2011 is off to a great start! I'm still writing 2010 on some things, but hopefully that will pass in a few weeks. We have some great service opportunities to start off this year - serving our refugee communities in the park on Monday, January 11; and then a "mini" Serve Sunnyslope on January 22. Click here to go to our website to see more information about these opportunities.
We have several Winter Camps coming up for HS, JH, and elementary ages. These are great opportunities for growth for your kids - make sure they're signed up here.
Our next First Steps class is on January 23rd, and we've completely revamped our material. If you're new to FCC or even if you've been here awhile but want a refresher course, I'd love to see you there. Click here to sign up.
My youngest son and I will be travelling to Missouri later this week for my Dad's 80th birthday. All my siblings will be there, and I know we'll have a great time celebrating with Dad. He is one of my heroes and has been a great role model to me. I'm so glad I get to join him and the rest of my family for this great occasion.
I've been working on establishing some personal goals for this year. Not resolutions, but goals. I spoke about this idea of goals vs. resolutions on January 2nd. You can click here to launch the media player, and go to the January 2 message to listen. I'm retraining some negative pathways in my brain to discipline myself to accomplish great things this year. What about you? Any big goals for the year? Let me know!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Monday, December 20, 2010
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to one and all! Remember, we have changed the times for our Christmas Eve services to 5 and 6:30 p.m. I hope to see you at one of those services.
I'd like to share a few holiday videos with you for your viewing and listening pleasure. These first two are from Northpoint Community Church and feature their band playing these songs entirely on iPhones and iPads. Pretty cool what you can do with them!
This one is from Selah, and is one of my favorite versions of Silent Night. We might be doing this on Christmas Eve.
Again, Merry Christmas to all, and thanks for a great 2010. I'm excited to see what God has in store for us in 2011.
I'd like to share a few holiday videos with you for your viewing and listening pleasure. These first two are from Northpoint Community Church and feature their band playing these songs entirely on iPhones and iPads. Pretty cool what you can do with them!
This one is from Selah, and is one of my favorite versions of Silent Night. We might be doing this on Christmas Eve.
Again, Merry Christmas to all, and thanks for a great 2010. I'm excited to see what God has in store for us in 2011.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Like a Good Neighbor
I love this time of year, with Thanksgiving next week and Christmas close behind. It does, however, still feel odd to see Christmas decorations and gifts in the stores at the end of September and in October when it can still be 100 degrees outside!
Each year, usually right before Thanksgiving, we get together with our neighbors for a light breakfast (okay, so neighbor Chuck's queso dip isn't light), and then the men go house to house to help put up Christmas decorations. Then, later that afternoon, we all gather in the cul-de-sac for a pitch-in and cookout. After eating we usually sit around the fire pit and catch up on each others' lives. We see and talk to each other all through the year, but I always especially enjoy this event. We try to be intentional about building community in our little neighborhood.
Do you have any neighborhood traditions? Maybe a 4th of July cookout? An Easter egg hunt? A Labor Day pool party? Do you take time to get to know your neighbors, and do you know if they have any needs? Is there any way you can serve your neighbors? Any single moms or widows in your neighborhood you could help or check in on regularly? Comment below to share any neighborhood traditions or how you serve your neighbors.
Jesus said we are to love our neighbors, and that means knowing them, spending time with them, and even serving them. Read Luke 10:25-37 and consider how you can be a good neighbor.
Each year, usually right before Thanksgiving, we get together with our neighbors for a light breakfast (okay, so neighbor Chuck's queso dip isn't light), and then the men go house to house to help put up Christmas decorations. Then, later that afternoon, we all gather in the cul-de-sac for a pitch-in and cookout. After eating we usually sit around the fire pit and catch up on each others' lives. We see and talk to each other all through the year, but I always especially enjoy this event. We try to be intentional about building community in our little neighborhood.
Do you have any neighborhood traditions? Maybe a 4th of July cookout? An Easter egg hunt? A Labor Day pool party? Do you take time to get to know your neighbors, and do you know if they have any needs? Is there any way you can serve your neighbors? Any single moms or widows in your neighborhood you could help or check in on regularly? Comment below to share any neighborhood traditions or how you serve your neighbors.
Jesus said we are to love our neighbors, and that means knowing them, spending time with them, and even serving them. Read Luke 10:25-37 and consider how you can be a good neighbor.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
God's Presence
Part of my daily reading is from the Old Testament, and I'm reading in Exodus right now. I'm struck by a verse I read this morning from chapter 3. In verse 10, God told Moses to go to Egypt to bring the Israelites out of there. Here's Moses' response in verse 11: "But Moses said to God, 'Who am I, that I should go to Pharoah and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?' 12 And God said, 'I will be with you.'"
This is a good reminder for me whenever I begin to question God with "But what about...?" Or, "But, I don't know what to do!" God is with me. Jesus said that when He was going up to heaven in Matthew 28:20: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." He has given me His Holy Spirit to live in me (John 14 and 15). His presence is always with me. If God has called me to do something, it doesn't matter what my excuse is; He's with me and I'd better get to it!
Notice, too, that Moses had asked "Who am I?" God doesn't respond to that, because it doesn't matter if God is with me. I should let Him work and speak through me and not worry about who I am, or what I have or don't have. As I heard Louie Giglio say once, "I know I am not, but I know I AM!"
Live every day with His presence in you.
This is a good reminder for me whenever I begin to question God with "But what about...?" Or, "But, I don't know what to do!" God is with me. Jesus said that when He was going up to heaven in Matthew 28:20: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." He has given me His Holy Spirit to live in me (John 14 and 15). His presence is always with me. If God has called me to do something, it doesn't matter what my excuse is; He's with me and I'd better get to it!
Notice, too, that Moses had asked "Who am I?" God doesn't respond to that, because it doesn't matter if God is with me. I should let Him work and speak through me and not worry about who I am, or what I have or don't have. As I heard Louie Giglio say once, "I know I am not, but I know I AM!"
Live every day with His presence in you.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Election Season
Our local and state elections are next week, so I thought I'd do an election season post today. First of all, make sure you are an informed voter. If you haven't already done so, do to the Center for Arizona Policy website to download their non-partisan voter guide. It's very helpful. Also, if you need help with information on judges, click here for judicial review information.
Also, I'm re-posting a blog from our friends at Disciple Nations Alliance that you should read.
What do the Philippines, Sudan and the U.S. have in common? Each has an important national election scheduled in the next few weeks.
Also, I'm re-posting a blog from our friends at Disciple Nations Alliance that you should read.
Your Great Commission Assignment Coming Soon
Posted on October 25, 2010 by disciplenations
What do the Philippines, Sudan and the U.S. have in common? Each has an important national election scheduled in the next few weeks.Elections represent an important opportunity for Christians. Followers of Christ should be exemplary in our engagement in the political process. Jesus Christ calls us to forge godly culture and promote biblical values, and responsible voting comprises one dimension of living Christianly, one aspect of obedience to the authority of Christ.
As he closed the Great Commission, Jesus said, “Behold, I am with you always.” The English “behold” translates the Greek word idou. Some versions strip the original of its force by translating idou as “surely.” But the word is in the imperative mood. Asimperative, it has the same force as “Go make disciples,” thus “Behold” is a better translation. Christ is saying “Hey, pay attention!”
Why might Christ command us to “Look!”? Maybe because we get so preoccupied with our own lives and circumstances that we fail to focus on his priorities? Do we fail to recognize Christ’s presence and purpose in our lives because our thoughts are elsewhere?
Look! Jesus is “with us always . . . to the very end of the age”! His power, authority, love, and grace abound! Behold! He is king of heaven and earth, and of time.
And of elections.
- Darrow Miller and Gary Brumbelow
Make sure you vote by early ballot, or at a polling place next Tuesday, November 2. This is one of our greatest freedoms and opportunities to express a biblical worldview.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Warning - Do Not Love the World
I'm preaching on a great passage of Scripture this weekend - 1 John 2:15-17. "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (NIV)
I've read this passage dozens of times, I'm sure, but not really ever taken the time to stop and think - "What do I crave - the things of the world or God? What catches my eye - things I want or the needs of other people? What do I boast about - what I've done or what God is doing in me?"
How would you answer those questions? I hope I'll see you this Saturday, October 23, at our next Serve Sunnyslope. If you're not already signed up to serve, call Cindy in the church office - (602)246-9206.
I've read this passage dozens of times, I'm sure, but not really ever taken the time to stop and think - "What do I crave - the things of the world or God? What catches my eye - things I want or the needs of other people? What do I boast about - what I've done or what God is doing in me?"
How would you answer those questions? I hope I'll see you this Saturday, October 23, at our next Serve Sunnyslope. If you're not already signed up to serve, call Cindy in the church office - (602)246-9206.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Fear
I've struggled my whole life with fear issues - mainly fear of people. I've had many occassions, beginning when I was very young, where I was humiliated or embarrassed, so I decided to protect myself and not be put in those situations again. To do so, I began to fear people that I thought were a threat to my safe, protected world. Over the course of the last year or so, I've been discovering that this is not a healthy way to live!
I've spent some time during a week off to look at Scriptures that address this issue of fear and of trusting God. I found many good verses on this topic, and one of my favorites is Proverbs 29:25 which says, "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." Other good ones are Psalm 118:6,8: "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."
What about you? What are some key verses or passages that take away the fear factor in your life? Let me know by commenting below. I look forward to hearing from you.
I've spent some time during a week off to look at Scriptures that address this issue of fear and of trusting God. I found many good verses on this topic, and one of my favorites is Proverbs 29:25 which says, "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." Other good ones are Psalm 118:6,8: "The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."
What about you? What are some key verses or passages that take away the fear factor in your life? Let me know by commenting below. I look forward to hearing from you.
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