Marie a most Courteous Clerk!

The Gang from the Back Row Before Worship

Marie is a very familiar face in our neighborhood, she works as a courtesy clerk at QFC grocery, she lives just a few blocks from our church castle, and she is a member of our congregation.  She knows soooooo many people in the neighborhood not only from her job serving customers at the grocery, but because she is always about the neighborhood and on our local buses.  Marie knows every barrista in the area and is frequently invited to area events because she is so well known and loved.

Marie has moved around the Seattle area since early childhood, but she and her mom Shirley returned to our neighborhood when purchasing a home because it was a place where she felt welcomed and cared for when she was a child at Green Lake Elementary.  In turn Marie now is a member of our children’s ministry team, caring for some of the youngest in our congregation.

One of the beauties of being in the neighborhood in so many ways is that Marie truly connects with some folks that seem to fade in an out of the neighborhood scene.  I can think of how a member of our congregation had been dealing with health issues, but Marie stayed in touch with them via the grocery, and staying connected to their family, even when they weren’t able to get out.  Marie has a gift, a skill, a charming way about her that keeps her connected and connecting our community.

I had the privilege of traveling with Marie to eastern Washington for a training and learning the depth of commitment and love she has for our community, stories of her friends at Bus Stop Espresso, Peaks Custard Shop and the folks she works with at our neighborhood grocery, stories peppered with laughter and joy.  Marie has that gift, to share her laughter and joy around the community as someone who is truly connected to the people that she meets each day!

How can all of us get more connected to the various levels of neighborhood we live in?  How do our lives reflect a sense of appreciation for the place we call home?  Why do we choose to live somewhere, is a spiritual sense of place that draws us in, a place of welcome, a place of beauty or something else, more or less?!?!?!  How thankful are we of the place we call home and the people we can call neighbor?

Marie, Playing with our boys in the nursery, caring for all!

Lila A good friend and Lisa

My first named friend in Piegaro Italy was Lila, I was blessed with many friends in Piegaro, but Lila was the first to call me “Amica.”  In context we were at the caffe where Lila works, just chatting away and someone asked if I was her mother.  Lila patted my shoulder and said, “No, es mi amica Lisa!”  Lila is a beautiful, young, vivacious girl who spoke English, one of few in the village, what a breath of fresh air.  For all the great fun I had trying to communicate with my Italian friends, it was nice to have evenings of conversation and fun with Lila.  I had a little too much fun at times, using my normal slang, song lyric and movie references, talking very quickly…”piano, piccolo” Lila would say, as she asked me to slow down and use my little words.  Lila was so dear to introduce me to her mother, Ina.  Ina too is beautiful and it was great to chat with her and Colleen about motherhood and being an immigrant to this  community.

One of the treasures of getting to know Lila was that she is the age of my children, and it was nice to have a little surrogate in Piegaro, with all the sass and craziness of a teenager I have grown so fond of in my life and missed being away from my own kids.  It was a comfort to hear her stories of hating school, of her boyfriend (now fiancee) , of her horse and her struggles as a daughter with her mother, so much of life is universal in our world

It is always a gift to have friends, and nothing could have warmed my heart more than being called friend by Lila.  In our lives we often put such an emphasis on romance or finding “the one” – but there is a special grace in making friends wherever we go.  There is a sacred place in knowing the true treasure in opening ourselves to friendships and seeing the grace of love in the people we meet.  It was in sharing stories with Lila that I realized how much my heart desired to speak Italian so I could share as much with all my new found friends, it deepens to speak directly without a translator, and certainly without that dog of a tool, google translator.  I often laugh when using that tool to translate the messages of my Italian friends on facebook now and realize how goofy the translations are.  It is much more magical to speak and share in person.

I look forward to seeing dear Lila again, my friend, mi amica, who is the reflection of my beautiful daughter and young friends here.  It begs the question, how can we see connections to those and what make our heart sings no matter where we are??  How do we allow friendship to flourish in unsuspected places and open our hearts to all the love that friendship offers??? How do we take our hospitality out to all who cross our paths, to speak slowly and intentionally for the blossoming of beautiful relationships?   Friends like Lila are truly a gift from God – a gift I get to continue to enjoy via facebook and when I return again to my beloved Piegaro.

Beautiful friends

Beautiful mom and daughter, Ina and Lila

Linda at the Bookstore sharing her ever-present smile!

I met Linda and her husband Jim through our congregation member Teresa, as she yelled out an invitation to them from the coffee cart on the church porch.  Linda and Jim live within sight of the church, which is lucky for us!  They are both so delightful at Jim has volunteered at the church before, and as both have become welcome visitors to the coffee cart, sometimes with dog in tow to visit Boo, but always bringing their friendly presence and warmth even on the coldest of spring days!!

Linda is a former school librarian who now lends her talents  to Mockingbird Books, reading stories, suggesting books, helping children and adults find the books their hearts desire.  If she doesn’t have something, she will find something that will suit your needs, Linda aims to please!

When I think of people who use their talents and gifts for the best of their community I can see Linda’s skill as storyteller shining through with so much joy.  As a pastor that is always the most exciting thing, to see how people utilize the gifts that they have been so wonderfully made with!   It is exciting to see someone at a work they love, not an action movie excitement, but a deep heartfelt excitement that inspires one to find their own gifts and talents to share.

Linda takes me back to the joy of my childhood in savoring the colorful books of the library that my mother would read to me in fullness of animation and intent.  Some of my greatest memories was listening to a really good story, it has inspired me to write, preach and teach, sharing the stories of meaning and imagination in God’s world.  When Linda even speaks of her life as a librarian, or of sharing stories in the big room at Mockingbird Books each morning, her eyes sparkle, and one is drawn in.  It is the sort of thing that makes one want to borrow a child from a neighbor so they can come be part of the group at 11 a.m.

When I think of my Sesame Street years and “who are the people in your neighborhood, the people that you meet when you’re walking down the street…”  I think of Linda and Jim, people who meet and greet – are the very best of neighbors sharing life and vitality!  Today I shall have to venture down for story time at 11 a.m……Gonna be a happy day!!

Linda with Sue, two amazing "Book Ladies!"

Linda with Jim - everyone lends a hand at Mockingbird - a Family Place.

Bishop Hagiya Preaches a Rousing Sermon at PNW Annual Conference

At this year’s Pacific Northwest United Methodist Annual Conference, Bishop Grant Hagiya preached that the coming age was calling us to be right brain thinkers.  Bishop Hagiya proposed that we as a culture are moving toward an era that calls us to be evangelists and missioners with creativity and touch.  To bring a message and meaning to our communities with intention, intimacy and imagination.

Not only do I fully agree with these sentiments, which are being exalted by many authors, teachers and institutions of higher learning, but it seems it is high time to go one step further, ACT.  By the message all are proposing in this new “Right Brain” world to bring the fullness of meaning of the Gospel is not just to invite our neighbors into believing in our resurrected Lord, but in being Christian. This is an embodied faith that should leap out of our books in into our practice.

Within that framework, and as a member of Spiritual Directors International and certified by the United Methodist Church in Transforming Spirituality, I have developed with partners-in-ministry a retreat that invites clergy and laity into an immersion retreat designed to live and inspire the type of “right brain” evangelism that Bishop Hagiya spoke of.  The irony is that right brain mission is not a new idea, it is exactly what the Celts used as they spread the Gospel message across northern Europe, and it was the foundation of St. Francis’ work and ministry that forever changed Italian faith, and may have been the initial spark that ignited the Renaissance.

It is the goal to live in a community that still lives out the communal lifestyle that great right brain evangelists were a part of, and then move into practices of St. Francis, who truly lived out the fullness of this type of ministry.  At the heart of these retreats is the goal of spiritual transformation, that we let go of our left brain, analytical ways and listen for the movement of the Holy Spirit to guide us in making us fully present to our individual calls to mission in our home communities.  That via retreat, revitalization of spirit can happen to carry us through the challenging work of taking God’s saving  message out into a world in need of healing.

find out more about retreat options:  Umbria Retreat Brochure

Entering Piegaro, Ubrian Village of Beautiful People