Wednesday, December 12, 2007

The Gods Aren't Angry Tour.

On Saturday, December 2, I took the Oakwood Hall staff to Cleveland, OH to see and hear a neo-lecture given by Rob Bell, teaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, MI. I purchased our tickets in June which resulted in row 5 seating in the Allen Theater located in the Playhouse Square Center theater district. The teaching was part of "The gods Aren't Angry Tour." Bell traveled to 22 cities in the U.S. to deliver his message in theaters and concert halls. The net proceeds of the ticket cost of $15.00 each were given to the Turame microfinance project in Berundi, Africa, a country "adopted" by the Mars Hill community.
We departed Mount Vernon without directions to the theater knowing only that we were headed toward Cleveland. In order to arrive we had to stop to interact with people to ask for directions. I thought this would be a challenging, enjoyable, and/or even frustrating journey but proved to be anti-climatic when we by chance took the correct exit and landed only a few blocks from the theater district.
My desire was to avoid any popular chain restaurants and find a high-quality local establishment for food. We skipped over Starbucks to go to a local coffee shop as we waited availability of table for seven. An Italian place called Acapella's was not able to accommodate us in time for the teaching so we dined at Otto Moser's Restaurant. We finished just in time to be about ten minutes early to our seats in the theater. Then it began...

1 comment:

peterkevinson said...

and you couldn't have invited me along for the ride?

Matthew 5:38-48, NASB

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone want to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only you brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."