March 14, 2007

• I keep meaning to update this more often but time flies when you’re having fun!  I thank those of you who still take the time to stop by and read my infrequent rantings.

  When last I updated I was discussing the “coffee houses” we’d been having.  As I indicated our next one consisted of a discussion on prayer.  The following one was to feature a hymn sing with some hymn stories told before the singing of each hymn but we decided that it might be more appropriate subject matter for a regular Saturday Night service.  We went with a discussion of “What’s God Doing In Your Life” instead.  It occurred on an icy and snowy Saturday evening and we weren’t expecting much of a turn out but 68 people came and enjoyed the soup, coffee, discussion, and fellowship.  The soup and coffee times just may be having more of an effect that the regular service and we may need to have them more often.  As it is, the entire church is doing a series right now and then we have Palm Sunday Eve and Easter Eve so the next coffee house will be the week after Easter.  I’m not sure what we will be doing but I would like to open it up to allow the congregation to tell us what they like and don’t like about our services and what ideas they might have to make them more effective in ministry and outreach.

  As I also stated previously, for Easter we’re leaning towards doing something that bridges Christmas to Easter.  I, for one, haven’t put the time into planning this that I should be but I’m confident that between the 4 or 5 of us that plan these things God will make something special occur.  We’re still using the Christmas tree and will probably end the Palm Sunday Eve service with the congregation decorating the tree with the little crosses.  Then, on Easter Eve, we will have everyone take one at the end as a sign of their sharing in His suffering.

  I got a book by Michael Card ($2 at Half Price Books) called “A Violent Anger” as well as the book  “With One Voice: Discovering Christ’s Song in Our Worship” by Reggie M. Kidd, which was a Christmas gift.  I mention them because they both have chapters that compare the prophecy of David’s Psalm 22 with the gospel accounts of Christ’s crucifixion.  I’m wondering how we could work that into the Easter Eve service.  I’ve also found a great song called “When I Remember” by Kim Hill which I will be using.  It was on a special CD named after the Lucado book “He Chose The Nails.”  I’ve also been using the song “How Deep The Father’s Love For Us” which I have on the Skillet Ardent Worship CD but which was written and recorded by Stuart Townsend.  I’ve had several comments on it when we’ve sung it from both the younger and older generations.  It has that “hymn-like” quality about it and some pretty convicting lyrics.

  As for myself, it has been a bit of a struggle to get things done at work since the Federal Government has not had a budget this year.  Congress finally passed a resolution to fund the government for the rest of this year but the final numbers have yet to filter through the system and get to those of us who need to get our work done.  The end of March will be the half way point of this fiscal year.  Politics!  As I stated, it has been a bit of a struggle but somehow, in some way or another, God seems to enable me to get what seems an impossibility done.  I’m really leaning on Him now.

   

  Be Blessed!

   

  God IS Good!
  
  Go Ahead: Say It! Believe It! Confess It!
  
  You're Invited!!

   

  Well, that is a full typed page so I will stop for now lest this get too long.

  • 9:55 am
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