MORGAN'S MOMENT...
He was a guru to me...
      although the thought never occurred
      until news came of his death.
He did more for me than I know...
      like keep me from becoming
      too big for my britches.
He’s been in my life 30 or 40 years...
      teaching me how to do
      what I want to do that is good for me.
He’s had people who disagreed
      as I’ve had people
      who dismissed my listening to him.
He taught me that I was an addict
      and more important
      taught me what to do about it.
He shamed me into giving up delights
      just at a time when I was able
      to begin affording them.
He caused me to lose desire for sugar
      and extra carbohydrates...
      and thereby control weight.
He was about my age
      when he slipped on the ice
      leaving his legacy to the world.
I slip into my jeans
      and they still fit
      I thank Dr. Atkins.
— Art Morgan 
BOOK CORNER
I cannot tell a lie. I haven’t read a book since last we met. I have a book on my desk that will go with me to Baja next week. It is called “Bearing Witness—A Zen Master’s Lesson’s in Making Peace” by Bernie Glassman. It is promoted as a "A staggeringly powerful challenge to our ideas of who we are and what life is all about.” Timely, I hope.
I’ll also take John Steinbeck’s “Sea of Cortez,” a book I read every year in Mexico.
THURSDAY MOMENT - MAY 15
The final Thursday night potluck Moment of the season affords the unique opportunity of seeing the renovated kitchen as well as work on the leveling of the house. Looking forward.
MOMENT MINISTRIES
Apr. 28, 2003
home address:  25921 SW Airport Ave.
Corvallis, OR 97333   541-753-3942
email at  a-morgan@peak.org
CONSTITUENCIES
In the church industry it is common to talk about
“members.” These are the folks that attend and
make the church go. They are sometimes called
“the people of God,” or “the church family.” They
are usually dutifully recorded in the membership
records.
After Easter we were thinking about those who
attended our annual Easter Celebration and
Brunch. It was just like real church. You never know
who is coming. You see people you’ve never seen
before that you might never see again. You wonder
about people you thought you might see. And you
are glad for all who come..
Moment Ministries has “members” in the sense that
there are people who feel connected. But nobody
joins and there is no membership book. Everyone
who comes “belongs."
We have a fairly regular small Thursday night
constituency. We have the large Christmas Eve
constituency. We have the Easter constituency.
And we have the blue sheet reader constituency.
Clergy have a vested interest anxiety about
solidifying a constituency into membership. The
reality is that clergying has more to do with multiple
constituencies that come and go. All ministries are
“moment” ministries.
MOMENT AGENDA
Terry and Marlene Lorenzen were in Boise where
Terry’s mother was transported for emergency
care.. .Brian Cleary is back at Orcas Island after
more back surgery in Bellevue.. .Andrew Conner
and Kyle Peters must commit to University’s this
week. We wonder where?

(back page)

 
DEAD LEVEL
     We live in what they call a split-level house. We’ve been here 33 years.
     The split part I sort of understand. The main floor is above the ground floor. It’s great for decks and
views.
     The level part I’ve never understood. level as in flat and square. This house has always sort of floated. That’s due to the fact that it was built on a bed of clay. When it rains it’s like the tide coming in. The house rises. If it would rise properly, like a boat, that would be one thing. But it does not. It rises where it wills and likewise sinks where it wills. It is not level.
     Why do I write about this? Well, it’s Friday of my blue sheet day and I always try to write what I’m
thinking about at the time. 1 was thinking about the U.S.-instigated regime change in Iraq, trying to think of any regime change that has turned out successfully. Not getting anywhere with that thought I moved on.
     What else can I think about when right below me are men and equipment who have torn out half of the lower level and have supported the house with me in it on various jacks and temporary supports. They are “leveling” it, they say. Right now the front door is jammed, so they have work to do.
     It turns out that our original builder took shortcuts those Iong years ago before we bought the house. For instance, no re-bar in any of the concrete footings or slabs. None. Those numerous crevasses in the garage floor are a result. The present crew has a pile of re-bar awaiting installation as I speak.
     New support piers (Helical piers) are now embedded about 20 feet deep through the clay. Beams will be fastened and the house brought to level. I’m expecting all our doors to need readjusting. We will have to adjust ourselves to the fact that we no longer live in a crooked house. We hope.
     I’ve been thinking about the foolish man who built his house on sand. Builders would rather build on sand than clay any day. It takes a really foolish man to build a house on clay in a country where rain comes and turns it to goo. I wonder what is said about the foolish man who buys a house from the foolish builder? The text really is praise of building on a rock. Sounds good to me.
     I try not to extend the metaphor into areas of my life where I might find other slippery slopes. 
     There have been numerous times that I have tried to make something square within the house. When the foundation is not level, nothing squares. Amos comes to mind, with his plumb-line, and the word of the Lord saying: “I am setting a plumb-llne in the midst of my people...”
     There are always consequences when things are crooked.
     This whole project and expense would have been unnecessary had the builder made the effort to make the foundation level. I wonder whether he was not “on the level” purposely or through incompetence?
     In a perfect world the consequences would fall on the builder. In the real world they fall on me.
     It is a good time to remember (and pray) the “Lord’s Prayer.” I’m thinking of the line that goes, ForgIve us our trespasses (sins, mistakes, wrongs, dumb deeds) as we forgive those who trespass against us...” I try not to think of times and ways that my work has been less than perfect. I’ve been recipient of more forgiveness than I know. It’s an “amazing grace” we can’t live without.
     What can you do when your house crumbles beneath you? Insurance doesn’t cover it. The builder is
excused from liability due to passing of time. It’s not your fault, but it’s your problem. All you can do is try to make level what is not, to make straight what is crooked, to make whole what is broken, to build a solid foundation as it should have been built in the first place. And to forgive.
     I’m trying to save the house. It’s a spiritual idea as well. Salvation is to make whole. It is to make level. We pray for salvation in our houses, our lives, our country, and our world.
     They are loading some of my excess clay into the dump truck as I finish this page. On Monday it will be replaced by reinforced concrete. Salvation has come to my house. We’re doing our level best.
Art Morgan, April 2003