Tinney Chapel Today

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Tinney Talk, November, 2009, Observations by Joe Dan Boyd

THE POWER OF WORDS was an oft-recurring theme in Angela Wylie’s Oct. 18 Laity Sermon, an existential examination and theological treatise on her personal journey of self-discovery in this life and the Life yet to come. She moved easily between analysis of an Old Testament psalmist, “I will not neglect Your Word,” to an account of the New Testament Gospel, “In the beginning was The Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In one singularly inspired instance, Angela emphasized, almost in awe and amazement, that the Bible contains the very Words of God.

“SAFE JOURNEY” was the title of Angela’s sermon, a profound choice fed in large part by worldly judgments weighed against two recent accomplishments of her heart and hands. One was a nine-month-task of the hands, requiring patience and persistence to produce a large and intricately designed quilt of great utility and beauty. She was certain that it would take first-place in the 2009 Hopkins County quilt contest. Instead, it came in a disappointing third. The other was a spontaneous poem written on scrap paper, in both haste and heartfelt emotion, while riding from Winnsboro to Sulphur Springs with her son Kevin. That the poem survived at all was perhaps an Act of God, Who would bring it to her attention again a bit later.

AN INVITATION TO ENTER A POETRY CONTEST soon arrived by e-mail from Northeast Texas Community College, and Angela was prompted to peruse and polish her still-rough draft of the poem she had written, literally, on the road. Eventually titled, “All That Remains Are The Flowers,” Angela’s ode to a concept of home as reflecting both a sense of place and a spirit of love won first place in the poetry contest, and was reprinted numerous times in unexpected places. The response from readers, some known, others unknown, was overwhelming. All had been keenly touched by Angela’s words. Some said they were moved to tears.

IN HER LAITY SERMON, Angela drew an analogy with something that Jesus said about Eternal Judgment, recorded by Matthew: We will have to account for every careless word we have spoken, for by our words we will be condemned or by our words we will be acquitted! Words, she said, evoke images and emotions that nothing else can. Words may hurt us more than fists. Words may heal us better than medicine.

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Tinney Talk, October, 2009
Observations by Joe Dan Boyd

IS CHRISTIANITY “CATCHING,” or CONTAGIOUS? Perhaps so, if we define Christianity as a behavior system defined by positive actions, headed by Love, the unconditional kind known as agape that Jesus spent so much time talking about and modeling in His own life. Among other things, Jesus referred to Love, directed toward God and our neighbors, as the Greatest Commandment: Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and Love your neighbor as yourself.

IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, Jesus said on another occasion. And, after Peter had denied Jesus, the Lord rehabilitated His fallen Disciple with a combination of forgiveness and restored confidence simply by asking Peter a single question three times: Do you love me? Peter seemed puzzled by Jesus’ repetition of that all-important question, but kept giving the right answer, and continued his Apostolic ministry of preaching and modeling agape Love for the rest of his life.

HERE AT TINNEY CHAPEL, we have witnessed, first hand, the transforming power of agape Love. Georgia Goggans, introduced to Tinney Chapel by monthly Native American Fellowship meetings and occasional special church events, eventually became a member, and said that our Church Loved her into its ranks. On several occasions, first-time visitors to Tinney Chapel have been moved to comment on the power of Love experienced upon entering the door to our sanctuary. Some have said they could feel the Holy Spirit at work inside these walls.

SOCIOLOGISTS & PHILOSOPHERS have long suspected that behaviors can be “contagious,” according to an article last month in the New York Times. It was an article informed by long-term studies of social network shapes, and flavored with technical terms like “sociograms,” all of which was associated with possible evidence that human beings may actually “infect” each other with both good and bad behavior. How many of us, who may not read the New York Times much at all, have heard ourselves telling a fellow Christian that he, or she, by their behavior, may be the only Bible that someone else will ever read?

THEY WILL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE is a Christ-centered phrase popularized in one of Christianity’s most-loved hymns, and all of us have been told at one time or another by our parents, and some of our pastors, never to forget WHOSE we are! It’s another way of reminding us that our actions count for something, reflecting on those who raise us, train us. Love us--and those who are influenced by us.

HEALTHY CHURCHES NEVER STOP EMPHASIZING LOVE as their defining characteristic, perhaps because it is such an essential part of Christian DNA. When Tinney Chapel experienced the Hearne-Renshaw Vision & Values Workshop in 2000, our Love quotient was enhanced noticeably for several years, producing Marvin T. Judy awards for excellence in rural ministry during both 2002 and 2004. Let’s plan on at least one repeat during our upcoming DNA Coaching experience!