http://www.clemsonwesley.comRSS feeds for Clemson Wesley60http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/80/News-from-Kelly-Simpson-in-Rwanda.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=80http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=80&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/80/News-from-Kelly-Simpson-in-Rwanda.aspxNote: Kelly Simpson (CU '08) has been teaching in Rwanda for the last six months.  This is her latest update.  CLG Hello Friends (and Family)! I can’t believe I landed in Rwanda exactly 6 months ago today! I hope that you have all been keeping up with my blog (http://kellyuosdwis.blogspot.com) and have seen a glimpse into my life here. Hopefully this email will catch you up as well as give you an idea of the exciting things that await me in this wonderful country. I have been teaching 7th grade English and literature at Sonrise High School in Musanze, Rwanda since January. I also work on SAT and TOEFL prep with the older students to prepare them to apply to universities in the US. I am also constantly approached by students to help them with various other things: posting their dancing videos to YouTube, helping revise an essay for a competition, advising them on typical teenager issues, even finding a place for one of my orphaned girls to live during school breaks. Every day is definitely an adventure! I have grown to know and love many, many students. I have also had the pleasure of developing relationships with many other people: other ex-pats who are working or volunteering in various capacities around the country, the teachers at Sonrise, the waiters at the restaurants we frequent, a colony of visual artists, even the Regional Police Commander! It is these relationships that have sucked me into the vacuum that is Rwanda. I know you were all expecting me to come home for good in November, but this beautiful country and its people continue to beckon me. I have been offered the chance to teach in Rwanda in a different capacity for the next school year and accepted the task wholeheartedly! Beginning in August, I will split my responsibilities between Sonrise High School and Kigali International Community School (KICS). KICS is an international school that serves mostly the children of missionaries and other cross-cultural workers but also admits Rwandese students. I am excited to teach English and PE to students from dozens of different countries! Upon the completion of the Sonrise school year in October, I will be full-time at KICS until at least June 2011. While it will be difficult to leave my precious children at Sonrise, I am very excited about moving to the “big city” and teaching very small, diverse classes. My sphere of influence will increase dramatically, and I look forward to learning even more about myself, Rwanda, and the world in general. Thank you all for your sweet emails, prayers, and financial support! It means a lot to me to know I have such faithful friends and family supporting my service in Rwanda. I hope that you will continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers and keep me updated on your own lives as well! Peace&love, Kelly SimpsonlaneglazeSun, 18 Jul 2010 13:25:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:80http://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/76/Default.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=76http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=76&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/76/Default.aspxTeam Bahamas 2010 and others, The 66 of us who ventured to Eleuthera, Bahamas had a great trip.  We spent our time working on two large construction projects, assisting in schools, serving in clinics and volunteering at a nation-wide philanthropic event for cancer awareness called Ride for Hope.  In the process, we enjoyed the beaches, the people, the churches, the food...and Vita Malt!  Check out the videos from our trip below: Team Video  http://vimeo.com/10421432 Gag Reel http://vimeo.com/10491966 Thanks for all of your support! lanelaneglazeMon, 29 Mar 2010 18:15:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:76http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/75/Holy-Week-and-Other-Upcoming-Events.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=75http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=75&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/75/Holy-Week-and-Other-Upcoming-Events.aspxStudents and others,   I hope that you’ll take the opportunity to participate in these upcoming Holy Week activities and other events in the coming weeks.  Peace to you all, lane   Wednesday, 3/31 @ 6pm – Ecumenical Seder Meal at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Thursday, 4/1 @ 7:30pm – Maundy Thursday Service at Clemson UMC Friday, 4/2 @ 7:30pm – Good Friday Tenebrae Service at Clemson UMC Sunday, 4/4 @ 7am – Easter Sunrise Service on the lawn at Clemson UMC (joint service with University Lutheran) Sunday, 4/4 @ 8:30 and 11am – Easter Sunday Services at Clemson UMC Sunday, 4/4 @ 6:30pm – Evensong at Clemson UMC   Email Lane for more information about any of these Holy Week events.   Other upcoming events as the semester winds down: Fri – Sat, 4/8-9 – Overnight Retreat to Camp Kanuga (free for students who are graduating in the spring or summer, $25 for others – contact Lane to sign up) Fri – Sat, 4/16-17 – Men’s Camping Retreat (contact Justin Galloway for more details) Sun, 4/18 – College Graduate Recognition Luncheon at Clemson UMC (following the 10 am service) Sun, 4/25 – Last Evensong of the Year   Spread the word! 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.comlaneglazeMon, 29 Mar 2010 18:13:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:75http://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/68/Wesley-Announcements--11409.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=68http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=68&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/68/Wesley-Announcements--11409.aspx Friends,   Four quick things for your attention:   First, folks are gathering tonight at 9:30 pm on the Library Bridge to serve cookies and other home-baked goods to students.  Bring something if you can, but even if you can’t come on out for a good time!   Second, every Sunday night for the rest of the semester we will be collecting canned goods and other non-perishables for our local food bank, Clemson Community Care.  We’ll set a team goal this Sunday at Evensong, but start spreading the word.   Third, I’m trying to identify those folks connected to Clemson Wesley who’ll be graduating this fall.  We plan to honor seniors on Sunday, 11/29 at Evensong.  Right now, I have the following names on my list: Juston Brown (GS), Christine Burroughs, Matt Lucas (GS), EJ Roberts and Ashley Shirley.  Let me know if you or someone you know is finishing.   Last, check out the calendar of upcoming events noted below.  This comes from the CW website, so check it updates in the coming weeks.   Blessings to you all, 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   FALL 2009 SEMESTER: Wed 11/4 @ 9:30pm Mission/Social: Serving Baked Goods in front of Cooper Library Sun 11/8 @ 6:30pm Worship: Evensong at CUMC CU senior Laura-Allen Kerlin  will be speaking *BRING YOUR CANNED FOODS* Mon 11/9 @ 11am until Social: Wesley Lunch in Harcombe Fri 11/13 @ TBA Social: Hostage Sun 11/15 @ 6:30pm Worship: Evensong at CUMC *BRING YOUR CANNED FOODS* Sun 11/22 @ 6:30pm Worship: Evensong at CUMC *BRING YOUR CANNED FOODS* Thu 11/26 - Thanksgiving Sun 11/29 @ 6:30 pm  Worship: Evensong @ CUMC Senior Night *BRING YOUR CANNED FOODS* Fri 12/4 @ TBA Mission/Social: Caroling Sat 12/5 @ TBA Social: Christmas Drop In at the Glazes (with annual foosball tourney starting at 7:30pm) Sun 12/6 @ 6:30 pm  Worship: Last Evensong @ CUMC *BRING YOUR CANNED FOODS* Mon - Fri, 12/7 - 11 @ TBA Social: Five Days of Christmas Gather during exam week to enjoy a relaxing time and a holiday movielaneglazeWed, 04 Nov 2009 20:59:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:68http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/66/Spring-Break-Trip-to-the-Bahamas--March-2010.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=66http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=66&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/66/Spring-Break-Trip-to-the-Bahamas--March-2010.aspxClemson Wesley announces… Spring Break Trip to Eleuthera, Bahamas March 2010 Since the spring of 2003, Clemson Wesley has sent nine teams totaling over 300 students and others to serve beside, worship with and learn from the people of the Bahamas. Last year, 56 folks spent a week together in and around the fishing settlement of Tarpum Bay in southern Eleuthera.  These trips have been life-transforming for many (if not all!) of our team members, and real, meaningful relationships have been established with Bahamian families, churches and communities on the islands of Eleuthera, New Providence and Grand Bahama. As in the past, we will spend our week working with Bahamians in their schools, homes, churches and clinics, and we will experience their gracious and rich culture. Unlike with other typical American mission experiences, our goal for the week will not be to “fix” all their problems or even to “save” anyone.  The Bahamas is a very Spirit-filled place where God is alive and well and working in ways that is sometimes hard for us to see here in the States.  Our primary goal will be to “become a Bahamian” for the week: eating their foods, worshiping in their churches, listening to their stories, working alongside them and enjoying their customs.  While the Bahamas is poor in ways that we are rich, it is rich in ways that we are poor. As I like to describe it, these weeks in the Bahamas are always part mission trip, part retreat, part study abroad and part spiritual pilgrimage.  We are currently making plans to lead a team of 50 students and other adults to the beautiful island of Eleuthera for a week of worship, rest, study, fellowship, and reflection next March (15th-19th is our break). At this point, we anticipate this week in Eleuthera to cost around $900 per person (including transportation, housing, food and insurance). For CU and other students interested in receiving course credit for this experience, we will be happy to work with one of your professors to try and make this happen.   These trips to the Bahamas have been very popular in prior years, and we anticipate the trip filling up quickly. To reserve a space, we will need a deposit for $50 (checks payable to "Clemson Wesley fbo Bahamas") ASAP. By December 1, each person is expected to have raised a minimum of $250 (this includes the $50 deposit) on their own.  Over the holiday break, each team member will be expected to raise support through a letter writing campaign to family, friends, home church, etc. In January, we’ll schedule a series of fundraisers as in past years to make up the difference that we need. As in the past, we will work together as a team to raise the entire amount needed, with each person doing his or her fair share, whatever that might be. The first informational meeting about the trip will be held on Sunday, October 4th immediately following Evensong at CUMC (around 8:30 pm).  This year, Rev. Lane Glaze will be overseeing the fundraising aspects of the trip while Prof. Janice Lanham will oversee the trip preparation and group planning aspects. Should you have any questions, please contact Lane (glaze@clemson.edu) or Janice (janicel@clemson.edu).   Rev. Lane Glaze                                     Director, Clemson Wesley                    Campus Minister, Clemson UMC        864-207-9135                                        glaze@clemson.edu Prof. Janice Lanham School of Nursing Faculty Advisor, Clemson Wesley 864-656-1065 janicel@clemson.edulaneglazeThu, 01 Oct 2009 14:27:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:66http://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/58/Summer-Service-Opportunities--12609.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=58&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/58/Summer-Service-Opportunities--12609.aspx Friends,   It is that time of year when I get numerous emails relating to summer service opportunities. Here’s a few things that have come my way in recent weeks:   Camp Collide (www.campcollide.org) – This will be their third year in New Orleans and first year in the Upstate. Our own Chris Conley will be the Camp Director in New Orleans. They are looking for staff now.   Students In Mission (formerly the SIP program) – Each summer 12-14 students serve as missionaries across SC on behalf of the South Carolina Conference in locations such as Camp Providence (Anderson), Rural Mission (Johns Island) and UMRC (Mt. Pleasant). Contact me for an application.   Asbury Hills Summer Camp (www.asburyhills.org) – Over the years dozens of CU students have served at this camp just 45 minutes from Clemson in upper Greenville County. A CW alum, Andrew Wolfe, will be serving as the Camp Director once again this year before he heads to seminary in the fall. Andrew will also be speaking at Evensong this coming Sunday night (2/1 @ 5 pm).   Project Transformation Internships (www.projecttransformation.org) – Located in Dallas, TX, this ministry “is making an impact in the lives of young adults from across the country. Every year, 100 college students serve in one-year and summer internships providing Christian programs for inner-city children and youth, exploring various opportunities in ministry, and developing leadership skills.  Project Transformation offers these young adults an opportunity to serve others in need, deepen their faith, and discern where God may be calling them in their next steps.”   SummerShine Resort Ministry (www.summershine.us) - Summershine Resort Ministry places Christian college-age young adults (and a limited number of mature high school students) in secular campgrounds to work for the summer.  Staffers are paid to do various campground chores, and also provide activities for families on vacation.  These activities include chapel services, skit shows, pool parties, tye-dye, and more.  Summershine hires young people who are willing to work hard and be a Godly example both on the clock and off the clock. The opportunities for evangelism are ample in this role.  Participation in this program gives students a way to develop and grow in their own walk with Christ, as well as gain real-world working experience.  Last summer, positions were available across the country in 10 different KOA (Kampgrounds of America) properties including: Myrtle Beach, SC, Cape Hatteras, NC, Cherokee, NC, Virginia Beach, VA, Williamsburg, VA, Mystic, CT, Boston/Cape Cod, MA, Mt. Rushmore, SD, Santa Cruz, CA, and Trinity Lake, CA. I'll forward others when they come to my attention in the coming weeks.  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 laneglazeMon, 26 Jan 2009 14:09:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/57/Five-Days-of-Christmas.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=57http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=57&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/57/Five-Days-of-Christmas.aspx     Wesley Five Days of Christmas Sheer Awesomeness Studios Presents: (In association with Bon Qui Qui Productions) A time to relax and unwind every night of exam week! Monday - Mr. Earl J. Roberts II, EJ, (980-329-6378) screens Rush Hour 2 in Lightsey 1 72B at 7PM. Monday Night Football immediately following Jackie Chan's oh-so-laughable antics. Tuesday - Laura-Allen Kerlin (985-705-0836) screens the electrifying Griswold family's Christmas Vacation in University Village 142E at 8PM. Wednesday - Chris Conley (803-318-7622) screens the Christmas classic Die Hard in the Refuge (501 Poteet Ln, Seneca, SC, 29678) at 8PM. Call Chris for potential carpooling action. Thursday - Erin Epley (864-354-4347) and Crew screen the painfully hilarious Home Alone in 102 University Terrace at 8PM. Friday - Bryan Galloway (843-810-3104) closes out the week with a bang as he screens The Santa Clause at Calhoun Courts N15C at 8:02PM. Any questions about each night? The individual phone numbers are provided for such reason. Just remember, life goes on after exams, so be sure to enjoy it while they're happening! Be sure to Ace every single one and Merry Christmas to all!laneglazeMon, 08 Dec 2008 14:27:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:57http://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/55/Upcoming-Events-and-Opportunities.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=55http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=55&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/55/Upcoming-Events-and-Opportunities.aspxFriends,   With the Thanksgiving holiday around the corner and the close of the semester near, I wanted to share with you a number of worship, service and social opportunities coming up soon or early next semester:   Evensong schedule - Believe it or not, there are only four Sundays left in the semester.  Our upcoming plans include:         11/16 - Margaret Childers Jones (a recent CU grad who works with teen pregnancy and abstinance issues in Charleston)         11/23 - Edward Gidewall (Jess Child's boyfriend who's in seminary in Texas)         11/30 - Senior Night         12/7 - Last Evensong of the Year (with a night of praise, prayer and worship to follow) Ministers Cookoff (Thu, 11/13) - Come enjoy dinner Daniel HS on Thursday from 5-6:30 pm for the annual ministers' cookoff to benefit the Safe Harbor Women's Shelter in Anderson.  Tickets are sold for $1 each and are redeemed for different kinds of foods.  If you'd like to help Lane cook 12-15 apple pies for the occasion, come to CUMC at 2 pm on Thursday afternoon. Habitat Build (thru Fri, 11/14) - This year most of the time slots for the Habitat Build were reserved within a few hours of the site opening up onlilne (HforH club members get first dibs).  If you'd still like to work, however, head out to Bowman one day when you have a few spare hours. There's a good chance that someone will not show up and you'll be able to pitch in. Guarding the Habitat House/Overnight (Fri, 11/14) - Once again this year CW will guard the Habitat House on Bowman field.  If you can be there at 5 pm, contact Jad (jadtaylor@gmail.com).  If you can cook some chili (for us and others working Bowman), contact Ross (reco05@gmail.com).   Wanna Dance? - Go to www.clemsonrave.com Tigers Go Local Missions Day (Sat, 11/22) - Contact Chris Conley (wconley@clemson.edu) for more details. Ring the Bell for Salvation Army (Fri 11/28 - Sat, 11/29) - Looking for folks who can ring the bell in two hour increments at the local Bloom grocery store (on the way to Seneca).  This is a great way to give back to those with less during this holiday season.  Contact Lane (glaze@clemson.edu) to sign up or for details. CUMC Advent Workshop (Sun, 11/30) - From 4 - 6:30 pm folks of all ages will be gathering at Clemson UMC to beginning preparing for the Advent Season.  All college students are invited, but the church needs to know how many to plan for.  If you'd like to participate, email Lane at glaze@clemson.edu.       Faculty/Staff "Thank You's" (Sun, 11/30) - Be thinking of the faculty or staff person that you would like to thank for what he/she has done for you this semester.  We'll have supplies on hand on Sunday, 11/30 at Evensong for you to create a personalized "thank you" care package to deliver the last week of class. "We Love Freshmen" Night (TBA - last week of classes) - Be on the lookout for more details on this special (and somewhat secretive?) event designed to encourage freshmen as they prepare for their first college exams. Christmas Caroling (Fri, 12/5) - Plan on meeting at CUMC at 5 pm, and we'll carpool to Larry and Lynda Sheppard's neighborhood for another fun night of caroling, hot cider and homeade cookies.  This is a great time of outreach to this neighborhood, many of whom are not connected to a community of faith. Christmas Drop In at the Glazes (Sat, 12/6) - Plan on stopping by Chez Glaze for some delicious homeade soup, sweets and other goodies.  This year, Carrie Smith and Katherine Cragon will also seek to defend their foosball title.  Check the website for times, and email Lane for directions. Five Days of Christmas (Mon, 12/8 - Fri, 12/12) - Once again this year we'll be sponsoring movie nights during exam week.  If you'd like to host one of these nights at your apartment or house, contact Jad (jadtaylor@gmail.com or EJ (earlr@clemson.edu). MLK Day of Service (Mon, 1/19) - Once again in January CW will be trying to send a group to the Tamassee-DAR school (where Elizabeth Good now works) as a part of the MLK Day of Service.  Persons must sign up, however, as individuals.  Go online to the following link as soon as possible before the spots get filled: http://stuaff.clemson.edu/app/gic/mlk/day_of_service/     Blessings to you all, 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.comlaneglazeThu, 13 Nov 2008 09:34:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:55http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/54/Upcoming-Events-and-Opportunties--101508.aspx#Comments0http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=58&ModuleID=382&ArticleID=54http://www.clemsonwesley.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=54&PortalID=0&TabID=58http://www.clemsonwesley.com/News/tabid/58/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/54/Upcoming-Events-and-Opportunties--101508.aspxFriends,   A retreat and service opportunity to pass along.  Blessings, lane   October Mission Focus Remember: October's Donation Project is FAMILY FRIENDS!! On Sundays in October, try to bring something to help the lower-income families in the Oconee County region. They said toiletries are always needed, as they can get expensive, and warm things since winter is coming. Here are some ideas: Toothbrushes, Toothpaste Soap (bar soap, face soap, bath soap) Shampoo Deodorant Feminine products Washcloths Mittens/Gloves Scarves Blankets Hats Get creative!! Thanks for helping out!  For more details, contact Julia McCoy at jcmccoy@clemson.edu.   Men's Retreat Clemson Wesley will be hosting a men's backpacking trip October 24th-26th.  All interested men are invited.  We will be going to Shining Rock National Wilderness and hiking to flower knob.  All weekend we will have discussions on what it means to be a Man of Christ and how to use our college years to transition into that position.  It is sure to be a weekend of glorious man time, manpacking at its finest.   Everyone will be responsible for bringing their own gear, but should you need gear we will help to find some.  There will be no cost other than food and/or gas.   While we will be focusing on christian aspects of manhood, anything is open for discussion.  Moreover, all men are welcome even if you don't come to Evensong regularly, or at all.  If you know of anyone who might be interested please pass this invitation along. Also, if you are interested in camping with us friday night only that is fine as well.   If you are interested or want more information feel free to email Ross Economy at reco05@gmail.comlaneglazeWed, 15 Oct 2008 19:15:00 GMTf1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:54http://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-943feb885714:53