Christmas Eve: True LIGHT=True lights! Christmas Day: The Glory of the Lord! Sunday: What do you see?

Christmas Eve: 4pm at ALIVE! in Tecumseh and 6:30 at EMU Candlelight Services
TRUE LIGHT:

Christmas Lights are an integral part of the Christmas celebration.  It is true that Christmas has always focused on the Light coming into darkness and the truth of the Savior born in Bethlehem, but have you ever thought of how ironic it is that the world is confessing the Light every time they light the tree or their homes?

Tonight as we hear from the God's Word we will ponder the fulfillment of the promise of Isaiah 9 and the truth of the Angel's presence in Luke 2.  

Is. 9:2-7 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.  You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before You as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.  For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, You have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor.  Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.  For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. 

As we light the candles, light our trees, light our houses we are proclaiming the fulfillment of this promise of the true light that has appeared and that shines the truth into our world. We have the privilege of sharing Christ's light by sharing our faith and lives. True lights!

Christmas Day: The Glory of the Lord! 10:30 at EMU

Today we celebrate the truth of the GLORY of the Lord that the Shepherds experienced in the fields nearby Bethlehem that ushered in the Angel Chorus. We celebrate the truth of the Glory of the Lord that is present among HIS people through Word and Sacrament! What a glorious day to celebrate and bask in HIS Glory!

The Feast of St. Stephen Sunday: December 26th 10:15 and 4pm @ ALIVE!

What do you see? St. Stephen saw Jesus sitting at the right hand of the throne of God! In Acts 7:  ⁵⁴ When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

 ⁵⁷ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, ⁵⁸ dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
 ⁵⁹ While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

So the question for us on this Feast of St. Stephen's Day is what do we see? On this Boxing Day in British countries and Day after Christmas, like Good King Wenceslas  as in the Christmas Carol. How has the truth of Christmas affected us? What do we see?

3rd Sunday in Advent: JOY in Ministry! The Pentagon.

Third Sunday of Advent: December 12, 2010

Rejoice in the Lord! Shout for JOY! Finding our place in Ministry! A JOYFUL experience.

The pentagon is a tool for enabling every believer to recognize his or her worth and how to contribute to the building up of the body of Christ.
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ… Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. –Ephesians 4:7, 11-13

We must change our thinking as to whom the church really belongs. Church leadership based on high control is not attractive to this emerging generation. Their journey of faith in community is not about doing church but about being the church. God does not expect you to be who you are not, but He does want you to be all that He made you to be. Remember that we have nothing to offer except what God Himself gives us. ALL YOU ARE MADE TO BE… “Buckets of Grace”
A Spiritual Gift is Not Your Ministry:
We should not look at ALL the “gift” passages as the same. Take a look at the three main “gift” passages in this way:
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. –Romans 12:3-8
Motivational (Personality) Gifts – Think of these seven gifts as your motivation in life. What are the things that bring you the most joy, things that you seem to do with certain ease and effectiveness (while other things you may do are just the opposite)? The bottom line is, “What motivates you to do the things you do in the kingdom?” The seven listed here are prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership and mercy. These are foundational. These are our motivational gifts which will be exercised through a ministry. These are “gifts” (or talents) we are born with and would exist even without a relationship with Christ or the Holy Spirit at work. The Holy Spirit enhances these gifts.
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ… Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. –Ephesians 4:7, 11-13
Ministry (office) Gifts – Each believer is given a gift, not just those with a special calling to vocational ministry. We are to take our passion, or motivation, and exercise that gift in a ministry of service. The five ministries are briefly explained in the picture above. So, we take our motivational gift and exercise it through a certain ministry. What about those controversial gifts found elsewhere in the Bible?
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. –1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Manifestation (charismata) Gifts – These gifts are manifestations of the Holy Spirit, and not just evidence of the Holy Spirit inside of the believer. They are also given at a special time for a special purpose. The Lord desires His body to experience the fullness of all He offers and desires to show His power and presence. As I follow God’s leadership in my life, I will take my motivational gift (the way I am wired, my personality talents) and exercise it through a ministry. God fills us with his Holy Spirit to carry out his ministry among HIS people.
The Fivefold Foundation for Ministry:
Here are the five ministry gifts found in Ephesians 4.
Apostle – This is from the Greek word “apostolos,” meaning “one who is sent out.” Apostles are visionary and pioneering, pushing into new territory, establishing new ministries, being innovative in kingdom work. They enjoy dreaming, doing new and challenging tasks. Paul is a good biblical example of an Apostle. Words that describe someone with this ministry role would include: excites, envisions, challenges, bridges. Apostles make good entrepreneurs and explorers.
Prophet – This describes people who hear and listen to God and the prophet foretells and forth-tells the message of God. They can step back and get a clear picture of what is happening and discover creative solutions to help develop a vision. They understand the time and what people need to do. They enjoy being alone with God, waiting and listening. In the New Testament: Anna and Simeon are examples. Many creative types-artists, writers, musicians-fit here.
Evangelist – This one brings the good news and shares the message readily. They love spending time with non-Christians. They may not be “Billy Graham” types, but they are able to gather people and make the gospel relevant to lost people. When they enter a room, others are drawn to them and somehow they make each person feel like he, or she, is the only person that matters. Acts 8: ^12-13But when Philip came to town announcing the news of God's kingdom and proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ, they forgot Simon and were baptized, becoming believers right and left! Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. From that moment he was like Philip's shadow, so fascinated with all the God-signs and miracles that he wouldn't leave Philip's side. This shows us an example of Philip. Evangelists are persuasive and convincing. They make good politicians, salesmen and journalists.
Pastor – These are the shepherds of God’s people, one who cares with a tender heart. They see needs, providing comfort and encouragement. They spend a lot of time with Christians, building them up for their effective service. They can easily empathize with others and exhibit a lot of patience with those in need. They enjoy one-on-one chats and showing hospitality. They feel the burden of others’ problems and have a knack for speaking the truth in love. Someone with this ministry base is a good listener, easy to talk to and share inner feelings with because of their sensitivity. Barnabas, in his dealings with John Mark, shows a pastor’s heart. Those in the care-giving professions are good secular examples.
Teacher – The teacher holds forth the TRUTH and is excited about it. They love seeing the light-bulb go on for others. They have a knack for explain things in a way that the listener can understand. Teachers look for ways to apply truth, drawing from their own spiritual walk as well as other resources past and present. They enjoy reading and studying the BIBLE and helping others to understand it. A teacher can be just as satisfied mentoring as teaching in front of a group. Teachers make good lecturers and trainers because they enjoy inspiring and equipping others for change. Apollos is a good biblical example. Acts 18 ^24-26A man named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a Jew, born in Alexandria, Egypt, and a terrific speaker, eloquent and powerful in his preaching of the Scriptures. He was well-educated in the way of the Master and fiery in his enthusiasm. Apollos was accurate in everything he taught about Jesus up to a point, but he only went as far as the baptism of John. He preached with power in the meeting place. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and told him the rest of the story.
How to Find Your Base:
The authors challenge us to take an honest look at ourselves. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? These have little to do with being the life of the party or not, but rather with how one functions and processes information. Extroverts enjoy taking things through with others as they make decisions; they can easily ad-lib. It appears that most apostles, prophets and evangelists are more extroverted. Introverts process things internally. They are refreshed and recharged by spending time alone. These are your writers, painters and composers. This is not a clear-cut way to determine one’s ministry because most of us fall somewhere in between these two extremes.
Finding Your Phase: Pioneers and Settlers:
Pioneers enjoy the stress of doing something new, reaching beyond themselves to discover new frontiers and challenges, looking for the next opportunity to explore. Settlers are committed to continuity, stability and conversation. They prefer to grow and develop plans rather than scrap what they have started and begin again. They like to see things through until the end, knowing what to expect, and are comfortable when things move along according to plans.
Both pioneers and settlers are vital; historically to the American west and presently to the church as well. Pioneers are looking beyond what they have accomplished to see what lies ahead. Without settlers, we would never keep the land and program that the pioneers have started. Pioneers move on to new territory; settlers occupy and build with deliberate efforts.
WALK IN MINISTRY:
It is easy for us to think we should be operating in all the gifts yet if we try to do all of these we will not only burn out but fail to allow others to explore and operate in their gifting and base ministry. “God does not expect you to be what you are NOT.” But he does mean for you to be a servant minister, knowing that you have nothing to offer except what God himself gives you. We are not all called to be Pastors, but we are all called to care. We are not all called to be teachers, but we are all called to hold out the TRUTH. We are all responsible for how to listen to God voice, something that comes more naturally to the prophet. We are all called to share the Good News with others, but this take all those who are not called to be evangelists out of their comfort zones. We are not all apostles, but must all learn to walk out into what God calls us to do, however uncomfortable we are.
Are you ready to operate in your gifts and even venture into the unknown? On this third Sunday of Advent the Lord invites us to Prepare the Royal Highway and walk the journey learning to move in the way he has made us and living joyfully when we are in the “Sweet-spot” of God’s will!

2nd Sunday of Advent: LEAD! LifeShape #4 Square: Leaders and Learners

Today we celebrate the second week of Advent. It is exciting to continue to build up in our preparation for the Lord's Birthday. On Wednesday we did UP of the Triangle by Decorating the Lord's House. This Sunday we learn about the Square which teaches us how to Lead and Learn Christ's way. This Wednesday we will do the IN of celebrating the family Christmas meal together! What a wonderful time of the year! OUTLINE of Sermon:

Leaders and Learners:

The square lays out the stages every disciple or learner experiences and gives you the corresponding style of leadership.

You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant. –Mark 10:42-43

The leadership of Jesus provides us with powerful tools for leading the church through the challenges of cultural change. Leadership style is not about position, but about how we relate to one another.

We are in a management-oriented society that is in need of leaders. We can manage growth, productivity and human resources, but in times of crises people do not look to managers, but to leaders.

A true leader looks like a _sheep_____ from the front and a __shepherd_ from behind.

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men. –Mark 1:15-20

Stage one: (Jesus does not really choose these guys based on their resumes or spiritual gift inventories, but they join up ready to take on the world). When we start out on a new trail, we need a strong confident leader to show us the way.

Disciple Style D1 = Confident / Incompetent	Leadership Style L1 = Directive / Set Example
High enthusiasm High confidence Low experience Low competence	High direction High example Low consensus Low explanation

 ^29-32"What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don't be afraid of missing out. You're my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.  ^33-34"Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can't go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. Luke 12

Stage Two: (Reality sets in when they discover they have no idea what they are doing, and they hit rock bottom. They are not having fun anymore). When a person is in a time of discouragement and despair, vision is critical. “The valley of the shadow of death”

Disciple Style D2 = Unenthusiastic / Incompetent	Leadership Style L2 = Visionary / Coach
Low enthusiasm Low confidence Low experience Low competence	High direction High discussion High example High accessibility

^11-15"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.  ¹⁶"You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.  ¹⁷"But remember the root command: Love one another.  John 15:12-17

Stage Three: (Jesus turns away from the crowds to spend more time with His disciples, to boost confidence based on experience). Friends have common objectives and share their lives together.

Disciple Style D3 = Growing Confidence	Leadership Style L3 = Pastoral / Consensus
Increasing enthusiasm Growing experience Intermittent confidence Growing competence	Lower direction Higher consensus High discussion High accessibility

 ^18-20Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 (The Message)

Stage Four: (Jesus is taken away and He has prepared them to carry on the ministry without Him, confident in partnership with them in reaching the world). Good leaders always get people to the stage where they are ready to accept delegated responsibility. “Equipping the saints for ministry”

Disciple Style D4 = The end is in sight	Leadership Style L4 = Delegation / Partnership
High enthusiasm High confidence High experience High competence	Low direction High consensus Low example High explanation

Summary of the Four Stages:

1. I do, you watch
2. I do, you help
3. You do, I help
4. You do, I watch

The commitment to Learn and Lead is essential for a healthy church on this Second Sunday of Advent, can we do this by committing to “one reaching one” and “one leading one” this year?

Words we will hear: “Mentor,” “community,”

“Accountability and growth”

“Low control, high accountability”

“Directive, Coach, Friend and Delegate”

D1, D2, D3, D4 and L1, L2, L3, L4

To read more check out Passionate Life by Mike Breen and Walt Kalstad. (Thanks to Pastors like Scott Chafee and Dr. Kent Hunter who share with us this material.)     

A New Year, a New Balanced YOU!

On this 1st Sunday of Advent the Church celebrates New Years! The New Year of the Church is an opportunity for us to get ahead of the world and lead.

Sermon Outline:

A New Year: A New Balanced YOU!  The Triangle: Balancing our Life Relationships

 

Power Walking:

Micah 6: ⁸ He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Luke 6: ¹² One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. ¹³ When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: ¹⁴ Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, ¹⁶ Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. ¹⁷ He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, ¹⁸ who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, ¹⁹ and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all. ²⁰ Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

1. UP means to __walk__ humbly with our God.

Abiding:

Walking:

“Not asking God to __bless___ what we are doing but go where God is __blessing__

2. IN means to __love______ mercy     Goes with UP: Covenant with God: Lev 26: ¹² I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.

Group of _3_ : Peter, James & _James_ In is about __relationships___

What did the 9 & 72 think? We are “in Christ” Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Social Beings: Facebook and Twitter +++ Huddles, Small Groups, Clusters, Gatherings

John 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Relationship is about love, encouragement, living life together. LCMS is a _Synod___ which means “walking together.” We also want to see the Acts 2:42 Church as an example: ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

3. OUT means to _act__justly Goes with UP & IN ….. Church in ANTIOCH

Balloon: You __receive_from God, You _share_together what God has given & and You  _give_ to others what you have…..

Matthew 9:³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

The Lord desires that the Relationship we have with HIM and then with His Family, His Body the Church would be shared with the Community around us.

Fishers of men: this is the example Jesus gave…. Why is it so complicated?

Two-Dimensional Churches: (Examples of ways we can be unbalanced)

1. Up and Inners – lots of praise and worship, study of the Bible, and do a good job of building community; but people can come and go anonymously, and in the larger crowd people can attend without making commitments.
2. Up and Outers – committed to the Upward and high regard for the Bible and prayer, also concerned with reaching outside of the walls of the church, lots of outreach, strong support of missions; but the Inward is lacking, small group ministry is more duty than desire, “we” is not as important as “they.”
3. In and Outers – perhaps in older mainline denominations stressing incarnational ministry, with a heart for the cities, caring for the hurting and lost; prayer is more by rote rather than due to passion or personal petition, Scripture reading is part of the service format but not expounded.

Why do Christians Struggle?   Balancing our Relationships:

A culture of disconnection – fractured families, disenfranchised friends, independent individuals, reality TV that allows people to experience living together by proxy.

Jesus was not worried about being fair – many pastors keep their distance from their people so as to not play favorites. Jesus had three very close friends, the inner circle. What did the other nine think of this? Apparently Jesus did not care what they thought! What did the 72 think about the 12? He did not try to be fair.

Balancing outreach: getting out of our comfort zones, finding that uncomfortable balance.

We are to live out of purpose – how can we find our personal mission in life? Practice will get you into this rhythm of walking, and walking with God is the definition of a disciple. So how will we be __balanced__ in our relationship in Church Year 2011.

Challenges and Opportunities:

 

Outline for Nov 21, 2010

New Year’s Resolution: REMAIN! The Semi-Circle: Living in Rhythm with Life

 1. Once upon a time...

2. Reality is not:_________

3. Genesis 1:28: God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

4. What did God do on the day after he created Adam and Eve? ____________________

5. What was the example for them: They were to ______________ before they named the animals and worked at tending the garden.

6. We were not created to be human “doings” but human _”________”_.

7. True human beings are those who __________ in Christ and know they belong to him.

8. Satan wants us to think we have to ____________ our way to God.

9. Yet we know that Christ has done it all and that we work because we ________ to.

10. We are called like Adam and Eve to be _____________________.

11. So how? John 15:1-4 (Message) The Vine and the Branches

"I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken. "Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.-- 
12. So the Word makes us _______ and allows us to be _______by our Heavenly Father.
13. The goal is that we are fruitful and that the pruning, even when painful, will be viewed as of great ________.
14. We rest and are pruned in order to be even ____________- fruitful.
15. Evaluation: We want to be healthy and in rhythm with life, creation and our Lord. So..
a. How many days a week do you work? 6 or 7?
b. How many hours a day? 10 or more?
c. How often do you work through lunch?
d. Do you take work with you on vacation?
e. Do you answer work-related emails or voice mail after you get home at night or on weekends?
f. Have you ever canceled a vacation because you have too much work to do?
g. Do you think about work while eating with your family?
h. Do you talk about work more than family while on a date with your spouse?
We are called to be faithful, fruitful and healthy. But we are also shown by the Lord Jesus how to keep a healthy rhythm in life.
How Jesus Rested in this Rhythm of Life

1. Resting through extended times of retreat (Mark 1:12-13)
2. Regular daily times of quiet resting with the Lord (Mark 1:35-39)
3. Teaching the disciples to rest (Mark 6:30-32)

Other examples…

1. Jesus alone at the lake before teaching – Mark 2:13
2. Jesus withdraws with his disciples – Mark 3:7
3. Jesus goes to the mountainside and calls his disciples – Mark 3:13
4. Jesus leaves the crowds and gets into the boat – Mark 4:35
5. Jesus at the lake/hillside – Mark 5:1
6. Jesus crosses the lake to the other side – Mark 5:21
7. Jesus sends the disciples ahead, dismisses the crowd and goes to the mountain to pray – Mark 6:45-46

We are a church who wants to grow as a body of believer who follow Christ, listening to his word and following his example. As we come to the New Year of the Church will you REMAIN IN CHRIST and be MORE FRUITFUL? This is a God pleasing Resolution!

Last Sunday of the Church Year: Christ the King Sunday: REMAIN!

This is the last Sunday of this Church Year. As we approach the New Year of the Church, do we set resolutions like the world does for New Years? I don't really appreciate resolutions but if I were to make one, it would be to learn what the Lord intended for us as His Creation. He said in Genesis 1:28 "Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it..." but what does that mean? For us it means letting the Lord decide the size of our family, but I think it means MORE in that we are called to be fruitful beyond procreation. It is obvious to me that we should resolve to hear the Word and follow the example of Christ as his disciples. So we are going to learn about the Semi-Circle, Lifeshape 2 this Sunday and the importance of knowing we were designed to Rest for work rather than work to rest. Look at how God showed Adam and Eve the priorities as He modeled resting during their first Day together before they set out to be stewards of the garden. We also recognize the truth of John 15:1-4 :
¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
We are clean because of the Word, we are being pruned to be even MORE FRUITFUL but this only comes by REMAINING or ABIDING in Christ! We belong to him and therefore we are able to abide in His Rest and be pruned to be more fruitful. We go from "human doings" to "human beings" and live our life of sanctification because of our justification and relationship with the Lord. We want to grow in our faith and life as disciples because of what Christ has done and because we belong to him.
As we approach "Thanksgiving Day!" Do we count our blessings and desire, because of who we are in Christ and because of what HE has done and continues to do by His Holy Spirit, to live lives of thankfulness and praise? I hope we resolve to remain or abide in Christ so that he will remain in us and we can bear much fruit. 

Pentecost 25 or Second last Sunday of the Church Year

Because we want to grow as disciples we are asking the question: "How is God SHAPING us?" We are going to look at "Lifeshapes" as a system for growing us as disciples. We are a church with a vision of striving “to know Christ and make Him Known” by being the “visible presence of the Kingdom of God in our community” as “a spirit-filled, sacramental, family-oriented community” holding to the motto: belong, believe, become.  We will only grow if we know the amazing truth of the Forgiveness of Sins and the truth of a repentant life! We as forgiven sinners, saints made holy by the blood of Christ, living our lives together encouraging each other as we desire to grow in sanctification. This Sunday we will learn the "Circle" and the importance and significance of Kairos moments in our lives as we follow Christ's words in Mark 1:15 "The time has come! Jesus said: The Kindom of God has come near! Repent and believe the Good News!" Jesus is the fulfillment of the Kingdom and we belong to him as his children, his heirs, his ambassadors, his followers, his disciples! I love being part of a family who desire to grow in the Spirit and as Children of God. Today we will be praying for Veteran's to remember their sacrifice and service. We honor them!

All Saint's Sunday on November 7, 2010

It was wonderful to celebrate the truth of the Communion of Saint's in the celebration of All Saint's Sunday. I love to ring the bell for those we remember who are with the Lord and were great examples for us. I thought it was really a cool experience to go to an Orthodox Wedding on Sunday afternoon. I know they go a little overboard with the Saint's but I think we forget that God has given us a great gift in remembering those who have departed in the faith. It is also very cool that this Sunday is right before Veteran's Day in the USA and Remembrance Day in Canada. May we not only celebrate and remember the examples of the faithful but also celebrate those who sacrificially serve for our freedom.

October 31 "Reformation Day?"

Reformation Day! A day to remember the start of a movement but also a day to Worship the Lord who not only Reforms but TRANSFORMS! I think of Romans 12 and St. Paul's challenge to us not to be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. May we on this day remember that we are free, and as free-men and free-women we are challenged to use our freedom, won by Christ, for HIS glory. John 8: ³¹To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." ³³They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants^[b] and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"  ³⁴Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!

Looking forward to sharing what the Lord is doing in my life

I am so excited about ministry right now. From 2005-2009 I lived in a "hellish" type experience. But I am so excited about my present Call to Cross and Resurrection and the way the Lord is working in my life and the life of the congregation!