Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Blogs - Explorations in Just Livinghttps://www.pcusa.org/blogs/just-living/2014-11-10T18:27:18-05:00Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)info@pcusa.orghttp://www.pcusa.org/Latest Explorations in Just Living posts.Songs of Justice: Magnificant2014-11-10T18:27:18-05:00Bryce Wiebe/blogs/just-living/2014/11/10/songs-justice-magnificat/https://www.pcusa.org/blogs/just-living/2014/11/10/songs-justice-magnificat/
<p class="date">November 10, 2014</p>
<div class="intro"><p>The Magnificat is a canticle, which is a fancy way of saying that it is the text of a song or hymn that is in the Biblical text. In the case of the Magnificat, Mary’s prayer in Luke’s Gospel after hearing that she is to bear the Messiah, it was likely sung by the teacher in the earliest Christian churches, or perhaps sung by all those gathered. It is the second image I prefer, if I’m being honest. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have long heard that it is songs that carry the theology of the church, and that a pastor can’t out preach a hymn with bad theology if everyone likes to sing it. <em>Onward Christian Soldiers </em>or <em>In the Garden </em>might be two examples I raise, but this post isn’t about them. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Consider the words of the Magnificat:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>My soul magnifies the Lord<br /> And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;<br /> Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid;<br /> For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;<br /> Because He who is mighty has done great things for me,<br /> and holy is His name;<br /> And His mercy is from generation to generation<br /> on those who fear Him.<br /> He has shown might with His arm,<br /> He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.<br /> He has put down the mighty from their thrones,<br /> and has exalted the lowly.<br /> He has filled the hungry with good things,<br /> and the rich He has sent away empty.<br /> He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of His mercy<br /> Even as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity forever.</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>There’s something powerful about the idea of poor, young, unwed girl singing these revolutionary words upon hearing of her task, and then, that they would then be echoed by other poor, disempowered people under Roman occupation at the dawn of Christian communities. It is profound to imagine the intent of setting these words to music from the earliest moments of Christianity. It is as though Christians of the first century knew that music must become the sea upon which the essential tenets of this faith would be carried; that the theology of the church would be known and believed insofar as it was sung. And that what had to be sung was the radical reordering brought about with the incarnation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jesus offers, in the text of the Gospels, sermons, parables, images, examples, but not a song. And Mary teaches us this one, and, if she really spoke or sang these words, perhaps she sang it to him, so that he would also not forget his calling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This song has been set to music so many times I can’t even thing of a funny sounding exaggeration. Bach’s version in D (BVW 243) is a pretty awe-inspiring version, and I’m sure many of you have your own favorites. But somewhere along the line, we left the Magnificat to the professional soloists and choirs. It shows up for Christmas cantatas and is sung <em>at</em> us, but rarely is found in the mouths of all Christians together, as a hymn that lifts our theology onto its back and instructs us in radical, incarnational truth that no silver tongued preacher could dissolve. It is as though to the Magnificat we say, we simply Magnifi<em>can’t</em>. We can’t sing it. The message is too radical. The costs are too great. If we learned this song too well, there’s no telling where our society might end up. We can’t sing it, lest we start to believe it and start moving ourselves to the back of the line as those who are already mighty and already rich.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The language of Mary’s hymn is unsettling because it ties the glorification and magnification of God to those of the poorest and least empowered. God’s glory and magnanimity, though, are not impacted by human action. God is magnified - becomes larger to us, more present, more seen, larger – as we move, or are moved, closer to God. In Mary’s song, that means being among the poor and the lowly. The proud, rich, and powerful are disappointed and self-deceived. They cannot see or receive God’s incarnation clearly. They have other things magnified within their view. God is magnified in our perception as we become poor, hungry, and powerless. God’s incarnation is a theology with terrifying implications. Maybe Christianity just can’t do that anymore. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It is my prayer, though, that it can. It is my prayer that we can sing, all of us, the Magnificat again. It is my prayer that it will be the theology no other message can break.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To this end, I commend David Haas’s version and setting of the Magnificat. A orchestral version follows and the melody (in 12/8 meter – different from the setting you will hear which is in 4/4). The Celtic melody is lilting and singable and I have rarely been at a service where it is sung where tears are not shed. In Mr. Haas’s mind, the words of the hymn become simple again.</p>
<p> <img src="/site_media/media/uploads/blogs/untitled.png" alt="" width="660" height="467" /></p>
<p>It is the version I want to imagine Mary singing to her newborn son; to the Word made flesh; the Salvation of the whole World. </p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Bycrfm-8EwA" width="425" height="350"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Children’s Sermon</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>For Christmas Eve</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Text: </strong> Luke 2:15-20</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><sup>15</sup>When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” <sup>16</sup>So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. <sup>17</sup>When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; <sup>18</sup>and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. <sup>19</sup>But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. <sup>20</sup>The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lesson:</strong> That we can offer our response to God's great gift.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>What you need:</strong> Not a thing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s Christmas tomorrow! Are you excited? (likely an affirmative response) So tomorrow morning, you’re going to sleep in. You’re going to quietly come out of your room and find your way to the tree, if you have one, and pass by it and walk into the kitchen and get a glass of water and sit at the table and read the paper… Are you going to do that? (likely not) No? Why won’t you do that? Because you’re excited!! Right? You know that something exciting has happened and you probably have a gift or two with your name on it. You might rush – don’t run – but rush to the place with the gifts and…. Well, I think you should wait to unwrap them until someone gives you permission, but you won’t waste time. You’ll be like the shepherd’s who heard about Jesus’ birth and rushed to find out. Won’t you?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I will bet that you will. So after you unwrap presents, what will you do then? (you may allow them to answer, or ask it rhetorically.) Well the shepherds have an idea for us. What do they do when they leave? That’s right they run and tell others what they heard and saw. They tell people about Jesus and they praise God for sending Jesus to us. Can you do that with me? Can you say “Praise God”? 1-2-3 (“Praise God”). Let’s do it again. This is exciting news! This is a time where we can be loud. Try it again. 1-2-3 (“Praise God!!!!”). Wow! Everyone will know how grateful you are for the gift of Jesus. That’s amazing. Mary, Jesus’ mother, she also shows us a way we can respond. We can also sit quietly and think. We can think about the amazing things God does and lets us do. Can you do that too? Even when you’re excited? Let’s sit together and quietly remember that Jesus came to be our friend; that Jesus is our very special Christmas gift.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Will you repeat after me:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Dear God</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Thank you for Jesus.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Thank you for this season of gifts.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>We praise you, God</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>With loud voices</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>And with quiet prayers.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>In your Son’s name,</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Amen.</strong></p>
<p> </p></div>
Thanksgiving invitation and Children's sermon2014-11-10T11:32:50-05:00Bryce Wiebe/blogs/just-living/2014/11/10/thanksgiving-invitation/https://www.pcusa.org/blogs/just-living/2014/11/10/thanksgiving-invitation/
<p class="date">November 10, 2014</p>
<div class="intro"><p>How do we say thanks? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>During these upcoming holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, many of us will draw our attention to what we have. We will be encouraged to set tables full of wonderful and abundant foods and we will fill shopping baskets to overflowing. We will gather these things together and in heaps and piles along with our loved ones and count them each as a blessing. This season is, certainly, about being grateful for what we have. The practice at many Thanksgiving tables is to have each person dining there offer one thing for which they are thankful. It is good practice on that, and every day, and I think there’s reason to believe that focusing on what we have received in abundance: It ought to make us joyful and it ought to make us feel satisfied. It ought to free our minds, for a brief moment, from the anxiety born of the constant pursuit of more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That’s how it ought to work.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I wonder, though, if we get a little too focused on what <em>We</em> as individuals have during this season. That is to say, too often when counting our blessings and naming things for which we are grateful, it is a comparative enterprise. I fear that gratitude and thankfulness are just foreign enough to us that we only observe things for which we are grateful because others don’t have those same things. A trip to the developing world often ignites a renewed appreciation for the comforts and convenience of a modern, middle-class American life. A trip to the soup kitchen makes us thankful if we, ourselves, are not poor. While these might things for which we are truly grateful, I think we can do a bit better during this season and on the day set aside for gratitude. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The many blessings that we have should not only be revealed when we discover those who do have the same ones. To dwell only there would cause us to cling closely, and fear losing those luxuries that set us over others. Gratitude, in the Reformed tradition is a response to Grace. Gratitude is an orientation of life, not a list of economic benefits. It means that our gratitude draws us closer to all that has been graced by God, which, for me, means all nature and people of the world. Grace reveals the unity of all that God loves and so, my gratitude this season will seek to draw me closer to that unity rather than mark my individuality. There is, in the Reformed faith an active and lived nature of gratitude. We are moved to action because the grace we have received is so powerful and so overwhelming that the gratitude flows into all parts of our life.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So this Thanksgiving, when asked around a table to name something for which I am grateful, I plan to name something and also claim an intention or action for my gratitude. Something that draws me closer to the earth and humanity so loved by God, that the Word, God’s very self, was drawn into it, made flesh, and lived with us. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am grateful for meaningful work to do and intend to practice invitation. Whenever I plan an event or meal, or engage in some volunteerism, I intend to invite someone who is often overlooked due to their age, economic status, or social location.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Will you join me this year in activating our gratitude?</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Children’s Sermon</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Gratitude</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Text:</strong> Luke 17:11-19</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">11 On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. <sup>12</sup>As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, <sup>13</sup>they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ <sup>14</sup>When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. <sup>15</sup>Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. <sup>16</sup>He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. <sup>17</sup>Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? <sup>18</sup>Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ <sup>19</sup>Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lesson: </strong> Sometimes the cure for what ails us is to say thank you. </p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>What you need: </strong> You will need to read the story to them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Our friend, Jesus, did a very special thing in the story today. There were ten people who were sick, and their sickness caused them to have big sores on their bodies. More than just being painful, lots of people were mean to them because of the sores that they could see. But Jesus did something amazing! He healed those people, and their sores disappeared! Those ten people were so happy to be made well! They were so happy that they ALL made sure they said “Thank You” to Jesus…. Wait a minute, is that what happened? (the children should respond ‘no’). No, it isn’t, is it. How many came back? (‘One’) That’s right, just one. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now, do you think it’s important to say ‘thank you’? Do your parents and teachers say that it’s important? I think it’s important, too. Now, Jesus says something kind of funny to the one who comes back. He says, “your faith has made you well”. He says that this person has shown faith because he came back to say ‘Thanks’. But weren’t the other nine still healed? Yes they were. I think Jesus has a very special lesson about being thankful. When we are grateful and remember all the things we have to be grateful for; for love, and family, and our church, and enough food to eat and shelter it makes our hearts feel good. It makes that part of us well. When things are hard and you are disappointed, it helps to remember all the things we have to be thankful for. It’s a way to heal our hearts. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The one who returned to thank Jesus teaches us a special lesson. We know that the hurts in our hearts; from disappointment or people being mean, they can start to be healed when we say thank you to God for all that we do have, and thank you to the people in our lives who love us and make sure we have all that we need.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Prayer: </strong>Would you repeat after me:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Dear God,</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Thank you for all that we have.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Thank you for all those that love us.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Thank you for sending us Jesus.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Help us,</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">to remember to be thankful.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Heal our hearts</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">When they hurt,</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">In your name we pray,</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Amen.</p></div>
Children's Sermon for Food Week of Action2014-09-28T12:00:00-04:00Bryce Wiebe/blogs/just-living/2014/9/28/childrens-sermon-food-week-action/https://www.pcusa.org/blogs/just-living/2014/9/28/childrens-sermon-food-week-action/
<p class="date">September 28, 2014</p>
<div class="intro"><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Children’s Sermon</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Food Week of Action</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Text:</strong> Matthew 25:31-46</p>
<p>31 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. <sup>32</sup>All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, <sup>33</sup>and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. <sup>34</sup>Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; <sup>35</sup>for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, <sup>36</sup>I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” <sup>37</sup>Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? <sup>38</sup>And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? <sup>39</sup>And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” <sup>40</sup>And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” <sup>41</sup>Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; <sup>42</sup>for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, <sup>43</sup>I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” <sup>44</sup>Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” <sup>45</sup>Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” <sup>46</sup>And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Lesson: </strong> Jesus has lots of ways for us to be a part of God’s work in the world, and when we do them, God says that we are sheep!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>What you need:</strong> nothing except if you want to learn and teach this song (though you may only want to do the first verse) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYKxzTHPJpE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYKxzTHPJpE</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Who here wants to be a sheep? (hands may go in the air or they may not) Why do you? Or maybe why don’t you? (kids may respond). What can you tell me about sheep? Sheep have four legs and they’re white, or black or brown. Sheep eat grass and run and play. They are bushy with lots of wool! So, in other words, they are just like me and you! Oh they aren’t?!?! Well, which parts are we like sheep? We can be white or black or brown. We like to run and play. Sometimes our hair can get bushy, too!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jesus talked a lot about sheep. But Jesus has a different list of what a sheep is. Do you know what Jesus says a sheep is like? Jesus says a sheep feeds people who are hungry, gives water to those who are thirsty, and is kind to those who need a friend. Jesus says that sheep offers clothing to those who don’t have any, and visits people in prisons. Here at church, we try to do all of those things. We give to the food bank here, and, together with other Presbyterian churches, we help hungry people all over the world and make sure that there is safe drinking water. When you are friendly and kind to kids at the park who are lonely, you help them. When we give coats and blankets to the homeless shelter we see that people’s needs are met. You see, there are lots of ways where we are sheep! So who here really wants to keep being a sheep!!! It doesn’t mean you eat grass or walk on four legs, it means you follow Jesus and offer help to those in need!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(Here’s where you can teach the song, or sing it if your church already knows it)</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Prayer:</strong> Repeat after me</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Dear God,</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Thank you for calling us to be sheep.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Not so that we can make silly noises or eat grass,</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>But so that we can follow you.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Help us</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>To keep feeding the hungry</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Being kind to those without friends</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>And being good followers of you.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>In Jesus’ name</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Amen.</strong></p></div>
A Cycling Meditation2014-09-21T20:06:59-04:00Bryce Wiebe/blogs/just-living/2014/9/21/cycling-meditation/https://www.pcusa.org/blogs/just-living/2014/9/21/cycling-meditation/
<p class="date">September 21, 2014</p>
<div class="intro"><p style="text-align: right;">If you haven't already, <a href="https://www.presbyterianmission.org/donate/H000144/">please consider giving</a></p>
<p style="text-align: right;">My participation in this project supports the</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">work of the Presbyterian Hunger Program</p>
<p style="text-align: right;">If you have, consider sending a link to your friends</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><sup class="ww">6</sup>If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed. <sup class="ww">7</sup>Have nothing to do with profane myths and old wives’ tales. Train yourself in godliness, <sup class="ww">8</sup>for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. <sup class="ww">9</sup>The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. <sup class="ww">10</sup>For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I have just completed day 2 of my biking adventure with the Presbytery of the Redwoods! So far we have ridden 115 or so miles through some of God's most beautiful creation. Along the way we have had plenty of climbs and a few nice downhills as well. I've popped a tire, and coasted through the Avenue of the Giants, where the Redwood trees emerge from the Earth as straight as pencils, but nodding ever so slightly in the wind at their tops. It strikes me a very ancient dance that they do; firmly planted and subtle. They nodded to acknowledge us on as we sped through. I expected it to be beautiful. I didn't expect the beautiful to give us this blessing.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img style="margin: 5px; border: 4px solid black; float: right;" src="/site_media/media/uploads/blogs/photo_1.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The passage from 1 Timothy chapter 4 has kept coming back to me as I've ridden. They way Timothy is exhorted to keep teaching good lessons and connecting the people to the Gospel of Grace over the myths and fads of the time seem to be an always appropriate lesson. But I haven't been thinking about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exegesis">exegeting</a> the text.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Really, I've been thinking about physical training being "of some value". There are parts of my legs reminding me that it might have been more than a little valuable to commit myself to a bit more physical training. Though, as the miles begin to pass behind, I keep looking around at the riders who have taken on this challenge. They have taken it on with varying experiences and abilities in cycling; one climbed on the bike two months ago for the first time in awhile, one is doing a multi-day ride for the first time, one has ridden thousands and thousands of miles all over the world. Then there is me, who rides his bike to work most days, but hasn't found a cardio workout he couldn't skip since his High School basketball coach had him run lines until he threw up.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> <img style="float: left; margin: 5px; border: 3px solid black;" src="/site_media/media/uploads/blogs/bwredwood.jpg" alt="" width="216" height="288" />The physical part has been taxing, but good. So far, it has been good for all of us. Climbing a hill, for all its pain, reminds those riding that we have these bodies, and that they can do many remarkable things. There are many who will never ride a bike. We connect and are present to our bodies as they strain and sometimes break down ever so slightly, reminding us to slow down and take care. The riding roots us in our bodies, like the trees stretching their feet far below the Earth. We riders are united in our physical training.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">But the other part, for Timothy, is more important. And the other part is what I have seen in those I have met here. The fourteen other riders have committed themselves to this ride because they hear God's call to feed their neighbors who go without enough to eat. They ride these miles with purpose and commitment to their sense of godliness. Each push on the pedal represents some money for the food banks here, each dollar I raise goes to Hunger Program nutrition projects all over the World. At each stop; for lunch and for night, we meet Presbyterians of every age, ability, and social location, from congregations as small as just 3 or 4. They proudly show us their pantries, or tell us about the overseas mission they support. They take us on the tour of their community garden. These are all people knit together in their desire to train and teach toward godliness, which is valuable in every way.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The lessons I bring and add are a resounding "Amen" to their already good work. As I speak to them about long-term relationship building, sustainable development, and supporting communities all over the world as they build a food system that supports local farms, produces nourishing food, and honors the workers and the creation entrusted to all our care, they nod along. As I describe projects that promote godliness in the ways we help the most vulnerable, removing the impediments placed upon them by years of injustice and unfairness, their eyes glance to the sky and they nod along. We nod along together recognizing the depth of the need. It is more than any on of us can do, and so we will commit again to our training. We keep training physically, for sure - our hardest push is Monday, but we will listen again for God's saving Word. We listen and join the ancient dance. We nod together, and reach out again to a world in need.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Blessings upon all of you,</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Bryce Wiebe</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img style="border: 4px solid black; vertical-align: middle;" src="/site_media/media/uploads/blogs/photo_3.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="400" /></p></div>
Bryce Bikes: update!!2014-08-22T10:07:31-04:00Bryce Wiebe/blogs/just-living/2014/8/22/bryce-bikes/https://www.pcusa.org/blogs/just-living/2014/8/22/bryce-bikes/
<p class="date">August 22, 2014</p>
<div class="intro"><p>Is this bike ride something I can do? </p>
<p> </p>
<p>First things you should know is that I am not a bicyclist, strictly speaking. In fact, I sometimes don’t even like it. I tend to my body through lifting heavy objects and setting them down. Repeat. But I am is game for a challenge, and here is why: </p>
<ul>
<li>The opportunity to ride in one of the most beautiful places in all the world, Northern California</li>
<li>Time with other justice- committed and fun Presbyterians</li>
<li>The chance to raise awareness about the important, root-cause work of the Presbyterian Hunger Program</li>
<li>The opportunity to raise some money for our <a href="https://www.presbyterianmission.org/donate/H000144/">important work with child nutrition</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>My training has been inconsistent so far due to much travel, and a few injuries, but I have a few more weeks to get myself together. Keep me in your prayers and <a href="https://www.presbyterianmission.org/donate/H000144/">support me</a> in whatever way you can. I’m terrified…</p>
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<p><strong><img src="/site_media/media/uploads/blogs/terrified.jpg" alt="" /></strong></p>
<p>Overview (364 miles)</p>
<p>The route generally follows the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route – Section 3 published by the Adventure Cycling Association. It follows US-101 from Orick to Leggett, then CA-1 down to near Pt Reyes Station. We then follow Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to Sausalito. We take side roads where convenient. Details of each day follow.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Day One – Orick to Fortuna (68.1 miles, 3,521 ft of climb)</p>
<p>Follow US-101 from Orick to Fortuna. Side roads include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Patricks Point Drive and Trinidad Scenic Drive near Trinidad</li>
<li>Clam Beach Drive, Hammond Trail and Mad River Road through McKinleyville and Arcata</li>
<li>Surface streets through Eureka</li>
<li>Tompkins Hill Road and Eel River Drive near Fernbridge</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Day Two – Fortuna to Garberville (53.7 miles, 4,883 ft of climb)</p>
<p>Follow US-101 and Avenue of the Giants from Fortuna to Garberville. Side roads include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Wildwood Avenue through Rio Dell</li>
<li>Avenue of the Giants from Pepperwood to Phillipsville</li>
<li>Redwood Drive through Redway</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Day Three – Garberville to Ft. Bragg (70.9 miles, 7,310 ft of climb)</p>
<p>Follow US-101 to Leggett and then CA-1 to Fort Bragg. Side roads include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Benbow Drive from Benbow to Piercy</li>
<li>Ten Mile Beach Trail north of Fort Bragg</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Day Four – Ft. Bragg to Gualala (59.3 miles, 4,540 ft of climb)</p>
<p>Follow CA-1 from Fort Bragg to Gualala.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Day Five – Gualala to Tomales (63.5 miles, 4,610 ft of climb)</p>
<p>Follow CA-1 Gualala to Tomales. </p>
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<p>Day Six – Tomales to Sausalito (48.5 miles, 2,952 ft of climb)</p>
<p>Follow CA-1 from Tomales to Platform Bridge Rd south of Pt. Reyes Station and then detailed map through west Marin County to Sausalito.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img style="vertical-align: middle;" src="/site_media/media/uploads/blogs/photo[1].jpg" alt="" width="500" height="667" /></p>
<p>Bryce Wiebe, Presbyterian Hunger Program staff, is riding in Redwoods Presbytery's Pedal for Protein; a 360 mile bike ride across northern California September 20-25. Bryce will be adding the global dimension to nutrition for children suffering from poverty. Your donation will fund work addressing child nutrition throughout the US and across the globe. The Presbyterian Hunger Program currently works with organizations in the US and internationally who are raising chickens, goats, rabbits and guinea pigs and through community gardens are tripling the plant protein available to the community's children. By supporting this ride, you ensure these valuable programs continue to provide nutritious, balanced diets to children in need.</p>
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<p>To donate to the Ride, click <a href="https://www.presbyterianmission.org/donate/H000144/">here</a>! We need your help to make it. Return to this blog for updates on my training. </p></div>