The Tour de Revs Blog

Keep the Message of Jesus in Your hearts

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:01:04 -0500

Since our return home I have been criticized for always preaching social justice. What I have discovered is that every lectionary text that I have read since I returned home has a message about social justice that I never saw before. Maybe it took The Poverty and Justice Bible to make me aware of how centered our scriptures are concerning social justice issues. As a church this needs to be our focus and mission. The gospel is that Jesus brings the Good News. Most often the Good News is addresses to the least, the lost and the lowly.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this year, let us remember Jesus words:
I have come to bring hope to the hopeless. How can we do the same this Christmas season?

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Video link

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:49:10 -0400

http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Office-of-the-Secretary/ELCA-Governance/Churchwide-Assembly/Multimedia/Webcasts/Thursday.aspx

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David's stuff

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:50:31 -0400

Stop 68 Home! We safely made it home on Friday afternoon. David kept talking about do we have enough stuff. Well, this is what David’s pile looked like after we unloaded the van and the trailer. Not a big pile for 100 days on the road. I found myself very frustrated when I returned home because in order to unload my stuff into the garage I first had to make room from all the stuff that had accumulated in the garage since I left. How do we acquire so much stuff?
I have been branded a neat freak. I wouldn’t go that far, but then again I like things neat and orderly. Many people have asked, how did you guys survive together for 100 days on the road? One of the hard things for me was that being organized, especially in the trailer, was not a priority for everyone. I had organized boxes and bins for all our stuff. Silly me for thinking people would share my organizational plan. Why wouldn’t you want to put your gloves in the glove bin, or your sunglasses in the bin for sunglasses? I had boxes marked for all of our promotional material, but by day two everything was mixed up. It was an adjustment. I survived, and I think my colleagues managed to put up with me.
Anyway, we’re home safe, fat and happy. I’m trying to put away an organize my stuff from the trip. The garage will take some time and my office, well I will deal with that next week, but it will get done, trust me.
People ask about the book?
More on that subject in the days to come. As you can tell from my blogs, I’m not a writer and a book won’t be high on my priority list. I will be share some thoughts on the trip over the next several weeks.
Check in for more updates, and thanks for following the Tour de Revs.

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The End!

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:22:47 -0400

We did it! 3 guys, 1 bike, 65 Synods and 100 days. Today is the official end of the Tour de Revs. We rode into the Convention Center, spoke to the 2,000 people gathered for the Church Wide Assembly, and received a standing ovation. With tears in my eyes I walked off the podium knowing that we made a difference in the lives of thousands of people.

God called us to share the message of Micah 6:8 bike humbly, speak for poverty, justice and hunger, and love the Lord (okay, our translation).
God protected and cared for us on our tour and for that we give thanks and praise.

We can only pray that by and through our efforts and message we have planted a few seeds that will bring new life to our Churches efforts to end poverty, injustice and hunger in this country and around the world.
Our journey has ended, may the seeds begin to grow.

Text of our message:

Rev. Dr. Fred A. Soltow, Jr, Shepherdstown Lutheran Parish, Shepherdstown, WV, WV/WMD Synod.

Today the Tour de Revs officially ends our journey. Our tour was not about reverends, but Revelation, Revolution and Revenue.
The Revelation is that there are over 2,100 vs in the Bible in which God says that there shall be no poor among you, feed my people and eliminate injustice. Fighting Poverty, Justice and Hunger are not feel good moments, but the Will and Word of God.

Rev. Reinold Schlak, Trinity Evangelical Church, Charleston, WV, WV/WMD Synod.

The Revolution calls us to share what God has first given to us. To give abundantly. This bag of 551 pennies is a gift from a homeless woman who walks the streets of San Diego gathering what others discard. She knew of our mission and wanted to help feed the hungry also.

Rev. David Twedt, Capon North River Parish, Wardensville, WV, WV/WMD Synod.

What breaks God's heart? A child dying every-time we take a breath from poverty and hunger?
Our Revenue message is: $5 a month from every ELCA baptized member will raise a quarter of a billion dollars for the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. We all have enough stuff. We have the resources to fight poverty and end hunger. Do we have the desire? It is God's Will.

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To our faithful readers, there will be one more blog. Check back Monday, August 24th, for my concluding thoughts.

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Hip-Hop Worship!

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:01:10 -0400

We made it to the Twin Cities, Stop 65 -66. Last evening we were a an urban new start congregation, Jordan New Life. Well that congregation certainly had New Life. Several hundred were gathered to celebrate a community meal and the arrival of the Revs. Monday, Aug. 18 was declared Tour de Revs day in Min. with a signed petition by the Mayor. Wednesday, after spending the day at the CWA (Church Wide Assembly), we headed over to St. Paul to visit the Synod Office and then on to Redeemer Lutheran in Minn. for their block party. The Revs were treated to fun, food and inspirational hip-hop. Yes, once a month they do a Hip-Hop Service. Now these guys can sing, dance and witness like no other I have seen. Their message of hope, faith and love brought a new understanding to contemporary.
I was moved. This was our last Synod/ congregational visit of the tour and what a finale.
We didn’t get a chance to ride today because of the weather. We were under a tornado watch most of the day and a tornado warning early afternoon. At one point we were asked to clear the halls and take cover. A tornado passed over the Convention Center doing minor damage to the far end while breaking the steeple at Central Lutheran Church, across the street.
All are safe and the block party went on. Thanks be to God.
Tomorrow at approximately 2:00 pm we hope to address the assembly. This will officially conclude the Tour de Revs. Our ride might be over, but the seeds that we have planted and scattered we pray will begin to take root and bring new life, a new focus and a new understanding of what the ELCA World Hunger program is all about.
May we become the people God has called us to be, those that work to end poverty, seek justice and end hunger. The Word of the Lord.

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