Ringing Freedom's Bell In Sunnyside, Washington & Beyond Since 2008
December 25, 2011 Leave a Comment
2011 Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at First Baptist Church, Sunnyside, Washington
August 10, 2011 1 Comment
Kids are such a wonderful blessing, as any parent or grandparent can attest to. I am fortunate that I am blessed with three wonderful children, who delight me to no end.
They recently asked me to do something for them. I told them that I wish I could, but that it is simply not possible.
The four-year-old then said, “But you’re Daddy, you can do anything!” Despite the vote of confidence from my little one, I regret to inform the readers of this blog that I am merely a mortal man.
Many children, especially young ones, believe in the unlimited ability of parents to provide things with mysterious or magical means of production. I had to smile when my child said this to me, even as I burst her bubble of expectations.
It is part of growing up that we learn to do things for ourselves, while also learning what our own personal limitations are. Someone once said, “You don’t know who you really are, until you have tried your hardest at something, and still failed.”
There is a grain of truth in that statement, as experiences help to shape our character. I know what my limitations are, and have opinions about what the limitations of government should be.
It is not a mature life view to expect someone to provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and spending money to us for our entire lives. It is part of the process of growing up. As the bickering over deficit spending continues in Washington D.C., I am reminded of how America has some growing up of its own to do.
It is not healthy to have people look to Uncle Sam or the politicians in Olympia, and say, “but you’re Daddy, you can do anything!”
November 22, 2010 1 Comment
This morning, I had the pleasure of being able to sit down with a new local church pastor, Cameron Garcia. He and his family moved to Sunnyside from Bellingham in just the past few weeks.
Cameron Garcia at Guerra's Coffee Company
While snow was dusting the ground outside, we stayed warm with fresh coffee at Guerra’s Coffee Company on South 1st Street in Sunnyside.
Mr. Garcia informed me that he spent a couple of years working with Americorps using Asset Based Community Development, and sees his role in Sunnyside with a community development component.
His church, the Church of God, was established in Sunnyside since 1949, but will be going through a “restart” under Garcia’s leadership. As part of this process the church will likely be getting a new name, with a launch date tentatively planned around Easter.
In the meantime, the church will be using the time to discern its vision. Mr. Garcia said the church should “love God, love your neighbor, and make disciples.” While many churches focus on the third part, “making disciples”, Garcia said that the “love your neighbor” part is equally important.
Garcia envisions the church being outwardly focused, doing things that benefit the community, without necessarily doing them to ”make disciples”.
Garcia has a personal blog, CameronGarcia.net, and is on Twitter @camerongarcia.
He has also started a website for his church, Sunnyside Church of God, which is under construction.
I look forward to seeing how the church restart progresses, and to the positive impact it may have in our community.
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