Personal Testimony
Many people in the campus and community has been asking me-How long are you going to stay in Morris? In fact I was asked this by a college student when I went to workout at the Regional Fitness Center last evening (11/5/03). I told him I take year by year!
I do have a part in me that wants to go back home where my parents live and where I grew-up in St. Paul. However, I've grown a-lot in my personal relationship with God since I came desperately in need of Him my freshmen year at UMM back in the "ole" day of 1995.
I tell people that this place has been a great place for growth and it'll be in God's time when He ever does "send me" out of here. Till then, I'm just focussing on Jesus and be a light-blessing to whoever He puts in my life (campus, work, local church, and whoever)!
Morris has been a great place for me because it is somewhere in the middle of nowhere-meaning we are located out in the flat prairie where you have to travel up-to an hour to another bigger populated city; however, it has been a place-unlike the cities-where one can grow spiritually wo/ the city "business" distraction that I grew up with in St. Paul.
(forwarded to Morris Sun Tribune)
Name: Sal(vador) Monteagudo, full-time (stayed during the summer) resident of Morris since 1999 when I graduated from UMM!
Occupations: Consumer Counselor at Ravenwood-Home (since 1999) and Community Service Project (like a mentor since 2001) with an individual youth through Prairie Community Services. Currently pursuing homepage building business and home-based health sales business.
Before Morris: Council of Asian Pacific Minnesota through the State Capitol-administrative intern, United Parcel Services-unloader, American Cancer Society-patient services intern, 3M-office and store intern, Taco Bell-fast food worker, Pioneer Press Dispatch-newspaper deliverer.
Community Involvement: Volunteering through Morris Community Church. Active in many other church related, faith growing, and bridge building activities (via e-mail and websites) in our community; Secretary for Special Touch Ministries (monthly activity for developmentally disabled/physically challenged population from local DAC and surrounding area) learning from others and mentoring/teaching others (children, youth, college age, international students, and various walks of life in our diverse community) what I learn; many other all around community related learning activities-opportunities.
Why do you believe Morris is an all-american city? As a 2nd generation Filipino-American born and raised in St. Paul, Morris has been a great place of refuge for me since attending UMM in 1995! Also, for many others from challenging pasts I’ve witnessed grow over the years since and to this day. This city is not only progressing, but the people of our community has too been progressing in their own individual lives. Our small populated, but diverse (age-children, youth, adults, senior citizens; economic status, disability-learning, mentally, or physically; education background; gender/sexual orientation; marital status; racial/ethnic; religious beliefs; social interests; etc…) rural-campus community try to do their best in using the available resources (best is our people or citizens of Morris with their God-given gifts, talents, and skills!) to help and bless one another. Not just only one another only! In return, we positively influence and impact others outside our community: neighbors in the west central area, state, nation, and the world in various ways!
This is what our nation has been built from (immigrants or refugees that escaped from their homelands for a better life), which our railroad-agriculture rural city built history acknowledges through not forgetting our past cultural history-particularly acknowledging the Native American heritage of this area.
Please feel free to offer any additional information here: No matter what happens in Atlanta, Morris is an all-american city in our hearts that will be past down generations ahead of us-keep telling the story of this great city!! This is my tribute www.angelfire.com/mn2/goodnewsumm/motown.html
Glad in God Day, thrid Thursdays @2-4pm of every month at J.A. Haavig Center; 506 California Avenue; Focus: Ministry of Women (?-before 2p one and one & @2-3p as a group) and Children (@3-4); Contact: Mona Lee Hostetter at 320.589.3828 for schedule
Women's Aglow, first Tuesday @7pm of every month at Prairie Inn: Cougar Room (back parking lot); Focus: women of all backgrounds (men are invited too during once a month group gatherings); Contact: Vicki Rinkenberger
Reflections of Community of Morris' Sin
This past Sunday (July 25th of 2004), I was enjoying my local church's service outdoors at East Side Park. As I try to do during every worship service, I take that time to seek God one and one! I look up and admired the leaves of the tree I was under for shade during a beautiful sunny-getting hot morning-noon service. Then I was reminded of a recent article in the local paper about trees being cut down because of the increasing Dutch Elm Disease. From my Bible devotional times, I was remembered this verse:
"But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea."-Matthew 18:6
This increasing tree disease can be a symbol of the "sin" in this community. To narrow specfically- gossip and slander, which I've notice is very prevalent in rural small town communities. However, there are many others-sinful list! A co-worker recently was describing how to detect this tree disease. She told me that a property owner has to cut the tree to look for it. It's like our own sin as individuals, we sometimes can't tell if we are sinning. From reading the Bible and asking God personally, he'll show your the sin (e.g. tree disease) that's eating or choking you up. If you don't detect it early, it'll keep bonding your from being "free" and may even take your life away!
What to do as citizens of Morris?
We need to examine our own lives (ask God for forgiveness of every wrongs EVERYDAY) before we can really effectively help others (see "Reflections" Article). As we continue to do this, we also have to keep others in our community "accountable" as "Watchman" (Ezekial 3 and 33). What others do may affect us, our community, and even our love ones!
DENOMINATIONS
Coming Together in Christ: Pioneering a New
Testament Way to Christian Unity: Christian
Churches/Churches of Christ and the Church of God
(Anders
Barry L. Callen,James B. North / Paperback / College Press
Publishing Company, Incorporated / June 1997
Unity and Diversity in the New Testament: An Inquiry
into the Character of Earliest Christianity
James D.G. Dunn / Paperback / Trinity Press International /
December 1994
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