K.C. Wahe - Follower of Jesus, Husband, Father, Pastor, Student, Blogger

This morning in church we had the opportunity of hearing from a friend and follower of Jesus who shared his testimony about his son and how God is using his son in Pelican Bay. Manuel is a church elder at a Presbyterian Church in Glendale. Manuel shared about how his son began a ministry from “within” the walls of Pelican Bay. His son began a Bible study through the ventilation system while in solitary confinement. Did you catch that? Through the ventilation system. Manuel also had another friend come with him to share about a ministry targeting troubled youth. The ministry is called the ROCK program. What I appreciated about Manuel was his candor. The ministry that his son has been called to along with other followers of Jesus focuses on community and discipleship within the prison. Pray for Manuel as he shares the ministry his son and others have started with the greater church. Pray for his son who has six more years in Pelican Bay. And pray for his friend who was in church this morning sharing what God is doing in places like Pelican Bay through programs like ROCK. Especially pray for the ROCK program. The last visit Manuel made, they took sixteen youth to visit.

Ten of the youth came to know Christ.

I invite you if you have some down time today to listen to Manuel’s message here. We had some microphone issues this morning. You will need to use your Bionic ears.

HT: Steve

It was sometime in the 70’s when the Broadway Department Store was still around at Hollywood and Vine. There was a little department store called JJ Newberrys right next door. Mom would take us kids to JJ Newberrys to go shopping. I don’t remember why. I’m guessing it was for school stuff and clothes. Layaway was a big thing for mom. She could go in, drop some cash on the counter, and in a few weeks, be able to buy what we needed. Zodi’s was her other favorite store for layaway stuff. I remember the JJ Newberrys trip like it was yesterday. My two brothers and I sitting at the little old fashion coffee shop counter right in JJ Newberrys eating a scoop of ice cream in those little silver bowls. The lady behind the counter in that old traditional waitress outfit.

Remember Swensens Ice Cream? Another spot on the boulevard where father and mother would take us when cash was available. I think it was at Whitley and Hollywood Blvd. The pictures I received had some photos of my father carrying some ice cream sundaes to our table. As I look through the pictures and the memories from growing up in Hollywood, I find solace in knowing that both of my parents did their best in spite of their own issues. Although dad was a walking Budweiser can and mother had her issues, they both tried their best. I remember a conversation with dad later on before he died. We talked about the church in that he felt if we got connected to the church, somehow we’d be okay. When Mr. Young invited us, it was an opportunity for the church to intervene and they did. In dad’s view he couldn’t do what a father was supposed to do. He felt that if the church could do its work something might happen.

Well? It did.

Thank you dad.

When I think about the church I think of the church as one great big surrogate parent sometimes. If it weren’t for the church and its role in the shaping of my life as a follower of Jesus and now a pastor I could honestly say that my life would be a whole lot different. Folks from all different walks of life who all had a love for the city and loved making a difference in the lives of God’s people. When I was a kid, these people on at least one occasion fed my family, paid some hospital bills, or even saw to it that we always had a way to get to church camp as kids. As I got older the amount of money spent on meals feeding me alone I could never repay back, but the conversations I had with these folks I still remember like yesterday.

Some of my coolest memories as kid growing up in the city was the time I spent on the boulevard. Now I know you are wondering, “why is it that the boulevard holds for me so many memories?” Well, the church happened to be about a block away from the boulevard where we lived in Hollywood. At one point as a kid our home was less than a mile from the church, a half block above the boulevard. On another occasion we lived just over a mile from the church, again both places were a short walk either way. Growing up in a city like Hollywood, your mode for transportation as a kid was to usually walk and the boulevard was the path one would usually choose. It made the walk to the church a little more enjoyable. For example skateboarding was always an experience, because the way the wheels of your skateboard felt under your feet while skateboarding always seemed to tickle your feet as you cruised down the boulevard. The city bus (formerly known as the RTD) was another enjoyable experience (if you had the change) because the joy of watching the interesting yet entertaining persons on a city bus always was a smile to anyone riding a bus, even to us kids.

One memory I have was a time in elementary school on Halloween during a costume parade. When I was an infant I was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, which is simply water on the brain. (Now for those of you who know me, I know this gives you a smile and I hear you saying, “no wonder he’s such a goober.”) What happens with some who are diagnosed with hydrocephalus as an infant and as children, the child’s head sometimes appears larger than the child’s body. Thankfully, doctors were able to treat it with a shunt, but of course as I grew up I got the occasional, “hey dude, you have a big head.” On this particular day at school during the Halloween parade, I decided that enough was enough with the “big head stuff.” What I remember that day was that my mother was called and the next scene was us sitting in a hamburger stand right on the boulevard minutes from our apartment. Of course food is always the best cure for a growing kid and mom saw to it that we had some one on one time which allowed for the “big head stuff” to become a thing of the past.

My next post I will continue to reflect on those memories I had growing up in the city and the small yet important role my parents had in being used by God in helping me in my faith journey. I will also share some other thoughts about life growing up in Hollywood and how this played a role in my faith as a follower of Jesus.

I’ve been in ministry for a long time. Right out of high school. Okay it seems like a long time. As a matter of fact the first time I had the chance to lead in ministry was in an after school program where we’d pick up kids from a neighborhood near the church we attended in Hollywood. We’d bring them back to the church for a Saturday morning ministry almost like a VBS program. Did this for a long time.

My first real full-time ministry gig was at that same church that loved me often and my way of giving back to the church was by loving their kids often as I could like Jesus loved me. There are kids I still talk to on occasion and its hard to believe they’ve grown so fast. Teachers, physical trainers, Army folks. It seems like yesterday I was just sitting at camp with these same kids, eating, drinking, and watching kids come to know Jesus or serving side by side with them on some Mexico mission trip.

Hard to believe that someone took the time and believed in me that I had something to offer. Something to give. That my testimony and faith in God was of value in the kingdom and some how I got my little toe into the big show. As pastors I wonder if that’s how we’re perceived by others in the church? In some ways its like the way we look at an athlete. When they get to that place in their lives where they’re at their peak of their game. Maybe we are looked at in this way as pastors. This can be a joyful thought or an overwhelming thought in which I’d like to throw against a wall sometimes. With a smile of course. I hate that metaphor but it fits at least for now in my processing that occurs in ministry as a pastor.

Me in the big show? Hard to believe. Sometimes I have to pinch myself. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it took a long time for me to get to this place. God’s overwhelming grace. Not my strength. And sometimes I have to thump myself on the head that I’m still not completely ready and prepared for what I’ve already faced and will face on a daily basis in the life of the church as a pastor.

On a sweeter and yummier note there are times that I have to admit that although I continue to grow I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else in the church universal. At least not right now.

What’s frustrating is the assumption that we as pastors have got it all together. Because we are in the positions we hold that we are the chosen ones. We’ve been selected by God to proclaim “good news.” At least that’s how we’re perceived. This morning the heater wouldn’t work in church. One person said something to the affect, “just do that hot air stuff you do.” I smiled. There is a member I’ve served with who reminds me that I’m the dude with the robe. The robe? This robe that people like Calvin wore as a means for telling the world he was now in the big show. He earned his way and that he had some brains regarding who God was and is for us as his children.

Sometimes I don’t like that robe. It’s to heavy. In the summer time especially in the church I pastor it’s too hot to wear. I think it scares people. There are those though of previous generations in the church who love when I wear my heavy black robe. It reminds them of a time when the church was at its peak. Its glory day. There is this one sweet lady who reminds me that I look good in a tie with my robe. I made a deal with her that I’d wear it when I did a baptism or administered communion. She smiled. And when I forget she makes sure to jolt my memory not to forget.

Hard to believe. Much to learn. Still growing. Praise God that at this time in my life I get a small part in the sharing of GOOD NEWS. A little toe in the big show. I love what I do!

What a year! I am blown away that this year has gone so fast. It was just yesterday that I was flying back and forth from Sacramento. We’re in a really cool church. The Lord is definitely at work in our church. I can’t help but think that it was just yesterday that my family and I moved into our new home that God indeed made happen. Our kids are slowly enjoying the change from Sacramento. We do miss Sacto lots, but its nice to be near family and friends. The kids have actually made some friends in our neighborhood. Friends they go to school with. The neighborhood we were living in Sacramento had no kids which the kids still comment about often. As a solo pastor I’ve learned more about what it means to serve Christ and the church than I ever did as a youth pastor. It’s a roller coaster of emotions. The day to day stuff and the joy I have in being the one in the pulpit is kind of cool. I’ve learned a whole about pastoral care. Something neat possibly in the new year is that the church is currently pondering a first phase of building a new church. Between learning about conditional use permits and county bureaucracy its been fun learning and listening to what God might be doing. The leaders I serve with have a heart for Christ and care about the community. Just recently we talked about all ministry being God’s ministry. The leaders have been very supportive of the new possibilities for ministry. We are doing some cool things and have some cool ideas for ministry in the near future. We saw one Hispanic ministry move on to another church and we welcomed a new Hispanic ministry from the Covenant Church to use our worship space. They are a neat group of spirit filled followers of Jesus. We just recently welcomed a Korean fellowship to use our worship space on a weekly basis. Again, two groups listening to God’s call to go out into the world. What’s neat is that we’ve talked about doing a joint worship service on Christmas Eve. The Hispanic church every Sunday evening has a feast and yours truly walked into the office on Monday and was blessed with a gift of a plate of “pupusas.” YUMMY! I can’t help but think that my role as a pastor is to help folks look down, look up, and look forward. Isn’t this what advent is about? Looking down at God’s Word, looking up to God, and looking forward to what God has planned for us as his children? Now the question is how to do this when all of us get caught in the busyness of the season?

Merry Christmas from the Wahe COOL Wahes! (This picture was taken this past Sunday right after church)

went here today. it’s been a while. It’s practically in my back yard. Didn’t want to leave. I don’t do it enough. It was even kind of cool to attend Mass with those robed monk dudes all decked out in their . Sabbath rest is good. It was neat that the trees were colorful and it felt like sitting on the east coast. Saw these guys there today.

One of the buzz words that is often used in our denomination is the word connectional. I love the fact that I could call any of my colleagues in ministry for advice, wisdom, or even a little prayer. In some ways with the birth of the blog we’ve even become more connectional within the church universal.

A couple of nights ago I was sitting in one of the longest presbytery meetings I’ve ever been part of and there was an older woman in her sixties sitting behind me in another pew. I had figured out that she was being welcomed into the presbytery and that she was waiting for her turn to read her statement of faith that evening and be interviewed by members of the presbytery in regards to her faith and call as a pastor. She leaned over to me during the interview process of another pastor that was taking place in the meeting and said, “is my statement of faith ok?” I had mumbled something like, “just give them your heart.”

When I read the docket for the meeting I figured out she was a hospice chaplain and had served for several years as a presbyterian minister. Now mind you I’ve never met this woman before. As the meeting continued I had stood up once during the interview process for another pastor and asked a question. When you stand up in a meeting like this its customary to say your name and what church you pastor. After I asked my question I sat back down. The woman sitting in the pew behind me waiting for her turn to finally come to be interviewed leans over to me as I sat back down in my pew and said, “you were the pastor that worked with Jimmy? Apparently she was one of the chaplains that cared for Jimmy over the year while he was dying of cancer.

Its an honor in that all of us who follow Jesus have an opportunity to be part of a connectional relationship as the body of Christ and in the church universal. We all have a part in the proclamation of the “good news” of a Savior who will come to bring hope to a world in need of hope. This Sunday we get to sing, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Have you ever wondered what it might be like for the the Lord to sit and listen to his people sing?” Not just my church or yours, but the church “Big C” universal?

Happy Advent.

I had some friends come and worship with us in church yesterday. Dave shared his experience in serving in another country along with his wife. You see Dave and his wife were among many who played an active role in my life as a kid. They were two of many who shared “good news,” with me that God is an awesome God who loves us. There was a point in their lives where they moved and it wasn’t until this last year that God brought us back together again. When we prayed before the services and when I could hear Dave and his wife teach Sunday school in between services I couldn’t help but think that God’s work comes full circle. It was great to have them come and speak because there were some who appreciated a different outlook on the world and the presentation of the Gospel and how we are to share “good news.”