Legos and Salt

Have you ever thought of yourself as a lego?
The classic toy- is a good image for our relational capacity as human beings.
Legos have only so many options for connections. The longer or wider the lego the more connection options.
We are like legos in that we don’t have unlimited ability to connect directly to an endless amount of people. We all have relational limits. Once a lego’s connection points are filled up- it is filled up. Period.
We can only be in deep relationship to a certain amount of people- after that our time, our energy, our commitment will begin to be tested. Some people have more relational capacity than others- but we all have limits. Some of us are the lego with 4 connection points- and some of us have 24. At some points in our life we may have more time, and thus more relational capacity- at other points- we lose relational capacity.
So how is your lego?
My sincere hope is that your lego is not totally filled with other Christians. Does that sound strange? I believe that as followers of Jesus we should befriend all kinds of people. We should be connected to friends that don’t believe what we believe. We should feel free to live out our beliefs- and discuss them with our friends.
I think a lot of Christians think they are supposed to “lego-up” with other Christians. That forces someone who wants to know more about Christ into a difficult position. You see it can be a hard thing to befriend a Christian- because many of them are too filled up with other Christians to have time for anyone else. When Christians only befriend other Christians we are in a sense saying to people who don’t follow Jesus, “You can come to our church events- but you won’t be our friend.” We would never communicate that message with our words- but we unintentionally communicate it with our actions.
I know Christian friends who have intentionally agreed to spend less time together in order to make time in both their lives to have another non-Christian friend. They have “de-lego’d” one of their major connecting points- in order to befriend someone new. That’s cool.
Jesus challenged us to think of ourselves as salt: Have you ever thought of yourself as salt?
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? Matthew 5:13
(NIV)
We should think of our life in terms of the lego and salt. We do have limits- but like salt we do have saltiness. What do I mean? Salt flavors and preserves the food it is sprinkled onto. In the same way we are called to be the salt of the earth- being God’s love sprinkled out into the places we go. The lego is limited by its connection points. The salt is can spread out through vast amounts of food- spreading its salty goodness. Salt must be weary not to become unsalty- which means as a follower of Christ as we relate and meet others we must not lose our commitments to Jesus Christ and the Bible. If the salt becomes exactly the same flavor as the food it enters- it is no good to the food. Get it?
So hopefully we each will attempt to have empty lego connections in our life, praying for fun and vibrant friendships with people who don’t know Jesus yet. Believing that we can be something good for their life- just as they can be something good for us.

Pastor Corey's Trip to Bangladesh

Hi Friends,
I am traveling to Bangladesh.
I can't write a ton about it on the web ;)

Here is what I do know.
I am leaving my home Feb. 24th. I will arrive in Dhaka Feb. 26th, except for you all it will still be Feb. 25th- I don't understand the international dateline, but someone told me I will be a day ahead for a while.
The city I am arriving in is the capital. Bangladesh still has a very rurual population- I have read as much as 70% are rural. The country has 160 million people.
You should check it out on google earth- it is an amazying contry- criss-crossed by rivers.
The society is very hierarchical from what I am told. Almost caste-like.
The country is the size of Iowa- with less corn.
So what am I doing while I am there? I am basically a tourist that is learning a great deal about non-profit NGO work going on in the country, specifically www.symbiosis-int.org Symbiosis International's work.
They work to help educate people and meet "the least of these" with the love of Christ. Only percent of Bangladesh is Christian. Could you imagine if only 1% of the USA were Christian? Wouldn't you want people from other places to visit you and encourage you- so you didn't feel isolated? I would.
My convictions are that God loves people in Bangladesh just as much as God loves people in Palouse- and that somehow our life in Palouse is really, eternally tied to the lives of people around the world- including Bangladesh. As the Jesus Creed says "the Lord is one"- there is only One God of all people.
So I am going half-way around the world- to have the love of God reach deeper corners of my heart. I am fully expecting God to show me his deep love for the people of Bangladesh. I am going to meet people of faith and worship and pray with them.
I will be touring a fair amount of the country. So the week that I am on the ground in Bangladesh will include much travel.
Please pray for safety on the roads- as I have heard the traffic and roadways are somewhat dangerous.
I am called to be a missionary....and so are all Christians. My mission field is Palouse, Washington and the surrounding area. I am not called to International missions. So then why go to Bangladesh?
Because- 1. I was asked nicely. 2. When I asked I had a deep peace from God that I should go- kind of the opposite of what I expected. 3. I need a bigger world-view to serve Palouse better- and a bigger view of God to serve Palouse better. 4. God has something in store for me and I won't know until I get there. 5. To encourage Bangladeshi Christians and to be encouraged by them.
So I am going to miss my family dearly. Pray for us- and watch out for my wife and kids. I am going to miss the church family.
I really want Lent to start well for the church. So I hope people get on board- and nobody skips church on March 1st. I have always thought it was funny that some people use the pastor being gone as a reason to miss church. As if that has anything to do with a person's relationship with God.
Anyways.
My return trip will include a 24 hour layover in Singapore. I will be meeting up with the Corrigans- who worshiped with us in Palouse this summer- Maxine Skipper's daugther- Angel currently lives in Singapore.
I will land back in the Palouse on the morning of March 7th- and I am praying for the Spirit to prepare me to preach and teach on Sunday March 8th at PFC.
if you want to know more- about my trip- email me.
Blessings, Corey

Pastor Back to Blogging

Hey folks. I want to do a bit more blogging in 09. I want to write more. Writing helps me to have a healthy thinking life.
I am considering forming a monthly "writer's group" through our church. I have dabbled in writing off and on, but have mostly put it on the shelf the last three years- except for monthly newsletters, boomerang columns and weekly sermons.
I like writing essays and reflections.

I am realizing that a lot of churches aren't good at connecting with artistic flow of life out there in the world.

Anyways- it was a wonderful time of worship Sunday. We had a theme of "simplicity" this last Sunday. I even abstained from doing a powerpoint slide show for my sermon. We also had one song of worship "Simple Gifts" led by Tiana Gregg- it was, well, simply a gift. Thanks Tiana.

This week our baby HettyLee turned one and we also lost a dear friend in Christ- Liz. It was a week of ups and downs.

Snowy Palouse

So happy new year to you all!!!
We in Palouse are snow-bound once again.
What was supposed to be overnight rain, was 5 inches or so of overnight snow. It is nearly 11am and it is still snowing.
It is heavy snow. Tree branches are breaking- that kind of snow.
I put in some more shoveling today. it is a good workout.
I know it is hard for many to get to worship in weather like this.
I am praying for good weather for Saturday and Sunday.
We are scheduled to have an Epiphany service Saturday nigt- and our regular services are scheduled for Sunday.

Well- enough about snow!
May God bless you and yours this year of 2009. May you follow Christ wherever He leads you.
Blessings,
Pastor Corey

Check out this youth website

Pretty cool youth website- with some great ideas we are going to borrow:
http://www.youthministryideas.net
Click on above- to check out some great youth ministry ideas.
Thanks for all the help.

This is video of pastor Corey getting a mohawk at the Green Frog on April 1st. This "Mohawk-a-thon" event was held to raise money for new safe playground equipment for Palouse. Over $5000 was raised. 8 people got mohawks, some pink, some red, most much more wild than Pastor Corey's
If you want to give to this cause you send a check to: Palouse Chamber of Commerce, c/o Corey Laughary, 620 N. Mary, Palouse, WA 99161
Checks can be made out to: Palouse Chamber of Commerce

I encourage you to go to our church website

Have you seen the Palouse Federated Church website? It's pretty good. Still a bit under construction, but much better than this blog. Check it out at www.pfc.palousechurch.org

We had a great Advent and Christmas season. Weather was harsh, but attendance was good.
On Sunday January 13th we baptized 3 and confirmed one. It was a great day. On the 11th- Tina and I had our third child, HettyLee Grace. So it was an awesome (and busy) week.
On January 6th we had an Epiphany service at the historic Holy Trinity chapel in town. It was awesome. It was a brief service, complete with kings arriving from the east, presents for kids, and gold, frankinscence and myrhh. About 66 people showed up, even with bad weather.

"I love Palouse"

Hi, Mike M. gave me a challenge to scream "I Love Palouse" after I had finished all my laps for the Turkey Leg.
Here is the video evidence. Thank you all for your donations to the library.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md2IdxNuRP8
Or:

Pastor Corey singing a silly song

this video was made during the 3rd annual Palouse Turkey Leg. It was done in response to a challenge.

Good Job GarPal

I went to the "Creepy Corpse of Cal Capone" last night. It was a great display of GarPal's talented youth. It was a lot of fun.
Also occurring yesterday was our Volleyball team playing for the State Championship against Tekoa-Oakesdale. We finished in Second Place- good job girls!
What a great school- what a great community!

Two Worship Services

Palouse Federated Church has two Sunday Morning Worship Options.
9am is "Classic" a Traditional worship service, that aims to build and bring people closer to Christ through a routine of worship, use of hymns and tradition. During this time Childcare is available and Children's church for k-5th grade is available during worship.
11am is "Altar" a flexible worship experience. Altar aims to build and bring people closer to Christ through worship experiences that are different in form from week to week. Some weeks there will be guitars, some weeks not, occasionally no music at all.

"Bridge" our Youth and Parent Ministry is 6pm every Sunday evening. There is a serious Bible Study for "serious" students, there is an active group called "ACTS" that learns a lesson each week in an interesting- challenge type way- you have to come to see what happens- and there is a group specifically for 6th graders.
Dessert is served each week. Sorry no dinner.

Fire in Philadelphia- How can we help?

Many of you have read Shane Claiborne's book the "Irresistable Revolution". The community that Shane is a part of, the simple way, had a fire on their block in the Kensington neighborhood of Philly on June 20th. Many people lost their homes- including the simple way. Here is a video- with Shane giving a message of hope at the end.


Go to www.thesimpleway.org to see more info and how you can help.
thanks- Pastor Corey

Praise in the Park

Wow- Wednesday night was fun. We had over a couple dozen people down at the park. We had hot dogs and boca "burgers" and fixins to go with. At around 7pm we began a service of praise. It was good.
After the service people hung out, had some smores, played horseshoes or basketball.
It was a good ol' time.
I invite you down to the park the rest of the summer on Wednesday nights- 6pm for food- 7pm for praise 8pm for smores. Come for any and all of it.
It's free and fun.
peace,
Corey

Give us today our daily bread...

We have been learning from the Lord's Prayer or The Church's prayer- the last month or so. This great prayer from matthew 6 and Luke 11- is helping me to pray less selfishly. We are going to focus on "our daily bread" this Sunday. In preparation I came across a quote from William Barclay,
"We must note right at the beginning that we are taught to pray, not, Give me my daily bread, but, Give us our daily bread. 'A man' runs the Jewish saying, 'should always join himself with the community in his prayers.' The very use of the plural precludes all selfishness in prayer. One of the most tragic features of present day society is what one can only call an 'essential mutual disregard. It is a characteristic of our age that one class of the community does not care what happens to another class so long as its needs are met, one trade in the community does not care what happens to the other trades so long as its demands are met. Life is pervaded with essential selfishness."
I agree with Barclay that life is full of selfishness. I also agree that praying for our daily bread helps us see our selfishness and sees a way beyond it.
Peace in Christ for all of us,
Pastor Corey