FLICKS: Backstage reflections for 2015

Posted on 30 December 2015 by LeslieM

flick123115By Dave Montalbono

Compared to the previous year, 2015 has been a consistent year for the box office. As predicted, Disney dominated with their Marvel and Star Wars franchises. While not the Disney Juggernaut, Universal Pictures scored big with 50 Shades of Grey, Furious 7 and Jurassic World. However, 2015 low budget independent fare like Ex Machina produced a high profit margin for investors.

In April 2003, The Observer covered the Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF) for the first time. Recent Oscar winner Adrien Brody, producer Robert Evans, musician Michael Jackson and the legendary Fay Wray were in attendance at an elegant gala held at the Boca Raton Resort & Club.

Concurrently in Houston, director/writer Richard Linklater had completed filming the first year of Boyhood, a film that took 12 years to complete. At 2015’s PBIFF, Ellar Coltrane, one of the stars of this ambitious independent film attended.

The film, which was well received at the Academy Awards, also featured Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke.

Tired of being on the sidelines, I invested in a student short subject, Give Me Trouble starring local Blues Legend Joey Gilmore and featuring Robert “Hi Hat” Carter as the bass player. This film details a blues man’s last concert and will hopefully be entered in either the Palm Beach or Fort Lauderdale Film Festivals. Gilmore and his band frequently perform in our neighborhood, so check ‘em out!

Best known for playing “Marcy Darcy” on Married with Children, Amanda Bearse found her niche behind the scenes as a television director. A Winter Park native, Ms. Bearse also appears on the soap opera All My Children and the movie Fright Night. Of the many celebrities that I have met this year, Amanda Bearse was a true class act; she asked every individual their name and was generous with her time.

I briefly met Burt Reynolds on the red carpet at PBIFF six years ago. Having just recovered from open heart surgery, Reynolds seemed timid among the paparazzi. Despite walking with a cane, Reynolds appeared “born again” at the Spooky Empire convention. He was chatting with his diverse fan base, fans of films like Deliverance or the Smokey and the Bandit movies.

Reynolds has done much for the film culture in South Florida. The Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theater in Jupiter has provided a valuable stepping stone for local talent. At the peak of his stardom, Reynolds was generous to Palm Beach culture and his alma mater, Florida State University.

The film business is a forward-focused culture; however, it would be wise to reflect upon those Florida pioneers who paved the way for our future. Happy New Year!

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CLERGY CORNER: “Behold, I make all things new”

Posted on 30 December 2015 by LeslieM

The words God spoke near the end of the book of The Revelation of Saint John the Divine are among the greatest words of hope in the Bible. He spoke these words as he sat upon a throne: “Behold, I make all things new.” [Rev. 21:5] His words get our attention because, most of us, at least some time in our lives, have wished we could have the opportunity to start all over again, and perhaps do it differently, do it better the second time around. These thoughts can enter our minds at any time; but, somehow, they seem to make an annual appearance around New Year’s Day, when we’re thinking about resolutions and the things we could, and should, do to make our lives better next year than last year.

During the next few weeks, there will be no shortage of suggestions about what we can do to redress our lot in life during the coming year. None of us need to be reminded of the importance of taking better care of our bodies, enhancing our finances, strengthening our relationships and finding new ways to explore, and enjoy, our wonderful world.

We all know how important these things are to our well-being. These are things that we have the power, if not to change, at least to address. But what we may need to be reminded of is how important it is to have a mindset that allows us to turn over to our Lord the things we can’t control, so that, in the New Year, He can “make all things new.”

Let’s think of several things that can help us develop a positive mindset. First, a successful day is often defined by how we are able to deal with interruptions. Michael Ramsey, the 100th Archbishop of Canterbury, dealt with this challenge in The Christian Priest Today. He reminds us that we often meticulously plan our days only to have our plans turned upside down by interruptions so that “what we planned as order is turned to chaos.” Now here is where a positive mindset takes over. If we think of interruptions as God’s will, then our days have an entirely different purpose. Interruptions may be seen as God giving us an opportunity to redraft our plans to better serve Him, and to come closer to Him. This mindset allows us to see a day we might have seen as disordered as a day expressing God’s will, and “where that will is obeyed there is pattern, peace and harmony” – and a positive mindset.

Second, having a positive mindset is much easier when we remember not only whose will is behind the unfolding of our days, but also, who is the designer of our days. The Bible is packed with passages that tell us who is in charge and who has our backs when the going gets tough. The passage I turn to most often is Psalm 36, especially verses 7 and 10: “How precious is your loving kindness, O God! Therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of your wings … Oh, continue your loving kindness to those who know you, and your righteousness to the upright in heart.” This is a psalm meant to be prayed by a true believer, someone who knows God and believes He can “make all things new.”

And finally, T. S. Eliot adds another facet to our ability to cope with bumps in the road, such as interruptions in our daily life and our forgetfulness about who is really in charge. He reminds us, in Four Quartets, that God’s ability to “make all things new” is not one of man’s futile hopes. Why? Because not only does God love us, but He will relentlessly pursue us until we give our lives over to Him, and then He will lead us where He wants us to go.

So, my dear readers, thoughtfully make your resolutions for the New Year, and honestly try to stick to them, but don’t be surprised if God reaches down and gently nudges you in a different direction. And, always keep in mind, what someone a lot smarter than me once said: “The Will of God will never takes you, where the Grace of God will not protect you.”

Rev. M. Tracy Smith, SSA, is Rector of the Saint Peter’s Anglican Church, 1416 SE 2 Terr., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. For more information, call 954-695-0336. Wednesday: Morning Prayer at 10 a.m., Sunday: Holy Communion at 10 a.m.

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Highlands hoopsters finding identity

Posted on 24 December 2015 by LeslieM

sports122415By Gary Curreri

After starting off the season 0-3, the Highlands Christian Academy boys basketball team has started to hit its stride.

Each game we were improving and still trying to establish our identity,” said Knights coach Jim Good, who is in his 19th year at the school and also serves as the school’s athletic director. The team recently won its own, 38th annual Holiday Classic with a dramatic, double overtime, 89-81 victory over King’s Academy. “Early on, I tried to stay positive and encourage the guys. Looking back, we didn’t play a complete game and it was usually one quarter where we would break down.”

The boys are really starting to buy into the system and it all came together in that championship game,” said Good, whose team last reached the title game when, in 2010, it defeated St. Andrew’s School. “It was by far, our best win of the season!”

The Knights team has now won six of its past seven games and has improved to 6-4 on the season. Reg Cook, former AD and boys varsity basketball coach at Highlands Christian started the Holiday Classic in 1978 in which Highlands won the first of its nine championships.

Knights’ junior point guard Herman Robinson was named the tournament’s MVP as he recorded his first triple-double of his career with 25 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds in the championship game.

Robinson also hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds in regulation to send the game to its first OT.

HCA junior forward Kyle Lassen was named to the All-Tournament team as he scored 24 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, while sophomore shooting guard Matt Veynovich chipped in with 18 points going 5 for 6 from the 3-point line. He had a total of 12 three pointers in the 3-day tournament.

Beating King’s Academy in double overtime was a special moment for Good and the team.

I’m extremely proud of the guys and their commitment to work, learn and improve,” Good said. “We have a special group this year. Once a week, we have been meeting for team devotions and emphasizing: being unselfish, love your teammate, display self-control, persevere, have a positive attitude. It’s very rewarding to see the guys ‘buy in.’”

Good started coaching the elementary school team in 1997 and is now in his eleventh year with the varsity squad. Robinson and Steven Ludwig are the team’s two captains and have provided excellent leadership, according to Good.

Herman is leading the team in scoring with 15 points per game, and 6.9 assists,” Good said. “He started playing varsity in the 7th grade. Kyle Lassen has been doing a great job for us in the post and is averaging right around 12 points per game. Sophomore Matt Veynovich, who moved up from JV, has added some much needed scoring to our offense and leads the team in 3s made with a total 22.”

It’s been very rewarding as a coach to watch our team these past few weeks,” Good added. “During the beginning of the year, we were still trying to find our identity and I think we’ve done that now.”

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FLICKS: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Posted on 24 December 2015 by LeslieM

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

[Editor’s Note: Some spoilers (plot points) may be in this article for those avoiding anything Star Wars related. May the force be with you!]

After learning about a big spoiler the day before release, I attended my screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens with melancholy. It has been 32 years since Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) redeemed his monstrous father Darth Vader. With help from a community of “teddy bears”, Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) defeated the evil Empire and the Star Wars universe seemed poised to live happily ever after. Did I really need to see that the heroic actions I witnessed in my youth were all for naught? Fortunately, this seventh episode brings freshness to the franchise, while honoring the core fun of the original trilogy from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.

The film opens with Darth Vader wannabe Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) seeking artifacts related to the Skywalker family. After witnessing him massacre a small village, a storm trooper named Finn (John Boyega) develops a conscience. He rescues the pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and goes AWOL on the planet Jakku.

As if the pace were not fast enough, Finn meets Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger with natural special abilities. When Kylo Ren attempts to retrieve his deserter, Rey and Finn escape the planet and meet the legendary Han Solo and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew). The four humanoids, plus droid BB-8, form an alliance to outwit their enemies.

Thus far, I have only mentioned about 25 percent of The Force Awakens storyline and to include any more would take away from the thrill of discovery. Suffice it to say, director J.J. Abrams knows how to manage a fast pace while taking little moments for character development and revelation. In terms of good old-fashioned storytelling, The Force Awakens deserves its success.

Unlike the over-reliance on special effects from the recent Star Wars prequel trilogy (Episodes I-III), Episode VII feels more grounded in reality. While partially shot in Pinewood Studios, this Star Wars film was shot in locations as diverse as Abu Dhabi, New Mexico and Scotland. Even though this film takes place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, these outdoor locations provide natural realism.

The performances are excellent, with the old and new generations playing off each other with ease and respect. Harrison Ford gives his best performance since his character role as Branch Rickey in the 2013 baseball flick about Jackie Robinson, 42. Daisy Ridley is adorable. Adam Driver has entered the pantheon of rogue villainy reserved for actors like Bruce Dern [for those who have seen the John Wayne movie “The Cowboys”].

Despite my initial depression at having heard a big plot spoiler, I found Star Wars: The Force Awakens to be pure escapist entertainment that is Saturday Matinee popcorn-eating fun. Despite witnessing some PG-13 darkness, I left the theater feeling better than I did when I entered. On that note, Merry Christmas!

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CLERGY CORNER: The original blockbuster story

Posted on 24 December 2015 by LeslieM

Liquid Church in Morristown, NJ has come up with an innovative way to generate interest this Christmas season by pairing celebrations with the latest Star Wars movie release. Seeking to be culturally relevant, the church anticipates 7,000 to attend their Christmas Eve services that will feature a live Star Wars nativity scene, with Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca and R2D2. Children will get to share their wishes with Darth Santa and take photos with his Stormtrooper “elves.”

Pastor Tim Lucas defends the unorthodox approach as a way to “draw on the excitement surrounding Star Wars in order to reach new people and teach them about the birth of Jesus Christ in a way they’ve never heard before.” He further adds, “It’s okay to laugh and celebrate together while talking about Christmas. If that means having Star Wars characters in costume and dancing Stormtroopers, I’m all for it.” Apparently his church’s methods are successful at attracting people and attention. Liquid Church is reputed to be one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing churches.

I’m all for unique and innovative methods to spread the Gospel, but I wonder if we don’t sometimes run the risk of communicating the wrong message?

Star Wars is a great story of good vs. evil and the struggle between light and darkness. I’m a fan of the movie franchise and even have a boxed set of the original trilogy. I am also convinced that the pure narrative of the Christmas story, as told in Matthew and Luke, is enough to satisfy any modern moviegoer or book reader. It does not need to be interpreted through any element of modern pop culture, in my opinion.

You want romance? Consider the love story of Mary and Joseph, a young couple about to be wed. You want plot twists? Think how Joseph must have felt when Mary told him that she was pregnant, and the baby wasn’t his. Can you say scandal? How is Joseph going to handle this situation? You want intrigue? How about the numerous visions, dreams and angelic visitations that surround Jesus’s birth? You need adventure? Magi from the East make a long and treacherous journey looking for the Christ child while bearing precious and costly gifts, and guided only by a star.

Evil shows up in King Herod’s scheme to kill the newborn baby. He had a history of eliminating rivals to the throne. When the Magi foil his plans to discover the babe’s whereabouts, Herod orders the slaughter of innocent children, forcing Joseph and Mary to flee to Egypt for safety. Kings are supposed to be born in palaces, not stables; but that’s where Jesus was born. It sounds like the making of a great movie to me (and it has been put on film numerous times), full of all the things that make for blockbusters.

The story of Christ’s birth is no mere movie script or screenplay, however. Unlike Star Wars, it is no work of fiction and man’s imagination. It is the Biblical and historical record of Jesus’s birth, and the unfolding of God’s plan of redemption for mankind. Many millions of believers for over two millennia have treasured, celebrated and commemorated God’s great gift of redemption.

Christmas is our time to worship and to proclaim the message of His love for mankind. I’ll get around to seeing the latest Star Wars installment; but, for now, I’ll celebrate the purity and significance of the Savior’s birth just the way the gospel writers presented it. It’s beautiful and attractive just the way it is.

Bishop Patrick L. Kelly is the pastor of Cathedral Church of God, 365 S. Dixie Hwy., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. 954-427-0302.

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Moffett stars in All-Star Classic

Posted on 17 December 2015 by LeslieM

sports12-17-15By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach High senior quarterback Teddrick Moffett ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more to lift the North team to an easy 46-6 victory over the South team in the 19th annual BCAA All-Star Classic last Thursday night at Nova High School.

Moffett, who was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, scored on touchdown runs of 85 and 10 yards in the first half, and added fourth-quarter TD passes to Blanche Ely’s Thomas Geddis and Boyd Anderson’s Basil Spencer in the fourth quarter for the North squad.

Locals fare well

in winter

championships

Several local swimmers turned in solid performances in the recent 25th annual Speedo Winter Championships expecting the best, and at the end of the four-day meet at the Plantation Aquatic Center Central Park.

Tyler Zuyus, 15, who was the high point winner for the 15-16 Boys Division and Victoria Miyamoto, 15, who finished second in the high point race for the 15-16 Girls Division, paced the Pompano Beach Piranhas.

Others from the Piranhas who finished in the top 10 in the meet included Sloan Sizemore, 15, who was fourth in the 15-16 Girls Division; Emilio Barrantes, 12, who tied for fifth in the 12 Boys Division; Mattheus Santos, 14, who was sixth in the 13-14 Boys Division; and Summer Schulte, 12, who was 10th in the 12 Girls Division.

The Piranhas finished sixth in the Boys Division with 316.50 points and ninth in the Girls Division with 285 points and took 8th in the combined totals as it scored 601.50 points.

Meet director and Plantation Swim Team head coach Jimmy Parmenter said the meet first attracted about 480 swimmers and 35 teams a quarter of a century ago. Parmenter said the event has been held in Plantation every year except once when it was held in Miami due to a problem with the Central Park pool.

I cut it this year to 1,100 swimmers and 51 teams to keep the timeline tight,” Parmenter said.

Simply Soccer

Simply Soccer Holiday Camp, which has boys and girls, ages 5-14 of all skill levels, and has attracted children from throughout Broward County, will host its Holiday Camp at Mullins Park in Coral Springs. The camp will be held from Dec. 28-Jan. 1.

There are three sessions ranging from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a Tiny Tot program from 9 a.m. to noon. Players will be taught a variety of soccer skills from dribbling to shooting.

It is the longest running soccer camp offered by the city. Campers must bring a soccer ball, swimsuit, shin guards, water bottle and lunch. For information call 954-345-2200.

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FLICKS: In the Heart of Sea

Posted on 17 December 2015 by LeslieM

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

Published in the 19th century, Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, created a public perception about “killer whales” that lasted over a century, until the Jacques Cousteau television specials of the 1970s, which launched the ocean conservation movement and changed our perceptions of undersea life.

The new movie, In the Heart of the Sea tries to bridge the gap between fantasy and reality. The film opens in Massachusetts, circa 1850. Writer Herman Melville (Ben Wishaw) schedules an interview with a reluctant Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson), a solitary husband who is haunted by teenaged memories. With the encouragement of his wife, Nickerson confesses his memory of surviving the sinking of the whaling ship Essex, a victim of the mythical White Whale.

The film flashes back 30 years and we meet young Nickerson (Tom Holland), who is boarding the Essex as a first time sailor. The teenager comes under the wing of Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth), the Essex’s first mate and an expert harpooner. Chase had been denied a captaincy and is forced to babysit the neophyte Captain George Pollard (Benjamin Walker), who received the commission due to family connections. This relationship causes conflict between the captain and the first mate.

The objective of whale hunting in the 19th Century was to provide oil for heating and lamps. We witness a successful whale hunt and Owen Chase lives up to his legendary status. Due to over fishing in a Pacific whaling area, the Essex is forced to venture further on into uncharted waters. When making port in South American, Captain Pollard and his crew are met by a crew of amputees who are warned about “the white whale.”

From this point, it is easy to deduce the rest of the plot. One is shocked by the gruesome elements not revealed in the television trailers. Let’s just say that the title In the Heart of the Sea has double meaning.

This film has many good things going for it: a good story, some interesting characters and some dynamic set pieces. Unfortunately, the many fine details do not come together to satisfy the whole viewing experience. It has been proclaimed a box office bomb that is likely to disappear from the big screen before the year is out. After all, Star Wars:The Force Awakens Friday, Dec. 18.

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CLERGY CORNER: Plenty and famine

Posted on 17 December 2015 by LeslieM

Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, has two dreams. In the first, Pharaoh sees himself standing over the Nile River, “And, behold, there came up out of the River seven cows, handsome and fat of flesh and they fed in the reed grass. And, behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the River, ugly and lean of flesh and stood by the other cows upon the bank of the River. And the ugly and lean cows ate up the seven handsome and fat cows.” [Genesis 41: 18-20]

In the second dream, Pharaoh sees seven thin, shriveled ears of grain swallow seven fat ears of grain.

None of the wise men of Egypt can offer Pharaoh a satisfactory interpretation of his dreams. Then, the “young Hebrew slave,” Joseph, is summoned from his dungeon to the palace. Joseph interprets the dreams to mean that seven years of plenty, symbolized by the fat cows and fat grain, will be followed by seven years of hunger, reflected by the lean cows and the shriveled ears. The seven years of famine will be so powerful that they will “swallow up” and obliterate any trace of the years of plenty.

Joseph then advises Pharaoh on how to deal with the forthcoming crisis: “Now Pharaoh must seek out a man with insight and wisdom and place him in charge of Egypt. A rationing system will have to be set up over Egypt during the seven years of surplus,” Joseph explains, “in which grain will be stored for the upcoming years of famine.” [Genesis 41: 33-36]

Pharaoh is blown away by Joseph’s vision.

In Pharaoh’s first dream, he saw how the seven ugly and lean cows that came up after the seven handsome cows “stood near the other [fat] cows upon the bank of the River.” In other words, there was a moment during which both sets of cows coexisted simultaneously, and only afterward did the lean cows proceed to swallow the fat cows.

It was this detail of the dream that caused the wise men of Egypt to reject the interpretation that Joseph would later offer to Pharaoh and compelled them to present all types of farfetched explanations.

For how is it possible that plenty and famine should coexist? Either you have fat cows alone or you have lean cows alone, but you can’t have them both together! The seven years of famine cannot be present during the seven years of surplus. Either you have lots of food, or you have no food. But you can’t be both satiated and hungry at the same time.

All of us experience cycles of plenty and cycles of famine in our lives. There are times when things are going very well: We are healthy, successful and comfortable. Often, during such times, we fail to invest time and energy to cultivate genuine emotional intimacy with our spouse, to develop real relationships with friends and to create a sincere bond with G-d. We feel self-sufficient and don’t need anybody in our lives.

Yet, when a time of famine arrives, when a serious crisis erupts in our lives, we suddenly feel the need to reach out beyond ourselves and connect with our loved ones and with G-d.But we don’t know how.

Because when we do not nurture our relationships and our spirituality during our years of plenty, when the years of famine confront us, we lack the tools we so desperately need to survive the crisis.

This is the essence of Joseph’s wisdom: You must never detach the years of plenty from the years of famine. When you experience plenty, do not let it blind your vision and desensitize you from what is truly important in life.

The priorities you cultivate during your “good times” should be of the kind that will sustain you during your challenging times as well. If you are investing your time and energy in things that will prove futile when the climate of your life changes and will not hold you up when challenges come, you might want to re-examine your present choices. Why wait for the day you will have to say, “If I would have only realized…”

Rabbi Tzvi Dechter is the Director of Chabad of North Broward Beaches located at 4081 N. Federal Hwy., #100A, Pompano Beach, FL 33064. For all upcoming events please visit www.JewishLHP.com.

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FLICKS: Cramp your Christmas with Krampus

Posted on 10 December 2015 by LeslieM

By Dave Montalbano

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

When I wrote my third book, “The Querulous Nights of Athena Minerva,” I sought to meld elements of a Gothic ghost story with that of contemporary horror. The feedback I received was that it was a good story, but very disturbing. The new movie Krampus also melds ancient folklore with popular culture, resulting in $16 million box office gross.

Krampus opens like a traditional Christmas movie with a Bing Crosby song and vivid cinematography featuring people entering a mall on Thanksgiving evening. Within seconds, it is chaos in slow motion as elvish displays get knocked over and people are hurting each other. The scene concludes with Max (Emjay Anthony) defending the honor of Santa Claus.

After receiving a lecture from his mom Sarah (Toni Collette) and dad Tom (Adam Scott), Max must prepare for the annual Christmas invasion by his redneck family, herded in by Uncle Howard (David Koecher) and Aunt Dorothy (Conchata Ferrell). Max’s cousins are the spawn of every negative stereotype ever written about people from rural America.

Frustrated with the antics of his family, Max gives up faith in Santa Claus, rips up his letter to the North Pole and throws pieces of the letter to the North Wind. The pieces of his shredded letter end up in the underworld and Krampus is summoned.

The set-up is good, but the execution is clichéd. The second half of this low-budget film relies on flashing lights, dark cinematography and overly fast-paced editing. The cinematography solidifies the conclusion by returning the family to the land of Currier & Ives. However, this conclusion is as open-ended as an episode of The Twilight Zone.

When I heard the voice of Bing Crosby, I had “high hopes” for Krampus. In German Alpine folklore, Saint Nicholas rewards the nice children, while his opposite, Krampus, punishes the naughty ones. If this film focused on punishing the naughty children and adults of popular culture, Krampus could have become a classic like Tim Burton’s A Nightmare before Christmas.

This is my 17th December writing this column. During this busy season, I have learned the value of seeing a movie that provides escapism from the daily grind. People will leave Krampus wishing to spend more time with Saint Nicholas instead.

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CLERGY CORNER: What is your Stonybrook?

Posted on 10 December 2015 by LeslieM

In 2013, Life Church launched Restore, a digital learning experience with the vision of “doing better at doing good” by addressing poverty alleviation. A close friend of mine, Jonathan Meisner, served as one of the lead documentary filmmakers and speakers for the project. He graciously scheduled time to visit my classroom, sharing with my students a new paradigm regarding helping others, lest we do more harm than good.

Jonathan clarified that “poverty has less to do with money and more to do with relationships,” when you more aptly define poverty as being about broken relationships. We’ve been conditioned to recognize poverty solely as lacking material wealth. However, Restore identifies four major areas which also constitute poverty: a broken relationship between “us and God, us and creation, us and others, and us and ourselves.” By this new definition, people might find whilst driving their latest luxury vehicles that they, too, are impoverished.

The Restore experience reveals that while giving of resources is at an all-time high, the gap between wealthier countries and poorer ones has never been greater. This is largely due to our lack of understanding how to alleviate poverty, how to truly help. For far too long, we’ve told others what they need instead of asking them what they need. We’re great at relief, providing a temporary solution like bottles of water or charitable giving, but restoration, long-term investment — restoring broken relationships — here we’ve waned. As Simon Sinek states, we’ve turned helping into a business transaction, exchanging money and resources for the momentary pleasant feeling of goodwill.

If you recall, a rich man once approached Jesus and asked what one must do to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17). He spoke of his strict adherence to the commandments, the things seen outwardly, yet Jesus wasn’t satisfied. In verse 21 Jesus says, “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’” Scripture tells us that the man “went away sad, for he had many possessions.” Rich, but in poverty; he had a broken relationship with God, being unwilling to wholly commit to his Creator. We’re quick to judge this man; yet, as we approach this Christmas season, aren’t we tempted to give “relief” only to feel better about ourselves? Are we ready to wholly commit to our coming King, accurately alleviating poverty by looking for relationships in need of mending and investing what is needed to restore them? That’s exactly what’s happening at Stonybrook.

I had a chance to speak with Chelsea Shoff, 25, a dedicated staff member for Urban Youth Impact, located in West Palm Beach. Shoff, along with various non-profit and government agencies, has been diligently restoring relationships in the Stonybrook housing project through after-school programs, adult workshops, Bible studies, and quarterly events in which volunteers and staff gather to show their love and support for the community.

Stonybrook has 220 housing units designated for single-parent homes; 450 kids call Stonybrook home. It’s been a “community plagued with violence, neglect, abuse, drugs [and] hopelessness,” says Shoff.

Yet, something incredible is happening. According to a recent article by Jason Hackett of WPTV, in the past six months, “calls for police service to the complex have dropped … 80 percent.”

Shoff credits much of the visible success to “parents stepping up and doing their part to want better for their families; kids grasping Jesus and wanting to change the way they act and think; [and] the community coming together more.” Relationships are being restored between God, creation, others and themselves thanks to the investment of dedicated volunteers and staff like Chelsea Shoff in the long-term success of the community.

What is your Stonybrook? Where do you need to invest your restoration efforts (not just relief)? Maybe you’ll get involved with Urban Youth Impact (www.urbanyouthimpact.com), serve students as a mentor,or possibly sign-up to tutor at a local school. Where and how will you pick up your cross daily? Pray about it. Ask God to use you this Christmas season to begin a journey of alleviating poverty through the restoration of relationships — between you and God, His creation, others and yourself.

C.J. Wetzler is the NextGen pastor at First Baptist Church of Deerfield Beach. Before transitioning into full-time ministry, CJ was a commercial airline captain and high school leadership and science teacher. For questions or comments he can be reached at cj@deerfieldfirst.com.

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