"Between saying and doing, many a pair of shoes is worn out." - Iris Murdoch

Yesterday morning was the second Sunday of Advent and at Pathway the theme was peace. We talked about the Hebrew word, shalom, which means so much more than the absence of conflict. This is the first time I've done Advent and so far I'm enjoying it. Yeah, imagine me enjoying something Christmas related.

Immediately after I ended two of the elders came up to do what pastors have come to expect as the usual Christmas-time expression of gratitude from the congregation. Let me first say it is always appreciated, and at least for me, meaningful in a way I can't describe or explain. So I won't try.

But I must also say that this time it was completely unlike anything I've experienced before. I've been at this for 40 years and nothing comes close to this morning's ... production.

After the usual, "We really appreciate all that Pastor Craig and Pam..." Matt and Todd donned mock  'hood gear and cued Justin, our bass player, to begin a riff which they used as the background for a rap. About the pastor. (They were actually pretty good!)

But after just a minute or two of that Kevin and Debyi, who along with Justin provide our music, interrupted. "What, you think you can do better??"
Uhm...yeah.

What followed blew my socks off!!
Shannon, Todd's wife, recorded the whole thing on her iPad. That means only modest quality for both video and especially audio. Never fear, we have the solution. Go here to watch the You Tube video that Shannon made. It starts with Todd & Matt, and then our musicians take over with something Kevin & Debyi wrote themselves. Here are the lyrics. You can read them and then watch the video, or play the video while you read the lyrics. Either way, I think you, too, will be impressed with their skills.

Verse 1:
Seattle born, Prunedale preacher man,
Went to Michigan to be a teacher, man.
He moved to Arizona to retire, mo-men-tarily.

Verse 2:
Working on cars and as a handyman,
There was more to this man than his handy plans.
Lord knew he'd pave a pathway with big words.

Bridge - word vamp:
So, take your four color pen and write down these important words:
Homologeo, Zeitgeist, Sanctification, Discourse, Messianic, Pericope,
Dispensationalism.
Musterion, Pax Romana, Syncretism, Koinonia.

Pre-Chorus:
God revealed the plan
To use this preacher man to teach us,
Jesus sacrifice
Bought our freedom and forgiveness,
So, with his two by four
He won't let us forget that it's called...
Substitutionary atonement,
Substitutionary atonement.

Verse 3:
Working towards Crossfit every day,
Eatin' his bacon the paleo way.
But thou shalt not eat of the Brussels Sprout! (that's sacrilege)

Verse 4:
He wishes he was built just like his son.
With that frame he could lift a ton.
But he's just a tall and lanky Swede with a big ol' brain (Scottish, too)

Bridge, Pre-chorus, chorus, chorus.

Jazz Break:
Get ready for the 12 Tribes breakdown. Who? The 12 tribes of Israel, y'all.
S. J. Bed-mizan Lrg. Mgr., S.J. Bed-mizan Lrg. Mgr.
Simeon, Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, Dan, Manasseh, Issachar, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, Levi, Reuben, Gad
S. J. Bedmizan Lrg. Mgr.....

Some of that is "inside stuff" but for the most part you can tell their pastor is a teacher and we have a lot of fun.

THANK YOU, Todd, Matt, Kevin & Debyi, and Justin.
And THANK YOU, Pathway.