One Person at a Time...

This Sunday at New Life!

Have you ever wondered about baptism?  Do you know that the Bible speaks of "baptisms" (plural) as one of the six elementary teachings of our faith?  This Sunday we'll investigate what the Bible says about "baptisms" and what that means for our daily lives as Jesus' followers.  We'll also celebrate the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, so you'll want to be there for sure!

The Weather Outside Is......

Today's title could be completed with any number of words:  frightful (that's a bit dramatic, but does complete the first line of the Christmas Carol!), beautiful, rapidly changing, ________________ (you pick!)  I've never been one to be impacted much by the weather; that is I don't get seasonal affective disorder when the sun doesn't shine; my day isn't ruined if it rains (or if it doesn't rain, when I'm hoping for that!); and while I prefer cool days to hot ones (even cold days to hot ones), I realized long ago that any day's weather is not nearly as important as trusting in the One who created it.  When I get up, turn to God first thing, and invest time with Him, the day just naturally goes better no matter what the weather, the schedule, how I'm feeling, what body parts are aching, etc... But when I get up and let how I'm feeling, or what it looks like outside, or what I'm facing during the day get between me and my conversation with God, then the day is going to be much more challenging.  My feelings change more often than the weather, but they don't determine my reality.  Feelings just are.  If I give them reign in my life, they keep me from pursuing God's best.  I've also found that when I'm pursuing God's best in my life, the feelings respond accordingly and turn to the positive.  The bottom line is: when God is first, nothing else has the power to produce fear, worry, or the "blahs".  When God isn't first--the weather outside becomes so much bigger; the feelings inside become so much more important, the circumstances around me seem so much more out of control.  God first.  That's the ticket!

Congregational Appreciation!

Yesterday, during our CLUB update, I held "Congregation Appreciation Day."  October is clergy appreciation month, and I had the opportunity to enjoy that with hundreds of other pastors back on October 7, as WORD FM hosted us for a lunch at Heinz Field.  I was reflecting on that and realized that there is no "Congregation Appreciation Month," so I took time to THANK the people of New Life for their ongoing faithfulness.  In the 7+ years of New Life's existence, the faithful commitment of New Life's Covenanting Disciples, and other participants has been such a blessing.  I have seen folks serve Jesus in so many different ways--through missions experiences; through providing meals to families during times of challenge (post-surgery) and blessing (the births of babies); through leading and participating in LIFE groups and LIFE classes; through giving generously of their time, talents and treasure; through planning and carrying out community ministries, by living the new life of Jesus in their daily lives and so much more!  As I stood before the congregation yesterday, seeing people who have been with us from the beginning, people who have come on board in the last few years, and people who were there for the first time, I was reminded of what a blessing it is to serve as a pastor in a congregation where the Holy Spirit is working.  I thank God for the people of New Life, and for the opportunity to serve as pastor for them.  May God continue to bless us that we may be a blessing to Saxonburg, western PA and beyond!

Monday Morning Musings...

Just watched a video from the Overflow Church in Benton Harbor, Michigan, which was recommended to me by Lisa, New Life's webservant.  Overflow is a young church seeking to live the love of Jesus in a community that has been divided by many issues.  As I watched the video, I was reminded of how many different places and methods Jesus uses to draw people to Himself!  Local congregations of believers may be found in movie theaters, schools, warehouses, motel ballrooms, as well as more traditional "church" facilities.  Churches use all formats for their worship, their discipleship, to draw people into fellowship and to carry out ministry and mission, yet in all different formats Jesus is lifted up, and God is glorified.  Overflow's pastor is young, I am not so young anymore.  The key, though, is as the Apostle Paul put it in Philippians 1----Jesus Christ is being preached!  While the statistics can be discouraging as far as worship participation and life change in America, we are called to preach, teach and live Jesus everywhere, everyday.  I'm grateful to God to be part of that in Saxonburg, PA and the greater community, and extending out into the world, through New Life!

This Sunday at New Life!

I hope you'll join us this Sunday as we highlight "The Truth about Trust!" For many years I have realized that everything in life ultimately comes down to TRUST or CONTROL. What we TRUST we don't try to control--whether it's a person or a situation. What we don't trust we do try to CONTROL. As we move to our second of six messages in our Back to Basics series "The Six Elementary Teachings of Our Faith," we're focusing on teaching number two: Faith toward God. As always the music will be upbeat and aimed at praising and glorifying our amazing God. Hope to see you there at 10:00 a.m. If you need directions go to http://www.newlifexn.org

One Vote...

Since my blog is paid for by New Life Christian Ministries (which will be changing as of November 12, 2008, more on that in a future post), I cannot write about specific political candidates.  However, the following YouTube video offers great food for thought and ACTION, for every registered voter in America, who is also a follower of Jesus:

 

Making the Most of the Strike...

Connie Shoemaker offered this "Making the Most of the STRIKE with Your Kids 20 ideas" in an e-mail she sent out today.  I asked her for permission to share it here, and she said, "Go for it!" so here they are:

1. Take time to visit a nursing home or lonely neighbor.
2. Rake leaves together.
3. Rake someone's leaves who can't rake them.
4. Sort out their clothes/room and take a huge load to the Thrift store to clear out before Christmas clutter.
5. Begin Christmas shopping or put up outside lights while warm.  You don't have to turn them on yet.
6. Write Christmas letter.  Let kids create it this year.  They are more savvy on the computer anyway!
7. Begin Holiday preparations.  Lists/Crafts/Gifts, etc...
8. Keep math skills sharp by using www.aaamath.com. Don't let their brains turn to mush with tv and video games.
9. Keep language skills sharp by googling spanish/french/german tutorial.
10. Bake or Cook with your student.  Home Ec students can get extra credit for this.
11. Embark upon a mission with church or agency nearby.  Doing a mailing sorting coats/clothing whatever!
12. Keep their brains sharp by scheduling their TV time to History/Discovery channels.
13. Read or watch classic books/movies and movies based on True stories that will build character.
14. Have the students write!  Yes, write!  Get caught up on thank yous or notes to distant relatives.
15. Start your Christmas cards EARLY.  Have kids help you address or stuff cards.
16. Make your travel visits now as we might not have much opportunity later depending on the length of this thing.  Better early, than not at all or at the expense of getting behind in studies if we lose our vacations.
17. Plan visits with their friends, perhaps ones you have NOT met this year.  Do stuff with them or be at the home when they gather.  Older Kids Plan College Visits NOW so they don't have to miss school later!
18. Cheapie Movies at Clearview during the day! or Swim at the YMCA!
19. Go to lunch with coupon to CiCi's.
20. Last but NOT lease Pray with your kids for the teachers/school and the students that will be unsupervised that tend to get into trouble.  Pray for the safety and well being of all their classmates and the parents for whom this is a REAL hardship.  Pray for quick resolutions and constructive compromise.

I have to say this is a way better response than my initial one from yesterday's post.  THANKS!  Connie.  If you have an idea to add let me know!

School Strike...

Just received word that Emmy's school teachers are going on strike Thursday morning.  While I'll be glad to have Emmy at home, the teachers' action doesn't elicit sympathy.  School teachers going on strike says only one thing:  They care more about themselves than about the students.  If I were in charge for a day, I'd make teachers' strikes illegal, because they impact a group of people who have no options concerning the situation--the students. When others strike, such as power plant employees, the management still keeps the plant operating, not so with school strikes.  The students are "locked out" and their lives go on hold.  They lose their scheduled vacations, if the strike drags on, and they have no say in the matter.  It's "no vacation without representation." (yes, my tongue was in my cheek as I wrote that!) Most will fill the days with extra hours of television, sleep, and other useless activities.  Teachers contend that school work sent home (commonly referred to as "homework") is necessary to ensure that lessons will be learned, and skills reinforced.  Extended strike periods provide nothing to reinforce what has been learned, and much time to forget.  Some would mention the disruption of parents' schedules.   While parents will deal with scheduling childcare, or missing work, and teachers know that, which gives them leverage in their action, my main concern remains for the students.  They always end up on the short end of the stick in these scenarios, but then the teachers know that.  In closing, I must note that most of my experiences with the teachers at Knoch have been positive.  I have seen dedication, skill, enthusiasm and competence in nearly all of our daughters' teachers during our three years of living in the district.  None of that will change as a result of the strike, but after this, I will be somewhat less than convinced that the teachers have their students interests first.  I pray hey will apply their collective creativity, wisdom and skill to find a way even at this "eleventh hour" to avert the strike or at the very least to make it short.

What "Outsiders" Can Tell Us...

Yesterday after worship, a first time guest made some observations about New Life that I found extremely helpful.  The guest told me that many in the church he usually attends would consider the worship music at New Life "sacreligious."  He didn't, but that the music has a "rock beat" makes it out of bounds for some.  He said that the message was clear, simple, straight-forward, and.... he paused as if looking for the right word.... powerful.  He said the last word as if it was a surprise.  It seemed that clear, simple, and straightforward wouldn't naturally lead to powerful for him.  He noted that we have so many "younger" people at New Life, and then defined that for me as people who don't have gray hair.  He enjoyed that we had children in the auditorium.  Throughout the conversation, the guest was obviously struggling with two very different realities--the church he usually attends and New Life.  In the end he said something like this:  I appreciate what you're doing here.  Our church is meeting the needs of older people, people who are established in church. It seems to me that your church (New Life) is reaching out to a different group--maybe even to people who don't go to church right now. 

Mabye even to people who don't go to church right now.  COOL!  Since that's the primary target audience for whom New Life began, it was great to hear an outsider say that we may be set up to reach that group.  At least we are NOT set up to reach those who are already comfortably part of long-established traditional churches.  I appreciated that the guest was able to separate the realities of the two congregations, and to recognize that no one congregation can reach all kinds of people.  I'm grateful for the churches that are reaching those who are already in the established church, and know that unchurched folks are exposed to Jesus in such congregations all the time.  At New Life, we'll continue to preach the Good News of Jesus clearly, simply, straight-forwardly, and we pray POWERFULLY, and provide an environment where those who don't go to church right now can come and belong.  If that's YOU, why don't you come and join us this Sunday?  We'd love to have welcome you!

Margin Revisited...

Much of the last four months has been an effort to establish "margin" in my life.  Margin is "space" that we live in our time, money and lives, that allow for unexpected situations not to be crises.  If our calendars have margin, then when an unexpected phone call comes and we have to deal with an emergency, or a friend needs us, or the opportunity arises to spend some extra time with a family member we can take the time to enjoy or handle the situation without finding everything else in our calendars now looks like a problem or a crisis, instead of opportunities.  Of course we all have scheduled events that we can't miss, but when I talk about margin, I'm talking about using the "unscheduled" time in such a way that it maximizes our productivity, as well as allowing space for unexpected opportunities and challenges.   I've been doing a lot better the last week or so with creating margin.  Here are a few keys that I've been finding make an impact:

1. Go to bed!  (Amazingly the earlier I go to bed, the earlier I get up and the more effective I am throughout the next day.  That effectiveness means greater productivity and, thus, increased margin.)
2. Pray FIRST!  I've usually done this, but for the past month I've been more intentional about my prayer and work out time first thing in the morning, and putting God first means both that I'm giving Him the best of me, and that I'm at my best, so I gain the most from the time.
3. Plan before you act!  Even if all you do is write out a to do list based on your prayer time, deadlines, and schedule, you'll be surprised at how much more productive you'll be, and how much more margin appears.
4. Think Long-Term!  If I anticipate the big project that's coming in a month, then I can start "eating that elephant" NOW, and by the time the deadline comes, it will be accomplished, and I won't have to push everything else aside to tackle it.
5. Take time to smell the roses!  This is actually a part of margin, I think.  But make sure that even when there doesn't seem to be any margin in your life, to stop and enjoy God's everyday blessings.  You'll never regret the time you invest in enjoying God's presence and blessings--just remember, the more effective you are in 1-4, the more time you'll have for 5!