Mitzie Mackenzie (1920-2009)

May 27, 2009 // No Comments »

Posted in CCCC, Chinatown, Church, Memorial, Missional, Philadelphia

The community of Chinese Christian Church + Center will deeply miss Mitzie.
We’ve spoken about being “transcultural” or “Third Culture” on this blog. Mitzie’s life truly was transcultural. As Dave Gibbons (NewSong) would put it, she had the mindset and the will to love, learn, and serve in any culture, even in the midst of pain and discomfort. As we mature in knowing Christ’s character, we discover that he has called us to love and serve cultures and people unlike our own — may it be racially, or socioeconomically.

As a 20 year old white girl she stepped into Chinatown and gave over 60 years of her life to serve this community never being fluent in Chinese. She always said she was Chinese at heart.
Respect. Imitate. Live.
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Remembering Ralph Winter & Mitzie Mackenzie

May 25, 2009 // No Comments »

Posted in CCCC, Chinatown, Church, Memorial, Missions, News

As I’m returning home from a long stint of speaking and ministry I received news of the passing of two great and influential people. Last week we lost the great American missiologist, Ralph Winter. A giant. He was identified by Time Magazine as one of America’s most influential evangelicals in 2005. His book, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement is a formative read to reach the world’s “unreached” with the Gospel. I’ve held a Perspectives course for those interested in missions at my church and it was intense.

I love this quote:

“You do not evaluate a risk by the probability of success but by the worthiness of the goal.” – Ralph Winter 1925 – 2009

Link: LA Times
The memorial service for Dr. Ralph D. Winter has been scheduled for Sunday, June 28, in the main sanctuary of Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, Calif.

I also just received news that Mitzie Mackenzie passed away this morning. Many of you will not know who Mitzie is but she is a hero in our church community here in Chinatown, Philadelphia. She was an advocate for the voiceless in Chinatown and under her leadership, our church opened its doors to them in 1941. She was 20 when arrived in Chinatown, a lone white girl with a heart and vision to reach the poor immigrants of this community.

The memorial service for Mitzie Mackenzie will be held at The Vine of Chinese Christian Church+Center on Saturday, May 30 at 8am

What hearts. What legacies.

The Theology of Bruce Lee

July 21, 2008 // 3 Comments »

Posted in American Born Chinese, Memorial, People, heroes

Thinking about the man, the legend, Bruce Lee, commemorating the 35th anniversary of his death (July 20, 1973, at age 32). Who doesn’t love this man? One bad@$$ ABC brutha. Yes that’s right, ABC! Arguably the singlemost influential ABC ever. Now only if he was a pastor. Imagine that?!

Also remembering David Gibbons on his excellent use of Bruce Lee-isms at Q and AALC speaking on third culture and adaptability.

Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Water can flow or it can crash.
Be water, my friend
- The Theology of Bruce Lee.

Also Read:
Seattle Art Museum [SAM] event one of many tributes to Bruce Lee

A Day of Remembrance: Virginia Tech One Year Later

April 16, 2008 // 2 Comments »

Posted in Ain't the Way it's Supposed to Be, Events, Memorial

April 16, 2008 is A Day of Remembrance
On this day, the Virginia Tech community reflects on the vibrant lives of the 32 students and faculty who were tragically taken from us a year ago. Through light, art, and music we pay tribute to each and every person we lost. [From the VT Remembrance Site]

Last April, the world’s attention focused on a campus community ripped to its very core with the grief and pain of a tragedy unparalleled in the history of American higher education. And what they observed was more powerful than they ever expected… they saw a campus filled with energetic students and talented faculty that displayed grace, poise and fortitude beyond all imagination — a community fueled by something we know as Hokie spirit. That spirit reaches deep and spreads beyond the campus throughout our 200,000 alumni, and indeed across the entire globe.Take time to remember the legacies, remember the dreams and remember the talent that our community has lost.

I hope you are inspired to work harder to honor the 32. Share you talents with the world for the 32. Achieve your dreams for the 32. Be more compassionate, friendly and thoughtful for the 32. Be better, for the 32.

In 2008, we remember the 32; we are thankful for the survivors; and we are proud we share together that incredible Hokie spirit.

Tom Tillar
Vice President for Alumni Relations

Schedule of Events

Linkback
Aint The Way It’s Supposed To Be – Engaging The Virginia Tech Tragedy [i]
Aint The Way It’s Supposed To Be – Engaging The Virginia Tech Tragedy [ii]

Elvis. Respect.

August 17, 2007 // No Comments »

Posted in Memorial, Music, News, People

You’ve got to respect Elvis.
I’ve been listening to his number ones all week. That’s right I have Elvis on my iPod.
August 16 marked the 30th anniversary of the death of the icon, the “king of rock n roll”. An estimated record breaking 50,000+ fans paid homage at his Graceland residence yesterday.

I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan. There are some really comedic and campy things about Elvis which probably has not helped. I don’t expect any of you born in or after the 80s to have any appreciation but know this, I don’t think we’d have what we have today, musically that is, without him and that includes Contemporary Christian Music. Realize that Elvis won only three American Grammy music awards – all for gospel albums. Elvis began singing gospel music at church in his youth. It was his favorite music and he sang it like he really meant it. There was nothing half-hearted in the way he approached life. Regardless, his influence on American culture is deep. But that’s what icons do.

Here’s what other icons have said,

“Elvis is like the Big Bang of rock ‘n’ roll. It all came from there.” – Bono
“I’m just a singer. Elvis was the embodiment of the whole American culture.” – Frank Sinatra
“Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn’t been an Elvis, there wouldn’t have been a Beatles.” – John Lennon

I remembered watching his movies on lazy summer saturday afternoons too. There was something about him. He was smooth. He had charisma. He got the girl. Whatever it was Elvis was compelling. I was watching “He Touched Me” on public broadcasting the other night which highlights the Gospel side of Elvis’ life especially towards the depressing end. I suppose most big stars struggle with this towards the horizon of their career. There’s a loneliness that they struggle with, even a search for meaning. We can all relate to that. It makes us realize, they’re just like us, human afterall.

“In the Ghetto” has been one of those songs that have stuck with me for years. I still remember the first time I heard it. I was a kid and it deeply effected me. It is a very socially conscious song -in 1969 and also for our time now. The original title of the song provided an even clearer reality - In the Ghetto (The Vicious Circle). It’s oh so very John Singleton and Boyz n the Hood.

Lisa Marie filmed a virtual duet of this song with her father for this special occasion.

OK, not the best video but interesting for several reasons – the uncanny resemblance of lisa marie to her father (which i’m always enamored by it), then there’s the guns (those babies are going to be scarred for life), and elvis’ pronounciation of “ghet-TO”.

The video and the downloadable song is not only for commeration but also for a good cause. All proceeds for the video and song will go to charity.

All of this — the song, the video — is going to charity. The money from the downloads is going to help build another Presley Place in New Orleans, which is a transitional housing program that we started in Memphis. Families come in and live there, get their life skills and get it together. They get jobs … and then about a year later, they move out when they can get back on their feet. This program has been doing incredibly well for the past few years, so I wanted to branch it out. It’s something [Elvis] was very interested in, because it’s kinda where he started from. And Presley Place is near where he was raised. I wanted to do this [video] and use it for something good. All fingers pointed towards New Orleans. I landed there to do the video and I looked around when I got off the plane, and it looks like Katrina happened six months ago. That’s when it all fell together. And all proceeds — not a portion of — all proceeds are going towards building a transitional housing building in New Orleans.

As the snow flies / On a cold and gray Chicago mornin’ / A poor little baby child is born / In the ghetto
And his mama cries / ’cause if there’s one thing that she don’t need / it’s another hungry mouth to feed / In the ghetto

People, don’t you understand / the child needs a helping hand / or he’ll grow to be an angry young man some day
Take a look at you and me, / are we too blind to see, / do we simply turn our heads /and look the other way
Well the world turns / and a hungry little boy with a runny nose /plays in the street as the cold wind blows / In the ghetto

And his hunger burns / so he starts to roam the streets at night / and he learns how to steal / and he learns how to fight / In the ghetto
Then one night in desperation / a young man breaks away / He buys a gun, steals a car, / tries to run, but he don’t get far /
And his mama cries

As a crowd gathers ’round an angry young man / face down on the street with a gun in his hand / In the ghetto
As her young man dies, / on a cold and gray Chicago mornin’, / another little baby child is born / In the ghetto

Respect.

Watch the official video premiere on spinner.com

magical people

February 12, 2007 // 1 Comment »

Posted in Devotional, Friends, Memorial

my boy hosive proclaimed his love for magical people once.
i love magical people too.
there are special people in the world who step into a room and charge the atmosphere simply with their presence. there are those who have a quiet way about them and when they speak they earn the silence of others. their words can change lives, alleviate and heal the oppressive states we find ourselves in. some are able to always see moments in life as colorful living beauty where others see as mundane. they see people, really see them in such a way they feel more human again. they may walk beside you for even a brief period of time and are able to leave such an fingerprint upon your soul that you are no longer the same. sometimes it’s in their death that makes that kind of mark which moves us to finally count our days and live a new kind of life.
in memory of a good brother who touched our communities – raise your cups high. drink to life. let the firing of rifles resound.
alas i repent. i don’t have many days left to spare.

just like the one who stepped into this world, walked with everyday people and called them his friends even when they weren’t when it counted most. he didn’t force people to live a certain way but he spoke of another way and showed them the way to this life, the way it was meant to be lived. in fact he was the way.

when i look at the world [u2, all that you can't leave behind ]
When you look at the world / What is it that you see? / People find all kinds of things / That bring them to their knees / I see an expression / So clear and so true / That it changes the atmosphere / When you walk into the room
So I try to be like you / Try to feel it like you do / But without you it’s no use / I can’t see what you see / When I look at the world
When the night is someone elses / And you’re trying to get some sleep / When your thoughts are too expensive / To ever want to keep / When there’s all kinds of chaos / And everyone is walking lame
You don’t even blink now, do you / Or even look away
So I try to be like you / Try to feel it like you do / But without you it’s no use / I can’t see what you see / When I look at the world
I can’t wait any longer / I can’t wait till I’m stronger / Can’t wait any longer / To see what you see / When I look at the world
I’m in the waiting room / Can’t see for the smoke / I think of you and your holy book / While the rest of us choke
Tell me, tell me, what do you see? Tell me, tell me, what’s wrong with me

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. colossians 3:12-14

i heart my magical friends and yeah they’re supastars.
respect to my boy webba and the yoyonation for being showcased on nbc news JOIN THE NATION!

much love to anna michelle and teddy for getting blinged out last week and gettin yours on ugly betty

get your apron on at kitschnglam.com – sold at anthropologie and other fine retailers…

and of course this post aint magical without my best boy who knows just what to do when the moment arises. you just love the camera.
thanks eric for the kodak moment
jayden was demonstrating his skills of listening and compassion when little becca didn’t exactly appreciate all the superbowl excitement

just another day at apple?

August 29, 2006 // No Comments »

Posted in Apple, Memorial

it was not just another day at apple. my first customer was someone pretty special. i was inspired for the rest of the day. i need to add some background. a couple of weeks ago i watched the world trade center movie with huangnator and i must say that it was rather well done. heavy to say the least. if you don’t know, the movie revolves around the two surviving port authority officers (william jimeno and john mcloughlin) that were 2 of perhaps a handful of individuals pulled out from the massive wreckage. the real life officer william jimeno happened to walk into the apple store this morning to buy some ipod accessories. he had a port authority police shirt on but i thought nothing of it until i saw “william jimeno” on the credit card. i thought for a second, could it really be? i looked down to the ground and saw that he wore prosthetics with the port authority police emblem. i put two and two together and…well let’s just say i was very honored. especially as that day where it all went down draws closer. salute

katrina: one year later
remember. act. it’s still not too late to do something.
this one’s for you bubbles. read this story.