2009

The fullness of heart as 2010 advents compels, even obligates me to express the deepest gratitude accompanying my thoughts of 2009 and of the many who have and continue to be shining examples of God in the darkest places of our community.

Gratitude for Family

First as a friend of God, provided through Jesus Christ, I remain happily enslaved to His will, His purpose and His intention. Crystal, as the prime earth bound constant is without equal in her love towards me and her followership of God. My sons, daughters and grandchildren continue to make me glad for being on this planet.

Gratitude for Cherry Street Mission Ministries

The Board of Directors:
From Jamey Schmitz our Board Chair to all who serve in this vital position of leadership your kindness for the community is realized each day we serve the hundreds of men, women and families arriving at one of our doors.

The Staff:
With nearly 70 men and women on staff at Cherry Street I am grateful for each one. Here are a few who stand the gap in amazing ways. Liz, who assists me with the smallest and largest of detail, serves without hesitation. Rodney who tirelessly serves to communicate the message to our donors and volunteers. Cheryl who keeps the lights on and helps us live to serve another day. Charles who loves our men, Angie who loves our women, Cindy who loves to educate, Renee who feeds the multitude, Bob who keeps our facilities in working order, Amy who is devoted to integrity of message, Roz who loves our volunteers. The list of staff, their accolades and their epic feats of service could go on for ever - like Kim, Evangeline, Matt, Molly, Jacob, Jenny and so many more ... thank you.

Gratitude for the Social Fabric Partnership:

1Matters, Food For Thought, LifeLine, The Pharmacy Counter, Mercy Health, Promedica, UT, BGSU, Joshua Generation, TLCHB, TAAEH, Reentry Coalition, Toledo Area Ministries, WLMB TV 40, WPOS, YMCA/JCC, New Life, New Harvest, Vision, CedarCreek, 1st Alliance, Westgate, 1st Church, Truth at Work, Hylant, Andersons, Toledo Community Foundation, LaSalle Cleaners, BrandEd ... this list is only the beginning of a rather exhaustive body of work - thank you.

Gratitude for the Friendships of Service:

Dennis, Martha, Ken, Don, Tana, Calvin, Christine, Warwick, Roz, Charles, Doug, Linda, Stephanie, George, Sarah, Jim, Lee, Gary, Mike, Keith, Dave, Steve, Randy, Deb, Chris, Tricia, Pete, Larry, Brand, Kevin, Scott, Jerry, John ... too, too many more, all great in the sight of man and God - thank you.

Gratitude for our Guests:

The many men, women and families who are served each day through the ministries of Cherry Street are the vital rebuilders of ruined places and are the mighty Oaks of God's planting so that generations to come will testify of His love for humanity - that none should perish.

Happy New Year All!

Dan
A Runner

Inefficient

Last night Crystal and I stopped across the street at a friends house who has a monthly community dinner for friends and neighbors. While we didn't stop by out of some undisciplined sense of obligation, we could only stay for a minute and without even taking our coats off wished all well and we were off.

The season of 'the rush' once again, is upon us.

You want to talk about the ultimate in schizophrenia, I'm the guy who teaches; 'you must be efficient with stuff, so you have time to be inefficient with people'. Relationships, the great ones anyway, need a tremendous amount of what can only be defined as ... inefficient.

In order to connect with people, you must invest unbelievable amounts of time doing seemingly nothing, like sitting for hours on end talking, laughing, drinking coffee and making merry - oh that reminds me, Merry Christmas before I forget and rush out of this conversation ....

The marketers are on to us. They have officially synthesized a word complete with a definition and an accompanying list of behaviors which frame like a set of bookends a neat little package so we can, I suppose, feel better about not being better - which is what a good definition and solid list of behavioral traits accomplishes.

Polychron: An ultra busy person experiencing chronic busyness.

Chronic busyness results in high expectations for convenience and the need for control and choices. While there are three specific behavioral traits associated with polychronism, let me give you the most important ... a polychron will frequently shut down emotionally.

Shut down emotionally.

Ironic isn't it? The one time of year where emotions are likely to run the highest; joy, exuberance of visiting friends and family, love, peace and an abiding sense of God's embrace ... is also the time of year we're the most likely to disconnect.

Here's today's question; 'In what way will you (and me obviously) intentionally commit lavish inefficiency's upon those around you?

The powerful Dickens tale of 'The Scrooge' hopefully reminds us today; it's not too late to be inefficient. For many of us, we've had our visits from the memories of seasons past, are reminded of our seasons present and perhaps concerned for seasons yet to come ... now what?

The good news is - we know what the what is!

For each of us it will be different. Each of us already know the relational intersections we're blowing through. Our speed is so fast through these intersections, there's no cautionary slow down nor is there even a looking both ways manner.

Eventually of course, we'll cause an accident, some of us will leave the scene acting as though we weren't culpable - others of us will mourn the loss and some will remember for seasons to come, the time when we ....

You know what the what is, because the Who lives within you. Go ahead, give the greatest gift this year - the one God gives every day through Jesus Christ; lavish inefficiency.

For me? I've got some friends across the street who need to see me with my coat off.

Dan
A Runner

Humanity Intersects

At Cherry Street, our largest volunteer day of the year by far is Thanksgiving. On a single day more than 500 of our fellow citizens will arrive at one of our ministry sites to serve.

As a side note, this year we're doing something a bit different. Instead of only having a single service site where the community can come for a delicious Thanksgiving meal, more than 300 volunteers will be delivering nearly 500 family Thanksgiving boxes so families can stay in their homes. We're doing this to rally support for the sanctity of the home and to encourage the family meal whenever possible.

This is the time of year service to others becomes most visible. But what causes our community to show up during this season, like at no other time of the year?

There are two intersecting realities at play; it's getting colder and it's the holiday season. The cold reminds us there are those who are not warm and the holidays remind us there are those who are not happy.

Thankfully - these end of the year human intersections are fantastically attractive to the community. Social profit organizations like Cherry Street, look forward to the last twelve weeks of the year. We can historically count on the community to show up in ways that makes the first 40 weeks of the year look like a blur.

News and media outlets are on hand to both promote and report on community involvement.

For those of us who by calling and vocation serve in the human intersection all year long - we are both grateful and humbled by the generosity of the loving communities of Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.

For the listening and generous heart it may go without saying - but let me say it anyway; 'The need for humanity to intersect is a year long responsibility.'

Here's today's question: 'In what way will you purpose a human intersect?'

The reality is, none of us were conceived in a relational petri dish experiment. No - all of us are where we are ... all of us ... because someone engaged and intersected with us. Someone in your past shared a substantive experience that became part of you - there was a powerfully molecular exchange that changed you, set your course and gave you compass.

God from the beginning wrapped Himself on earth in vessels made of flesh - humanity ... you and me. Given the reality that God is completely invisible He designed the relationship we have with Him to depend on our visibility.

Consider this:
A warm, nutritious and seasonally appropriate Thanksgiving meal will stabilize hunger but only God can settle old accounts.
A warm coat, gloves, hat and scarf will stabilize against the cold, but only Jesus can redeem a history.
A warm human experience can stabilize the fragile, but only the Holy Spirit can breath new dimensions of hope.

The capacity of life transformation only God can bring, is dependent on the infrastructure of life stabilization that only we can bring.

Of the many things that can transpire within human intersections my prayer is that God, through the gift of His son will find a way from you to someone else or from someone else to you - ensuring that the greatest of all human intersections may see the light of day.

Humanity Intersects!

Dan
A Runner

Complex

I was in New York City recently. We stayed in the theater district in mid-town Manhattan at a conference discussing the success of the Harlem Children's Zone and the impact this organization has had in Harlem over the past two decades.

My traveling companions, along with my wife Crystal, were Dave and Kelly Kaiser. Dave has been to the city many times and for the rest of us was an excellent host. In just four days, in addition to a rather intensive conference schedule, we took a boat tour of Manhattan which included the Statue of Liberty, a bus tour that took us to Brooklyn and back to Manhattan, went to the observation deck of the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Wall Street, Times Square, Ground Zero of the World Trade Center, Battery Park, rode the famous NYC sub way, prayed with about 2,000 fellow laborers at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and oh yes, ate without shame or hesitation some NYC pizza - whatta ya gonna do?!

All cities are a complex maze, but in NYC I found this to be overwhelmingly true. It is so vast and complex a place, that all you truly can have confidence in is your ability to put one foot in front of the other and see where it takes you.

For the first time in my life and career of working and serving the human condition, I finally have an appropriate metaphor for humans.

All of us are very New York City synonymous!

For example, NYC is as deep as it is tall. The Empire State Building stands at 1250 feet while there are water main pipes that are 1000 feet below the sidewalk. There are some buildings with names in which are visited frequently and many more buildings with no names that are walked by each day without as much as a passing glance. Some buildings are dressed in bright colors attracting all to their doors and some buildings that are non-descript and uninviting.

You get the point.

Here's today's question: How does someone minister within the context of complexity?

The person in whom you will encounter today will need you to appreciate how exhaustingly complex their vertical issues are. As it is for all of us our issues are both in the 'all can see' places and especially below the surface in the 'out of sight, but not out of mind' places.

Serving one another is not too terribly complicated, but serving the human condition is extremely complex. You and I will need a one foot in front of the other approach ... step lightly will you please?

The sidewalk conversation you're involved in right now towers over you with quiet anticipation and rumbles beneath you with disquieted confusion.

Are you prepared? Are you confused over your own vertical issues? What will you do with those pesky moments you know God is going to give you today that involves another person?

Can I encourage you to receive a new dimension of the Holy Spirit? If Jesus needed it before starting His service to humans, then I can imagine a followership of His example on this one to be quite a non-negotiable.

Here is the answer to today's questions: 'Get a new dimension of the Holy Spirit's leading'. Ask Him, seriously ask ... what do you have to lose? I'll tell you the alternative to trying to keep up with the complex in you and around you all by yourself will leave you less than satisified.

In contrast, when you receive a new dimension of the Holy Spirit, you'll be empowered, those in whom you intersect will be served and God will get a chance to redeem a past and renew a future.

Dan
A Runner

Ligaments

Intact bridges are great.

Bridges are constructed from one land mass to another. When a bridge is in place, there is no end to possibility of traffic, given the bridges health and capacity. Bridges make commerce of goods, transportation and wealth possible.

Nothing like a good bridge!

Bridges work as a good metaphor for relationships as well. Bridges in and for relationships connect one point of view to another, allow for traffic of ideas, and enables commerce of relationship to continue. So a bridge is a good relationship metaphor in that it allows us to visualize possibility through the use of a common everyday structure we can relate to.

But there is a limit to this metaphor when it comes to people ... humans.

Bridges are completely dependent on land masses that are stable and solid. A bridge fastened to the solid and stable may have some flexibility for environmental irregularities, but is also rigid enough to be reliable.

So a metaphorical bridge within relationships is also dependent upon stable and solid. Both parties building a relational bridge must be solid, healthy and able to sustain the bridge being built. If not, then whatever is being built will collapse.

Humans are not land masses

The problem is, we keep trying to build bridges to others who are not capable of withstanding the structural burden of the 'bridge' then wonder why there is failure in relationship. This may be a shock to some of you but potentially, humans are an unstable lot.

Ligaments; A unifying bond

I think we just need some vocabulary updates. If your goal is to relationally connect solid and stable to solid and stable, then please use the bridge metaphor when building connecting points between you and the other human.

But if you want to connect with the potentially unstable humans in your life and across your path, then you'll need something molecular, something fleshy, something that shares DNA ... you'll need to attach ligaments.

Here's today's question: 'Am I willing to connect a unifying bond from the fleshy side of me to the fleshy side of another?'

It's a scary proposition. In order to connect ligaments between you and another human, both of you will have to endure exposure. Something in both of you will have to undergo some kind of invasive surgical procedure in order for the ligament between you to be attached. Now, there's a metaphor.

Perhaps we've stumbled upon why so few humans are connecting to other humans ... its messy. There's a lot of blood and the pain sharing can be quite excruciating when we undergo the surgical procedure necessary to attach a unifying bond to someone else.

It would be difficult, if not entirely impossible to have these attachments if we didn't already have a New Testament that was full of (thankfully not an inclusive list) Jesus, Paul, Luke, Peter and Priscilla being fantastic examples of humans undergoing a relational surgical procedure in an effort to attach a unifying bond to other humans.

Here's the good news. You cannot be the bridge any more than you can be the ligament. Please remember all of us humans have one common denominator, one great equalizer and the only connection that can be or needs to be built or be the unifying bond ... God. He is the tie that binds.

But He, not you or I, has chosen from the days of the desert to the earth known Jesus, to wrap Himself in flesh. His choice is you ... the human. Our only discovery today is to decide whether or not we will be human enough for the God who creates to be connected to His creation.

Personal Note:
For those of us who knew Pastor Dan, the Youth Pastor at New Harvest, his death on Friday is a sad moment indeed. To Dan's wife, children, family, Pastor Mike, the Pastoral staff and our friends at New Harvest you have our prayers our love and our support.

Dan
A Runner

The In-Between Places

Junior Highers are probably the most volatile of all age demographics. Not volatile like they're the most dangerous, but that they are in that too young and too old place in life. Junior Highers, at least for the most part, are hilariously funny and entirely too serious - all at the same time.

When you think about it, there are quite a few folks out here whose lives play out a lot like the behavioral realities of a Junior Higher. Some people are, while at the same time are not - like inmates in prison for example. They are fathers and mothers, but are not fathering or mothering at the time of incarceration.

Some people have heard yes, but not yet - like for example a man or women waiting for housing. They're capable of living on their own and taking care of their bills, but a house in an approved neighborhood is not yet open to them.

The reality is, there are In-Between Places of life.

For most of us, we can survive the reality of living between problem and solution - for a while. But for most, particularly those who have regular or constant exposure to this reality, living in the In-Between places can be confusing, even on a good day.

The problem of course is that confusion is at the top end of the Cycle of Disconnect - confusion leads to frustration, frustration leads to fatigue and fatigue leads to disconnect. If you think about how many people you know who are in some state of disconnect and track their migration backward, you'll find confusion at the source.

Here's today's question: 'What responsibility do we have to others who are living in the In-Between Places?'

Some of you reading today may be thinking; 'I'm living right now this reality, there's no way I can handle any responsibility for anyone else.'

Trust me, I understand. Life is hard and harried enough when things are going reasonably well. God help us when we crisis on some point or worse yet, have to be told waiting will be needed for something that shouldn't need to be waited for - I get it.

May I ask you to consider something?

Realize at your lowest point, you will still be at a higher point than someone at their lowest point. It's like the old hymnal; There's room at the cross'. Jesus' lowest point as a human, was still higher than my lowest point - He knew that, still does.

No matter what your condition, or state of being, there is always an opportunity to reach out to a fellow brother or sister.

By the way, Tent City is celebrating our 20th year as a community conducting 'Homeless Awareness Projects'. It all starts on Friday evening and goes through breakfast on Sunday - It's a great place to serve ... in the In-Between Place.

Dan
A Runner

We got next!

The national poverty rankings were released a few days ago.

There are two things to remember when looking at the numbers;
1. The poverty line is $21,834.00 for a family consisting of two adults and two children below the age of 18 (a family of four).

2. The national report released, ranked the 75 cities in America with a population exceeding 250,000 residents. This is important because there are more people living in urban settings today than at any other time in history. People are moving to cities.

Let's talk Ohio

Ohio has the dubious distinction of being the only state with more than one large city in the top ten; #2 Cleveland (30.5%), #7 Cincinnati (25.1%) and #8 Toledo (24.75). With Columbus (20.1%) taking the #22 slot, the report puts all four major Ohio cities in the top 33% of the nations poorest cities.

Detroit (33.3%) is ranked in the report as being the #1 poorest city in our nation, which precariously perches Toledo at #8 between the number one and two cities of Detroit and Cleveland.

Our city planners over the last 12 to 15 years while trying to hide the Detroitification effect have been at the same time touting the Cleveland Plan as a model to follow when looking at revitalization.

However, when doing a side by side comparison of Cleveland vs. Detroit plans I'm not sure we should be enamored by either. Both Detroit and Cleveland have new stadiums, new arenas and new venues. Cleveland has developed The Flats, and along with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is now considered by most to be a better destination place than Detroit for outsiders to visit ... to visit.

OK - while you visit please keep the larger picture in mind when wondering why Toledo can't have this kind of revitalization. This kind of revitalization only benefits small areas when compared to the larger region. Both Detroit and Cleveland are losing their populations. The school systems of both Detroit and Cleveland still have worse classifications and scores than does Toledo - which isn't saying much.

Consider also this; Cleveland, along with Detroit have the greatest number of children experiencing poverty at 42 and 46 percent respectively. That's 42 and 46 percent of every child under the age of 18 living in these two cities, is in poverty. Toledo doesn't fair much better with 36.5% of our children living in poverty.

Here's today's question; 'Is it any wonder, giving our regions unhealthy followership of our nearest major cities' growth plans, that we also follow their poverty realities?'

We got next!

That's the familiar call from the person or team who 'calls it' on any court or field of play. It's tantamount to yelling 'shot gun' when heading to the car so you get front seat.

Peter Drucker, who passed away several years ago, said shortly before his death; The church is the only institution capable of recivilizing urban environments, but sadly the church is also the most fragmented institution in those same environments.

It's time for the church to 'call it'! To yell 'shot gun' and declare 'we got next'!

By now we should be tired of the view from the back seat. What are we waiting for? The church, despite it's self loathing, often narcissistic views, is still the most powerful certainty on this planet ... including, but not limited to Detroit, Toledo and Cleveland.


A few weeks ago in a recent post; 'The Behavioral Citizen' I asked if you were ready to be the leader your neighborhood and city need? Like the individual responsibility, the church has to regain its intended and Biblical identity and be the leader our cities desperately need.

Our poverty ranking and realities are only the wake up call to the systemic and rooted ranking and realities stimulating the poverty. Instead of shaking our heads about our #1, #2 and #8 ranking on the way to the stadium ... instead of bowing our heads to offer a prayer for our region on our way to church ... instead of blaming our elected officials on our way to the voting booth, maybe we should take a long look in the mirror.

Take a long look. While you're looking at the person staring back at you, remember what Peter Drucker said and try to remember that you, not the building you worship in, are the church - you are the church. You and thousands more like you are the only ones capable of recivilizing our urban environments.

Now, go get another church member and the two of you stand and look in the mirror - take a long look. As a matter of fact, what would it be like if at the front of every sanctuary there was a long and tall mirror, so we could all take a long look together?

We're it!

God has wisely put His branch offices (the church) on every corner. If we answer the fragmented question, then the powerful realities of agreement and unity can be released ... finally, and just in time.

Dan
A Runner