NEWSLETTER September 2010
The Courier Article
Silence
Stepping Up
Pride Picnic 2010 Updated
7/4/2010
Pastorial Letter
Thank You God
Garage Sale
Welcome to Worship
By SARA ARTHURS
Staff Writer
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Many of the members of New Hope Community Church, though identifying themselves as Christians, had stopped going to church altogether for years before discovering New Hope. The reason? Most, though not all, members of the nondenominational church are gay or lesbian and didn't feel welcome at previous churches.
Take Barry Ratzlaff, who was raised Lutheran, Missouri Synod, and moved to Findlay with a partner 10 years ago.
"I always said if there was ever a church that was open to gay people I'd be there," he said.
At his previous church, "I always felt like somebody was watching me or staring at me. I just was never comfortable."
Greg Beach, who grew up in the Lutheran church, Wisconsin Synod, described it as feeling like a spotlight was shining on him when he went to church, making him stand out, even though most people didn't know he was gay.
"I struggled for 20 years trying to resolve this issue: Can I be gay and a Christian?" Beach said.
Beach ceased going to church for about a decade before finding New Hope. He said he always had faith, but practiced it privately.
New Hope Community Church grew out of a Bible study group affiliated with a church in Toledo several years ago. It has changed names and locations several times, and was previously Open Door Community Church, but has been New Hope for about a year and a half.
The Rev. Bruce McDaniel is the church's pastor. McDaniel is a full-time pastor in Portage and ministers at New Hope as a labor of love, he said.
"I think this is a really authentic place. ... The worship and the fellowship is authentic," McDaniel said. "You come as you are and you be who you are."
Beach said that, although most members of New Hope are gay, the church welcomes anyone and there may be heterosexual people who "just haven't found a church that fits." New Hope has had members with disabilities who also felt that spotlight on them, that sense that people were staring at them, "for a totally different reason," he said.
"We are kind of a refuge. ... When (you) have been denied every other place, you are welcome here," Beach said.
Ratzlaff said the church feels like a family. It's a small group with maybe a dozen people at each service.
"People can come here and be free to be who they are," said another church member, Jim Dayton.
Jon Schlueter grew up attending Sunday school and vacation Bible school but as an adult struggled with "recognizing that I was a homosexual and it was not a choice. ... I began to resent that commitment that most congregations had toward excluding us."
He wasn't sure what to expect when invited to New Hope and thought it would be a loose-knit, casual group but was "very pleasantly surprised" that the services are formal and traditional.
Beach said services at New Hope look like services at any other Christian church. McDaniel gives sermons and the congregation sings both contemporary and traditional music. Communion is given once a month.
While McDaniel is the pastor, other church members are encouraged to lead discussions and give talks.
"We do encourage people to be active," church member Betsy Check said. "I think it helps you to feel more a part of the church."
Ratzlaff said he has learned a lot about the Bible since attending New Hope.
"I find this church very hungry spiritually and educationally for growth," McDaniel said.
Check said many gay people "do not want anything to do with church" after past bad experiences. For her, though, Christianity had been an important part of her youth and she was longing for a church.
"The first Sunday I came I just started crying because I felt like I had found home," Check said.
Check, raised Presbyterian, said she "felt uncomfortable" at her previous church, and eventually stopped attending it.
"I never abandoned my faith, though," she said.
A recovering alcoholic, Check said "I had really developed a relationship with God through AA (Alcoholic Anonymous)." She was looking for others also working to develop such a relationship, and she said that's what she found at New Hope.
Check said the church's fellowship is one of its strongest points. Members go out to eat together after services and regularly have gatherings in their homes. They also go on outings such as going to movies together.
But it's not just about socializing. McDaniel said he was surprised when he first met the people at New Hope that the group wanted a formal service and were eager for him to give sermons.
The church is theologically conservative, he said. Politically, most members are liberal, but not all. And when they gather for fellowship, they frequently get into spirited political debates.
"We have strong opinions," Dayton said.
At the same time, Check said, people will often have arguments but then end their argument with a hug.
For people who were raised Christian, even if you can't find a specific church that fits you "you miss it. It's been a part of your life for so long," Ratzlaff said.
Beach said he realized when he came to the church he had "really forgot how much I needed this."
Dayton, who was raised Catholic, said as a child his mother dragged him to church but he stopped attending at age 18. Then he discovered New Hope through an Internet search and decided to come with his partner.
"We just showed up, and Betsy met us at the door: 'Hi! Welcome!'" he said.
Check said many gay people struggle with how their sexuality and spirituality can co-exist.
"Being gay and being Christian -- you can be both of those at the same time," McDaniel said.
Beach said some churches devote so much energy to condemning homosexuality "that they totally miss the teachings of Jesus, and that is love."
McDaniel said he has seen churches being "on the wrong side of history" in the past with issues such as the civil rights movement and a refusal to ordain women, but over time most denominations changed their stance on those things. He thinks that when it comes to homosexuality, too, views will change.
Ratzlaff said decisions like the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's vote to allow people in committed same-sex relationships to serve as pastors is progress.
"The fact that they even discuss it ... I think that that's a step forward," he said.
New Hope's services are at 4:30 p.m. every Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 2415 B N. Main St.
The first Sunday of the month the church includes a potluck meal, and there are regular Wednesday night fellowship meetings. A calendar of events is on the church's website.
New Hope sponsors the Pride Picnic, although it is not an official church event.
"We don't proselytize," Check said.
Ratzlaff said the hope is "to let people know that there are other gay people in this town that are striving to have some interaction with each other."
The Pride Picnic takes place at noon on Saturday at Litzenberg Park.
Hamburgers, hot dogs and barbecue pork sandwiches will be provided. Attendees
are asked to bring a side dish, dessert or appetizer to share. Due to
park regulations, no alcoholic beverages are permitted.
Sara Arthurs: (419) 427-8494 Send an e-mail to saraarthurs@thecourier.com
Article provided with permission from The Courier you can visit thier
website at www.thecourier.com
By Aran J. Reinhart, July 4, 2010
Thank You, God
For making me this way.
Thank You for all my beauty.
Thank You, God
For making me this way.
Thank You for all Your diversity.
I am the way You want me to be.
I am not too tall or too short.
I am not too fat or too skinny.
I am not too disabled.
I am not the wrong color or religion.
My body is fine just the way it is.
I am not the wrong sexual orientation.
I am simply me,
Just me,
Just as God made me.
Thank You, God
For making me this way.
Thank You for my beauty.
Thank You, God
For making me this way.
Thank You for all Your diversity.
Garage Sale
To help defer the cost of initial start up that Spectrum,
a newly formed group will incur, a garage sale will be held on:
August 20th 9 am - 6 pm
August 21st 9 am - 1 pm
We are asking for donations for this sale. One item, two
items, whatever you can give will be appreciated. The sale will be held
at:
1910 Candlewick Dr.
Findlay, Ohio
Spectrum would like the donations at Barry and Marks home
no later than Wednesday August 18th to allow time for pricing and set-up.
We will even try to make arrangements to pick things up if needed.
Please contact Barry at 419-422-6411 to make donations or if you have any questions. You can also e-mail Spectrum at findlayspectrum@yahoo.com
Silence
From Jesse
I really want to learn how to meditate;
to go deep inside myself and find the inner strength which God has given
me. Often times when I sit in silence and really dig, my mind seems to
wander. Instead of reveling in the wonderful spirit that is God, I end
up singing the last song playing on the radio or find myself drifting
off to things going on at work or with church.
I have recently begun attending a meditation time which is being offered
by our sister church. The first time we met, we spent some time getting
to know each other and then during the hour long session, we spent “spurts”
of time in silence. The spurts last about 10 minutes, with spiritual readings
in between. This week we did two sessions which lasted about twenty minutes
a piece. Forty minutes of silence!! When our leader told us that we were
going to spend 45 minutes in silence my first thought was, “there
is no way I can make it that long.” I even pictured myself getting
up during the session and bolting for the door. But I stuck it out, and
during that silent time I tried really hard to clear my mind of any other
thoughts and to focus on what God holds for me. I reached inside and tried
to feel my body from the inside out. I imagined where I was in my body,
starting with my toes and working my way up. It was quite amazing to feel
a tingle in each part of my body as I pictured it my mind. It really did
keep all the other distractions of the day from entering in! It’s
also good to recognize your posture as you meditate. At a bible study
I attend, we talked about prayer, and one method of prayer is to sit with
your back straight, your hands on your thighs with palms up; waiting for
God to fill them with whatever he has in store for you. This is also a
great posture for meditation. Another key in meditation is to pick a word
or phrase that you will use to bring yourself back as your mind begins
to drift off. I have not found mine yet, but tonight as I would started
to drift off, wondering why the furnace in the church was running so much,
why the clock ticked so loud, I tried to draw my mind back to God and
what he has in store for me. It may just be that “God” is
my word.
I think we all need to set aside time during the day to allow silence
into our lives. Find a place and time that works for you, turn everything
off, and open your mind to allow peace and understanding into your life.
The next time you are on your way home from work or headed to the store
or church, turn the radio off in the car, put your cell phone in “silent”
mode, and look around as you drive, enjoying the wonderful sights which
God created. Drink in the beauty of all there is. It’s amazing what
we can find if we close our mouths, open our minds, and hear the silence.
One last thing, as the lyrics to a song I have sung in church say :
“Be still and know that He is God,
Be still and know that He is holy,
Be still, O restless soul of mine;
Bow before the Prince of peace,
Let the noise and clamor cease;
Be still.”
I think that says it all.
Step Up and Step Out
If you are a regular attendee or member of the church you have probably noticed a few changes. One of the things that we at New Hope Community Church strive to do, is allow our members to use the gifts and talents that God has given them. We never force or ask anyone to do anything they are uncomfortable with but we love to see people grow.
As some of you may or may not know, Greg, after being unemployed for over a year and a half, accepted a position with a company in New York City. That led to a change in our Worship Leader position which Jesse took over. Of course then we were without a "techie" in the back to run the music/visuals. Jim stepped up and is now taking care of that. In more behind the scenes changes, Jake is now going to be creating the powerpoint slides we use each week in worship. Both Jim and Jake have been with the church for over 2 years now and have been very eager to be a bigger part of the worship service we create each and every Sunday.
So take the time to let them know how they are doing and thank them for taking that "step up" or in some cases the "step down" that makes our worship service the unique and creative place to be at 4:30 pm on Sunday evenings. It is very hard for some people to move out from something they have been comfortable with doing to what is beyond their "comfort zone".
See you on Sunday Evenings!
Pride Picnic 2010
Hey everyone!
Wow! This years Findlay Area Pride Picnic was another huge success! A big THANK YOU goes out to everyone who helped bring it all together. There were a lot of new faces and of course plenty of old ones as well. It's sometimes hard to believe we have been holding this picnic for 6 years now.
The church has sponsored this picnic for the last 6 years and although most of the work is done by church members the picnic was not a "church" picnic nor was it ever intended to be limited to members and family of the church. In fact 85% of those that attend the picnic year after year have never attended a church service even though they all know they are welcome to at any point.
With that said the leadership team of New Hope Community Church would like to announce that we have turned over the handling of the 2011 Findlay Area Pride Picnic to Spectrum a newly formed Findlay Area Pride Group. If you would like to know more about Spectrum please feel free to contact them at findlayspectrum@yahoo.com This group, although formed by some members of the church, is not affiliated with the New Hope.
The Litzenberg Barn has proven for the last 3 years to be a great place to hold the picnic with its kitchen, shelter and bathroom facilities as well as plenty of area for the kids to play. Spectrum has reserved the barn for the 2011 picnic as well to be held on June 25. So mark your calendars now!
Again it was great seeing everyone this year and we look
forward to seeing you next year.
Insight from Pastor Bruce
Dear Friends
In a recent study on prayer entitled Creating a Life with God I was reading
in the chapter on Praying in Nature about the author’s notion that,
“our relationship with food holds another opportunity for prayer
with nature.” He goes on to say, “ your eating and meal preparation
present rich avenues for prayer….as you prepare a meal, take the
time to think about your food. Everything you are eating came from the
Earth, was nourished by the Sun and rain and the care of a person who
spent many hours growing the food…pray into these realities…feel
the love and care that live in each bite you take.” I found this
to be an intriguing notion especially since we live in such a “fast-food”
society and we all, it can be reasonably said, enjoy food and eating.
So I have a few thoughts of my own I thought I would share.
This whole idea really got me thinking just how connected we are to each
other and to everything in this world, how intimate that connection is
and yet how very unlikely that we even notice it. Each time we eat something,
do we realize that it was grown and sustained by the same sun we feel
upon our faces and nourished from the same Earth upon which we walk and
fed by the same rain that falls upon our face? The very air around us
is life giving to both plants and ourselves as we each provide the other
with life.
Then there is also the intimate dance of life that goes on between people
and plants, plants and animals and animal themselves. Did you ever stop
and think that in order for one thing to survive on this planet another
thing must give up its life? Out of death comes life for another, and
out of life, death. This is an ancient dance, a delicate balance that
has been maintained for millions of years. So when we eat, we participate
and join in this dance, the dance that sustains life on this planet.
Finally when I consider food, I think of those who grow it, tend it, prepare
it and serve it. I wonder what energy and love and expertise went into
planting, growing and cultivating the plants we eat. How much labor was
involved, did they receive a fair wage (which is a justice issue)? What
care and feeding is provided for the animals whose lives we take in order
that we can eat? Are we as humane as we can be or do we treat these animals
as just another product for our consumption (which again is a justice
issue)? Are we being good stewards of the creation? What about the preparation
of our food in restaurants? Think about the love and skill that chefs
put into their creation of dishes. What kind of love do we pour into the
meals that we prepare for our families and friends?
I think that taking the time to contemplate these sorts of questions and
ideas about food and our intimate relationship with it is time well spent.
It is a wonderful way to begin to realize the bounty that God provides
and the delicate, intimate relationship that exists. I believe that if
we could cultivate this kind of attention and consideration about more
things in our life that we would be amazed at the number of ways that
God is connected to us. So the next time you are about to eat, Pause.
Pause for a moment and realize just how much was involved in the world
around you in order to provide that which you are about to eat. Here’s
to good eats!
Bruce
