Cousins

Gary Wiley and Barack Obama--seventh cousins!

Six Degrees of Separation

I have had an interest in my family tree for more than 30 years. Early on most of my information came from older family members, family Bibles, and occasional trips to libraries with genealogical sections. Now the internet has brought a wealth of information, especially census records, to my computer screen.

A few months ago I was able to connect my Oden (mother's side) family tree with an early immigrant by the name of Mareen Duvall. Mr. Duvall was a French Huguenot who left France for England, and then settled in Maryland in 1650. Sarah Duvall, his great-great-great granddaughter married Elias B. Oden, my great-great-great grandfather. Mareen Duvall "The Emigrator" as he is known is my nine-great grandfather.

Saturday afternoon, before going into work, I was indulging in one of my weaknesses, watching coverage of the political process. I had tuned into "Ballot Bowl" on CNN and they were showing excerpts from the stump speeches of the different presidential candidates. I heard Barack Obama mention once again "his cousin Dick Cheney" and my curiosity got the best of me. I googled "Barack Obama's cousin Dick Cheney" and found the article that told about the family connection between Mr. Obama and Mr. Cheney. Their common ancestor is none other than Mareen Duvall "The Emigrator." As it turns out Barack Obama is my seventh cousin.

Why I Am in Manhattan...

It's 1:35 a.m. and I just got home from another closing shift at Barnes & Noble. The store was exceptionally busy tonight, due in part I'm sure to the lousy weather that kept people home Friday night and because Sunday night many people will be home cheering on the hometown Giants in the Super Bowl.

On my way home, waiting for the #1 train to take me 60 some blocks uptown before walking another seven blocks, I was reflecting on my day and what it means to live in this city and what it takes to live and responding in my head and heart to the question of why I live here. The answer is almost as complex as the city and as varied as the activities and involvements that each day presents.

Today for example, after sleeping in until 9:20 after another closing shift, I spent some time with God and with Charlotte (a rare commodity it seems these days). I was trying to clear my head from my nighttime dose of Nyquil (another pesky cold)! Around 12:20 I made my way up to la Iglesia Presbiteriana on 174th and Wadsworth where a program called Outreach Exodus Inner City meets six days a week. My first cousin once removed, J.J. Pickett, volunteers there on Saturdays. He invited me to meet the executive director Matthew Mahoney. Outreach Exodus provides tutoring after school for students in Washington Heights. On Saturdays they offer a Bible club among other things. Through our Upper Manhattan Missional Community (Origins Church) we are hoping to partner with Outreach Exodus perhaps as tutors, but especially as volunteers to invest in the lives of these at risk kids and by God's grace give them hope for a brighter future. I was privileged to meet some of the volunteers as well as have lunch with Matt, J.J. and Dave.

I left there encouraged and excited about the difference we can make in Jesus' name in our neighborhood as we live the teachings of Jesus in the culture and rhythm of the city. Then I headed off to work and while it seems routine and maybe mundane, that too is a place of ministry.

The air was crisp on my walk home. I saw a drug deal go down...at least that's what it appeared to be...I felt no danger because this is the city that never sleeps and there were others walking home after their long day of work. I am thankful for God's call on my life. I have some strong dreams and desires that I am asking of God, that I would love to see come to be as I live and minister in this city. But I know that all things are in His time. And I am learning to be content.

Inaugurating Missional Community

The Upper Manhattan Missional Community met for the first time last evening. What a wonderful time of experiencing God's presence in community. Twenty adults and one baby filled Melissa's apartment in Washington Heights to near capacity. The food was good, the worship was rich and the sharing was transparent and sincere.

For me it was an amazing day living in community. From worshiping on the Upper West Side and having the high honor of participating in Josh's ordination, offering up a prayer for him to trying to unclog the drain in Casey's apartment, but having failed, then enjoying a great meal with Charlotte and Casey at Dallas BBQ, to schlepping Subway sandwiches 22 blocks in our cart (that's right--cart not car!) to Missional Community and enjoying the warmth of Melissa's apartment while outside the weather was bitter cold--ahh!--life in Manhattan!

I am excited about Missional Community. We are but one of six communities flourishing to life in Manhattan through Origins Church. These communities provide a way for people to connect and interact with each other, pursue Christian discipleship, and work together to bring renewal to our city. In Upper Manhattan we believe we can have impact in our communities--building bridges across cultures and language--as we share the love of Christ with our neighbors. We are looking forward to partnering with other ministries in the community as well as offering beginner Spanish classes for English speakers to help us identify better with the majority population--following in the steps of Jesus!

Our icebreaker last evening as we broke up into two smaller groups was to state a dream, hope or wish. My dream is beginning to be fulfilled--to be part of a movement that is impacting Manhattan for Christ and bringing people together for the glory of God!

Can We Trust Emotion?

We have become very skeptical when emotions show. Mitt shed a tear when he recounted his emotion over hearing that his church had changed its official stance on African Americans several years ago. Some thought he had committed the Muskie mistake of 1972. Maybe he did. Hillary had a catch in her voice when she answered a personal question the day before the New Hampshire primary. Would it cost her votes? It appears in this case it made her seem more human and approachable. Just today T.O. (Terrell Owens) literally broke down as he defended his quarterback teammate from charges that it was his (Romo's) Mexican vacation and inattention to details that cost the Cowboys in their loss to the New York Giants. A tearful T.O. maintained that it was a team loss. Many will see it as just another of T.O.'s drama shows.

One of the books I read at the end of the year was Jim & Casper Go To Church. Jim was a pastor for many years and is a follower of Jesus, while Casper is the friendly atheist he hired to accompany him to visit a host of churches from mega church to medium-sized church to house church, all to determine if these churches were doing what Jesus intended. It is an interesting read, and Casper shows no mercy in his critique of churches and Christians in general. One of his most severe criticisms come against pastors and speakers who utilized emotion: the break in the voice, the escaped tear, the heart-wrenching story. Rather than seeing this as genuine, Casper saw it as manipulation.

Can we trust our emotions? When we tell the story that we are in...the story of what God has and is doing in our lives and in our world...what place does emotion play? Should our telling leave out emotion? What do you think?

Christmas Greetings from Gary and Charlotte Wiley

It is impossible to summarize a year in just a few paragraphs, but as we have celebrated Advent over the past four Sundays it is symbolic of what has happened in our lives during 2007. Six years ago the course of our lives took a drastic change as we stepped away from ministry in Peru and embraced the Big Apple. We had no idea what living in the way of Jesus would look like in Manhattan. Honestly, much of that time felt like "spinning our tires" on slippery pavement, but the certainty that we were where we were supposed to be was something that we could not deny. In our time of transition of frustration, God took us from expectation, to confirmation that our Lord was working in our lives and in His world, to joy in the waiting, and finally to a realization of His peace.

Over the past eight months God has revealed that we are exactly where He called us to be--to participate in the establishment of His Kingdom in this city and beyond. We are thankful for the people He has brought into our lives and the opportunities He continually gives us to minister. The celebration of Christmas is all the richer this year as we harmonize with what God is doing in His world!

Our youngest, Eric, turned 18 this month! He is a senior in high school and anticipates graduating in June from the High School of American Studies. He works two days a week at Barnes & Noble, is active in F.A.T. (Faithful, Available and Teachable) Kids, and plans to go to India in February with a group from our church to minister in an orphanage of children from the lowest caste.

Michelle is home for Christmas after being away last year. She was appointed by Global Partners in August as a career missionary to continue working with the Karis people. She spent the fall months in Holland, Michigan. We are thankful for her life and commitment to minister in a very needy part of the world. Her plans include leaving the U.S. in the spring. Right now she is enjoying spending time with her niece Sophia.

Kristina, Jose and Sophia have had a busy year. Kristina continues as the office administrator for APA International and Jose is the merchandize manager at the Rockefeller Center J. Crew. Sophia is 20 months old and amazes us with her vocabulary. She know how to brighten a room and put a smile on your face. Grandma and Grandpa love every minute we spend with her. Sophia and her parents made a couple of trips to Peru in 2007 for two weddings and she was able to get better acquainted with her Abuelo and Abuela Torrejon. She also recently visited her great-grandparents Lawn in Pennsylvania.

Charlotte is having a growing impact as head nurse in the dermatology practice where she works. This has been a pivotal year for her to see how God is using her in that setting. Gary finished his first year as a manager in the Upper West Side Barnes & Noble. God has opened doors for touching lives there. One of the biggest things has been the community into which we have been privileged to worship and minister. Origins Church will celebrate two years of ministry at Easter and God is using it in a significant way. There is not enough space to tell what God is doing there, but we are thrilled to see the vision God gave us for Manhattan come to be through our involvement with Origins. We have been leading a Life Group since September and in 2008 will lead a missional community in Upper Manhattan. You can learn more about the ministry of Origins at www.originsnyc.com.

Had God reveled to us how He wanted to use us in Manhattan six years ago, we might have had second thoughts because it didn't fit our concept of ministry or how we had "always done it." Six years later we can see the wisdom of God who gives us hope in the darkness and gives us joy in the waiting, and fills our hearts with peace. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the wonderful opportunity He gives each of us to participate with Him so that His will is done on earth as it is in heaven, our prayer is that you will be filled with His hope and peace. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

October Recap

As I write today there are only two months left to this year! The month of October was full and eventful and brought more evidence of the exciting things that God is doing in our lives and the plans and purpose He has for us.



The door for effective ministry continues to open. One of my coworkers has been very open with me about his search for God. He has come to our Life Group and we have been able to eat dinner together away from work to talk about his spiritual search. Also, my former manager has recently transferred to my present store. We have had some interesting conversations in the past and now we have the opportunity to work together again. Charlotte and I continue to view our jobs as an opportunity to minister--not overtly, but through our words and actions, allowing God to be seen in us. It's a challenge, but God is faithful!


One of the highlights of October for me was attending a book signing on Staten Island. Brian McLaren was there to discuss his new book "Everything Must Change." I will mention more about his book in my October Reading section. However, as I was one of the first ones there, I had about 15 minutes to chat with Brian. Over the past five years his writings have had a tremendous impact in my life and have given me a strong passion to see God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven. It was great to meet up there with a group from the Origins community. I was able to blaze the trail on subways, ferry and bus to a "remote outpost" of NYC ahead of the group.


Charlotte and I, along with about 75-80 people from Origins, took part in the Strength Finder's Seminar on October 6, led by Eric Bryant from Mosaic Church in Los Angeles. We found the seminar very helpful as it focused on our strengths (resource developed by Gallop Organization) and how them relate to ministry. My number one strength is "communication," maybe that is one of the reasons I have to do this blog!


Over five years ago when we moved into Washington Heights we really wanted to be able to impact our community for the Kingdom. While our original plans have been modified greatly, God's original intent has not. Charlotte and I are leading a Life Group through Origins that is taking a serious look at Jesus' call and our response. We are working our way through the Sermon on the Mount. There is a growing consensus and passion for our community "Up in the Heights" where most of us live. We represent at least 10 different buildings in this community and are seeking ways to share God's love in creative ways with our neighbors. I look forward to updating our "baby steps."

We've had some fun this month with a apple picking trip to New Paltz, NY. We rented a ZipCar and made a quick trip 90 minutes out of the city, had lunch in New Paltz, connected with others from Origins who had gone for the day, and brought home half a bushel of apples--all in time for me to be at work by 4:30. Another special occasion was this week celebrating Charlotte's birthday. It was fun taking her flowers at work and enjoying a wonderful meal at our favorite Peruvian restaurant Pio Pio Salon. Thanks Chris and Julia for joining us!

October Reading...
Allow me to share where my reading has taken me this past month. It was been varied, but for the most part very interesting.

Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope by Brian McLaren. This was no doubt one of the most significant books I have read. The author considers it a companion piece to his earlier The Secret Message of Jesus. The bottom line is that the message of Jesus has everything to say about the global crises we face today. There were times that the message of the book was so heavy I had to put it down. But as I read the last four chapters I found myself weeping with joy at the prospect that there is hope to make a difference through the Kingdom principles of Jesus!

The Year of Living Biblically by A. J. Jacobs provided some comic relief from the deep themes of the previous book. Jacobs is an Esquire editor, of Jewish descent who previously had read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica (30,000 pages), and took as his next project to read the entire Bible and try to live one year observing every commandment, rule, or precept. Since he is Jewish he spent the first eight months in the Old Testament and the last four months in the New Testament. There were times I laughed out loud reading Jacobs' experiences with Scripture, but there was also some depth and food for thought in his writing.

Peppermint-Filled Pinatas: Breaking through Tolerance and Embracing Love by Eric Michael Bryant. The author oversees the leadership team at Mosaic in Los Angeles and led the Strength Finders Seminar we attended. Lighter reading than McLaren but still packs a punch as he challenges us to love our neighbors and fulfill the vision Jesus had for us from the beginning.

Nobodies: Modern American Slave Labor and the Dark Side of the New Global Economy by John Bowe was a new subject for me, but motivated by my growing interest in fair trade products. Knowledge is dangerous, so that now that I know that workers (most immigrants, many illegal) are exploited to pick oranges, apples, other fruits/vegetables, even make clothes "Made in the USA," I cannot go back to my previous innocence. Wow! A challenging field for followers of Jesus to step into.

Not all of my reading was so heavy...

Tales from the Reds Dugout by Tom Browning...junk reading for Reds fans! Sorry all you others!

White Noise by Don DeLillo...winner of the 1985 National Book Award for Fiction. College professor deals with his own mortality and insecurities.

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson...very popular mystery by Scottish author...sells well in our store...but not my cup of tea!

Love to hear your impressions if you have read any of the books I mention...or other impressions as well.

To steal a phrase from Brian McLaren...

Plotting goodness,

Gary