Shadow or Glow?

In 1994, the XVII Olympic Winter Games were held in Lillehammer, Norway. I can still remember the Cauldron Lighting during that Opening Ceremony: an archer skied into the arena, lit his arrow from the Olympic Torch that had been carried by a runner into the stadium and proceeded to shoot it into the Olympic Cauldron's gas-filled basin, resulting in a marvelous explosion to the cries of "ooooh" from our shiny-eyed two-year old son.

During those Olympics, a figure skating scandal was constantly in the news. US skater Tonya Harding's ex-husband hired an assaulter to injure the knees of gold-medal favorite, Nancy Kerrigan. Tonya would not medal, and Nancy ultimately earned an Olympic Silver Medal. Because of the press this sleaze received, we probably don't remember that the host nation birthed a Norwegian hero at those games: Johann Olav Koss, who offered three gold-medal and world record performances in the speed skating rink. Most of us...but not all of us. Joey Cheek was a notable exception.

After watching Koss' dominating performance on television, Cheek announced to his mother that he wanted to be a speed skater. (Over the years he also learned how the Norwegian star donated his Olympic earnings to charity, personally delivered aid to impoverished African children, and used his fame to lure others to his cause.) After more than a decade of hard work and dedication, this Greensboro native gave a gold-medal performance on Monday as he dominated the 500-meter event in the XX Olympic Winter Games. But that's not what he is being remembered for.

Shortly after winning, Cheek announced that he was contributing his entire $25,000 US Olympic Committee gold medal bonus to Right to Play, an organization run by Johann Olav Koss that provides recreation programs for underprivileged children across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, especially those who suffer in the Dufar region of the Sudan, where some 180,000 people have died and 2 million have been forced to flee in the midst of a bitter conflict. "I've always dreamt that I would skate that fast. (But) I think on some level it's empowering to think of someone other than yourself. You've got to keep things in perspective," Cheek said. "Sure, I've been training for this my whole life, but I'm just a guy skating around in tights. It's not that big a deal." Cheek challenged his Olympic sponsors to match his gift and spent his gold-medal press interviews speaking not about his hard work or his fulfilled dreams, but instead about Right to Play.

Wow! Thank God for Joey Cheek. That's just different enough to catch the world's attention. And that's exactly what Jesus was talking about when he told us that we were to be the "light" and the "salt" for the world. How do we, as followers of Jesus, measure our success in this illuminative, seasoning work of God? Perhaps with this phrase I learned long ago: "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would the world outside of the Church find enough evidence to convict you?"

I've just finished reading Jack's Life, a book on the life of famous 20^th Century Christian author C.S. Lewis, written by his stepson, Douglas Gresham. In the final chapter, Douglas writes the following about his stepfather: "I am sometimes asked what it is like living in the shadow of such a great man, and I always point out that Jack did not leave a shadow behind him but a glow...he faced the darkness that he found in this world and lit for us bright lamps to show us the path that all of us need to find...If I am able to reflect even the slightest spark of that glow, I am more than happy to do so."

What can be said of you and me? When the world looks at us, do they see a shadow or a glow?

J. Derek Harbin, priest

Beloved Pilgrimage...Those who want to meet God for the first time or on a deeper level are invited to participate in a small and large group journey called Beloved Pilgrimage. Those who journey together on this pilgrimage could include older teens (15+) and adults who have never been baptized; older teens and adults who were baptized as infants or young children and want to publicly confirm these vows for themselves; those who want to experience God's revelation through the Bible as it impacts their life today; those who want to learn more about Jesus' Church as it is experienced in various Christian traditions in the US and around the world. This year's Spring Pilgrimage begins with a Friday evening and Saturday retreat (March 10 & 11). It continues weekly (eight gatherings, either on Sunday afternoon or Thursday evening) through the final Saturday retreat (May 13). For more information or to register, click here.

The Dead Sea Scrolls...Many scientists and historians regard the Dead Sea Scrolls as the most remarkable archeological discovery of the 20th century. On Friday of this week, an exhibit opens at Discovery Place that contains scrolls never before seen in the United States along with other artifacts discovered at the ancient settlement of Qumran near the Dead Sea. The exhibit will tell the story of the scrolls and that of life in Qumran in the Judean Desert.

The Dead Sea Scrolls date back to and before the time of Jesus and include some of the earliest surviving texts later forming the books of the Hebrew Bible, known to Christians as the Old Testament. Until the Dead Sea Scrolls' discovery, no existing texts of the Hebrew Bible could be dated before 895 AD. The Dead Sea Scrolls are 1,000 years older, having been written and/or copied between 250 BC and 68 AD, in Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek.

The story of the Dead Sea Scrolls' accidental discovery is as impressive as their historical and religious significance. In 1947, a young Bedouin goat herder and his companions discovered clay jars filled with scrolls written on animal skins in a cave near the Dead Sea (about 13 miles southeast of Jerusalem in the Judean Desert). That initial discovery began a search by archeologists and others that lasted nearly a decade. Eventually their work yielded thousands of fragments from hundreds of scrolls, all hidden for at least two thousand years among eleven caves. Today, most of the artifacts from the site are kept in the care of the Israel Antiquities Authority, which continues to research, conserve and preserve the manuscripts.

This is a "don't miss" opportunity for people of faith. Beloved will sponsor a group pilgrimage to see the scrolls the early afternoon of Saturday, April 8^th. Group tickets are $16 each; those participating in FaithQuest 2.1 and 2.1x will be furnished a ticket and will travel with us as part of their Faith Formation Process during their Spring Term. Tickets will sell fast; money must be received by Wednesday 2/22 to be a part of the Beloved group. Mail or bring the ticket money to the Development Office at Beloved Garden or place in a marked envelope in Sunday's Offering Basket.

Around Beloved...Beloved's metamorphosis (youth 12-15) has a Movie Night coming up this Saturday (2/18) beginning at 6:30pm at Beloved Garden. Don't forget to bring $3 and a friend...Beloved's Worker Bees (youth 9-12) Movie Night has been postponed due to a conflict on Miss Anna's calendar. The Worker Bees Movie night will be held next Friday, (2/24) beginning at 6:30pm at Beloved Garden. Don't forget to bring $3 and a friend...Congrats to Clifford King Harbin who received her National Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Formation Leader Certificate this week. She will be offering an upcoming training for those who desire to minister with three to six year olds (Level I - 90 hours of training in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd faith formation process which, at Beloved, we call FaithQuest 1.0) beginning in August 2006. Watch for more details. If you'd like to part of the Host Coordination Team, please contact Clifford at the Development Office...Join our pastor and priest as they attend Preparation for Life or Teaching to the Test?, a presentation for parents of school-aged children on Friday February 17, 7:30pm at the Westin Hotel in uptown Charlotte. The Speaker will be Lynn Lawrence, Director of Training and Schools at the Maria Montessori Institute in the United Kingdom. Refreshments will be served; $10 per person or $15 per couple. Tickets will be available at the door.

A Spiritual and Physical house cleaning...Beginning in March, our focus as a congregation shifts to a time of spiritual preparation and "house cleaning" as we prepare for the celebration of Easter. On Sunday, February 26^th, bring your palms from last year's Palm Sunday celebration to be burned in preparation for this year's Ash Wednesday celebration. There will be extra palms present so that everyone who desires to take part can participate...On Tuesday, February 28^th, we join folks from across the South Perimeter in an all you can eat Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper from 6-8pm in the Christian Life Center at Providence Presbyterian Church (10140 Providence Church Lane, just north of Ballantyne Commons Parkway on Providence Road). Suggested donation is $5; all proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity. What better way to prepare for all that fasting than with a little preemptive feasting?...On Wednesday, March 1^st, we will begin our forty-day preparation for Easter called Lent. Our 7pm Ash Wednesday liturgy will be celebrated at our worship space in Community House Middle School. Like all Beloved worship, it is designed for all ages in mind...For two weeks following Ash Wednesday, from Sunday, March 5 - Saturday March 18, we have a wonderful opportunity to transform spring-cleaning into a spiritual exercise as we pray and meditate while we clear out the physical clutter in our lives. Want to learn more? Click here.

Serving at God's Altar this Sunday at Beloved...Acolytes: Miles Harbin, Mitchell Harbin, Clare Harbin, Daniel Gibbs; Reader: Scott Sanniota; Presenters: Al Krantz & Ann Bloom; Eucharistic Ministers: Kris Leinenkugel & Betsy Fox; Offertory Basket Passers: Ryan Cook, Allie Seidel, Olivia Fox, JR West; PowerPoint: Dylan Lang.

In our Prayers...for Howard Stephenson and Janie Lownes, who are recuperating from hospital stays...for those serving in Iraq, especially Tom Friend and Scott, Dan Hood's brother...for Nancy and Tony Hodgson's granddaughter, Emily, whose health is deteriorating...for Anne, Andrew and Caroline Schmidt as they move to Texas this week to join husband/father Walt...for Marilyn Doyon and Marie Duty who are expecting babies this upcoming year...for Jessie Powell who struggles with back pain...for Dorothy, Mary Reid's sister who is fighting lung cancer...for Ed and Jean, Dick Reif's parents who are in declining health in Oklahoma...for Richard, Ginger Leppert's father, who is recovering from surgery...for Bill, Lee Frickhoeffer's uncle who has terminal cancer...for Lauren Skrobot as she undergoes medical testing...for Dan Blackwood who is preparing for surgery.

Upcoming Calendar...click here