A Rock For A Brick-And-Mortar

NOTE: The following article was published by the Green Bay Press Gazette in January, 2014 as an editorial.

A large rock on a vacant downtown Green Bay lot retains its lonely guard. This rock is a forgotten monument marking the spot of Green Bay’s first hospital ward dedicated to Dr. William Beaumont, an Army Surgeon stationed in Green Bay from 1826 – 1828 known as the father of Gastric Physiology. On this northeast corner lot of Chestnut and Kellogg streets once stood the Fort Howard hospital, officer’s quarters, and ward. Originally, these buildings and others made up the original Fort Howard on the nearby banks of the Fox River. These buildings now have a prominent spot at the Heritage Hills State Historical Park.

While our city strives to recover a once vibrant downtown we may bear witness to a loss of this history, as well as prime real estate and the beauty of the Fox River waterfront. One city block east is the abandoned Larson Canning Company building. This is the site of a proposed large brick-and-mortar retailer. This big box retailer has proposed building the fourth Walmart in the metropolitan area of Green Bay and its nearby townships. With a total population of roughly 200,00 one has to wonder how many Walmarts is enough? If four stores became a reality there would exist one Walmart for every 50,000 residents. This fact begs the question of retailer over-saturation and the possibility of narrowing consumer choice by eliminating other retailers in the area.

With a big box retailer in the downtown area comes litter and other waste products on our streets and in the Fox River. Downtown traffic will become overly congested, particularly on Broadway Street and its related side streets making recent street fairs and farmers markets nearly impossible. Most likely the Hospital Ward Monument and its vacant lot will be no more, as the space becomes a parking lot or out lot.

While a big box retailer brings tax income to the city it also will take away river frontage. This limited amount of river frontage should be used to carefully rebuild our downtown area into something unique and special. As an example, Leicht Memorial Park provides such an area attraction, which could be expanded on.

Perhaps the best remedy for this situation would be to have Walmart consider another location, perhaps in the Howard  / Suamico area. The recent possibility of Whole Foods Market moving to this spot is one such alternative. Whole Foods would have a smaller footprint and bring a new and unique retailer into the rebuilt Broadway district. With a smaller footprint Green Bay would have the ability to expand on its public use of the Fox River frontage. This public area should in some way memorialize the original Fort Howard location.

While preserving this valuable asset of land and river frontage we should also consider renewing and reinvigorating the weather worn Hospital Ward Monument, then moving it to a new home at Heritage Hills to occupy a small area in front of the original Green Bay hospital ward.

Scott S. Mertens

1/1/11

What's in a name? What's in a series of numbers? Meanings can run deep dependent on the action behind the name or number. As New Year's Eve came into focus over the last few weeks I've often thought about this relationship. Could 1/1/11 have something good in store or bad?

Following the terrorist attack on the United States on 9/11 I often wondered if the parties in back of this evil plot thought about the relationship between 9/11 and 911, our nation's accepted telephone number for reporting emergencies. If there is any credence to this thought, what is the next number they might use - 411, 511? No. This would be so far in our future that our means of communication should completely change by that time. That is if the human race is still functioning or God and his nature take over to start all things new due to man's spoiling His great gift.

So, what will happen on 1/1/11? A new evil plot? A new disaster? Or anything at all? Let's hope for a calm first day in a new year where we, as the human race, take a first step toward peace, love, and careful stewardship of this great gift of God's.

Cup 'O Joy 21st Anniversary

Cup ‘O Joy 21st Anniversary, 1989-2010


A 21st birthday conveys a coming of age, a test of time, maturity, and respect earned.

While many ministries have sustained the test of time, few acting as a Christian concert venue can claim the same. Imagine a concert venue offering 104 concerts a year, 103 of which ask only a free will offering. All concerts are smoke free, alcohol free, family friendly, hosting everything from blues to gospel, mellow acoustic to hard rock. Now imagine this concert venue in its 21st consecutive year of operation in a moderately sized Midwest city. This hidden jewel does exist, waiting for you to come to its next offering. Located on one of the oldest streets in of the oldest cities in America’s Midwest, the Cup ‘O Joy concert venue can be found at 232 South Broadway Street in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Of humble beginnings, The Cup, as it is lovingly called today, began in September, 1989 housed in a rundown brick building of the late 1800’s which had served as a shoe store and a later a print shop. With the help of many volunteers and a good share of patience the Cup began to gain momentum. In 1999 The Cup moved to a new location, a former Salvation Army and Knights of Columbus building built in 1950, converted to a bar, then abandoned. Today the venue has state of the art sound, video, and creature comforts.

Over time, the Cup transitioned from a coffeehouse atmosphere to a concert venue.
The first 5 to 7 years as an outreach saw the inclusion of music in the form of local talent. Then ‘Eli’ performed as the first national act, building a relationship with the Cup. John Cox, The Crossing and others began performing at the Cup. The list continued to grow with Super Chick, Sara Groves, Disciple, Building 429, Shawn McDonald, December Radio and others. Today, major acts come to perform on the Cup stage, with every style of music represented. Concerts are held every Friday and Saturday night, and admission is by free will offering only with one inexpensive benefit concert annually to help keep the lights on. No funds are received from the city, a church, or major sponsorships.

Here, artists find they can truly connect with people. The venue’s atmosphere lends itself to a close, one-on-one artist / audience relationship building a true channel of communication where both artist and audience share a mutual level of respect. Friendships thrive when the audience is physically next to the performer, seeing them live and sharing their art. This is what ministry is all about, building relationships by sharing Christian faith.

The venue, the artists, and the audience owe a vote of thanks to the volunteers. The unpaid staff, from the manager with 21 year tenure to those providing meals for the artists, maintenance, and administration, every one has a function and is a blessing. Roughly 100 volunteers representing 35 different faiths and all walks of life serve in various capacities. Sustainability is made possible by the volunteers - people bringing their gifts to the table with a love to serve. Each brings his or her talents willingly without reservation creating a sense of community too often lost in today’s culture.

The Cup has a ministry built with a greater focus than a small outreach. One that builds lasting relationships, crossing the borders of denominations forming Christ’s church. The
focus is faith-based entertainment for all comers providing an opportunity to grow closer to God and community. Reaching out to all with a commonly understood mode of communication – music. In the spirit of love and faith, the Cup reaches this goal. The audience grows in their relationship to Christ, sharing this relationship with family and friends, and planting seeds with others.

The Cup builds relationships and keeps relationships growing on an intimate basis. These relationships and friendships continue to evolve between individuals, artists, and volunteers. Their relationship with Christ is the focus of this ministry and will continue to be its focus for its 25th anniversary and on into the distant future. Join us at The Cup!

Author Biography: Scott Mertens

Writing & Me

My initiation to writing is as clear today as when it occurred. At the inquisitive age of 10, riding our stingrays home from McKinley Grade School in our hometown of Manitowoc, Wisconsin a close friend explained the virtues of reading and writing. At that magical moment, riding low on our banana seats with arms outstretched to our elevated handle bars, I had a desire to write.

As years passed, providing exposure to both personal experiences and various styles of written format, I became interested in the written word as a form of self expression. So I would try to express myself, and try, and try… Although for years I have faithfully retained notes, outlines, and memorized story lines, a single written work of mine was never completed. I needed a push!

While recently visiting area churches, we attended Spring Lake Church in Green Bay, Wisconsin at the suggestion of friends. During one of our initial visits, my wife Kathi pointed out a church bulletin describing ‘Write Path’, a group of church members interested in Christianity and writing. Just the jumpstart a wanna-be writer like me might need. Early in 2008 I joined the Write Path group searching for like-minded individuals with the drive and a desire to write. I found what I had been searching for! Or quite possibly the Lord lead me to this encounter. Finally I might find the drive and desire to express myself in a written work.

We all strive to express ourselves. The root of ones expression defines their individualism, which also defines an artist and their art. Using our experiences, imagination, dreams and wishes we express ourselves. No matter the reason or format, whether in words, visuals, speech, dance, or the plethora of other devices, we desire to express ourselves.

Some of us, however, have a difficult time ‘expressing’. This haunting desire

to express has led me to write. As I look back, I was published in a January, 1976 publication of Milwaukee’s ‘Bugle American’ underground newspaper, in an editorial railing against those tabloid columnists who focused on the personal life of musicians of the era rather than their art. Well, with that minor start in mind and with a little help from my Write Path friends, I will continue. As I’ve stated in my blog, I hope to provide in writing my observances based on experiences and interests. Since they represent the fabric of my life, I share my lessons learned, my views on our world, my spiritual growth, and the interests I hold dear.

Please enjoy and never hold back.

Slivers

A sliver, commonly in the form of small, thin, pointy piece of wood or metal, plunges into the skin. Often imbedding itself with no trace outside the skin, only a small barely visible dark spot. Oh, but the pain makes it much more visible in our mind. This is a physical sliver, but in many ways an emotional sliver is little different.

Many times both are caused by an inadvertent action, whether the action is our own or someone else’s. Some slivers provide immediate pain while others wait for a point of pressure to provide their notice. Those enduring the pain must make a decision whether to tolerate the immediate sharp pain of removal or the slow pain, persistent dull pain of letting Mother Nature take her course.

When the old remedy of removing a sliver by applying pine pitch is used to pull the sliver out to a point where it can be removed, time alone will expose the sliver so it can be removed. Time alone will also remove the effect of an emotional sliver. In either case a mark remains.

And so it is, similarities exist between a physical sliver and an emotional sliver.

A series of short stories relating to emotional slivers follow this introduction. The pain on a child’s face from verbal and / or emotional abuse, the hidden hurt of an elder knowing they are no longer valued, the living pain of someone you love being unloved by your actions, or the feeling of those not touched by the love of others. Finally, the guilt and lasting pain of those having inflicted these feelings, meaningfully or not.

Hopefully, for most of us these writings will bring up true emotions, welling up in us through our hearts to start the healing and to reach out to those in pain that are in need of healing. To others not having personal emotional wealth this may be a wake up call. May we all heal together.

S.S. Mertens

2009/10/12

Oil & Water: Politics & Christianity

Oil & Water: Politics & Christianity

Can Oil Mix with Water? Slowly poor a small amount of oil in a cup of water. What happens? The oil pools together in small droplets of varying size, floating on the body of water. Now, with spoon in hand, blend the two like there is no tomorrow. What happens? The oil pools together, albeit in smaller groupings, in the body of water. Over a small period of time the small groupings once again re-group into larger droplets. After all the spent energy of attempting to blend, the oil simply refuses to blend with the water. Nothing accomplished despite our best efforts, they will never come together. This is the story of oil and water; this is the story of politics and Christianity.

I have recently had a number of disparaging politically centered conversations, very one-sided indeed, where only one party’s opinion could be correct. Conversations where either you were on the far Christian right without any allowance or you were mislead, not having an intelligible thought, badly influenced if not evil incarnate. Each conversation focused on current politics, political leaders, and political choices.

To be fair, I have had related conversations with those on the far left where my faith and convictions were not given the time of day. Tossed away without a second thought, seen as a waste of breath in a world where anything goes, and where one lives only for today without a thought for tomorrow or its effect on your neighbor.

While I consider myself to be a liberal in thought and deed, I am also a Christian. I believe in the one and only triune God, that we are born into sin and Jesus alone is the only way to salvation from sin, and that the Bible is the word of God. Must this mixture of lifestyle and faith be an experience in polar opposites? If anything this is a typical picture of a Christian today. We are not all liberals. We are not all conservatives. We are not all the same but a mixture of backgrounds and experiences.

So, if the above is truly a picture of an American Christian, why must we disagree to the point of anger and violence? And what is its root cause? Is the media edging it’s way into out collective thoughts? Has big business bought its way into fashioning our future? Have the rich found a way to guarantee only they will be at the top of the hill? Certainly my far-right wing friends have been greatly influenced by the Rush Limbaughs of this world who are paid well by big business, caring only for big ratings and big cigars. I’m sure the same can be said for factions on the far left.

The far right and the far left. Christians being politically influenced on the far right by a party bought and paid for by big business while the far left often stretches the freedom our nation provides far beyond recognizable Christian and American values. Can we work together? Isn’t the ability to unite and work together toward a goal what America was / is built on? Or, are we in a partisan war with ourselves, destroying what our ancestors had worked so hard to pass on to their children. Indeed, some might refer to this as North America’s next civil war.

We’ve become a nation of opinionated individuals who will not work toward a new start but stand on individual principle, not working toward a shared, bipartisan solution and caring only for our selfish opinions. In a time of world wide poverty, hunger, disease, violence, pollution and discrimination, why can’t the most powerful nation in the world pave the way for peace and harmony? Can we find a middle-road to resolve our differences and ultimately those of our world? Can we lead by example?

Like all great historical empires, will the United Status of America implode under the weight of its own politics? We are unable to move forward with two opposing parties debating without reasonable bipartisan resolve for the benefit of its people. Why not rise above the selfishness, learn from history, find a place somewhere in the middle to start anew? No resolution to dispute or disagreement is ever perfect onto its original state. Settle on an initial direction and keep improving on it.

Why not work together in peace, not as separate, angry entities. Why not work in a bipartisan way to come to a working solution, shouldn’t this be our goal. Why not find a place to begin then use Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s quality principle of PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act – also know as the Shewhart cycle) to continuously improve on a process, or in this case a solution to an issue. All we have to do is find a starting place realizing that we will work together to continually change and improve what we have started. Isn’t this the American way – in a number of ways!
Shouldn’t we work together in peace to resolve current issues? Let us not forget that Jesus Christ was not only given on the cross for our salvation but was also the greatest of all teachers. Among other things, he taught love and tolerance. A great example is The Beatitudes, Matthew 5:9 – “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God”.

As a great nation, let us lead by example, let us work peacefully together in a moderate, bipartisan fashion, and not stall at a time when leadership is crucial or constrain by example when the world needs change. But above all, let us work together and stall no longer.

SS Mertens
September 16, 2009

Who Is S.S. Mertens

Who Am I?

There may be three distinct eras in one’s life where each of us would ask the definitive question ‘Who am I?’. Initially in that difficult period of adolescence as we flail about, figuratively and literally, at life. Then again in mid-life, that period of crisis when youth is past and time goes past faster than ever before. The last may be as we are ‘relaxed’ into an older age-state, when we’ve let go of life’s disappointments and regrets.

Who am I? Scott Mertens:
· a Christian, a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a friend
· interested in music, the outdoors, baseball, and fun
· having hobbies of sailing, x-country skiing, biking, art, and an assortment of minor interests
· raised to have an appreciation for ecology, art, fun, fairness, friendliness, and faith

A native of Wisconsin and son of an outdoorsman, I grew up spending much of my youth outdoors camping, hiking, fishing and hunting. I was blessed with a wonderful mother who could cook and bake like no other, a father who was the model of a mid-20th century man and a very loving sister. Having spent an adolescence in the late ‘60s / early ‘70s I sported long hair, bell bottom jeans and an old double breasted gray suit coat. My friends and I met in the local park dowtown which we called our home, walked barefoot in the rain, saw many bands of the era in concert, experienced hitch hiking across 20 states while it was still safe to do so, and generally lived the free life offered by the time period.

This period of ‘sideways’ growth gave way to romance and marriage culminating in the birth of my son during the ‘80s. While my son began his life mine continued through the 90’s with my parents passing on, a period of job loss and job change, friends and interests coming and going.

The 21st century ushered in change. Physical change as I reached 50 and began to slow. Emotional change as I became more liberal in my thoughts. Spiritual change as I grew in my Christian faith. These changes restarted growth after the mid-life doldrums by providing new direction!

New direction in the form of spiritual rebirth. The living light in one’s life that reclaims the joy of living fully and abundantly.

Also new direction in a focus of who I am, what has made me who I am, and the knowledge that in this last third of my life Earth my focus must be refined to make the most of each day.

Who Am I? I am a colorful blur of life’s eras and the experiences. A blur we all share, combing to create the rainbow of life. In this blog I hope to provide observances based on experiences and interests. Since they represent the fabric of my life, I share my lessons learned and views on our world, spiritual growth, and the interests I hold dear.

And why this blog? To share, to improve, to build community!