Recommended Reading

In last weeks sermon I mentioned getting a book by Dave Ramsey to help with budgeting, spending, investing, etc. Well, they're on sale.

I Guess I Have To Put This Up

I had a friend send me this video about a year ago. So I laughed and moved on. But I’ve been sent it again recently and figured you all probably  ought to get in on it too.

1 More Day

Well, it's early on a Wednesday morning. I have a stack of homework as tall as the Empire State building to finish up before school on Tuesday, but all I can think about is deep frying that turkey tomorrow.

Over the past years our church has grown and changed in so many ways it is hardly believable. God has put people in our lives to help shape our church who have been here from the days of the Perry's basement, and He has put influential members of our church who have been here for just a short while. We've had people come and go (people like the Briggs, the Sandersons, etc.) for various reasons, and even though they were only here for a short time, they were integral stones in the building of this church family.

The point is...I am so thankful for Crew Community Church (the building, the people, the Sunday afternoon lunches, the scary movie traditions, the small groups, the accountability), and when I sit around the Thanksgiving table tomorrow or when I go to work and someone says, "Patrick, name one thing you're thankful for this year." Crew will be my answer.

Everyone piggyback on here and reply with just one thing or a whole list of things you're thankful for this year. After all, an integral part of generosity is contentment, and being thankful for what or who you have is a great way to start...

-Patrick

We Play for Championships

Well it is up to a whopping 29 degrees. The players and fans are doing what it takes to stay warm and support Crew and the city of Huntington. Crew is doing great. It's only the 2nd inning and they are slaughtering Alcon (sorry Alcon employees/Crewites). According to Dan Perry we are "deep frying the other team". A deep fryer would be nice right now since it's so cold, but the makeshift firepit in the trash can will have to do.


And it is official - Crewbucks is the city league champs. 20-2 = mercy ruled. (For you non-ballfans, the mercy rule means you are beating a team by 15 or more in early innings or 10 or more after 4 innings). It's been a great fall season and I'm way proud of the dudes and how they showed Christ's love and glory.

Here is most of the studly team:


**Thanks Patrick for the photos!

Chillin with Crewbucks..literally

So as I am writing this blog I am sitting next to Jen Brooks and Jenn Edwards. It is 19 degrees F. We are watching our men's softball team, Crewbucks, battle toward the championship of the city softball league. I have to say that I am very proud of these fellas. The dedication they are showing playing on a literally rock hard freezing field amazes me. They are kickin bootie too (hopefully it lasts and I'm not jinxing them with this blog). Anyway, Johnny Lew (aka Jonathan Lewis) just had two homeruns in one inning. The Patton bros each took one home too. JP has some sort of magnetic field because we've watched 3 or 4 balls almost go into his glove then hit the icy ground and bounce 2 feet over his head. This game is really giving me new meaning to all the verses that talk about enduring the race for Christ. You should give every one of these guys a high five at Crew tomorrow when you see em.



**update...WE WON! You should come watch the next game at 1pm at Barr field. L8a gangstas.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Since I was a child, winter has been my favorite holiday. Something about the snow, Christmas, egg nog, etc... has always warmed my heart. Even now, I love the winter. During the first snow each year my brother and I will trek out in the car for hours just watching the snow fall, recognizing that grey-gold shimmer in the sky that only forms when the snow falls, watching as the light of the moon off the snow is almost enough to penetrate the darkness of night.

Over the past few years, it hasn't really snowed. I mean I don't expect 1997 every year, but I have been quite disappointed with "global warming's" effect on my favorite precipitation and it's duration on the ground. However, this year, things seem to be looking up. We've already seen some snow showers (at least twice), and though there hasn't been any accumulation, there is certainly hope for a white Christmas this year, which makes me squirm to look out the window each morning.

I know some people hate snow and would rather be sipping out of an umbrella-laden glass on the beach than sipping egg nog breathing steam in a bath robe on the doorstep of a cold, wintry morning, but for me it has always been one of the most clear pictures of an intelligent and beautiful creator.

No two snowflakes are alike? Wow...God makes a brand new snowflake each time one falls from the sky. That's a beautiful thought. God changes the color of the sky for snow. We see white, usually a symbol for peace and purity, fall from the sky like the manna for the Israelites. There's hardly any denying how awesome the snow is, or how awesome our God is for making it for both His glory and our enjoyment.

-patrick

Empty Closet Time

When I was just out of high school I worked at a clothing retail store in the Huntington Mall (which is still inappropriately named after all these years). When I worked there I would spend almost my entire paycheck buying nice button-ups, polos and dress slacks (because graduating from high school means you always have to dress nice and turn sophisticated all of the sudden).

I would love wearing these 'nice' clothes all the time, but the only thing nicer than 'knowing you look good' is having someone tell you that you do, right? So you dress up uncomfortably, squeeze into this and that, layer up with your argyle sweater, which matches your argyle socks, which complement your wristwatch, just to hear one person say, "Oh, you look good today."

Silly, right. Agreed, but this is what my life was like.

I've physically grown since the summer after high school, and the thing about clothes is they don't grow with you (at least the ones of the non-magical variety). About a year ago I discovered that I couldn't really wear any of those clothes anymore. Yep, hundreds of dollars, tons of colors, shapes, styles, varieties, cuts...all at my disposable and none of them fitting. So, what do I do? I keep them in my closet, holding on to this vestige of hope that I might someday ungrow and be able to wear some gray pinstriped dress pants again. I did this for a year.

I did this, until today.

Last night, my small group met at Sean, Joe and my apartment, business as usual. And, let me tell you this...my small group is amazing. So, we were discussing all of the questions from the sermon this week, just chatting about generosity and contentment and the love of stuff. We talked about those of us who had managed, by the will of God, to live content despite halved salaries and unexpected layoffs, none of the hardships of which I have experienced in my few years on this earth. All of the sudden, the topic of giving away not money, but stuff. Some among us talked about going through garages and getting rid of stuff that there's no need to hold on to. Some talked of giving loads of stuff to others or to Goodwill.

All of the sudden it hit me. I am despicably uncomfortable every time I look longingly into my closet of clothes, and it isn't just because I can't wear them anymore...it's because I don't need any of it. God's will in my life would be done with one pair of jeans and a ratty t-shirt. Who needs 80 shirts of all different colors? Nobody. I certainly don't. And for some reason it took me until yesterday to realize that...with the help of the Holy Spirit and a room full of men who know me really well and men who have just met me, but a room full of guys that love to see God work in the life of a fellow believer.

So, today, Sean and I bagged up three trashbags of clothes to take to the city mission. Now, instead of a closet full of clothes I covet over (even though I owned them) I have a closet full of hangers. I love it.

I guess what I'm trying to say through this huge, possibly unnecessary post, is that I'm so glad we worship a God who makes us feel free from things of the world when we turn to Him. He doesn't care what's in our closet or our garage, as long as our heart is His and we are acting in a way that shows that to the world.

Thank you, God, for the freedom that comes with learning to follow you.

-patrick

Day Whatever: On The Account Swap

In risk of giving away any insight that will be gained in our post account swap interview at Crew in a week, I wanted to echo Tim’s previous post (scroll two back if you haven’t read it).

I feel a strange tension of wanting it to be over too. I think 2 weeks may be too long. I feel like I learned what was to be learned from the challenge before the challenge and into week 1. It was genuinely enlightening how little I thought of spending God’s money, but after realizing it I simply scaled back spending and moved on. In that way I think that 2 weeks isn’t enough. I think to grow anymore through the actual challenge we’d have to exchange for longer periods of time and spend at every level. This would be the only way to really feel the changes other than how much we eat out or play.

I did expect more out of it. It has been anticlimactic somehow. But I still think it was worthwhile and would recommend it to everyone.

The Newest Crewbie

We have pregnant women everywhere at Crew these days. The tribe is on the increase and will continue through the spring. We are about conversion growth, but also biological growth. So welcome to the world Colin Bailey

swallowing the red pill

ten days into our experiment and i feel a strange tension. i'm ready for it to be over. why? i'm not quite sure. it has been relatively easy. no problems in the checkout line. the pay-at-the-pump certainly does not care that i am not joshua d. perry. so why should i? somehow, i feel a sense of guilt with every purchase.

it has been an enlightening experience, don't get me wrong. i highly recommend it. i don't worry a bit about the perry family spending my money. in fact, that part delights me. it's great to have friends that you trust implicitly. i wish they would spend more. i'm sure josh and sarah feel the same way.

but what nags at me is the question of WWJ(osh)D? i'm tired of thinking about it....overanalyzing every purchase. i'm ready to go back to the pattern of mindless, almost reckless spending. after all, that's what our economy needs from us, right? (but that's another conversation). just let me swallow the blue pill and wake up with my credit card back in my wallet.

but, isn't that the very point of this exercise? to learn discernment? judgement? to create healthy tension? to ask myself the hard questions about my dollars and debt? to use my income as a tool to build the kingdom of god rather than build bigger barns? even more, to no longer consider these 'mine'?

by no means should this ever become a legalistic sort of experiment. but i beat myself up over the ten bucks in my wallet that i considered 'mine' and not josh's. and, i spent that ten dollars freely, almost feeling 'off the hook'. clearly i broke the rules of our agreement. how odd is it that i didn't have the discipline to take it out and set it aside until later? or better yet, give it away to some homeless guy. nope. i ate it. and i enjoyed that pepperoni hot-and-ready.

i am a sinner. selfish. guilty. a hoarder of wealth. the rich man who is too in love with his money to sell everything and follow jesus. may god have mercy on me.

i realize now that agreeing to this exercise was swallowing the red pill. and there's no going back. here's to the hope of the gospel that i will continue to analyze every dollar and consider every swipe. no more mindless spending. no more barns. and i guess i'll pass on the iPhone i've been lusting after for two years. and perhaps in the reevaluation of my economics, i'll become more like Christ. i could sure use it.

Times They Are A-Changin'

There have been a lot of changes and additions to the Crew Community website and digital world. I thought it would be easier to give a list of updates so you can check `em out:

• {{real women}} - A blog for and from the women of Crew to talk about Biblical Womanhood and Home Building.
• Crew Announcements - A blog for our announcements so you can add it to your RSS feed and receive automatic updates.
• Crew Opportunities - A place to see where you can help out Huntington and/or Crew.
• Crew Mobile - If you have a web-enabled phone, you can go to www.crewcommunity.org/mobile in your mobile browser to view a text-only version of our website.
• Give to Crew - Explains the various ways to give at Crew (including online via PayPal)
• Crew Community Facebook Page
  

{{real women}}

Attention ladies:
Due to popular demand (and in order to not take over {{real}} with lady-centric topics), we have created a new blog to help women get excited and equipped about being home builders. The blog URL is www.crewcommunity.org/realwomen. Check it out!

Becoming A Community of Grace

In follow up to a few posts ago. Tim Chester offers advice on becoming a community of grace.

1. Make connections
2. Welcome the mess
3. Stop pretending
4. Stop performing
5. Eat and drink with broken people
6. Give people time to change
7. Focus on the heart

Which one hit home most for you? Mine was number 5. Especially in light of our upcoming Marcum Terrace Christmas Party. I’ve got to watch my spirit and the attitude with which I serve others. Crew isn’t helping poor black kids have a great party. Boy aren’t we great?! No! These are neighbors in my city that God has given me to be friends with. They will be helping me experience grace, face my own idols, and come face to face with my pride, waste, and arrogance.

The Gas Light Glows Orange

Today brings my first purchase using Josh Perry's bank card. My daily commute requires about 2 gallons of petrol. I have less than that now remaining in the tank. 2008 Nissan Versa, 31 mpg if you're curious. I must stop and purchase fuel before I can return home for the evening.

So, the bank swap exercise has truly begun. Sure, I bought sour cream, Velveeta cheese, and Lowenbrau Sunday night, but Josh himself was alongside, aiding in the purchasing decisions. No way i would have bought the Kroger brand velveeta without him. But it's a good adjustment so far.

My gas purchase, however, offers a much more complex choice. Normally, I'd just fill up at the M station in Catlettsburg out of convenience. But, would Josh rather me stop in Huntington so the city would see some tax revenue? Should i pass up my Speedy reward points if gas is two cents-a-gallon cheaper at the BP? Do I forego my normal orange slushee? Decisions....

Man, I hope i can remember the PIN.

Loving God Through Spending Each Other’s Money

If you were at Crew 2 weeks ago you know about “the challenge”. In keeping with our series on generosity, I announced a challenge that Sarah and I are taking with some of our friends from Crew, Tim and Jennie Holmes. For 2 weeks we’re living off of each other’s money! That’s right. Anything that we buy over the next 2 weeks the Holmes are paying for and vice versa. Why do this? What is the benefit? How will this work?

You can hear all about the challenge at the beginning of the sermon titled “Loving the Giver”, which is available on on the website. There’s also some Q & A from us and the Holmes at the end.

 

We swapped accounts yesterday and we’ll be blogging over the next 2 weeks. This is what I’ve done so far:

Anyone out there taking the challenge? Let me know. I can’t wait to hear about it.

What Kind of Community Is Crew?

Church planter/blogger Tim Chester asks us to diagnose our communities:

Comm. of Performance

Community of Grace

the leaders appear sorted the community appears respectable meetings must be a polished performance identity is found in ministry failure is devastating   actions are driven by duty conflict is suppressed or ignored the focus is on orthodoxy and behavior (allowing people to think they’re sorted)

the leaders are vulnerable the community is messy                                                        meetings are just one part of community life identity is found in Christ failure is disappointing, but not devastating                                                                            actions are driven by joy conflict is addressed in the open the focus is on the affections of the heart (with a strong view of sin and grace)

I personally think vulnerable, messy, community (not meeetings), identity in Christ, failure, joy, conflict, heart, sin, and grace hits on the head for us. I’m encouraged, but still humbled. Your take? Be honest now.