Friday night was the evening of the annual Chamber of Commerce awards dinner. It comes at the end of the administrative year when new officers are installed for the new year and awards are given to outstanding businesses.

I was installed as a new Director and will serve a three year term. I’m honored I was invited to be on the Board, and I look forward to what I will learn during my term as well as the doors that will open.

The Chamber of Commerce is a great way to be involved in the community. The monthly “Connectors” as well as the ribbon cuttings and other events give me numerous opportunities to rub elbows with people and tell them our story. The Chamber is probably the single best contact maker I have.

Since “serving the City” is part of the DNA of LifeSpring Church, I believe that these connections will be extremely valuable to us very soon.

God keeps surprising me and delighting me with the people He brings to my path. Lately, I’ve had three long conversations with a friend and disciple of Jesus that I’ve met in Starbucks. We’ve talked about books, ministry, and reaching missing people, and I’m encouraged by the talk.

A couple of weeks ago I met a person on the Off-the-Map blog. In fact, I’ve made three friends as a direct result of Off-the-Map, friends I’ve never laid eyes on. Two live in Washington and one lives in Oregon. All have a passionate love for “the missing.”

I’m trying to decide why I have such delight in these coffee, phone, and blog friends. I think it may be because of the shared convictions we have regarding how to reach people who don’t go to church. It may also be because of their uncompromising service to God.

Whatever the reasons, I know that it is pleasant to talk to them and to see how God is using them in His Kingdom. How exciting!

Whenever I wanted to get together with other planters I had to drive a long distance. These trips ate a big part of the day, for only a couple of hours with the guys. “Can I start a Church Planters’ Network in my neck of the woods?” I asked Roger Gibson.

Roger is director of planter care for Stadia, and so he is quite interested in seeing such networks develop, especially as it benefits the planters. I e-mailed some of the planters and pastors interested in planting in this area. I wrote to guys in Turlock, Los Banos, Clovis, and Madera, and we decided to meet on June 13.

Seven of us got together. The group members did not know each other prior to this meeting; I was the common element. We spent two hours together. The first hour was used to get to know each other, the second hour to eat and make plans for the future.

I came away from the meeting quite encouraged and excited about the future of the group. It was generally agreed that we’d eventually pool our efforts and resources to plant another church in this vicinity of the Central Valley.

I like the outward focus. I think that it pleases God when His people think ourwardly. Reproduction is the way that Life continues and blesses other people.

Jeff Rye said that he would tow our trailer of equipment from Sunnyvale to Merced. We don’t have a truck that would enable us to do it ourselves. He was going to bring it on Tuesday, June 6.

But somewhere between Sunnyvale and Gilroy he called me. “Bruce I’m really nervous about towing this over Pachecho Pass. The lights don’t work, there are no trailer brakes, and the tires are cracked from UV exposure.” He said that he would stop in Gilroy and look at the trailer more closely.

He concluded that the trailer had too many problems. Jeff said he would transfer the load of equipment to his trailer and tow it to Merced in a week. He came on Monday, June 12, and we unloaded the stuff in the church’s storage shed. I said, “Jeff, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”

Jeff said that this is par for the course. Church planters learn to accept challenges and adapt to them. I like that philosophy. Challenges teach. Challenges increase faith. And challenges give the opportunity for generosity and service to be experienced.

Jeff blessed me today. I’m grateful for that.

A friend of mine called a couple of months ago. Judi would really like for you to preside at her wedding. Would you be free to do that?

Honestly, I really don’t have time. When I agreed to do it, I didn’t realize how many plates I’d have in the air. But I still wouldn’t change it.

I love to do weddings, especially when it’s someone I know and care about. It’s one of the holiest moments in life. When else in your life do your words have such significance? “By the power invested in me by the State of California and the authority of God our Father, I pronounce you husband and wife.” Wow!

We’ll be making two trips this weekend–one for the reception and one for the wedding. They will take a big chunk of time. But I think it’s worth it to be able to contribute such a great gift to the lives of two people.

In case you haven’t heard it, tomorrow is the sixth day of the sixth month of the sixth year–6/6/06. NPR ran a story about it. People are speculating whether it has religious significance. 666 is the famous number from the book of Revelation.

It sounds to me like everyone knows about this number whether they have read the Bible or not. When I say “know” about it, I mean they’ve heard about it, but they don’t really know its significance.

I’m amused by it. Such energy spent on something that has no significance! John wrote his “Revelation” to a group of Christians who were being persecuted by the Roman emperor, Domitian. His Revelation was written in code language and meant for the eyes and understanding of Christians in the 90’s AD.

Revelation was for the encouragement of beleagured Christians, not to give people in the 21st century a horoscope for the future. I’m going to plan a typical day tomorrow. The gates of Hell cannot prevail against God’s Kingdom.

Last night Bev and I ushered for the Saturday performance of Man of La Mancha. Her assignment for the night was to show people where their seats were, and mine was to greet people when they entered the foyer. I also now have a standing assignment–sell 50/50 raffle tickets.

It makes for a fun evening. We get to see and meet new people, interact with the Playhouse cast and staff, and see a good show. ….for the second time.

I think that one of the things I like about live theatre is the permission it gives for people to be exuberant. Where else can people don a costume or break out in song?

I broke my record for 50/50 sales last night; I collected $201 dollars. The person who won the raffle donated his $101 back to the theatre. The audience applauded him for his generosity.

It’s not good for me to be so successful because the next time I’m at the theatre I’ll be selling tickets. “50/50 tickets. Arm’s length for $10. Get your tickets right here.”

Over the past several months I’ve e-mailed and conversed with Jim Henderson at Off-the-Map. I love what Jim is doing, teaching ordinary disciples of Jesus to use ordinary means to reach the unchurched–talking and listening.

I’m sure he is making some “Christians” uncomfortable because of the way he questions the methods we have used and the judgments we have issued. I have found, however, that he is dead right about the openness of people when treated with respect and love.

Today I got my invitation to be one of his bloggers at Doable Evangelism. I am so jazzed by that for two reasons. First, I am honored and humbled to be part of that effort, and second, I love the way it forces me to focus and think about how I am relating to “the missing.”

So check out Doable Evangelism. You’ll see my contributions once in a while, either as Bruce Logue or as Mercedian.

I got to preach yesterday at a church in Stockton. I’ve known that congregation for over 15 years, and so it feels like home when I go there.

Last Sunday, as Bev and I were getting out of the car, we bumped into friends we hadn’t seen in years–Don and Melba. They spend most of the year in Arizona, but when they come home they stay in Stockton. It was so good to see them.

We talked in machine gun bursts. “How are your kids?” “Where do you live now?” “How surprised we were to see that you were going to be here today!” Don’s health has not been the best, and we could tell he didn’t feel great.

Serendipities like that are good and bad. Good because of the joy of seeing people you love. Bad because the intersection is so short. There’s so much you want to tell them about but don’t have time.

Now we have to wait for the next brief intersection of our paths. It’s delicious to think about and anticipate.

In the mean time, “Lord please be with Don. Help him to recover from his health setback so that he can enjoy life, serve you more fully, and enjoy his grandkids. And thank you for giving us good friends to accompany us on the path. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

I sat in on a conversation today that made me really angry at my government. The conversation was about the permanent harm that came to someone who served our nation. He was called up by the military and sent away to war.

Now he needs our nation to come to his aid. But we seem to want to distance ourselves from him. I can only guess why that is the case. Perhaps it is money; it costs lots of money to take care of someone in his predicament. A much more cynical view might be that the government never cared for him; he was just a cog in a military wheel.

This should be the deal we give anyone who serves at time of war. “If you go away to serve your country, and you get hurt, we’ll take care of you. No matter what it costs to do so.” A country that does that would be demonstrating it is possible for a nation to have compassion.

As I listened in on the conversation I got to thinking about Samuel. Samuel told God that the people wanted a king–in other words, a government. God warned that a king would tax them, conscript them for military service, and spend all the money on himself.

Human govenment has pretty severe limitations. It can’t have compassion. It can’t know the people. It can’t be submissive and kind. It can’t be fair. The truth of this is certainly seen in the way the individual mentioned above was treated on his return to this country.

The soldier’s caregivers care every day for wounds of indifference. I wish it were different. I wish there were a line of government officials outside his door saying, “How can we help you?”