The Flame - Christ Church
Transcription
The Flame - Christ Church
Contents 3 Newlyweds: The Family Begins...or Continues. By Jeff Allen 4 The World As I See It By Rev. Shane Bishop 5 Spotlight On Ministry The Flame The magazine of Christ Church Rev. Shane Bishop Senior Pastor Rev. Allen Miller Associate Pastor Justin Aymer Director of Communications 6 A Farewell Message By Rev. Allen 7 Wide, and Long, and High, and Deep By Mary Ann Turner 8 Rhythm By Rachel Frazure 9 Getting To Know You 10 We’re Family! By Rev. Allen Donna Harrison Editor 11 A Grand (Father’s) Life Barbara Germany Proof Reader 12 Your Child’s Spiritual Survival: How Far Will You Go? Service Times Sunday 8:30am, 10:30am, 6:00pm Saturday 5:00pm For a complete listing of the Christ Church Staff and to learn more about Christ Church please visit: www.mychristchurch.com © Copyright 2011, Christ Church. Questions about the Flame? Contact Donna Harrison at: [email protected] Christ Church 339 Frank Scott Pkwy E Fairview Heights, IL 62208 618.277.4659 By Fred Bishop By Demian Farnworth 13 The Power of a Dad By Nick Turner 14 Family Needs By Steve Barrett 14 CEPIM By Larry Weber 15 Watch Us Grow A Note From The Editor When I think of family, I see my handsome husband of 30 years this July, my adult children, their spouses and my 4 beautiful grandchildren. But my family consists of more than those who sit at my dinner table and call me Mom and Grandma. Each time I walk through the doors at Christ Church I am surrounded by my brothers and sisters in Christ. What a blessed and precious bond we share. I’d like to encourage you to open your heart to God, the loving Father who gave His one and only Son so we may have life eternal. Find a place to serve your church family; when you do, you’ll be in the company of those who love God, love neighbor and want to see others connect with Jesus Christ. In His Name, Donna Harrison Newlyweds: The Family Begins... or Continues. By Jeff Allen I’m an only child. Growing up it was just me, and I even retain some of the “only child” traits today. Two of my closest friends call me “O.C.” when I begin to act out these traits. So growing up I had my own room, my own bathroom, my own telephone line, you name it...I had to share nothing. I knew this would all come to an end on June 19th, 2010, when I married my wife, Brittani. Truthfully, that was okay with me! Don’t get me wrong, it is challenging at times, but the most beautiful thing about marriage (so far) is the extension of family. I now have a brother! My brother-in-law, Mitchell, is one of the coolest people I know. My mother-in-law and father-in-law are great. Brittani’s aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are amazing. And the cool part is, they are my real family now! her family. The best thing about married life year one is family. Amazing stuff! Brittani and I will be married for one year as of June 19, 2011, and we are so blessed to have amazing family who support us in our walk together. As we continue to sort out our priorities in life, we both know that Christ is number one. Speaking of family, it has been extremely helpful in our journey to keep Jesus our number one priority, to have such an amazing church family here at Christ Church. God has put amazing people in our lives. People we can look to for examples of healthy marriages, who take us under their wings and help us in our new start together. Our church is full of these people and we are so blessed to begin, and continue our family here at Christ Church. I’ve always been a family kind of guy. I’m close with my parents, my grandma, and my extended family. It was important to me to find a woman who is close with 3 The World As I See It By Rev. Shane Bishop As I write this article I am reflecting upon what it means to be 49 years of age. For one, it means that next year at precisely 2:22 in the afternoon of April 2, I will be 50. I will clearly have to set more time aside to ponder that one. The concept of “family” looms foremost in my mind today. I am so glad to be a part of the family of God. As I mature as a person of faith, I am constantly overwhelmed by the wonder of Christ’s acceptance of me. Despite my selfishness, pride, failures and short comings, Christ died for me and because of the work of Easter, I am accepted by God! I rejoice in my decision to accept Christ years ago, but I am blown away by the fact that Christ accepts me! I am so thankful for my biological family. When both of our children married three years ago, Melissa and I suddenly went from two children to four. With the emergence of Maddox Bishop Blaha and Elijah Christian Bishop, the family again expanded. As I write, I have just returned from Memorial Hospital welcoming my first granddaughter to the world. To add to the joy, my sister Jill’s family and my parents all live within a couple of miles of us. Being near my family is not something I take for granted. I am so thankful for the Christ Church family. As I prepare to enter year fifteen as your Senior Pastor, I find that I truly love this church and the people who comprise her more each day. We have so many dedicated people here who so freely give of their gifts, talents and time to make this a truly unique church. I can’t wait for Sundays to come around. It seems God never fails to show up in unexpected ways when we worship. I love going 4 to work everyday! You are each a true gift to my life and ministry. I am grateful for my United Methodist family. It is an absolute joy to serve under Bishop Gregory Palmer and Superintendent Gary Wilson. My colleagues in ministry comprise some of my closest friends and God has given me many opportunities to lead both regionally and nationally in this denomination in this past year. John Wesley’s message has never been more relevant! I am delighted to be a part of the human family. As we emerge from “The Hole in Our Gospel” study, I am acutely aware of the blessings I have as a USAmerican and of the responsibility I have in being a blessing to the world. I am just beginning to understand that I am indeed “my brother’s keeper” and in this epiphany, I find myself wanting to better serve my neighbor and loving God all the more for my efforts. So I am 49. I have lost some of my foot speed, range and vertical leap; they moved me from shortstop to second base on the tournament softball team. I can barely see without glasses, my hair is white and thinning and a normal day now consists of aches and pains that would have constituted an emergency room visit twenty years ago. But I still have plenty of fire in my belly, Holy Spirit rattling in my bones and a few hundred more line drives to hit. I have some good sermons yet to preach, a shift from “mortgage to mission” to navigate and there are plenty of people who need introduced to Jesus Christ. Good heavens, I am just getting started! And that is the world…as I see it. Spotlight On Ministry Birthday Wishes for Children 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV) Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Today we often spoil our kiddos with birthday parties suitable for a rock star! How blessed are we to live in such favor? For those we serve there are no options for lavish parties with a lengthy invitation list; no bouncy castles or party favors; gifts and birthday cakes. The Christian Activity Center (CAC) staff estimates over 80% of the 500 children they serve weekly have NEVER had a birthday party. At an alarming 57% in extreme poverty, birthdays are often overlooked. We connect people with Jesus Christ using one simple tool: a birthday party! Birthday Wishes For Children (BWFC) bring parties to children who may otherwise never have a celebration. We recognize the significance of a birthday in a child’s life and believe the gift of a party provides joy and hope in an otherwise chaotic time. Our committed volunteers make all children feel special regardless of their living situation. Guiding our work is the belief that we are all God’s children and we celebrate together as part of His family. There is no greater reward than seeing a smiling child proclaiming, “This is the BEST day EVER!” BWFC serves 3 locations: Nikki Gentes leads CAC/ East St Louis (http://cacesl.org/), Lona Berndt leads Almost Home/St. Louis (http://www.almosthomestl. org/), and Amy Walter leads Violence Prevention Center/Belleville. Seeds are being prayerfully planted to expand to another local teen mother’s shelter. Monthly visits allow us to develop valuable relationships while offering our presence, prayers and support. We assemble 20-50 gift bags monthly; give prayer & devotion on topics like peer pressure, kind words, or weathering life’s storms. Enjoy games, crafts, cake, ice cream, presents and hugs! Our prayer warriors pray in earnest over ‘prayer bag’ requests. From the heart of one teen mom: “Pray that I find a way to live by God’s word so that I may go to heaven. Pray that I live in his presence and to make a change in my life. Pray that I let God in my life to guide me to do positive things.” Your generous donations bless BWFC! We use new or gently-used toys, books, kids’ bibles/Christian materials to fill the gift bags with loving reminders that God loves and remembers them. Sabra Cabor champions our offshoot “Welcome Home” ministry, helping teen moms furnish their first apartments with donated furniture and household items. Your gifts bless them with a fresh start. BWFC is an energetic ministry full of power-hitters for Christ! Some volunteers were once teen parents who share their experience, strength, and hope. Join this powerful ministry as we roll up our sleeves and wash the feet of others together - there’s always room at our table and we need your talents! For more information contact Julie Eichholz at [email protected] or 618.799.9888. 5 while serving as your associate pastor. Thanks for the hugs, tears, words of love and encouragement we have shared with each other. A Farewell Message By Rev. Allen The deeper I travel into life (I am 41 years old – yeah, I can’t believe it either), the more I come to realize that life is all about relationships. There’s a lot of give and take in relationships. Within relationships, I have learned, life is also filled with many transitions. In the past, I remember how hard it was saying goodbye to Carla, my girlfriend/playmate from preschool up to third grade – back in my East Alton days. We said so long to each other. I moved. My family moved to Belleville. Since the days of Carla and early childhood, I have said goodbye to several friends, a couple of old girlfriends, my home church family, several churches I served, a few family members and the restaurant business. Well, I still eat in restaurants… Now my family and I face the ritual of saying goodbye graciously to our Christ Church Family as well as to the city of Fairview Heights. My Call into the ministry began when I was 10 years old. I began answering God’s Call on my life back in 1996. Now, I continue to answer God’s Call as I return to the familiar landscape and role of solo pastor. The lingo is Directing Pastor up in Central Illinois. At this time of year pastors receive phone calls. I received a phone call! I will begin to serve as pastor of Sugar Creek Church in Chatham in the Sangamon River District, effective July 1. That leaves all of us a handful of weeks to say goodbye. Throughout the life and ministry, I have both given and received at Christ Church; I have had many memorable, wonderful experiences as well as defining, formative experiences 6 While speculation of my move may run rampant, this is a move I requested. The decision to initiate the move resides solely with me. I have served as a solo pastor in the past, and strongly desire to return to that role. I am interested in preaching every Sunday morning. I saw Jesus and He spoke to me almost 10 years ago. That has forever changed my life and impacted who I am. I had a raging fire burning inside me the last seven years before I came to Christ Church as I led churches to increase some of their vitality and improve on some of their effectiveness, as I went on my Walk to Emmaus, as I went to a Holy Spirit Conference called Aldersgate in Decatur, and as I went to several Leadership Summits sponsored by Willow Creek. I was a pastor “on fire.” I couldn’t sit still. I didn’t sleep much at night out of the sheer excitement over what God was doing in me, my churches and my parishioners’ lives. When I came to Christ Church, I left my village of 500 people behind and entered a whole new world – I transitioned from a pastor “on fire” to a pastor with some fire. As an associate, I humbled myself, or I was humbled, however it worked out. The fire remains inside of me – who else is going to invite 600-800+ people to church this summer? My deepest desire and passion is to see changed lives for Jesus Christ – including mine. Jesus is in my life and God is working on me! My life’s purpose is to lead churches. That’s my calling. My passion is to do my part to grow churches. Over the course of the last several months, I have been filled with longing, restlessness, tugging and the presence of God nudging me. I trust God to lead me. It is a wonderful and hard thing to explain, but several times I’ve been up late into the night, sensing that God is tugging on me. I’ve told my future district superintendent Terry Harter that I do not have all the answers, but I’m eager to keep learning. And I will share the gifts and graces that I do have. My heart is in parish ministry. I have been with hundreds and hundreds of you in our Christ Church Family. Thank you so much for your patience, your love, your support, and your encouragement! We have a few weeks for this move to soak in and spend time together, then we’ll say goodbye at the end of June. Please keep me and my family in prayer as we travel through this time of transition. I appreciate all that you have done for my family and the support, encouragement and love you have shared with me! Wide, and Long, and High, and Deep By Mary Ann Turner The possibility of a mother’s love is as deep as the ocean. It will cause her to embrace laughter like none other, have pride that needs to be reigned in, passion revealing the depth of her own needs and shortcomings, and memories that remain as real as when she first lived them. At times she will experience desperation driving her to her knees, nights filled with half sleep, tears of intense joy or pain, and ultimately, a deeper understanding of the love of God. We would never sacrifice our children willingly yet we serve a God who sacrificed His only son, a God who reached down to us, who made a way for us to strip off the pride and pretension and repent of our sin and receive Life. If you have ever listened to a confession given by your child, whatever other emotions you may have experienced at the time, the one that I think stands out the most is compassion and the desire to hold them close, to communicate a depth of love that has no words. It’s a desire to take it away and make it right. That is what God does for us. My children have taught me so much about the love of Christ and for that I am eternally grateful. “Just five more questions mommy . . . just five more.” I can still hear my daughter’s little voice at bedtime delaying sleep and me submitting, with every tired bone in my body, to her questions. I recall the sweetness of looking at her little face and then kissing her goodnight, all tucked in with songs and prayers. We learned that God never tires of our questions. With happy songs about fire trucks, boats and planes and goodnight kisses and hugs, my son fell asleep easily but would often awake in the night. Hearing those little feet and feeling the touch of his precious little hand, I was able to instantly open my eyes. (Mommy radar!) We’d pray and learn together to trust our God that never slumbers and never sleeps. The rewards are priceless--childhood voices offering a “Mommy, let me pray for you,” the “wuv” notes I found scattered throughout the days, the celebration of knowing they are saved by the grace and love of Christ alone. I can’t think of a better calling in life than being a mother and raising disciples of and for Christ. God gives grace and wisdom to release our children a little at a time. Children, according to Psalm 127, are arrows in our quiver--not meant to be hovered over, they are meant to be released to make an impact in the world for Christ. There is no greater joy than this! I am a grandmother now….”Grammy.” I am experiencing pure delight. This season of life affords more time to savor the moments, time to fully realize that the mistakes and pleasures of motherhood are covered with a certainty of God’s mercy and grace, with much more to learn in the years God will give to me. Thankfully, the God designed rhythm of life goes on and I trust that my grandson will have plenty to teach me. I plan on teaching him too, about Love that is deeper than the ocean, found only in Jesus Christ. (In the real life stuff of motherhood our experiences are varied. As I pondered the writing of this piece it is with deep respect for each reader and any pain, regret, or loss we experience on life’s journey. We can have complete confidence that Jesus Christ covers it all with His love and His bloodshed on the cross for us. God’s love is the only perfect parental love. I pray for all of us to be confident in the comfort found under the covering of His unending love.) 7 Rhythm By Rachel Frazure Rhythm? My family has it. I would like to say it is in the genes. My husband Don and I had a feeling that any children that the Lord would bless us with would have at least a slight inkling of artistic flair due to our musical backgrounds. Juliana, our 8 year old, has been doing her own version of scat singing since she was 2, often inserting syncopated rhythms. She also has a thing for the drums. Shelby, our 4 year old, has a very pretty singing voice, and we might see American Idol in her future, but it will totally be her decision! Yes, our family has rhythm, but where we need improvement is creating rhythm within our home, and that won’t happen with any musical lessons. In Deuteronomy Chapter 6, Moses is putting out a call to the Israelites for a wholehearted commitment and he gives the Israelites a plan to transfer their faith to the next generation. Deuteronomy 6:4-6 are some of the most powerful scriptures in the Bible urging us to love God with all our heart, soul and strength and to make a wholehearted commitment to our love of God and to the commands He has given us. In Deuteronomy 6:79, Moses talks about how to live out this commitment and that this love must be shared with our family. We are to repeat them again and again to our children; talk about them at home and on the road; and when going to bed and when getting up. In the book Think Orange, author Reggie Joiner offers a translation of how Moses might have given these commandments to families of today: “If you are going to impress these truths in the hearts of your children, you will have to be more deliberate about creating a rhythm within your home. In the future, there will be a host of things that will distract you, and it will be easy to drift away from the importance of having an everyday kind of faith.” Children learn best through routine. Even the most chaotic households (including mine) have routines that make the day run a lot smoother. My kids know the order of events in the morning before school, and we also have a bedtime routine, which includes watching a classic cartoon or short story on “Daddy’s AT&T Phone” – yes, that’s what they call it! Could Moses be suggesting establishing a routine or a rhythm in our homes which teaches us to impress on the hearts of our children the character of God? 8 Talk about them when you are at home Sit down and eat together. As I was writing this, I realized we as a family had only sat down twice the previous week as a family to eat. I texted that to Don, and he just wrote back “That’s sad!” Mealtimes allow for intentional discussions. It is one of the few times that you are all sitting down together! Talk about them when you are on the road Get off the cell phone, turn off the radio or DVD player and temporarily hide your child’s gaming system. Let those car rides be a time of positive, life-changing conversations with your child. I heard a story of a mother whose child was asking about Jesus from the back seat of the car. As a result, they pulled over and the child prayed to receive Christ into her life. I know that mother will never forget that car ride. Talk about them when you are going to bed Don’t just send your kids to bed, but take them to bed. My kids are still rather young, so this doesn’t seem too odd for me. However, I wonder if there is a time when my kids will get too old and I will miss out on those intimate conversations with them? I hope that I will have lots of opportunities to listen to my children at bedtime – listen to their heart and let them know at that moment how much I love them and most importantly, how much Jesus loves them. Talk about them when you are getting up I don’t know about you, but mornings are primetime to me, because it is a brand new day – a fresh start. It is also a brand new day to set a good course relationally with your children. In Think Orange, Reggie Joiner says “Just a few encouraging words carefully spoken or written can give your children a sense of value and instill purpose.” How many carefully spoken words have you instilled in your child before sending them out the door for the day? It really makes me think. You may be like me and say “Well, I spend time with my family – we just spent the WHOLE day at the zoo together!” However, the difference is that rhythm is often a strong, repeated pattern. So, rhythm, in and of itself requires that we be intentional and constant. I encourage you to read Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 and begin thinking now how you can create rhythm within your home that will make a spiritual impact on your home and on your kids. I suggest that the rhythm you create will be “fascinating” and fun – maybe with a touch of syncopation. What drives you every day? I like to have a finished product. For example, on Sunday when a service comes together, that’s the most rewarding feeling. I can’t really explain it. Where do you want to retire? Somewhere I can go to a church and do nothing but mix the audio on weekends. All the fun without the prep work! I’ll probably be deaf and have to do lights instead though. Which reminds me, kids, wear ear plugs! Getting To Know You Name: Nathan Tobin Job Title: Technical Arts Director Job Description: If it has a cord or a battery and lives in the sanctuary, I take care of it. Do you have a special talent? I used to be able to stick a Dairy Queen spoon to the roof of my mouth, but I lost that after braces in Junior High. What was the last book you read? I’m 25 pages into Bob McCarthy’s Sound System Design and Optimization…I anticipate finishing in late 2018. What are your hobbies? I like to go fishing, but don’t get to do it enough. I also like grilling and playing drums (not at the same time). Tell about a favorite event of your adulthood/ childhood. It’s total cheese, but I’ll never forget the day I married my beautiful wife! She’s the best. What type of pets do you have? We joke that we can’t take care of pets…but I’d really love a dog. A medium to big one, dark tan and white, spot on one eye, one ear up and one ear down, little scruffy, and waits for me at the door when I come home with its tail wagging and head turned sideways. I’ve never really thought about it before though. Where do you like to vacation? In the winter a trip to my parents in Minnesota, complete with snowmobiling and freezing my hands off, is a yearly tradition. Kelli and I are tropical vacationers usually though. Who do you admire? My dad is awesome; he has been the most influential person in my life. I hope to be the man of God, and all around good time, that he is. What is your mission? To influence the Kingdom of God using the gifts and passion he’s given me. For me, that’s about using technology in worship to help people experience God. What traits in others are you attracted to? A quick sense of humor and a working knowledge of the movie Christmas Vacation are a plus! What is your favorite part of your job? Working with my awesome Worship Production team! Seriously, these guys rock. We are always looking for more people who like to have a good time building sets, designing lighting, running lyrics, and hanging out late into the night (optional). What is your motto? Drum till you bleed. And I’ve lived up to it repeatedly. Are you a ‘morning’ or ‘night’ person? Oh I am most definitely a night person. I don’t really see why our first service can’t be at 10. What bible character do you most relate to? Without a doubt Peter. He’s always got a great idea, gets excited to tell Jesus, and then Jesus just shakes his head. He screws up so many times, but he always bounces back. That’s how I want to be at least. 9 We’re Family! By Rev. Allen “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of Christ’s body.” (1 Corinthians 12:27) Paul writes about how we need unity. When we’re disappointed within our relationships and dealings with others, when our relationships wear thin and really get strained, we’re supposed to work it out and find a way to get along. A man from Illinois decided to travel to Wisconsin to go duck hunting. He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer’s field on the other side of the fence. As the flatlander, the Illinois man, climbed over the fence a dairy farmer drove up on his tractor and asked what was going on. The hunter said, “I shot a duck and I’m getting it.” The old farmer replied, “This is my property and you’re not coming over here!” Well, this made the hunter mad so he said, “If you don’t let me come over the fence, I’ll call my Chicago lawyer and sue you.” The farmer smiled and said, “Apparently you don’t know how we do things up here. We settle disagreements with the Wisconsin three-kick rule. I’ll kick you three times, and then you kick me three times. We keep on kicking each other until someone gives up.” The Illini liked this challenge because he thought he could easily take the old farmer. The Wisconsin Badger climbed down from the tractor and planted the steel toe of his heavy work boot into the man’s shin. The man fell to his knees. His second kick went directly to his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. The farmer then landed his third kick to the side of the hunter’s head. The Illinois man slowly got up and said, “Okay, you old codger, now it’s my turn!” To which the farmer responded, “Nah, I give up. You can keep the duck.” That story comes from pastor friend Brian Bill, a true Wisconsin Badger leading in Illini Country! Many of us battle over things. Sometimes we fight. The Bible says stop fighting. Paul writes in different pockets of 1 Corinthians “I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of Christ’s body.” We’re family! Life is about love. Author Rick Warren adds, 10 “Love cannot be learned in isolation. You have to be around people – irritating, imperfect, frustrating people.” No man is an island, no woman is an island. God loves variety. Every family has variety. Every family has someone who’s very detailed – particular – retentive. Every family has someone who is innovative, someone who is the wild cousin. God loves variety! Every family has at least one great aunt who is just a little out of kilter. Every family has a dreamer, a successful businessman/businesswoman, practicallyminded people, and dare-devils. The Lord loves them all. And of course, every family has a black sheep. The black sheep of the family – the prodigal – has quite a story to tell. Every family has variety – our own families as well as our church family! It’s during the times when we want to institute the Wisconsin three kick rule, that author Rick Warren points out that there are seven steps to resolve any conflict and restore fellowship – especially in our families: Step 1 – Talk to God: He will change your heart or change the other person. “No one can meet all of your needs except God.” Step 2 – Take the initiative: Schedule a face-to-face meeting. Step 3 – Sympathize with their feelings: “Use your ears more than your mouth.” Pay close attention. Step 4 – Confess your part of the conflict. Admit your own mistakes. Jesus says, “First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” Own up to any part you have played in the conflict. Step 5 – Attack the problem, not the person. Nagging never works – trust me on this one. Step 6 – Cooperate as much as possible. Romans 12:18 says “Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody.” Step 7 – Empathize reconciliation – beyond conflict resolution. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to restore a relationship. “Some parts require special care” as Paul says in 1 Corinthians (12:24). Some members of our families require special care. We need each other. Regardless of any of our struggles and patches of rough sledding, we may experience with those who mean a great deal to us. In Ephesians Chapter 2, Paul reminds us that we are members of God’s family and we belong in His household with every other Christian.” Simply put: we’re family! All of us together are Christ’s body, and each one of us is a separate and necessary part of Christ’s body – even as we interact and relate to one another with a wide range of different personalities, quirks, and idiosyncrasies. Just look at our families: God loves variety! Thanks Be to God. A Grand (Father’s) Life By Fred Bishop I am so proud to be a part of this great church. I was once at a church in Guatemala City, Guatemala, where they had been in revival for 19 years, but it’s even better to be a member of Christ Church which is in constant revival. It is also wonderful being in church with my son, Shane; grandson, Zec; and great grandsons: Maddox and Eli. It just doesn’t get any better than this. Shane was a pleasure to raise. Sports were an important part of our family. During football season, because I was a Pastor, I would hide our car in the garage to look like we weren’t home so we could watch Monday Night Football without interruption. Janie and I also followed all Shane’s sport ventures no matter what the weather. One time we bought rain suits to watch him run the high hurdles; we were the only ones in the stands. It meant a lot to Shane and to us as well. My grandson Zec is a delight to me. One time he called from Georgia to tell me that he would be playing in a ball game and wanted us to be there. So we loaded up the car and enjoyed his game. Zec and I also enjoyed hiking the hills together. One time Jan joined us but she didn’t quite enjoy the hills like we did. Zec said, “Grandpa, do we have to bring grandma?” How do you answer that? Now I have two fantastic great grandsons to enjoy. Maddox is in constant motion and that sure makes life fun with him. Nothing makes me feel better than for him to cry when I have to leave him. Eli is peaceful and loveable at his age; what a joy he is. Yes, I am a blessed man and so proud of my family. How sweet it is! 11 Your Child’s Spiritual Survival: How Far Will You Go? By Demian Farnworth If my wife and I died right now, here’s what my children would inherit: a house full of furniture, two used cars, a very, very small nest egg and an even smaller checking account. Then there’s the lawnmower, eightfoot ladder and the wheelbarrow with the flat tire. Of course they’ll appreciate the trampoline—as long as they can find someone to put it together for them. Let’s not forget the fire pit, old clothes and all of my books. Obviously this inheritance will not allow my children to live high on the hog, but it’s better than nothing. Of course I could work really hard to buy an island so my children could loaf into their mid-forties. The problem, however, is that all this stuff—from my books to the island—will one day perish. If my children have not surrendered their hearts to the rule and reign of Christ, they too will perish. It will not be good for them. While there’s nothing wrong with leaving an inheritance to your children—college savings, cars, islands—one thing cannot be neglected. It’s what Peter called the “imperishable inheritance.” In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. 1 12 Peter 1:3,4 (NIV) What exactly is that inheritance? The Lord himself. David said, “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.” Paul said, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” Listen: This is not a condemnation of wealth. It’s a recommendation on priorities. It’s a command to create a natural cadence of biblical talk in your home. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Keep in mind that’s not a promise. It’s a principle. But a principle that will raise the probability your children will not “walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of the sinner nor sit in the seat of the scoffer.” Here’s the deal: It’s imperative that you and I as parents take the lead in guiding our children toward their spiritual inheritance. How do we do that? We start by reading and discussing the Bible with them on a daily basis. Jesus said, “Man does not live on bread alone but on the very words that proceed from the mouth of God.” Our spiritual survival—our children’s spiritual survival—depends on constant interaction with the word of God. That interaction will occur only when we invest the time. Yes, it will cost us something. But the payoff is out of this world. And will last forever. The Power of a Dad By Nick Turner A year ago I sat down with a young man in high school who told me about the pain in his life because of the actions of his father. During a Bible study this school year, I saw a young girl doodling “I love my dad” on her worksheet. I asked why she loves her dad. She answered because he tells her how beautiful she is and what a treasure she is to him. In Disciplines of a Godly Man, Kent Hughes writes, “Men, the mere fact of fatherhood has endowed you with terrifying power in the lives of your sons and daughters, because they have an innate, God-given passion for you.” I am a dad and feel this power myself. One of the best days of my life is when my son, Asher, was born. He is a gift from God – a gift that brings me much joy – a gift that comes with much responsibility. I’ve also seen the power of a dad in my experience in student ministry. I’ve seen a dad’s power to build and his power to destroy. In my experience, here are a couple things for Christian dads to think about: The Power of Dad’s Example Until your child comes to know Jesus personally, you are your child’s primary example of God. We are made in the image of God (Gen 1:27) and we are to image forth God to our children. Show his grace. Show his discipline. Show his faithfulness. How is your example communicating the character of God? Further, we must model what it means to follow Jesus. I’m not talking about being perfect, but I am talking about being authentic. We need to spend time with Jesus, read the Bible, pray, worship, work hard, play hard, and love well. When we fail we need to model repentance and show our children that our righteousness is found in Christ alone. The Power of a Dad’s Words Call your child to greatness. We need to speak words of encouragement and truth to our children. Tell your son that you are proud of him and that he will grow into a strong man of God. If not, he may look to the world to define his manhood. Tell your daughter that she is a treasure to you and that she will grow into a beautiful woman of God. If not, she may listen to the lies of some guy or look to the cover of a magazine to define her beauty. Whatever our experience with our own earthly father, we must ultimately go to our Heavenly Father to receive the perfect picture of a dad. When we spend more time with Him, we find the example and guidance in how to bring our children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). 13 Family Needs By Steve Barrett What does it mean to be a family? For many of us we don’t often think of the roles that are filled within our individual families. Taking out the trash, cooking, doing yard work and cleaning up are all roles we perform without much thought because they have become familiar to us and we are comfortable performing them. Switch gears for a moment and let’s think about our Church family. Why is it that when we see something that needs to be done within the Church, we find some reason why we’re not able to do it? Could it be that we’ve become “comfortable” talking with our friends, singing with the Worship Team, and listening to an engaging sermon before heading home? As Christians we are called on to serve and to do so cheerfully. As we find ourselves becoming transformed to be more Christ-like, we find more and more joy in serving our families, whether at home, down the hall, around the corner, or around the globe. I’m fond of how Jesus consolidated the Commandments when He was asked which was the most important… Jesus boiled down the Commandments handed down through Moses into loving God and loving neighbor. I would add a further boiling down to really get to what is asked of us. In Matthew 5:48, Jesus states, “therefore be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” What does it mean to be perfect? Are we really capable of that? And what does that have to do with family? Perfection CEPIM in the context of this scripture speaks to seeking God’s will through our actions. To put it into terms most of us have heard, you can think of it as, “WWJD” or “What would Jesus do?” Now we simply have to apply that to our lives. Easy, right? It can be easy… Think of the stories you’ve read in the Bible. When Jesus’ feet were anointed with expensive perfume or when Jesus took time to wash the disciple’s feet, these were acts of service to His family of believers. They didn’t take much effort and required no training. In much the same way we can act to serve our family of believers. Some will choose to do so around the globe in mission to foreign countries. Others will do so around the corner on trips to serve the homeless in St. Louis. However, let us not forget the needs of the Church down the hall. Whether serving by listening to children recite scripture in AWANA on Sunday evening or serving Communion to your friends and family during service, we all have a part to play in accomplishing the Will of God and moving toward perfection. But you have to take that first step. If you’re not sure how, find a staff member or ministry leader and ask. The joy of serving can have a transformational effect in your life. Look for opportunities to serve. Your Church family needs you. additional volunteers to enhance the opportunity to serve in their particular ministry. If you are considering a new By Larry Weber ministry, we have a process for that as well; just contact the office or me for the forms and process necessary for Connecting Every Person In Ministry (CEPIM) adding your ministry idea to the CEPIM catalog. is Christ Church’s method for organizing the opportunities for our congregation to be in ministry. You can access our catalog of ministries by going online to www.connectingwithchrist.com and clicking on the Connect tab. We are constantly editing the information presented there. You can find an Interest Group, Kids 4 Christ, Lend-A-Hand Ministries, Men’s Ministries, Music and Worship, Serving Christ-Down the Hall, Serving Christ-Around the Corner, Serving Christ-Around the World, Sports’ Ministries, Student Ministries, Welcome Team, and Women’s Ministries. Each ministry has a contact name(s) listed with the information about what the ministry is about so you can contact them for more information. Many are seeking 14 Watch Us Grow New Members -------------------------------March Aaron Benedict, Amy Benedict, Cindy Ann Erwin, John Lercher, Margaret Lercher, Debra Marshall, Kathy Hilliard Terrell, J. Kramer Terrell, Sara E. Terrell, Robin Alan Watt April Dana L. Burgner, Carol A. Burgner, Francine Chatman, Tahisha Hicks, Jamie A. House, Kimberly D. House, Jon Kelly, Eun Kyung Kelly, Nicholas Jong In Kelly, Charity M. Kipp, Devon P. Lettie, Christine Philips, Randy Phillips Attendance -------------------------------March Worship = 1,475 March Connection Classes = 520 Year Avg. Worship = 1,560 Finances (as of 04-14-11) -------------------------------General Budget YTD Giving = $593,558.09 YTD Expenses = $579,662.78 Annual Budget = $2,041,873.99 Building Fund Total $78,794.01 Baptisms -------------------------------March Nicholas Jong In Kelly, Robin Alan Watt April Tahisha Hicks, James Hong In Kelly, Jerry Trent, Jr. Member Passings -------------------------------JoAnne Frame – February 26 Wedding -------------------------------Kyle James Jacob and Marquitta Lynn Koshak – February 27 15 339 Frank Scott Parkway East Fairview Heights, IL 62208 Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID E. St. Louis, IL Permit #2290