Greater New Jersey Annual Conference mobilizes to help out in aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

Under the guidance of Bishop John Schol, the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference has begun mobilizing to help the people of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania in the wake of the worst storm in New Jersey's history.  There are constant updates via Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.  There is information about churches that have opened up to help people in the community and much more information.

Greater New Jersey Annual Conference mobilizes to help out in aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

Under the guidance of Bishop John Schol, the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference has begun mobilizing to help the people of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania in the wake of the worst storm in New Jersey's history.  There are constant updates via Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.  There is information about churches that have opened up to help people in the community and much more information.

Five Days Later . . . post Sandy . . . Thankful

I haven't had access to the internet through normal means since Monday, October 30th.  Our power went out on Monday evening and as of Saturday evening, November 3rd we are still out.  Through the kindness of a friend, we are re-charging our phones, doing some laundry and connecting to the internet.  We are also warm.  We have been living without heat or electricity since Monday.  We do have hot water and a stove top that works.  All things considered, we are fortunate and thankful.  So many people have been hard hit and just ten miles east of us, the barrier island where Seaside Heights is located, is devastated.

We have held several conference calls among Greater New Jersey Annual Conference leadership to begin responding to Hurricane Sandy.  On Monday, conference leaders will meet with UMCOR representatives to begin planning a long-range response.

We pray for those who have lost loved ones and those who have lost property.  Working together, we will rebuild our lives, our communities, and our churches.

Five Days Later . . . post Sandy . . . Thankful

I haven't had access to the internet through normal means since Monday, October 30th.  Our power went out on Monday evening and as of Saturday evening, November 3rd we are still out.  Through the kindness of a friend, we are re-charging our phones, doing some laundry and connecting to the internet.  We are also warm.  We have been living without heat or electricity since Monday.  We do have hot water and a stove top that works.  All things considered, we are fortunate and thankful.  So many people have been hard hit and just ten miles east of us, the barrier island where Seaside Heights is located, is devastated.

We have held several conference calls among Greater New Jersey Annual Conference leadership to begin responding to Hurricane Sandy.  On Monday, conference leaders will meet with UMCOR representatives to begin planning a long-range response.

We pray for those who have lost loved ones and those who have lost property.  Working together, we will rebuild our lives, our communities, and our churches.

Tree has fallen

Hurricane Sandy is picking up force.  A tree in our front yard fell down towards the street.  Fortunately, there were no cars parked along the side of the road and we have underground cables--so no electric wires were affected.  This continues to be an amazing storm. 

I noticed that the water in the toilet bowl was stirring, as if we were on a ship and the level of water was affected by the waves.

Tree has fallen

Hurricane Sandy is picking up force.  A tree in our front yard fell down towards the street.  Fortunately, there were no cars parked along the side of the road and we have underground cables--so no electric wires were affected.  This continues to be an amazing storm. 

I noticed that the water in the toilet bowl was stirring, as if we were on a ship and the level of water was affected by the waves.

Sandy picks up speed

It's 3:40 p.m.  We still have power though we have had several flick-outs.  The pictures of damages are frightening.  Right now, outside our house in Berkeley Township (postal address Toms River), the wind is fierce and the rain continues to pummel the windows on the north side of the house.  I suspect that we will lose electric power any minute now.  I've checked in with Becky and Mike and they are okay and still have power.  I texted Ben to see how he and Laura were doing.  No response.  However, I understand he needs to work at Rutgers today because he is 'essential personnel.'  Winds are sustained at 40 mph according to newscasts.  Keep safe.

Sandy picks up speed

It's 3:40 p.m.  We still have power though we have had several flick-outs.  The pictures of damages are frightening.  Right now, outside our house in Berkeley Township (postal address Toms River), the wind is fierce and the rain continues to pummel the windows on the north side of the house.  I suspect that we will lose electric power any minute now.  I've checked in with Becky and Mike and they are okay and still have power.  I texted Ben to see how he and Laura were doing.  No response.  However, I understand he needs to work at Rutgers today because he is 'essential personnel.'  Winds are sustained at 40 mph according to newscasts.  Keep safe.

More on Sandy

It is now nearly 2:30 p.m. on October 29th.  The wind has increased and so has the rain.  We just had the first "flicker" in our lights.  We anticipate that there will be a power outage.  Our phones are charged as is my IPAD, so we hope to be able to stay in communication even if power goes out--at least for a while.  We are most concerned about the branches of trees tumbling down.  We are still 3 and a half hours before Sandy makes a landing somewhere along the Jersey Shore.

More on Sandy

It is now nearly 2:30 p.m. on October 29th.  The wind has increased and so has the rain.  We just had the first "flicker" in our lights.  We anticipate that there will be a power outage.  Our phones are charged as is my IPAD, so we hope to be able to stay in communication even if power goes out--at least for a while.  We are most concerned about the branches of trees tumbling down.  We are still 3 and a half hours before Sandy makes a landing somewhere along the Jersey Shore.

Following Sandy

I've known and know women and men who bear the name of Sandy.  I have never met a hurricane by that name, however.  I write this on Monday, October 29th at 11:30 a.m.  The wind is fierce, the rain pelting.  So far we still have electricity here in Toms River.  However, we know that power could be cut at any time.  The media has been insistent on taking safe precautionary measures.  Tammie and I purchased filtered, bottled water and food supplies.  We arrived too late to the stores to get a flashlight, though we own two and they are in working order.  As long as we have electricity we will take advantage of the fact that we have to be home and inside to do some work (quilting, writing).

As long as I can, I will be making updates, dependent, of course, on power and connection.

Following Sandy

I've known and know women and men who bear the name of Sandy.  I have never met a hurricane by that name, however.  I write this on Monday, October 29th at 11:30 a.m.  The wind is fierce, the rain pelting.  So far we still have electricity here in Toms River.  However, we know that power could be cut at any time.  The media has been insistent on taking safe precautionary measures.  Tammie and I purchased filtered, bottled water and food supplies.  We arrived too late to the stores to get a flashlight, though we own two and they are in working order.  As long as we have electricity we will take advantage of the fact that we have to be home and inside to do some work (quilting, writing).

As long as I can, I will be making updates, dependent, of course, on power and connection.

Isn't there a better way to do this?

I'm weary of the negative political commercials and of words taken out of context.  I'm weary of never-ending campaigning.  I'm weary of receiving email after email soliciting funds and phone call after phone call.  Isn't there a better way of doing this?

Isn't there a better way to do this?

I'm weary of the negative political commercials and of words taken out of context.  I'm weary of never-ending campaigning.  I'm weary of receiving email after email soliciting funds and phone call after phone call.  Isn't there a better way of doing this?

Gladiator mentality

My High School "mascot" was "the gladiator."  Roman-era busts adorned banners as our Football team went off to battle.  I don't think it was a wise choice for a school emblem and was thankful when years later it was changed.

I thought about 'gladiator mentality' the other day when I heard how a stadium of fans cheered the injury to one of its own players because they wanted him yanked from the game.  Isn't that what Romans did when Gladiators faced lions in order to try to win their freedom?  People would cheer when they were injured, gored or killed.  Is that the kind of entertainment we want nowadays?  Is that what our culture has progressed to?  Cheering when a player gets injured?

Football is dangerous enough as it is.  I played in High School just as most of my friends did.  I enjoyed playing the game.  I also feared when someone got hurt.

I think it is time to rethink our cultural  values when we tolerate cheers for injured players.  It is also high time we think through the long-term injuries that football players sustain.  I wonder if someday in the future, human beings will look back on our times and marvel how barbarous our sports were, just as we do when we think of throwing someone to the lions.

Gladiator mentality

My High School "mascot" was "the gladiator."  Roman-era busts adorned banners as our Football team went off to battle.  I don't think it was a wise choice for a school emblem and was thankful when years later it was changed.

I thought about 'gladiator mentality' the other day when I heard how a stadium of fans cheered the injury to one of its own players because they wanted him yanked from the game.  Isn't that what Romans did when Gladiators faced lions in order to try to win their freedom?  People would cheer when they were injured, gored or killed.  Is that the kind of entertainment we want nowadays?  Is that what our culture has progressed to?  Cheering when a player gets injured?

Football is dangerous enough as it is.  I played in High School just as most of my friends did.  I enjoyed playing the game.  I also feared when someone got hurt.

I think it is time to rethink our cultural  values when we tolerate cheers for injured players.  It is also high time we think through the long-term injuries that football players sustain.  I wonder if someday in the future, human beings will look back on our times and marvel how barbarous our sports were, just as we do when we think of throwing someone to the lions.

Accountability Groups

I belong to a small accountability group.  There are five people who regularly attend and several others who attend semi-regularly.  We meet to share, to give honest feedback to one another and to support one another.  The group helps make me a better person and I am grateful for all the participants.  Wesley organized such groups in the 18th century and they helped thousands of people become better people.  It worked then and it works now.

Accountability Groups

I belong to a small accountability group.  There are five people who regularly attend and several others who attend semi-regularly.  We meet to share, to give honest feedback to one another and to support one another.  The group helps make me a better person and I am grateful for all the participants.  Wesley organized such groups in the 18th century and they helped thousands of people become better people.  It worked then and it works now.

What is your legacy?

I visited one of many small churches today that is composed of a handful of senior citizens who remember how great things used to be in their church.  The question that is difficult to ask and even harder to answer is: What will be your legacy?

You will never regain the great golden days of yore.  Yet, you can do something positive for the future.  You can leverage the many gifts and assets you have in creative ways to leave a legacy for future generations.  What is needed more than anything else is a Plan so that you can take the steps from where you are now to where you want to get to.  There is a lot at stake.

What is your legacy?

I visited one of many small churches today that is composed of a handful of senior citizens who remember how great things used to be in their church.  The question that is difficult to ask and even harder to answer is: What will be your legacy?

You will never regain the great golden days of yore.  Yet, you can do something positive for the future.  You can leverage the many gifts and assets you have in creative ways to leave a legacy for future generations.  What is needed more than anything else is a Plan so that you can take the steps from where you are now to where you want to get to.  There is a lot at stake.

Staying in love with God

I was chatting with a friend the other day and she shared with me that she was having trouble staying connected to God.  She described a feeling of being in a funk and not having the energy or desire to pray or worship or read the Bible.  She used to be able to do those things with enthusiasm.  I have experienced times like that--they usually go along with a general state of depression.

After chatting with my friend, I remembered the wisdom of Henri Nouwen in his book, Gracias! The book recounts his days of living in Bolivia and Peru, learning Spanish and working with the poor.  He shared his own experiences of dealing with depression.  He found a way out of his funk by following a routine.  He had always set aside a time for prayer and bible reading and stuck to it during his time of depression.  I think the advice is akin to Peter Bohler's encouragement to John Wesley when the latter was so down as to want to give up preaching.  "Preach faith until you have faith," said Bohler, "and when you have faith you'll preach faith."

I have found that daily use of the simplest of devotional guides, The Upper Room, helps me stay connected to God.  You can obtain hard copies or follow it online.  I encouraged my friend to start reading it.  It doesn't take a lot time and you may find that it helps you climb out of the funk.

Staying in love with God

I was chatting with a friend the other day and she shared with me that she was having trouble staying connected to God.  She described a feeling of being in a funk and not having the energy or desire to pray or worship or read the Bible.  She used to be able to do those things with enthusiasm.  I have experienced times like that--they usually go along with a general state of depression.

After chatting with my friend, I remembered the wisdom of Henri Nouwen in his book, Gracias! The book recounts his days of living in Bolivia and Peru, learning Spanish and working with the poor.  He shared his own experiences of dealing with depression.  He found a way out of his funk by following a routine.  He had always set aside a time for prayer and bible reading and stuck to it during his time of depression.  I think the advice is akin to Peter Bohler's encouragement to John Wesley when the latter was so down as to want to give up preaching.  "Preach faith until you have faith," said Bohler, "and when you have faith you'll preach faith."

I have found that daily use of the simplest of devotional guides, The Upper Room, helps me stay connected to God.  You can obtain hard copies or follow it online.  I encouraged my friend to start reading it.  It doesn't take a lot time and you may find that it helps you climb out of the funk.

What a pennant race!

I love baseball and this year's pennant race in the American League is one for the ages.  With three games left in the season, the winner in each of the three divisions is up for grabs.  The next three days will be exciting for fans of the Orioles, Yankees, Rangers, Athletics, and Tigers.  

Tammie and I are on a quest to visit each of the major league baseball venues.  This year we ticked off the list Padres, Angels, and Cardinals.  We are up to 22 out of 30.  Nothing better than a day game in the summer with the smells of hot dogs and the sounds of fans exploding with emotion at the crack of the bat.

What a pennant race!

I love baseball and this year's pennant race in the American League is one for the ages.  With three games left in the season, the winner in each of the three divisions is up for grabs.  The next three days will be exciting for fans of the Orioles, Yankees, Rangers, Athletics, and Tigers.  

Tammie and I are on a quest to visit each of the major league baseball venues.  This year we ticked off the list Padres, Angels, and Cardinals.  We are up to 22 out of 30.  Nothing better than a day game in the summer with the smells of hot dogs and the sounds of fans exploding with emotion at the crack of the bat.

My New Website

Last week I discovered that a website that I managed, www.yourchurchcangrow.org was no looking working.  I decided to create a whole new website that would focus on my writing and contain supporting information that was in the old website.  Other elements from the old website will be posted on the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference website.  So, today I launch www.dougruffle.com.  The website contains a list of books and articles written over the years.  It also contains a free download of the study guide to my book, Roadmap to Renewal:  Rediscovering the Church's Mission.  I would love your feedback on it.

My New Website

Last week I discovered that a website that I managed, www.yourchurchcangrow.org was no looking working.  I decided to create a whole new website that would focus on my writing and contain supporting information that was in the old website.  Other elements from the old website will be posted on the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference website.  So, today I launch www.dougruffle.com.  The website contains a list of books and articles written over the years.  It also contains a free download of the study guide to my book, Roadmap to Renewal:  Rediscovering the Church's Mission.  I would love your feedback on it.

For a co-worker about to move away

For Veronika

When we’ve worked together for more than several years

We form a community and we may not even be aware

Of how much we’ve become a part of something

until the day comes when one or the other moves on

and then what we feel is the beginning of the absence of the other

And there is a sadness

For while we know we must move on

And we know that moving on brings all kinds of good things

We know also that there will be something missing

That can never be replaced because there is a uniqueness

To it all

And that is the gift

The gift we cherish

The gift for which we are grateful

The gift we will long remember

Doug

For a co-worker about to move away

For Veronika

When we’ve worked together for more than several years

We form a community and we may not even be aware

Of how much we’ve become a part of something

until the day comes when one or the other moves on

and then what we feel is the beginning of the absence of the other

And there is a sadness

For while we know we must move on

And we know that moving on brings all kinds of good things

We know also that there will be something missing

That can never be replaced because there is a uniqueness

To it all

And that is the gift

The gift we cherish

The gift for which we are grateful

The gift we will long remember

Doug