Summer of 2010 may seem far away, but to an avid cyclist it's only 248 days until the start of RAGBRAI®, the world's largest bike ride. Some 25,000 cyclists from all over the world come to Iowa and pedal their way across the state. Next year's ride will be held July 25-31, 2009...and I really need to start my training before long!

So why in the world am I telling you about RAGBRAI® in a Christian education-related email? Because it's a great opportunity to...

• meet lots of interesting people (and this is definitely not an understatement)
• care for your body (1000 miles of riding = around 50,000 calories burned!)
• enjoy a unique form of outdoor tourism (Corn. Corn. Soybeans. Corn.)
• engage in long conversations (gotta do something besides look at corn)
• eat a lot of homemade pie (guilt-free...you'll burn it off!)
• build community between your congregation members
• invite non-church friends to join you for a fun week
• and even meet other progressive Christians educators. RAGBRAI® doesn't usually have many church-affiliated teams (the few I've run into are often from conservative seminaries or Christian colleges), but my congregation's team would welcome you with open arms!

At many churches, the Advent season would not be complete without a Christmas pageant/program/play. Whether it is done by children, youth, adults or an intergenerational mix, we enjoy retelling the story of Jesus’ birth through drama. Such events are a wonderfully, visual way to pass on the stories and traditions of our faith.

If your church has a Christmas pageant tradition and you thrive on the preparation, anticipation and enactment of the event, that’s great! If the Christmas pageant at your church provides more anxiety and frustration than anticipation, or if your church does not have an event to reenact the Christmas story, you might want to consider this alternative. Follow the Star is an event that has worked well at the church I attend for over 15 years.

Today’s blog is short and sweet and contains an Advent gift for you! I am sure that you realize that the beginning of Advent is a mere three and a half weeks away. On the Sharing page you will find an Advent calendar ready for you to download and copy.

A unique feature of this particular Advent calendar is that it ties Advent to Easter. Jesus’ birth many years ago is worthy of celebrating! We are fortunate that we also know that Jesus conquered death. To help children (and youth and adults) remember that Christmas and Easter are linked together, this Advent calendar transforms into a cross by Christmas Day.

In the fascinating book, Free: The Future of a Radical Price, Chris Anderson argues persuasively that businesses need to get a lot better at giving things away for free. You undoubtedly have experienced the power of free in many places and forms before. Cell phones are given away as an incentive to get you to switch cell phone plans. iTunes offers a few free songs each week, surely because they get people to visit their store regularly to browse and to discover something new. Restaurants lure customers in with BOGO (Buy One, Get One free) offers. The technique is powerful, and it certainly can build loyalty and interest among customers...or visitors, for that matter.

Churches, of course, don't charge people for their services in ways that a business might, but the free concept still has many useful applications in ministry settings. One form of free that many churches use is the visitor gift bag, mug, folder, or envelope. In my own church visits in recent weeks, I have received such items as two small loaves of home-baked banana bread, a copy of John's gospel in The Message translation, a bottle of water, pens, brochures, candy, tracts, and even a carabiner. Each of these was no doubt chosen because it communicated something about the congregation. (The carabiner, you ask? The church hoped I wouldn't feel "disconnected.")

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

We are quickly approaching the beginning of a new year. Don’t panic! January 1, 2010 is still 71 days away. However, The Liturgical Year, which many churches follow with slight variations, begins on the first Sunday of Advent - November 29 this year. That date is only 39 days away.

The liturgical or Christian year divides the year into a cycle of seasons. These seasons determine when holidays and celebrated, and what scriptures are read throughout the year. Many churches use a lectionary to select scripture passages, prayers and music that correspond with the season.

Cold weather and even snow have arrived early here in my own state of Iowa, and when the cold and snow arrives, people begin to stay at home more frequently. If this happens where you live, that makes fall or winter the perfect time to start a film club to give people in your congregation a chance to connect!

A film club can take many forms...

I am one of those people who are frustrated by seeing Christmas decorations in the stores already. I’m not ready to celebrate Christmas yet. I begin celebrating Christmas after Thanksgiving, or when Advent begins, whichever comes first. And as challenging as it is in our commercial society, I make an effort to try to keep the Advent season holy and meaningful rather than busy and stressed.

Are you a bucket filler or a bucket dipper? If this question makes sense to you, I suspect you have read the children’s book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? This book, written by Carol McCloud, uses a simple idea to explore the effect that expressions of kindness and love have on other people. Although this book does not mention God, it definitely promotes living the way that Jesus taught us to live. It would make a useful supplement to lessons on a variety of Bible stories and topics.

We understand. You're pretty busy. There were a lot of things on your plate way back on April 29th when we told you about 350 Day, the International Day of Climate Action, on October 24th. But now, the day is not far away, global warming hasn't gone away as an important topic for the faith community, and it's time to act! Here's your "Procrastinator's Guide" to taking part in just 4 1/2 weeks. You really can do it!

Week 1 (half week, thru Sept. 25):

• Read through as much of the 350 website as you can. it will inspire you, give you lots of great information and help, and connect you with others in your area who are already committed to taking action. At the very least, watch this90-second video, take a look at the 9-step organizing plan, and check out the page for people of faith.
• Find at least one group in your congregation with whom you can do your planning: a youth group, Sunday school class, small group, staff members, or just 3 or 4 friends in the congregation. Set a time to meet this weekend. We have a few ideas to get you started with your brainstorming.

God’s world is an amazing place. God’s handiwork is on display all around us. How often do we thank God for the earth and its wonders? An easy and fun way to encourage children (and youth and adults to thank God for the world we live in is to teach them about clapping prayers.