The Melheimian Sabbatiblog

Beatle Worship

Here's a fun idea for your Beatles' fans out there who also like to preach and reach.

Preaching with Beatles Songs

In other news, just had three days with our intergenerational expert, Debbie Streicher, trying to figure out how to do the pre-K, K versions of our Bible Song stuff. I probably need a half-dozen early childhood folks to take a look at our design and tell me if we're going in the right direction.

Any of you folks know any Guinea Pigs out there who might be willing to critique and tweak some fun brain-based learning resources for little children and their parents?

In other other news, tonight we're hosting a little after prom all nighter at the FINK office for our daughter and 27 of her closest friends. The party starts at 12:30 AM and ends at 10:30 AM. Our pastor and his wife, Dan and Gretchen Poffenberger, are helping us coral the cats. Their son hangs in the same circle with our daughter. Joseph acolytes at the late service tomorrow morning. Should be fun.

I'll let you know if this was a good idea, or the stupidest thing I've ever done tomorrow.

(-;

Terrible Ten

Here's an interesting first. Any thoughts on how to respond (graciously, of course).

Subject: Ten Commandments CD
Name: Mary
Church: Seventh Day Adventist
State: California

I just bought and listened to your Ten Commandments CD. I have to say I was very, very dissapointed with it. I  noticed that you left out the second Commandment (forbidding the worship of idols). Why would you do that??? The musical styles and inability to understand the lyrics is to me a mockery of the sacredness of God's Commandments. This is perhaps the worst sounding music I have ever heard. I don't usually take the time to voice such criticism, but in this case I can not help myself. I hold God's Law in my heart and mind as sacred, holy, eternal, a transcript of His Divine character, and to see this type of expression of who God is makes me very sad. Please, PLEASE reconsider promoting this version of God's Law on your web site. 

There is a Ten Commandments music CD available that you may want to promote in place of yours.

It can be found at http://kathyschallert.com/10command.htm

Sacrifies and Stamina

My 17 year old Kathryn is teaching me lessons.

Kathryn lettered in softball last year in Colorado as a sophomore and immediately started looking online at colleges with good women's softball programs. She's been waiting for the season to start this year back home, excited to get back into it. Two weeks before the season, she chose to go on the Mexico Mission over spring break instead of attending the non-manditory practices. Her fastpitch coach promised there wouldn't be reprecussions if she went.

She built roofs in Yucatan, earning the "hardest worker" designation from the chief carpenter along. He said she was positive, energetic, encouraging, and her typical gung-ho.

When she returned from the trip and returned to softball, she was disappointed to find out only girls who had been at all of the practices were invited onto the varsity.

That didn't knock her down. She worked hard, played, hard, and kept positive. The varsity coach is now pulling her up to run bases for the pitcher and catcher when they get on, so she's playing two JV games a week, then running over and sitting on the bench on varsity in case she's needed.

Yesterday she had an off day. Everybody has them. The hard-hittering kid struck out without swinging and the coach yelled at her. Then she was transferred into right field (she's a short-stop) and dropped a fly ball with the sun in her eyes. The coach told her to sit out the rest of the game.

Did she sit?

No. Kathryn stood the rest of the game in the dug out, hanging on to the fence with her fingers, and spent the rest of the game cheering and encouraging the other girls. "You can do it! Swing batter! Come on! Try!"

Her grandma Kathryn would be proud.

In fact, I think she is.

I wish I could be that "up" when I'm knocked down.

Maybe I'll try.

Orlando

Ezra reintroduced the returning remnant to the things of God. They had forgotten who they were and whose they were.

I just returned from a few days talking at the ELCA's new Kidfaith initiative, hosted in Florida. What did I learn there? A lot of good folks are trying to return God's folks to God's ways, but the Lutherans are dying on the vine and parents are expecting the church to do their work for them.

Take a look at the stats and tell me what you see:

General Loss in ELCA

10,585 Congegregations in ELCA - down 5% in last five years

4.9 million baptized - down from 5.2 million in last five years

1.2 million people (25%) estimated under confirmation age in ELCA

273,000 take communion

651,121 (13% of baptized membership) are in Sunday School

Sunday School Participation:

4% Intergenational

19% Adult ed

2% Young Adult

10% High School

16% Middle School

15% Preschool

Key Age

9 years old - the age most boys decide one way or another if church is going to be a part of their lives or if it is an irrelevant waste of time

Men's Maturity

9% of Lutheran men have an integrated, mature faith

 

Diversity

20% of population in US are children of color

2% of Lutherans are people of color

 

VBS

323,923 go to VBS

55% Elementary

31% Preshcool

7$% middle School

1% High School

0% Young Adult (yeah, that's nobody)

2% Adult

4% Intergenerational

 

In Music

Birth to 2 6%

Preschool 17%

Lower Ele 18%

Upper Elementary 19%

InterGen 10%

ELCA Schools

1743 PRESCHOOLS

297 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

14 HS

225,000 STUDENTS EVERY YEAR

20,000 TEACHERS

What do you see?

On Intelligence

Just finished "On Intelligence" by Jeff Hawkins, the guy who invented palm pilot and graffiti handwriting recognition software and the Treo. I learned a lot about how the brain learns through pattern recognition.

The best part of the book is his in-depth look at how the layers of the neo-cortex build upon patterns that already exist. One might come to the conclusion that you can't learn anything you don't already know. (Educatio = to draw out). I call  it a "frame of reverence". It is surprize and novelty that allows you to put things you already know together and build new understandings. Without telling stories and using existing patterns, they don't have a frame of reference, and you might as well be talking in Swahili. Also, without surprize in your teaching - breaking patterns they expect - and without surprize in your preaching, they aren't going to learn or understand anything new.

The second best part of the book is his explanation of how memory works. We're trying to apply that right now to our music/art/sign language Bible Song Sunday school piece.

I do have some major problems with his underlying "you are your brain... and that's all you are..." philosophy. It leaves no room for the transcendent, the spiritual, or the eternal. Sad.

List Lovers

For those of you who with twisted imaginations who like to study lists, here's one I'm rather proud of. It's the result of a two-year massive rewrite of our first 7 FINK albums. We decided it was time to replace ourselves rather than waiting for someone else to do it. So we took 9 musicians to the mountains of Colorado a year ago, voted the two worst songs off each album, then kept going. What was to be a project that wrote two new songs for each of seven albums (scripture verbatim) turned into a project that left two old songs on each album and created 9 in the place of 7 to help kids learn their scriputre and catechism. Here's the list. I'm trying to figure out how to add a clip of each of the new songs online for you to enjoy soon. This will all be out June 1.

These 9 albums integrate directly with the 90 new themes we've got for confirmaiton. You can get samples at http://www.faithink.com/Inkubators/h2h_samples.asp

9 Album Project - Faith Inkubators

Album 1: The One Who Is Righteous (Themes from the Reformers)
1 Faith History Bryan Sirchio
2 The Way of Peace Luke 1: 78-79 Jon Anderson
3 The One Who Is Righteous Romans 1:17 Jesse Ernster
4 Diggy Do Not Fear Haggai 2:4-5 Agapé
5 For By Grace Ephesians 2:8 Thomas Ian Nicholas  
6 The Grass Withers Isaiah 40:3-5, 8, 10 Lauren Redpath  
7 Word in My Heart Psalm 119:11,8, 105, 122:1 Lauren Redpath
8 The Lord's Prayer Matthew 6:9-13 Jon Anderson
9 The Grace II Corinthians 13:13 Lauren Redpath
10 He Saved Us Titus 3:4-7 Agapé 
11 For as Often 1 Corinthians 11:26 Michelle Reid
12 In the Night 1 Corinthians 11:24b Robin Cain Kadidlo

Album 2: I Believe (Themes from the Apostles' Creed)
1 The Creed (The Apostles' Creed) Agapé
2 Have You Not Known? Isaiah 40:28a, 30-31 Jesse Ernster
3 For in Him Colossians 1:16-17 Thomas Ian Nicholas
4 Refuge Nahum 1:7 Robert Robinson  
5 For God So Loved John 3:16 Thomas Ian Nicholas
6 He Has Rescued Us Colossians 1:13-14 Jon Anderson
7 Everyone Who Calls Romans 10:8 Lauren Redpath
8 Same Spirit 1 Corinthians 12:4 Michelle Reid
9 One Body Romans 12:4 Tony Axtell 
10 If We Confess I John 1:9 Lauren Redpath
11 If We Live Romans 14:8, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Todd Ernster
12 I Believe (God Has Created Me) Luther's Small Catechism Jon Anderson
13 My Lord Luther's Small Catechism Jon Anderson
14 Calls Gathers Enlightens Luther's Small Catechism Jon Anderson

Album 3: One Lord, One Faith (Themes from Living Faith)
1 One Lord, One Faith Ephesians 4:4-6 FINK Kids
2 Newness of Life Romans 6:4 Lauren Redpath
3 Cup of Blessing 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 FINK Kids
4 Taste and See Psalm 34:1-8 Lauren Redpath
5 Keep Silence Habakkuk 2:20 Paul Frantsen 
6 For as the Rain Isaiah 55:10-11 Jonathan Rundman  
7 The Lord Bless You Numbers 6:24-26 Jon Anderson
8 Saved! Lauren Redpath
9 As I Pay My Vows Psalm 61:1-5, 8 Rick Barron
10 Such a Time as This Esther 4:14c, 8b Lauren Redpath
11 Seek the Lord Zephaniah 2:3 Will Sappington
12 I Will Sing Pslam 89:1-2 Robert Robinson

Album 4: I AM (Themes from the Ten Commandments)
1 God's Law (10 C Rap) Exodus 20:2-8, 12-17 Agapé
2 I Am! Exodus 20:2-3 Todd Ernster
3 An Idol Exodus 20:2-6 Lauren Redpath
4 Name in Vain Exodus 20:7 Lauren Redpath
5 Remember the Sabbath Exodus 20:8 Jon Anderson
6 Honor Your Parents Exodus 20:12 FINK Kids
7 God's Fifth Exodus 20:13 FINK GUILDERS
8 The Adultery Tango Exodus 20:14 Monty Lysne
9 Steal Rock Exodus 20:15 Pete Erickson  
10 False Witness Blues Exodus 20:16 Michelle Reid
11 You Shall Not Covet Exodus 20:17 Jesse Ernster
12 He Has Done It Psalm 22:27, 29-31 Robert Robinson

Album 5: Our Father (Themes from the Lord's Prayer)
1 Our Father Matthew 6:9a Lauren Redpath
2 Hallowed Matthew 6:9b Pete Erickson
3 Your Kingdom Come Matthew 6:10a Jon Anderson
4 Your Will Be Done Matthew 6:10b FINK Kids
5 Daily Bread Matthew 6:11 Michelle Reid
6 Forgive Matthew 6:12 Pete Erickson
7 Save Us Matthew 6:13a Jon Anderson
8 Deliver Us Matthew 6:13b Robin Cain Kadidlo
9 For the Kingdom Doxology Robert Robinson
10 The Lord's Prayer Matthew 6:9-13 Todd Ernster
11 Against You Psalm 51:3,4,6 Rich Barron
12 Rejoice Always I Thessalonians 5:16 Todd Ernster

Album 6: Let No One Despise Your Youth (Themes from Hot Topics for Youth)
1 Let No One Despise I Timothy 4:12 Paul Frantsen
2 Love Is… I Corinthians 13:4-8a Jon Anderson
3 Temple I Corinthians 6:19 Rick Barron
4 Where are You? Genesis 3:8-9 Agapé
5 Ho, Everyone Who Thirsts Isaiah 55:1-3 Robert Robinson
6 The Deep Things Job 11:7-12 Agapé
7 Just as Sin Romans 5:12 Jon Anderson
8 Cast Down Psalm 42:5, 1 Tony Axtell
9 Love the Lord Mark 12:28-31a Rick Barron
10 Salt of the Earth Matthew 5:3-10, 13a, 14, 16 Lauren Redpath
11 Sun of Righteousness Malachi 3:10, 4:2, 6a Robert Robinson
12 Acceptable to You Romans 12:1-2 Lauren Redpath

Album 7: Make Me To Know (Themes from the Hebrew Bible)
1 ABCs of the HB Bryan Sirchio
2 Make Me to Know Psalm 25:4-7 Lauren Redpath
3 How Majestic Psalm 8:1, 3-6 Rick Barron
4 The Tree Genesis 3:1-6 Jon Anderson
5 To Be a Blessing Genesis 12:2b Tony Axtell
6 I Will Not Let You Go Genesis 32:24-28 Robert Robinson
7 Now Go! Exodus 3:11, 4:1, 10b, 13, 12 Jon Anderson
8 Be Strong Joshua 1:5b, 9 Robert Robinson
9 Who? Psalm 103:1-5 Jesse Ernster
10 Better Proverbs 15:16-17, 16:3, 17:1, 19:1, 23:4, 30:8 Lauren Redpath
11 Secrets Amos 3:8, 8:4, 6-7 Michelle Reid
12 The Lord is My Shepherd Psalm 23 Rich Melheim (I only let myself sing comedy these days)

Album 8: These Are Written (Themes from the New Testament)
1 New Testament Rap Bryan Sirchio
2 In the Beginning John 1:1-5, 9-12, 14 Tony Axtell
Rivers of Living Water John 4:13-15, 7:38b Rick Barron
4 High Priest Hebrews 4:14-16 Erickson & Kadidlo
5 Now to Him Jude 24 Paul Frantsen
6 You Will Receive Power Acts 1:8 Jon Anderson
7 New Creation Romans 5:1-2 Sharon Bradley
8 Long Ago Hebrews 1:1-5 Robert Robinson
9 The Eyes of the Lord 1 Peter 3:10-12 Lauren Redpath
10 Write What You See Revelation 1:5b-7, 10-11 Todd Ernster
11 These Are Written John 20:31 Jon Anderson
12 Comfort Your Hearts II Thessalonians 2:16 Nathan Houge

Album 9: Are You the One? (Themes from the Life of Jesus)
1 Are You the One? Matthew 11:3-4 Lauren Redpath
2 People Who Walk in Darkness Isaiah 9:2, 6, 7:14b Sherri Schmidt
3 Emmanuel Matthew 1:20-23 Jon Anderson
4 Born from Above John 3:3 Jon Anderson
5 Love One Another John 15:12-13 Jon Anderson
6 We Wish to See Jesus John 12:21b, 23 Rick Barron
7 I Am the Way Rick Barron
8 He, Himself I Peter 2:24 Jon Anderson
9 Indeed God John 3:17 Jenny Flemming
10 Easter Morning Mark 16:2-7 Lauren Redpath
11 Go Therefore Matthew 28:19-20 Tony Axtell
12 Press On Philippians 3:13b-14 Todd Ernster

Easter Greetings From Our Friends in Bethlehem

In Bethlehem (yeah, the real Bethlehem) there's a new wall going up. One side says it's a protection wall. It's for safety against suicude bombers. You can understand that. The other side says it's the new Berlin Wall. It is a hateful thing to permanently segregate them into a ghetto. You can understand that, too.

You may find this a bit too political for your tastes, but here it is anyway. If you are a thinking person with a heart, or a caring person with a brain, you know there are two sides to every story.

This Easter Greeting is from a small group of Palestinian Chrisitans (who happen to be Lutheran) who have been Christian a whole lot longer than any nationality on the planet. They're descendants of the first Easter People. And they're having a pretty hard time right now. Here's their letter:

Dear Friends, Salaam and Easter Greetings from Bethlehem!

“Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?”

The people approaching our Center often have similar questions as the one asked in Mark 16:3. Who will help us to tear down the Wall?; who can roll away the 40 year old Occupation?; who will open the doors of the little town of Bethlehem so that pilgrims and visitors are welcomed amongst us? But once they cross the gate into our Center, they encounter a different message: “He is not here, he has risen”. They experience a place bursting with life, in contrast to its context that is still dominated by the forces of death. They see signs of hope and grace in the midst of desolation and despair. They foretaste the promise of lives transformed and resurrected. Our ministry is simply a ministry of resurrection. Because He lives, we can have life, and have it abundantly. Thank you for being partners in this vital ministry. Christ has risen. He has risen indeed.

We’d like to take this opportunity to update you on some of our ministries in Bethlehem:
§         Human Rights – just some nice words? Re-thinking about humanity during the lent
§         Stations of Cross and Resurrection
§         Through New Eyes Touring the Holy Land with the ICB Guides
§         Dar Al-Kalima Health and Wellness Center offers swimming training course for visually impaired kids
§         New Silver Items at Al-Kahf by artisans of the ICB
§         Art Exhibition in Cologne City Hall to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the twin city ship between Bethlehem and Cologne
§         Dar Al-Kalima Health and Wellness Center offers Yoga for school children, women and nurses

So, want to know more? Visit the new websites www.mitriraheb.org www.annadwa.org www.bethlehemmedia.net

Maybe you could buy a little silver from their artisans at the International Christian Center of Bethlehem and show some support. Maybe you could consider a trip and some authentic tourism to help them show their world. Maybe you could add them to your prayers tomorrow

Easter Image

Here's a piece of a little Easter piece for Sunday's PowerPoint from our friend Dr. He Qi. He's just been to Princeton to lecture there at the request of the President of Princeton Seminary. If you use the image, please credit:

"Empty Tomb" by Dr. He Qi (www.heqiarts.com)

Today Yale is sending Dr. PG YYUU to begin a half hour film documentary on He Qi.

Here's a link to what he's up to at Princeton.

http://www.ptsem.edu/

Parents Need a Plan

Every once in a while I get an email I think is blogworthy. This is from our friend and partner Amy Kippen in West Fargo:

Rich,

Recently did Faith Stepping Stones V & VI. Here's what I learned:

Parents want what is best for their kids.

As FSS VI says, they need a plan. Most of them don't even know they need a plan, which is why we must tell them.  We know something that they don't know. We've got a vision that they don't even know they want to see. I watched parent's jaws drop as I went through the suicide statistics. They were crying as I told them that my goal for confirmation has very little to do with information, that I want more for their kids. It was such a relief for them to know that their church cared about the kid, who that kid became, and that we really have a plan that works. It was so powerful, and I've heard from many parents that it was life changing. That was one afternoon.

During my interview process last summer, I had said to Pastor Steve that part of my motivation for H2H was to keep just one kid from making the wrong choices that I made as an adolescent.

Today I was driving and thinking about how it is that a kid who would have moved to Bible Camp, was president of her Luther League as a Freshman, was on the District Youth Committee, and was headed for great things could go off the deep end as I did. And then it occurred to me- no parental support or involvement. I know that my parents loved me and wanted what was best for me, but it wasn't enough. I needed to feel like an important person to someone. My connection to the church gave me that, but after confirmation was over, what was there besides a rock-a-thon and a lock-in every few months? If I had had support at home, it might have sustained me.

So instead of spending money on Youth Directors, let's spend money on connecting parents to their kids. Skip the lock-in and do FSS instead. That's why I want you all to know- you are doing the right thing- you have the right focus- and I'm never gonna give up on getting all parents to do "Every Night in Every Home" and I'm not gonna be afraid to push either.

Blessed to Bless, Amy

Holy Week at the Funnest Job in the Chuch

Dana says, "Don't be blue this Easter... Christ is risen."

I've been having one of the most fun weeks of my life. While the rest of you poor church folk are slogging away, working 16 hour days, doing all the stuff that make Holy Week holy, I've been looking at a resurrection of another kind.

Monday I spent the day with our great staff as we prepped to launch our total REVISIONING of our FINK MISSION. The old has gone (just trying to make church better at church) and the new has come (trying to make church better at home). 15 years of one mission and business model now shift to the future.

Tuesday we launched the first three living resources of what will be 20 or more beautiful pieces to get parents and kids talking faith every. I spent the rest of the day putting the finishing touches on my future "Cartoon History of the Bible - Volume 1 (Genesis). I also solidified aJune trip to speak to the Board of Youth and Family Ministry in Australia. New world.

Yesterday I spent three hours with Tony Axtell, who is putting our nine new Head to the Heart CDs together with all of the new songs we've been working on for the last two years. (Mighty fine and funky and fun, if I say so myself.) The new Robert Robinson songs with the Twin City Gospel Choir are some of the best stuff we've done, ever. Tony's big news, he has been touring with Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" since Jan. 2006 and has now been asked to stay on for the rest of the year. He's also in the middle of finishing a new CD for Yukiko Isomura - Japan's hottest up and coming musician. It should be released in Japan by Fall 2006. And he's producing and collaborating with Kimberly Michaels on her debut CD to be released by summer/fall 2006.

NEW WEBSITE -?

Today as I opened my emails I had one from my good friend and transformational leader coach Dana Hanson, the blue California pastor (above, looking like Blue Man Group). Dana's going to join me and Arlen in Colorado in a couple weeks to walk the new land Arlen bought in the Sangri de Cristo Mountains and dream out loud about how we might possibly create something absolutely wonderful for kids and parents and worship arts together there someday if God wills it. Later today, Todd Ernster of the Killer Hayseeds is on his way over to deliver 29 final mixes of the newest FINK songs and they are also mighty fine and mighty fun. Todd has been working his butt off to get all this put together for our deadline.

Tomorrow I'm helping Dr. He Qi figure out his future. We're hoping to land him an artist-in-residency at another Ivy Leage school for fall, 2006, help him get his taxes done, and, along with comedian, FINK Music Guilder and real estate tycoon Dale Francis, help him buy a house near St. Paul this spring. (He Qi's "Easter Morning" will be on the Altar at the Basillica of St. Mary's in downtown Minneapolis this Sunday.)

Friday it's over the river and through the woods to Grandfather's house for Easter.

Life is grand. God is good. We are grateful.