Marty

Marty is a year older than I am. He grew up two streets over from me in Shurlington - pretty sure he grew up with his grandparents. Marty was pretty rough even back then. Years went by after high school before I saw Marty again. I was taking blankets out one winter to Macon's homeless and met up with Marty - he was living under one of the bridges on the Ocmulgee. Marty was 27 or so and living a life of drugs and alcohol - this, the bridge was his home - had been for years.

15 years later I notice a guy on Sunday morning at our New City gathering who looks to be homeless. I go over to talk to him - his eyes looked incredibly familiar but he is weathered and rough. He avoided much conversation and didn't offer his name. The following week he was back - this time it clicked - the eyes gave him away - Are you Marty? I asked. Stunned he said yes. Marty - now 40 or 41 had been living on the streets since High School. He had been sober for 2 weeks.

Coming in this morning I was thinking of Marty - he hasn't been around for more than a month. I was hoping he was OK and as I though about him I was suddenly hit with a hope - maybe Marty is off the streets... It doesn't happen often down here - but sometimes it does.

Later this morning I walked out of the 567 to take a phone call when out of nowhere a smiling, tatted up ghost from the past re-appeared - yeah, it was Marty. He has been off of the streets and in an apartment for 2 weeks - sober - living with someone and attending AA meetings. He just stopped by to tell me he was off the streets. He looked great - well - for a guy who has spent more of his life on the streets than in a home! It is strange - and I know not great - but for the first time in my life I was glad to hear that a guy had moved in with a chick he wasn't married to.

So - today I am happy for Marty! Reallllly happy! The odds are not in Marty's favor for a lasting relationship or for sobriety - but today I am happy for Marty.

Thoughts From Vail

This past week was the annual Acts 29 retreat for pastors and their wives. It is a real retreat - a get away - not a conference. The A-29 leadership set the majority of time aside for us as 'free time' - time to spend with our spouse, time to spend with other church planters. So here are a few thoughts from the week away:

* The Acts 29 church planting network is, without a doubt in my mind, the best church planting network around - not because we have the most churches or the most money - but because we are a network of churches centered on the gospel, not on politics, denominations, or specific methods.

* There is an indescribable bond that exists between church planters. Friendship, prayer, conversation... - it all comes easy because we are all in a great work together.

* Church planting is hard. That is probably why the bond that exists between planters comes so easily. For those who see A-29 and church planting as cool, or hip, or who see the quick success of some and desire to be a church planting 'rock star' I would strongly, STRONGLY say - if there is anything else you can do - ANYTHING - DO IT.

* We need more churches, therefore we need more church planters.

* A week away with my wife is a must. Work and children alone come with enough demands on a marriage - add 24 hours a day, 7 days a week of being on call to God only knows how many hours of work to the equation and the week becomes a MUST.

* Riding a mountain bike down double black diamond trails in the Rocky Mountains is amazingly fun.

These are just a few

Downtown Destinations

People come from all over the world to eat at this place. All you have to do is drive a few minutes.

In the Limelight: Molly's Cafe
Where it's at: 402 Cherry Street
What to do: Sign the guestbook, talk to Betty and have some good food

I've heard and read good things about Molly's Cafe, a pretty little spot situated right on the corner of MLK Jr and Cherry, so today I decided to give it a go. It's a bit hidden by some trees so you may have driven by it without even realizing. Hopefully this picture will help you know what to look for. :-)

Ironically, Molly's is not owned by Molly, but by a nice lady named Betty. While we were there (I went with my mom), Betty stopped by the table to see how everything was. I was able to tell her (honestly) that everything was great! My mom had a Bistro Salad with grilled chicken and balsamic vinaigrette dressing. She said her salad was very good, but she suggested that you get the dressing on the side. A little of it goes a long way, apparently. My grilled chicken sandwich came with some kind of sauce I'd never heard of. I asked for it on the side as well, just in case, but it was quite good and a bit tangy. I also ran into a friend while there who had the chicken salad and said it was very good. So that's three things right there that have been recommended.

The menu was primarily salads, sandwiches and soups. BUT today one of the specials was meatloaf, and they serve Salisbury steak, as well. Today's desserts were Key Lime pie and pound cake, but banana pudding is one of the specialties. We did not indulge ourselves in dessert, but someone wrote this in the guestbook:


Having trouble reading it? Well, don't be too hard on yourself. It's German. I know a little though, and it says (I think, the handwriting is kind of hard to read) that Molly's has the best desserts they have had in their travels. They are all the way from Munich! Other guests were from England, Australia and a dozen different states.

A couple of pictures to give you a taste of the atmosphere:

Now fellas, before you write this place off because of all the frills, look at who I found eating there:


Yes, those are REAL LIVE COPS. Yes, Macon's finest eating in Molly's. Yes, the one on the right is smiling awkwardly because some weird girl just walked up and asked permission to take his picture while he's trying to eat his lunch. Guys, you've all watched COPS. You know it doesn't get much tougher than that. You are without excuse.

Molly's is open Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. On First Friday, they open at 5 p.m. and have a prime rib special- steak, potato and a vegetable for $10.95. You need to make reservations to get it on that sweet little deal.

So if you haven't discovered the little treasure in downtown Macon that the rest of the world is already on to, head on down to Molly's and don't forget to sign the guestbook.

Shape Up - or Take a Butt Whippin

Somewhere along the line religious people have feminized male leadership in the church. Think about it - for the most part we have wanted pastors who look like the feminized white Jesus - lilly white with flowing brown hair, soft brown eyes, skinny frame... you've seen the pictures of this Jesus. Or we want pastors who look like God - you know - the old grandfather God with white hair - the one who is kind, compassionate, understanding, patient beyond humanity... never would such a man, or God hurt a fly or a feeling.

Of course, the problem with these pastors is that they do not truly represent God or Jesus - but maybe Nehemiah did. When Nehemiah came to check on Jerusalem he found the Jews living as anything but godly people - so here's what he did:

And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. (Nehemiah 13:25)

Think about it.

RETREAT!

Church planters know how difficult and crazy church planting is - like only war vets know what serving in a war is like. Acts 29 is a network of church planters - so the leadership of the network understands the demands of starting a new church. Every year the network plans a retreat for the pastors and wives. Like last year, this year's retreat is in Vail, CO.

The network also knows that most chur

ch planters live on a shoe string budget! So, they pay for our place to stay (the Vail Cascade Resort and Spa) and all of our food - we just have to get there. Its that time!

Today we are packing - for ourselves and our kids! The kids will not be going with us, but will be going here and there between grand parents (and staying here with the Intern). Amy and I will fly to Denver tomorrow to hang out with Aaron and Kristen and visit New City Church Denver. On Monday we will head over to Vail where we will stay until Friday. (thieves and robbers we have house sitters - no burgeling). One of the great things about the A-29 retreat is that it is truly a retreat - very little of our time is required for meetings - just lots of rest in a beautiful place.

Oh Yeah! AND this year - some great downhill mountain biking!

Downtown Destinations (only it's not so much a "destination" in this case)

And the winner for this week's "Places to get your food TO GO" award is...

In the Limelight: China Wok
Where it's at: 347 Cotton Avenue
What to do: Walk in, order your food to go, then go somewhere else to eat (even if it's just under a random tree somewhere)

Have you ever found yourself in downtown Macon and suddenly realize you are in the mood for some Chinese? Well, maybe you ought to head on over to China Wok, just make sure you head out after you get your food. Wondering why I keep emphasizing that you should get your food to go? Well let me give you a little taste of the atmosphere and then see if you understand:


Yes, that is the whole restaurant. No, this picture has not been photoshopped to look desolate.

On a more positive note, the food is good, they give you lots of it, and the little lady behind the counter is very nice. I had sesame chicken and fried rice. It tasted like just about every other sesame chicken I've had, so there is definitely something to be said for consistency. And, you know exactly where to go to order:

(Notice the ORDER HERE sign right above my head)

Well, that is all I have on China Wok. I wouldn't say it's a must-visit kind of place, but if you want some Chinese, you can get it there.

Downtown Destinations

“Help keep Macon beautiful. Wipe your feet before you leave.”

In the Limelight: Market City Cafe
Where it’s at: 502 Cherry Street (on the corner of Third)
What to do: Eat, look at art, and be happy

Before I begin, I must confess something: I have only eaten at Market City Cafe once. However, I feel confident enough endorsing the place for two reasons: a. When I was there it was full, and 2. everyone looked pretty happy, so I believe it is safe to assume they were enjoying the experience. A restaurant full of happy (and sober) people says more than some chick who’s not even a food expert.

Now, on to my evaluation. The atmosphere is bright and open with a high ceiling and lots of windows. It’s not too noisy, but there’s enough noise that if you laugh loudly, you don’t get a lot of dirty looks that make you feel like you just ruined everyone’s quiet, laughter-free day. (That is something I always have to consider when I’m going somewhere.) There are lots of plants and paintings on the walls that make it colorful and cheery. Outdoor seating is also available on the sidewalk if you’re feeling adventurous.

The food choices are typical for a cafe- mainly sandwiches, soups and salads. They do have a burger, though, for all you men out there who require “manly” food. They also serve lasagna and chicken parmesan, or you can build your own pizza.

I had a market garden salad and a chicken salad sandwich on a toasted croissant. The salad was fresh and crisp and didn’t have any of those weird chunks of lettuce that nobody wants. The chicken salad was mayonnaise-based and had enough little pieces of onion, celery and nuts to give it a very good flavor. The croissant was super fluffy and flaky and soft and everything a croissant is supposed to be. They also have home-made (cafe-made?) potato chips, and they are good.

Market City does not have a website so here are the hours:
Monday-Thursday: 7 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Friday: 7 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Saturday: Breakfast served from 7 a.m.- 1 p.m., open for dinner until 9 p.m.
Closed Sunday

So eat at Market City Cafe, check out the art on the walls, and, like the message says above the door as you’re headed out, “Help keep Macon beautiful. Wipe your feet before you leave.” No, I don’t really get it, but it’s still kind of funny.

[Funny story: the server came to our table to take our order, and I wasn’t quite ready. So Keith said, “She’s going to need a little longer. She’s not very good at reading.” Do you see what I have to work with, people? :-)]

Changing Drivers

Long before our first gathering I was describing New City Church as a 'church of house churches (Missional Communities; MCs) who gather together for worship and celebration on Sundays.' Then a small group of us launched New City Church downtown publicly with Sunday gatherings and no MCs! For the nine months following our launch of weekly services I continued to preach, teach, talk about, and shout that New City Church was a church of house churches that gathered together for worship and celebration on Sundays.

For those first nine months it was all talk - all vision casting. And we - New City Church was driven by our Sunday morning service.

For the next nine months - leading up to today - we have inched toward the reality of being a church of house churches who gather together for worship and celebration on Sundays. Our MC leaders have grown into this role - MCs are the primary place for care, ongoing encouragement, strengthening one another..., and the majority of our training and focus is on MC leaders.

Still, we have largely been driven by Sunday mornings

Tonight we may have taken our largest step toward changing drivers! We have, as most churches do, used Sunday mornings as our time to recruit...BEG for help in various areas like the nursery, children, greeters, coffee bar, the 567, and other areas. As leadership talked tonight about our family stepping up to help out in areas of need, we all agreed that as a church of house churches who gather together for worship and celebration on Sundays, it was up to our house churches to take care of family needs and to be intentionally missional by watching/keeping/teaching the children of those not yet a part of the community. Already our MCs take care of set up on Sundays, now they will work together to take care of other needs as well. In other words, our MCs will now begin driving our Sunday services!!!

It will take more time, teaching, preaching, talking about, and shouting, but New City Church downtown IS a church of house churches who gather together for worship and celebration on Sundays!

Downtown Destinations

If you throw the noodles at the fridge and they stick, that's when you know they're ready.

In the Limelight: Spaghetti Alley

Where it’s at: 575 Mulberry Street Lane

What to do: Enjoy some fine Italian cuisine

As you’re walking down Second Street in downtown Macon, you may notice a little spot called Spaghetti Alley tucked away down Mulberry Street Lane. If you’ve only noticed it and haven’t eaten there yet, you ought to give it a whirl. It’s a small, casual and relatively quiet place with white paper tablecloths and crayons at every table, which is great if you have kids, or if you’re an easily amused adult...such as myself.

The lunch menu features a wide variety of pastas, as well as subs and salads. On Monday, you can choose from $5 lunch specials, including Chicken Alfredo and Chicken Pesto. Lunch specials run $6.95 the rest of the week.

The dinner menu is much larger and offers appetizers, entrees, and soup and salad. They also fire up the grill for the evening crowd and serve up steak, chicken and salmon. Mmmm.

Not only can your kids color on the table, but if they are ages 11 or under, they can eat for 99¢ on Tuesday. Even if it’s not Tuesday, you can probably still afford to bring them along to Spaghetti Alley, since every item on the kids’ menu is only $3.99.

I’ve eaten at Spaghetti Alley a few times and have never been disappointed. Service is quick, and they bring some wonderful bread and dipping oil to enjoy while you wait. I’ve had Chicken Alfredo and Blackened Shrimp Pesto, and both were delicious. You can also get a personal pizza, a new menu item, which, according to Patrick and Tyler, are very tasty.

So, let’s recap: Spaghetti Alley offers a pleasant atmosphere, great food at very reasonable prices, and for heaven’s sake, you get to color on the table. And you don't have to throw noodles at the fridge, because someone else is cooking for you. Need I say more?

Click here to visit the website. Be sure to look at the hours. They are closed on Sunday, and they don’t serve both lunch and dinner on some days. Check ‘em out!

The Intern

Some of you already know Amanda, some have met her at the 567 or the theater. Amanda is getting ready to graduate from Ga College - just one problem... Amanda needs some hours interning somewhere related to her major. Turns out, without the hours interning - Amanda can't graduate!

The good news for us? We have an intern!

What will our intern do for New City? Whatever we need!! More good news! She is working for New City, for the 567, for City Watch, for Grace Giving International, and FOR FREE.

One thing Amanda will be doing for us - for you - for our city is blogging. Amanda is going to contribute to this blog what she is learning about the city - great places to eat, visit, and hang out downtown. So - WELCOME - Amanda Miles - aka, the intern.