While I do have many gifts and callings, apparently “leader” is not one of them. After feeling called to restart the Freely Project, but not able to really get others involved, or get any assistance in the effort, I fear I have failed.
Although the concept is sound, apparently I am not the one to “lead” the effort, and am considering shutting it down… Any thoughts?
For those of you not familiar with it clogging is similar in some ways to square dance and is one of the most popular of the traditional dance forms of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. And you might wonder what that has to with ministry, technology or me.
Well, the director of the team Gail Lyle, and the vast majority of the families involved in the team are committed believers. Of my 8 children, 6 have danced with the team, and 4 still do. And I’ve just realized that although being together since 1995 and dozens of kids and parents being involved over the years, that the team simply had no presence on the web.
The heart of a ministry tech is sharing the expertise with the body of believers that can benefit from that expertise. We hope to be a blessing to Gail and the team by creating and maintainig the Little River Cloggers blog.
So you have heard of all the advantages and geeky babble about how Linux is better and you have finally decided to try it? Just one thing, you don’t know an awful lot about Linux to get you started. How about some free downloadable ebooks to teach yourself Linux, that you can download today? Would that help?
Free – you ask? Yes, free. Welcome to the world of Linux where things are free both as in free speech and also as in free beer (mostly)!
If you are starting out on your journey towards Linux awesomeness, here are a few free downloadable ebooks to teach yourself Linux that should help you along nicely.
Well, after taking some time to find a new church home, and getting rested up and refreshed, it time to get back to my Father’s business. One way I’m doing that is starting to ramp up things over at the Freely Project. The idea of Freely is to encourage the use of Linux and open source software in churches, ministries and missions work. Currently I’m working on some pages discussing the whys and hows…..
If this is an idea that interest you, join us over at the Freely Project!
Related to our Freely efforts, is introducing other believers to Linux. Over the past couple of months I’ve refurbished a half dozen or so PCs with Linux and given them to friends, and installed Linux on systems for several others.
All part of being a blessing to others, and freely giving what I’ve freely received!
Bringing light into the darkness is exactly what being a believer is all about. If you don’t keep up with Ken Stark’s Blog of Helios you should. Ken’s efforts are a great example of how techies can walk this out. In his post Bringing light into the darkness he helps bring love hope and freedom to victims of abuse.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36
Freedom to do and be what God calls us to be is the essence of the Christian life. As we have been visiting various churches looking for what He has for us next He took us to New Horizon Church in Durham for the sermon series, House of Blues.
While the music is outstanding, the series are worth a look, especially if you’re trapped in the House of Blues!
Ok, I’ve stepped up and “officially” stepped in and restarted the Freely Project, but why now and why me?
Because of family relationships, stress, burnout, and other issues, God was plainly showing us that the season for us to serve at CA was over. Actually He’s been showing us that for a while, But being the hard-headed soul I am …….. We are seeking God’s will for us now and visiting different churches to see where He’d have us be.
I had served a number a years as deacon and church’s technical lead and now that has come to an end. Yet there is still the call God has on me, and desire to “serve” from a technical aspect some where…
That’s where Freely comes in. As I’ve discussed before the Freely Project was an online intiative started some years ago by a pastor in Scotland with the focus of encouraging and assisting churches to use of Linux and open source software. At it’s high point several years ago the project included pastors, technical ministers, engineers and programmers from all over the world, including myself, and all believers. Due to different seasons and callings on some of the major players the project stalled and sot of died on the vine…
Since then the purpose of the project has stayed on my heart, it’s still a good idea and message and someone(s) needs to walk in that call….
Over that past month or so, God seems to be showing me that this is a call that he has had on others that hadn’t been fulfilled, and now has placed on me. There’s a comfort in being in a place that includes a ministry that can be realised anywhere without being part of a particular church or denomination, it’s also pretty scary too, I really don’t know how God’s going to move in it or what He’s going to do with us in it… I just know He will move… And I’m looking foward to being a part of it!
After several years that season for several of the key project members came to an end as God’s plan for them sent them in other directions, and the project ended up dying on the vine.
Yet God kept the concept and calling on the hearts of some members, including me. After discussions with Ben, and much though thought and prayer I felt led that it was time to resurrect the project.
Freedom is at the core of both Christianity and the Linux and Open Source Movements
“Freely you have received, freely give” is the core concept of the Freely Project , and the core goal is to encourage and enable to use of Linux and Open Source Software in churches, ministries and missions.
If desktop eye candy is you thing, check out this video with Vista vs Ubuntu….Enjoy!
After much prayer and soul-searching it became clear to my wife and I that the season for us at Christian Assembly had come to a end. With that I felt the need to step down as deacon and turn the media team over to others.
Frankly I was never was the leader that the media team needed. While I could put the technology in place to make things happen, I was never the “leader” that drew others in to help. So I and a few others were worked to the point of burnout. Hopefully, now that I’m gone the person that steps up will be that kind of leader.
But leaving will change or end many of the plans I had to put technology to work for CA, and while we search and pray about what God has for us now, this venue will likely be pretty quiet for a while.
Pray that God makes it plain to us soon where we should be and how we’re to serve.
Blessings, Tom
