Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” (John 1:38a NIV)

A pastor friend of mine recently told the story of a research student who polled random people in a certain city.  This student asked each individual the same three questions, and all three questions were exactly the same:

What do you want?

photo by zubrow

How would you respond to that question?  What do you want?  Perhaps there is a pressing need in your life; perhaps a loved one is ill, or you have outstanding bills that need to be paid.  Maybe you feel pressed for time in your everyday life, and you would like a real vacation – or more hours in the day!  Maybe what you want relates to your work, your home, or your family.  For me, I certainly could use more hours in the day, or perhaps a clone of myself to get twice as much done!

But now think about the question on a deeper level:  What do you want?  What is really most satisfying in your life?  Where do you find the most meaning?  What drives you?  What motivates you?  The things that motivate us reveal what is really important to us.  There are only so many priorities that we can have, and certain events or circumstances just won’t get us to behave, feel, or believe differently.  But other priorities are higher in importance for us.  Personally, one of the (lighter) things in this category is interacting with my dog Jake.  Sometimes, such as just now, I will look over from my desk, see him looking at me, and watch him start to wag his tail as we stare at each other.  Then after a few seconds he stands up slowly – his back hips are getting rusty – and comes over to be petted.  Call me crazy, but this helps me remember something about live and love and family and relationships.

So here’s the third and final question:  What do you want?  What is this all about?  Why do you believe in Jesus (if you do)?  How would you respond to Jesus’s question in John 1:38?  What are we really about?  Why does our church exist?  Why does the church exist?  My answers to this … well, my answers hopefully come through each sermon you hear at Mt. Haley.

This sequence of questions invites us to think more deeply about our lives, our church, and the meaning of everything we do.  The answers we give are probably the most important thoughts we have.

The disciples responded to Jesus by saying,

“Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” (John 1:38b NIV)

My pastor friend commented that when we truly listen to our deepest desires, our answers to the ultimate questions, then we will hear God’s voice leading us forward.  Let us all listen carefully for the voice of the Good Shepherd and find out where he is staying, so that we might stay there with him and learn from him.

–Pastor David

Listen now!

Listen now!

State Youth Convention is this month, May 17-19 and we need your prayers for this “divine appointment.” As of today (4/30), we have 15 students on our list with 4 counselors plus kids from Bay City and Meridian CHOG traveling with us and occupying a floor at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In the next week, everyone will receive a “departure” letter helping you with what to take, schedules, guidelines, times, etc about the convention. Please watch for that letter because it will include important information for both students and parents. We still need to account for $80 from each student to fulfill the balance for SYC. We are trying to provide opportunities for student to earn the money, however, if you are able, we would appreciate any contributions you could make for your son or daughter to attend. Thanks!

By the time you read this, we will have completed our Gift Card Sale and our Youth Garage Sale. Students have the opportunity to sell “Hanging Baskets” from Kutchey’s until May 5th where they make $6-$8 per item sold. We hope to begin the work at Olive’s the week of May 6th.

photo by Lawrence OP

Congratulations to our SENIORS from the Youth Ministry who will be graduating from Bullock Creek on May 31st. Our seniors are Paul Hassen, Chase Brenske and Corey Forster. Special prayers and best wishes for them as they pass this milestone in their lives. Students are allowed to participate in the Youth Ministry one year after they graduate from High School, so we could still see them in the ministry.

Our “Fruits of the Spirit” study is almost finished. We will be done with the study on May 12th. We will NOT have a Sunday night Youth Meeting on May 19th, because of the SYC; however, the 6th graders WILL have Youth on Tuesday, May 21st. We will NOT have Youth over the Memorial Day Weekend and our LAST youth meetings of the school year will be Sunday, June 2nd and Tuesday, June 4th. We will not have scheduled youth meetings on Sunday evenings throughout the summer.

Our summer schedule begins the first week of June. The tentative schedule is:

• Friday, June 7 @ 8 PM – Campfire Meeting @ the home of Lawrence & Jo Adams
• Thursday, June 13 @ 7:00 PM – Softball Game & BBQ with Meridian CHOG
• Wednesday, June 19 @ 7:00 PM – Scavenger Hunt
• Saturday, June 29 – Day at the Beach in Ludington State Park on Lake Michigan
• July 7 – July 22 – Pastor Jerry & Connie out of town
• Thursday, July 25 @ 6:00 – Mt. Haley @ Loons Game
• Saturday, August 3 – Traveling to the Michigan Adventure theme park (whole family welcomed!)
• Friday, August 2-9 – St. Louis Camp Meeting
• August 11-17 – Midland County Fair
• Friday – Sunday, August 23-25 – Camping/Tubing/Canoeing in Mio

There will probably be other spontaneous activities as well. We will also begin the planning, fundraising and preparation for next summer’s trip to Nashville to attend the International Youth Convention & Mission. This event is opened to any student entering high school in the fall of 2014 and any student one year after their high school graduation. We hope to take a group to this significant celebration of Church of God youth. Watch for details.

We thank our congregation for all the prayers, support, encouragement and the help in our fundraisers as we minister to the youth of our church and the Mt. Haley community.

Parents, your prayers, support and encouragement are greatly appreciated and we look forward every week to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our students through interaction, study, fellowship and relationship. Thank you for sharing your son or daughter.

We encourage everyone to come and be a part of our weekly Mt. Haley Worship every week at 11:00 AM.

Love God, Love People!

Blessings,

Pastor Jerry

Listen now!

Miller Chapel, Anderson University School of Theology

The Church of God ordains pastors on a state-by-state basis.  I began the ordination process in 2007 while I was in seminary in Indiana.  I met with Indiana’s Credentials Committee twice, took a Bible content exam, and began reading a selection of required books.  This was in addition to my seminary reading list:  over five years, I took ninety hours of graduate courses to earn a Master of Divinity degree.  Also, as part of the ordination process, I wrote and defended fourteen theological statements (which are available on our website, if you’re interested to read them).  All of this preparation was to ensure that I am theologically sound and at least somewhat prepared to enter a ministry position.

During this time, I moved through the first two phases of the ordination process.  In Indiana and Michigan (and most states), the Church of God classifies ministers as “commissioned,” “licensed,” and finally “ordained,” in increasing order of call, trust, and responsibility.  At the beginning of my process, I was “commissioned” in Indiana; that was a recognition of the fact that I sensed a call to enter ministry – and that it seemed right to the committee as well.  After I completed the work listed in the previous paragraph, I became “licensed.”  This allowed the world to consider me a minister from a legal perspective:  I could perform wedding ceremonies and file taxes as a minister.  For all intents and purposes, a licensed minister can do anything you’d expect a fully ordained minister to do.

All of this happened in Indiana.  Then, when Mt. Haley called me to become its senior pastor and Tara and I moved to Michigan, my ministerial credentials were transferred to the Church of God in Michigan.  Since that time, I have met with Michigan’s Credentials Committee twice so they could review my theological statements, get to know my call to ministry, and prepare me for full ordination.

Another part of that preparation is a relationship with a “supervising mentor.”  Rev. Dr. Kevin Earley, pastor of the Metropolitan Church of God in Detroit, was assigned to serve in this role for me.  We were acquaintances from seminary – he earned his doctorate while I worked on my master’s – and in the past year we have had a handful of phone conversations about pastoral ministry, its challenges, and its opportunities.

photo by ToniVC

Another component is a document called a “Life and Ministry Plan,” which is like a personal mission statement for pastors.  This “LAMP” is a living, growing document that is to inform and adapt to my life and ministry over the course of my life.  This requirement was waived in my case because I am currently working on my “LAMP” with my “SHAPE” group (“Sustaining Health And Pastoral Excellence”), a group of five pastors who meet each month for connection, support, and mutual growth.  (My “LAMP” should be completed sometime this year.)

All of this culminated in the Credentials Committee’s recommendation that I be presented for ordination at the state General Assembly meeting last November.  At that meeting, four other candidates and I were presented to the assembly.  We each gave a three-minute testimony/summary of our call to ministry, and then the gathered ministers and church representatives voted whether or not to ordain each of us.  The rules state that if six “no” votes are received for any candidate, then his or her ordination is withheld for further consideration.  That did not happen in my case, so my ordination was technically approved in November.

What remains is a formal ordination service, which we have scheduled for May 25.  At this service I will be given my official certificate of ordination, and the whole process will finally be complete.

Ordination is a call to ministry in the church.  If I were not serving in an official ministry position, I could not be ordained.  And in the future if I should not have a ministry position for a significant length of time, my ordination credentials could be revoked.  Ordination means that I am fully recognized as a minister in the Church of God, but it also means that I am fully accountable as a minister in the Church of God.  I am welcome to serve as pastor, but I am not free to do whatever I wish.  I am trusted to serve the church well, but I must not abuse that trust.  I have the support of the Church of God movement behind me, but that is not license for me to go astray from what God intends for my life and ministry.

The Bible is full of examples of priests and Levites who were called to serve God.  Many of them served faithfully for their whole lives, while others went astray and were censured by God and by the faith community.  I intend to be found in the “faithful” group when the final tally is counted.

If you have any questions about the ordination process or what it means for me or for Mt. Haley, please feel free to ask me!

–Pastor David

By popular demand, the notes from this workshop are available here in PDF format.  These ideas may be helpful to you in your own devotional reading of the Bible, even if you are not a regular scripture reader in church.

For more information and for a terrific resource on the public reading of scripture, please check out Clayton J. Schmit’s book Public Reading of Scripture. Buy a copy yourself, or see me and I’ll be glad to lend you mine!

–Pastor David

photo by cyriltw

This bug had it in its little brain that the most important thing in the world was climbing straight up the window.  Hanging onto the window for dear life, it crawled higher and higher until it lost its balance.  Then it fell harmlessly to the windowsill and began its trek upward again.  Over and over again, this cycle repeated itself:  the bug climbed up, fell down, and climbed up again.

One word came to my mind as I watched this bug:  persistence.  No matter how many times it fell down, it got back up and began the upward climb once more.  And then I thought, “There’s a sermon in that.”

Of course, there is a humanistic lesson to be learned:  no matter how many times we fail, we must pick ourselves up and move on, resume the course, carry forward one more time.  The world is good at teaching us this message through all sorts of motivational speakers.

But there’s something deeper here.  While my office bug was able to pick itself up and climb upward on its own power, we have no power to pick ourselves up spiritually.  While the bug naturally showed persistence in achieving its goal, we struggle to move forward in our walks with Christ.  It is natural for us to be sedentary, hopeless, passive.

The goal for us as disciples of Christ is in the same direction as the bug’s goal:  to move upward, to climb higher:  to grow and become more like Jesus, to bring about the kingdom of God on earth.  And yet so often we find ourselves falling back into old habits and unredeemed ways of living.  We look around, startled to find ourselves where we began, having the same spiritual ground yet to cover.

This is the point at which God’s grace steps into our lives.  Grace is what God gives to us that we absolutely do not deserve.  Knowing God, having faith, receiving forgiveness for our sins – these and many others are gifts from God brought by his grace in our lives.  Another gift from God is how he picks us up when we fall and puts us back on the path of growth.  We simply can’t do that by ourselves.

Yet such is our journey:  ever upward, ever toward Christ, no matter what lows we experience.  Carry on, fellow believers, and keep the goal always in mind!

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
(Proverbs 6:6-11 NIV)

–Pastor David

Listen now!

Listen now!

Listen now!

Other fundraising opportunities will include:  our “Garage Sale” on the weekend of May 3-4.  If you wish to contribute we will be collecting items in the Mt. Haley garage up until April 20, then we will transfer and be collecting things at the Grahams until the sale.  The Mother’s Day Flower Sale will begin next week with plants being delivered after 4:00 PM on Thursday, May 9th.   We will also have a gift card sale where we receive a percentage of the costs beginning in a couple of weeks.  These make great gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Graduations, and for general use – especially for gas & food.  Every card sold profits the youth group.  As soon as the weather clears, we plan on doing yard work for our favorite person, “Olive,” plus any other people who would like to hire us after school for spring clean-up.  Of course we will continue to have “Pop Can Sundays” and collect ink cartridges.  We know God will provide.

We are excited for State Youth Convention on the weekend of May 17-19. This year’s theme is “RENEW” and will feature the concert & worship band, The Afters, with Chicago Bear Chaplain, Ray McElroy as the speaker and a special drama presentation in concert by onetimeblind.  It’s one of our greatest weekends of the year.

The Sixth Graders had a marvelous time at the Midland Center For the Arts “Grossology” exhibit. We enjoyed the presentation and the museum for a couple of hours, then went to Happy’s Pizza with the added treat of a McDonald’s Sundae.  A great day of fun for the 6th graders.

The “Fruits of the Spirit” are being studied & discussed in our youth meetings using our brand new Quickview NIV Bibles furnished by the congregation and church council. We want to express our appreciation and thankfulness for the new Bibles; they are working out great and really add to our meetings.  We have done patience, self-control, faithfulness and goodness so far –do you know what’s left?  Anyway, that should take us through May.

We are gearing up for the summer.  Although we will not have meetings every Sunday night, we will be having lots of events. Last summer, we had some great outings such as the canoe weekend, the lake trip, Loons game, banana splits and more.  There will be no mission trip this summer because we will begin the planning, fundraising and preparation for next summer’s trip to Nashville to attend the International Youth Convention & Mission.  This event is opened to any student entering high school in the fall of 2014 and any student one year after their high school graduation.  We hope to take a group to this significant celebration of Church of God youth.

Parents, your prayers, support and encouragement are greatly appreciated and we look forward every week to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our students through interaction, study, fellowship and relationship.  Thank you for sharing your son or daughter.  We also encourage everyone to come and be a part of our weekly Mt. Haley Worship every week at 11:00 AM.   Love God, Love People

Blessings,

Pastor Jerry

Listen now!

Thee we adore, O hidden Savior, thee,
Who in thy sacrament art pleased to be;
Both flesh and spirit in thy presence fail.
Yet here thy presence we devoutly hail.

photo by Elias Rovielo

Thomas Aquinas was instrumental in the philosophical arguments behind the Catholic doctrine called “transsubstantiation” – that is, that the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper literally become the body and blood of Jesus when we share at his table.  We in the Church of God do not believe this happens, but we can certainly agree that “both flesh and spirit in thy presence fail.”  Being in the Lord’s presence is truly awesome.

O blest memorial of our dying Lord,
Who living bread to men doth here afford!
O may our souls forever feed on thee,
And thou, O Christ, forever precious be.

Jesus taught us that he is the Bread of Life (John 6:22-59).  When we share at the Lord’s table, we are reminded that he is true food and true drink.  And when we gather at the foot of the cross, we are reminded of the truth behind the meal that we share:  the bread and wine remind us of the great price Jesus paid so that we might have forgiveness and relationship with him.

Fountain of goodness, Jesu, Lord and God,
Cleanse us, unclean, in thy most cleansing flood.
Increase our faith and love, that we may know
The hope and peace which from thy presence flow.

Jesu, short for Jesus, is the source of all hope and peace.  His blood is a “most cleansing flood” that can wash us clean from sin through faith and love.  This season is a powerful time to remember, to wash, and to remain quietly in his presence.

O Christ, whom now beneath a veil we see,
May what we thirst for soon our portion be,
To gaze on thee unveiled, and see thy face,
The vision of thy glory and thy grace.

Our hope is always for a future with Jesus Christ.  When we stand at the foot of the cross, at the tomb containing Jesus’s body, we wait for a yet-to-be-revealed future.  When we see the bread of the Lord’s Supper hidden beneath a cloth, we yearn for the time when we can see Christ face to face.  Until then, we thirst, we hunger, we meditate, we draw close to Christ, we hold vigil at the tomb.

I’ll see you on the other side.

–Pastor David

Listen now!

At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,
Every tongue confess him King of glory now;
‘Tis the Father’s pleasure we should call him Lord,
Who from the beginning was the mighty Word.

Philippians 2:1-11 teaches us that one day every knee will indeed bow at the name of Jesus.  The one whom we remember in the current seasons of Lent and Resurrection is the very Word of God (John 1:1), who has existed with the Father and the Spirit from the beginning.

At his voice creation sprang at once to sight,
All the angel faces, all the hosts of light,
Thrones and dominations, stars upon their way,
All the heavenly orders in their great array.

We frequently remember Jesus as the creator of all things that we can see:  the sun, moon, and stars; the trees, flowers, and oceans; the horses, dogs, and cats.  Yet scripture teaches (Colossians 1:15-16) that Jesus is the creator of all things, both visible and invisible.  This Jesus is the one who holds all power and authority in his hand.  Nothing in this universe has power to do anything outside the scope and wisdom of the authority of Christ.

Humbled for a season, to receive a name
From the lips of sinners unto whom he came,
Faithfully he bore it spotless to the last,
Brought it back victorious when from death he passed.

This season is crucial for us as believers.  We take special care to tell the story of Jesus:  from Palm Sunday, through Maundy Thursday, to Good Friday, to Resurrection Sunday and beyond.  Yet what a mystery it is that this is the same Jesus who created the universe!  “Humbled for a season,” he took a human name through his life, death, and resurrection.

Bore it up triumphant with its human light,
Through all ranks of creatures, to the central height,
To the throne of Godhead, to the Father’s breast;
Filled it with the glory of that perfect rest.

Soon after his resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven, where he now sits at the right hand of God the Father.  Can you imagine what that ascension might have looked like?  We often think of heaven as a “perfect rest”; read Hebrews 4 for a beautiful passage on that topic.

Name him, brothers, name him, with love as strong as death,
But with awe and wonder, and with bated breath;
He is God the Savior, he is Christ the Lord,
Ever to be worshipped, trusted, and adored.

“Love as strong as death” (Song of Solomon 8:6) is exactly the type of love that Jesus showed for us (John 15:12-13).  Let us always remember to approach our Lord with humility, respect, and sacrificial love.  The above verse is, I believe, my favorite of this hymn’s seven verses!

In your hearts enthrone him; there let him subdue
All that is not holy, all that is not true.
Crown him as your captain in temptation’s hour;
Let his will enfold you in its light and power.

In the Church of God, we call this “holiness” or “sanctification.”  Those who come to believe in Jesus as Savior still have something left to experience:  the complete removal of “all that is not holy/true” by the power of Christ.  Our complete hearts and minds are to be turned over to the Lord, so that his will becomes the course of our lives.

Brothers, this Lord Jesus shall return again,
With his Father’s glory, with his angel train;
For all wreaths of empire meet upon his brow,
And our hearts confess him King of glory now.

Until that day, when Jesus will return in his glory, we remain faithful.  Be encouraged, brothers and sisters:  the story of Jesus is true, and it is Truth.  Confess Christ as “King of glory” (Psalm 24) every day, and allow him to continue to transform your lives!

(Here’s a video of a choral arrangement of this hymn.)

–Pastor David

Listen now!

photo by Etrusia UK

While I was working on this week’s sermon, I gazed out at the water.  To my surprise I saw two ducks, a male and a female, swimming upstream in search of food.  Near the bank, the female was rustling through the brush.  Just a couple of feet away, the male was holding his position in the water; apparently, he was watching for predators or other threats.  As the female worked her way up the edge of the river, the male kept pace with her, always staying even with her as she progressed upstream.

Then I realized: this was no easy task for these two ducks.  The high water of Bullock Creek was moving very quickly – from my human perspective, let alone from a duck’s perspective!  All the melted snow and collected rainfall was rushing downstream, past a few large chunks of ice that had not yet melted away, and toward the creek’s passage under Homer Road.  To hold their position in such a cold, fast-moving stream must have required a great deal of effort.  Even though his upper body showed no stress, I was sure that the mallard was kicking hard with his legs to keep up with his mate.

One of the passages of scripture that we will read in church this coming Sunday is Philippians 3:4b-14.  This is one of this week’s lectionary readings, meaning many Christians around the world are scheduled to read it this week.  And this passage happens to be one of my favorite texts; it has meant a great deal to me for many years.  The final verse of this passage reads, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (NIV).

Often, people argue that the Christian faith is just spiritual self-help without much influence on everyday life.  But just like our neighborhood ducks had to work hard to overcome the power of the creek’s current, so we must press on in our walks with Christ to overcome the current of sin, which so easily entangles us (Hebrews 12:1-3).  We may wish that our lives were as calm and serene as the mallard’s upper body, but in truth the walk of faith requires what the mallard was doing underwater:  action, motion, movement, energy, work, and even missteps.  (He did stumble once or twice – on occasion he’d ruffle a wing to keep his balance.)

Friends, let us press on to become more like Jesus Christ.  Curious about what that means? Let’s talk.

–Pastor David

Listen now!

(Note:  This is the complete sermon, recorded on Monday, March 11.  It is more than what was preached in church on Sunday, March 10.  Pastor David only had a few minutes on Sunday to summarize the sermon, because our report from the Guatemala trip last month was so full!)

Listen now!

source: www.vatican.va

The Church of God has had a mixed view of the Roman Catholic Church (which I’ll abbreviate RCC) since our inception in the late 1800s.  Originally, we viewed the RCC as an evil institution, one which embodied some of the most evil and grotesque images in the book of Revelation.  This was rather fundamental to our identity as the Church of God and, for a while, seemed to be the primary way for us to view that group.

Our view toward Catholics has become much more generous, generally speaking, in the past few decades.  We are becoming more and more aware that many true, honest Christian believers exist within the vast 1.2 billion adherents that the RCC claims.  Personally, one of my high school friends grew up as a United Methodist but converted to the RCC when she married one of my Catholic friends.  Both are firm, fully-committed believers in Jesus Christ and are raising their children to know and love the Lord.

Now, you’ll notice that I have not pursued priesthood in the RCC.  I serve as a pastor in the Church of God movement on purpose, and I’m not about to switch loyalties.  After all, my view of Christianity allows for a great deal of diversity of denomination.  To quote one of our heritage hymns (by modifying its intent), “we reach our hands in fellowship to every blood-washed one.”  I believe we must be very gracious in distinguishing who, in fact, is washed by the blood of the Lamb.

So how should we react to the RCC being between Popes and struggling to search for a leader?  For all its problems (and I believe there are many), the RCC is very important to a large number of honest Christian believers.  To that end – and that end alone should be enough to convince us – we should pray for our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters during this time of transition.

After all, we too are in a period of transition in the Church of God.  Our current General Director, Dr. Ron Duncan, is retiring soon, and a search team is working hard to interview candidates and to make a recommendation for Dr. Duncan’s successor.  (There are a few somewhat insignificant parallels between this process and the RCC’s Conclave to choose the next Pope.  In short, though, our General Director is not our Pope.)  Just as we should pray for God’s wisdom in guiding those who will select a leader for our group, which numbers about a million people, so too we should pray for God’s wisdom among those who will select the spiritual leader for a group one thousand times larger than ours.

We live without a Pope all the time; we live under the reign of Jesus Christ alone, and we journey freely in his kingdom with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.  But for those brothers and sisters in Christ who live in a system that normally has a Pope but does not right now – for these people, let us pray.  (1 Thessalonians 5:25)

–Pastor David

Speaking of March 10th, we will have a “Mexican Night” (tacos, enchiladas, beans, etc) @ 4:45 PM to benefit and begin the fundraising for State Youth Convention. Cost will be by donation. This will happen just before Pastor David’s series on ‘3:16’ and the weekly youth meeting at 6:00 PM. All youth who are entertaining the idea of SYC should come & help in earning their registration fees due at the end of the month. All parents, church members & guests are invited to kick off our Spring adventure. We are hoping to have Guatemalan pictures available during the supper. We are declaring March 17 as “Pop Can & Bottle Sunday” to help our registration drive. We also hope to have a ‘can & bottle’ collection day in town perhaps the day before the Sunday. Other upcoming fundraisers will be yard work, scripts, garage sale, Mother’s Day flower sale and hopefully another new idea coming down the pike.

State Youth Convention is coming quickly! Although it isn’t until the weekend of May 17-19, early-bird registration is $40 and must be mailed into the state office by March 30th. SO, we will be making our list & collecting money the week of Sunday, March 24 – 29th. The balance will be $80 due by the convention. This year’s theme is “RENEW” and will feature the concert & worship band, The Afters, with Chicago Bear Chaplain, Ray McElroy as the speaker and a special drama presentation in concert by onetimeblind. It’s one of our greatest weekends of the year.

Our February 22nd LOCK-IN was another reason February was a great month. We had almost 30 students plus adults in attendance for a night of silly games, food, movies and more. It’s great when we open up our church and invite our friends to have fun and witness the love and word of God. Since the last newsletter we also had a “Bowling” night at Northern Lanes with pizza, games and movies at Pastor Jerry’s house afterwards. It’s fun doing things together with Christ as our common denominator!

Our series, “Doing the Disciplines” ended last week. During our series we learned about Bible Study, Prayer, Quiet Times & Devotion, Serving, the Importance of Church and Reaching Out – all topics to strengthen our walk with Christ. We begin in March a series on the “Fruits of the Spirit” which will take us through May.

A new Snack Donation Sign-Up is up on the bulletin board as well as the “Student of the Month” feature and upcoming activities. Youth will continue to be @ 6:00 PM on Sundays for 7th-12th graders and on Tuesdays for 6th graders @ 2:30 PM.

We would also like to extend an invitation to Easter Week activities at the church. Maundy Thursday services will be March 28th. There will be an area Good Friday service @ Faith Wesleyan on Meridian Road. Easter will be the morning of March 30 with an Early Morning service at 9:00 AM followed by refreshments and activities for children. Easter Sunday service will begin at 11:00 AM. There will be not church or youth that evening. Everyone is welcomed!

Parents, your prayers, support and encouragement are greatly appreciated and we look forward every week to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our students through interaction, study, fellowship and relationship. Thank you for sharing your son or daughter. We thank the congregation for your help with snacks, with your encouragement and mostly your prayers.

Love God, Love People

Pastor Jerry

photo by Lain

When I think about the people of Mt. Haley Church of God in this context, I realize that we too are in transition; we too are on a journey.  This church is settling down into a rhythm with our current pastoral staff.  We have experienced a tremendous mission trip to Guatemala and are continuing to reflect on the impact of that journey.  We are learning the importance of active growth in our own personal faith, and we are seeing the joys of ministering with our youth and children – even though that too is a call to active involvement in ministry.

Everywhere we look, we see signs that the life of faith is a journey.  This is especially on our minds in this season of Lent, in which Christians of all nationalities are journeying toward the cross.  In a deliberate, careful manner, faithful believers just like us are considering their need for a Savior, for redemption, for hope, for Christ in their lives.

In this we are not alone.  Our biblical ancestors in the faith were wanderers, most notably when the Israelites wandered through the wilderness for forty years on their way to the Promised Land.  Later in their history, Israel and Judah each were taken away into exile because of their sinfulness and betrayal of their relationship with God.  Even in the beginning, when God called Abram to leave his home and follow him, we see a clear example of wandering in faithfulness to God.  As the Israelites repeated for generations afterward, “my father [Abraham] was a wandering Aramean” (see Deuteronomy 26) – and that defines us and gives meaning to our own periods of wandering.

Wherever you find yourself on the journey of faith, remember that you are not alone.  Take full advantage of the remainder of Lent (which this year lasts all the way through March) to focus on how God is calling you to draw closer to him and to his church.  Know that I am praying for you and that I am always available to walk with you, wherever you are!

–Pastor David

Listen now!

Listen now!

We as a church have been building up for this Guatemala “Shack Attack” trip for quite some time.  We gave over $2,500 toward expenses for the trip and, more importantly, for a house to be built for a family in Guatemala City.  We joined hands with a neighboring church, Meridian Church of God, to bring about this experience, in which we shared the love of Christ with hundreds of children and adults and in which we learned a great deal about ourselves and our own way of life.  I’d like to share with you a few of the lessons I learned on this trip.

1. Though cultures differ greatly, family is universally important. The house we worked on will soon be home to a family of five, and yet it is very small – certainly smaller than our youth room at church.  This family will make this newly constructed space their home, and that is quite significant.  We also visited the home of a family whose house was built this time last year – a truly beautiful space that has quickly become their home in the past few months.  Having a space for families to live life, to build relationships, to grow together – this is a crucial component of life both in the Guatemalan community we visited and for us here in the States.  What is your family life like?  What space have you created for those relationships?
2. Though languages differ greatly, Christian love is universally understood.  We saw this lesson most clearly when we attended a Sunday morning worship service in the church just a hundred yards down the railroad tracks from the house construction location.  We witnessed laughter, greetings, and hugs among the Christian community there.  We participated in tremendous worship of our Lord with familiar and unfamiliar songs sung in Spanish.  We experienced a remarkable display of Christian humility through a public confession of sin, and we saw the body of Christ extend forgiveness to those who made that confession.  Where do you see Christian love expressed in your life?  How would your life change if you saw it more clearly?
3. Though personalities differ greatly, relationships are universally meaningful. 
   

   Andrea and Julia

   Many of the children we met in Guatemala were gregarious, excited to see us, talkative, and very expressive.  Some, however, were much more quiet and reserved – like me!  While I watched the dozens of children we saw each day, I noticed that some children, just like here at home, tended to be in the center of attention, while others stayed on the edges of the group.  And then, on our last day at “the tracks,” two young girls appeared at my side:  Andrea and Julia. These two girls, eight and seven years old, respectively, were very shy and not very talkative.  But they plopped themselves down next to me and were content just to be next to me or to be held on my lap for the bulk of the day.  Who are the “overlooked” people in your daily life?  Are you one of them?  How can God use your personality to be a blessing to people around you?

Whether in the sunshine or in the snow, whether in 70 degree weather or 20 degree weather, God is at work in people’s lives.  I am excited to continue bringing about the kingdom of God in our own community after seeing it at work in Guatemala City last week!  Will you join me in our ongoing mission work?

–Pastor David

Listen now!

As the ‘glow’ of the Winter Retreat begins to dim, we are encouraging our students in “Doing the Disciplines” to enhance their spiritual walk with God. We have already had lessons on Bible Study, Prayer and Devotions/Quiet Times. On our return we will discuss God’s way of “Service.” Throughout February, we will continue to encourage students in the disciplines of the Christian walk. Pray for the students who accepted Christ, rededicated their lives and felt God’s call during the Winter Retreat Weekend. We were very BLESSED that weekend!

Our February activity will be our Winter Lock-In on the 15th. All of the details have not been worked out, but we promise a great night of recreation, fellowship, food, and the Word of God. This is a great event to invite friends and have a blast. There is NO school on the 15th so we may get started early.

Fundraisers are coming February. We need to get ready for one of our BEST activities of the year –State Youth Convention. Watch for details as we begin our efforts again to participate in great activities of the CHOG.

State Youth Convention 2013 – RENEW is the weekend of May 17-19, 2013. A $40 Registration fee will be due by the week of March 24th – 29th before the price increases. There will an $80 balance remaining due at the time of convention. This year’s convention features our speaker, Roy McElroy, Chaplin of the Chicago Bears, our concert & worship leaders, The After and a special performance of onetimeblind in concert. You will be hearing much more about this weekend and we will be working to earn our way to this fabulous event.

Your prayers, support and encouragement are greatly appreciated and we look forward every week to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our students through interaction, study, fellowship and relationship. Thank you for sharing your son or daughter.

Love God, Love People

Pastor Jerry

Listen now!

Those are all good questions, so don’t be afraid to ask them.  I’d like to try to answer them now for you so that you have a better idea of what this experience will be like.  To my knowledge, Mt. Haley has not had an Ash Wednesday service in a very long time, if ever, and certainly not in the past few years.

photo by The Cleveland Kid

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the season preceding Good Friday and Easter.  Typically, Lent is understood as a forty day period, the same length of time that Jesus spent in prayer and fasting in the wilderness before beginning his ministry (Luke 4:1-13).  Therefore many Christians will dedicate the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter to prayer and fasting.  (That is why people often speak of “giving up something for Lent.”)

Ashes are a biblical sign of mourning and repentance (Job 42:3-6).  Also, ashes remind us that we are dust and to dust we will return (Genesis 3:19).  That biblical truth is found in the midst of the story which explains why people die:  death is a direct result of our sinfulness.  So in the period of time that precedes Easter, Christians remember how our sinfulness separates us from God.  Only then does it make sense to celebrate Jesus’s resurrection on Easter Sunday:  he has conquered sin and death, and those who are in Christ experience victory over both.

I challenge you, then, to begin the season of Lent by coming to worship God at 7pm on Ash Wednesday, February 13.  This type of service is practiced by many different Christian groups, including but not limited to Roman Catholics.  We at Mt. Haley will not put ashes on our foreheads, but we will reflect on our need for repentance and forgiveness.  My prayer is that this service will help us enter a reflective state of mind throughout Lent, so that we might remember the beauty of Maundy Thursday, comprehend the magnitude of Good Friday, and celebrate wholeheartedly the victory of Easter Sunday.

–Pastor David

photo by Brian Hathcock

Looking back on the past year in the life of this church, I see many high points.  We celebrated six baptisms on Easter Sunday.  We remodeled our youth room and have seen it begin to fill up on Sunday evenings with teenagers searching for God.  We have branched out with a weekly meeting for our sixth-grade youth, which has been very profitable and consistent.  We saw two adult discipleship groups spring up, a men’s and a women’s group, which met specific spiritual and relational needs for their members.  We worked with several local ministry organizations, such as the Mid-Michigan Teen Challenge and the Pregnancy Resource Center.  We held monthly men’s breakfasts for consistently strong groups of men from our community.  We learned about our spiritual giftedness and began thinking about how to put those gifts to use in creative ways.

Early in 2012, we asked the Lord for a reprieve from a series of deaths among our elderly members, and he saw fit to give us emotional rest for most of the year.  We channeled our energy toward positive improvements and ministry activities including our sound system upgrade, our upcoming Guatemala mission trip, and our sponsorship of a delegate to attend this June’s Global Gathering in Anderson.

We engaged in a fourteen-week study of the Book of Revelation on Sunday evenings.  A strong, consistent group of disciples came week after week to learn about this most confusing and challenging book of the Bible and about how the Church of God has interpreted it in the past century.  We were unafraid to ask difficult questions about scripture and our identity as people of God.  We found encouragement and challenge as we studied this book together.

All these and more are blessings from the Lord, reasons for us to celebrate his grace and give thanks for his guidance.  What, then, are the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead?  (These, by the way, can serve as areas of prayer for the coming year.)

We have seen new faces in our Sunday morning worship services, and for this we give thanks to God.  Yet our average attendance in 2012 was exactly the same as in 2011.  Real growth (numeric and spiritual) and consistent corporate worship are growing edges for us.

Our church council is in a prolonged state of transition.  Presently, we are searching for leaders to fill two specific leadership roles in the church.  This is an ongoing need for us, because the leadership of the congregation helps to set the tone for the congregation as a whole.

Our children’s ministry has relaxed in the past several months for many good reasons.  As we move ahead, this is one area that will need our collective attention:  how shall we minister to children?  (Hint: an effective way to attract adults to the church is to provide excellent ministries for their children.)

Our community and global outreach is continuing to shift and grow.  How can we become more aware of our neighbors and their needs?  How best can we meet the needs of people in our neighborhood so that the love of Christ shines through in all we do?  How can we make an impact for the kingdom of God in the world at large?

Our personal and corporate walks with the Lord must continue to move ahead.  We are called to grow in Christlikeness so that worship of God becomes something automatic for us:  not just Sunday morning attendance but an everyday kind of Christian faith.

My vision for Mt. Haley in 2013 is that we would become a people actively committed to our twofold mission, which is to grow in discipleship and to reach out to our world in the love of Christ.  Programs and people may come and go, but the goal remains the same:  to glorify God through our partnership together.  May God be blessed by our efforts in this new year!

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  (Matthew 22:36-40 NIV)

–Pastor David

photo by visualpanic

The letter known as James, written so many years ago, communicates relevant truths about gift-giving that can be useful for all of us in such a time as this.  In the early verses of this short letter, the author encourages Christians to remain faithful to the Lord even in times of testing.  Of course, the earliest Christians – along with some Christians in certain parts of today’s world – faced much more serious persecutions and trials than we experience in contemporary Western culture.  Yet the first gift that James mentions as being worthy of requesting from God is the same gift for which King Solomon yearned in the Old Testament days:  the gift of wisdom.  (See James 1:5.)

Oh, that we might all be wise in our living!  I ask the Lord frequently for wisdom in my service as your pastor; I hope that you ask God for wisdom frequently in your daily vocations, as well.  As generously as Mt. Haley showered Tara and me with Christmas gifts and cards last month, so much more generously will our God shower wisdom on those who ask him for it sincerely and in faith.

For as James teaches us, “All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change” (James 1:17 NET).  How comforting to know that God’s character never changes:  that he is always generous, giving, and forgiving; that he is steadfast, consistent, and just.  The new life he has planted in us through Jesus Christ (see James 1:18) is perhaps the greatest gift God has given us, although it requires (and inspires) us to strive toward holiness and righteousness on an everyday basis.

God’s gift of life-changing wisdom causes the faithful to desire to live differently in ways that please the Giver.  In the same way, those who receive gifts from fellow human beings strive to honor their relationships so that the gifts do not fall empty and become meaningless.  Have you ever received a gift from someone and then worked diligently to strengthen that relationship because of that gift?  So should it be with our relationship with the Lord, in response to his gift of wisdom.

And so it will be in my relationship with you as Pastor of Mt. Haley Church of God.  In the new year, I pledge to renew my efforts to lead this congregation in ways that please God, the giver of all good and perfect gifts.  To God be the glory in 2013!

–Pastor David

Listen now!

Listen now!

Listen now!

I don’t offer any of those possibilities as an attempt to make you feel guilty or unrighteous – or holy or super-righteous, either.  It’s simply true that everyone has a different level of engagement with God’s written word.  Some people are more inclined to make it part of their everyday reading experience.  Others really have no desire to do anything with the Bible at all.  And there are many options in between.

photo by abcdz2000

So why read the Bible in the first place?  We believe that this book is God’s complete, inspired revelation of himself in written form:  everything we need to know about the Lord is included in its pages.  The full plan of salvation in Jesus Christ is there; a complete set of expectations for how we live, behave, and make choices is there.  Answers to life’s deepest questions are there; even those questions which have no answers are there.  The history of God’s relationship with his people is there.  It is trustworthy, reliable, verifiable, meaningful, hopeful, encouraging, challenging, comforting, disturbing, intriguing, revealing, and enlightening.  For anyone in a relationship with God, or for anyone wondering who God is, the Bible is indispensable reading material.

So why read the whole Bible, then?  Surely there are parts of it that are less interesting or useful than others.  (All those genealogies in the Old Testament, come on!)  I agree, some parts of the Bible are more appealing than others.  That’s because the Bible is comprised of many different genres of literature:  history, songs, philosophy, poetry, gospel stories, letters, prophecies, and so forth.  And each book of the Bible was written by a unique author (or authors) from a unique perspectives.  There’s a wealth of material to learn simply by reading and studying this book.

Jesus is the most important character in the Bible, of course, but his story becomes richer, fuller, more powerful, more complete when we read all of scripture with him in mind.  The entirety of the Bible – from Genesis through Revelation – is necessary reading material for the disciple of Jesus.

So have you read the Bible all the way through before?  If not, why not begin now?  But I’ll caution you:  if you haven’t read the Bible from start to finish before, don’t read it like a regular novel, starting on page 1 and going to the end.  I guarantee it, by the time you get to Leviticus or Numbers, you’ll run out of steam.  If you want to read the Bible all the way through, there are a bunch of plans and translations available to help keep it interesting.  Come talk with me any time – we’ll work on it together!

–Pastor David

In Old Testament days, Levites were people of the tribe of Levi – the tribe of Israelites who were in charge of the tabernacle of God.  Moses and his brother Aaron were from the tribe of Levi, and Aaron’s descendants became priests and Levites, people who were designated for leadership in the worship of God at the tabernacle and, later, the temple in Jerusalem.  Levites play a major role in the Old Testament, beginning in the book of Numbers.  Take a look at 1 Chronicles 15 and see how important the Levites were when King David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem for the first time.

photo by Xavier68

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an usher or a chairperson in our worship services?  Have you thought about reading scripture during the service, or perhaps have you wanted to improve your skills?  How about participating on a newly-forming drama team or singing with the praise team?  Why do we do all these things (and many more)?  And how do we do them well, so that God is praised by all who gather for worship?

Those are the kinds of questions that this series will address.  You are welcome to attend any or all of these sessions, regardless of whether you are interested simply in learning or in future participation.  Just stay after church on the announced Sunday, share in lunch with those who stay, and then enjoy learning about our worship services!

This month, on January 20, we will focus on our audio/visual systems.  How does our sound system work?  How does the projection system work?  Why are these systems vital to our worship experience?  How can we use these systems to help people worship well?  Stay after church on the 20th and we’ll discuss all these questions and more!

–Pastor David

As we begin the New Year, our youth accounts are “depleted” and we will need to grow them again. Coming in May will be the State Youth Convention with the band, The Afters, Onetime Blind, and our speaker, Raymond McElroy, the chaplain of the Chicago Bears.  ALSO, now is the time, to begin thinking and planning for the 2014 International Youth Convention in Nashville, TN.  Any student entering 9th grade in September of 2013 through one-year post-high school is eligible to participate and attend.  You will be hearing more and more.  In the meantime, no formal fundraising for January other than pop cans & printer cartridges.

On Sunday nights, we are all done with the topic,  “The Ten Commandments.”  We will begin on January 6 with “Getting By After the Spiritual High,” which will lead to a series on “Doing the Disciplines.”   The series will look at Bible Study, Prayer, Quiet time & Devotions, Service and Spreading the Word.  We will be looking into and discussing how to grow in our relationship with Jesus.  Should be FUN and CHALLENGING!  We will NOT have a Youth Meeting on Sunday, February 3rd and Tuesday, February 5th.  The Graham’s, the Adams, and the Aukerman’s will all be on a mission trip in Guatemala.  Pray for us!

We will be having a BOWLING party on Friday, January 25th to celebrate the end of the school semester.  Details will be coming SOON.  Our Winter Lock-In is tentatively set for Friday, February 15th.  These are both days when students do not have school.  We will NOT be having the February 3rd Super Bowl Party this year because of the Guatemala Mission Trip, February 1st – 8th.  Again, we ask for your prayers.

Your prayers, support and encouragement are greatly appreciated and we look forward every week to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our students through interaction, study, fellowship and relationship.  Thank you for sharing your son or daughter.

Love God, Love People!
Pastor Jerry

Listen now!

 Listen now!

Listen now!

Jehovah’s Witnesses express faith in Jesus Christ, believe in his death for the atonement of sins, and generally try to please God with how they live.  (As a side note, they do not talk much about Jesus’s resurrection.  They say, quietly, that “God resurrected Jesus, but not as a human.”  This is an unorthodox and non-biblical belief.  If Jesus was not raised to life again as a real human being, then his power over sin and death is greatly diminished.  In my understanding, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ mistaken beliefs about Jesus are, in part, what make them non-Christians.)

Yet the reason for today’s visit was to discuss the meaning of Christmas and how “pagan” (to use my friend’s word) many of our Christmas celebrations are.  She said that it is more important for God’s followers to live in ways that please him all year long rather than simply to remember Jesus for one day (or one season) of the year.  She said that true Christians should not celebrate Christmas at all because of its pagan origins – which is a standard Jehovah’s Witness belief.

photo by blmurch

To illustrate her beliefs about Christmas, she had me imagine a glass of pure water.  If you just add a little bit of cyanide or other poison to the water, it may still look like water – and it may not kill you.  Eventually, though, if you keep adding poison to the water, it will be deadly to someone who drinks it.  It’s best to stick with the pure water.  My friend said this is what “so-called Christians” have done with the Christmas season, especially by adding so many commercial and marketing and gift-giving events to the month of December.

Friends, this is exactly what these visitors from the Jehovah’s Witnesses have done:  they have gotten used to a certain amount of “poison” in their water.  Each time my friend visits, I am given another piece of literature from the Watchtower organization.  (I enjoy building up a library of works from all sorts of religions, such as Islam, Mormonism, the Witnesses, etc.)  Jehovah’s Witnesses must adhere to everything the Bible says – this they claim readily – as well as everything the Watchtower organization says, which often dictates how people should interpret the Bible.  You cannot disagree with anything found in these publications of the Jehovah’s Witnesses if you want to remain in good fellowship with that group.  And you must “work out your salvation” by going from door to door in order to spread the message of the kingdom of God – and, incidentally, to spread the Watchtower’s literature.

How much poison can a person get used to?  How many good works must a person do to please God?

As for us, “the Bible is our rule of faith, and Christ alone is Lord.”  All other resources outside the Bible can be helpful or harmful.  We are free to study the Bible, to question it, to test it, to doubt it, to live according to it.  But we must constantly be on the lookout for modifications to true biblical faith that put, in this case, too much emphasis on our own works for righteousness and too much emphasis on believing everything a human leader or organization says.

I don’t think my Jehovah’s Witness friend realized that her illustration applies perfectly to her very own life.  And that makes me sad.

–Pastor David

Listen now!

Listen now!

The snow on the roof is melting in the sunlight, and water drops are falling off the edge of the roof onto the ground below.  Suddenly, a few birds – cardinals, from the looks of one of them – land on the edge of the roof, bend over, and drink from the water droplets as they trickle off the edge of the building.

photo by ccho

I think what struck me about this scene is just how odd of a drinking position that must be for the birds.  Can you imagine jumping into a stream of running water, facing downstream, bending over, and drinking until your thirst is quenched?  I suppose the birds found this water much more palatable than the running water in nearby Bullock Creek – a stream from which neither birds nor humans would drink willingly!

These birds went to where the water is, and they found satisfaction for their thirst.  Water is fuel for life:  nearly all species of plants and animals depend on water for survival.  So we too, in our daily lives, need spiritual refreshment and nourishment.  Where do we find water for the soul?

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” (John 7:37-39 NIV)

Friends, in your everyday walk of faith, go to where the water is:  even Jesus Christ, the one whose birth we celebrate this season, whose glory was revealed on the cross and in the empty tomb, whose Spirit dwells in those who believe, whose return we await with great hope and anticipation.  Drink deeply from this source of life, no matter if it seems like a strange thing to do from the world’s perspective.  There is no better way to live!

–Pastor David

Winter Retreat – December 28-30 –pre-registration MUST take place by December 6th. The cost for the retreat is $105 and to register we must account for $50 by the above date.  Many students have the money in their youth accounts; however, a few do not have enough.  We have been having fundraisers, but some will be short, so students will be responsible for the balances.   If you would like to help a student financially to attend Winter Retreat, please see me and we will discuss how you could help.  This year the speaker will be Mark Shaner from the East Side CHOG in Anderson and the worship leader will be John Tibbs and his band from the Madison Park CHOG in Anderson.  It promises to be a GREAT weekend and we already have students from North Euclid CHOG and the St. Johns CHOG attending with us.  Along with going to Winter Retreat, we MUST have the 2012-2013 Medical Release and Permission forms.  Please complete and return these ASAP.  Don’t wait—sign up for WINTER RETREAT this week!

The Michigan Student Leadership Institute (MSLI) was a great success this year and we are proud to announce that Shane Mudd and Isabella Krolikowski successfully completed their 2nd year of a three-year program.  Congrats to them!

Fundraisers have been going well.  Thank you for supporting them.  The Apparel Sale, the Gift Card sale and the Bake Potato Buffet brought in money for the kids. We have a great blessing, we have been having almost 20 students in attendance each week at youth. However, when we divide the profits, they become smaller in spreading it around. Fortunately, we know that God will provide and bless!  Praise God for our growth!

Thank you students for the great participation in the Thanksgiving Basket assembly.  Lots of work, but many blessings for families that needed the food. Seeing God at work is always so exciting!

We will be having a Christmas Party for the Youth on Sunday afternoon, December 9th.  We are planning on going SWIMMING at Four Seasons (cost will be $3) plus a “WHITE ELEPHANT” gift exchange along with fellowship and refreshments at the church afterwards. The Winter Retreat is December 28-30 and there are no concrete plans yet for New Year’s Eve.  We will be finishing up our study of the 10 Commandments with #9 on December 2 and #10 on December 16.  There will be NO Youth meetings on December 23 through January 1.

Your prayers, support and encouragement are greatly appreciated and we look forward every week to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our students through interaction, study, fellowship and relationship.  Thank you for sharing your son or daughter.

Love God, Love People!

Pastor Jerry

photo by Per Ola Wiberg

We are people who believe in an “already and not yet” kingdom of God.  God’s reign over the universe broke into this world in personal, tangible form through the person of Jesus Christ.  This was the content of Jesus’s preaching (see Mark 1:14-15), and this was the reason that Jesus was born into the world (see John 18:33-38).  He reigns in our hearts in the present tense.  He conquers sin in our lives in the present tense.  His rule is already secure because of his nature, his work on the cross, and his empty tomb.

And yet the kingdom of God is not yet completely fulfilled.  We await Jesus’s return at the end of the age, at which point his kingdom will come in its completeness and perfection (see Revelation 22:6-21).  There will be no more suffering in the future tense.  The presence of God will fill us with heavenly light in the future tense.  We yearn for Christ to return even within our lifetimes so that we might witness his reign being made complete.

We are “already and not yet” Christians.  We believe in an “already and not yet” Lord, one who has already atoned for our sins but has not yet brought about the ultimate fullness of his kingdom.

This ties into our observance of the season of Advent, the season in which we celebrate the “coming” (“advent”) of Jesus Christ:  both his birth into the world and his second coming at the end of the age.  We are “already and not yet” Christians who celebrate an “already and not yet” Lord!

We tend to focus on the past tense story of Christmas, the birth of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem, during this season.  Let us always remember, though, that our faith points us toward a future tense story of Advent, which is the return of Christ in final victory and triumph.  Even as Jesus came to earth in the form of a tiny, humble baby, so he will return again as ultimate, undisputed, unmistakable King.

Who needs Black Friday sales, Cyber Monday advertisements, nonstop secular Christmas songs, and stereotypical American indebtedness to celebrate this season?  Let’s celebrate Advent, in word and in deed, as people of true faith.

–Pastor David

Listen now!

Listen now!

Listen now!