MORGAN'S
MOMENT...
A voice behind me said
   “Have any loose change?”
It was a fellow named Jonathan
   setting up shop on the sidewalk
   outside the Post office.
I turned around to greet him
   which led to a conversation.
Then I asked
   “Where did you sleep
   last night?”
I thought maybe he stayed
   at the shelter for homeless men
   we have in Corvallis.
“I have a tent north of town…
   I don’t like shelter sleeping
   so close to other guys.”
He knew better then I
   about food and shelter programs
   in our town.
I asked what he did all day…
   “Collect cans and ask for money
    …for smokes you know.”
He said he reads a lot
    has a library card
    liked history.
He’s homeless but at home in town
    not seeking room in the inn…
    happier alone in a tent.
Why am I more uncomfortable
    about his living situation
    than he is?
— Art Morgan 

BOOK CORNER
Katharine Jefferts Schori’s “Gospel in the Global Village.”
Interesting to me because she is from Corvallis. I successfully failed to dissuade her from pursuing the Episcopal ministry many long years ago. It was a time when Episcopalians didn’t have women ministers. I thought I was giving good counsel. She completed seminary anyway and the rest is history. She’s now the first woman  Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in America!
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MOMENT MINISTRIES
– Decembeer 21, 2009 –
    A MOMENT MINISTRIES production – Art Morgan
a-morgan@peak.org
Christmas in Corvallis
       If you are the leader of a church community, Christmas doesn’t really begin until all services are done and you can get home or someplace with friends and family.
       I don’t write much about my family and have never made my children a public subject. But we do have family and we are fortunate enough to have most of them fairly nearby.
       Our game plan for Christmas is doing the Christmas Eve service at the Old World Deli. Any of our children who attend know to help out. Our daughters are school teachers and well-qualified to make the do-it-yourself pageant happen. Our grandchildren (no longer children anymore!) also know the drill and are helpful as well.
       We are having our 26th Christmas Eve at the Old World Deli and Pub. That’s only half of such services I have done in my fifty-or-so year career. While there is something special about the service, there is something more special about getting past these responsibilities.
       So this Christmas Eve, after the service, we’ll gather at our home for a sort of after-party. On Christmas morning the family gathers for a brunch and gift exchange. In the afternoon we go to Medford/Ashland where we have time with other family and friends.
       It sort of reminds me of a Greek Orthodox baptismal service I attended. For a few brief minutes, the baby was the center of everything. Very soon after, the baby was returned to its crib and the family and friends began to party.
       Maybe something like that happens on Christmas Eve. We get Jesus attended to, then move on to our various parties.
       The minister’s role is to attend to Jesus in some appropriate way. But I have to confess, it’s a relief when the candles go out and we all sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and I can go home and be with my family.
       I might add that the same thing is true for others who make Christmas Eve a priority every year. Paul Pritchard has been instrumental (and vocal?) as music colleague in preparing and leading these services for almost 40 years. His family waits graciously as well.
       It’s hard to imagine all the different ways people on this list are doing Christmas. I wish you happy.
─ Art                          

BE SURE TO RESPOND TO MY SPECIAL REQUEST ON THE BACK PAGE OF THIS HISTORY MAKING BLUE SHEET!
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                                                                                          (back page)

TEST RUN – HUMOR ME
        I’ve been warning people of this day. On Thursday I climbed the steps to the loading dock at the PO with my last postal permit mailing – ever ...I think.
From this day forward we’re changing from postal mail to e-mail via a link.
        It was a traumatic moment giving up Permit 188 that we’ve had for over 30 years. We agreed to incorporate Moment Ministries during lunch underneath the mattress that was hanging from the ceiling of the now defunct Old Mattress Factory Pub and Grub.
        We’ve sent out a ton of mailings all around the country. Some are actually cherished. Even collected. One man willed his collection to his son! You can see that we’re talking about something important here.
        I’ve patched together a list of those who have already been receiving the blue sheet via a link, and those who are on my summer blue sheet list. I’ve added quite a few of you who have been on my postal mailing list, but not on the e-mail list.  And some may have slipped on from other lists. So I’ll need some help.

    There may be some duplicate entries. 
    There may be some who would rather receive the mailing via
        another e-mail address.
    There may be some that would like to have two e-mail addresses.
        (Spouses tell me that their partner doesn’t share e-mail)
    There may be some who have shared their printed version but
        would like to have that other person added to my list.
    There are churches where the blue sheet is shared which might
        like to add another email address.
    There may be some who would be happy not to be on any list.
        (Please let me know!)
        And there may be some (I know of one or two already) who have email but wish to continue receiving it the old way. I have a group of faithful readers without e-mail. I will be sending out a few dozen mailings the old fashioned way (without benefit of non-profit permit). I am willing to do that if the email link is not what you prefer.
        In the spirit of Christmas, humor me. And bear with me during my season of travail with all this e-mail list business. And understand that it is truly a loss to me not to have the regular face to face interaction with the people who print my papers and those who handle them when I take them to the Post Office. I’ll even miss the personal moment of recognizing so many names as I place labels on the blue sheet.
        If this is OK, no need to answer.
OR
        If you have a change or question, click here a-morgan@peak.org to email me.
        Thank you very much!
─ Art Morgan, December 21, 2009