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Archives For November 30, 1999

What day is it?

Meredith Flynn —  August 1, 2012

OLYMPICS | Serena Butler

Have you ever felt like you’ve been somewhere forever, but it’s only been a week? That’s how I would describe our first week in London. In just eight days, we traveled here, trained for our Olympic assignments, worshiped in local churches, set up two coffee houses, and met more people from more countries than I can begin to count. Our two-hour ride into town each morning is starting to feel like second nature, and we’re still getting lots of opportunities to talk to people about why we’re here.

Meeting a new friend on the Tube, who was excited to show off his USA shirt.

The crowd at the Kings Cross coffee house is growing. The church decided to pull a ping pong table out onto the Square in front of the church to see if it would draw a crowd…and did it ever. Local shop owners came over on their breaks to play a game. Kids came in from around the neighborhood, and some Olympic tourists stopped by, too.

Over at Southfields Church, we’re seeing more visitors in the TV Lounge. One older gentleman comes every day. He doesn’t really care about spiritual things, but something keeps bringing him back every day. It might be the pull of being with others. He has talked to several of us on the team about his loneliness. We are glad that he feels comfortable coming and hope the TV Lounge is helping to break through some of the ice.

Just like Starbucks.

The weather is helping us out, too. One day, it rained off and on all day, and people came in to warm up with a coffee or tea. Several of the workers from the tennis venue are coming in, and we learned that man in charge of crowd control is telling his volunteer staff to come to the Lounge during their break time. He said that he “wasn’t much of a religious person, but this is a great place for them to come.” Word is also spreading among the Tube workers and they’re beginning to stop in. It is our prayer that Southfields Church will continue to build relationships with those who live and work in their area.

God is working in the city. Pray for the team as the long days are beginning to wear on us. Our host churches have been so gracious, and there is still so much work to be done.

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Archer – and Olympic medalist – gives all glory to God

Meredith Flynn —  July 31, 2012

THE BRIEFING | Meredith Flynn

Archer Jacob Wukie helped the U.S. men’s team earn a silver medal in the London Games.

Jacob Wukie helped propel the U.S. archery team to the country’s first medal (a silver) in the London Summer Games. But the 20-year-old told Baptist Press he’s learned, with successes and failures, the proper place for his identity.

“For me, my worth is in the fact that I am saved. I’m a Christian. I’m in Christ,” Wukie said in an interview just before the Games began. “That’s where my worth comes from. My goal is to glorify God and to do His will.”

Wukie was an alternate in the 2008 Beijing Games but came back this year as one member of the U.S. Men’s archery team, who lost narrowly to Italy in the final match Saturday.

He is one of several athletes competing in London who give God the glory for their talents, and place their faith in him no matter the outcome of these Olympics. Read more athlete profiles, including air rifle shooter Sarah Scherer, diver David Boudia, and soccer player Tobin Heath, at bpsports.net.

IBSA’s Serena Butler and a team of Illinois volunteers are ministering in London during the Olympics. Check back here this week for more of their U.K. adventures.

Other stories:

Church says no to wedding because of couple’s race
A Mississippi church has dredged up long-simmering racial tensions by blocking the wedding of an African American couple. Charles and Te’Andrea Wilson had scheduled their wedding at First Baptist Church, Crystal Springs, but Pastor Stan Weatherford moved the ceremony to another church when members of his congregation protested the wedding because the Wilsons are African American. Weatherford wanted to avoid trouble for the couple on their wedding day, he told the Clarion-Ledger newspaper. “I was just trying to think about a win-win.” Russell Moore, a Mississippi native and professor at Southern Seminary, posted on his blog that because of the state’s violent racial past, Christians in Mississippi ought to lead the way in “biblical reconciliation and revival.” “But that means a lose-win situation,” Moore wrote. “We lose face, we lose ourselves. We seek mercy and a new start. We repent, and don’t just rebrand.” Read more at clarionledger.com; for Russell Moore’s full blog post, go to russellmoore.com.

464,000 sign up to support Chick-Fil-A
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee started a revolution of sorts when he enlisted Facebook users to sign up for Chick-Fil-Appreciation Day, scheduled for Wednesday, August 1. The campaign is in response to opponents of the restaurant chain’s support of traditional family values, which came into renewed focus after Chick-Fil-A President Dan Cathy told The Biblical Recorder his company supports “the biblical definition of a family unit.” Proponents of same-sex marriage and leaders like Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel expressed their outrage, with some calling for boycotts and Emanuel threatening to block Chick-Fil-A from opening stores in Chicago. (He has since admitted such action would be unconstitutional). Go to bpnews.net for more.

On candidates, voters already know what they need to know
A Pew Research Center study found the majority of voters believe they already know as much as they need to know about President Barack Obama and presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Only 8% of those surveyed said they needed to know more about Obama (90% said they already know enough), and 28% want to know more about Romney (69% know enough).  And for those who want to know more about Romney, the candidate’s religion is low on the list of hot topics: Only 16% said they wanted to know more about his Mormon faith. Read more about the findings at pewforum.org.

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Passing the torch

Meredith Flynn —  July 30, 2012

HEARTLAND | Serena Butler

If you watched the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics (and stayed up long enough to see the lighting of the Olympic Flame), you saw a brilliant depiction of “passing on the torch.” Seven well-known British athletes passed their torches to seven young athletes they had selected, each of whom has shown promise in their particular sport. Then all seven of the younger athletes, in unison, lit the Olympic Flame.

I can only imagine the excitement that these young people felt as they took the fire and raised it in the air. It was a wonderful picture of one generation passing on responsibility to a younger one.

I’ve seen a similar picture – except without torches – during our time in London. At times, our “missions veterans” are modeling ministry, and other times, they’re sitting back and letting the younger team members take the lead.

We stood at the Tube stop near Southfields Church on Sunday, handing out information about the TV Lounge the church is hosting during the Games. One of the younger team members came over to me and said, “I’m not very good at this. You are good.” I told her that it came with years of practice and learning to step out of my comfort zone. I learned by watching others and deciding to take a chance and try it myself.

I’ve heard a lot of devotions and sermons about “passing the torch,” but it’s clearer to me now after watching this team. (And forgive me for the sports analogy, but we are the Olympics, after all). If you’re in a relay race and you have completed your leg, your job is to cheer on your teammates. You don’t run after them and take the baton back. You don’t dive back into the pool and swim another lap. You’ve done all you can do, and have passed the responsibility on to someone else. You’re job is to encourage from the sidelines.

There’s a lesson for those waiting for their leg of the race, too. Be prepared to do your part. Cheer on your team members, but be poised to jump in when it’s your turn.

No matter our age, we probably go back and forth between these two positions all our lives. Somewhere, someone needs us to be a model of ministry, ready to show them what to do and then encourage as they take the lead. But there’s also someone waiting to pass the torch to us.

Do you have someone you’re preparing to receive the torch? And what are you doing to be ready to receive the torch from someone else? The race isn’t over until Jesus returns. Keep running the race and passing the torch until that day comes.

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Pin trading, fish & chips, and one red phone booth

Meredith Flynn —  July 26, 2012

OLYMPICS | Serena Butler

Even before the Olympics bring thousands of people from around the world to London, it seems as though the world has already arrived here. During our second day of orientation, we learned about the city’s diverse population:

  • 12-14 million people in the greater London area
  • More than 300 languages spoken in the public schools here
  • Less than 10% of Londoners are in church on any given Sunday

You can’t see them, but there are 21 other Americans waiting to take a picture in this phone booth.

We also got a lesson in pin trading, a major Olympic past-time. It’s also an outreach tool used to share the Gospel. We each received some pins to give away, and had an opportunity to purchase pins from past Olympics to help us start conversations with people we’ll meet.

To end the day, we had a traditional English dinner – fish and chips- in St. Margarets, the town where we’re staying. Then we “took a wander” down the main street, enjoying the quaint homes. We found a phone booth and each team member took a turn posing in it. We drew several onlookers. I’m sure it was quite a site to see 22 Americans all excited about one phone booth. As we strolled along, several people asked us why we’re here. We had the chance to tell them we’re here for the Olympics and are working with some churches in the area.

Up next: Heading into the city to meet our host churches and being the ministry part of our trip. We’re excited and ready to get started!

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London Calling!

Meredith Flynn —  July 25, 2012

OLYMPICS | Serena Butler

Editor’s note: IBSA’s Serena Butler is leading a mission team in London this week to help local churches there minister during the Summer Olympic Games, which start Friday. They’ll work in coffee houses hosted by the churches for Londoners and visitors to watch the Games, grab a bite to eat, and engage in conversation with people from around the world. Serena will post regular updates here, so be sure to check back frequently and also visit IBSA.org/Olympics for more from London.

We had a miraculously smooth entry into London –
even with all our luggage.

When I called my mom before we left for London, I said, “Maybe all our flights will be on time and all our luggage will arrive on time.” She said, “That would be a miracle.”

Well, Mom, miracles still happen! We all arrived safely – actually early – into Heathrow International Airport Tuesday morning. We breezed through passport control, found our luggage, and made our way through customs without a hitch. When we came into the main terminal of the airport, there were Olympic volunteers everywhere waiting to greet teams and media people. As we waited for our mini-bus to arrive to take us to our lodging, several folks asked us who we were and what we were doing. Some asked us what sports team we were. I’m not sure what kind of team we look like, but it started some conversations as we waited.

Nelda Smothers, our senior team member, quickly started a conversation with one of the volunteers. As I approached her, I could hear her saying things like, “It’s about a relationship, not a religion.” She learned that the gentleman’s wife attends a church in the Kings Cross area, where half of our team will be serving. As we spoke to a few others they and we explained what we would be doing, one said, “I might just pop in for some coffee at your coffee house one afternoon.” (You need to say that last sentence with your best Mary Poppins impression).

Meeting the Norwegian handball team.
Go Norway! But what is handball?

As we waited outside for our ride, the Norwegian handball team arrived, and our team took advantage of the opportunity to take some photos with some real Olympians. Then, it was time to board our coach and head to All Nations, the Christian college where we’re staying this week. It’s housed in an old manor once owned by friends of William Wilberforce. If you saw that movie “Amazing Grace” that name should ring a bell. The college is a training school for missions. It has lovely gardens and is very nice – and very English.

Our lodging for the week.

Tuesday evening, we had our first orientation session, joining about 200 other volunteers from around the globe. I met Dirk, a young man from Germany, who’s here in London because, in his words, “I attended the Barcelona Games as an atheist and I was introduced to the Gospel by a street preacher there. That is where I began my search for God.” Now he is here, as a believer, to share the Gospel with others. He was raised in East Germany, under communism, so Barcelona was the first time he had heard the Gospel. Those are the kinds of opportunities we’re praying for this week.

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