Sunday, December 06, 2015

[TEAMspinella] Shhhh! Excerpts from Laura

Did you know Laura has her own list of intercessors now? It is a very exclusive list--you have to ask her personally to be on it, you have to lift up things to your father, and you are supposed to respond with your own things so she can lift them up. She recently mentioned that I'm not even on her list! I hope she adds me, though. I do lift her up and those she loves with her.

Here are some excerpts... (as usual, I've also inserted my typically awkward neutral language. Thanks for your patience with this since this is an internet-searchable email. Laura's list doesn't go out like this one.) She says...

"As before please lift up:

that someone special would draw many ladies to attend...and to even bring their friends;
that women would feel welcomed and included
and become interested in participating in the spin off events.
and that thru these events they will become exposed to great love and hear and follow everything beneficial.

"For Laura personally she asks that she could...

hear the director's leading and know how to spend time with the ladies I meet, and
that [she] would be more courageous in engaging them in discussions and
sharing [her] own stories
in a way that would encourage them to think about their own relationships.
Ask especially for wisdom as I walk most weeks with a new friend....

"And for [her] Monday discussion...that

All of us will grow in understanding and obedience
that our times together will be an encouragement to each one
that the children will be healthy so that the young moms can come!

"Also, Steve is in TN, participating in a "New member orientation" for TEAM. During this time he shares recommendations and or requirements for various new members--pray that these meetings will go well, and that the input would be well-delivered and well received...and that the outcome will be growth in spiritual maturity and in readiness for new assignments! (That was November, and then I was also gone for another set of meetings.)"

Laura and her friends are especially on my mind since right now she's getting ready for a party tomorrow night with a lot of ladies here at the house. As an observer alongside, I've just been amazed at the international community I'm watching right here where we live and the depth of meaningful relationships it includes. Please join me in celebrating all this.

And unfortunately, by tomorrow night I'll be off again for a week of consultation on debriefing and reentry, including personal reflection, reflection on how to lead others in this journey, and best practices. While it is local, I'll be staying on site for that, which means more separation for Laura and I.

We did have a great time at Thanksgiving and, if you find one of us on facebook, you can see a couple great pictures of us including sledding with our adult kids (except for son-in-law John) and posing with them and Laura's parents. And it's snowing again outside as I write, even though it was in the 50s yesterday.

With love in him who keeps us, Steve and Laura

PS Thank you for partnering with us in this grand journey, and for allowing us to partner with you. If you are interested in investing financially as well, the details are at http://www.paraclete.net/ or you can send a gift for Ministry Account 7675, Paraclete, to Paraclete Mission Group, PO Box 912576, Denver, CO 80291-2576.

Steve and Laura Spinella

US: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

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Tuesday, November 24, 2015

[TEAMspinella] Sarah's BIG Global Mobility Measure data collection

Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/globalmobilitymeasure

Sarah has set out on an interesting course. Rather than study an existing data set, a safer route for PhD students, she has opted to pursue creating a new measure--of global mobility.

I think this could be of great value, as I and many others often talk about the impact of global mobility, yet we do not have any standard by which we can compare and contrast what that means.

You could help her by filling out her instrument and passing it on to others. Obviously the more comprehensive and diverse her responders, the more valid her measure is likely to become.

Thanks for anything you can do to help!

Steve (proud and hopeful dad!)

PS If you have specific questions or input regarding her research, her email is sarspin@gmail.com! I'm sure she'd be delighted to hear from you. And I thought it took more than 40 minutes, myself. Maybe I over-thought it.

NOTE: I selected a lot of names from my address book for this email (BCC). So... if you want to be totally deleted from my address book, let me know. Or if you want to hear from me and aren't, let me know. And don't worry, I won't be repeating this :-)

Steve and Laura Spinella

US: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sarah Spinella Forcey <sarspin@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 23, 2015 at 11:56 AM
Subject: [sarspin] Time for my BIG Global Mobility Measure data collection
To: sarspin@googlegroups.com

Hello friends,

My pilot test has been completed and the results have enabled me to move on to THE BIG DATA COLLECTION. I now need more than 500 people over the age of 18 to take my 30-40 minute survey on global mobility.

Please help me out by taking my survey, and passing it on to your friends and family.

Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/globalmobilitymeasure

Thank you for helping me get my PhD in Counseling Psychology!!

Sarah

Thursday, September 24, 2015

[TEAMspinella] Fwd: [sarspin] Pilot Concluded

We did it! If you were slow to "dip in the pool," (take the survey), don't worry. Another chance is coming soon. Thanks again for your willingness to help.

Personally I look forward to the discussion guide and seminar some day, but I'll probably have to wait at least a bit longer for that.

To all our friends, whether globally mobile in a major way or majorly local blooming where you're planted, may you experience great love and adventure right where you are--or where you're going next!

Steve and Laura

PS Speaking of which, Laura and I leave in about an hour for a week trip to Portland, OR. Ask that we might find good connections and meaningful conversations with those we go to meet and those we encounter along the way as well. In terms of Sarah's survey, we've never lived there, and only know a few roads, and we haven't even been to the rose garden, but we have seen Multnomah Falls.

Steve and Laura Spinella

US: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sarah Spinella Forcey <sarspin@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 23, 2015 at 10:02 AM
Subject: [sarspin] Pilot Concluded
To: sarspin@googlegroups.com

Thank you so much friends and family! Amazingly, within 24 hours of posting, I have over 50 responses, which is all I need for the pilot test. But stay tuned for the next round of data collection, for which I will need 300-500+ participants (and it will hopefully be a shorter version).

I'll send out another email when the next round of data collection begins.

Thanks!

Sarah

P.S. If you already took the survey, you are allowed to take it again in the second round of data collection too, if you'd like.

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Wednesday, September 23, 2015

[TEAMspinella] Fwd: [sarspin] Pilot Test Available this week--takes 30-40 minutes

I told my daughter I thought we could easily get the 50 people, not to mention the 500 later. Her focus is global mobility, but anybody can take it--well, at least anybody over 18 with access to a computer. Can you help? Click

http://tinyurl.com/globalmobilitypilot . I'm doing it right now.

Thanks, Steve

PS This is for her PhD research at Texas A&M in counseling psychology, which focuses on better understanding global mobility from a statistical point of view. Thanks in advance for your help.

Steve and Laura Spinella

US: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sarah Spinella Forcey <sarspin@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Sep 22, 2015 at 1:10 PM
Subject: [sarspin] Pilot Test Available this week--takes 30-40 minutes
To: sarspin@googlegroups.com

The time has arrived for my pilot test! A pilot test is a trial run of my survey with fewer people. The results from the pilot test will enable me to do a statistical analysis to make sure there are no big problems that need to be fixed before the BIG data collection.

Essentially I need 30-50 people over the age of 18 to take my survey ASAP. Later on I will need 300-500 people over the age of 18 to take my survey in the BIG data collection.

The sooner I collect this data, the sooner I can move on to the next step in completing my dissertation and earning my PhD in Counseling Psychology.

If you can help, please click this link to proceed to the survey:

http://tinyurl.com/globalmobilitypilot

Sarah

IRB NUMBER: IRB2015-0336D
IRB APPROVAL DATE: 09/21/2015
IRB EXPIRATION DATE: 05/15/2016

Monday, August 24, 2015

[TEAMspinella] Boomer love in a millennial world

Over the years (note this phrase!), I have tried to write to you not just about ministry, but about life in international ministry, a topic some of you know very well and others appreciate from a slightly greater distance.

It occurred to me this morning that I'm 59 now, but I've never written about the late career stages for people in international ministry. I think I am there already!

When we went to Taiwan I was on the cusp of 40, but I still thought of myself as on the young end. Certainly when I entered that new world, I felt like a newbie, and I definitely made mistakes, some of which I would like to attribute to being…on the young end! Also we had three young children, two in kindergarten and a second grader. I don't need to remind you we now have three young adults, two married and one who just had some 20 other adults over last night so we could "meet his friends." A fine and capable group they are.

In general, people in international ministry get there by prioritizing that over a lot of other things. Hopefully God works that together for good. It can lead to some interesting negotiations through developmental challenges of adult life. For instance, our children never really grew up in the US! They didn't leave home for school before college, but I myself did and many others do also. When we did send them to college, we were on the other side of the world. Not unheard of, but perhaps more complicated than sending them from Houston to College Station. (I can say that now, I have an Aggie mug and two Aggies visiting this week. Shout out to John and Sarah Forcey, here visiting, married a year now, and perhaps within a year or two of those PhD's.)

As midlife develops, the decisions can get tricky. For instance, some have developmentally delayed children who will continue to need care. Some are still single with no clear place to call home or community in which to age. A few have health challenges or partners with health challenges like strokes, diabetes, cancer, and certainly obesity and arthritis. Many have aging relatives, who may need special care. Kids and grandkids are often scattered, typically diverse, and sometimes also alienated.

Many have developed specialized language and ministry skills for ministry niches that are now inaccessible or unadvisable. Some smoothly transition to new roles, others not so smoothly…. Some either burn out, losing their energy and passion to take on new challenges, or rust out, if you will, losing their relevance to new challenges and ways of doing ministry. Many exit fulfilling ministry roles to a set of options they find, well, less fulfilling, like working at Costco, delivering medications, or processing financial transactions.

Many have sacrificed some financial security and have more limited options. Most have lived without many things their peers have enjoyed. Raising funds for ministry often doesn't get easier or even more fun!

The bottom line for me is that people in international ministry, like all of us, need love, encouragement, and good allies throughout their whole lifecycle. I believe God can give all of us meaningful lives no matter our circumstances, but circumstances do matter. As you engage with people like us, please take time to listen, hold your assumptions loosely, and welcome us into your worlds while entering ours as well. And always pray!

Yours from not so far away, Steve and Laura

Steve and Laura Spinella

Paraclete Mission Group: www.paraclete.net

US: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

Wednesday, August 05, 2015

[TEAMspinella] parakeet, pair of cleats, Paraclete Mission Group

July was incredibly busy with travel and meetings for TEAM and extended family here in Colorado. In addition, it appears we have waited out the subterranean flood of 2015. By that we mean that Laura's parents crawl space and septic field have been flooded since May 12. Water has come up through the sand, flowing down the normally semi-arid hills, perhaps from the black forest burn scar, but certainly beyond our best interventions. The level is slowly dropping, but it has been an additional challenge for us and for Laura's parents. A few people have pointed out that our street is after all "Springcrest," but theirs is Otero, which means "hill"! Who knew the hill would drain through their backyard and crawl space?! I also have been back on my bike, riding more this month than in many. This is not enough to reverse the gradual weight accumulation of many years, but it has had a "trickle down" effect at least.

But back to the title line--as of August 1, our sponsoring organization is the Paraclete Mission Group. Paraclete has a wonderful meaning. Unfortunately it is in Greek (παράκλητος). Further, the website is neither .com nor .org, but rather Paraclete.net. The root meaning of paraclete is one who is called alongside in order to help. It is used most famously of the Holy Spirit in John 17. We don't think we are the Holy Spirit, but we do want to come alongside people in Jesus' name, in dependence on the Spirit.

The Paraclete Mission Group is a reasonably small group of servants committed to coming alongside people in international ministry. We are happy that our ministry is now sponsored by this US nonprofit going forward. We are also happy that we can continue to serve TEAM and its people (as well as others) from this new platform.

Here are the details:

Organizational name and contact info: Paraclete Mission Group, PO Box 63450, Colorado Springs, CO 80962, 1-719-302-2500, info@paraclete.net

Tax ID number for non-profit: 36-3559944 (The link goes to the 2014 990 information return for the organization.)

Address for mailing donations: Paraclete Mission Group, PO Box 912576, Denver, CO 80291-2576 (add a note indicating it is "preferenced for the Spinella ministry 7675D")

Website link for donations: Spinella ministry donations link

Are you still reading? Paraclete Mission Group began at the US Center for World Mission, now called Frontier Ventures, as many new organizations started up to reach unreached people groups. Some of those organizations are now quite large. I actually first encountered Paraclete in 1993. It has gone through substantial changes over the years, but eventually has become a hub for veteran contributors with specialized skills and passions of value to international ministries. As partnership and networks become common models for global impact, Paraclete associates now also include some location specific partnerships, including work with the Center for Counseling and Growth in Taiwan, where I used to work.

Here's to a happy August, including my upcoming 59th! Steve and Laura

PS Laura said I had to put this part in the PS because it is silly and annoying! In sharing our move, I have discovered Paraclete sounds like parakeet (the word, not parakeets chirping singing etc). It is also harder to spell than a pair of cleats (shoes with protruding bumps or ridges on the bottom). Yes, I think she's right...and all my kids will groan. Anyway now you know why the subject line--a cheap way to help you remember Paraclete.

Steve and Laura Spinella

US: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

Saturday, June 20, 2015

[TEAMspinella] The switch is on!

Thank you for the input that many of you have given as we have considered the possibility of a transition from TEAM to the Paraclete Mission Group. The switch is on!

Effective August 1, we will be sponsored by Paraclete. The website for Paraclete (note the spelling!) is http://www.paraclete.net/. If you want to contribute to our ministry going forward, we ask you to send a check to "Paraclete Mission Group" (or Paraclete or PMG), PO Box 912576, Denver, CO 80291-2576, with a note indicating that your gift is preferenced for account 7675-D (or preferenced for the Spinella's ministry.) If you wish, you can also put your preferred name and contact info on the note for Paraclete's operations team, Missy Thedford and Bill Eckerd. And yes, we definitely invite you to do this. We need ministry partners going forward just as we have for so many years now.

There will be some good changes and some challenges ahead as we make this transition:

-Our administrative overhead will drop. Yea! Both TEAM and Paraclete work to minimize costs of operation, but Paraclete's costs are lower (roughly 10% vs 13%).

-Right now TEAM, Paraclete, and I are completing "MOU"s that will cover my ongoing work with team beginning August 1. The Memorandum(s) of Understanding lay out the partnership arrangements and helps to ensure we are in agreement about how we are working together. Both Paraclete and TEAM are recognized non-profit ministry organizations in the US, and these agreements also ensure that our ministries are above reproach and in compliance with government requirements for this status. This covers such things as compatible statements of faith, how funds are handled, and even job descriptions and supervision arrangements.

-We will be transitioning between health plans, retirement arrangements, and so forth.

-We will need to make new ministry budgets and learn new operations and accounting systems.

-Paraclete may be a more unique name than TEAM, but it is also a lot harder to spell. It's a smaller organization, not so well known, but with a cozier feel.

-We have already begun to build relationships with the staff of Paraclete, and we will continue to build relationships in TEAM. Still, there is some grief in making this change as well as some excitement and anticipation.

Here is also some background on the change process, if you're interested...

Some of you may remember that when we went to Taiwan, we were jointly sponsored by MTI.org, for whom we had been working here in Colorado (5+ years), and TEAM, which was active in Taiwan (more MOUs!). When it became clear we would be staying longer than a couple years in Taiwan, MTI released us fully to that ministry and TEAM as a sole sponsoring organization. In Taiwan, TEAM was our sponsoring organization, but my work (Steve) was fully directed by the Center for Counseling and Growth and its board (another MOU.) When we transitioned back to the US (after 15 more years), we looked in depth at three or four sponsoring arrangements for ministry going forward. One of those was Paraclete, but because God led us to work with TEAM's Counseling Office and Global Care Team, no change of organization was necessary and not changing organizations definitely simplified that transition. We've been back now 4+ years, serving in several capacities within TEAM's Counseling Office. My (Steve) latest role is Coordinator of Readiness Assessment for the TEAM Counseling Office. Looking ahead, we believe this is the right time to make the switch to Paraclete as a sponsoring organization, even though I will continue my current role with TEAM. Again, we believe changing sponsoring organizations will be easier because we are not also changing ministry roles at the same time.

Because we are a partnership--we only serve in ministry through the partnerships of people and churches as well as organizations like Paraclete and TEAM, we have sought extensive input and gotten lots of feedback about this change. Some people even filled out our online Google survey, while others met with us personally and some gave us input virtually, mainly by email. One person just wrote on the survey "nice survey dad". (I definitely also met with that person!) Almost everyone liked the change, but some said that they trust our judgment but have concerns. The most common reason expressed for liking the change is the fit between Paraclete as an organization and our personal ministry focus and style. The biggest concern expressed was that we would lose ministry partners. Other concerns in order of frequency included that TEAM provides better benefits, TEAM is better known, TEAM is larger and has more funding, and ministry with TEAM was more clearly focused and thus easier to communicate.

Those who have walked most closely with us in the journey usually at some point get to the question of passion--why take on the effort of making a change and why now? I would tell you that in any change there are always many factors, some easier to express and others more difficult. After all, in our ministry we walk with a lot of people in transitions. So far the best way I've been able to express this to a diverse audience, like might actually read this far, is that as we look ahead to the future, we see this as a strategic change to promote a longer, more effective ministry in changing circumstances, both in the present and as we look toward the future. Factors include our family situation, TEAM's journey into a new future through great change, the changing face of international ministry and our own culture, changing financial challenges, and of course our own life journeys. I will turn 59 five days into August, and this was the age at which both of my parents died, so naturally these past few years have been a time of a lot of reflection and prayer.

If God is gracious, these changes will extend and enhance our ministry both with TEAM and beyond, and that is our desire.

Thanks for journeying with us, in the past, in the present, and into the future,

Steve and Laura

PS If you are a current TEAM donor, you are getting notices about the change in TEAM's donation address effective in August. Don't worry about this for our ministry! You will also get a letter from TEAM announcing our switch to Paraclete and thanking you for your contributions.

Steve and Laura Spinella

US: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

[TEAMspinella] To come alongside to help--request for feedback on potential change in sponsoring organization

Potential change in sponsoring organization

While Laura and I remain deeply committed to partnership with TEAM, we are considering a change in our sponsoring organization. We will always be part of the TEAM mission family. We are proposing to continue our current ministry with TEAM and beyond under Paraclete as a sponsoring organization.

"To come alongside to help" is the root meaning of the Greek word Paraclete. It is also the name of an international ministry organization (Paraclete.net) that Laura and I have been invited to join. We would like to ask for your input in this decision.

Paraclete Mission Group [Paraclete] was formed to empower people [like us] to serve just in time, as needed, people in international ministry who can benefit from our care, coaching, and consulting. If we make this change, TEAM would continue to be a key client, but Paraclete Mission Group would become our sponsoring non-profit organization. Paraclete is small, nimble, and an experienced partner to organizations like TEAM (TEAM.org). In fact, the Center for Counseling and Growth in Taiwan (CCGasia.net), where we previously served, has

since

become one of the organizations Paraclete serves and partners with.

Strengths

Paraclete comes alongside m

ssn

agencies, chrches and chrch

growth

movements involved in expanding the Kingdom of

the Father

around the world. Paraclete associates are experienced

m's and professionals who use their histories, skills and gifts to partner with individuals and organizations to help them be effective in life and ministry. We think this is a good fit for us. I first entered international ministry as a teacher at age 22, more than 36 years ago. I have worked in the scope of Paraclete's

mssn

statement since 1990, seeking to help dozens of organizations and hundreds of individuals active in international life and ministry to stay, flourish, and contribute.

Using Paraclete as a platform Laura and I can continue to serve TEAM while also coming alongside other

ministries and

people serving internationally. The added freedom of a smaller organization focused on ministries like ours may enhance our ability to continue in ministry longer and more flexibly. At the same time, we will have the companionship and accountability of other experienced contributors and administrative systems specifically geared to support this kind of ministry.

Why make a change?

Any change includes losses as well as gains. We continue to appreciate and affirm TEAM and its ministries, and TEAM values our partnership with them as well. So why make a change? Here are three factors:

FOCUS: TEAM is a direct service organization. Our focus in ministry is serving TEAM and its people, as well as their peers. The focus of Paraclete as an organization more closely aligns with our own focus in ministry.

FUNDING: TEAM operates based on more of a fixed funding model for its staff and associates while Paraclete operates on more of a proportional funding model

. Since our funding for ministry has dropped since our return from Taiwan, a proportional model is more efficient for us. (In both cases, all funds given to the ministries are used for the ministries' purposes, and our ministry is supervised by the sponsoring organization.)

FIT: In Taiwan I led a ministry initiative that worked in partnership with many ministries, including TEAM. The need for care sometimes occurs in the midst of organizational tensions. Being a partner and friend rather than a staff member can be a strategic role, and it is one which I find a good fit for our ministry. The global care team on which I currently function for TEAM already includes both TEAM staff and partners sponsored by other ministry organizations.

Adjustments

As a smaller organization, Paraclete has less infrastructure. There will be no group health plan, no magazine like TEAM Horizons, and no accumulated funds to fuel recruitment and growth

of the organization such as TEAM now

has

We will continue...

-to rely on ministry partners and sending churches for our ministry funding,

-to maintain personal health insurance,

-to plan for our eventual retirement and other contingencies, and

-to encourage others to serve internationally through many organizations, and especially TEAM and Paraclete.

While we are serious and prayerful about this potential change, no date has been set. Assuming it goes forward, letters will go out from TEAM and Paraclete to our ministry partners announcing the change and the date it takes place. We have already been gathering feedback from our sending chrches, but we also want to include you in our change process. Thank you so much for the role you have played in our lives, our journey, and our ministries. What is your input as we consider this change?

Summary

We are desiring to continue our current ministry and expand it by serving additional people and organizations in international ministry. Our

ministry strategy remains the same. Our
history of service prepares us for continued ministry in this way. We continue to have a good relationship with TEAM. Our
application to Paraclete.net included an account of our journey, further discussion of the challenges, and references who are willing to speak openly about our ministry together.
Paraclete has an

evangelical

statement of faith, is a
US non-profit in good standing, and has appropriate structures for financial, ministry, and personal accountability. Each of the
bold
underlined words and phrases in this paragraph are
supported by
additional information
, available by request
. If you have additional questions, please email us with your request for information.

Feedback

We very much want your feedback as we consider this change. Any change is stressful and can be scary.

Here is a simple online survey (http://goo.gl/forms/S6Dl66Otyn) where

you

can give us feedback

, anonymously if you prefer

. People can also email feedback to spinella@alumni.rice.edu or call us at 719.355.4809 (Steve) or 832.755.4261 (Laura).

Thanks, Steve and Laura Spinella

Steve and Laura Spinella

street: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

[TEAMspinella] Back to Taiwan or halfway around the world in 21 days

Yes, it's true. We're leaving tomorrow morning for 21 days in Taiwan. It's been two years since our last visit and four years and four months since we moved away.

We know that much will have changed, but we're looking forward to seeing people we have known and people we will meet for the first time.

We'll hang out, we'll seek people out, we'll listen for invitations to come hang out,...

and, oh yeah, I'll also do some training for CCG, the Center for Counseling and Growth, meeting a whole new group of counselors who have arrived since we left. It will be fun to find out what has drawn them there and what is happening in people's lives in this new era.

One big part of this trip will be reconnecting with some significant people that won't be there much longer, as well as some people who have suffered some great losses.

And along the way we're hoping to find a little time to do two of our favorite things that we came to love in Taiwan--biking and snorkeling. Oh, and drinking tea of course, not to mention eating amazing food. I think I'd better just finish packing and not focus too much on how quickly 21 days will pass.

Keep us in your thoughts! If you're in Taiwan, we want to see you!

Steve and Laura

Steve and Laura Spinella

street: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

Sunday, February 15, 2015

[TEAMspinella] This is a dramatic interpretation of something long ago: Landed in Perge

My son Joey tells me, "Dad, you need to clarify." Sorry for confusing you. This email I sent earlier this morning (3am here actually) is a dramatic take on something that happened in this physical spot a long, long time ago. I'm trying to imagine what it would be like to "walk in the footsteps of the apostle Paul," not just physically but also emotionally and spiritually. Lots of people talk about doing the first here, but I think the second is worth doing also. Here are the two accounts we have written from what happened here, where I am now physically, just short of 2000 years ago:

" From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch." (Acts 13:13-14)

Later we read this also:

"Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ..." (Acts 15:36-39)

Paul and Mark are Greek/Latin names (Paulus and Markus) while Saul and John were Jewish/Aramaic names. And that's the rest of the story (my brief update and a link to a few pictures is in the italics at the bottom.)

All the best from the Mediterranean coast, Steve (Laura is in Texas)

Steve and Laura Spinella

street: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Steve & Laura Spinella <spinella@alumni.rice.edu>
Date: Sun, Feb 15, 2015 at 3:21 AM
Subject: Landed in Perge
To: Laura Ramage Spinella <lauraspinella@gmail.com>

It's rainy and cold. John (Mark) confronted me the other day about my risky behavior. He says that my approach is too public and may not only offend the locals but arouse great hostility even among our own people. Barney is asking me to acknowledge the risks and suggesting that we should make these decisions prayerfully, as a team. I feel that the father is blessing our current approach and I think I'm going to confront John about the short time we have to communicate our message and the resulting urgency that requires boldness to penetrate thick skulls and busy lives. His first hand testimony is critical to our ministry plan, as he was there for everything. I think he needs to be speaking more boldly himself, but he's always concerned about respecting people and so forth. Also either he's getting sick or all the charcoal fires for heat are really setting off his allergies. We need to push through this, but I probably haven't handled this as good as i could have. You know how wound up I get!

Love you lots, Sallie (I'm going by Paulus here since even our people use their Latinized or Greek names. John is going by "Markus" also.)

PS Perge is full of statues of the local deities, with many large public temples. The money invested is incredible. We're thinking of moving on to Psidian Antioch soon, but just because it's "Antioch" doesn't mean it will feel like Syrian Antioch! Check out Acts 13:13

Just imagining what an email back then might have looked like. A few pics at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+SteveSpinella/albums/6115861900188233041. Modern day Antalya now hosts more than 10 million visitors a year, and there is a small cultural center here in the old city, near Hadrian's gate (as in the imperial Hadrian of the Roman empire) called the St Paul Cultural Center with a great little coffee shop just down the street from our "castle hotel"--fancy name for a small B&B in a set of very old buildings around a small courtyard. Our own meetings are considerably calmer than those described above, in case you're wondering!

Steve and Laura Spinella

street: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

[TEAMspinella] Landed in Perge

Steve and Laura Spinella

street: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

Sunday, February 08, 2015

[TEAMspinella] A Texas Turkey Sandwich

I'm talking about a trip, actually, that we're already on.

And I don't mean the sign for Turkey, TX we passed in the car yesterday.

I'm speaking of Turkiye, otherwise known as Turkey in the USA, I'm guessing because saying Turkey is much more natural to Americans.

The sandwich part is that I'm flying out of Houston for eleven days of meet ups over there, leaving Laura here, and then flying back for some meet ups here before we go back to Colorado. This also has nothing to do with the guys who would fly into erstwhile buddies from both sides at once hollering "turkey sandwich" when Laura and I went to school in Texas so many years ago, except that since we met here and later sent our kids back here to go to school, we have lasting connections with Texas.

Today we sat in on son-in-law John Forcey's introduction to philosophy class (learning a bit more about the real differences between libertarians and compatibilists, and why all compatibilists are necessarily determinists--and if I'm wrong, well, John's teaching the class, not me, so no worries.) Later we visited the student counseling services of Texas A&M University, taking special note of the office of Sarah Forcey, M.Ed., and meeting a few of her colleagues and supervisors.

If you've been keeping track, you'd know that it's been over 18 months since I left the US. This is a long break between trips for me, maybe the longest in over ten years. I'm a bit excited to be traveling again, but also a bit unexcited. Not traveling brought home to me how much travel costs in terms of disruption and even jet lag. So please remember me as I make this trip, as well as Laura here in Texas. At the same time, I will be spending time with some wonderful people in Turkey, as the global care team I work with gathers from around the world, as well as some other significant people.

In the meantime, we've been discussing some other adjustments that we will be talking with you about very soon.

Thanks for remembering us, in the one who keeps us all, Steve and Laura

Steve and Laura Spinella

street: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920

mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>

Sunday, December 06, 2015

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Monday, August 24, 2015

Wednesday, August 05, 2015

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Strengths

​Why make a change?

Summary

Feedback

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Sunday, February 08, 2015

Why make a change?