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September 27, 2007 >> 9:49:06 AM
Dear Robbie
Dear Robbie,
Dear Distraught,
Try wearing sweaters to class.
-Robbie
September 25, 2007 >> 11:08:43 PM
Heard In Chapel-- Art McPhee
Art McPhee, Professor of Evangelism, preached a good sermon today in chapel on Matthew 20 and the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Here are some memorable quotes. As always you can download the sermon from our Online Chapel.
some quotes from the highlight reel:
"Why should the last ones hired be paid as much as the first ones – the ones who had sweated in the fields all day? It doesn't seem fair! It's as if someone came to my class on the final day of the semester—and I told her that she need not make up any classes, nor write the papers, nor take any exams – that by simply showing up for this last class, she would get an “A.”
We say to ourselves, “If I work hard, keep up my Greek and Hebrew, preach first-class sermons every week, remain with my spouse, and raise perfect kids, then God is bound to bless my ministry!” But what happens if it is another pastor in your area who gets the rave reviews and the bigger church—a pastor who borrows his sermons from the Internet, and didn't even go to seminary, let alone a premier seminary like Asbury?
To serve in the kingdom is to submit without reservation and without conditions to Christ for the sake of others —for all others, no matter what their ethnicity, status, or condition is. As G. K. Chesterton said of St. Francis of Assisi, “He treated the whole mob of men as a mob of kings!”
A reporter visited Mother Teresa at one of her hospices. He admired the work she and the sisters and volunteers were doing with the dying, but he said, “I wouldn’t do that for million dollars.” Mother Teresa looked up from her work and said, “Neither would I!”
Everything in the Christian life, from first to last, is of grace. That is where the Christian life starts. And that is how it is sustained. And that is how it ends. It is all of grace.
And it is fair! It is fair because all of us need it, and none of us deserves it! It is not so much about who gets what, as it is about the leveling of the field, so that we are all given the opportunity to avail ourselves of God's generosity."
September 25, 2007 >> 11:13:00 AM
Arts at Asbury
Blood and Water
New paintings by Shannon Steed*
A visual exploration of Wesleyan theology through Charles Wesley's hymns.
September 24-October 19
Closing reception Friday, October 19, 6-8pm
Asbury College Art Gallery
ZT Johnson Student Center
1 Macklem Drive, Wilmore, KY
Project based on Master's thesis entitled Visual Hymnology: The Aesthetics of Charles Wesley, Asbury Theological Seminary, May 2007. *Shannon has been instrumental in helping us move forward into the realm of visual arts as a community at Asbury Seminary. She pioneered our Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Lilly initiative to help persons in ministry explore the practices of creativity as means of God's grace. 
September 23, 2007 >> 7:46:43 PM
Does it ever stop.........?
Wow. This has been a great year at Asbury already. I can't even list all of the things that have blown me away these last few weeks. It was only a year ago that I was a new student, and wandering around in confusion and amazement.
Things have also been changing here on Web Parish: The Asbury Blog. Our contributers from "This Week at Asbury" are bring a different flavor to the site, and we have some new contributers that are getting ready to start as well.
So as we settle into our seats for the next few months I invite you to involve yourself around here. We really encourage comments and interaction, we look at Web Parish as a place where we as a community flesh things out. So thanks for coming around, and we look forward to being part of this community with you.
September 20, 2007 >> 9:03:57 AM
ATS Comic (click to expand)
September 20, 2007 >> 8:56:15 AM
Dear Robbie
Dear Robbie,
Dear Let Down,
On the flip side, seminary students are just like the rest of the population. You will find all types of personalities including the types that do not necessarily feel comfortable experiencing moments with others on a very informal basis. This is quite normal and is no way a personal attack on your person.
Life is funny like that; we come to seminary with certain expectations but realize that we are not a community that is unlike any other in the way of informalities. Do not be discouraged about this situation. Keep your outgoing persona in public, because it will help you to make some unexpected connections. Perhaps it is a good thing that not everyone on campus has the same personality traits. Here is a cheesy cliché for you: Celebrate Diversity. Ugh, I cannot believe I just said that…but it is an important value.
Do you have a question for Robbie? Send it to community_news@asburyseminary.edu!
September 15, 2007 >> 5:24:12 AM
Pete Greig's time at Asbury
It's been a fantastic few days with Pete Greig on our campus. Pete is one of the originators of a now world-wide movement referenced simply as 24-7 Prayer. Many of us on Asbury's campus were moved by reading his book, Red Moon Rising, which spawned group of seminary students to begin a 24-7 prayer effort back in the fall of 2006. Shortly thereafter, they discovered a group of students across the street at Asbury College doing the same thing. They joined efforts in the spring of 2007 and the Asbury House of Prayer was born. Today the Asbury House of Prayer, increasingly known as AHOP, meets in a large room (with 24-7 accessability via a keypad lock)* on the ground floor of the Larabee-Morris Hall which fronts Lexington Avenue and Asbury College. Fittingly, this is the site where the seminary was birthed from the college and this is the site of the first class-room of Asbury Seminary. A growing flow of reflection and thought is collecting on the official blog of the AHOP which may be found here.
A week of unceasing prayer will wind up this coming Monday night at 8pm followed by a time of celebration and prayer. Anyone is welcome to visit the prayer room and join in the movement.
*To access the code for after hours entry into AHOP (between 10pm and 7am), please email asburyhouseofprayer@gmail.com
September 13, 2007 >> 10:15:07 AM
Dear Robbie
Dear Robbie,
Hopeless Romantic
Dear HR,
You have come to the right guy
because I know no one that is more romantically in tune than me. My very first
thought is to pack a picnic for two and take her on a journey to the statue of
John Wesley behind the Info Commons. Perhaps you can set up the scene so that
Wesley is holding the ring in his outstretched arm? It would be impossible for
her to resist your proposal because a) The ladies love picnics, and b) The
ladies love John Wesley.
Another idea might be to take her
to the Deep End workout room. You can get down on one knee and show her the
ring as she pumps out her last military press. Your hearts will be beating so
fast that you both can skip the cardio workout for the day.
Finally, to really “woo” her, place
the ring in her SPO box with a note that asks for her hand in marriage. On the
note will be two boxes for her to check “YES” or “NO”. Write your SPO # at the
very end of the note so she can reply to you accordingly. You will then know
whether or not you have a fiancé the next time you get your mail! Honestly,
proposals do not get much more amorous. -Robbie
September 13, 2007 >> 10:11:38 AM
ATS comic (click to expand)
September 13, 2007 >> 8:44:04 AM
Heard Around Campus
Marilyn Elliott, our Student-Family Chaplain, got us off to a great start with our Wednesday Eucharist Chapels in her message on our KingdomTide Reader Text of the Day (see September 12 reading) It's the story of Jesus (via Peter and John) healing the lame beggar by the gate called Beautiful. She spoke of the miracle of "seeing." Some memorable quotes:
"Maybe we have missed the heart of ministry which is the Spirit given capacity to see people."
"We plow in wanting the miracle but we haven't stopped to see."
"The miracle of Christ begins with compassionate eyes. . . . . and the courage to see."
"God wants to give us more than a few coins to get through the end of the day."
September 09, 2007 >> 9:46:12 PM
Welcome New Students
By Karen Bates, Student Leadership Team (SLT) President, who will graduate in May.
It was three years ago this month that I left behind all that was comfortable to me and moved to Wilmore, KY to be a full-time student at Asbury Theological Seminary.
Leaving what was familiar was difficult. I loved thinking I was in control of my life. When I realized I wasn’t in control, I tried to convince myself it was my idea to attend seminary.
Then, there were other circumstances that challenged whether I was in control of my life. I had difficulty finding an affordable, decent place to live. My house was on the market but didn’t sell. Money was tight. The only person I knew was my admissions counselor, Mark Butler. I was lost.
Then, on the final day of New Student Orientation, I went to buy my books for my classes. There were lots of books. It seemed like the cash register was never going to stop ringing. When it was finished, I had two bags of book and an $800 bill. I was overwhelmed.
I don’t know if was the glazed over look on my face, the dazed and confused response I gave the bookstore employee or the tears in my eyes that caught the attention of a more seasoned student.
Annette Fetzer immediately recognized I was in trouble. She came to me and said, "Can I help you carry your books somewhere?" Before I could say "No" she had picked up one of my two bags and told me she’d follow me. It was as if God sent her to rescue and comfort me.
She introduced herself and talked to me as we walked to my car. I don’t remember everything she said to me that day, but I hung on to these words: "I know it seems overwhelming right now, but once classes get started, and you settle in, everything will be OK."
From that moment on, whenever I saw Annette, I called her, "My friend Annette Fetzer."
I wish that had been the only trouble I had, but it wasn’t.
On my first day of classes, I couldn’t find SH231. Because I wasn’t smart, I asked another new student where SH231 was. The new student told me SH231 was in the student center building because SH stood for Sherman Hall. I walked around Sherman Hall for about five minutes looking for a second floor. I went to the SPO to try to find a campus map, when I ran into my TAG group leader, Pat Hokesma. She told me where the building was, but Becky Laird, who worked in the SPO, told me if I could wait a few minutes, she would walk me to class because she was in the same class.
She told me many new students didn’t understand the SH was Stanger Hall and not Sherman Hall, where the student center is housed.
The challenges continued for me. I had a contract to sell my house but it fell through, the refrigerator/freezer at the place I was renting broke, causing food to spoil and thaw and then my grandfather died.
After my grandfather’s death, I was sure I was supposed to go home. But that day in my SPO mailbox was a beautiful card from a new classmate, Carolyn Nelson, telling me she was thinking of me and praying for me through my time of grief.
I bucked up and knew I could keep going.
But then, I ran out of money. I had less than $2 in my checking account and the immediate prospect of funds was dim. I had run out of food and wasn’t sure what I was going to do.
Then I gave a phone call to one of my best friend’s in the world. He is not a Christian. Instead of allowing me to feel sorry for myself, he chastised me for my lack of faith. "Aren’t you always the one telling me you trust God and God can do great things?" he asked. "Either you trust God or you don’t."
That’s when I realized my journey at Asbury was not about me, but about the God I serve. It was about learning to trust God on a new level, in a new place while building new relationships and making new friends.
If you are a returning student, look out for the new students and help them as they learn the ropes. There are many of us who had the glazed over look at the beginning of our Asbury journey too.
If you are a new student, know you do not walk alone. God is with you.
However, in addition to God, there are many people who come to your rescue when you are in trouble. They will encourage you, help you, reach out to you and sometimes, flash a smile to let you know they are glad you’re here.
As we start this new school year, remember the words from Psalms 121 which says "My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth." Trust God to be your help and know that sometimes, his help will come in the form of assisting you through other people.
September 07, 2007 >> 11:42:59 PM
An Unforgettable Worship Experience
I've never experienced worship like we enjoyed in Estes Chapel last Thursday for our opening chapel communion service. Shane Bernard, our guest worship leader, clearly has an extraordinary gift for leading worship, yet the strength of the worship seemed to swallow up his gifts and presence. He backed away from the microphone half the time while the songs mysteriously led themselves. They took all of us, together, to the deepest place that is simultaneously longing and fulfillment. The singing overflowed with the passionate longing of a people in search of a "better country--a heavenly one." At the same time it was like we were already there. It was like love coming down out of the sky. I can't remember ever experiencing anything quite like it; not at Asbury, not anywhere.
As I stood to preach, I experienced a kind of speechlessness. I didn't really know what to do. One would think this kind of experience would be the ultimate setup for a preacher. It was so far past that, I was almost afraid to speak. How could that be followed? It reminded me of something Louie Giglio taught me-- that my identity is not found in being a "preacher," but as a "worshipper." Preachers have a temporal job description. No preaching in Heaven-- only worship. The job description of a worshipper is never-ending. The worship on Thursday transported us in a real-kind-of-way to that heavenly country where there will be no more need for preaching because the Word of God will be incarnate in our midst. In that moment, preaching felt out of place because in some mysterious way were in the new country. I think we experienced something of the meaning of the phrase in Hebrews 11 where it says,
"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised. They only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth."
Seeing this kind of vision. . . . going to this kind of place. . . . . if only for a short season is enough to make you tear up your passport, to shred your citizenship papers, to admit your status-less-ness as an alien and stranger on earth and to give the rest of your life to preparing for the new country and to bringing as many people with you as possible. This is what it means to "see it and welcome it from a distance."
As we gathered around the Table and ate and drank the Feast of Christ, Heaven seemed to come down. We tasted Eucharist. The word means "thanksgiving." We tasted thanksgiving. The presency of that moment, like I've never experienced before, became the meeting place where gratitude for the past embraced gratitude for the future. The linear quality of time seemed to bend itself into the circle of eternity.
The whole thing will now be for me, and I think for many others, an unforgettable worship experience. As I remember it, more revelation seems to seep out. Worship like this puts me back in step with the movement and makes me realize how often I have settled or succumbed to going through the motions.
Come Lord Jesus!
September 07, 2007 >> 5:48:08 PM
ATS Comic
September 07, 2007 >> 5:34:44 PM
Dear Robbie
Dear Robbie,
I saw a group of people on campus flinging their flip-flops all over the place. What the heck were they doing??
Cordially,
Curious Candice
Dear Curious,
The people you saw were either (1) escapees from the Jessamine County mental health facilities or (2) students playing “flip-flop golf”. Let’s assume number two but not be too surprised if it was actually number one: Flip-Flop Golf is a game where players use their flip-flops (or “sandals” for all you northerners) to hit a specific target in as little tries as possible. The flip-flops are projected at the target by kicking them off. The cool part about the game is that players make up “holes” as they go along and how many tries it should take to make “par”. For example, the players might decide to try to nail the statue of John Wesley from the fountain and they have to hit him in three kicks or less. This game is just another way to have a little fun at no cost in between writing papers that compare Calvinism to the city sewer system.
-Robbie
