=74http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=74&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/74/CW-Weekly-Devotional--A-New-Mandate.aspxA new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.  Gospel of John 13:34-35, NIV   If you love me, you will obey my command. (14:15)   Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.(14:21)   If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.(14:23)   He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.(14:24a)   If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love…(15:10a)   My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.(15:12)   You are my friends, if you do what I command.(15:14)   This is my command: Love each other.(15:17)   Tonight Christians around the globe will gather in celebration of Maundy Thursday, the night before Jesus died. The term “Maundy” comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning mandate or commandment. On the night before Jesus died, he not only instituted a new ritual that Christians have celebrated since (the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion), but he also gave a new mandate: his true followers will be those who love one another. Pretty simple, huh?   The Gospel writer John must have known that following Jesus’ straightforward, simple command would not be so easy to do. Over the next 52 verses, John has Jesus repeat or reaffirm explicitly the centrality of this command eight more times. Could it be that John, writing a generation or two after Jesus’ death, had already noticed Jesus’ followers struggling to love one another?   As much as I love the Church, we have failed miserably to follow Jesus’ Upper Room mandate. We compete against one another. We celebrate when a “rival” church or leader gets dethroned from a position of prominence. We make jokes about the Baptists, the Catholics, the Pentecostals…even the Methodists that are mean and divisive. Somewhere along the way, we have lost touch with Jesus’ redundant statements from the Gospel of John: true disciples love one another.   And of course many (including many within my tradition, including myself) would extend Jesus’ command to those outside the Church’s walls. Want to be a real Christian? Then love each and every human being, both within the Church and around the world. Yes, this is incredibly difficult to do, especially when someone holds a deeply religious or ideological view far different from ours.  But such is the Jesus that we worship, I believe.  His love extends to all of us, equally, no matter who we are or how we have lived our lives.   Years ago I used to believe that the best evangelism took place at revivals, camp meetings, mountain retreats and on mission trips. Today, I am convinced that the best evangelism occurs when someone experiences a group of Christians who truly love one another and who seek to share that love with the greater world. This is the kind of “preaching” that most speaks to my heart these days.   As St. Francis of Assisi famously quipped, “Preach the Gospel everyday, use words when necessary.” May God help us to “Preach the Gospel” by loving our brothers and sisters, by loving our neighbor as ourselves.   Body and blood of Christ anyone? lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell) www.clemsonwesley.com   Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.  laneglazeThu, 01 Apr 2010 18:05:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:74http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/71/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Get-Up-and-GO.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=71http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=71&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/71/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Get-Up-and-GO.aspxGo ye therefore…. - Matthew 28:19a, KJV   Note: Tomorrow I will be leaving the country with 65 other souls for a week of service, worship, learning and growth on the beautiful island of Eleuthera. This will be the ninth team that Clemson Wesley has sent to the Bahamas since 2003, and the sixth to the beautiful island of Eleuthera (“freedom” in the Greek). This year’s trip is special for two reasons. First, 13 students (mostly nurses) will be partnering with us as part of a study abroad class on Trans-cultural Health Care. Second, our group’s visit will be followed by a team of 29 from a sister church in Seneca, SC, fifteen minutes west of Clemson. Last Sunday I was asked to share some thoughts on the meaning of mission with this vibrant community of faith who will be stepping out in international mission as a church for the first time. Following are the words that I shared with my brothers and sisters at St. Mark UMC. CLG Throughout the Gospels, Jesus commands his disciples to DO many things: to feed, to pray, to forgive, to follow, to clothe, to visit, to heal, to share, to love and, the one command that has probably most shaped our tradition as Methodists…to GO. GO…Go ye therefore…GO. Into all the nations. It is that command to GO that first brought our spiritual forefathers, the Wesleys, to the shores of the Carolina and Georgia nearly 300 years ago.  It is that command to GO that led thousands to mount a horse and risk life and limb as itinerant Methodist preachers. It is that command to GO that led Bishop Thomas Coke, one of the first bishops in our church, to share the Gospel throughout the Bahamas, including on the island of Eleuthera.   It is that command to GO that is the impetus behind every group of Christians who leaves their own communities to share the love of God with others around the globe. To be a follower of Jesus – at least in our tradition – means that we cannot remain stationary. We must GO. And yet as we GO, we remember that our mission is not something that we have somehow dreamed up on our own, but that we are part of something far greater that God has been and is still doing in our world. As one of my mentors, Peter Storey, taught me in seminary, mission “is the active response by a community of believers in obedience to the call of Jesus to share his work in the world. We do not invent. We do not create. It is a reply to something that God is already doing. And it is always done by community.” Pastor Stephen Fbayne, also from South Africa, expressed the same sentiments when he wrote, The Church has no mission of its own. All we can have by ourselves is a club or debating society, and our only hope, left to ourselves, is to win as many members for our own club, and away from other clubs, as we can. And whatever this is, it is not Mission. Mission belongs to God. It was his from the beginning. It is his; it will always be his. He has his purposes from the foundations of the world, and the means to fulfill them; and the only part the Church has in this is obedience – a share in the eternal and life-giving obedience of the Son of God…” And so today we celebrate how this community of faith, St. Mark UMC, is stepping out in obedience to God’s call, to share in what God is already at work doing in God’s world. Speaking from personal experience, the members of your team will meet God in the Bahamas – in heavy doses in fact – working in ways very familiar to them and yet very different. And the members of your team, representing the love, prayers and support of this entire community of faith, will return as different people. For whenever we step out in mission in God’s name, we are changed. We are blessed. We grow…and we move one step closer to becoming faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. And what will this team accomplish during their time in Bahamas? I can only imagine. Sure, some homes will be improved. Some folks will receive medical assistance. Some local churches will be encouraged and boosted. But knowing this church…knowing so many of you…I can only imagine where this stepping out in mission will lead. Will new life-long friendships be made? Will new business or economic development projects be birthed? Will someone hear a calling…or be affirmed in a calling…to a new path, a new direction, a new vocation in life? I can only imagine. St. Mark – on behalf of my dear friends in the Bahamas and on the island of Eleuthera – thank you for saying “yes” to the call. Thank you for your willingness to GO.   Thanks for all of your support over the years to make this and other life-changing experiences a possibility for students. Including this year’s group, nearly 400 participants have shared with, served beside and learned from the people of the Bahamas through these trips over the years.   Keep us all in your prayers, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeSat, 13 Mar 2010 02:22:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:71http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/73/CW-Weekly-Devotional--The-40-Days-of-Lent.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=73http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=73&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/73/CW-Weekly-Devotional--The-40-Days-of-Lent.aspxWhen Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. - Exodus 24:15-18, NIV   Note: Thanks to all of the students who fasted for Haiti over the last few weeks.  The offering that we collected on Sunday night was nearly $500. This will be combined with a $200 contribution from CW (the amount that we saved by eating beans and rice). All proceeds will go to support relief efforts in Haiti. If you were not able to be there on Sunday and would like to contribute, stop by my office later this week. CLG Tonight many Christians around the world will begin preparing for the Lenten season at a Shrove Tuesday supper where pancakes, crepes or other pastries will be the main dish. Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the past tense of the English "shrive" which means to receive absolution of one's sins by confession and doing penance. Historically, priests would shrove their flocks prior to Ash Wednesday and the start of the Lenten Season. The celebration of Mardi Gras (“fat Tuesday” in the French) grew out of the need to empty the cupboards before the fasting season of Lent began. Lent begins tomorrow with Ash Wednesday, where ashes from the burned palm leaves from the previous year's Palm Sunday are imposed on the foreheads of Christians accompanied by the following words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." Ash Wednesday is a time when we remember our mortality, our sinfulness and, ultimately, our need for God. Throughout the next Forty Days (excluding Sundays, which are always feast days), Christians typically focus on three spiritual disciplines designed to lead us to a deeper love for God and neighbor: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The Forty Days of Lent are viewed as a sufficient or complete length of time of spiritual preparation, mirroring the time of preparation for Moses on Sinai and later Jesus in the wilderness. Through disciplined prayer, fasting and almsgiving, Christians seek to become more God- or Christ-like, and more grateful for what God has done for us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, the week before Jesus' resurrection on Easter Sunday. Palm Sunday marks the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowds while palm branches were waved or spread on the road for the triumphal entry. Several days later Christians gather for Maundy Thursday, with "maundy" coming from the Latin for "mandate" in John's Gospel. In the upper room the night before Jesus died, he says to his disciples, "I give you a new commandment (mandate), that you should love another, just as I have loved you." Maundy Thursday services are usually times when Christians celebrate Holy Communion, a rite instituted by Jesus on the night before he died. Many communities of faith also perform footwashing on this night, remembering that Jesus washed his disciples' feet as they entered for the celebration of the Passover meal for the last time together. The day that Jesus was crucified, Good Friday, is more aptly called "Mourning Friday" in Germany. Some believe that the word "Good" at one time was "God's", while others understand "Good" to mean "Holy." Remembering the events of Good Friday through a reenactment of the Stations of the Cross is popular in certain traditions. The Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday is known by many different names around the world. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the day is often referred to as Holy or Great Saturday or the Great Sabbath, as a reminder of Jesus resting in the tomb. The day is also known as Black Saturday (Philippines), White Saturday (Czech Republic) or Silent Saturday (Netherlands). As noted in the Apostles' Creed, many believe that Jesus descended into hell on this day to share the Good News with all who had died before him (I Peter 3:18-20, 4:6). Of course, Lent ends with the celebration of Easter, the day in which the women discovered that the tomb has been rolled away and that God had raised Jesus, the one who was faithful until the end, from the dead. Early on, Christians began to gather on Sundays in recognition of this great event and in anticipation of Christ's return. Before long, Sunday, the "Lord's" day, replaced Saturday as the day for worship, the day for Sabbath. This Lent, I hope that you will seek to use the next 40 days as a time to grow deeper in your love for God and neighbor. As with all things, we can receive Lent as a great gift from God and the Church and treat it as such, or we can take what was intended for good and turn into something that is another work or law to be performed. As you contemplate the possibility of giving up some things for this season, I encourage to reflect on what things or activities to which you most quickly turn when you are seeking to fill that void or ache deep inside, a void or ache that we know can only be satisfied fully by the presence of God. I found the following list of possible fasting items that a sister church in Seneca is using especially helpful as I contemplate the ways in which I need to fast this season:   Junk food, alcohol, television, texting, arguing, car radio, movies, adding salt, fast food, buying new clothes, coffee, internet, gossip, chat rooms, lottery tickets, smoking, criticizing, desserts, cell phone, meat, sodas, noise, judgmentalism, video games, magazines, IPods, soap operas, Blackberry, parties, bridge club, emails, candy, parking close to the store, gambling, novels, news shows (Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc.), whining, eating out computer, clutter, second helpings, Facebook, pleasure trips, gossip magazines, wearing jewelry, favorite TV show, gourmet food (eat simply)   (Note: The only thing that I felt the need to add given my context here in Tigertown - Clemson sporting events!)   I pray that throughout these next 40 days you may experience “the glory of the LORD” in visceral, palpable ways. Looking for clouds, lane PS – There will be an ecumenical Ash Wednesday service tomorrow on campus at 12:30 pm in McKissick Theater (in Hendrix) along with a service at 6:30 pm at Clemson UMC. Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell) www.clemsonwesley.com   Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeWed, 17 Feb 2010 02:38:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:73http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/72/Default.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=72http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=72&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/72/Default.aspx  Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and relents from punishing. Joel 2:12-13, NRSV   Throughout the story of God and God’s people as revealed in the Scriptures, the people of God signify their love for God through the practices of prayer and fasting.  One of many examples can be found in Joel’s famous prophetic text where he calls the people to return to a right relationship with the One who has created, redeemed and continually saved them – a good and gracious God indeed – through the spiritual disciplines of prayer and fasting. As the most recent sad chapter in the story of Haiti continues to unfold, several students within our ministry had an inspired idea. Given the complex historical and political challenges associated with Haiti and concerns about how to best be of help (as the story of the likely well-intentioned but now incarcerated group of missionaries from Idaho has reminded us), maybe the best way for us to be in solidarity with the Haitians is to pray and fast on their behalf?  Throughout this past week, a number of students have been doing just that, and I want to invite others of you (students and non-students alike) to do the same in the days and weeks ahead.  Next Sunday night (2/14) we plan to collect the first offering generated from students who have saved money by fasting from meals. (We plan to forward the funds to organizations who know how to make best use of it on the ground in Haiti.) As I peruse my own widening frame every morning after showering, I, like many of you, could benefit both physically and spiritually from spending time praying rather than eating a meal every day or two. If you’d like to fast but are not sure how to do it safely, let me know and I’ll be happy to give you some tips.   While on the subject of Haiti, I received the following reflection piece from my good Bahamian friend, Shaun Ingraham, who has been working with Habitat for Humanity International in Port-au-Prince over the last few weeks.  Shaun has tremendous experience working with crises such as this one in Haiti and has spent the better part of the last 18 years in disaster relief and recovery work. Given his first-hand knowledge of relief and recovery done well and not so well (as has been so often the case historically in Haiti), I will continue to consult Shaun about how we as Americans might best be able to help in Haiti without creating or contributing to the sense of dependency and entitlement and societal chaos that often results from foreign aid infusions.  I hope you find Shaun’s perspective helpful as you, your family and your faith community continue to keep the people of Haiti in your prayers.  Shaun entitled this essay, “Layer Upon Layer”:   As we continued our tour today, the big question was, “How can we heal Haiti?” Will Haiti get the support that it needs to pull through this period and emerge a more economically stable country? Or, will the world quickly forget it once the cameras turn to the next sensational news item?   Is this indeed Haiti’s time to turn “lemons into lemonade?”   As I rode and discussed this with my host, we suspected there is more than one issue that has to be considered if this is to happen. While having lunch, the observation was made that it was like peeling an onion.Some of these challenges included:   A Crumbling Infrastructure It is reported that at least one hundred boats now wait off the coast to land their cargo at Port a Prince. It is depressing to know that some of this cargo just might be canvass tents, food, bedding, water and/or clothing. Or, do they have on board heavy machinery, excavators, front-end loaders, vehicles, building materials and/or medical supplies? In any event, whenever they arrive they will not be a moment too soon.   A journey from Pignon to Port a Prince that is approximately 60 miles takes 4 hours to travel. Leaving travelers sore and tired. Clogged road ways with traffic jams that delay workers for hours, thus cutting into productivity.   An Acute Brain Drain Each year thousands of Haitians leave their homes in search of a better way of life. Some end up in New York, Canada, France, and others in Miami. They travel to give their children “a better way of life.” All of our hosts are quick to point out that they have no plans to leave. They feel like Haiti needs them. What would happen if Haiti began a Come Back Home Programme? Will the diaspora return to apply their skills to the economic, political, educational and cultural institutions? What about the Haitian nurses and doctors abroad? I have seen the local ones working in some of the most adverse of conditions.   Seventy-five Percent Unemployment Can any country survive with this crippling statistic? While this percentage points to the number of individuals that do not have a paying job or who pay taxes, it does not mean that Haitians do not work hard. Each morning, men, women and children gather beside the street with their goods to sell to those passing by. Some have fruit and vegetables, others have phone cards, and still others sell flowers at the local flower market. Today at one of the collapsed buildings, two stories high, I saw a man about the age of 32 sluggishly swing a sledge hammer at the tie beam, a task that in a more modern society is reserved for heavy machinery. His comrade had a hacksaw diligently working on cutting away the rebar that held the huge chunks of concrete together. Not sure how this ended, but I am willing to guess that they didn’t accomplish much and will have to return tomorrow and the next day and maybe even for a week to complete a task for which they get paid two dollars a day.   A Lack of Misunderstanding by the World If you travel to Haiti and meet the local people, visit their homes and see the beauty of the beaches and hills, immediately the doom and gloom and hopelessness that we often see on television is replaced by Spirit-filled people who refuse to give up; people that are proud of their history, even if they have sometimes been punished for it and by it.   A friend of mine when he heard that I was traveling to Haiti asked me to deliver something to a friend of his that worked at a hotel in Haiti. Upon pulling up to the hotel, I soon realized that this could have been on a beach in Bermuda, Bahamas or Cayman Islands. It was beautiful. Most of all it was owned and operated by locals. As I inquired about this facility the driver informed me that just recently a former US President had stayed there on his visit to Haiti.   Our conversations went on for hours as we sat in the midday traffic. We pointed out some obvious as well as not so obvious problems. I kept pushing the driver, who did not always understand my Bahamian English, to help me come up with solutions. I wanted to understand and know Haiti.   His response was, “It is not easy to understand our problems.” He suggested that one had to be an insider to understand. I began to agree with him. As I peeled away one layer, another one appeared.   Tomorrow we will travel into the city again and continue to seek strategic ways to carry out our mission. I am sure of one thing, there are no easy answers and no quick solutions. We are in this one for the long run…   May God continue to bless the Haitian people at this time, and may God begin to open our eyes as Americans to the ways in which our lives and theirs are forever (in this life and the life to come) interconnected. lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell) www.clemsonwesley.com   Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeSun, 07 Feb 2010 02:32:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:72http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/70/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Haiti.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=70http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=70&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/70/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Haiti.aspxHaiti   Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4, NRSV   Students, Katrina alums, and other friends,   After hearing from many of you about what CW was planning to do to help in Haiti, I thought that I would share with you my thoughts at this time.   When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in late August 2005, I knew that it would take a month or so for the first responders and NGOs to do their work of saving lives and establishing the infrastructure needed for the recovery effort. For this reason, CW began working in early September to mobilize a team of Clemson students and others to visit the affected areas in mid-October. As it turned out, sections of the greater New Orleans area continued to be a “wild west” of sorts through the end of 2005, nearly four months after the storm hit.   The situation in Haiti is and will continue to be much worse. While the NOPD and FEMA proved ineffective and overwhelmed often in the months after Katrina, the government infrastructure in Haiti is practically non-existent at this time. I expect that it will take months before the environment in Haiti is safe enough for teams of volunteers to go. And when that time does come, only those with significant training and experience in working with disasters of this magnitude should be in the first wave. The last thing that Haiti needs right now are folks with the potential to be more of a burden than a blessing.   For now, I encourage you to support the Red Cross, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) or other reputable agencies that are seeking to direct dollars and other resources immediately into the crisis. And as people of faith, let us not forget or underestimate the importance and power of prayer. The government officials need it. The NGOs and first responders need it. The pilots and truck drivers need it. The missionaries and other internationals who have dedicated their lives to Haiti need it. And most importantly, the people of Haiti need it – including those at home and as part of the greater Haitian diaspora.   As Christians, we worship a God who is always bringing resurrection, hope and new life from death, darkness and despair. Let us put our trust in God, and let us do what we can to help equip those best-suited to care for the bruised and broken at this time. With a heavy heart, lane PS – I hope that everyone will look for ways to serve on Monday as Americans celebrate the MLK holiday. Here in Clemson hundreds of students, faculty and staff will take a “day on” rather than a “day off” as they serve with various agencies around our community. In my opinion, this is another great way to show solidarity with those who are suffering in Haiti right now. Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell) www.clemsonwesley.com   Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeFri, 15 Jan 2010 21:21:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:70http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/69/Default.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=69http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=69&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/69/Default.aspxBut we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinth. 4:7-10, NIV)   Note: The events of this past week - locally and around our nation and world - combined with the expectation of Clemson’s game against Florida State this Saturday night reminded me of this devotional written in November, 2003. If you recall, the Tigers defeated Florida State and then finished the season with impressive wins against USC and Tennessee in the Peach Bowl. My heart goes out to all who are struggling today, especially my neighbor who lost her home in a fire earlier this week and the families and communities connected to Fort Hood in Texas. May God help us to rediscover the joy of the Lord. CLG  If you've ever doubted the Resurrection, you should have been in Clemson on Saturday night. A week before the Clemson football team and its head coach had been written off by many as dead. What life had remained in the Tigers and their leader had been beaten out of them on the field at Grove Stadium in Winston-Salem a week earlier. They had been crushed. They had been destroyed. Most of the faithful were left perplexed. Many felt despair. But isn't a football season so often symbolic of the seasons of our lives? Just when things seem to be clicking along just fine, the rug is pulled from underneath our feet. And just when we think that things couldn't get worse, a ray of sunshine and hope breaks through the stormy clouds. When Paul wrote his second letter to the church in Corinth, storm clouds had already formed. Like many coastal cities, Corinth was filled with many vices, many "false gospels." It was a difficult place for believers to live. There were constant temptations and persecutions. The church had grown weak, and they struggled to remain faithful in midst of rampant idolatry and immorality. Paul wrote to give them hope…to remind them of the high calling that had been bestowed upon them. In Christ they had been newly created, and in Christ they had been charged with an awesome task: the ministry of reconciliation. They were to be ambassadors for God both in Corinth and throughout the world, "as though God were making his appeal through" them (vv. 5:17-20). While he understands that they often felt fragile and weak like jars made of clay, Paul concludes that this is part of God's plan: to use imperfect, cracked vessels to convey the power of His message of love, grace and salvation through Jesus Christ. I did not go to Clemson's game on Saturday night, but I had made plans to meet my brother and nephew at the top of the hill after the game. I arrived in time to watch the last few minutes of the game and to witness the dismantling of both goal posts. Several minutes later, as I stood near the top of the hill, I found myself being corralled by an L-shaped piece of the goal post as it was being carried up the hill by several hundred excited fans. In a matter of seconds, I and another student found ourselves pinned against the stadium gate, with the fluorescent post tight against our chests. We couldn't move, and hoards of people kept moving toward us. I was scared, and the student beside me began to panic. The pressure continued to build for another 10-15 seconds, until the L-shaped post finally snapped at the joint. The student and I checked on each other, breathed a sigh of relief, and went our separate ways. As a campus minister, I know many students and others who feel as if they have an L-shaped piece of the goal post pressing in on them. The sources of this pressure vary: problems at home, the death of a loved one, a friend's suicide, worries about grades and scholarships, friends in Iraq, a friend with cancer, guilt from the past, relationships gone awry. Some feel as if they are going to be crushed. Some feel as if their life has been destroyed. Most are perplexed. Many feel great despair. As people of faith, there are times when all is going well and the life of Jesus shines throughout our bodies and lives. But, as in the case of the Corinthians, there are also times when the death of Jesus is more evident in how we live. And while we feel hard pressed, struck down and full of despair, the Good News is that God will never abandon us. God will see us through our difficult time and promises a rainbow at the end of the storm. A song by Darrell Evans, “Trading My Sorrows,” quotes Paul’s words and affirms God’s promises in a meaningful way: I'm pressed but not crushed persecuted not abandoned Struck down but not destroyed I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure And his joy's gonna be my strength Though the sorrow may last for the night His joy comes with the morning I'm trading my sorrow I'm trading my shame I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord I'm trading my sickness I'm trading my pain I'm laying it down for the joy of the Lord With seams, cracks and fissures, lane   Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeFri, 06 Nov 2009 15:40:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:69http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/67/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Fatherhood.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=67http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=67&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/67/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Fatherhood.aspxDon’t you see that children are God’s best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?  Psalm 127:3, The Message   Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him Father. Lynda M Child, author   September 24, 1993.  It seems like yesterday…and yet it was 16 years ago.  It was the day that our family of three grew by one as we welcomed little Miss Grace Coleman Glaze into the world at the Women’s Hospital in Greensboro, NC. Several years earlier our first child, Griffin, was one of those unexpected gifts that makes life wonderful but a little stressful too. Not long after she turned two, Anne and I were ready for another child to add to mix.  Thankfully, Grace was born about ten months later - a healthy, happy (and very cold!) little girl.   I never gave too much thought to being a father until several weeks after Grace was born. Sure, I had enjoyed being a father to Griffin for several years, but the reality of it all did not sink in until Grace’s birth.  Our family dynamic had changed, and the amount of work required to make it all run smoothly seemed to triple or quadruple – not double as we expected.  I can remember turning to Anne a month or so after we brought Grace home and asking, “Ok, why are we having children again?”   I think it is fair to say that most of us men stumble into fatherhood.  While our wives long for children to hold and nurture, we see children and think, “Alright, there’s clothes, and braces, and camp, and car insurance, and college…” And of course in my case as the father of two girls, “…and boys, and weddings!” To be totally honest, visions of dollar signs dominated my mind those first few years of fatherhood for me!   In hindsight, I think God used Grace’s birth sixteen years ago to wake me up to the true meaning of fatherhood. First and foremost, fatherhood is a great gift.  The Psalmist argues that it is God’s best gift, and after nearly nineteen years of being a father I would have to agree. Yes, it is a great privilege and it carries tremendous responsibility that cannot be taken lightly.  At times, it can feel like a burden.  At other times, it can prove to be quite costly. But above all, it is a great gift. For me, it has been the best of all gifts that I have received during my adult years - I absolutely LOVE being Griffin and Grace’s dad. It has been a source of joy far exceeding any award, promotion or recognition that I may have received. In fact, I really can’t believe it has been so much fun.   I hope that this devotional serves to encourage (and not condemn) all men out there. We all know and some of us have experienced fathers who did not fulfill their role faithfully.  Others of us dream of having our own children but cannot. And while in the end some of us are blessed to be biological fathers, ALL OF US are called to be fathers to the children and youth that God puts in our path.  Today, I also remember the coaches, teachers, church members and others who have been fathers to me in every sense of the word over the years.  I thank God for them, and I know that I wouldn’t be half the man that I am today were it not for their love, support, exhortation and example. May we all cherish the great gifts that God has bestowed on us – today and everyday of our lives. Grateful for the gentle voices in my life, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.  laneglazeThu, 24 Sep 2009 14:33:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:67http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/65/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Perseverance.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=65http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=65&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/65/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Perseverance.aspx Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  Epistle of James 1:2-4, TNIV Thank you, Clemson Tigers. Thank you, Coach Swinney. For the first time in a long time, your performance last night reaffirmed a core value that was instilled in me as a little boy and that I’ve tried to instill in my own children and others over the years: Never, ever give up. The fancy word for what we saw last night is “perseverance.” To persevere is to do something in spite of difficulty. To persevere is to persist despite great odds.  To persevere is to refuse to give up. Last night, the Tigers did just that. Thank you. Studying on the theme of perseverance this morning, I found it interesting that the apostle James would begin his letter by exhorting his brothers and sisters in the faith with words about perseverance.  When (not if) we face trials in life, James writes, we should consider it pure joy.  But why in the world would we ever consider difficulties a cause for joy? Because, continues James, these trials are essential to our development as human beings and people of faith.  These trials or tests – part of life for us all - in turn produce perseverance, and this perseverance is necessary if we are to become the people that God created us to be: mature and complete men and women who do not lack anything.   The apostle Paul in his letter to the Roman church speaks similarly of the relationship between trials, perseverance and our personal and faith development when he writes: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith in this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:1-4, NIV Like James, Paul understood that perseverance is closely linked with the formation of one’s character and also tied to the one virtue that arguably makes all other virtues even possible: hope.  As the saying goes, “When the world says ‘Give up,” hope says, ‘Try it one more time.’” I was raised by a strong-willed father and older brother to “Never, ever give up.” I’ve heard that hundreds of times over the years.  But throughout my life, I can remember being so tempted to walk away from the challenges before me.  I was tempted on the diamond in Little League. I was tempted during my first exam week in college. I was tempted during my years in business. I’ve been tempted throughout my marriage. And I’ve been tempted during my time in ministry. Like last night, life for us all is full of bad plays, bad breaks and bad calls. With each difficulty that comes our way, we have a choice to make.  We can complain, or we can respond. Those with a grace-filled character find a way to pick themselves up, brush themselves off and reenter the game.   It is around this time of the semester that many students need a boost of encouragement. Some are homesick. Some are anxious about finding a job after graduation. Some are worried about mounting school loans. Some, like many on this 9-11 anniversary, are grieving the loss of a loved one. And some are trying to recover from a broken heart. I believe that to these and others who feel discouraged and downtrodden, the God of new life and new opportunities says, “Don’t give up.  Keep plodding along. Take it one day at time.  And remember, through it all, I will make sure you are stronger and more complete when you get to the other side.”   Brushing myself off, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeFri, 11 Sep 2009 18:47:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:65http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/63/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Miracle-on-First-Friday.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=63http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=63&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/63/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Miracle-on-First-Friday.aspxJesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Gospel of Matthew 4:23, NIV Note: As I pen these words, I can see College Avenue filled with cars and bystanders as the Clemson community prepares to celebrate the First Friday parade before the first home football game tomorrow.  All day long I have had the events from four years ago on my mind when we all witnessed a true miracle that First Friday. Do you believe in miracles? As these words written three years ago reveal, I sure do! CLG In just a few hours the Clemson Tigers will begin their football season against a much a less known and inferior opponent, Florida Atlantic. Many are speculating that this might be another miracle season for Clemson, like the one 25 years ago when Clemson won the national championship. That season, Clemson opened with another less known and inferior opponent, Wofford College, a small, United Methodist NAIA school with 1,000 students that would eventually become my alma mater. Part of Wofford’s lore is that their 1981 football team actually led the eventual national champion by a score of 3-0 early in that first game. As is Clemson’s tradition, the festivities began yesterday with the First Friday parade winding itself past Bowman Field and the heart of campus. For most bystanders, it was the usual parade of cars and a few tractors, fraternities and sororities chanting and cheering, and my friend Sarah Hayes, the reigning Ms. Clemson, wearing her crown and waving her arm until it was about to drop off. For many local Clemson residents, however, yesterday’s parade was very different than in past years. Rather than having a local celebrity serve as the Grand Marshall, the University asked Caroline Terry, a fifth grader from the Clemson area who miraculously survived being run over by a float during last year’s parade, to serve in this role. Flanked by many of her friends, family and fellow students, Caroline performed well, wearing a big smile and waving her arm until it was about to drop off. Last year’s parade will long remain a vivid memory for me and many others in Clemson, and the accident raised many puzzling questions. How could such a small body withstand almost a ton of weight sitting on it for close to 30 seconds? How were no bones broken or organs crushed? How, on such a noisy day, was someone able to stop the driver from running over her head just in time? Did the hundreds (if not thousands) of prayers being lifted up that day play a part in the miracle that took place? Why did Caroline survive almost unscathed when we see other young people die in similar accidents all the time? Of course, the answers to all of the questions remain mysteries, and it is to these mysteries that our faith seeks to speak. I do believe in miracles, in part because I have experienced in my own life events that defy logic, physics or reasonable explanation. My years in ministry have also taught me to believe in the miraculous. As a pastor, I am privileged to hear and witness story after story of people surviving horrific accidents, experiencing healing from disease or deformity, or living on when death was a certainty. Most of us who have lived long enough understand that these occasions are always times to celebrate and give thanks to God for the precious gift of life. We understand, in part, because we know how often the healing hasn’t come. We understand because we know how often the young person with such hope does not survive the car wreck. We understand because we see disease and death claim victim after victim, day after day. The Gospels teach us that Jesus’ ministry was four-fold in nature: preaching or proclaiming, teaching, healing diseases and performing miracles. Matthew makes this point early in his Gospel (4:23-25), and then outlines for us examples of Jesus’ teaching and preaching (chapters 5-7) followed by stories of his healings and miracles (8-9:34). He book-ends this early section of his Gospel at the end of chapter 9 with basically the same words from earlier in chapter 4: “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness” (9:35). It’s as if Matthew is saying to us, “You want a snapshot of Jesus’ life and ministry – here it is!” While the Gospels tell us repeatedly that Jesus was most concerned about the proclamation of his message and the sharing of his teaching (see Mark 1:38, for example), the Gospels also reveal that Jesus used numerous healings and miracles as a way of establishing his authority, both for the disciples he had called and the crowds who followed him. History reveals that there were many miracle workers in Galilee during that time, and surely many saw Jesus of Nazareth as someone who could give them the physical healing for which they had long hoped. When you read the Gospels, you get a sense that Jesus is concerned that he will be known simply as another miracle worker, not as someone who “taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law” (Mk. 1:22). In my mind, I believe that Jesus was most concerned about our receiving, understanding, practicing and sharing his teachings, his way of life. I believe that following in the way of Jesus – loving God and neighbor, forgiving others, loving our enemies, giving generously and anonymously – leads to the kind of life here on earth that God wills for us all. Call it eternal living, if you’d like. And I believe that God gives us the grace to live this way. But in my heart, I believe that Jesus is still performing the kinds of miracles and healings that we see in the Scriptures. I wish these miracles happened more often…or should I say…I wish that I could see more clearly the evidence of how God is performing miracles around us every day. I know that I witnessed a miracle last year in life of Caroline Terry, and it leaves me believing that God has special plans for her in the years ahead. Who knows, maybe serving as Grand Marshall for this year’s parade is one of the first of many opportunities that she will have throughout her life to tell others, “Let me share with you what God has done for me.” Will the Tigers have another miracle season like they had a quarter of a century ago? Who knows? In light of Caroline’s story, today I have my mind fixed on other things. A steward of the mysteries, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeFri, 04 Sep 2009 17:58:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:63http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/62/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Bid-Day.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=62http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=62&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/62/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Bid-Day.aspx Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea--for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.   Mark 1:15-20, NRSV Note: Today is once again Bid Day at Clemson for the historically white sororities. I first published “Bid Day” on August 27, 2004, almost five years ago to the day. Several tearful phone calls and conversations over the last few days have reminded me of “Bid Days” from the past. I hope that these words will once again prove helpful to those who feel left out as others celebrate. CLG     For thousands of Clemson co-eds, this past week marked a special event in their college career: Bid Day. After a week of rush, walking around in high heels and wearing constant smiles on their faces, many girls received a bid from the sorority that they had hoped to join. The scene on Bowman Field Wednesday evening foreshadowed what is to come next Saturday in Death Valley as hoards of girls ran down the hill from Tillman to meet their new “family.”   Like at most Southern schools, Greek life is a big deal at Clemson. I have heard estimates that over one-half of all Clemson females will join a sorority, while one-third of all males will join a fraternity. On a campus the size of Clemson, it continues to be a great way to meet new people and make new friends.   As a campus minister, I am always a little nervous when Bid Day rolls around. Most years I’ll hear two or three stories of students who did not get the bid that they wanted. Fraternities and sororities occasionally do and say things to alienate, hurt and exclude others. A lot like some churches.   I can remember Greek rush in my undergrad days. At my alma mater, practically everyone went through rush, with three out of four opting to pledge. When I declined an invitation on Bid Day (mostly for financial reasons – the dues were just too expensive), it was a very difficult decision. After not going Greek, I was labeled a “social outcast” by one classmate. (Ironically, he’s now a UM minister like me.) The experience left me very cynical not only toward the Greek system but also toward some of my classmates who felt “called into the ministry.”   My wife, on the other hand, had a great experience in her sorority at the College of Charleston. To this day several of her best friends were fellow Chi Omegas. She served as President during her last full year, learning much about what it takes to lead and inspire others. Thanks to her experience, I came to appreciate some of the more positive aspects of fraternity and sorority life.   For four scruffy, unpolished men, Bid Day came not on a field of green grass but beside the seashore. A man named Jesus was creating a new, different kind of fraternity. When he saw Simon, Andrew, James and John, he issued them each a bid. “Come, join my fraternity. Follow me, and we’ll fish for other people.” Immediately, the four dropped their nets and accepted the invitation. They were filled with excitement. They were nervous about what the future might hold.   Like the young women a few nights ago, the four men said “YES” to Jesus without really knowing what was in store for them. Unknowingly, they had just joined a group that would forever change their lives. As brothers (and later with sisters), they would be asked to leave their old families to form a new one. As brothers, they would be sent out to invite others to join their new fraternity. As brothers, they would be asked to reconfirm their loyalty to their founder over and over again. As brothers, they would be required to love, care and stand by one another…even unto death.   In Jesus’ fraternity, every day is Bid Day. And every Bid or invitation is preceded by the same words spoken by Jesus as he began his ministry. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”   Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that when Jesus issues his invitation to discipleship he also “bids us come and die.” To live with Jesus, we must always first experience death. Death to our old, meaningless gods. Death to our old, narrow perspectives. Death to our old, life-threatening habits. Death to our old groups and labels. Death to our prejudices. Death to our self-importance. Death to everything that keeps us from becoming who God has created us to be. Maybe it is no coincidence that the Latin prefix for God (dei) is so close in spelling to the English “die.”   As Paul reminded us, in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free (Galatians 3:23). All persons – no matter their background, race, education or status – receive the same bid from the Great Bidder. But many of us choose not to accept the invitation. Some, like me, reject it for financial reasons. Tragically, others refuse the invitation because they don’t feel worthy or good enough.   As members of the family of God, we have been charged with the responsibility of sharing the invitation to each and everyone that we know and meet. It will be easy to share this Good News with those who look and speak like us. The difficult work lies in extending the invitation to people unlike us. May God give us the eyes to see all people as worthy of receiving a bid, and may God give us the courage to extend a bid to the one ignored by everyone else.   Casting nets everywhere, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.      laneglazeThu, 27 Aug 2009 12:45:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:62http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/77/Default.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=77http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=77&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/77/Default.aspx Note: The following report was made at the annual meeting of United Methodists in June. I used the occasion to talk about "radical" approaches from our past as Wesleyan-Methodists and how those same methods might be employed today to reach a new generation of young people.  CLG While in seminary I was introduced to Howard Snyder’s book The Radical Wesley and Patterns for Church Renewal. Part theological and part historical, Snyder’s book left an impression on me that continues to shape my approach toward campus ministry in Clemson. Snyder, more than another Wesley historian that I have read, focuses his text on the ways in which the otherwise “prim and proper” John Wesley was willing to think or work “outside the box” of his day - a stuffy, lifeless, overly Reformed-leaning Church of England. As someone who seeks to bridge the gap between the 50+ somethings and the Gen X, Y and even Z generations, I have found Snyder’s short yet pithy text helpful. I have come to believe that a reclaiming of the “radical” Wesley is one of the keys to our older Methodists appreciating our younger ones, and vice versa. But who is this “radical” Wesley that Snyder reveals? In summary, this “radical” Wesley is one who was willing to innovate and try new approaches to accomplish the primary goal of sharing the Gospel and “Scriptural holiness” with all God’s children, everywhere. Wesley’s willingness to be flexible on the “opinions” while staying true to the “essentials” manifested itself in many startling and controversial ways for his day, including:  leaving the “sacred” space of the church to share the Gospel with the poor and disenfranchised in the fields, mines, factories, and street corners; making use of the popular secular tunes of the day (often the ones sung in saloons) through new hymns designed to teach the tenets of the faith; commissioning uneducated yet gifted laity to preach the Gospel to the masses; empowering women to play significant leadership roles in the life of the movement; organizing believers into classes, bands and societies to ensure that everyone who joined the movement was both encouraged and held accountable in the living out of their faith; emphasizing that there was no personal holiness without social holiness, and that works of piety had to be intertwined with works of mercy directed to the poor, the hungry and the imprisoned; advocating against slavery, greed, and the other destructive social ills of his day; and establishing plain, unadorned preaching houses to ensure that the Gospel might be conveyed clearly and plainly to all people, no matter their social status. Wesley’s radical approach led him to being banned from many Church of England pulpits, even though he remained an ordained Anglican priest until the day he died. And the fruits of his controversial work? Well, you and I along with the 75 million other Methodists/Wesleyans around the world owe him a debt of gratitude. At Clemson Wesley and Clemson UMC, we strive to keep our eyes firmly on the “essentials” of the faith while always being open to new possibilities, approaches and even innovations to reach today’s younger generations. For example, we believe that there is no one right way or style to worship God, so long as our worship is centered on loving God with our heart, soul, mind and strength and calling us to love our neighbor as ourselves. We believe that each and every person’s voice and gifts are essential to the whole, no matter their gender, race or social status. We believe that our time together within the four walls of sanctuary should empower us to lives lived for God outside the sanctuary. In summary, we believe that our methodology is consistent with the “radical” Wesley that we all claim as our forefather in the faith, and we are grateful to God for the fruit that these efforts have yielded in Clemson over the years. In closing, I believe that it is essential for us all to remember that the Methodist movement started on a college campus. As in the era of John and Charles Wesley, college students today are equally as “ripe” for the Gospel as they were then. On the primary campus which I serve, there are a variety of campus ministers and ministries seeking to serve the faculty, staff and students. Some of these organizations are doing good work, while others are seeking to proclaim a Gospel that strongly differs from what we as Methodists hold dear. Sadly, the financial resources being expended by some of these groups are five to ten times what Clemson Wesley and Clemson UMC are able to fund. On other campuses the primary “competition” is not a distorted and potentially dangerous Gospel but no Gospel at all, where atheism, secular humanism and hedonism lead in the number of conversions. To address these developments, I would challenge all Annual Conference delegates to inquire about how their local churches might be involved in hands-on ministry with and to the college students and campuses in their community. Here in Clemson, we are blessed to receive financial and other forms of tangible support from many of our sister UM churches in the greater Clemson area. It is a partnership model that works well and bears much fruit, and one that can easily be duplicated in other communities. I believe it is a model that would make the “radical” Wesley very pleased. This is a glimpse of the approach that we seek to use with the nearly 800 students that call CW and/or CUMC home each year. We give God thanks for the thousands of graduates over the years who continue to serve God and the Church through full-time, ordained, and lay ministry. To all the individuals, pastors, youth ministers, Sunday School classes, women’s and men’s groups and local churches who support this ministry through your apportionments or other special gifts – may God bless you all in your desire to reach today’s generation of young people with the Good News of Jesus Christ. The harvest continues to be ripe, but more laborers and more folks willing to step “outside the box” are desperately needed. Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-654-5547 (o) and 864-207-9135 (cell) www.clemsonwesley.com   Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.  laneglazeMon, 01 Jun 2009 13:25:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:77http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/61/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Which-Jesus.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=61http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=61&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/61/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Which-Jesus.aspx   When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36, NIV   Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. Matthew 23:23-24, NIV Tonight in the amphitheater a large group of students will gather around 9 pm to hear a presentation by a fellow student on the question, “Why Jesus?” It is my understanding that several Clemson students, independent of any particular church or campus organization, have been planning the event for several months now. Per their website, the group’s goal is to “answer the question of who Jesus Christ was, what He did, and why He is such a central figure in the lives of so many people around the globe.” The sponsoring group refers to themselves as “The Body,” and their vision is to work with the various campus ministries “to create an avenue [where] all these different campus ministries can come together to work as one body to reach Clemson’s campus for Christ.” Given the fact that I oversee one of the more significant campus ministries at Clemson and I have yet to meet any of The Body’s leaders, I must confess that I am a little skeptical of the group’s stated goals. But who knows, maybe the bridge-building is scheduled to begin tomorrow morning? Nonetheless, I look forward to catching part of the program tonight to hear what my brothers and sisters in Christ have to say.   Since arriving in Clemson almost eight years ago I have sought to build bridges across the many different campus ministries at Clemson. I hope that when my days in Clemson are over, I will be remembered as someone who, even though linked to a particular ministry and denomination, sought to be in relationship to all Christians, whether liberal or conservative, liturgical or contemporary, worship-centered or service-centered. And just as important, I hope that I will be remembered by non-Christians as kind, compassionate and non-judgmental. Engaging in ecumenical and interfaith dialogue is very challenging but so crucial for all people of faith to practice in our post-9/11 world.   During my first few years in Clemson I too focused much of my time on asking the “Why Jesus?” question. Why Jesus and not Moses? Why Jesus and not Muhammed? Why Jesus and not Allen Greenspan? Why Jesus and not Tommy Bowden? Why Jesus and not George W. Bush? Of all the human beings who have lived, why should we look to a Jew who lived 2,000 years ago as our Savior and Lord, as the “author and perfector of our faith” (Heb 12:2)? In hindsight, I have worked hard over the years to answer the “Why Jesus?” question, so hard that I have often been accused of “loving Jesus too much.”   Several years ago I decided that the “Why Jesus?” question was not nearly as important around Clemson as the “Which Jesus?” question. You see, there are many different “Jesuses” worshipped and followed around here. There’s Jesus the slain Lamb of God and Savior of the world (or of “the chosen” or “of those who profess his name,” depending on your theological slant). There’s Jesus the Radical Liberator, the new Moses who desires freedom from the bondages of the past. There's Jesus the Gatekeeper, the one who issues tickets for who's included or excluded from heaven after you die. There’s Jesus the Gift Giver, the one who gives us everything we want and need – we just have to ask. There’s Jesus the Homeboy or Friend who’s cool to claim. There’s Jesus the Anarchist, the one whose voice is always in competition with the economic and political powers that be. And not to forget, there’s Jesus the Academician, the one whose wisdom rivals that of the other great minds of history.   Yes, it is difficult to have the “Why Jesus?” question before you identify “Which Jesus?” you might meet or hear about in Clemson. Surely, the answer to both questions is one reason why the “one, true Church” can be found in so many different manifestations today.   And which Jesus have I sought to proclaim during my years in Clemson? Two different glimpses of Jesus come to mind, both from Matthew’s Gospel.   The first glimpse of Jesus can be found at the end of the Sermon on the Mount and the ten miracles, where Jesus is described as having compassion on the crowds when he sees them. Repeatedly throughout the Gospels, Jesus’ first impulse is to have compassion on those who are lost, hungry, hurt, broken, “harassed and helpless.” I believe that Jesus always has compassion on those whom we might describe in this way, including ourselves at times.   The second glimpse of Jesus is depicted in the last days before his crucifixion, where he has these and other harsh words for the religious leaders of his day: Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. Here we seem to meet a very harsh, hell-fire and brimstone Jesus, a Jesus that is often lifted up in pulpits around the Bible Belt. What most preachers fail to remember is that Jesus’ words here are not directed to the hurting and harassed masses (those in the pews or tonight’s amphitheater, you might say), rather they are directed toward people like me – people who seek to speak on behalf of and represent the triune God in the world. Sadly, such misrepresentations of Jesus have led many to live lives either consumed by guilt or outside the Church.    It is for this reason, I believe, that those of us who seek to proclaim the Gospel do so with “fear and trembling” (Phil 2:12). While it might be tempting to call down “fire from heaven” on those who may reject Jesus (Lk 9:51-55), we must always remember that Jesus speaks for the One who is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6, NRSV).   May all who claim the name of Jesus, whether in the pulpit or the pew, seek to do the same. And may God be with “The Body” as they seek to represent faithfully Jesus and the triune God tonight.    Focusing on justice, mercy and faithfulness, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu. laneglazeWed, 22 Apr 2009 21:12:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:61http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/59/Default.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=59http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=59&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/59/Default.aspxA Child of the Resurrection   The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. Gospel of Luke 20:34-36, NIV     Note: I first shared the core of these thoughts in a sermon preached at Clemson UMC in November 2004. Throughout the Lenten season I found myself focusing on the theme of this sermon: the cycle of dying and being raised anew. Yesterday, I shared this during my last visit with an adult Sunday School Class with whom I have been studying the Gospel of Luke since January. CLG   Today is Easter Sunday. After 40 long days of preparation and reflection, we arrive today to discover that the tomb is empty and that life, not death, has the final word. We gather, just like the women, giving witness to the Resurrection of our Lord.  But what does it mean to be a witness to this event? And to borrow Jesus’ own words, what does it mean to be “children of the resurrection”?   Interestingly, these words are not spoken by the risen Christ. Instead, Luke reports that shortly before his trial and crucifixion, Jesus utters these words in a conversation with the Sadducees, who did not believe in the Resurrection. Yes, there continue to be many “sadducees” in our world today…some even in the Church.   As Luke’s Gospel winds down in chapter 19, Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He then enters and clears the Temple, and later he spends his week teaching and sharing prophecy in and around that area. His actions on Palm Sunday infuriate the religious leaders, and we are reminded shortly thereafter that they begin to plot for a way to kill him. The chief priests, the scribes and the other religious leaders also begin to challenge him openly, hoping to trip him up, to catch him saying something that would allow them to bring charges against him.   In Luke 20 we discover that these religious leaders include the Sadducees, the first and last time that they are mentioned in Luke’s Gospel. What do we know about these men? The writer tells us here only that “they say there is no resurrection” from the dead. In Acts – the second volume of Luke’s two-part story – we discover in the 23rd chapter that the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, in angels or in spirits, three things believed and taught by the Pharisees, a group with whom we are usually more familiar.   From other ancient writings we know that the Sadducees were one of several religious and political parties at the time of Jesus in Jerusalem. While the Pharisees were more popular with the masses, the Sadducees were a close-knit group of aristocratic priests who worked hard to maintain warm ties with Rome. The Sadducees’ primary role was to oversee the Temple cult. As such, they, unlike the Pharisees, believed that Jews could only truly worship Yahweh when they made their periodic pilgrimages to Jerusalem.   Often the Sadducees and the Pharisees are lumped into the same group, but actually they held very little in common. The Sadducees only recognized the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures, and they did not adhere to the other writings of the Prophets or the detailed teachings and interpretations passed down by the Pharisees and scribes. And because the Torah did not mention explicitly the Resurrection, the Sadducees did not believe in it. While the Pharisees believed in and hoped for a Messiah, the Sadducees did not, probably because such a Messiah would have created much disruption to their ordered lives. It is fair to say that the Sadducees were more political than religious, more conservative than radical, more interested in maintaining the status quo – which benefited them greatly – than in seeing any revival led by a Messiah.   So probably with a sense of nervous curiosity, the Sadducees one day pull Jesus aside to ask him a question.   “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother…you know, so that his brother’s name might be carried on. Now Jesus, let’s assume that there are seven brothers who all die having been married to the same woman who never gives birth to any children. Finally, the woman dies.”   After outlining this scenario, an improbable one but also one that is addressed in the Torah law, the Sadducees, maybe giggling by now, pose the question intended to stump Jesus – a question that sounds like something you’d hear on the Maury Povich show. “At the resurrection, Jesus, whose wife will the woman be – the first brother’s, the second brother’s, the third brother’s, the fourth brother’s, or the seventh brother’s - given that at one point in time she had been married to each of the seven brothers?”   Knowing their hearts just like he knows ours, Jesus knew that their question had little to do with marriage per se, but mainly with the resurrection, something that the Sadducees found heretical, if not comical. For this reason, Jesus responds with only one sentence about marriage before talking about the reality of resurrection. "Those who belong to this age marry, and...are given in marriage.  But those who are considered worthy of a place in that age - the Resurrection age - they neither marry or are given in marriage.  Indeed...for you see, they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God...in fact, they are children of the Resurrection."   Jesus then explains to his Sadduceen skeptics – those who only revered the first five books of Moses – that God has always been the God of the living, not the God of the dead. Using stories from the Torah, Jesus argues that when Moses speaks in the burning bush story of the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, he makes the claim, implicitly if not explicitly, that the three have been or will be raised by God. Why? For God is always a God of the living, and in the eyes of God all three of them are alive.   Bewildered, the Sadducees remain quiet. Jesus had just shown them that resurrection has always been part of God’s nature, even since the time of Abraham. Luke then tells us that some scribes, people who knew their Bibles from cover to cover, spoke up. “Teacher, you have spoken well.” This bizarre story concludes by telling us that they – probably the Sadducees – no longer dared to ask him any more questions.   Surprisingly, throughout the Biblical and extrabiblical record, we find no mention of a Sadducee becoming a follower of Jesus. While other important Jewish religious leaders did convert, apparently none of the Sadducees ever did. And with their influence tied to the Temple cult, the Sadducees disappeared from history when the Temple was destroyed several decades after Jesus’ death.   Of course, all of this begs the question: Why did the Sadducees not believe in Jesus? Or, using the language from Luke 20, why did they never want to become children of the Resurrection?   There are probably a number of reasons. For starters, the Sadducees were very wealthy, and surely they must have heard about Jesus’ prophetic teachings against the perils of wealth. The Gospel of Luke is filled with such stories, including the story of the Rich Young Man, the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, and the parable of the Rich Fool to name a few.   Second, and maybe more significantly, the Sadducees were also very powerful, and we all know how difficult it is for someone in power to relinquish, or even share, that power with someone else. I am sure that the Sadducees had a hard time believing in someone who preached that those who now humble themselves before God will one day be exalted, while those who exalt themselves will one day be humbled. Such concepts would have left them befuddled…or maybe scared to death.   We could name other reasons, but I believe that the Sadducees were not willing to become children of the Resurrection for one simple reason: they were afraid to die. They were afraid to die. And to be a child of the Resurrection, you must first die. You know the end of the Gospel story.  Death always comes before Resurrection. Good Friday always comes before Easter Sunday. To become a child of the Resurrection, we first must die.    Of course, all of this begs yet another, more personal question: Do I want to be a child of the Resurrection? Or am I content with living the dead-end life of a Sadducee? It could be said that the life of faith is a process of dying. Dying to old habits. Dying to old ways of thinking.  Dying to the idols of this world that we believe might save us. Every day, Christ calls us to die. And why? So that we might live. Remember what Jesus told his disciples at Caesarea Philippi. “For those who want to save their life will lose it, while those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of gospel, will save it. For what will it profit us to gain the whole world, and yet still forfeit our life?”   Now I don’t know how God is calling you to die today – maybe it’s to an addiction that has had a strangle hold on you for years. Maybe it’s to an attitude of negativity and pessimism. Maybe it’s to a feeling of worthlessness or despair.   While I don’t know how God is calling you, I do have a sense of how God is calling me to die. I know that my prideful self needs to die. I know that my need to be in control needs to die. I know that my need to do-do-do needs to die. I know that I need to die in many ways, so that I might be raised into the newness of life that God desires for me, so that I might become a true child of the Resurrection. How is God calling you to die?   Recently I read a book on congregational development, and the title of the book connects well with this theme: You Only Have to Die. You see, not only do we need to die as individuals before we can experience Resurrection living, we must also die as congregations before we can experience Resurrection living. In what ways does your community of faith need to die today so that you might become all that God desires for you? In what ways are you, individually and corporately, just like the Sadducees - playing it safe, not willing to let go of the past, not willing to believe, not able to trust the Resurrection power of God?   Are you interested in being a child of the Resurrection? Is your community of faith interested in being a church of the Resurrection?  On the other side there is the promise of new life…we only have to die. O to be a child again, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeMon, 13 Apr 2009 13:59:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:59http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/56/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Yabbo-Dabo-Doo-2.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=56http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=56&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/56/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Yabbo-Dabo-Doo-2.aspxMy soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Luke 1:46b-49, NRSV   It has been seven weeks since I penned my first remarks about Clemson's football coaching change, one that I entitled "Yabbo-Dabo-doo!"  Since then, much has changed around Tigertown.  Phrases like "Yabba-Dabo-doo" and "I'm All In" can now be found on placards, t-shirts and other souvenirs all around town.  The once gloomy, pessimistic mood of mid-October has dissipated and, despite the worsening economy and weather, a cheerful, optimistic mood rules the day.  Clemson, known for its culture of positivism, is once again a hope-filled place.  In this season of "Change We Can Believe In," all credit must be given to a bold yet humble 39 year-old man, Dabo Swinney.  As I have written on numerous occasions through these devotionals, many of my best childhood memories involved family outings to watch the Tigers play.  I remember sliding down the Hill as a little boy when nobody used to sit there.  I remember trekking over to Jervey at least once a fall to visit my dad's former coach, Frank Howard.  I was there for The Catch in '77, The Punch in '78 and The Championship in '81.  My childhood was filled with many blessings, and cheering for the Tigers alongside my parents and brothers was one of them.  And even though Clemson didn't always win, they always played hard.  They always represented Clemson well.  They were My Team. Years later, when I moved to Clemson to serve as a Campus Minister in 2001, so much had changed.  Clemson football, like so many other programs around the country, had become big business.  To me, the Tigers played more like a professional team than one filled with exuberant, emotional 20 year-olds.  On too many occasions the team would disappear for a quarter, a half or even an entire game.  Unexplainable, disappointing losses would follow spectacular wins.  Growing increasingly disengaged and disinterested, I longed for the days when, whether win or lose, I knew that My Team would play hard...when My Team would represent well, week in and week out. Thanks to Dabo Swinney, my love for the Tigers has been rekindled over these last seven weeks.  For the first time in a long time, I have felt like I could call the group of players on the field My Team.  And while I know that Clemson is still a big-time program where winning is almost everything, the administration's decision to hire Swinney has given me hope that things other than the almighty dollar are still at work here on this campus.  I am grateful to know that Dabo and Kathleen will be representing Clemson to the rest of the world.  The school and the community could not have selected two better ambassadors.   While most in Clemson are now focused on the upcoming Bowl Season, preachers like me are focused on another season that started two days ago: Advent, the four week season of preparation and expectation of the coming of Christ into our lives and world.  For me, Dabo's story reminds me of Mary's, the mother of Jesus.  From humble and challenging beginnings, the most unlikely person is lifted up by God for the opportunity and job of a lifetime.  Yesterday, Dabo's opening words at the press conference to announce his hiring reminded me of Mary's famous words after she said "yes" to the mission that God had for her.  Dabo's "Magnificat" not only brought tears to his eyes, but to mine and many others as well.  Yes, Dabo and Kathleen, from now on all generations will call you blessed, as you've known for quite some time.  May God continue to use you both to be an even greater blessing to others in the years to come.   All in, lane PS -  Larry Williams, beat writer for Clemson and (I'm proud to say) a member of the church that I serve, did a great job of sharing the Swinneys' inspiring story in "Against All Odds" published last week. See http://clemson.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=882281 for a copy. Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu. All in,laneglazeTue, 02 Dec 2008 21:56:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:56http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/53/CW-Weekly-Devotional--YabboDaboDoo.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=53http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=53&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/53/CW-Weekly-Devotional--YabboDaboDoo.aspx      When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" Matthew 21:10, NIV       Just when it looked like it couldn't get any worse, things began to turn early Monday morning.  Despite the growing fears and frustrations over the last few weeks, yesterday started with the sense that maybe we had reached rock bottom...that maybe our leaders were prepared to do all in their power to bailout the situation.  By midday, the news that so many had been craving finally began to hit the streets.  The financial markets have rebounded?  Oh, no.  No, the attention of Clemson Nation on Monday was not focused on the Russell or Treasury buildings in DC, but on the Jervey and McFadden buildings on the edge of Clemson's campus.   Finally, the cries of so many had been heard.  Bowden was out, and Swinney was in.  "Yabbo-dabo-doo!" Yesterday's events made the longtime Clemson Tiger fan within me reminisce a little.  The Red Parker days.  The Danny Ford days.  The Ken Hatfield days.  And now, I guess we can add, the Tommy Bowden days.  All good people, all good coaches...whose time as the Leader of Clemson Nation had come and passed.   The small college student-athlete in me reacted differently to yesterday's news. How have we allowed college athletics to grow into such big business?  What have we gained...and what have we lost?  What lessons are we teaching our children?  What does our collective investment in the college sports industry say about our priorities, our values, our morals as a state?  Is it time for a massive overhaul of the systems and structures of college sports as well?    The pastor in me felt the need to pray.  For the Bowdens, knowing that even a pile of money can't heal certain wounds.  For my daughter's friend, who will most likely be having to move once again.  And for the Swinneys, a quality young couple now thrust into the brightest of spotlights.    Lastly, the preacher-prophet in me was reminded of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  "Here comes our hero to save the day!  All of our problems will soon be solved!"   Dabo and Kathleen, a piece of advice:  Always remember that the same crowd that welcomed Jesus later called for his "dismissal."  Stay firm in your faith...be true to your heart...and keep your eyes on the One that will see you through it all.   With mixed emotions, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeTue, 14 Oct 2008 18:31:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:53http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/51/Default.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=51http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=51&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/51/Default.aspxJeremiah said, "The word of the LORD came to me: Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, 'Buy my field at Anathoth, because as nearest relative it is your right and duty to buy it.' Jeremiah 32:6-7, NIV   Note: Two Sundays ago, in light of all the uncertainty facing our country and world, I felt the need to preach from this text about the story of Jeremiah's purchase of land in the midst of great devastation. Since then, fear and anxiety throughout our world has grown in intensity. As markets continue to fall, we hear reports of desperate acts like the tragic murder-suicide in California. These are indeed historic times, and we all must choose how we will respond.  As a person of faith, I choose to follow the example of Jeremiah – one who fixed his eyes on performing a hopeful act in a very desperate time generations ago. Following is an excerpt from the sermon I preached at Clemson UMC on September 28, 2008, words that continue to be relevant. CLG The prophet Jeremiah was certainly no bullfrog – even though everyone thought he was full of bull. And he sure wouldn’t have been a friend of mine…or yours…or anyone else’s, for that matter. He was just an ornery nuisance, always throwing a wet towel on the party of the day. Today, we’d say that he was OCD – always compulsively obsessed with doom and gloom scenarios, believing all the while, of course, that he was a prophet speaking on behalf of the God Most High. I can hear him now, “Thus saith the Lord…” Can you believe the ego that is necessary for someone to walk around saying, “Thus saith the Lord!” But this is exactly what Jeremiah did practically every day, for years and years. He was the kind of guy that you would avoid at all costs – you’d never dream of inviting him to your home…or to your tailgate…what a party pooper!   And, long before McCain and Obama hit the scene, Jeremiah was THE original person who campaigned for CHANGE. “If you don’t change your ways…life as you now know it will soon come to an end,” Jeremiah would frequently rant. “Change, one way or another, IS coming. It’s up to you, people of God, to decide if it will happen on your terms…or God’s terms!”   Don’t you know this Jeremiah –  Mr. Glass-is-Half-Empty, Mr. Chicken-Little, Mr. No-Silver-Lining-in-Sight – must have been voted Most Annoying by his senior class!  Who wants to be around someone who is always looking for the worst in every circumstance? It is no wonder that he was treated like an idiot, like a religious zealot by all who knew him.  A little bit of religion is good, right?  But Jeremiah was way out of control, way over the top.   But one day, everything changed. In the midst of the greatest devastation and despair that his people had ever known, the old, doom-and-gloom Jeremiah began to fade away. And a new Jeremiah, one full of joy and hope, began to emerge. He started saying things that weren’t inflammatory…but hopeful, healing and positive. Things like this:   Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters.  The Lord promises that very soon he will come to you and fulfill his gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For he knows the plans he has for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon the Lord and come and pray to him, and he will listen to you.   And then a little later, probably the most famous words that Jeremiah ever shared with the people of God:   "The time is coming," declares the LORD,        "when I will make a new covenant        with the house of Israel        and with the house of Judah.        "I will put my law in their minds        and write it on their hearts.        I will be their God,        and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor,        or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,'        because they will all know me,        from the least of them to the greatest,"        declares the LORD.        "For I will forgive their wickedness        and will remember their sins no more."   And then, out of nowhere it seemed, this now hope-filled man backs up his new rhetoric with one of the most memorable acts of faith ever recorded in history: he buys a parcel of land at ground zero. Why? Because he knew that in desperate times, the people of God never respond in fear…but always with hope.   Yes, the story found in Jeremiah 32 is one of the most bizarre yet inspiring stories in all of the Bible. The King, Zedekiah, has him holed up in the palace because Jeremiah continues to run his mouth about how it is just a matter of time before King Nebuchadnezzar overruns all of Judah, and just a matter of time before Zedekiah will be speaking face to face with the King of Babylon. To compound the problem for Zedekiah, Jeremiah keeps saying, “There’s no need to fight them…we have no chance of succeeding.”   And then, the now hope-filled prophet has a new vision. In the middle of a siege by enemy troops and with pending doom on the horizon, Jeremiah hears God telling him to buy land. On the verge of economic chaos, Jeremiah makes an investment for the future. Foolish. Impetuous. Unrealistic. Jeremiah’s move would have been like someone buying a huge parcel of land in the Lower Ninth Ward on the eve of Katrina, with full knowledge that the levees were going to break!   “The prophet has surely lost his mind!” the people of Judah must have thought. While every one else is converting his illiquid assets into shekels, Jeremiah is putting his shekels where his mouth is: he is buying a field in the hope that God will one day restore the people of Israel and Judah.   Now some of you know that the best time to buy is when the market dips, when others are selling. Peter Lynch, founder of the Fidelity Magellan Fund, describes the two worst days of his life as the day his father died and the day after the crash of 1987. Rather than being able to buy some great stocks at great prices, he was forced to sell because so many of the fund’s shareholders had requested redemptions. Lynch wanted to buy because he knew that a bounce was inevitable, whether it took a few days, months or years. In the case of Jeremiah, no one knew when, or if, any bounce would ever happen. Judah had survived the northern kingdom by 150 years. There was a strong likelihood that a Babylonian exile could last centuries.   Even so, on the verge of destruction and desolation that would make our own 9-11 look like a blip on the timeline of history, Jeremiah makes this hope-filled purchase. While some surely called it a visible sign of Jeremiah’s insanity, to Jeremiah it was a visible, concrete sign of faith and trust in God.   More than any other story in the Bible, this is the story that has been on my mind in recent weeks. In fact, I discovered earlier this morning that I last preached on this passage on September 28, 2004 – almost four years ago to the day. I tried to research the events of that day that may have led me to choose this text – was it because the Dow had dropped below 10,000? Was it because crude oil prices had reached an all time high of nearly $50 a barrel? Was it because of the uncertainty tied to the first Presidential debate – between George W. Bush and John Kerry? I’m not really sure. But I do know this: maybe more than any other week since 9/11, this past week has been a test of our wills, our patience and, I would say most importantly, our faith. And just what will be our response – fear and despair?...or hope?   Four years ago, I asked those gathered at Clemson UMC to contemplate two questions related to this story, “What does a hope-filled life look like?” and “What does a hope-filled church look like?”    Well, as a good preacher should do, I offered you a couple of examples, a couple of illustrations. I talked about how my grandfather continued to live with great hope and a positive attitude, even while battling terminal cancer. His witness continues to live in and through all who knew him. And I talked about my experiences as a layperson serving on a Church Council that always seemed more intent on saying “We can’t do that, we’ve tried it before” than “We can do that, if that’s what God is calling us to do.” I went on to say that a hope-filled church would have the following four qualities:   1.      It would be a place where the most hopeless could come and be lifted up, loved and restored, in both a spiritual and physical sense.    2.      It would be a church that through its ministries and programs reflected a belief in the power of God to change lives, to resurrect the dead if you will.    3.      It would be a church focused not so much on the past or even the news of the day, but on the hope of the future.    4.      It would be a church that celebrated the reign of God in concrete ways, even when it appears that the powers and principalities of this world had the upper hand.   Four years later and in the midst of these desperate times, I think I would say the same thing. And as an addendum, I’d add the following exhortation that I ran across this week:   If we claim to be God’s people, let us live our lives in such a way that it makes no sense apart from the existence of God.   Today, I’m tempted to offer you a few more illustrations of what it means to be hope-filled. And if I were some fancy TV preacher, I’d probably have a book to sell you today that would offer 10 easy steps to move from fear and despair to hope in your life. But, even though I know that some of you would love for me or someone else to tell you exactly what to do in these troubled times, I am going to leave the specifics to you…and God.   What small act might I do today or later this week that is a sign of hope, for me and for others around me? While being prudent and frugal, how might I also be generous and fruitful? How might we, the people of Clemson UMC, conduct ourselves in such a way that through our witness and ministry, others might be lifted up?   I leave you with these questions today…and with two reminders. Remember, the story of Jeremiah does not end in destruction and exile. Before long, the people of God were able to return home to once again inhabit the promised land.   And second, remember that the story of God does not end with Jeremiah. Before long, God made good on the promised new covenant, through the birth of a baby boy in Bethlehem. And when all hell broke loose several decades later, we must never forget that the story didn’t end in defeat on Friday…but with resurrection and new life on Sunday. Remaining hopeful, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu. laneglazeWed, 08 Oct 2008 17:59:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:51http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/49/CW-Weekly-Devotional--9.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=49http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=49&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/49/CW-Weekly-Devotional--9.aspxFor I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD…” Jeremiah 29:11-14a, NIV For several weeks now the number 9 has been at the forefront of my mind. Those who have known me for years know that this is my favorite number, the number that my younger brother and I both wore during our playing days. To this day, I still hear “Niner” on the other end of the phone line after I pick it up. Instantly, I know that I’m hearing from a former teammate or coach. But during these last few weeks, the number 9 has carried with it not memories of the past but visions of the future. Why? For the first time in seventeen years and for only the seventh time in school history, the Clemson Tiger football team is ranked in the AP top ten as…#9. Like our archrival South Carolina, Clemson could very well be called Charles Dickens University, for every football season in this town is filled with “Great Expectations.”  But this year is different.  In fact, I cannot remember this level of preseason excitement since the late 1970s and early 1980s, when Clemson fielded several of its most successful gridiron teams in history. I can still remember the 1977 – 1981 seasons, in particular, like it was yesterday.  We will all discover in a few weeks just how good this team might be.  As we alll know, polls can't always be trusted! Today marks the first day of classes on Clemson’s campus. Needless to say, it is a day filled with a different set of Great Expectations for all of us as well. There’s the freshman who is excited yet anxious about how well she will be able to adapt to college-level classes. There’s the senior applying to grad schools or making plans to (re)take the MCAT or LSAT. There’s the new young professor, wondering how all of his theoretical training will translate into the practical experience of the classroom. And even after seven years of campus ministry here, I have a few butterflies as I dream about the friends that I will make, the experiences that I will have, and the ways in which I will be challenged, tested and stretched.  Today, we are all looking forward...but what will the future hold? Reflecting on all of these emotions this morning, Jeremiah 29:11 came to mind. After twenty-eight chapters filled with words of doom and gloom, the book of Jeremiah begins to take a turn in chapter 29. Out of the mouth of this fire and brimstone prophet comes words of hope, words of healing, and words of restoration. Through Jeremiah, the LORD reaffirms to the Israelites what kind of God He is. A loving God who seeks their prosperity, not their harm. A future-oriented God who seeks to give them hope, not despair. An attentive God who is always ready to hear their prayers, One who finds them as they earnestly seek and yearn for Him. Simply put, in these last chapters of Jeremiah they are reintroduced to an abundantly loving and gracious God who has Great Expectations for them all...and for us as well. So on this first day of school, what are your dreams? Are you, like the Israelites, in exile? Is your heart filled with excitement about the upcoming “season” in your life?  Whoever you are and wherever you find yourself today, know this: the God who created you has amazing plans for you, far exceeding the fleeting thrill of a top 10 ranking or even a National Championship.  I pray that God will be with you all in the coming weeks as you are challenged, tested and stretched.  May we - who are so often lost - strive to call upon and seek Him daily - so we too might (once again) be found. Hope-fully devoted, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister, Clemson UMC P.O. Box 1703, Clemson, SC 29633 (864) 654-5547 (o); (864) 207-9135 (m) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu. laneglazeWed, 20 Aug 2008 15:56:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:49http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/46/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Orientation-Revisited.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=46http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=46&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/46/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Orientation-Revisited.aspx Students, friends, alumni and supporters, Today marks the end of the summer orientation sessions here at Clemson University.  For the last eight years I have spent several weeks of my summer meeting hundreds of students and parents filled with excitement (and trepidation) about what was before them.  In some cases, I met students during orientation who have become life-long friends and faithful supporters of our ongoing ministry here.  In other cases, I met students that I never saw again.  Such is life as a campus minister! Over the last eight years our ability as campus ministers to make connections with students has grown increasingly more difficult.  Years ago it was much easier to connect with students when they were required to identify their religious preference as part of their application process.  Today, we as campus ministers - even at a school as Christian-friendly as Clemson - feel a little like that crazy uncle that you have to invite to the family reunion but hope that he won't be too much of a disruption! Anyhow, if you know of someone who is starting classes this fall at CU, Tri-County Technical College, Southern Wesleyan University, Anderson University or even North Greenville University, please email me over the next few weeks so that we can try to reach out to them.  We've had students from each of these schools active in our ministry in recent years. I first published the following devotional four summers ago.  It contains the same advice that I would want to share today with those who are getting ready to begin college in a few weeks.  CLG Orientation For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. I Cor. 1:22-25, NIV (emphasis mine)   Today marks the beginning of the second week of orientation at Clemson University. Like most larger schools, incoming students arrive in waves throughout the summer to orient themselves (or, more accurately, to BE oriented) to Clemson’s campus. Many of these students have been coming to Clemson for years to football games. No doubt that some of them are surprised to discover how much more there is to Clemson University than what happens in Death Valley several Saturday afternoons a year.   I can’t help but wonder what is going through the minds of these students. I am sure there is much excitement…but also fear and anxiety. The pastor in me can’t help but worry and pray for them. Coming to Clemson will be one of the most significant and difficult steps on their journey to adulthood. Sociologists tell us that the friends that these freshmen make and the organizations that they join during their first few months will influence greatly the people that they will become in the years ahead.   I remember vaguely my orientation twenty years ago at Wofford College, which took place several days before fall classes began. We were made familiar with the different buildings on campus. We were given a tour of the library. We received our student IDs. We registered for classes. Typical aspects of any orientation.    However, my most significant memories from those days of orientation did not take place as part of the official itinerary planned by the administration. No, what I remember most were the friendships that I formed that helped shape and mold me over the next four years. When I look back, I thank God for surrounding me with such a wonderful, diverse group of friends who challenged, nurtured, and genuinely pushed me to become the best person that I could be – the person that God would have me be.    I am not a member of Clemson University’s administration, but my guess is that through these summer orientations they are hoping to plant the first seeds, to put into place the first building blocks of what they would define as a “successful” Clemson alumna(e). Like most schools, I am sure that CU seeks to graduate persons who are productive, taxpaying citizens who will serve as the next generation of civic, economic, educational and business leaders in South Carolina and beyond. “Success” will be defined by strong leadership…and, of course, the ability to give back to Clemson in different ways, including through the gift of financial resources (unencumbered, preferably). The concept of “return on investment” applies to the world of higher education, too.      As I look into the eyes of these students (many of whom were born the same year that my wife and I began dating!), I wish them “success” during and after their years in Clemson. But more importantly, I wish for them faithfulness. Faithfulness to God. Faithfulness to one another. Faithfulness to other members of this amazingly diverse human race of which we are all a part.   I first began to reflect on the difference between “successful” and “faithful” during my junior year in college. As part of a long-range planning team in retreat at Kanuga in Hendersonville, NC, I’ll never forget the debate between Wofford alumni, trustees, professors and students over the ultimate goal for the Wofford graduate. “How should we define a successful Wofford graduate?” someone questioned. Gathered in this small room were some of most respected business people from the region, including the likes of Roger Milliken and Jerry Richardson. Also gathered were some of the most respected UM clergy from the state, including Will Willimon, the nominee for bishop this year from the SC Conference. As you could guess, the business people, the educators, the clergy and the students all had a different idea of what would make a “successful” Wofford graduate.   It was not long after this formative experience that I decided to dedicate my life to the pursuit of “faithfulness” rather than “success.” First through ministry as a layperson and then in full-time ministry, I have sought to “proclaim Christ crucified.” Regrettably, my words and actions have not always been faithful. Nevertheless, I press on, with God’s help, even though I know that many continue to see my goals and perspective as ludicrous and shallow. Such is the life of those who follow the One whose faithfulness led to the cross.   What should be said to these incoming freshmen as they begin their process of orientation? If it was left to me, I would encourage them to take great care in the friends that they make. They’ll be tempted to surround themselves with people who are just like them. Instead, I would advise them to make friends with folks who will push and stretch them to grow in healthy ways. I would also encourage them to join groups or organizations that will help them to think beyond themselves, and to be leery of those groups that are focused simply on satisfying their own desires or urges.   Lastly, I would remind them of the great gift that they are preparing to receive – the gift of education. This gift, like all other gifts, finds its root in the Great Giver, a God who has loved them since before they were even born.    To be oriented is to be given direction. Just as a compass - an orienteering tool - points us in the right direction, the cross of Christ is the place to which we look when we are lost. The vertical beam always points us toward heaven, reminding us that through Jesus we have been made right with God. The horizontal beam points us toward one another, reminding us that a life lived in communion with God is always a life lived in communion with one another.   For me, leaving home and going to college proved to be a time when I first realized how “spoiled” I was. Spoiled by my parents, yes. But also “spoiled” by a God that had blessed and continues to bless me beyond my understanding.    May God help us to dedicate our lives to that which is “faithful,” rather than worrying about how the world defines “success.” And may we remember, when we’re not sure which way to go, to look toward the Cross for direction.   Seeking God’s direction, lane    Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister, Clemson UMC P.O. Box 1703, Clemson, SC 29633 www.clemsonwesley.com (864) 654-5547 (o); (864) 207-9135 (m)   Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeFri, 11 Jul 2008 17:19:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:46http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/44/Default.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=44http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=44&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/44/Default.aspx Note: Beginning tonight, United Methodists from throughout South Carolina will be gathering for what we call "Annual Conference" - a time of worship, conversation and "business" each year.  In preparation for Annual Conference each year, I (and other ministries supported by the Annual Conference) am asked to submit a report.  Typically, my report talks about what we have done over the last year.  This year I decided to take a different approach, in part due to my ongoing journey of (re)discovering what it means to be a Christian who lives out my faith in the United Methodist tradition.  Whether you are an alumni or supporter, Methodist, Baptist or Catholic, I hope that this report will give you a clearer sense of the kind of ministry that we seek, with God's help, to build here in Clemson.  CLG       What does it mean to say, “I’m United Methodist”? As a Campus Minister nearing the end of my seventh year in Clemson, I find myself having to answer this question more and more. Sometimes the question comes from a student, and sometimes it comes from within. To serve in a place like Clemson is to meet UM students who would answer this question in many different ways, usually depending on their ethnicity or geographic origin. When this diversity of perspective is combined with the vast array of other traditions and theologies present on any college campus today, many students find themselves struggling with a spiritual identity crisis. If I say that I am Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, Reformed or even a participant in a house church, what does that mean exactly and how might such a label infringe upon my calling “simply” to be a disciple of Jesus? These are common concerns, and many churches choose to drop any hint of their theological roots from their official name. While I cannot speak for other traditions (as much as I might treasure the special place that other traditions hold in the history and ongoing life of the universal Church), it is incumbent upon me as an ordained elder in the UMC to articulate an answer to what it means to say “I’m United Methodist.” This is a greater need today than maybe ever before, in light of the many different Christian, “Christian” and non-Christian voices that can be heard loudly and clearly on campuses today. I thought that you, members of the Annual Conference and therefore supporters of our ministry, deserved to know more about the approach that we take here in our ministry with and to students in the greater Clemson area. In large part, through the combined efforts of Clemson Wesley and Clemson UMC, we seek to preach, teach and put into practice an understanding of the Christian faith, rooted and shaped by the Wesleyan-Methodist movement, which could be summarized with the following affirmations that outline some of our distinctives:  We believe that we are part of the Church but not exclusively THE Church. To be UM is to understand and appreciate that God has been and will continue to do great things through other communities of faith and traditions, and hopefully through ours too! Therefore, UMs have always been highly ecumenical and cooperative, seeking to work closely with other Christians who claim the same “essentials” of the faith that we do. We are apostolically rooted but also Spirit-led. To be UM is to cherish the historic roots of the Church and to understand that any and all new and reform movements inspired by the Spirit are connected to the “great cloud of witnesses” that have preceded us. While treasuring our heritage and giving thanks for the faithful witness of the saints through the centuries, we also understand that the Spirit is always at work, doing new things in new places (sometimes, we hope and pray, even in and through us). For this reason, we seek to steer clear of “sacred cows” that over time become idols to worship rather than important rites, rituals and practices that point us to the only One worthy of our worship. We believe both that God is sovereign and that humans are free. To be UM is to hold in paradox two views that are often taught in opposition on today’s campuses: God’s sovereignty and the freedom of the will. While UMs believe that God is “in control” and that God and the forces of good will ultimately defeat the forces of darkness and evil, we also affirm that we as human beings have the freedom to choose daily between a path that leads to life or one that leads to death. Thus, much of the heartache that we experience in this world is a result of sin, not a part of God’s good, pleasing and perfect will. Of course, we see salvation as a great gift from God offered to all who, with God’s leading, say “yes” to God’s invitation in Jesus Christ.  We are both evangelical and socially conscious in our core theology. UMs have long proclaimed that God in Jesus Christ has the power to not only transform lives and hearts, but to transform the world as well. The “Good News” in Jesus Christ, however, should never lead us to feel spiritually superior or better than others. For UMs, a true response to God’s amazing grace leads us into the streets and into the world – working for and serving those who have no voice, no status, and no value in our culture. And a true response also leads us, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to advocate for peace, to work for justice, and to seek to tear down the walls of hostility that continue to separate us within the Body of Christ and throughout the world. While God’s grace is always free, it is also always costly. We believe that we are saved by faith, but that faith without works is really no faith at all. Arguably, the “yes” that we say to God in Jesus Christ is to be affirmed each and every day through our actions. UMs believe that simply saying “Lord, Lord” is not enough. In the end, Jesus will claim to know those who fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited the prisoners, and greeted the stranger – indeed, those who cared for the forgotten of our world. UMs, unlike others, extend a helping hand to whomever has need, not just those within the community of faith. The UM student ministry in Clemson is most distinctive in this way. We believe that loving God with our minds is just as important as loving God with our hearts. In the UMC, we do not ask folks to check in their brains at the door of the sanctuary. Instead, we see our minds and our reason as great gifts from God that, if used faithfully, can help us better understand how to discern God’s will for the world. UMs have always sought to hold together two ideas that have long been “disjoined” – the pursuit of knowledge and vital piety. We believe in the dignity of all persons. UMs seek to extend God’s love to all people because we believe that Christ died for all and that all people are made in God’s image. We affirm that one of most important marks of the Christian community is how it cares and shows respect for those on the fringes of our society. UMs believe that a woman’s voice and role in the life of the Church is just as important as a man’s. We believe that a life lived for God is the only life worth living. UMs believe that following Jesus will require us to deny ourselves and live in cruciform ways as we seek to love God by loving others. Ideally, this is lived out in community where agape love and true koinonia is the goal. While we all know that cross-bearing is painful and never easy, UMs also affirm that the way of Jesus is, well, the way. True and everlasting life, therefore, begins when we start living our lives in service to God and God’s world, with the support and nurture of our brothers and sisters in the faith. To summarize, we preach and teach that to be UM is to be a Christian, to be someone who, with God’s help, is seeking to follow faithfully in Jesus’ footsteps. With hearts full of gratitude for his work as Savior on the cross, we seek to celebrate his Lordship in all things by how we live daily. Renouncing the ways of the world, UMs seek to emulate God’s nature by practicing hospitality, forgiveness, mercy and generosity in tangible ways. Generally, it is our tendency to leave dogmatic arguments to others, preferring instead to err on the side of gracious living. This is a glimpse of the Gospel that we seek to share with the nearly 1,000 students that call CW and/or CUMC home each year. We give God thanks for the hundreds of graduates over the years who continue to serve God and the Church through full-time, ordained, and lay ministry. To all the individuals, pastors, youth ministers, Sunday School classes, women's and men's groups and local churches who support this ministry through your apportionments or other special gifts - may God bless you all in your desire to reach today's generation of young people with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Yours in Christ, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Campus Minister, Clemson UMC Director, Clemson Wesley Foundation PO Box 1703 Clemson, SC 29633 864-654-5547 (w) or 864-207-9135 (c) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu. laneglazeSun, 01 Jun 2008 22:35:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:44http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/40/CW-Weekly-Devotional--March-Madness.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=40http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=40&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/40/CW-Weekly-Devotional--March-Madness.aspxHelp, God – the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help! Listen hard! Open my ears! Listen to my cries for mercy.   If you, God, kept records on wrongdoings, Who could stand a chance? As it turns out, forgiveness if your habit, And that’s why you’re worshiped.   I pray to God – my life a prayer – And wait for what he’ll say and do. My life’s on the line before God, my Lord, Waiting and watching till morning, Waiting and watching till morning.   O Israel, wait and watch for God – with God’s arrival comes love, with God’s arrival comes generous redemption. No doubt about it – he’ll redeem Israel, buy back Israel from captivity to sin. Psalm 130, The Message     Note: This devotional was first published almost exactly three years ago (March 13, 2005), when the ACC still only had eleven teams.  It seemed appropriate to revisit this theme given Clemson's strong season and pending NCAA berth.  Of course, it also seemed appropriate given that this Sunday marks Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week which ends with the eventual celebration of another early Easter.  May your Holy Week be a holy one this year. CLG Here in ACC country, this weekend marks the beginning of March Madness with the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament. Eleven schools fighting and scrapping not only for the Conference title, but for a coveted spot in the big dance – the NCAA Championship tournament. For basketball fans, March is indeed a month full of Madness.  A team can be on top of the world one day, only to see its season end the next. March is a month full of emotion, as the hopes and dreams of alumni, students and fans throughout the country rise and fall depending on the performance of those 18 and 19 year-olds who sport their colors. We who are ACC Basketball fans all have our favorite March Madness memories.  Chris Webber’s ill-timed timeout. Christian Laettner’s last second shot versus Kentucky.  Derek Wittenburg’s three-point attempt falling short and Lorenzo Charles’ put back.  Even Clemson’s magical run to the Elite Eight, only to be knocked off by Kiki Vandewegh and the UCLA Bruins. In our culture, the month of March and basketball go hand-in-hand.  It is a month full of excitement, Cinderella stories, and heart-crushing defeats.  No matter how dismal or disappointing your year has been, March is a time for new life. It is a time for turnarounds.  It is a time for hoop dreams to be resurrected. In the Church, the month of March is also a time for new life, turnarounds and resurrection. In most years, Christians spend all or the bulk of March in the season of Lent, a time of fasting and meditating on our sinfulness and our need to repent, or turn back, to God.  This year, Easter falls a few days before the end of the month. So for the Church this year, the month of March is also a rollercoaster of emotions and feelings.  We begin the month with the echoes of Ash Wednesday still fresh in our minds (“…you are dust…and to dust you shall return…”).  As the month moves on, we experience great excitement and promise on Palm (or Passion) Sunday, as the crowds yell “Hosanna” and greet Jesus as the Messiah. But our joy ride takes an abrupt turn on Good Friday, as we experience the crushing defeat of the Crucifixion.  Our heads are hung low.  Like fans of a #1 seed that loses in the first round, we turn to one another in disbelief, “It wasn’t supposed to end this way.” Then, in the midst of our despair and hopelessness, we experience another unexpected turnaround a few days later.  We find the tomb empty. Good Friday is not the end. God, not Sin and Death, has the last word. Jesus has been raised from the dead! For both the Church and college basketball fans, the month of March promises to be a time of great mood swings, emotional highs and lows, tough losses, and in the end, one great final victory.  While it is indeed a maddening time for many…it also a time of great opportunity. The Psalms, more than any of the other books of the Bible, capture the emotional swings of the faith.  Psalm 130 is a great example. The Psalmist begins with a cry of despair, “Help, God – the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help…Listen to my cries for mercy.”  But by the end though, the Psalmist is filled with hope for restoration, cleansing and redemption: God is coming, and with “God’s arrival comes love” and “generous redemption.”  Hey! I know it may look bleak today…but Resurrection is right around the corner! As someone who has been trying to live out my faith for a long time, I know first hand how maddening it can be at times.  I focus on Resurrection, I believe in the promise of new life…and then suddenly, often when I least expect it, Sin and Death rear their ugly heads.  A forty-two year old husband and father dies instantly of a heart attack.  A mother of four dies within hours of being struck head-on by a careless driver on a rural, country road.  Four innocent people die in Atlanta when a man on trial for rape “goes crazy.” Just as the road to the Final Four is filled with many highs and lows, the road of faith is filled with times of doubt and despair…along with times of celebration and life.  Like the Psalmist, we must learn to focus our eyes on God.  We must continue to believe in the impossible. We must pray daily for redemption and resurrection. As you experience a maddening March this year in more ways than one, I hope that you’ll remember the greatest “Cinderella story” of them all.  It’s about this Jewish boy, born into poverty, raised in Nazareth… Pulling for the underdogs, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Campus Minister, Clemson UMC Director, Clemson Wesley Foundation PO Box 1703 Clemson, SC 29633 864-654-5547 (w) or 864-207-9135 (c) www.clemsonwesley.com   Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeSat, 15 Mar 2008 01:05:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:40http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/38/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Tar-Heel-Blues.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=38http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=38&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/38/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Tar-Heel-Blues.aspx Tar Heel Blues   Jesus wept. Gospel of John 11:35 On a day around Clemson when all Tiger faithful are asked to wear orange, I opted yesterday morning for the Tar Heel blue polo in my closet.  I know, strange thing for a graduate of Duke who's living in Clemson to do, but Tar Heel blue has been on my mind since watching the news Thursday night and hearing about the violent murder of the senior student body president, Eve Marie Carson. A true college town, Chapel Hill is one of my favorite towns in the Southeast.  I often tell folks that the Clemson of today is probably a lot like the Chapel Hill of the late fifties and sixties.  While the Franklin Street of yesteryear was like today's College Avenue in Clemson, this famous thoroughfare has been transformed in recent years into a great place to shop and enjoy fine dining.  Today, Franklin Street still lies at the heart of a beautiful, idyllic campus founded in 1795, pre-dating Clemson and many other Southern schools by nearly 100 years or more. Over the last few days I am sure that the members of the Chapel Hill community (and alumni throughout the world) have all been saying, "This kind of thing just doesn't happen here."  Surely the folks in Auburn have been saying the same thing, just like the folks in Blacksburg last spring.  It is hard to believe that this May will already mark the two year anniversary of the murder of one of our own here in Clemson, Tiffany Souers.  While the weapon of choice for the cold-blooded murderers have varied, the heartache, pain, anger and confusion experienced by families, schools and entire communities has been similar. The first image that came to mind for me as I contemplated this horrible news was of Jesus upon hearing of Lazarus' death - he wept.  If I believe anything, I believe that Jesus wept when he watched what happened to Eve Carson early yesterday morning.  And I believe that he still weeps and grieves for our world, where pain and suffering seem to be the only commodity in great supply these days. Why do such horrible things happen in places that should be safe like college campuses?  Why does it seem that our world is going to hell?  Why, God, do you allow someone's life to be extinguished at such a young age? In doing a little research, I discovered that there has been much conversation about the rise of violence on college campuses for quite some time now.  A 1994 USA Today special section published portions of a study commissioned by the Society for the Advancement of Education that asked the question, "What is Behind the Growth of Violence on College Campuses?"  This study, like most of the others that I could find, linked the rise in violence on college campuses to the increased abuse of alcohol and drugs.  One observation from the 1994 study has proven to be quite prophetic.  "Although the legal drinking age has been raised to 21 in each state, the national community of 18- to 20-year-olds simply does not accept this constraint."  Yes, that was my mindset in the mid to late 1980s, and it continues to be the pervasive view at Clemson and other schools today. More recent studies continue to cite alcohol and drug abuse as one of the primary causes for campus violence, with other concerns being added to the list.  A 2002 report by the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention noted that other risk factors that foster and perpetuate violence include hazing practices (often within fraternities or athletic teams) and intolerance of individual differences.  This study cited two statistics that I found quite alarming, especially as a father preparing to send two teenage daughters to college in the coming years.  The first - that 20-25% of college women are the victims of an attempted or completed rape during their college careers - and the second - that 25% of college men in one study on dating violence admitted to slapping, pushing or restraining a female partner - brought to mind's the Apostle Paul's famous words from Romans 8 (a quote of Psalm 44): For your sake we face death all day long, we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. But let me say nothing more about the sources of the problem.  If we are honest with another, I think we can all agree that ours is a culture that (1) celebrates and peddles violence and (2) turns a blind eye to stressed out college students who just "wanna have a good time."  What, if anything, might the Church say or do to shed some light on the darkness, to make our campuses and world a place where such events might be prevented or at least curtailed?  Is weeping like Jesus enough? In Lazarus' story, we know that the story did not end with Jesus' tears.  Our story too, if we claim to "believe in him" cannot end there either.  Sure, we know that sin and evil have been a part of our history since Cain and Abel and will continue to be until Kingdom come.  But in the interim, followers of Jesus are called to enter into the dead-end tombs of hatred, degradation, excess and violence that have claimed too many of our youth and college students.  We are called to speak words of life, of hope and of resurrection - just as Jesus did to Lazarus.  We cannot sit back as the "Death Eaters" of racism, misogyny, homophobia, intolerance and hypermasculinity to have their way. Generally, I do not like to offer specific suggestions about how to "solve" a problem, leaning instead on the work of the Holy Spirit to touch and inspire people's hearts and minds.  However, on this topic I would like to offers some suggestions for how might the people of God work to change the atmosphere present on many of our campuses today.  Here is a list of ideas that I have come across in my reading that we might encourage campus and community leaders (many of whom are my parishioners) to consider: Alcohol and Drug Abuse Related: - Promote more alcohol-free events on campus and in the surrounding community - Implement guidelines to curtail the drinking culture that surrounds many college sporting events - Strengthen the penalities for buying or serving alcohol to underaged students - Raise academic expectations through absentee policies (three cut maximum, for example) - Schedule core classes on Fridays (and possibly Saturdays) - Prohibit alcohol use in public places - Advocate for random ID checks at local bars, liquor stores and off-site parties - Implement random road blocks in and around college campuses Sexual Violence Related: - Create better systems to encourage victims of sexual assault to share/report their experiences - Mandate living on-campus for at least the first two years as students get adjusted  - Ensure that known sexual offenders are prevented from living on campus - Work to educate campuses about the nature of hazing and enforce no-hazing policies Diversity and Tolerance Related:          - Mandate a class on tolerance and multi-culturalism for all incoming students - Promote opportunities for students to experience other cultures through service or mission projects  - Promote study abroad opportunities designed give students a cross-cultural experience     And while a top-down strategy is important, a bottom-up approach is also necessary.  We as Christians know that change must first being within.  How am I part of the problem?  How are my actions and habits supporting today's campus culture?  After looking inward and making changes in our own lives, let us commit to being people who practice peace and tolerance with others, especially those who look or believe differently than we do.  And let us be vigilant every day - in our workplaces, schools and social settings - to stand up for the bullied, to intercede for the abused, to show compassion for the outcast, and to say "No" to those hell-bent on causing pain and suffering in our world. May God give us the strength to stay true to Jesus' way as we seek to shed light into the dark places of our campuses and communities. Peace to all who grieve today, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu. laneglazeSat, 08 Mar 2008 15:57:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:38http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/36/CW-Weekly-Devotional--A-Meddling-Gospel.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=36http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=36&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/36/CW-Weekly-Devotional--A-Meddling-Gospel.aspxA certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Luke 18:18, NIV   Note:  I have found that Luke's Gospel is the toughest to preach and teach in the congregations that I have served and know well, churches mostly filled with educated, financially comfortable folks.  After spending Thursday morning in a Bible study wrestling with the demands of the Gospel of Luke, the following satirical letter to the editor came to mind, penned by one of Luke's more famous characters.  Those of us in the study, like the "writer" of this piece, found much of what Luke had to say difficult to swallow, much less to believe.  As a pastor friend of mine likes to say when my preaching moves from the purely "spiritual" to the oft-costly practical, Luke's version of Jesus' life and ministry can only be described as a "meddling" Gospel.  Lord, have mercy on all of us who are rich, including me. CLG To: Editor, Anderson Independent I really don't like the Gospel of Luke.  In fact, I think it is quite dangerous. Yes, I know that scholars have long viewed Luke's Gospel and his second volume of the Acts of the Apostles as a great, two-volume masterpiece, full of inspiring stories transcribed in the most beautiful Greek.  And yes, I understand that Luke went to great lengths to ensure that an "orderly" account was documented and preserved, drawing from the many witnesses, both oral and written, that were circulating during his lifetime.  But the fact of the matter still remains: I really don't like the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke. Sure, Luke's birth narrative is so touching with Mary, Elizabeth, the angels and the shepherds.  But subtly, almost sneakily, Luke reveals in Mary's famous song his bias about what this Gospel will entail.  In Mary's praise of God, she notes that while God's mercy "extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation," the same God has also "scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts" and "brought down rulers from their thrones."  And at the same time that Mary's God is lifting up the humble and "filling the hungry with good things,"  he is sending "the rich away empty."  Hey, I'm no dummy - I can see right through Luke's biased plan from the very beginning.  With all this talk of an abundantly gracious and merciful God, Luke is setting the hook for his eventual bait and switch: following God is really all about economics. It is obvious that Luke tries to make this point throughout the Gospel.  Early on he has Jesus' family trying to throw him off a cliff for proclaiming that the Good News is about and for the poor, the broken, the oppressed and the blind.  Come on!  Why would anyone want to kill Jesus, especially his family and closest friends?  A few chapters later Luke irresponsibly amends Matthew's eloquent Beautitudes to make them about the poor and the hungry, and he dares to add four "woes" against people like me who are rich, comfortable, well-fed and upstanding citizens.  Doesn't Luke understand that we're the kinds of people that make the world go round?  Ingrate! And even more egregiously, Luke fabricates fifteen or more parables that are not found in any of the other Gospels, and most of these deal either directly or indirectly with economic issues.  The Good Samaritan, the Rich Fool, the Great Banquet, the Rich Man and Lazarus, the Pharisee and the Tax Collector - just to name a few.  Where does he dream this stuff up?  He obviously doesn't have the first clue about business and finance.  Can you believe that a Gospel written by someone with such naivity and ignorance would be included in the Bible?  If you ask me, this guy sounds like a communist! Now I don't know about you, but I learned a long time ago that cross-disciplinary conversations are always dangerous.  Let's keep religion out of our politics, politics out of our economics, and economics out of our religion.  History has proven over and over again that mixing such things can be toxic, but obviously Dr. Luke does not know any better.  Maybe he isn't the educated physician that scholars claim him to be. So my advice to you today is simply this: stay away from the Gospel of Luke.  If you're not careful, you will be seduced into believing that what we do with our pocketbooks has eternal ramifications!  Trust me, God loves you just the way you are.  So when you hear your preacher talking about issues of money and stewardship from the pulpit, just tune him or her out.  That's what I always do. With the utmost confidence and self-righteousness, Richard Y. "Rich" Ruler Founder and Executive Director, The Coaltion for the Separation of Church and Wallet 1-800-GoL-1818 Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend.The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.  laneglazeSat, 16 Feb 2008 14:40:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:36http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/32/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Big-Super-Fat-Tuesday.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=32http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=32&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/32/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Big-Super-Fat-Tuesday.aspxAt once, the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert for forty days, being tempted by Satan.  He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. Mark 1:12-13, NIV Well, the big day has finally arrived.  No, I'm not talking about National Signing Day for college football - you rabid Tiger fans are going to have to wait another 24 hours before you know for sure who Tommy Bowden has inked for the coming season.  And no, CNN and Fox News junkies, I'm not talking about Super Tuesday and the 24 states that are holding their primaries today.  No, the BIG day that I am referring to is Fat Tuesday, mardi gras in the French, the day before the 40-day season of spiritual preparation before the greatest of days for Christians, Easter Sunday.   Later today, many Christians around the world will begin preparing for the Lenten season at a Shrove Tuesday supper where pancakes, crepes or other pastries will be the main dish.  Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the past tense of the English "shrive" which means to  receive absolution of one's sins by confession and doing penance.  Historically, priests would shrove their flocks prior to Ash Wednesday and the start of the Lenten Season.  The celebration of Mardi Gras grew out of the need to empty the cupboards before the fasting season of Lent began.   Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, where ashes from the burned palm leaves from the previous year's Palm Sunday are imposed on the foreheads of Christians accompanied by the following words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."  Ash Wednesday is a time when we remember our mortality, our sinfulness and, ultimately, our need for God.   Throughout the next Forty Days (excluding Sundays, which are always feast days), Christians typcially focus on three spiritual disciplines designed to draw them closer to the will of God: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.  The Forty Days of Lent are viewed as a sufficient or complete length of time of spiritual preparation, mirroring Jesus' time of preparation in the desert before he began his three years of ministry.  Through disciplined prayer, fasting and almsgiving, Christians seek to become more like Christ, and more grateful for what God has done for them through the death and Resurrection of Jesus.   Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, the week before Jesus' resurrection on Easter Sunday.  Palm Sunday marks the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowds while palm branches were waved or spread on the road for the triumphal entry.  Several days later Christians gather for Maundy Thursday, with "maundy" coming from the Latin for "mandate" in John's Gospel.  In the upper room the night before Jesus died, he says to his disciples, "I give you a new commandment (mandate), that you should love another, just as I have loved you."  Maundy Thursday services are usually times when Christians celebrate Holy Communion, a rite instituted by Jesus on the night before he died.  Many communites of faith also perform footwashing on this night, remembering that Jesus washed his disciples' feet as they entered for the celebration of the Passover meal for the last time together.   The day that Jesus was crucified, Good Friday, is more aptly called "Mourning Friday" in Germany.  Some believe that the word "Good" at one time was "God's", while others understand "Good" to mean "Holy."  Remembering the events of Good Friday through a reenactment of the Stations of the Cross is popular in certain traditions.  The Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday is known by many different names around the world.  In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the day is often referred to as Holy or Great Saturday or the Great Sabbath, as a reminder of Jesus resting in the tomb.  The day is also known as Black Saturday (Philippines), White Saturday (Czech Republic) or Silent Saturday (Netherlands).  As noted in the Apostles' Creed, many believe that Jesus descended into hell on this day to share the Good News with all who had died before him (I Peter 3:18-20, 4:6).   Of course, Lent ends with the celebration of Easter, the day in which the women discovered that the tomb has been rolled away and that God had raised Jesus, the one who was faithful until the end, from the dead.  Early on, Christians began to gather on Sundays in recognition of this great event and in ancitipation of Christ's return.  Before long, Sunday, the "Lord's" day, replaced Saturday as the day for worship, the day for Sabbath.   This Lent, I hope that you will seek to use the next 40 days as a time to grow closer to God.  As with all things, we can receive Lent as a great gift from God and the Church and treat it as such, or we can take what was intended for good and turn into something that is another work or law to be performed.  To help you develop a Lenten discipline that is more developed and pertinent to your spiritual life than simply giving up soft drinks or chocolate, I want to share some questions for mediation and reflection that I came across years ago in a book by Laurence Hull Stookey.  Stookey, in Calendar: Christ's Time for the Church (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), asks the following questions all centered around the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving:  - What progress am I making in sharing gladly what I have with others, particularly with the stranger or the poor?  - What attitudes do I convey to those who irritate me? How can awareness of my own need of God’s grace enable me to be more gracious to them?  - How has my sense of interconnectedness in corporate worship grown of late, and how can I move ahead in appreciating the contributions and needs of other members in the congregation to which I belong?  - Am I as charitable and thoughtful to family members as to others? Or do I “take it out” on my family when life at school or work gets hectic?  - Can I redistribute my long-range personal budget in order to have more money to give away?  - When I hear someone being unjustly maligned, do I speak up to correct the record, or am I a silent accomplice?  - How can I more effectively and consistently support legislation and social programs that help the disadvantaged rather than hurt them?  - In devotional acts of prayer and reading, am I increasing my attention span and discovering new ways of listening rather than of talking, of giving thanks rather than of complaining?  - As I uncover and attempt to deal with one level of prejudice in my life, what other levels do I find lurking underneath, and how can I confront them?  - In addition to intercessory prayer, what habits can I develop that allow me to be more responsive to the sick, the distressed, and the bereaved, particularly when their needs emerge suddenly and require immediate attention? Can I plan spaces into my life to allow for such unanticipated opportunities to minister to others?  - Am I, by consistent attendance in worship, a witness to others of the worthiness of the God that I follow? Or am I, by my sporadic attendance, suggesting that God is worth serving some times, but not others? I hope that this Big, Super, Fat Tuesday will fulfill all your expectations...and I pray, even more, that next 40 days might be a time in which God touches you once again or, if you're like me, a time when God challenges you to say "no" to the false idols and gospels of our day and "yes" to one Gospel that leads to life. Bon mercredi des cendres, lane PS - There will be a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper at Clemson UMC tonight beginning at 5 pm.  Tomorrow, there will be an ecumenical Ash Wedneday Service tomorrow on campus at 12:20 pm in McKissick and one tomorrow evening at Clemson UMC at 6:30 pm. Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeTue, 05 Feb 2008 23:10:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:32http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/30/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Ends-and-Means.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=30http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=30&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/30/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Ends-and-Means.aspx From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17, KJV   After a full week of various conversations, bible study groups and other activities, I find myself on Friday morning contemplating a philosophy that has long been attributed to the 15th century diplomat, playwright, Niccolo Machiavelli: the ends justify the means.  But why? My week began on Monday morning doing what I have done since arriving in Clemson in 2001 - assisting with the university's celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's life through the Day of Service celebration.  The DOS is designed to encourage students, faculty, administrators and others in the community to "take a day on" rather than "taking a day off" in recognition of Dr. King's legacy of working to bring all people together.  Once again this year well over 250 folks volunteered on Monday at a variety of places throughout the community, and I know that many of our local agencies are grateful for the help that they received. On Tuesday night I heard Dr. Samuel Dubois Cook, President Emeritus of Dillard University, give an impassioned speech on the values and philosophy that helped explain why events like the DOS are so important.  While many in the Clemson area were seeking to experience community in Littlejohn Coliseum as the Tigers played Wake Forest in basketball, Dr. Cook, a long-time friend and classmate of Dr. King's at Morehouse College, taught those of us gathered in the Brooks Center about the meaning of the "Beloved Community."  We all caught a glimpse of this Beloved Community that night, through the music provided by the Benedict College Gospel Choir and the testimony of a young high school senior who won the MLK Oratorical Contest.  The daughter of a Haitian mother and a caucausian father, this poised, articulate young woman captivated us all, and she challenged us to transcend the ignorance and bigotry that continues to prevent the Beloved Community from being fully realized.  "Out of the mouths of babes," I mumbled to myself as she concluded. On Wednesday morning, I joined my Bible Study group on the Gospel of Matthew.  As we studied the Sermon on the Mount, we read that "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" in Matthew 5.  "But what is the kingdom of heaven?" and "Isn't it true that the kingdom of heaven will not come until Jesus returns again?" were the questions that I heard.  I pointed the class to Matthew 4:17, where Jesus says the same words spoken by John the Baptist earlier in the Gospel: "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is near (or at hand)."  I tried to make the argument that the kingdom of heaven is both here now but also not yet here now.  If we have our eyes open, we see the kingdom of heaven every day, but yet we know that the kingdom of heaven in its fullness is still far from a reality on this earth. And finally last night, I watched a movie that a friend has been asking me to watch for over a year now, "Kingdom of Heaven" directed by Ridley Scott and starring Orlando Bloom.  Oddly enough, I didn't rent the movie because of the conversation on Wednesday or because of Dr. Cook's lecture on Tuesday.  No, I had actually rented the movie last weekend but I had never found the time to watch it.  I knew my clock with Blockbuster was ticking, so I sat down last night to watch this story about the Crusades. The setting for the story is the year 1184, over 800 years ago.  As with today, followers of Jesus, Muhammad, and Yahweh are struggling to lay claim to the power that they believe the city of Jerusalem possesses.  Pilgrims from throughout Europe, including the protagonist Balian (played by Bloom), travel to the Holy City seeking forgiveness, healing and the kingdom of heaven.  In large part the movie portrays a struggle that we all experience in life: to what lengths are we willing to go to accomplish what we believe is right, best, or, as some might say, God's (or Allah's) will.  The struggle is most intense for Balian, as he repeatedly resists the temptation to do what might be politically expedient instead of what he knows, in his heart, is right.  For Balian, the ends were worthless (if not damning) is he chose methods or means that betrayed his conscience.  Ironically in the end, Balian, about the only one who never claims to know God's will, actually seems more in tune with the heart of God than anyone else Is the kingdom of heaven at hand? Is it near?  Oh, I surely believe it is.  I believe I saw it on Monday during the DOS, as students and others served their neighbors expecting nothing in return.  I believe that I witnessed it again on Tuesday night in a speech delivered by a high school student of mixed race.  Yes, I believe the kingdom is always at hand when we choose selflessness over selfishness, when we choose to serve rather than to be served, when we seek to forgive rather than to retaliate.  And any and every time that we seek peace, harmony, and justice in our world through methods and means that correlate rather than conflict with our desired ends, I believe that we begin to live as the Beloved Community yearned for by Dr. King and so many others throughout the centuries. May God give us all the courage and the strength to give witness to God's kingdom using means that reflect the very nature of God...each and every day. With gratitude for faithful and courageous witnesses, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeFri, 25 Jan 2008 21:40:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:30http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/28/Default.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=28http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=28&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/28/Default.aspx Like so many other things surrounding weddings, I remember hearing the following saying for the first time in the weeks preceding my own nuptials in 1988: Something old, something new, Something borrowed, something blue. My future mother-in-law explained that this was another of those old wedding traditions that had been passed down through the generations.  On the day of her wedding, a bride was to wear something old, new, borrowed and blue - for good luck, I believe she said. According to one website that I found, the old item represents a link to the bride's family and past, the new item is for good fortune and success, the borrowed item (ideally coming from a woman who is happily married) serves as a reminder that friends and family will always be there to help, and the blue item symbolizes loyalty and faithfulness.  Apparently brides in ancient Israel wore blue ribbons on the borders of their clothes to represent purity and fidelity, and of course the color of blue has always been associated with the Virgin Mary.  Interestingly, the website also added a fifth phrase to the saying, "...and a silver sixpence in her shoe" to represent wealth.  Come to think of it, I have heard of brides placing pennies in their shoes...I guess this is the origin of that tradition as well. In the coming weeks on Sunday nights, we will be doing a series whose title is derived from this expression.  The Something Old, Something Borrowed, Something TRUE that we will be studying is the Hebrew Scriptures, or the Old Testament as many Christians have been raised to call it.  The Hebrew Scriptures are very old, with stories dating back thousands of years, in many cases even thousands of years before the time of Christ.  As followers of Jesus, our story does not begin with a genealogy in the Gospel of Matthew but with the words "In the beginning" in Genesis.  We claim that the same God who created all things is the same God who is fully known to us in Jesus.   For the Christian Church, I also believe that it is important for us to remember that our faith in many ways is borrowed from the ancient Israelites, the Jews.  The Christian faith did not appear out of thin air two thousand years ago in some rural village in Galilee, but it was birthed out of an existing faith tradition.  Our list of patriarchs do not begin with the four evangelists but with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  And, we in the Christian community often overlook the fact that until the day he died, Jesus sought to live as a faithful Jew.  He observed the Sabbath (even though he disagreed with how the religious authorities of the day sought to interpret Sabbath law) and the festivals (he was celebrating Passover at the time of his arrest and crucifixion), and his teachings were rooted always in the Hebrew Scriptures.  In fact, Jesus' most famous teaching - that the meaning of life is about loving God fully and loving your neighbor as yourself - is simply a pairing of two laws from Deuteronomy and Leviticus.   And lastly, surely there is something very true in the stories of Yahweh and Yahweh's people - the stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, Moses, the kings, the prophets, the exile, the apostasy, the restoration, and the promise of a new hope, of a new day over and over again.  Many Christians tell me that they do not read the Old Testament because they do not like the picture of God that they find there.  To these Christians I always say, "Then you haven't studied the Old Testament in detail!  For if you did, you will be overwhelmed by the picture of a God who shows abundant mercy, abundant grace and abundant patience for His people and world."  There is indeed great truth in the Hebrew Scriptures, but it also truth that often takes a little more work to discover if you are not Jewish.  Sadly, many Christians are just not interested in putting in this work. Throughout the next eight weeks we will look at stories, people, practices and principles from the Hebrew Scriptures that many Christians either do not know or do not seek to practice in their own lives.  Each week we will seek to discover the Truth that these stories convey, even for those of us who read and interpret all of the Old Testament through the life and lens of Jesus Christ, the one who came not to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). One other thing came to mind as we were planning this series over the last few weeks.  Throughout the New Testament, the Church is often referred to as the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25, for example).  And who is the Church, but you and me?  To be a "bride" intent on purity, faithfulness and connecting with or family's ancestry, shouldn't we consider "wearing" something old and something borrowed in addition to something new?  If we do, I believe our "marriage" will be much richer, much deeper and much more reflective of the love and grace of the God who created us all. Come join us on Sunday nights! lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com   Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeFri, 18 Jan 2008 16:08:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:28http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/25/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Reclaiming-Christmas.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=25http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=25&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/25/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Reclaiming-Christmas.aspxAnd there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:8-11, KJV   Several years ago I read an editorial by Charley Reese entitled "Christians Can Reclaim Christmas." Reese opened his article with the following bold statement: It is not too early for Christians to think about reclaiming Christmas from the merchants. These merchants have turned Christmas into a debt-fueled commercial orgy devoid not only of religious meaning but even of common sense.  Needless to say, this strongly worded introduction caught my attention. I was compelled to read more. The author went on to describe how the season’s meaning for Christians has been watered down over the years in favor of an expression that is more culturally friendly. Reese joked, "The idea that religion has to be fashionable is laughable. The eternal does not conform to the temporal."  After several hundred words, he finally summarized the main point of his article with the following closing statement: My real point is just to remind people of religious faith that they live now in a secular society as hostile to their faith and to them as the Roman Empire once was. Their faith is under virtually continuous attack - often subtle and indirect - by the government, by the entertainment industry, by academia and by the news media.  The state-as-god is jealous and aspires to have nothing higher than itself.  It positively views with great alarm those individuals whose first loyalty is to something above and beyond the state.  Personally, I hold with George Washington, who said enemies of religion are enemies of republican government. Christmas is about Christ and the message he brought.  It is not about snow or jingle bells or half-off sales. It should be celebrated at home and in church, not in the malls (emphasis mine). Strong words to contemplate as we prepare to "celebrate" the holiday in our own special ways. I am the first to admit how difficult it is to capture the "good tidings of great joy" in Luke’s story. Everything seems to be pulling us in the direction of more stress, more parties, more spending and more fatigue. It is so easy to allow the sacred aspects of the holiday to take a backseat to the worldly lures of shopping and "good cheer."  Throughout this Advent and Christmas season, I invite you to do your family, your friends, your loved ones but most of all yourself a favor.  Instill a few daily practices into your life that will allow you to experience the joy of the Christ child's birth.  Here are some possibilities:   Read a little of the Christmas story from the Bible every day. Set aside time each week to sit in front of a lighted Christmas tree or Nativity scene and to reflect on how much God has blessed you and your family. Send your regrets to at least one Christmas drop-in. Pray daily that God will bring about "Peace on earth" for you and others during this time. Volunteer your time or give of your resources to help the poor, the homeless, the sick or shut-in. Attend church services, on Sunday morning and whenever possible, to help you stay focused on the true meaning of the season. I hope this Christmas season proves to be the most uplifting and meaningful ever for each of you as you attempt to "Reclaim Christmas."  I pray that this time will also be a time for you to grow in your knowledge and love for our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.  May God bless you and your family during this time and in the New Year to come! Abiding in the field, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.    laneglazeTue, 11 Dec 2007 02:58:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:25http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/22/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Sweet-Revenge.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=22http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=22&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/22/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Sweet-Revenge.aspx Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge, I will repay," says the Lord. Romans 12:19, NIV "Sweet revenge!  Sweet revenge!  Today we gonna get some sweet revenge!" Twenty years later, those words still ring clear in my ears.  We were in the pregame warm-ups against an undermatched team that we had defeated soundly in a baseball game just a few weeks earlier.  An opposing player, for what seemed like an hour, kept announcing for all to hear, "Sweet revenge!  Sweet revenge!  You may have beaten us the other day, but today's gonna be sweet revenge!" I've been hearing lots of "Sweet revenge" talk this week around Clemson.  Tomorrow and next Saturday the Tigers will be playing Boston College and South Carolina.  Over the last two seasons, three of Clemson's most disappointing and painful losses came at the hands of these two teams.  And when you consider that Clemson may get the chance in the ACC Championship game to face Virginia Tech - a third team that has had the Tigers' number in recent years - the idea of enacting some "Sweet revenge" starts sounding sweeter and sweeter for Tiger Nation. I love getting revenge.  In high school, two of my best memories came when we beat the Summerville Green Wave.  The Green Wave always beat us badly in every sport, but on at least two occasions - one in their football stadium (a.k.a. "The Slaughterhouse") and one in baseball when it mattered the most - we whipped them.  In college, I'll never forget the night when we finally beat our nemesis for the first time ever, ending their season.  To this day I can still hear my younger brother calling from stands, "Pack it up!  Time to go home!"  Sweet memories indeed. As a lifelong Clemson fan, I also have fond memories of the Tigers getting sweet revenge against their rivals.  When the eventual National Champion Notre Dame came into Death Valley under the leadership of quarterback Joe Montana in 1977 and squeaked out a 21-17 victory, I can remember feeling sick for several days.  But two years later, under the leadership of quarterback Billy Lott, the Tigers traveled up to South Bend and beat the Irish on their home turf, no easy task in those days.  My, my, revenge was surely sweet that year. But as sweet as revenge can be on the playing field, it can be poisonous when practiced in real life.  I believe that Jesus understood this when he counseled those first disciples to turn the other cheek and to walk the extra mile.  And I believe that the Apostle Paul understood this when he exhorted the Christians in Rome - the Washington, DC of its day - to leave the role of avenging hurt, pain and loss ultimately to God.  How should we react and respond to our enemies?  Jesus said we should love them.  Paul said that we should care for their physical needs.  They both taught that God's people should seek to bless and pray for their persecutors.  I often dream of what our world look like if we could learn to not seek "Sweet revenge" in our marriages, in our business dealings, in our churches, or in our political affairs.  Call me an idealist if you'd like, but it seems to me that such an approach would lead to less divorce, bloodshed and heartache and more reconciliation, harmony and peace around the globe.  Naive foolishness...or wisdom from above?  You have to decide for yourself. Speaking of wisdom - or at least the wisdom of this world, the other night on CNBC I heard one of our most popular false prophets, Donald Trump, articulate the philosophy of revenge that continues to dominate our day and time.  Trump was speaking to a group of mostly younger entrepreneurs on how to be successful.  The show, entitled "The Billionaire Inside," involved Trump spending the hour fielding different questions while also outlining his "Trump Traits" for creating and sustaining "incredible" wealth.  With my oldest daughter, I watched about ten minutes of the show until I heard Trump make the following proclamation:  "Revenge is good.  When a person screws you, screw them back 15 times over!" You should have seen the excited gleam in the eye of his disciples when they heard him say that. There are so many lessons from sports that are also applicable to real life.  The desire for revenge, however, is not one of them, for there is no such thing as "Sweet" revenge. May God help those of us who crave revenge choose a better path...especially in the game of life. Go Tigers! lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu. laneglazeFri, 16 Nov 2007 15:51:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:22http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/23/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Where-is-God.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=23http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=23&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/23/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Where-is-God.aspxWhere can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? Psalm 139:7, NIV My God, my God, why have you foresaken me? Psalm 22:1   Within a span of 24 hours, I hear incredibly heartbreaking news of seven students dying in a house fire on the coast.  A few hours later, I hear about the death of a former colleague's elderly mother, followed a few minutes later by the news of a student's mother finally succumbing to her long battle with cancer.  And all of this on the heels of a young Clemson student dying suddenly just a few days ago, while warming up to play an intramural football game.  Needless to say, I've heard from many students and parents who are struggling with hard questions:  Where is God? Why would God allow such tragedy?  Does God even exist?   The same Psalm that I quoted in last week's devotional, the 139th, seemed a fitting Scripture to quote again in light of these events and the questions that have followed.  My guess is that another Psalm, the 22nd, has been on the minds of many, just as it was on Jesus' mind before his painful death on the cross.  "My God, my God, why have your foresaken me?"   Earlier today a friend told me of a story that was shared last night by Barbara Brown Taylor, who was meeting with a group at Clemson UMC.  In a sermon on the Book of Job entitled "The Problem of Pain," Taylor shares the story of how William Sloane Coffin, former chaplain at Yale and Pastor to Riverside Church in New York, responded harshly to those within his congregation who were trying to comfort him after the loss of his 25 year old son who had died in an auto accident.  Brown's retelling of the story goes like this:   The night after his son died, Coffin said, he was sitting in his sister's living room outside of Boston when a nice-looking middle-aged woman came in balancing a column of quiches on her arm.  When she saw him sitting there she shook her head.  As she headed for the kitchen he heard her say sadly over her shoulder, "I just don't understand the will of God."  Coffin's fuse was about a quarter of an inch long at that point, and he exploded.   "I'll say you don't, lady!" he roared, jumping up out of his chair.  "Do you think it was the will of God that Alex never fixed that lousy windshield wiper of his, that he was probably driving too fast in such a storm, that he probably had had a couple of "frosties" too many?  Do you think it is God's will that there are no street lights along that stretch of road, and no guard rail separating the road from Boston Harbor?"   Nothing made him crazier during those first few days after his son's death, he said, than the incapacity of otherwise intelligent people to understand that God does not go around causing wrecks and killing people.  It is hard enough to bury a son, but to make God the executioner?  Of course that was not what the woman meant to be saying.  She meant to say something about the sovereignty of God, but Coffin has some advice for her and all her well-meaning kin.   "The one thing that should never be said when someone dies is, 'It is the will of God.'  Never do we know enough to say that."   His consolation, he said, was knowing that it was NOT the will of God that Alex die - that when the waves of Boston Harbor closed over his son's head, God's heart was the first to break.   The Good News is this: just as God did not abandon Jesus to the cross, God does not abandon us in our time of pain and suffering either.  In fact, the Psalms remind us over and over again that God is always with us - an ever-present help during times of trouble (46:1).  While we may feel foresaken, God is always with us, especially when we find ourselves in the depths of Sheol (139:8), in the valley of the shadow of death (23:4).     As Jesus promised, may all those who mourn on this day be comforted by the God whose heart breaks with ours.   With love, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister, Clemson UMC P.O. Box 1703, Clemson, SC 29633 (864) 654-5547 (o); (864) 207-9135 www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu. laneglazeTue, 30 Oct 2007 15:03:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:23http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/21/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Golf-and-Tennis-Lessons.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=21http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=21&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/21/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Golf-and-Tennis-Lessons.aspx Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? Psalm 139:7, NIV The last sixty days have been a whirlwind for the Glazes. It seems like just yesterday that I sat down to write my last weekly devotional, but it was actually two months ago. Time sure flies by when you’re having fun…or when you have way too much going on! Yes, these first few months of the school year will most likely be the craziest of the academic year for my family. My wife started her school year as a teacher, my daughters began new years in middle and high school, and I entered a new year of ministry to and with students at Clemson. On top of these new challenges, both my daughters have been playing fall sports. My oldest has been doing her magic on the tennis court while her sister has been teeing it up on the golf course, both representing Daniel High School. Their seasons finally ended earlier this week. Unlike many of their peers, our daughters have not been too active in sports over the years. When they were younger, they both played soccer and took gymnastics lessons, but neither of them participated in travel teams that have become so popular for adolescents and teenagers in recent years. We were used to our girls having activities several days a week and rarely on the weekends. Last year all of this changed when they both began playing varsity sports. This past summer and fall I spent much time with both of my daughters helping them to prepare for the field of play. These times of practice and preparation have been some of the most fun that we have had together since they were born. In practice, there is little to no pressure, and we’re free to talk, laugh and joke around between games or holes. Their matches, however, have been the complete opposite - some of the most stressful times in recent years. Fans in most sports are free to cheer, scream or, if things get really heated, complain to the umpire or referee! Not so in tennis and golf, where proper etiquette, honesty, integrity and decorum are still valued. At my daughters matches, parents are expected to remain calm and keep distance from the field of play. And, unlike in most sports, players don’t rely on an impartial judge to decide the rules, they are expected to serve as referees for one another. If I have learned anything over these last two seasons, it is this: it is much easier to play than it is to watch someone you love play. I now have a much deeper appreciation for the emotional rollercoaster that my parents endured as they watched my brothers and me play over a thousand games over the years. I have rarely felt so helpless during my adult years. As I have tried to watch the ones that I love patiently from the sidelines these last two years, I now have better sense of how God must feel when God watches us "play" in the game of life. Don’t you know that God must cherish those times when we are simply preparing and practicing, when we are in close conversation with our Heavenly Parent, even laughing and joking around on occasion? But don’t you also know that God’s heart must yearn and burn for us when we leave those Eden-like times to enter the real world, the field of play? Living in the world can be so difficult, and it sometimes seems that God is on the sidelines keeping His mouth shut. And even for the most devout believers, there are times when it feels as if God is not even there for us at all. The Gospel, however, teaches us over and over again that the God that we worship and serve, the One who made and sustains us, is no absentee Parent at all. God is always there for us, during those times of practice and preparation and always when we enter the field of play. And while we may not sense God’s presence or hear His words of encouragement, God is there - cheering us on, celebrating the victories, and comforting us in defeat. As the Psalmist reminds us, there is nowhere that we can go to flee from God’s Spirit, God’s presence. Faithful to His promises, God is always there. This past fall I have tried to support the ones that I love in this way as they have given it their all. To be honest, there were times when I was purposefully absent because I could not take the stress of being a parent who had to keep his mouth shut. It was during those times that the Holy Spirit began to convict me of how different my love and actions as a parent were compared to God’s. Thank you, God, for never abandoning or foresaking us. Thank you, God, for ALWAYS being there, each and every day. Learning new lessons daily, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister, Clemson UMC P.O. Box 1703, Clemson, SC 29633 (864) 654-5547 (o); (864) 207-9135 www.clemsonwesley.com Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu. laneglazeFri, 26 Oct 2007 16:31:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:21http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/18/CW-Weekly-Devotional--The-Katrina-Anniversary.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=18http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=18&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/18/CW-Weekly-Devotional--The-Katrina-Anniversary.aspxFriends,   Today marks the two year anniversary of what I have started calling the “Katrina Event." More than a major natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina has proven to be an ongoing tragedy for the people of the Gulf Coast. Two years later most Americans have moved on. However, my guess is that for the people who once lived in the communities ranging from greater New Orleans in the west and Mobile to the east, August 29, 2005 seems like yesterday.   On this anniversary, there is surely much to mourn and to be angry about. But I also believe that there is much to celebrate. Soon after the storm hit, people began to respond in ways that I have never witnessed in my lifetime, with literally hundreds of thousands of people from the U.S. and other countries donating precious time and resources to help those who were suffering. And amazingly, many of these people (and the organizations that they represent) continue to do the hard work of recovery – long after the news cameras have left the scene.   Today I want to share with you the first words that I wrote a few days after the storm hit, the CW Weekly Devotional published September 2, 2005. Within hours of sending this email to several thousand students, parents of students, alumni, friends, and family, plans were underway that would eventually change the lives of hundreds of students and others, including my own. Two years later, I continue to struggle with the things that I saw, the stories that I heard, and the odors that I smelled in those earliest experiences. My heart aches for those whose lives are STILL torn asunder - living in FEMA trailers, trying to find work, haggling with insurance companies, waiting on the government, or just trying to figure out a way to get back home.    Reading these words from two years ago have reminded me of all of the good that has come from what can only be described as a horrible catastrophe. And these words have brought back many memories and served as a reaffirmation of a belief that I hold dearly: we worship a God who is constantly at work bringing new life and hope from the pit of death and despair.   As a Campus Minister, I have noticed firsthand how the Katrina event is shaping today’s younger generation in positive, life-changing ways. Many of today’s college-aged young adults - labeled pejoratively by some “Generation Me” for their love of expensive technology, desire for instant gratification and inflated self-esteem - are different than they were two years ago. In fact, I am beginning to believe that their generation might go down in history as “Generation NOT Me” when the history for this era is eventually told.  Next week, I plan to share more about my observations and reflections on this exciting, Spirit-inspired movement.   For now, I thank God today for the many new friendships that I now enjoy because of Katrina. But lest I be too romantic, I know the struggle continues for so many. May God continue to bless the Gulf Coast recovery efforts, and may God continue to raise up thousands of servants “for such a time as this.”          With love for all those grieving today, lane   For Such a Time as This   For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this. Esther 4:14, NIV   Note: This week’s devotional also takes the form of a press release (see below) as the staff and student leadership of Clemson Wesley begin to make plans for assisting the Gulf Coast Region in its recovery. If you feel led to join our effort – either through participating on a team or through financial support – please let me know. CLG   Throughout my life and especially over the last four years as a Campus Minister and Associate Pastor in Clemson, the Spirit of God has spoken to me those same words that Mordecai spoke centuries ago to Esther. “Maybe God has placed you where you are, Lane, for such a time as this.”    How might God use my passion for Clemson Tiger football as a young boy for the good?  For such a time as this, when I am in the position to speak a prophetic word of reason and truth to overzealous fans.   How might God use my hepatitis scare at the age of 17 for the good? For such a time as this, when I visit with folks every week who are confronted with their own mortality.   How might God use my college experience – half geek, half jock – for the good? For such a time as this, when I often spend my mornings with professors and other egg-heads and my afternoons with folks who love any activity that involves a ball.   How might God use my over 10 years in business for the good? For such a time as this, when I regularly counsel students who struggle making Godly vocational choices in our consumerist, get-rich-quick-as-you-can culture.   And lastly, how might God use my experience with Hurricane Hugo in 1989 for the good?  For such a time as this, when as a Campus Minister I am in the position to mobilize and coordinate hundreds, if not thousands, of able-bodied students – students with little money but lots of endurance, passion and time - to assist in the worst disaster in U.S. history. As I have told many people since earlier this week, once you live through a disaster like Hugo, a day that Charlestonians will never forget, your eyes and heart are sensitized forever to the suffering of others, especially those suffering the effects of a similar disaster.   Neither I nor the leaders of Clemson Wesley can prevent all from perishing as Queen Esther was able to do. But we can play our part. A small part yes, but a vital one for those whose lives we will touch.   How has God been preparing you…for such a time as this? Will you “remain silent”…or who you make use of your “royal position”?   With a heavy heart, lane   Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister, Clemson UMC P.O. Box 1703, Clemson, SC 29633 (864) 654-5547 (o); (864) 207-9135 (m) www.clemsonwesley.com   Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church’s ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Rev. Lane Glaze at glaze@clemson.edu.   For Immediate Release   Clemson Wesley Announces Mission to the Gulf   By now we have all seen the scenes from the Gulf Coast region.  Words cannot describe the devastation and the pain and suffering that so many are still experiencing.  Many of us living elsewhere, including myself, feel helpless.  Having lived through Hurricane Hugo in 1989, I know that the process of digging out will be going for the next two to three years, and the rebuilding even longer.   The Gulf Coast region will remain in a disaster relief mode for a while with local governments, relief agencies and churches focusing their efforts on providing the basic necessities (food, water and temporary shelter) to the storm victims.  Hopefully, within 4-5 weeks these groups will begin to move into a disaster recovery mode focused on the clean-up and rebuilding of homes and communities.   Throughout the remainder of 2005 and 2006, the staff and student-leadership of Clemson Wesley is committed to assisting the region in its recovery efforts.  Once the emergency is over, non-governmental agencies and churches will be soliciting the help of thousands of volunteers who might be willing to give a week or two of their time.  Working through these local groups, Clemson Wesley intends to help in this way by supplying hundreds of volunteers - students and others included.  Currently, Clemson Wesley has preliminary plans to lead teams to the Gulf Coast region on the following dates:   10/14-10/18/05        CU’s Fall Break 12/26/05 – 1/2/06    CU’s Christmas Break 3/17 – 3/25/06         CU’s Spring Break 5/14 – 5/20/06         After the Spring Semester ends   The exact location(s) will be determined later as we learn more about the needs.  We plan to utilize our personal and church contacts to identify areas in need of assistance with cleanup, roof repair, etc. Students and other able-bodied people have much to offer the Gulf Coast region in the coming months.  I hope and pray that you will consider joining with us as we seek to be the hands and feet of Christ for the suffering of our world.laneglazeThu, 30 Aug 2007 01:21:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:18http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/17/CW-Weekly-Devotional--The-First-Day.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=17http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=17&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/17/CW-Weekly-Devotional--The-First-Day.aspxIn the beginning God created the heaven and earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw the light, that is was good: and God divided the Light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:1-5, KJV   Today marks the First Day of classes for everyone in the greater Clemson community - everyone from my niece who is starting kindergarten at Clemson Elementary School to the over 4,000 freshmen starting classes at Clemson University. Needless to say, it is a day filled with great expectation and nervousness, not to mention lots more traffic than normal!   Thoughts of the "The First Day" around here brought to mind THE first day that we find in Scripture. These verses from Genesis are some of the most familiar in all of the Bible, especially those from the old King James. There's something about those expressions "without form and void" and "moved upon the face of the waters" that I miss in our newer translations.   What was THE first day like? Are there any lessons from THE first day that might be helpful on this "first day" in the year of our Lord 2007?   No matter how you choose to read the creation stories from Genesis 1 and 2, God appears to do more creating prior to the end of that first day than in all the other days combined. Sure, thousands of different species (including our own) are created after THE first day in Genesis 1, and I've dissected enough animals and studied enough cellular biology to appreciate the vastness and majesty of God's plant and animal kingdom. But prior to the end of THE first day, the Israelites believed that God above all gods had created all the heavens and the earth - the Milky Way and all the galaxies beyond - from scratch. From nothing. Creatio ex nihilo or "creation from nothing" is the term that theologians and philosophers call it. The Psalmist would later describe it in this way, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of this mouth" (Ps. 33:6). Even later, the Apostle John would reaffirm this same claim in the prologue to his Gospel, "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made" (Jn 1:3). The Triun God breathes and speaks, and planets, stars, moons and atoms are created. From nothing.   But the claims made in these first few verses of Genesis about the power and nature of God do not end here. The One who creates everything that is seen and unseen, the Author of our universe, then surveys all that has been created at the end of that first day and announces for all time, "This is good. This is very good." And this goodness of God's creation is reaffirmed at the end of the next five days as God creates every single living creature that inhabits planet earth. Not only is God powerful enough to create the heavens and earth by simply speaking them into existence, but God is loving and gracious enough to label all that has been created "Good." No seconds. No rejects. All of God's creation receives a thumbs up, a five-star rating from the only One worthy of judging: the original Manufacturer.   How might these lessons from THE first day encourage those beginning a new phase of their lives today?   For starters, I have always found it reassuring to know that I am not God, but simply one of God's creatures created for good. It is not my role to judge. It is not my role to label others "good" or "bad." It is not my role to create or to redeem. As one of God's beloved creatures, I am simply called to trust that the same God who created all things from nothing has the power to do amazing things in and through my life as well. Can I rebel? Might I choose to worship other gods? As the next few chapters in Genesis teach us, those temptations are ever present, and especially on today's college campuses. But I know that God, the One who daily breathes the breath of life into me, has created me for good. I will always hold onto that - no matter what the bully on the playground or the fraternity or sorority who rejects me might say. I am one of God's children. I am beautiful. I am loved. And you are too.   In addition, these verses from Genesis remind us that the God who created us makes a habit of bringing order, light and life from chaos, darkness and death. No matter how broken, how messed up or how hopeless our lives may seem, we worship a God of new possibilities, of second chances, of new life. Just as God was powerful enough to create the heavens and the earth from nothing, God is always powerful enough to rescue and raise us from the depths of sin and despair. Now that's Good News.   May the Spirit of God be with all parents who are having to let go a little today, and may that same Spirit be with all of God's children who are experiencing their First Days in strange, new worlds.   In the Light and Love of God, lane   Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) www.clemsonwesley.com   Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of Rev. Lane Glaze and the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church's ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Lane at glaze@clemson.edu. laneglazeWed, 22 Aug 2007 18:17:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:17http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/15/Default.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=15http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=15&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/15/Default.aspxFor you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self- indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:13-14, NRSV     Without much forethought, I ending up celebrating the Fourth in a very unusual way this past week.   The day started with an early morning Eucharist service, something that a student and I have been talking about doing on a weekly basis for months now. Following the student's beautifully crafted liturgy with readings and prayers drawn from a variety of sources, the two of us gathered around the Table at Clemson UMC to be reminded of who God is, to confess our sins against God and our neighbor, and to partake of the Holy Meal one more time. You might say that the two of us began our "Independence" Day celebration by recognizing our "dependence" on God and one another.   Later that morning I began making preparations to feed 100 folks at the Salkehatchie Summer Camp based in Pendleton, something that I had agreed to do a month ago. Salkehatchie is a wonderful ministry in South Carolina that involves over 3,000 youth, college students and other adults working at dozens of sites to alleviate sub-standard housing for many of our poorest residents. For several years now, Clemson Wesley has helped provide one of the meals for the group that gathers in Pendleton. As I looked around the fellowship hall filled with energetic, sunburned youth on Wednesday I thought to myself, "Well, this sure is a different way of celebrating the Fourth of July."   After lunch, I turned to my oldest daughter Griffin who had been helping me and said, "Well, what do you want to do this afternoon - it's just you and me?" With my wife and youngest daughter out of town until Friday, Griffin and I began to brainstorm how we might celebrate the holiday. By the time we reached the house, we had developed a plan. Fifteen minutes later we were headed to Atlanta for a day trip!   Before we left the house Griffin had researched on-line to see that the Braves were out of town and that there were large fireworks shows planned at Lenox Square and the Mall of Georgia. With that information and a map of Atlanta in hand, we began our Fourth of July adventure.   By the time we reached the interstate, we had talked about doing a variety of different things when I asked the question, "Have you ever been to the King Center - I think you'd really enjoy it?" She had not, so we began to plot our path to the Sweet Auburn Historic District of Atlanta.    I first visited the King Center several years ago with a large group of campus ministers and chaplains from throughout the country. To be honest, I simply thought that it would be fun to visit the King Center and the MLK National Historic Site run by the Park Service. It wasn't until after we arrived that I made the connection to our visit being on the Fourth of July, a day in which all Americans celebrate their freedom. After seeing many African-American families and only a few caucasians enjoying the park, I said to Griffin, "You know, most white Americans think about the Washingtons and Jeffersons on the Fourth of July. But for many in the African-American community, Martin Luther King, Jr. is the person that comes to mind on this day."   The King Center and surrounding area was exactly as I had remembered. We watched a video entitled "Children of Courage" (Message: You're never too young to change the world through peaceful, non-violent means) and then made our way through the exhibits and different buildings. We also toured the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, the congregation pastored by King's father and grandfather for most of the twentieth century. Before leaving, we visited the gift shop where Griffin purchased a postcard with the following famous quote from King:   Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don't have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve. You don't have to know Einstein's Theory of Relativity to serve. You don't have to know the second theogy of thermo-dynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.   One of the verses that I always remember on the Fourth of July is one of my favorites, Galatians 5:13. After trying for four chapters to convince the Christians living in Galatia that they have been freed from the Law because of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul finally reveals in this one short verse the implications of his argument. Yes, you are free! Yes, you are free indeed! But please do not, my brothers and sisters, conclude that God has liberated you so that you might enjoy every indulgence that your heart and flesh desire! No, no. You have been made free so that you might become slaves or servants to one another. For you see, all of the Law from which you have been liberated is actually summed up in one single law found in Leviticus 19:18, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." So go, be free! And love one another and love your neighbor like there is no tomorrow!   To be honest, most of my Fourth of July celebrations have involved great indulgence and rarely any service. And that is why this past Wednesday was a different kind of Fourth for me. Sure, I ended the day watching fireworks with my daughter at the Mall of Georgia, but beginning and continuing throughout the day I was reminded over and over again what it means to experience freedom as a Christian. It is a freedom described by Martin Luther, the German reformer and the person for whom MLK was named, near the end of his treatise entitled "The Freedom of a Christian":   We conclude therefore that a Christian man does not live in himself, but in Christ and in his neighbor, or else he is no Christian: in Christ by faith, in his neighbor by love. By faith he is carried upwards above himself to God, and by love he sinks back below himself to his neighbor.   May God give us the wisdom to use our freedom for good, and may God give us the courage to be advocates for all who are oppressed.   Be grateful and be great, lane   Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o)   Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of Rev. Lane Glaze and the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church's ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University. The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Lane at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeFri, 06 Jul 2007 13:36:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:15http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/11/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Fathers-Day-Follow-Up.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=11http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=11&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/11/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Fathers-Day-Follow-Up.aspxAs water reflects a man's face, so a man's heart reflects the man. Proverbs 27:19, NIV This past Sunday my daughters gave me two wonderful gifts for Father's Day.  The first was a photo album of pictures that date back to the time when they were both born.  Wow!  It is hard to believe that my oldest will be 17 and my youngest 14 in the fall.  Life surely races by! The second gift they gave me was a two page list entitled "Dad Says," expressions that I (apparently) say quite frequently.  A few of my favorites included:         "Don't ask me, ask your mother."         "Don't worry, it's only blood."         "Stop crying or I am going to give you something to cry about."         "C'mon! It'll be fun!"         "I don't care what everybody else is doing."  And my personal favorite,         "Lane like a street, Glaze like a doughnut."  My daughters know me too well, and the older they get the better they know how to put me in my place.  This second gift reminded me of several "gifts" that my two brothers and I have given my father over the years.  Brings to mind another one of my sayings, "What comes around goes around." Speaking of my father, the Lord has blessed me with a good one.  He has always been there for me, and he continues to be a friend and mentor.  Knowing so many other folks who have had to say "goodbye" to their fathers, I am grateful that my father continues to play such an important role in my life.  It is one of those rich blessings of life that is beyond any quantitative measurement. The Lord has also blessed me with many other fathers as well.  Some were coaches, others have been teachers, professors or pastors.  Growing up in Charleston, I was privileged to be surrounded by so many godly men that taught me so much about what it means to be a "real" man.  These "real" men also exhibited a very "real" faith - they were never shy about sharing what was on their hearts, how they had chosen to order their lives.  Over the last few years I have cherished the chance to spend some time with some of these men as we worked side by side in the recovery efforts on the Gulf Coast.  It was during those recent times together that I realized how unusual my life experience has been.  While so many children and youth today do not have even one strong male role model in their life, I was blessed with more than a dozen during my most formative years.  Like my father, many of these same men continue to play a substantive role in my life today. And what have these Real Men with Real Faith taught me over the years?  This past Sunday I spent a good part of my day reflecting on the contributions that so many men have made in my life. I jotted down the lessons that I have learned. A godly man works hard to provide for his family, and he also gives generously to those in need. A godly man is faithful and true to his vows and promises, especially when the going gets tough. A godly man is a man of his word and seeks to speak plainly, truthfully and directly. A godly man loves his children's mother. A godly man is there for his children when they need him the most. A godly man teaches his children many things, including morals, values and beliefs. A godly man knows have to have fun - responsibly. A godly man knows not to take himself too seriously. A godly man is not afraid to cry. A godly man keeps his anger and temper in check and seeks forgiveness when he fails to do so. A godly man is the same man when he is at work, at home, in church, on the golf course or in the deer stand. A godly man honors his parents, especially during their golden years. A godly man serves daily his community, church and world. A godly man realizes that he exhibits the most strength when he exhibits the greatest dependence on God. A godly man shares his faith openly, honestly and graciously. Proverbs reminds us that the heart of a man tells the true story of who that man is.  Jesus said that our hearts are in those things that we treasure the most.  I thank God for all the men in my life who, while not perfect, have taught me to treasure the things that are eternal in nature.  Worshiping and praying regularly.  Cherishing my spouse.  Working not only hard but with ethics.  Treating my children as the gifts from God that they are.  Taking care of the elderly.  Living sacrificially.  Knowing when to buckle down - but also when to laugh. Let us all give thanks for the godly men in our lives. Grateful for my many earthly fathers, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of Rev. Lane Glaze and the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church's ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University.  The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Lane at glaze@clemson.edulaneglazeWed, 20 Jun 2007 21:24:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:11http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/10/Default.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=10http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=10&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/10/Default.aspxWhen the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Acts 2:1, NIV Note: Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day in which Christians throughout the world celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit during the Pentecost festival (see Acts 2), giving birth to the Church as we know it.  On that day many bizarre and unexpected things happened, with maybe the most unusual being how an ordinary band of men and women from Galilee were empowered by God's Spirit in unimaginable ways.  As I followed reports this week of my beloved Wofford College winning game after game in the Southern Conference Baseball Tournament in Charleston, I began to see some connections to what happened in Jerusalem centuries ago and what we as Christians celebrate on Pentecost Sunday. CLG As a four-year baseball letterman at Wofford College during one of the school's winningest eras, the last dozen or so years of Terrier baseball have been painful for me to watch. Wofford began playing for the Southern Conference championship in baseball in 1998.  Since then, my alma mater has scratched an embarrassing 83-203 win-loss record against conference competition - a winning percentage of less than .300.  The Terriers have not had a winning season on the diamond since 1992, losing a whopping 215 more games than they won during those years.  To make matters even worse for me, Wofford has been pummeled repeatedly since joining the conference by The Citadel, one of our main South Carolina rivals and the school where both my brothers played baseball during their college years.  Before this past week's Southern Conference Tournament in Charleston, the two teams had met previously 30 times in conference play, with Wofford winning only four of those games.  Yes, these last few years have been painful to watch - for me and many of my former teammates. The 2007 Terrier squad finished the regular season better than in past years.  Overall, their regular season record was five games below .500, eleven games below that mark in conference play.  Nobody - even the most diehard of Wofford fans - expected them to last more than a day or two when they arrived in Charleston for the play-in game this past Tuesday against Furman.  Historically, the Terriers had only made three appearances in the season-ending tournament, winning only one game in six tries. Over the last few days, however, an amazing turn of events took place.  Suddenly, this mediocre, at best average team began to play like they had never played before.  After squeaking by Furman in the play-in game, the Terriers pounded the #1 seed in the tournament, the College of Charleston, tagging their star pitcher for 12 earned runs in less than five innings pitched.  The hitting barrage continued the next day, as the Terriers whipped UNC-Greensboro by a score of 12-5.  Finally, over the last two days, Wofford exacted a little revenge on their rival The Citadel, beating the Bulldogs twice in their home park to take the Southern Conference crown.  Over the last five days, the cinderella Terriers had managed to go undefeated against teams that they had posted a win-loss record of 26-106 since joining the conference in 1998.  One cannot help but wonder: How did this very ordinary group of young men manage to play so extraordinarily well over these last few days?  Nobody matriculates to Wofford College in pursuit of a professional sports career.  Sure, there are many (myself included) who are drawn to Wofford because it will afford them the opportunity to continue playing the sport that they love.  But all Wofford student-athletes understand that they are students, first and foremost.  If the "athlete" part ever gets in the way of the "student" part, players and coaches both understand clearly which role takes precedence.  As today's college sports landscape becomes more pseudo-professional every day, I grow more grateful for the way that Wofford has approached its athletics program over the years. Unlike the Clemsons or USCs of our region, Wofford student-athletes learn early on that losing a ballgame is not the end of the world.  Of course, that is not to say that Wofford fans ever grow fond of losing - nobody in their right mind should.  (I tell students all the time, "I've learned more from losing than I ever learned from winning" - boy, would that make Vince Lombardi roll over in his grave!)  At Wofford students soon realize that they will be asked to compete against teams in every sport that have more resources or, in some cases, lower academic standards than their school.  Over time Wofford students and alumni have learned to take pride in the "underdog" label, a status symbolized so well by the school's mascot, a Boston Terrier.  With a student body of only 1150, Wofford remains one of the smallest schools competing on the NCAA Division I stage. It is for all of these reasons that the events in recent days mean so much to the Wofford nation - all 15,000 of us!  For a few days at least, these young men bonded together, played to their fullest potential, and won a championship.  Years down the road, when they are most likely practicing law or medicine, teaching school, serving churches or running their own businesses, these young men will remember the spring of 2007 when together they were able to do an extraordinary thing, beyond their wildest imaginations. Centuries ago, the Spirit of God descended like a rushing, violent wind on a group of men and women huddled in a room, full of doubt and uncertainty about their future.  Over the season that had just passed, they had performed well at times, but so poorly at other times.  They had been told to wait patiently, for their day would soon arrive.  Bonded together in one place, they awaited the day when the Spirit of God would break loose in their midst.  When what they had been waiting for finally happened during the Pentecost festival, the world witnessed an amazing movement of God.  Ordinary men and women, bonded and unified in the Spirit, doing extraordinary things.  The world as they knew it would never be the same. Did the Spirit of God move in unusual ways this past week for the Wofford baseball team?  I can't say for sure, but I do know this.  Empowered by a strong bond and common belief, these young men did and saw things that they never imagined to be possible.  Transcending the familiar and expected, they worked together to realize a new dream, a different vision.  The world as they knew it, including the relationships that they have shared with one another, will never be the same.  Pentecost arrived early this week in the Port City for those wearing the Old Gold and Black. May the Holy Spirit empower you to realize the God-inspired dreams and visions of your head and heart. For all the underdogs, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of Rev. Lane Glaze and the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church's ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University.  The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Lane at glaze@clemson.edu.laneglazeSun, 27 May 2007 21:02:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:10http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9/Default.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=9http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=9&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9/Default.aspxDay and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy  is the Lord God Almighty,  who was, and is, and is to come." Book of Revelation 4:8b, NIV An African friend of mine who has already experienced more trials and tribulations than I could ever imagine always answers the same way when I ask him how he and his family are doing.  "We give God praise!" We give God praise?  How is it that he is able to give God praise EVERY hour of EVERY day it seems?  I know their struggles - past and present - and yet he continues to respond in the same way.  "We give God praise!"  I am moved (and humbled) by his response every time I hear him say it, and having him in my life has made me realize how often I fail to celebrate daily what God is doing for me and family. Over the last few days I have been re-reading portions of the Book of Revelation in anticipation of preaching from that text on Sunday.  What an inspiring and hope-filled book!  I find it sad that so many people see this book as "doom and gloom" - I have always found it to be just the opposite.  I hope to reinforce that in my message this Sunday. Some of the most unusual and inspiring portions of the book are found in the many worship scenes described by John.  The first of these is found in the early verses of chapter 4 where John paints a picture that is beyond words.  A throne with a rainbow arched over it.  Twenty-four other thrones around the main throne on which are sitting elders dressed in white and wearing crowns of gold. Lightning, thunder and seven lamps blazing with fire.  And before the throne there appears to be a sea of crystal-clear glass.  Sound like Salvador Dali painting to you? And if our imagination is not yet stirred, John then notices four living creatures, each with six wings and with eyes covering their bodies, situated around the primary throne in the center.  The four resembled a lion, an ox, a man and a flying eagle.  Are they there to protect the One sitting on the primary throne along with the other twenty-four?  Surely John must have wondered what these bizarre and rather ghoulish creatures were doing there in his heavenly vision. Then, before John's imagination could go too far, the four living creatures begin to say (or maybe sing?) some words over and over again.  Day and night, John reports, he hears the four living creatures repeating these words: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. And whenever the four living creatures repeat these words, the others gathered around the primary throne begin to do the same kind of thing!  The twenty-four elders, dressed in white and wearing gold crowns, fall down before the One who sits on the throne, lay their crowns down before the throne, and begin to worship the One who lives forever.  Their hymn of praise is different from the living creatures.  They sing, You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory, honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. Now obviously there has been great speculation about who or what the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures represent.  Do the twenty-four represent the twelve tribes of Israel combined with the twelve apostles?  Do the four creatures represent the four corners of the earth and all the living creatures created by the One on the throne?  We really are not sure what to make of these different participants in this heavenly worship scene, but we do know this for sure: the heaven described in John's vision is full of worship!  Every day and night all of God's created order give honor and praise to God and the Lamb, forever and ever.  I have often taught that the Christian life is a life shaped by Kingdom, or heavenly, values and practices.  And while it is perfectly normal to hope for the day when we will be around the heavenly throne of God, we continue to live on this earth.  This reality begs the question: what are we called to do while we are still here?  The answer, I believe, is very simple: we seek to live each day, with God's help, in ways that reflect what the heaven will look like once we get there, once it is manifested in its fullest.  We forgive one another.  We bear one another's burdens.  We seek reconciliation with our neighbors.  We work for peace.  We care for those who are forgotten in our world.  And daily, if not hourly, "We give God praise" no matter the circumstance, no matter what trial or tribulation confronts us.  In other words, we begin to live, right here and right now, as if we are already in heaven. Reading these words from Revelation brought two songs to mind for me this week.  The first hymn, "Holy, Holy, Holy!" has many direct quotes from chapter four of Revelation, and in verse two especially: Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee! Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, Who was, and is, and evermore shall be! And when I remembered that second line of the second verse, it reminded me of a popular song by the Christian band "Casting Crowns" entitled "Praise You in the Storm."  It is a song that celebrates God's abiding love and presence with us, especially through those darkest valleys in our lives.  In these days after the tragedy at Virginia Tech, as the war in Iraq continues, and as students on campuses like Clemson prepare for their final exams or for life after college, I believe that this song has a word that could benefit us all as we seek to survive the storms all around us.  Following is a portion of the song that especially connects with our situation today: I'll praise You in this storm And I will lift my hands For You are who You are No matter where I am Every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand You never left my side And though my heart is torn I will praise You in this storm May the One who created all things be with you during your time of trial, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of Rev. Lane Glaze and the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church's ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University.  The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Lane at glaze@clemson.edulaneglazeFri, 27 Apr 2007 20:27:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:9http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/8/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Do-Not-Fear.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=8http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=8&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/8/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Do-Not-Fear.aspxThere is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. I John 4:18a, NIV Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1b, NRSV Note: I have been tongue-tied since Monday morning's tragedy in Blacksburg.  On Wednesday evening at the candlelight vigil on Clemson's campus I listened to one of my campus ministry colleagues speak eloquently to the students while my internal struggle continued.  As a minister, it is always difficult to be at a loss for words, because in many ways a "word" is all that we have to offer.  The source of my struggle, however, had more to do with how what I preached the day before, on Sunday, April 15, related to what happened on Monday, April 16.  As the events have unfolded throughout this week, I have kept asking myself, "Do YOU really believe what you proclaimed with passion on Sunday?" Following are manuscript excerpts from what I preached at St. Mark UMC in Seneca, SC on Sunday morning.  The primary text for the day was the resurrection story of Jesus, the disciples and Thomas found in the twentieth chapter of the Gospel of John.  I continue to believe, even and especially in light of the events on Monday of this week, that it is God's word for me, and maybe for you as well.  CLG A great American once said during a tumultuous time, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." In Mark's Gospel, Easter Sunday begins with three women making their way to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body with spices. And as they traveled toward the tomb, they asked themselves, "Who will help us roll away the stone?" But as they drew closer, they noticed that the stone had already been rolled away. Entering the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe and they were alarmed, or afraid. "Don’t be afraid," the young man said.  "Jesus is not here. He is risen. He is going ahead of you into Galilee - you will find him there." And how did the three women respond. They trembled and they were bewildered as they fled the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. This same fear persisted and is captured in the story from the Gospel of the John. Later that evening on Easter Sunday, the disciples have gathered together behind locked doors. Why? Out of fear. And into this room with closed doors, Jesus appears and speaks these words: "What are you doing? Why did you abandon me during my time of trial? With friends like you who needs enemies?" No, he did not say this, even though it would have made sense.  What he said was simple yet remarkable: "Peace be with you."  And then he showed him his hands and his side, and they were overjoyed - for they knew it must be their Lord, not a ghost or apparition, who had entered their midst. Once again Jesus speaks these words, "Peace be with you. As the father has sent me, so now I am sending you." And then he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." And then, abruptly, the scene ends there. And we know how the story goes. Thomas was not there.  He says, "I'll believe it when I see it," and nothing apparently happens for another week. My guess?  The disciples are still behind locked doors out of fear - which is where Jesus finds them once again, including this time Thomas. And what does he say this second time? "Why are you still here? I told you that I was sending you out to proclaim forgiveness of sins. Don’t you remember, I breathed the Holy Spirit on you?" No, no, he did not say these things, even though it would have made perfect sense!  Once again he says, "Peace be with you."  And he turns to Thomas and invites him to touch his wounds so that he might stop doubting and now believe.  Blown away by his Lord's words, Thomas makes the most significant acclamation of Jesus' identity when he cries out, "My Kurios and My Theos!  My Lord and My God!" And then Jesus says to Thomas - and really to us as well. "Because you have seen me, you have believed. But blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed!" Now there are many fascinating parts to this story that are worth consideration. The fact that a resurrected Jesus still has wounds. Why Jesus chose to greet them with words of compassion and blessing rather than with words of contempt. Why Thomas was not there that night - why did he react to Jesus death in a different way? Yes, there are many different angles that we could take. But the word that I want to lift up today, especially in the crazy, post 9-11 world in which we live, is this: To be a witness to the Resurrection is to live a life without fear, a life NOT behind locked doors.  First John 4 puts it this way. "There is no fear in love. Perfect love - the love that the Risen Christ has for us and brings into our hearts - casts out all fear." I might be wrong, but it seems to me that so many of us are living lives consumed with fear these days, where we lock ourselves behind literal or figurative doors, bury our heads under a pillow, stick our heads in the sand, and just hope that we are somehow experiencing a bad dream.  Many of us are filled the fear of being attacked by terrorists or having to live through another 9-11.  I must say, I believe that our media and our government has preyed on those fears now for far too long!  Others of us, young and old alike, are so fearful of death.  I started out my week on Monday memorializing a young, 23 year old student who died in a car wreck over Clemson's spring break, and I ended my day yesterday visiting the home of a 93 year old woman, Miss Minnie Mae Walker, who died that morning after Hospice had been called in a few days before.  We all know that to live is to one day die, but the fear of death grips us so much that it prevents many of us from ever living at all. Fear of being a bad father, fear of being not worthy of ever being forgiven by God, fear of cancer, fear of heights, fear of planes, fear of failure - the list goes on and on.  Now I don't know what you struggle with, but I do know this. First, we ALL have our struggles with fear.  And second, the Good News is that God is at work daily, hourly, to liberate us from those fears, to fling open those locks doors, to set us free for service to the world around us. And the message that we find in today's passage from the Gospel of John - "Don't be afraid, I have come to bring you peace" is the message of the entire Gospel story. Remember what the angels said to Zechariah, to Joseph, to Mary and to the shepherds as well before John and Jesus were born - "Don't be afraid."  Remember what Jesus said when he called his first disciples, "Don't be afraid." Remember what Jesus said in the boat on that night when the disciples were fearing for their lives, "Don't be afraid."  Remember what Jesus said as Peter tried to walk across the water toward him on another occasion, "Don't be afraid."  Remember what Jesus said to the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, "Don't be afraid." And remember Jesus' famous words from John 14, often read at funerals.  "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled, do not be afraid." These are indeed tumultuous times for many of us and for our world, and it is important to be reminded of those famous words, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."  But more importantly I believe, it is important to remember the actions and words of our Resurrected Lord in those days following that first Easter Sunday.  Breaking through the locked doors of fear and speaking these words, not once but three times, "Peace be with you." To live as a child of Resurrection, whether you are 15, 55 or 95 years old, is to know that the best is yet to come.  There is no need to be afraid - Jesus is constantly at work to break into those locked doors in our lives, to set us free, to liberate us so that we might go out, in his name and filled with his peace, to serve the world until the very end.  How does the old Easter hymn put it?                 Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.                 Because he lives, all fear is gone.                  Because I know, he holds the future,                 and life is worth the living just because he lives.  May the perfect love of Christ fill your hearts during this difficult time, lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of Rev. Lane Glaze and the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church's ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University.  The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Lane at glaze@clemson.edu.hostFri, 20 Apr 2007 20:21:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:8http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/7/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Looking-for-a-Good-Job.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=7http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=7&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/7/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Looking-for-a-Good-Job.aspx"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few…" Matthew 9:37, NRSV Note: Today many in our world celebrate St. Patrick's Day, the day we remember one who returned to those who enslaved him in Ireland as a missionary for Jesus Christ.  Beginning yesterday and through tomorrow, hundreds of Clemson students will be spending their Spring Breaks living in the shadow of St. Patrick, not the corrupted image found in our culture, but the true one from history.  I will be leading one such group, a team of 42, to the rural island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas.  Please keep us and all who are seeking to serve others (rather than their bellies) in your prayers. CLG Last week I had the opportunity to participate in the Rotary-sponsored Career Day at our local high school.  Being someone who is sensitive to church-state relations, I felt a little uneasy about agreeing to be the ecclesial representative at a local public school.  But with Rotary doing so much good work in our community and throughout our world, I just could not help but say, "Yes, I'll be happy to come." Several days later I received in the mail a list of topics that I should be prepared to discuss about my "job."  As I read down the list, I broke into laughter as I left the Post Office parking lot.  Here's part of what Rotary was asking me and others to address:         Requirements for the Job             Physical requirements             Expenses and length of prerequisite education/training         Nature of the work            Regular hours            Overtime involved            Do you work indoors or outdoors         Earnings            Entry-level salary            Benefits besides salary         Preparation            Certificate of license required            Training or education required         General considerations            Degree of interaction with people            Requires work with hands            Work in teams or alone            Is the work routine or creative         Opportunities in this field            What is the demand for new workers            Is the field overcrowded            What is the current trend            Is there a large turnover rate            Opportunities for advancement         Advantages and disadvantages of entering this occupation           "I can hear Jesus answering these questions right now," I thought to myself.  "Who in their right mind would sign up for what Jesus had to say about a 'career' following someone who owned little, relied on God to provide his needs, and was eventually crucified on a cross because his simple yet life-changing way was deemed a threat to all that we hold dear?"  I decided that if I answered the student's questions like Jesus would, I probably would not get asked back again next year. So instead of providing answers that would sound like wise cracks (For example: Physical requirements? You can be a stutterer like Moses, short-tempered like Peter, or a runt like David - it really doesn't matter to God!), I talked about how ministry should never be viewed as a "career" but as a "vocation."  A career path is a path that we choose, given our interests, abilities and desires in life.  A vocation, on the other hand, is something that God chooses for or gives to us.  The word vocation comes from the Latin vocare, meaning "to call."  Ministry - at least ministry that is God-inspired - should never be a career path that we choose.  Sure, we may last for a while, but over time we will most likely become part of the "large turnover rate" due to the many "disadvantages of entering this occupation."  For effective ministers to last, they must be God-called and Holy Spirit-equipped, otherwise the "Nature of the Work" and the minimal "Earnings" will be too overbearing to endure. Over the last few weeks I have been re-reading a book by Richard John Neuhaus, Freedom for Ministry, with my staff.  Neuhaus uses a term in this book - "disputed sovereignty:" - that he believes is key to understanding the challenges of being a minister of Jesus' Gospel.  Neuhaus argues that the biggest difficulty of being in ministry in our North American context today is that we continue to represent and preach a disputed sovereignty.  The world understands power, prestige and status when it sees it, and surely the world does not see it in Jesus!  The more vocal and serious ministers are in serving and sharing this disputed sovereign with those around them, the more peculiar they will feel.  Why?  Because to the vast majority of our world - including many within the four walls of the Church - the God revealed in the person of Jesus Christ really cannot be trusted, at least not with ALL of our lives. The other gods of this world are too sexy, too seductive to give up.  So just like the ancient Israelites, we hedge our bets.  Paying partial homage to the One true God, we keep a few other gods as mistresses on the side.  You know, just in case.  These last few months have challenged my call to ministry, probably due to the "Degree of interaction with people" inherent to the role of pastor and preacher.  It is obvious that the Spirit is moving in new and exciting ways in the parish that I serve.  But as we all know, movements of the Spirit are also a little scary, like a "rush of violent wind" or "tongues of fire" would be if they happened today (Acts 2:2-3).  The nervousness of folks manifests itself in various ways.  Some shoot off emails that reveal contempt, frustration or concern.  Some slowly pull away.  And others grab you by the arm and say, "I need to come by and talk with you." (For the record, it's the third kind that pastors Iike the most!) The problem with being the people of God - if that is what we really want to be - is that there are no easy answers to the question, "Where is the Spirit leading us?"  Do I (or anyone else) know what the future holds for us as a church?  While I am tempted to act like I know, I really have no idea.  However, I do know one thing, having personally experienced it over and over again: a day of life lived following the Spirit of God is worth more than a million days of life lived following someone or something else.  That is the Gospel.  And living a never-know-what's-around-the-next-corner kind of life is what it means to be called by God. Is Jesus, our disputed sovereign, calling YOU to be an ambassador for his disputed kingdom?  There is still a high "demand for workers" (lay and clergy), but oh so few are willing to respond.  Our "current trend" remains unchanged: the field is far from "overcrowded."  It's one of the craziest "jobs" that I know, but the "Opportunities for advancement" make it all worthwhile.  Where is your Ireland?  lane Rev. C. Lane Glaze Director - Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister - Clemson UMC PO Box 1703 Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (c) or 864-654-5547 (o) Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of Rev. Lane Glaze and the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church's ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University.  The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Lane at glaze@clemson.eduhostSat, 17 Mar 2007 20:15:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:7http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/6/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Herman-McGee.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=6http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=6&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/6/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Herman-McGee.aspxBlessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5, KJV Note: During Black History Month in February, most folks choose to focus on a few African-Americans who have made significant contributions to American culture.  Over the next few weeks, I have decided to do something a little different through these devotionals.  Rather than talking about persons who are viewed as national heroes like Rosa Parks or Marcus Garvey, I have decided to share with you four "persons of color" who have touched my life in very personal ways, four people who have taught me what it means to be a human being. CLG Growing up as the son of a man who played football at Clemson had its high points.  Some of my earliest memories involve the Glaze family loading the car on Friday afternoon and heading toward those rolling hills and cooler temperatures of the Upstate.  Always we would arrive after dark to the Thunderbird Motel, where I am sure that my father must have booked a standing reservation for all home games.  My older brother and I, and later my younger brother, would be awake at the crack of dawn, excited about all that the day would offer.  Usually after some breakfast at the neighboring Howard Johnson's restaurant, the Glaze family would begin our short journey to Memorial Stadium. At least once a season, and sometimes more, we would leave early enough in the morning to stop by Jervey, home to the athletic department.  (In those days, tailgating was not its own sport, and it was fairly easy to make your way around the campus and town a few hours before kickoff.)   My dad, with the two or three of us following closely behind, would make his way toward Jervey like a man on a mission.  And, I guess you could say, we were on a mission of sorts.  Our goal was to always to see and speak to the same two people: Coach Frank Howard, my dad's former coach, and Herman McGee, this tall, black man who worked in the training room. I'll never forget Coach Howard.  I can still picture his bald head, his messy desk and office and the large styrofoam cup that always seemed to be on the corner of his desk as a make-shift spittoon.  Coach Howard always had a chew of tobacco in his mouth, and I found myself mesmerized by his habit.  He always had a kind word for my dad, and he always made a fuss over my brothers and me as well.  His gruff, raspy voice and laugh I can still recall. Herman McGee, needless to say, was much different than Coach Howard.  I remember him being very tall - and very dark.  I also remember Herman's smile - he always seemed to have a smile on his face.  He too always seemed excited to see my dad, and he always made a fuss over us as well.  To me, Herman embodied that word "meek" that we find in the Beatitudes.  Not the kind of "meek" that is submissive or passive, but the definition of "meek" that my younger brother introduced me to a few years ago: "controlled strength."  It was only until years later that I understood the irony of those annual visits to Jervey.  Within a matter of a few minutes we would visit with the most powerful and highest paid man in Clemson athletics - Coach Howard - and then, at least for a time I am sure, with the "least" powerful and probably one of the lowest paid men in Clemson athletics - Herman McGee. I never knew much about Herman McGee's personal life, at least not directly.  Over the last six years in Clemson I have learned more about Herman and his family, and how beloved they were throughout this community. What I did know about Herman McGee until I moved here was what I learned from my dad.  My dad loved Herman like a father.  On those occasions when we would visit with Herman in the late 1960s and early 1970s, my dad would almost always say as we were leaving, "I would have never survived here had it not been for him.  He saved my life on more than one occasion."  It was only until a few years ago as I watched the movie Rudy that I had some sense of what Herman had done for my dad and so many young men who felt isolated, homesick and in way over their heads.  Herman had been a friend, a father and a cheerleader to my dad during the worst of times, just like the Notre Dame stadium maintenance man had been for Rudy. My father attended a segregated Clemson in the early sixties before graduating with Harvey Gantt, the first African-American student at Clemson, in 1963.  I sometimes wonder what my father's college education would have been like had it not been for Herman McGee.  Certainly it would have been incomplete. In 1976, Herman was the first "person of color" to be elected to the Clemson Sports Hall of Fame.  He would be elected into the National Training Hall of Fame as well.  Herman would eventually serve Clemson for 46 years before retiring in 1980. Herman McGee literally poured his life into this university and into the lives of young men, most of them white.  Despite experiencing the sting of racism not only throughout the South but all over the country as the Tigers traveled, Herman kept smiling and kept loving folks to the very end - the preacher in me would have to add - a lot like Jesus.  This Black History Month I salute the Herman McGee's of the world.  Those folks who treat others the way that they want to be treated, but are so often not.  Those folks whose love for others transcends color, creed and status - even now. With thanks to Herman McGee - my dad's best teacher, lane Rev. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703, Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (m) or 864-654-5547 (o) Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of Rev. Lane Glaze and the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church's ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University.  The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Lane at glaze@clemson.edulaneglazeFri, 09 Feb 2007 21:09:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:6http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/5/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Ostrich-Living.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=5http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=5&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/5/CW-Weekly-Devotional--Ostrich-Living.aspxA priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. Luke 10:31, NIV Note: Over the last few days, the following conversation has been happening in my head – we’ll call the three characters Me, Myself and I. CLG “You know,” Me noted, “everyone loves it when we somehow work a Clemson Tiger sporting event into our weekly devotional. We ought to go that direction, and we should talk about Sunday’s basketball game against Virginia.” You’re right, that would be a good topic,” Myself spoke up.  “Can you remember watching a game like that?  What a heartbreaker.  I still can’t believe the Tigers found a way to lose that one!” “Hey guys, have you been following this story about these parties on MLK day?” I, who had been keeping to himself in the corner, added.  “How could we NOT address this topic in the weekly devotional?” “True, but last week’s devotional talked about MLK,” Myself said.  “Wouldn’t you agree that one devotional a year on the topic of our historical struggle with racism is enough? I mean, let’s not overdo this agape love and imago dei stuff.” “And besides,” Me jumped in, “folks around here don’t want us to focus on the negative things.  The more we do that, the more people across the country will begin to think that our campus is like Duke’s - with their now infamous lacrosse team!” “Yea, we should definitely write about the game,” Myself suggested.  “We can write about how the Tigers didn’t finish well, and how we as Christians must ‘finish well’ too.  You know…that ‘run the race with perseverance stuff’ from Hebrews and elsewhere.  I think that would really speak to folks, especially if we work Sunday’s game into it somehow as well. Besides, it’s a much safer way to go.” Feeling like Me and Myself were teaming up on him, I sat quiet and pondered what he should say.  He knew that most of the readers of the devotional would not want to hear about MLK again or about anything that spoke negatively of Clemson.  But deep down, he knew that the issue of racism was a big problem at CU, in the Upstate and throughout the Deep South that he loved so much.  I kept asking himself, “What should I do…what should I do?” “OK,” I finally spoke after a long period of silence.  “Let’s go with the Basketball angle.  I will do the Hebrews research.  Me, you take care of getting all the facts straight on the basketball game – score, key players, etc.  Myself, can you Google the words ‘perseverance’ and ‘finish’ to see if we can find a couple of good quotes to use.  And call Tim Bourret over at McFadden, I’ll bet you he’ll know of a good Frank Howard quote that would work as well.  You know, folks always love those Howard stories and quotes.” With that, the three scurried off to their assigned tasks.  A few hours later, the devotional had been written and sent to over 4,000 folks across the country, many of them being diehard Clemson fans.  Within a few hours Me, Myself and I had received several notes of appreciation, words like “Thanks, that really spoke to me” and “I was there…and I still can’t believe that we lost!”  Everyone went about their day, oblivious to the struggle earlier that morning between Me, Myself and I. Prayer: Lord, forgive us for being like ostriches. Lord, help us to see people like you see them – as people of infinite worth and dignity. Lord, give us the courage to tend to the broken and wounded of our world. Lord, empower us to confront evil, injustice and hatred wherever it exists, beginning in our own hearts and our own backyards. Lord, transform our minds into the mind of your Son, Jesus Christ. With grief, Lane Rev. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703, Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (m) or 864-654-5547 (o) Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of Rev. Lane Glaze and the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church's ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University.  The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Lane at glaze@clemson.edulaneglazeWed, 31 Jan 2007 21:02:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:5http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4/CW-Weekly-Devotional--An-Alien-Dignity.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=4http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=4&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4/CW-Weekly-Devotional--An-Alien-Dignity.aspxSo God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;  male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27, NRSV He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Colossians 1:15, NIV Note: After a month-long hiatus, it is good to get back into the writer’s chair with the start of a new semester.  Clemson is a pretty quiet place in the spring, much different from the fall.  Everyone is excited about the men’s basketball team's success, and many throughout the Clemson community continue to reflect on the week-long MLK holiday activities that ended late last week.  King, the social activist and preacher, continues to be one of the primary 20th century figures that shapes and informs my ministry here. CLG In light of the MLK holiday last week, I attempted to preach a sermon this past Sunday at Clemson UMC that would connect with his teachings and legacy.  The focus of the message was simply this: YOU matter.  You matter to God.  You matter to God’s Church.  No matter what the world might tell you, YOU matter. Foundational to King’s work as a preacher and civil rights leader were two key theological concepts – agape, or unconditional, unmerited love, and imago dei, or the belief that all human beings are made in God’s image.  King’s reading of the New Testament led him to conclude that the kind of love commanded by Jesus is very different from the kind of love that we so often practice in our own lives, even in the Church.  By calling us to agape not only God and our neighbors but also to agape our enemies and those who persecute us, Jesus is calling his disciples to practice the kind of love that Paul outlines in I Corinthians 13.  It’s the kind of love that is patient. The kind of love that bears all things and believes all things.  The kind of love that never rejoices in wrongdoing but always rejoices in the truth.  The kind of love, to say it most bluntly, that never ends. Of course, this understanding of agape love was bolstered for King by his understanding of imago dei.  Just as the first humans in Genesis 1 were made in God’s image, each and every one of their ancestors has been made in God’s image too.  And while some would argue that any image of God was obliterated in the Fall of Adam, King believed otherwise.  Surely Sin and Death have now entered the equation, but the image of God, to some degree, still remains.  Each person, therefore, matters to God because each person bears God’s mark, God’s image.  Therefore, in the eyes of God, all people matter.  To consider oneself better than someone else is heresy, and to view someone as sub-human (or, as our original Constitution taught, three-fifths human) is blasphemy.  And if every person matters to God, every person must matter to those who claim to be God’s people. Combining these concepts of agape love and imago dei lead to the following conclusion: each person has a sacred dignity and worth.  German Lutheran theologian Helmut Thielicke described this as an “alien dignity” because it is not derived from within or even from this world, but from the heavenly realm.  This God-given dignity is not something that we can earn, and it is not something that we can lose.  While Sin (or sins) may camouflage this alien dignity from our eyes, it is always there.  And because God bestows this alien dignity on each and every human being, it is a constant reminder that we are all loved by God, no matter how “holy” or how “defiled” we may understand ourselves or others. Of course, as ones who believe in and follow Jesus of Nazareth, we also profess that this same image of the invisible God was fully embodied, hidden on occasion yet very visible at other times, in Jesus the Christ.  To be a Christian, therefore, is to dedicate your life to growing, with God’s help, into that image. As a pastor, I am always blown away by the number of people who, on the outside at least, have it all together.  They are attractive.  They are athletic. They are smart.  They are wealthy and influential.  Yet, deep down, their sense of esteem or worth is missing.  Each day, they spin their wheels, hoping that the next good grade, business deal or sexual escapade will give them that sense of worth, that sense of being loved. And then, of course, there’s the other group that is told (explicitly or implicitly) every day that they are dirty, defiled, too young or over-the-hill.  Sometimes they hear this from the world, sometimes, sadly, from the Church.  It breaks my heart to know that so many people feel this way. As King, Thielicke and I would all argue, the key to becoming fully human is not a matter of improving your self-esteem or self-worth, per se.  It begins with the knowledge that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) by our Creator “a little lower than the heavenly beings” and crowned “with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5).  It begins with understanding that God has bestowed an alien dignity in us all that can never be taken away…a dignity that becomes more visible as we walk in the way of Jesus.         With agape, lane Rev. Lane Glaze Director, Clemson Wesley Foundation Campus Minister, Clemson UMC PO Box 1703, Clemson SC 29633 864-207-9135 (m) or 864-654-5547 (o) Feel free to forward this email to a friend. The Clemson Wesley Weekly Devotional is a ministry of Rev. Lane Glaze and the Clemson Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist Church's ministry to students on the campus of Clemson University.  The purpose of this email is to look at issues relevant to the life of Clemson students through the lens of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would like your name added to this list, email Lane at glaze@clemson.edulaneglazeWed, 24 Jan 2007 17:05:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:4