Monday, July 2, 2012

The Peace of Christ.  Today is Monday and tomorrow I fly.

It was a wonderful weekend to have been delayed from leaving.  Saturday we brought mattresses and freezers over for the cottages at Zion Home.

We have the walls painted, the ceiling pickled, trim up, and the kitchen cabinets arrive tomorrow.  The Rev. Chris Neely crossed to visit Zion Home and many of his former parishioners on Sunday.  Rev. Neely is the President (equivalent to our bishop) of the Bahamas Conference of the Methodist Church.  It was delightful to share his reunion with friends that he served here as youth minister and later as appointed pastor.  Here he is with Earmily and Geleta in one of the cottages.

Zion Children's Home is a mission agency of the Conference, and Rev. Neely came to see the progress to this point.  The conversation is now turning to when the Grand Opening will be celebrated.  As you can see, the President travels like everyone else on Current Island.
Worship Sunday morning and Bible study Sunday evening were wonderfully affectionate times with my faith family here.  They have prayed over me and blessed me and prayed for my safe return (to Current Island!).

I strolled down the road this morning to say goodbye to folks in the settlement.
I got this shot because I had to get on the roof of the church to speak to Wilfred, Wallace, and Paul.  Emily and Karen are stripping top leaves and stalks for plaiting.  They said to tell you all, "Hi."
So I really do think I am leaving tomorrow.  I have only made it as far as Current.  My ride from here can't find the key to the van.  I am making other arrangements.  James Cistern tonight and leaving Governors Harbour Airport tomorrow at 8:30am.  After a couple of stops in Florida, I should be in North Carolina by evening.  Blessings to you all.

Grace and peace,
Bing



Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The Peace of Christ to you all.

The Sunday worship at Spanish Wells was wonderful.  I was heartily and graciously welcomed.  In many ways the congregation is similar to communities I have served in West Tennessee and Western Kentucky.  The dynamics of a small community are magnified on Spanish Wells because of the isolation imposed on an island community.  Add to this some of the self-imposed separation of Spanish Wells throughout its history.  The core of the congregation is passionate and committed to its life of faith and its tradition.  And they are struggling, like many, to raise up leaders from the ranks of younger disciples.

I felt it would be presumptuous of me to preach on anything other than a somewhat universal reflection on God's Good News.  The morning message was on Mark 4:35-41, the miracle of Jesus calming the storm.  The evening service brought a larger congregation than the morning, much to my surprise.  I was told that this is common on Spanish Wells.  (Not that word had spread like wildfire about the preacher at the Methodist Church!)  In the evening I preached a topical sermon on Silence, utilizing a half a dozen different scripture references.  I am not accustomed to topical preaching and I think it was a bit ragged in spots, but I believe it was faithfully delivered.  It was definitely received with grace, and perhaps mercy.  So much so that they ventured to give me another chance.  I was invited back to speak at the Tuesday evening service of Prayer and Praise.

I was feeling a bit sick at my stomach most of the day Tuesday.  I didn't try to work at the Children's Home at all.  I was enough better by the late afternoon that I was able to make my way to Spanish Wells for the evening.  The gathering was smaller.  The service was lead by one of the congregation's young adults.  It was truly a spirit of prayer and praise throughout the worship.  My message was on the story of Jesus healing blind Bartimaeus, Mark 10:46-52.  It served well in the context of personal and community prayer.  The storm of Sunday's text showed up Tuesday night.  We were in that ferry boat crossing back to mainland.  The storm didn't stop, but we were fearless!  Thank the Lord.

I confess that I felt very much at home in the pulpit.  However, I confess that there was an awkwardness that I can only attribute to lack of exercise and practice.  As evident as it must have been, the congregation expressed genuine gratitude for my presence and my ministry among them.  It was yet again the humbling experience of knowing that your offering has been received, blessed, and used far beyond the giver's reach.  Thank you, again, for all of your prayerful support.  The Methodist Church at Spanish Wells has said that they would like to have me back after I return.  And at least two of the regional Methodist churches want to have me as a participant in their preaching schedule when I get back.  This is very encouraging.  Thanks be to God.

I got word earlier today that the plane I will be flying back on is in Nassau today (not North Eleuthera). It will arrive at Governors Harbour tomorrow.  When Cameron (the pilot) flies back I will be going with her.  That will probably be Friday.  Alas, and did my plans change.  I will try to make a last minute post when I know the firm details of my return.  At that time, communication will be much easier and more immediate through my US phone.

Grace and peace,
Bing

Friday, June 22, 2012

The Peace of Christ.  (242)553-5510 -- details below!

It is Friday and I am on Harbour Island.  I have been helping the regional intern Mat Hotho do some wiring at Wesley Methodist Church here on "Briland."  And this is my first opportunity to post this week.

Meet the men of Zion Methodist Church, Current Island.  They were all celebrated on Saturday night at a special Fathers Day dinner hosted by the women of the island.  And I was a guest.  We shared a feast of steak, peas and rice, salad, pie and cake.  It is so humbling to be welcomed into this community so graciously.  While at the dinner, I won a door prize.  I honestly believe it was an answer to prayer.  Under my seat was a winning ticket.  And I won a phone!  Plus a phone card for answering a riddle.  I now have local communication and I can be called by anyone.  But before you start dialing, the Bahamas means an international call from the US.  Still, it helps a great deal for me staying in contact with folks here.  That is the number there at the top.

I went to the clinic on Tuesday.  My back is still troubling me and the nurse suggested it is muscle spasms.  I now have a muscle relaxer and something to ease the pain.  It seems to be some better.

We had a work team on Current Island all week.  A great group from First UMC Port Orange, FL.
They have been a great work team.  For those of you especially interested in Zion Children's Home, we have the service wiring for the electrical service in place.  It is in the conduit, in the ground, and the trench covered.  We also got a massive amount of painting done in the second cottage and the tile flooring is finished.  It is so gratifying to work with others in a spirit of service and offering.  And it does my heart great good to see the progress that is being made.

As you read this, I ask that you offer a prayer for me and for the congregation at Spanish Wells.  I will have my first preaching opportunity this Sunday, preaching both morning and evening.  I am very eager for this opportunity, and it suggests that I will have a lot more opportunity in the future.  Thank youu for your prayerful support in this and for all that I am doing.  It is evident to me every day.

I will be returning to the US on June 28th.  This is a little earlier than I had planned, but this is what the plane schedule allows.  Which I am sure will be just as it should be.  Beginning the evening of the 28th I will be available on my US phone (731)267-3814.

Time to head for the ferry back to the mainland, then over the cut to Current Island.  I am leading Bible study tonight.  Mark 4:35-41 Jesus stilling the storm.  It is also my sermon text for Sunday morning.  Economy of exegesis.

My love and thanks to you all.  Grace and peace,
Bing


Wednesday, June 13, 2012

The Peace of Christ.

Last week's Mission services ended on a memorable note of Friday.  A boat full crossed from Current Island and we joined a group from Current.  We all drove over to 3 Island Dock to cross to Harbour Island for the final service of the week.  We crossed as the rain blew in, and it was quite a storm.  The roof in the church leaked.  The power went out.  The generator wouldn't start.  But the gathered faithful were undeterred.  We sang, and we prayed.  The generator finally got started and all was well.

All of the congregations reported on their mission contributions.  This is done with a lot of detail in names and numbers.  Quite a bit differently that the anonymity that we prefer.  Each of the congregations of the region also made a musical offering.  This amounted to all the representatives of the particular church singing a preselected hymn.  And literally everyone participated.  The only two members from Bluff made their offering just as unselfconsciously as the dozen from Current Island. The worship lasted for close to three hours over all, and everyone was blessed and pleased with the evening.

The rain had stopped by the time worship was over, as the confident ones had readily predicted.  I had a bit of a slip on 3 Island Dock on the passage home.  I stepped where there was neither dock nor landing.  I fell pretty hard against the concrete with one foot on the dock and the other in the water up to my knee.  I suffered a couple of scrapes, a badly bruised back, and a brief dislocation of my knee.  But I was still mobile, if awkward.  The bruise is the only injury that has lingered.  I haven't sept soundly, and it kept me from working a couple of days this week.  But all is better, and getting better still.

I have been invited to a special Father's Day dinner at the church social hall this Saturday.  I received my printed invitation as I sat on the porch of the manse Monday evening.  One of the girls walked down the road and hand-delivered each invitation to the home of each invited guest.

It was just like I received news that Sunday was Pat's (the ferryman) birthday.  His nieces walked down the road and delivered pieces of his birthday cake to each home in the settlement.  I am looking forward to Saturday evening.  There is no end to the creativity of the Current Islanders.

I have also been invited to preach on the 24th at Spanish Wells Methodist Church.  The invitation to preach involves Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and a Tuesday Bible study/prayer meeting.  Needless to say, I am busy with preparation.  And I am not only eager, but also a bit anxious.  I will be preaching to a congregation of life-long fishermen and their families on the story of Jesus calming the storm!  O my . . . .

Work at Zion Home proceeds apace.  We have opened the trench for the electrical service.  Half of the pipe is on the island and the other half will get there tomorrow.  I hope we will have the pipe laid and the wire pulled by the end of the week.  Then we will be ready to get the power connected from the utility.  There will be a work team at the Home on Saturday from the Eleuthera Rotary Club.  And on Sunday a work team from Florida will arrive on island to work for the week.  That will help get things well along on the last touches of the first cottage.  And we hope the second cottage will be completed within a couple of weeks.

If you have questions or comments, please post them here or email me a eleutheramission@gmail.com.

Grace and peace,  Bing

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

The peace of Christ to you all.

This will be brief as I am now living on Current Island.  Here is a photo of the Zion Methodist Church manse.  It is a humble, simple, and exceedingly adequate accommodation.  I just need to replace one of the breakers in the panel.  I should be able to manage that!

This is a week of special worship services in North Eleuthera that are focused on Missions.  It has been a wonderful way to meet many of the parishioners from the area.  The boat leaves in 15 minutes, so off I go.

Know that all is well and very well.

Grace and peace,

Saturday, June 2, 2012

The Peace of Christ.

The summer is here.  Yesterday, the first Friday of June, was another holiday in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.  Labor Day.  I finally made my excursion to Harbour Island to meet friends of my sister Betsy.  I had a lovely visit with Bruce and Kathy Hagen Lowe in their home "just over Juicey Hill."  We were able to enjoy a bit of a break in the weather on their beach-front porch overlooking the Atlantic.

I was also able to visit with Rev John Baldwin while I was on Harbour Island.  John is busy doing some remodeling at the Harbour Island manse.  There may be some electrical work there as well as at Harbour Island Methodist Church.



John has an intern working with him for some of the summer.  He is a second year student at Candler School of Theology from St Petersburg, named Matt Hotho.  Matt may have rooted me out of the mission house in Current!  As an intern, he will have the option of staying in Current, or perhaps on Harbour Island.  My accommodations will adjust accordingly.

Which means, my accommodations are changing.  I met with Osbourne Weech in Current on my way back from HI yesterday.  I will be going to Current Island on Monday to begin my work at Zion Home.  I am eager to get underway with this work.  As for accommodations, I will stay in Current at the mission house, if Matt Hotho doesn't.  If Matt is there, I will stay in the manse on Current Island.  That will be a bit more isolated, but certainly no less comfortable.

And the summer is starting for Bahamas Methodist Habitat.  Megan is here for a month from Wake Forest, NC.  She is helping Brenda with logistics and organizational matters.  Yancey is a pilot who is at BMH for a month.  She came to deliver the plane that has been donated to BMH -- a Beechcraft Barron 55.  (Yes, it's the same plane I flew on when I came May 10th.)



Yancey will be flying with Abraham and helping with some of the trips required during a busy month of June.

And not only June.  From the look of the calendar BMH will be involved in a great deal of work this summer.  I haven't confirmed it with anyone in Jackson, but the schedule here says that a group from Northside UMC, Jackson, TN, will be here the first week of July!  That will be even better than hearing the worship band from Highpoint Church in Memphis, last night in Gregorytown.  Talk about a small world.  God surprises me every single day.  And these last days are rich with delightful surprises.  Thanks be to God.  And to all of you for your prayers and support.

Grace and peace,


Wednesday, May 30, 2012

I am surprised to realize it has been almost 2 weeks since my last post.  My apologies.  I will definitely post more often.  They may be shorter.  (Probably a good thing.)

Last week we lived with weather associated with Beryl.  It was 6 days of rain of various intensity.  No real stormy weather, though.  The laundry I did Saturday a week ago hung on the lines for a week and didn't dry until last Saturday.  I had hoped to visit Harbour Island last week, but the weather changed that plan.  The only real impact has been that I now have 2 bookmarks in my computer for NOAA storm tracking and Caribbean weather updates.

I worshipped at Governors Harbour Methodist this last Sunday.  It was a wonderfully familiar spirit.  The congregation was relatively small.  All the folks that were there are related, neighbors, or both.  They were very warm and hospitable in their welcome, eager to introduce themselves and their families.  The preacher was Martin Gaitor, who is a lay speaker from this congregation.  I met him after the service, and was pleased to know that he was instrumental in the beginnings of Methodist Habitat 20 years ago.  He is very well connected throughout the Methodist church on the island.  I believe that our paths will cross many times.


I went out to eat Sunday dinner.  At the restaurant, I saw a member of the Rotary Club who has been supportive of the work at Zion Children's Home.  She was asking about the progress because she intends to donate 4 original pieces of artwork by a local artist for the first cottage.  I am very excited about this, because the woman is an interior designer and does beautiful work.  I believe this will be a gift to the children of Zion Home in a lot of ways.


Monday was a holiday here in the Bahamas.  It was an occasion to see some of the cultural differences between North America and the "family islands" of the Bahamas.  Monday was not Memorial Day here.  It was the Monday after Pentecost -- Whit Monday.  It is a holiday here as it is in many churches and cultures outside of North America -- like Easter Monday and the day after Christmas.  And the holiday is a time to be with family and friends like anywhere -- the beach, the cooking, catching up with family, and a fair share of parties.  If you wanted some fresh snapper for the grill, it was available right here on the dock in James Cistern.



They spent about 3 hours out fishing.  In the boat you see behind him.  The boat comes in, the fish are cleaned, the word spreads, and those who want have fish.  Remarkably simple and efficient, in spite of what my eyes must surely not see.


I met John Baldwin, pastor at Harbour Island, yesterday.  Abraham took us all out surfing.  It was great to meet John.  We have already planned for some work and additional conversation when I move to the North Eleuthera area.  As for the surfing, well, we will see.  I rode the board on my belly for a few yards.  Definitely not a surfer, but any exercise is the surf is a good fatigue.

Grace and peace

Saturday, May 19, 2012

The peace of Christ.

The past week has been good and full here at Camp Symonette.  I did some repair work on one of the buses.  And I prepared a list of materials needed to ventilate the attic crawl spaces in the three wings of the main building and improve room ventilation in the dorm areas.  A supporter in Manassas, VA, is a mechanical contractor and is getting  information on cost and availability for these materials so that we can schedule this project.  But most of my work has been preparing for the electrical service change here.  The design work for the service change has been a bit of a moving target, but the corrections and adjustments tend to be relatively minor.  One larger change, and bit of good news, is that the kitchen is going to be completely remodeled.  That recent bit of information has to be figured into my plans.  But still no major problem.

We are also planning the service change to accommodate a renewable energy system using solar modules and wind power.  Renewable energy systems are not as prevalent as you might imagine in this climate.  There are many details that will need to be considered to make this project happen successfully.  Abraham McIntyre is the executive director of Bahamas Methodist Habitat.  He and I went to the south end of the island yesterday to visit The Island School and the Cape Eleuthera Institute.  These adjacent campuses are excellent examples of sustainable and renewable energy installations in the Bahamas.


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The facilities manager Geoff Walton gave me a tour of their campuses and provided a wealth of information about installing and maintaining solar and wind power systems on Eleuthera.  The photo shows both a pole mounted solar array and a roof mounted array on the boat house of The Island School.  The school also has a wind generator mounted on a 100 foot tower in the middle of the campus.  There are numerous practical reasons for using renewable energy sources such as energy costs and reliability.  The larger concern for BMH is faithful stewardship.  We are praying that with the use of renewable energy, BMH will be able to operate with more responsible stewardship, both financially and ecologically.  The financial side of this is familiar work for all ministries -- to reduce recurring overhead costs in order to increase the money available for direct ministry.  We are also hoping to create a campus environment that honors God's creation and exists in cooperation with the natural order.

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A mission team from Wake Forest, NC, arrives tomorrow for a week of service work here at BMH.  I will be working along side one work crew on a house that I first worked on in February.  The week ahead will include that project in addition to the camp projects I have mentioned already.

I covet your prayers as I pray for all of you who are supporting this work.  Grace and peace in this celebration of Christ's ascension: "Why are you staring into the sky?  There is work to be done!"

Sunday, May 13, 2012


It is Sunday, May 13. Happy Mother's Day. This celebration is no less substantial in the Bahamas than it is in West Tennessee. And rightly so. At Wesley Methodist Church in James Cistern, the worship was centered on a celebration of Mothers. So much so that all the men, including first time visitors, were seated (escorted) up front on the chancel as an all men's choir for the women.

I spent the day Friday with Gene Zimmerman making a few more introductions. Specifically, I spent several hours at Spanish Wells meeting members of that congregation. Our earlier conversations had indicated that there would be little opportunity at this time to work with the Spanish Wells Methodist Church. So, I was a bit surprised when Gene said that he had scheduled an appointment for me to meet the “Pulpit Committee.” That would be Dr. Phil Pinder.
We met Phil at his office at the church while he was preparing worship for Sunday. We had a very enjoyable conversation, that seems to have made a favorable impression. Phil is arranging an opportunity for me to lead one of their Tuesday evening prayer meetings. This would be very familiar to those of you who have attended Wednesday evening prayer meetings in Southern Protestant churches. He assured me there would be an opportunity for me to “speak” to the congregation. There is also a possible opportunity to lead Sunday worship at the end of June. I believe that these connections will give us the chance to discern the nature of this opportunity.
I invite your prayers for my connection to Spanish Wells. As I told Phil, it is important that my work be undertaken in response to God's invitation. It is the clarity of that invitation that I desire.

Friday evening brought me to Bahamas Methodist Habitat's Camp Symonette in James Cistern. I will be working here at BMH for a couple of weeks. This is also a change in sequence, because Osbourne Weech has taken his wife to Florida for medical treatment. He will not be on site at Zion Children's Home for two weeks. I expect to join him at Current at that time.
Saturday was a day of settling into things here. Finding my way around James Cistern, I even got to watch the local softball team in action. BMH has provided me a comfortable room that is not a dormitory space. The room even has its own shower. Little matter that the shower is outdoors. These accommodations are wonderfully sufficient. And I will have the blessing of living as a part of the BMH community during these two weeks.

I am well settled, and I begin work on the electrical service change and rewiring project Monday.

Grace and peace,

Thursday, May 10, 2012

I am on Eleuthera, thanks to a lot of you.  I am having more difficulty getting this blog posted than I had getting to Eleuthera.  Today is a day for some new things.  My small plane experience has been primarily taking off and landing at the same airport.  Not today.  Thanks to Steve Merritt of Bahamas Habitat, it was wheels up at 8:30 am near Raleigh,NC, and touch down at 2:25 this afternoon at North Eleuthera Airport, with a mid way stop in Orlando, FL.

My thanks to Rev Gene Zimmerman who joined us in Orlando.  Gene invited this ministry into existence, and he is accompanying me on this first weekend.  And my thanks for the support of First UMC, Jackson, TN.  And special thanks to just about everybody who even knows about this blog, for your prayerful and financial support.

I am on Eleuthera, and we spent most of this day delivering and relocating materials and tools and people in preparation for the work that is ahead.  It was good to reconnect with many of the people with whom we will be working, and to revisit places where we will be working.

Osbourne Weech met us at the airport.  Osbourne is the local pastor in Current and the construction foreman for the Zion Children's Home.  The Children's Home was our first stop.  Earmily Munroe and Geleta Tournquest, the visionaries behind ZCH, were proud to show us one cottage completed.  It lacks only minor finishes before it can become the home of a new family of children.  The second cottage still needs a couple of weeks of construction work before it is ready for furniture, finishes, and children.

Next, we went to Bahamas Methodist Habitat's Camp Symonnette.  We were delighted to see the staff and to share a meal, together with two work teams who are finishing their weeks of service with BMH.  The director of BMH, Abraham McIntyre, will be returning this weekend from a month of intensive pilot training.  He and I will be taking the first steps in a project that includes an electrical service change, upgrade, and complete rewiring of the Camp Symonnette facility.

Tomorrow, Gene Zimmerman and I will have a couple of meeting that will begin to shape the pastoral dimension of my work.  Mid day we will meet Mr Phil Pinder, who is the lay leader of the Methodist Church in Spanish Wells.  Later in the afternoon, we will meet with Rev John Baldwin, who is the elder serving Harbor Island Methodist Church, and the elder appointed to the North Eleuthera Methodist circuit.  These conversations will clarify something of the scope and possibility of the work that will be focused in the congregations.  This is a very exciting aspect of this ministry's potential.

Tonight we are resting in the Methodist manse on Harbor Island.  It has been a very good day.  We are under way.  Thank you.  Thanks be to God.

Grace and peace.