THE FOLLOW POST IS FROM MY SON, WILLIAM WHO ATTEND THE INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!! THANKS SON.
The election and inauguration of President Barack Obama was historic. The clear and honest assessment of this event is self-evident. Regardless of his platform and political ideologies, President Barack Obama transcended the Democratic political hierarchical structure and became the first African-American person to earn the title as President of the United States of America. As I reflect on this event almost a month later, I celebrate his election, and, I take time to share with you, my friends, the great celebration that took place with all people of all genders of all races of all faiths of all political ideologies on January 20, 2009, in the city of Washington D.C.
The time we took to spend with each other as mutual celebrants made the inauguration historic. As time unfolds, there will be much said and written about President Obama's administration; just as there as already been much said about his ascension into the office. I wonder what historians will say about the crowds and the stories that come from this Inauguration Day. I can imagine a short blurb in the history book that gives a final number of inaugural attendees at around 2.5 million people. But, who will tell the story about the very first stop of the red line train in Northern Maryland already having packed rail cars by 6:00 AM on the day of the event? This is true; I was there. There was barely any standing room after the first 3 stops of the train, and we still had 6 - 9 more stops to go before we exited. Who will tell the story about the hundreds of people that filed out of a single rail car to unite with the several hundred people already at Judiciary Station who were making their way up the escalator into crowds of thousands (and later millions)? I am telling this story. I am telling the story of this historic celebration that unfolded within the crowd of 2,499,999 other people.
In spite of the blistering cold, our collective nature kept us unified and warm. It was this unity that I remember the most. As brothers and sisters, we made jokes about the closeness, about the waiting, about the lack of movement for nearly 20 minutes, and we celebrated as a collective when we moved 3 feet forward. I remember the shouts of joy when this collective had its largest advance of an eight to ten step shuffle. I remember the radio interviews going on via cell phone; the kids on the shoulders of parents; the young who walked with the old, and the person who asked my cousin to remove her hat so that she could see the jumbotron. These faces and experiences with my brothers and sisters will warm my thoughts for decades to come. During this Inauguration Day we kept each other warm in spite of the blistering cold, and because of our unified celebratory attitude.
The stories are numerous. (And) though no two stories will be alike, I gather their components will have similarities: African-American president; historic inauguration; 2.5 million people, not a single criminal incident, and smiles. My favorite memory is of me running through the 3rd street tunnel yelling with excitement and energy, “Shake a hand, meet a friend, get your official Inauguration name tags”. Vendors were soliciting these tags and using this phrase to promote the unified celebration of the day. I do imagine that some historians will capture the red eyes of some, the laughter of others, the random friendships that were made, the congeniality, the patience, the cheers, the boos, the vendors, the National Guards people, the police, and the celebrities and other notables. But, most importantly, in my opinion, I imagine history will capture the smiles and the joyous attitudes that existed from and within the 2.5 million people who unified with each other to celebrate this historic occasion. It was a joyous celebration, my friends, and I thank God for the opportunity as well as my mother and father, Mr. & Mrs. Patrick & Rose _____, Congressman Lee Terry’s office, and the prayers of my family: Jamise, Jenna, Edward, Ocean, & all of my other family and friends, including the 2,499,999 I was fellowship with on January 20, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Bishop Woody White Annual Letter to Rev. M. L. King
Each year Bishop Woody White writes a letter to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. He has done this since 1968. I have read the letters each year since 1984. The letters have been inspiring, challenging and insightful.
This year, Bishop White, retired, writed the annual letter on the eve on Barack Obama becoming the 44th president of The United States and first person of color to lead the most powerful nation in the world.
Click in the following link and you will find Bishop's White letter.
http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2072519&ct=6494289&tr=y&auid=4406969
Blessing and Peace
Pastor William
This year, Bishop White, retired, writed the annual letter on the eve on Barack Obama becoming the 44th president of The United States and first person of color to lead the most powerful nation in the world.
Click in the following link and you will find Bishop's White letter.
http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2072519&ct=6494289&tr=y&auid=4406969
Blessing and Peace
Pastor William
MUCH TO CELEBRATE
Greetings and belated Happy New Year:
I know it has been a while since my last posting. Life has been challenging – changing and inspiring since my last visit posting.
In short, I continue to experience the love and peace of God given thru Jesus Christ.
Idalene, my wife received her Ph.D. in August. It was a wonderful ceremony and our three children and 2 grandchildren attend the graduation and hooding ceremony in Minneapolis. Idalene’s aunt and sister from Kansas City also attended. Then the children and I threw her big celebration party. Family, friends, sorority sisters, church members and former church members attended. It was a grand event. Sweets, know that I am proud of you.
William, III, has entered seminary. He is attending St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. He is excited and found the first semester exhilarating. In our phone calls and his holiday visit, he helped me remember my time at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas. It seems fitting that Williams III is in seminary. He attended with me on a regular basis, the first 6 months of his life. In between taking notes, asking questions and drinking lots of coffee, I changed diapers, fed, burped and gave lots of love.
Jamise continues to be a good mother. She works for the Middle School Learning Center Initiative as the Site Director @ King Science for the Omaha Public School Foundation. It has been a great fit and has provided Jamise with plenty of opportunity for professional and personal growth. Jamise, who has her Master’s degree continue to be a staff member at ROCKbrook United Methodist Church, coordinating the childcare each Sunday and sings with the Praise Team when they sing.
Jenna, today (January 14, 2009) turns 25. Happy Birthday Jenna, has talked, dreamed, hoped and desired to move to California, (Hollywood) to find success and fulfilled her dreams through acting. She has dream and or talked about doing this since she had the lead role in the Hobbit at the Rose Children’s Theater. Throughout high school and college, Jenna set her sight on making it through acting. Well, she is ready to take that next step of life. Jenna and Maya, her college friend, have leased and apartment and Jenna will be leaving in 7 days to begin her journey. (Today January 22, 20090.
I ask that you pray for her and that she will find happiness and success. William will be driving her to Los Angles. She will miss Jamise, a sister and best friend. I ask that you pray for them.
Mom and Dad will have a hard time adjusting without ‘Cupcake” around to assist, help and just have a presence. As much as we celebrate her decision and pray for her success we will miss her deeply.
Fly Jenna Fly. May you reach your goal.
DadPastor William
I know it has been a while since my last posting. Life has been challenging – changing and inspiring since my last visit posting.
In short, I continue to experience the love and peace of God given thru Jesus Christ.
Idalene, my wife received her Ph.D. in August. It was a wonderful ceremony and our three children and 2 grandchildren attend the graduation and hooding ceremony in Minneapolis. Idalene’s aunt and sister from Kansas City also attended. Then the children and I threw her big celebration party. Family, friends, sorority sisters, church members and former church members attended. It was a grand event. Sweets, know that I am proud of you.
William, III, has entered seminary. He is attending St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. He is excited and found the first semester exhilarating. In our phone calls and his holiday visit, he helped me remember my time at Perkins School of Theology in Dallas. It seems fitting that Williams III is in seminary. He attended with me on a regular basis, the first 6 months of his life. In between taking notes, asking questions and drinking lots of coffee, I changed diapers, fed, burped and gave lots of love.
Jamise continues to be a good mother. She works for the Middle School Learning Center Initiative as the Site Director @ King Science for the Omaha Public School Foundation. It has been a great fit and has provided Jamise with plenty of opportunity for professional and personal growth. Jamise, who has her Master’s degree continue to be a staff member at ROCKbrook United Methodist Church, coordinating the childcare each Sunday and sings with the Praise Team when they sing.
Jenna, today (January 14, 2009) turns 25. Happy Birthday Jenna, has talked, dreamed, hoped and desired to move to California, (Hollywood) to find success and fulfilled her dreams through acting. She has dream and or talked about doing this since she had the lead role in the Hobbit at the Rose Children’s Theater. Throughout high school and college, Jenna set her sight on making it through acting. Well, she is ready to take that next step of life. Jenna and Maya, her college friend, have leased and apartment and Jenna will be leaving in 7 days to begin her journey. (Today January 22, 20090.
I ask that you pray for her and that she will find happiness and success. William will be driving her to Los Angles. She will miss Jamise, a sister and best friend. I ask that you pray for them.
Mom and Dad will have a hard time adjusting without ‘Cupcake” around to assist, help and just have a presence. As much as we celebrate her decision and pray for her success we will miss her deeply.
Fly Jenna Fly. May you reach your goal.
DadPastor William
Monday, June 30, 2008
Surviving the Storms of Life
Don’t be alarmed when the trials of life crash around you. God is there to help!
This summer, we have experienced a variety of storms which have disrupted our lives. We had the tornado 3 weeks ago and then the “hurricane or wind storm last weekend. Both of these storms disrupted our lives, displaced some from home and in short, caused all king of havoc and chaos. Our homes and churches suffered through damage, power outages and fallen trees. On last Friday, Jamise, Edward and Ocean, my daughter and grandchildren were on our way to Kansas City. We were at the corner of 129th and Maple when the storm hit. While Jamise covered her children, I stopped the car and held on for life. Later Edward declared, “Storms are not fun!”
Storms will come
You are right grandson. Storms are not fun. But, storms will come into our world. Storms will come in to our lives. They come to us all, and when they hit, they are not fun. In Acts 27, we read the account of when Paul was on a ship with 275 other. In the midst a violent storm he steps forward and tells them all to “be of good cheer.”
Many if not all can look at our present life circumstance and declare, “I am in the midst of a storm”. It could be personal, work related, with children or a spouse, it could be with life changes of aging or other health related issues. Those storms could be your present financial situation. Yes, these are the storms of life. What are other storms of life you can name?
Storms are temporary
I wrote this definition of a spiritual storm: “It is an unpredictable, temporary period of distress over which we have little, if any, control.” Paul referred to the storms in his life as “light afflictions,” which last “but for a moment.” Yet, if you read his biography, you find that he endured one storm after another. How could he call them light afflictions?
A place of refuge
When storms come our way, we should seek shelter, refuge, and safety from the storm. We can find safety within a relationship with Christ and with the Church, ROCKbrook The storms will continue, but you can always find refuge in the midst of the storms. Psalm 16:1[ A miktam of David. ] Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.
Meet the Lord of the storm
Have you met the Lord of the storm? Have you met the One who can see you through no matter what you face in life? Are you trying to find your own way, your own solutions? Or, are you willing to say, “Lord, I need Your help.” If you do, the Lord will under gird you. God will help you weather the storm. God will give you victory. God will bring you good cheer.
God is indeed our Refuge:
Pastor William
This summer, we have experienced a variety of storms which have disrupted our lives. We had the tornado 3 weeks ago and then the “hurricane or wind storm last weekend. Both of these storms disrupted our lives, displaced some from home and in short, caused all king of havoc and chaos. Our homes and churches suffered through damage, power outages and fallen trees. On last Friday, Jamise, Edward and Ocean, my daughter and grandchildren were on our way to Kansas City. We were at the corner of 129th and Maple when the storm hit. While Jamise covered her children, I stopped the car and held on for life. Later Edward declared, “Storms are not fun!”
Storms will come
You are right grandson. Storms are not fun. But, storms will come into our world. Storms will come in to our lives. They come to us all, and when they hit, they are not fun. In Acts 27, we read the account of when Paul was on a ship with 275 other. In the midst a violent storm he steps forward and tells them all to “be of good cheer.”
Many if not all can look at our present life circumstance and declare, “I am in the midst of a storm”. It could be personal, work related, with children or a spouse, it could be with life changes of aging or other health related issues. Those storms could be your present financial situation. Yes, these are the storms of life. What are other storms of life you can name?
Storms are temporary
I wrote this definition of a spiritual storm: “It is an unpredictable, temporary period of distress over which we have little, if any, control.” Paul referred to the storms in his life as “light afflictions,” which last “but for a moment.” Yet, if you read his biography, you find that he endured one storm after another. How could he call them light afflictions?
A place of refuge
When storms come our way, we should seek shelter, refuge, and safety from the storm. We can find safety within a relationship with Christ and with the Church, ROCKbrook The storms will continue, but you can always find refuge in the midst of the storms. Psalm 16:1[ A miktam of David. ] Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.
Meet the Lord of the storm
Have you met the Lord of the storm? Have you met the One who can see you through no matter what you face in life? Are you trying to find your own way, your own solutions? Or, are you willing to say, “Lord, I need Your help.” If you do, the Lord will under gird you. God will help you weather the storm. God will give you victory. God will bring you good cheer.
God is indeed our Refuge:
Pastor William
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The Easter Blues?
The After-Easter Blues
Lent is easy to live with because it seems so real. It's easy to see brokenness and alone-ness in our lives and in the world, so it's easy to reflect on the stuff we're supposed to be reflecting on. But it's different with resurrection, or it least it should be. We don’t want life to return to ‘normal.’Easter is filled with the message of the power of new life, of death's defeat. Jesus triumphs over his death and ours, and it's a day full of gladness. So we sing with all the joy we can muster. We're full of alleluias as we get into the spirit of the day. "Christ is Risen!" I knew I was having a good Easter when I felt the Spirit of God stirring in my heart. Resurrection seems true – It is possible to imagine that life can be different. That passion week has ended.
Easter is not a one-day transformation experience. We do experience little bits of new life growing in our souls; but it's never a complete transformation. We sing about resurrection but know that we're not there yet. For all our Easter joy, we're still the same people that we were during Lent. My uncle died. People are still hungry, and sad, and struggling with painful relationships, agonizing decisions, and a thousand other things. Easter is a life lifetime event, so are the Promises of Easter.
We can see signs of the resurrection in the lives of those around us and in our lives. Substance abuse rehabilitation is a success, a struggling marriage has a new foundation, forgiveness has been extended and received, a job was gained and there are other places where you have experienced the resurrection again. Alleluia, Christ is Risen.
Another sign of Easter is when someone announces his or her call into ministry. I celebrate and give thanks unto God, as my son, William M. Williams, III preached (at the 8:30 service) as a person who has begun the process for ministry. I ask that you pray with William and for him, as he lives out his faith and his call. Son, I want you to know that y0ur mother and I are proud of you.
Hallelujah, Christ is Risen!
Pastor William
Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.-John 20:19b-20Lent is so dramatic. It begins on Ash Wednesday, and then we had seven weeks to reflect, to examine our lives, our brokenness, and our mortality. We go through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday -- full of depth and meaning and even drama. And then Easter hits. And then it's done. Or at least that's how it sometimes feels.
Actually, it's not done. According to the Christian calendar, Easter is a season -- 50 days long -- and not just a day. We usually don’t celebrate Easter as a season. We have one busy Sunday, a few more days of chocolate eggs and jelly beans. But then it's back to normal. I have often said, “Things will slow down after Easter.” Life will return to ‘normal.’ Why does this happen?
Lent is easy to live with because it seems so real. It's easy to see brokenness and alone-ness in our lives and in the world, so it's easy to reflect on the stuff we're supposed to be reflecting on. But it's different with resurrection, or it least it should be. We don’t want life to return to ‘normal.’Easter is filled with the message of the power of new life, of death's defeat. Jesus triumphs over his death and ours, and it's a day full of gladness. So we sing with all the joy we can muster. We're full of alleluias as we get into the spirit of the day. "Christ is Risen!" I knew I was having a good Easter when I felt the Spirit of God stirring in my heart. Resurrection seems true – It is possible to imagine that life can be different. That passion week has ended.
Easter is not a one-day transformation experience. We do experience little bits of new life growing in our souls; but it's never a complete transformation. We sing about resurrection but know that we're not there yet. For all our Easter joy, we're still the same people that we were during Lent. My uncle died. People are still hungry, and sad, and struggling with painful relationships, agonizing decisions, and a thousand other things. Easter is a life lifetime event, so are the Promises of Easter.
We can see signs of the resurrection in the lives of those around us and in our lives. Substance abuse rehabilitation is a success, a struggling marriage has a new foundation, forgiveness has been extended and received, a job was gained and there are other places where you have experienced the resurrection again. Alleluia, Christ is Risen.
Another sign of Easter is when someone announces his or her call into ministry. I celebrate and give thanks unto God, as my son, William M. Williams, III preached (at the 8:30 service) as a person who has begun the process for ministry. I ask that you pray with William and for him, as he lives out his faith and his call. Son, I want you to know that y0ur mother and I are proud of you.
Hallelujah, Christ is Risen!
Pastor William
Monday, January 7, 2008
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Yes, I know that we have a few more days before it is officially 2008. I just want to be the first to hope and pray that your 2008 will be filled with God’s Grace and Mercy.
It was terrifying for her. It was late one evening and I was working late at the church. Jenna was with me and we were readying the sanctuary for services the next day. After we finished, we took the short walk—maybe 30 yards from the church to the parsonage. But it was dark…very dark. Jenna grabbed me by the hand, terrified. Scared of the dark and the unknown.
I remember our brief conversation as we crossed the parking lot in the dark. “Jenna, are you scared?” Yes daddy, she replied, as she reached up and grabbed my hand and clasped it as tight she could. After we reached the safety of our home, Jenna quickly shared our adventure. What we did at church and our walk home. She shared of her fear as we walked home and her relief as she felt the comfort of my presence.
As we stand at the threshold of a brand new year, we have only a glimpse of what lies ahead of us. Good health or sickness, gladness or heartache, financial security or financial setbacks? What changes are in store?
What will be the challenges? The uncertainty can be frightening and unsettling, but knowing that God is standing always beside us can give us courage to face the future with peace and hope.
In moments of despair, confusion, fear or doubt, take God’s hand. Remember the promise of His abiding presence. Relax in His power to overcome all the obstacles. Rejoice in His provision for your every need.
Prayer: Lord, as I step into this New Year, help me remember always that You are by my side and that your presence will go with me every step of the way. Give me strength to persevere when trials come my way. Give me grace to forgive when I am hurt and offended. Give me joy to share with others who need someone to walk beside them. Amen.
Partners in our journey,
Pastor William
It was terrifying for her. It was late one evening and I was working late at the church. Jenna was with me and we were readying the sanctuary for services the next day. After we finished, we took the short walk—maybe 30 yards from the church to the parsonage. But it was dark…very dark. Jenna grabbed me by the hand, terrified. Scared of the dark and the unknown.
I remember our brief conversation as we crossed the parking lot in the dark. “Jenna, are you scared?” Yes daddy, she replied, as she reached up and grabbed my hand and clasped it as tight she could. After we reached the safety of our home, Jenna quickly shared our adventure. What we did at church and our walk home. She shared of her fear as we walked home and her relief as she felt the comfort of my presence.
As we stand at the threshold of a brand new year, we have only a glimpse of what lies ahead of us. Good health or sickness, gladness or heartache, financial security or financial setbacks? What changes are in store?
What will be the challenges? The uncertainty can be frightening and unsettling, but knowing that God is standing always beside us can give us courage to face the future with peace and hope.
In moments of despair, confusion, fear or doubt, take God’s hand. Remember the promise of His abiding presence. Relax in His power to overcome all the obstacles. Rejoice in His provision for your every need.
Prayer: Lord, as I step into this New Year, help me remember always that You are by my side and that your presence will go with me every step of the way. Give me strength to persevere when trials come my way. Give me grace to forgive when I am hurt and offended. Give me joy to share with others who need someone to walk beside them. Amen.
Partners in our journey,
Pastor William
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