COMMUNICATION VS. COMMUNION

The Word was delivered in the flesh, not via Gmail

Apple can do only so much.

It was my birthday. I was sitting at my desk at home, staring at my iMac. My mother called on the home phone plugged into the wall because that’s what older people do — call on landlines.

While we were talking, an iMessage popped up on my desktop from my daughter in San Antonio. It contained an embedded video from my two little granddaughters. Before I could open it, my wife’s iPhone rang. Our daughter and the girls were calling on FaceTime, so Kim brought the smartphone into my study and pointed it at the computer. I clicked on the video and watched the girls singing Happy Birthday to me and blowing out candles that their mother had put on a tray of brownies.

Meanwhile my mother in Tennessee listened on the landline and the girls in San Antonio watched themselves on my iMac while they were eating the brownies they had since rescued from the melting candle wax.

Two states, three cities, four generations and five technologies: all happening in “virtual” real time, if that’s not an oxymoron. When my mother was a child, her grandparents would have had to be in the room to wish her happy birthday in real time; otherwise it would have been a Hallmark card with a stamp from the post office. When I was that age, my grandparents might have called on a wired telephone. When my daughter was that age, it would still have been a landline.

Within the last thirty years, wow — we have had a communications revolution.

Or have we? We may have had only a communication device revolution. We have more ways to communicate today than at any time in the history of the world. And granted, we send more communiqués than every before. In addition to the abovementioned, we could include fax, Facebook, Twitter, Viber and all sorts of means of messaging.

But are we better communicators?

At the heart of faith traditions that derive from the God of Abraham is the claim that God has revealed God’s self to the world. God has broken through the sound barrier between heaven and earth and communicated with us.

At first it would have been a word that might have sounded like a gentle wind whispering sweet somethings of promised love in the ear of an unsuspecting lonely

Intimacy can be intimated by mail, or by the book, or online. Being there brings the message home.

Bedouin. It could at times have sounded to a prophet like the roar of an angry sea at the idolatry and injustice between and within coastal kingdoms. In time those hardly audible words were written down, and the writing itself was occasion for tidings of judgment or joy.

Christians claim that the climax of God’s communication strategy with the world came when the Word came to live among us. God didn’t create advanced technologies to send new signals; the Word came in the flesh to bring the word afresh.

And that’s because true spiritual experience is always more about communion than communication. Intimacy can be intimated by mail, or by the book, or online. Being there brings the message home.

Bodily presence is the mystery that seals our hearts in love and binds us as one. Which is why Christians talk about the real presence of Christ in communion. We’re partaking together of the divine life.

There’s virtually no substitute for that. Really.

People

Last month we reported online that the founder of the Lab at Lake Highlands-become-Lab at Lakewood, Melissa Wright, would manage the world-class, state-of-the-art, national-attentiongarnering Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden at the Arboretum. She managed it for about a month, and now, she notes, she is done with the Arboretum and is planning a “last-ditch” effort to revive The Lab. Shortly after announcing the closing of The Lab, Wright shared with great enthusiasm her new role as Children’s Garden manager. In October, via her blog, she reported that she plans to reopen The Lab. She apparently has parted ways with the Arboretum. “I have heard this type of thing is usually called, a ‘last-ditch’ effort,” she writes. “But after watching the debacle that is the Arboretum attempting to further the informal science education model, I figure it’s what I must do.” Nothing official from the Arboretum, but it is safe to assume they might have a position open.

Our neighborhood streets and trails served as training ground for the new Guinness World Record for marathon-running holder. We have written about White Rock-area resident Angela Tortorice’s feats of charity and stamina. The Marathon Maniac told the Advocate a couple of years ago about her three marathons in three days, 10 double marathons and running a marathon in all 50 states. Twice. “I don’t necessarily think I’m good at running,” she said at the time. “I’m good at endurance.” This needs no proof. However there is proof in the form of a certificate from Guinness World Records. She has been declared “officially amazing” for running the most marathons in a calendar year by a woman 129 of them — between September 2012 and August 2013.

Community

The community headed to Lakewood Country Club in October to support Healing Hands Ministries‘ fourth annual golf tournament, and they got a bonus. Honorary Chairman Matt Mosley brought along his new radio co-host, veteran sports columnist and ESPN television panelist Tim Cowlishaw. Mosley, who lives in Lake Highlands with his young family, says he’s excited about welcoming Cowlishaw to “The Afternoon Show,” which airs from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays on ESPN 103.3. Winners of the tournament were Julian Vigil, Dane Lacey, Paige Nash and Michael Rideau. The team comprising Roy LaDriere, Devin Frye, Jack Smith and Ted Daniel came in second. Third went to Stephen Brookshire, Stephen Frazze, Scott Sargent and Judson Stafford Jeff McBrayer won a prize for being closest to the pin, and Zach Goldberg had the longest drive. Healing Hands Ministries is a non-profit clinic providing medical and dental care to children and families in Lakewood, Lake Highlands and surrounding areas.

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Wednesdays In December

Soup Supper 6:00 pm

Advent Vespers 7:00 pm

Fellowship Hall

GLAD TIDINGS, a special Christmas music presentation by Brookhaven College Choral Society and Central Lutheran Senior Choir. Sunday, December 8 – 5:00 pm in the sanctuary.

Benefitting Klais Pipe Organ Project CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

Sunday, December 22 – 1:00 pm in the sanctuary following the Christmas Pot Luck at 11:30am in the Fellowship Hall.

TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE

Tuesday, December 24, 7:00 PM

1000 Easton Road, Dallas, TX 75218 214-327-2222

Beautiful, Functional, Affordable

Helping hands

The Woodrow Wilson JV Cheerleaders gave 150 hours of volunteer service in the community in October. They volunteered for the LECPTA, The Stonewall Carnival, The Arboretum Children’s Garden and Lakewood Carnival. Left to right: Alessa Johnson, Jessica Gray, Brooke Molina, Catherine Wilson, Julianna Sweeney, Lawson Freeman.

Cut the check

During the homecoming game, the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA presented a check for $15,000 to Woodrow’s PTA president Randy Patterson. This year’s LECPTA president Kim Sinnott and last year’s president Nikki Jordan, along with their three kiddos, presented the check.

CLASSES/TUTORING/ LESSONS

ALL AGES: LEARN PIANO WITH WADE COTTINGHAM LakewoodPianoLab.com Since 1998. 214-564-6456

ART: Draw or Paint. All Levels. Lake Highlands N. Rec. Ctr. Jane Cross, 214-534-6829. Linda, 214-808-4919.

ARTISTIC GATHERINGS

Casa Linda Plaza. Art Classes & Drop In Pottery Painting For All Ages. 214-821-8383. Tues-Sat 10am-6pm

DRUM & PIANO LESSONS Your location. UNT Grad. BucherMusicSchool.com or call 214-484-5360, 469-831-7012

GUITAR OR PIANO Fun/Easy. Your Home. 11 Yrs Exp. Reasonable rates. UNT Grad. Larry 469-358-8784

JEWELRY Making Parties at Art Gallery. BYOB & creativity. All else included! jewelrymakingparty.com or 1-855-254-6625

Childcare

LOVING, CHRIST-CENTERED CARE SINCE 1982 Lake Highlands Christian Child Enrichment Center Ages 2 mo.-12 yrs. 9919 McCree. 214-348-1123.

JANUARY DEADLINE DEC. 4 CALL 214.560.4203

Childcare

Services For You

LOWER THAT CABLE BILL Get satellite TV today. Free system, install/HD/DVR upgrade. Programming starting at $19.99. 800-725-1865

Professional Services

A WILL? THERE IS A WAY Estate/Probate Matters-Free Consultation. 214-802-6768 MaryGlennAttorney.com

Employment

CREATE INCOME From The Internet. One On One Coaching & Group Support. www.MonthlyResidual.net

PET SITTERS, DOG WALKERS Email Recruiting@pcpsi.com

Services For You

AT ODDS WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Easily Learn Essential Skills. Services include Digital Photo Help. Sharon 214-679-9688 CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $50/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 214-660-3733 or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

ACCOUNTING, TAXES Small Businesses & Individuals. Chris King, CPA 214-824-5313 www.chriskingcpa.com

BOOKKEEPING NEEDS? Need Help Organizing Finances? No Job Too Small or Big. Call C.A.S. Bookkeeping Services. Cindy 214-821-6903

HOLLOWAY BENEFIT CONCEPTS Benefit strategy for area businesses. www.hollowaybenefitconcepts.com 214-329-0097

REED & RIORDAN PLLC Dallas Family Law Attorneys 10000 N Central Expy Dallas, Tx 214-570-9555 reedriordan.com

Dress up

Woodrow Wilson High School students cheesed for a picture during the 2013 homecoming in October.

Hot pink

In October, Beth Dunn Bradley (pictured on the left) filled her yard with a flock of bright pink flamingos. Each year, Beth’s flamingo migration coincides with the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the world’s largest and most successful education and fundraising event for breast cancer. Each flamingo bears the name of a survivor or a friend who has lost their fight.