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What a joy to have served the LORD at Following Christ 08! 

A quick note to let you know that we've returned to our home and it's quiet, i.e., Eden, Ellen, and Hayley are sleeping.  Praise God!  Thank-you to all who have prayed for, supported, and walked alongside this mission among emerging scholars and faculty.  Much to share regarding the tilling of soil, sowing of seed, growth of the work of God, and the beginning of a great harvest/transformation in Higher Education. 

But for now, we're tucking in Lily and then heading to bed to receive a much needed rest as we prepare to enter a new year of ministry.  One in which we long to be in the presence of God, see the glory of the Lord, and receive his Word/Spirit as part of the people of God about His work to the praise of His glory.

My presence will go with you and I will give you rest. ... I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence.  I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  But you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.  There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.  When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.  Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen. (-- part of the LORD's word to Moses regarding leadership and who go support Moses in the work of the LORD Exodus 33:14ff).

A brief post to let you know, Good reports on almost all fronts.  We received an amazing email update this morning regarding the girls at home and it's hard to summarize our joy with regard to Lily's presence at Following Christ.  In general the conference and the aspects which we have been involved with are a great testimony to the work of God in our midst.  Where they have not been, prayer and wise decision making have enabled us to step forward.  To Him be all the glory!

Pray for safe and restful travel today.

We rejoice in your prayers!  God is doing a good work through his Word, Spirit, and people at Following Christ 08.

Some posts to read from Emerging Scholars Blog include ...

Evil,Subjectivism, and the Gospel (Note:  Mike Murray is one of the professors with whom I minister in Central PA)

Giggling and Mother Teresa (Note:  Carsten, the author, is one of the professors with whom I connect in Baltimore)

AND I've started to post some pictures here.

 

Yes, we're scrambling to leave on a jet plane, but we know when we're coming back again.  But pray we don't get snowed into Chicago like I was at Following Christ 98.  Shhhh... don't remind the conference coordinators (other delegates, or our parents).  Anyway, we rejoice in your prayers for our family during this exciting venture.  Lord willing, Theresa and I will have future opportunities for shared conference ministry in this manner, such as Urbana 09 at the end of next year. 

Can you believe that Eden almost couldn't go to sleep last night b/c she couldn't wait to see Grandma Grosh.  She had no concern, at that time or at this time, about our departure.  So far the girls have slept well through the night (I hope that I don't break this trend by having the light on in the kitchen).  Praise God!

As many of you know, our Graduate and Faculty Ministry staff team in Pittsburgh has grown.  Praise God!  At Following Christ, I'm looking forward to developing deeper relationships with the new staff, hearing their 2009 ministry vision, and reconnecting with students/faculty coming from Western PA.  Pray for insights regarding how we might partner in the coming year, particularly how I can pass along contacts and ways in which we might be able to expand the Emerging Scholars Network in relationship to faculty ministry resources.

Christmas Eve/Day were a rich and full never ending stream introduced by Advent and headed into Epiphany!  Praise God!  Reflections in the new year, after Following Christ 2008.

Despite completing a number of tasks ahead of time, Christmas clean-up and last minute Following Christ details (for the home and the conference) filled our day.  Pray for all the details to be wrapped up by early evening and the opportunity to rest and get to bed early, as we need to leave for the airport early Saturday morning.  On Saturday, we'll have lunch w/Andy Crouch, receive prayer team orientation, prayerwalk the conference site, and then mingle with members of the Emerging Scholars Network.  Pray for us to choose wisely how we use our time/energy and for our kids to adjust well to the demands of Following Christ (Note:  Lily will be on-site with us).

Good to see Byron's highlighting Sufjan Stevens Christmas Songs. I ordered my copy through him last year and as last year, Christmas songs rings through our house (and they'll return as part of the Christmas tradition next year).

If you haven't had the opportunity to join the chorus, then visit here (and click the pic of the musical note near the top of the page).  Note:  Pitchfork's review still available here.

Desiring to pray alongside us (and for us) as we're part of the Following Christ Prayer Team, but would value a brief video introduction to Following Christ 08 before turning to the below prayer requests?  Then enjoy this promotional piece and pray for God's grace to accomplish such a mission at Following Christ 08 and day by day on campus. ....

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As you may remember, Theresa and I serve on the Following Christ 08 Intercessor/Prayer Team. Over the past six months we've prayed for conference preparations and Following Christ's just days away (December 27-31) in Chicago, IL. 

Would you join us in prayer for Following Christ 08 and our role as members of the intercessor/prayer team?  For more, check out Conference Rhythms at the Emerging Scholars Blog, Groshlink's Para-academy Musings Folder, and the earlier post Prayer for Following Christ 08: Human Flourishing (Worship). Bonus for those on Facebook:  we've created a virtual prayer team.  Drop us an email (or comment) and we'll send you an invitation.

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If you really believe in heaven/hell and love others, then you better proselytize.  Furthermore, as an atheist it's encouraging to meet a good witness (versus most religionists), even though one has deep disagreements about reality.  That's basically the point of Penn Says: A Gift of a Bible.  A helpful piece to consider as you share Christ this Christmas (through word and life).  Some of the resultant conversation on youtube is also of value.

Note:  Thank-you to the Brethren in Christ Discussion list which brought this to my attention.

A note from a friend which I just have to share with you as it provides the proper focus for Lily's First Christmas as our family worships Christ on Christmas Eve/Day.

How is Lily already 6 months! Know you will all enjoy her this First Christ.Mas! Another time, another Baby, one who was long prepared for and we celebrate Him and our eternal life!

Thank-you to my sister in Christ who passed along Have Yourself a Peace and Justice Christmas (to the tune of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas), see below.  Of much more value than the song (and its tune) is the Sojourners Have Yourself a Peace and Justice Christmas! pledge/drive. Please take a moment to review the pledge, consider taking the pledge, and embrace several of the recommendations to reflect/practice Christ this Christmas.  As we have a friend in Zimbabwe assisting family, this suggestion spoke loud and clear: 

Fast through the Silent Night. Choose to fast on Christmas Eve on behalf of the suffering people of Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

---

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Thank-you to Miller who passed along the link to Christ Altogether Lovely, the favorite Puritan sermon of the InterVarsity staff at Harvard. And may we, reflect upon, and give witness to the loveliness of Christ this Christmas through word and deed.  An excerpt which particularly spoke to me is given below.

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We rejoice in God's gifts of healing and determination to Eden.  It has been a great encouragement at various extended family Christmas gatherings over the past weekend to hear again and again the surprise at Eden's strong participation in the social time (particularly walking about and sharing her thoughts/songs). 

With great hope and joy, Theresa and I anticipate the end of the winter and the coming of spring in Eden's life when she will have full control of her limbs, eyes, smile, and voice.  At present, we rest in the peace that the Father is it at work in the little things and we remind ourselves to give praise for the developments which we are so easily apt to overlook, but are hard to miss by those around us.  To God be the glory! 

Another recent quote from cultureisnotoptional's * the daily asterisk is from N.T. Wright's Surprised by Hope -- I commend it to you, maybe I'll write a brief review in the coming months.  But I digress as my purpose in posting is that I'm very much looking forward to N.T. Wright's opening of the Word as we explore Human Flourishing at Following Christ 2008.

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Thank-you to cultureisnotoptional's * the daily asterisk for the below quote from Madeleine L'Engle's Glimpses of Grace.  Let us by the power of the Spirit and the direction of the Word, give glory to God the Father by sharing and incarnating the Word/Christ this Christmas as we

1. shop -- even if it's just sharing Merry Christmas with the grocery store cashier and not running people over as we stock our shelves at last minute for large social gatherings, but may we have opportunity to also share a word from God.
2. navigate relationships with extended families/neighbors/colleagues --even if it's just being the Presence of Christ, but may we have opportunity to give testimony to why we bring peace to busy places.
3. walk through the press of year end economic stress -- even if it's just sharing a can of soup, but may we also be a light as place our confidence in the Good Shepherd leads us through difficult times.   
4. receive/give gifts that we would not be overcome with a sense of entitlement or comparativism -- even if it's just saying thank-you for something we don't need/want and will pass it along to another who truly is in need, but may we also have space to testify to the Reality that Christ is the true gift of Christmas which keeps on giving (to infinity and beyond) ... one who we are in no way deserving and can never be paid back by a bigger gift or act of service/love in the coming year.

In all areas of our life may God the Father grant us the grace to light and shed the light of the Advent wreath candles ... anticipation/hope, peace, joy, love, and Christ (the source for all the others)!

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Pray for me to wrap-up the year well by

1. turning my attention to some important paperwork -- not a strength of mine
2. organizing office materials -- also not a strength of mine
3. inviting several local ministry leaders and faculty to colabor in campus mission -- something which I love!
4. taking time to rest/focus/prepare to serve as a member of the Following Christ Prayer Team.  December 27-31 can't come soon enough (see point 5).
5. blocking off time with the familly on weekends, Christmas Eve Day (no school), Christmas, day after Christmas, and when I return New Year's Eve. 
6. beginning 2009 properly.  In particular, it is important for me to develop healthy habits for family, friends, and ministry as my pioneering work continues to expand, thereby providing many prayerful decisions regarding priority setting.

Last week I sent an email to our partners in ministry and posted A Note to Partners in Ministry.  But the snail mail newsletter (two letter size pages, giving envelope, giving card) for 300+ recipients took all my spare time over the course of the last four days as I visited Loyola College (MD), tried to be present for the family (as three came down with various ailments), facilitated an adult elective on The Advent of a New Year, and spoke with the youth/parents of Cumberland Valley Brethren in Christ on Next Steps:  The Transition from High School to College (part 2, the first being on 11/30).  Note: as for the consumption of time, let me mention that writing/design took 2 days out of a previous week and several long brain-storming sessions.  In order to be better prepared for the spring mailing, I'm placing dates on the calendar for newsletter writing (early April) and assembly/mailing (April 13-14), so I can invite friends to help out.  Maybe we'll have pizza, snacks, drinks, chocolate left over from Easter, music, etc.  If you're in Central PA and interested in helping with the assembly, drop me an email. 

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Book Review by Theresa Grosh*
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller

This book is not about jazz music at all! In memoir-style, Miller shares his nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality. For someone like me who was (gratefully) born and raised in the church, I appreciate the fresh insights on Christian living that Miller shares. The author gains many of these insights from his colorful collection of friends including Tony the Beat Poet, Penny who is always right, Andrew the Protester, and his pastor Rick.

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We rejoice in the many individuals, families, and local assemblies who have partnered with us at various times and in numerous ways over the course of our twelve years of campus ministry. And for those of you who are new to our work, Welcome! It's great to have you part of the mix. Be sure to let us know when you have time/availability for us to connect.

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Not too long ago a friend shared with me the value of

turning down the volume on the firehose or at least spending more time in a given room before climbing through the window into the next room and the next room. ...

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