What Do You Want?

Pastor Terry White was clearly moved by last week's tragic shooting at a Baptist Church in Texas, fully conscious of the reality that a church sanctuary is intended to be a safe place, a sanctuary in the true sense of the word. We were reminded of the pain many people must carry in a broken world, and today's service was intended to be a time of healing for each of us.

Announcements
Joanne shared that this Wednesday we will be packing of shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. You may bring items for boys or girls in variety of ages. Join us.

Veterans Day was yesterday and Pastor Terry preceeded worship by having our veterans stand up to be honored, those who have served on behalf of our freedom. There was an impressive outpouring of appreciation. 

Darlene shared that our Faith & Fabrics group meets 2nd Thursday of the month from 10-2.

Terry pointed out that we have now added a visitor card to the seatbacks. It includes a place to write your prayer requests so you can drop these into the offering plate when it comes around.

* * * *

Each of the bulletins today had a Post-It note in it and we were asked to write out a list of things keeping us separated from God. Terry then asked us to write I John 1:9 at the top of this list: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

The theme for today's service is Healing. It's time to surrender to what God is doing in us. "Time for a milestone, to begin again, re-evaluate who I really am.... It's time to surrender to what's going on inside of me... Time to face up, clean this old house; time to breathe in and let everything out."

Terry read some passages pertaining to our theme today:
Joel 2:12-17

Psalm 139:1-6, 17-18, and ending with verses 23-24.
Search me, God, and know my heart; 
 test me and know my anxious thoughts. 
See if there is any offensive way in me,
 and lead me in the way everlasting.

Romans 14:7-12

Luke 5:17-26

Darlene and Terry sang a moving and sensitive duet during the offering, a prayer for healing, wisdom, comfort, and blessing.

We closed with the song "Whom Shall I Fear?"

Together

During the service Chuck interviewed Callie
about her trip to Africa 

Next week is the beginning of a new school year, and here at New Life Covenant we'll have our RALLY SUNDAY, with worship, lunch and activities both inside and outside. Our summer hours will yield to fall, which means worship starts at 10:15 a.m. There will be pre-service dialogue at 8:30 a.m.

Other announcements included the following:
--Darlene shared that Friday & Saturday is kickoff of our Faith & Fabric group which meets the Second Saturday each month 10-2. There will be soup on for all. Bring some other fixin's to share pot luck style.
--Paula shared that she will again teach a painting class. Contact Paula Saxin for details.
--September 17 will be the first day of Sunday School for the new year.

Chuck and the worship team led us in worship this morning with Darlene on piano. They opened with "He's Everything To Me." This was followed with "I Just Keep Trusting My Lord," a Roy Rogers and Dale Evans favorite. After several other songs from with blue hymnal an offering was taken and we spent some time in prayer led by Cheryl Borndal.

At one point in this early part of the service Chuck noted that Pam and Callie Johnson had just returned from a two week trip to Tanzania, Africa, where among other things they went on a safari and also climbed the 19,341 foot high Mount Kilimanjaro.

Together

Today's message came from Ephesians 4:1-16.  But he began by commenting on the key to climbing mountains: keep taking another step.

Terry has been a coach of team sports much of his life. What he's observed is that track and field is completely different. Team sports require practicing together and learning how to work together. In track you have a bunch of individual activities. Javelin throwers do not practice with pole vaulters or cross country runners. They are all doing completely different things.

Church, he said, is often more like an individual sport than a team sport. If we were working properly together we would see that each of us is part of a greater whole.

Ephesians 4
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Terry noted that there is something innate within us, the way we were designed, that desires to be part of something bigger than ourselves. It is excellent and right.

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.  8 This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high, 
 he took many captives 
 and gave gifts to his people.”

Paul has referenced a passage from the Psalms, and then follows with an aside explaining its meaning:

9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 

In the following segment Paul makes a list of gifts from God, explaining the purpose of these gifts. The list in this case is people. Each of us has a wide variety of gifts that we bring to the body of Christ, to our fellowship.

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Terry stated that one of the excuses people sometimes make when they leave a church is that "I'm not being fed." Often this occurs because individuals have gotten used to being recipients of the Word, and forgotten that they are in turn being fed for years in order to turn around and feed others. God's aim for us is to become a blessing to others, to help them attain the full measure of faith.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

As each part in the body does its part, then body life works. The body is called to grow together. If one finger grows huge and another finger remains the size of an infants, we end up a monstrosity.

This problem is a contemporary broken part of many churches today. Lay ministry is absent. The need for teachers is vast. Participation is at an all-time low.

As we enter into others' lives through ministry, our faith will become more real.

* * * *
At this we closed with a celebration of the Lord's Supper.

The Holy Spirit and Theology

Pastor Terry welcomed us, and thanked everyone who helped his family move last weekend.
Announcements included a reminder that Sunday August 13 we will be meeting at the home of Walt and Gwen Cressman, a service that will include baptisms.
Pam shared that we are seeking to fill a part-time office position on the staff. Contact Pastor White.

Terry read from Ephesians 1:3-14, to set us on fire for today's theme, the Holy Spirit. We spent time in worship,gave generously and were led in prayer by Pam Johnson.

* * * *
The Holy Spirit and Theology

We turned to John 16 for our message today. Terry began by noting that the Spirit is a part of the Gospel we do not talk about a lot, so for the next few weeks this is our theme.

In the New Testament the Holy Spirit is explicitly talked about as a seed planted within our hearts to bring us to salvation. In the Old Testament the Scriptures approaches this differently. In Book of Judges we see again and again how "the Spirit of the Lord came upon" so and so and they did mighty things for God.

The Old Testament also talks about the Spirit of the Lord in conjunction with prophets and prophecy.

To some extent the way we use the word "spirit" can create confusion. The Holy Spirit is a person, the third person of the Trinity. The way we use the word is different. "Jack is a good-spirited fellow."

In the New Testament, Jesus talks about how He is going to be leaving soon. (John 16:1-16) What He promises is that the Spirit will be coming in His stead, counseling, revealing, comforting and guiding.

One of the words to describe the Holy Spirit is advocate. The advocate is one who speaks on our behalf, watches over us to protect and represent us. The Holy Spirit is with each of us and can be with all of us at all times. Jesus, in bodily form, He reminded them, could only be in one place at a time.

The Holy Spirit inspired and drove the writing of the Bible while simultaneously illuminating our own souls as we read the Bible. The Holy Spirit is the one who makes the Bible come alive for us.

Another part of Jesus' last talk with the disciples is that the Spirit will receive from Jesus what He makes known to us.

In Acts 2 the Holy Spirit fell with flaming tongues of fire and they spoke in other languages. In another place Paul writes about the gifts of the Spirit and in Galatians he details the fruit of the Spirit. And in another places there is a command to be filled with the Spirit.

What is the meaning of all these things? In one place it is written that the Holy Spirit is a downpayment, or a deposit. In another we're commanded to be filled. How do we go from the deposit to the fulness, to the place where we are filled? This is what Pastor Terry will be talking about next time he preaches.

The Good News is that every time the Holy Spirit came upon people in the Old Testament it was for a great task that was humanly beyond them. God can do the same for us in this day and age.

* * *

Life's Classroom

Today is Mother's Day and as is a custom here the men produced a marvelous breakfast spread for the Mothers and the church family. Wonderful breakfast flavors wafted through the lobby and lingered in the sanctuary to bring a satisfying lift to our spirits. Special thanks to Duayne Anderson for helping organize this noteworthy feastlike celebration.

Pastor Terry welcomed us with enthusiasm. In addition to announcements and a Happy Mother's Day welcome he noted that today is Confirmation Sunday.

Announcements
--We have two small groups meeting and you are invited to join. The Terry White group meets on the 1st and 3rd Sundays. The second group meets at the Cressmans. Contact Walt and Gwen for details.
--VBS is coming, a sure sign that summer is near. Volunteers always welcome..
The Rummage Sale raised over $600 which will be used to send kids to Camp.
Duayne stood and thanked all the men who helped make the breakfast and reminded us that this was especially for the Moms.

Pastor White read from Deut. 6:4-9 and then we entered into a time of worship.

Cheryl Borndal called the ushers forward to take the offering and then led us i a time of prayer before inviting the youth were confirmed today. There were many needs on our hearts which we lifted to God.

Terry began with a humorous story and then reminded us that tradition for tradition's sake doesn't mean it's useful. Nevertheless, there are reasons confirmation makes sense at this age. He explained that in 6th, 7th and 8th grade our frontal lobe is growing faster than ever, and the brain is being rewired for adulthood. For this reason, Junior High aged young people are the age we have training in the faith and for life.

Joanne Winship, who has been teaching confirmation for a number of years, came forward to share and then introduced McKenzie Lysher, Nolan Mehle, and Spencer Smith. Confirmation, she said, is a time in which young people learn to be sure about God and themselves, and their place in the world and the church. The program is two years of study, beginning with how none of us are in the same place as regard faith and experience. Next there is Bible study. And then the youth came forward and shared their faith journeys.

Each of the confirmed was given a Life Application Resource Study Bible, which was followed by a brief message from Terry.

Life's Classroom

What does it look like to be good parents and good parishioners? Deuteronomy 6:4-9 addresses this. Our children watch us and learn from our example. This is why it is essential for us to model our faith by living it, not just give lip-service.

If we would live out just the first line from this passage it would change us. "Hear Oh Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

Terry shared insights about how pride leads to fancier philacteries and braids and symbols of faith so we can show off how holy we are. The Pharisees were perfect examples of Adventures in Missing the Point.

One of the points Terry made was that being a good listener as a parent is important. If we listen to our children, our children will listen more to us.

The Bible is something to live out, and our kids will learn about God and our faith by the manner in which we treat one another. How we respond to hardship, disappointment and neighbors will teach them much.

What God does for His people: 10 When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

God's desire is to bless us. In the same way that we watch out for our kids' safety while they are clueless of your watchfulness, so also God is watching out for us, watching over us, keeping us from falling into pits and other traps. God is faithful, and we closed the service singing about His faithfulness.

Take A Deep Breath

The sun has come forward to greet us as the congregation filters into the sanctuary. Chuck welcomed us today and invited Paula to come forward to remind us of events surrounding Easter breakfast. There will be an Easter Egg Hunt as well.

Tuesday there will be a number of our members going to Chris Jensen to sing to residents there, 2 p.m.
June 12-15 will be VBS this year, 9:30 to noon. Volunteers welcome.

Chuck read from the Psalms to lead us into worship. "Create in me a new heart," David wrote. "Restore to me the joy of my salvation."

Chuck and Darlene then sang "Create in me a clean heart... Cast me not away from Thy Presence, O Lord... and renew a right spirit in me." Our congregational song selection came from the blue humnals this morning. Paula then called the ushers forward to take the offering before our time of sharing pur prayer needs and praises.

Take A Deep Breath

Pastor Terry White took the podium and greeted us warmly.

Our message today will be based on II Timothy 3.

Terry began by noting our embedded beliefs, which are beliefs that are so embedded we are not even aware of them. There are many things in life where we have been taught things a certain way and they seem to be "the right way" as if other ways of doing things are "wrong." He shared, to illustrate, the process of having people help him do drywall work at his home yesterday.

Embedded beliefs are sometimes useful, but sometimes toxic. Changing wrong beliefs or lifestyle patterns is not easy.

Verses 10-17 became his springboard:

10 You, however, know all about my teaching,y my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconiuma and Lystra, the persecutions I endured.c Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse,g deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Sometimes the greatest lessons we learn are not learned in the classroom. They come to us during the course of life. This is especially true when it comes to matters of faith.

"Everyone who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."

One of the enbedded mistaken ideas in the world today is that popularity is the measure of success. Bigger is not necessarily better. Small churches are not failed churches. Mega-church does not mean better or good.

Similarly, when things are hard does that mean something is wrong? Sometimes the correct path is the harder path. In fact, Jesus spoke clearly about the narrow way that few find. Here Paul states straight up that being a follower of Christ will result in persecution.

Paul encourages Timothy to remember the lessons he has received from the Scriptures which he has studied from his youth. All Scripture is God-breathed, and necessary to help us better correct our incorrect embedded beliefs.

What are the embedded beliefs that you hold that God would have you let go of? As you read the Scriptures this week look for those messages that may dislodge or correct our incorrect and imperfect understanding of God's message for us.

In closing Terry asked us to pray for God to illumine us in a new area of our understanding this week.

At this, we celebrated the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

Honesty is the Best Policy

Pastor Terry welcomed us and pointed out the addition of a few new sound panels to help dampen the echoes, but he quickly added that this is just a start.

Announcements
~The Worship Committee is seeking people to help usher, greet and help in other ways during the service.
We are also looking for people to help in small skits and readings during the service. Volunteers should contact Cheryl Borndal.
~Ladies Bible Study, Tuesday from 10 a.m. till Noon here at the church.
There will more painting in the church this Saturday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.. We're talking about art, not walls. There's room for one more. Contact Paula S.
Camp brochures are printed and available. The rates have changed so note that. The church does have a camp scholarship fund to assist.

The theme of today's worship revolved around the power that is in the blood of Jesus. Afterward while the offering was being taken one of the young people in the congregation played Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee.

Honesty is the Best Policy

We've been working our way through the Second Letter of Paul to Timothy, and  today's message zeroed in on II Timothy 3:1-9.

The message is about renovation and Pastor Terry began by citing issues one deals with when a house renovation project. Similarly people with gardens have the challenge of deciding how much weeding is enough. Many decisions are not black and white.

Terry told a story about a set of classic Baptist revival meetings in which the opening night included being given a handout that listed two pages of sins and congregation was instructed to circle all the ones they had ever done. It was a pretty overwhelming list, and honestly assessing actually could become quite depressing.

Washington Crosses the Delaware.

He then projected on the monitor the famous painting by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze of Washington crossing the Delaware. Seeing that the title of the sermon had something to do with honesty, it would not have been a surprise to begin the message with the tale of young George Washington chopping down the cherry tree. Terry may have considered two GW anecdotes, but instead chopped that one out and offered up this one.

In point of fact, though famous it is not really a truthful painting. The painting, which was painted in 1851, was not accurate in several respects. First, the flag in the boat did not exist for another year. Second, in real life the general would not have been standing in a canoe full of people going through a turbulent river. They would have been on barges or pontoon style boats. The painter was German and the river was the Rhine, not the Delaware.

The artist was not painting this for patriotic American reasons. Rather, he was into painting about revolutions and his aim was to foster revolution. There was a problem with this idea. The American Revolution was about something wholesome and noble. It was not revolution for revolution sake. The artist lost faith in a German revolution because the German people were not good.

What follows are several points Pastor Terry made during the rest of the message.

Good means that we're aligned with God. As a nation we can't be great again if we are not Good.

What does it look like to be aligned with God? It's about reconciliation, one with God.

Being a Christian is about more than being against sin. What are we for?

We were then sent to II Corinthians 5. By being joined to God, we can all be joined together.

We need to be forgiven, and then we need to extend that forgiveness to others.

The darker our sin, the greater we will value the grace that God gives us.

What does it look like to be one with God, to be reconciled to God?

Hell is not a tragedy because it exists. Hell is a tragedy because nobody has to go there.

We only get truly fixed when we are mended by God through faith.

Terry then had us turn to II Corinthians 5:14-21, which begins, "Christ's love compels us..." We have been given a message of reconciliation, and a ministry of reconciliation.

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Yes, what a gift. It's a gift that is simultaneously a process, an ongoing renovation that is an invitation to life.

Strong In Grace: A Message About Leadership

Today's baptism 

A balmy spring-like weekend has warmed a lot of us. Chuck Vanderscheuren, who just returned from a vacation in the Southwest, welcomed us today and told us about all the states he drove through and some of what he and Darlene saw.

Announcements
This Wednesday, Feb. 22, a membership class is meeting, for anyone interested in membership, or who would like to learn more about the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Friday March 24 there is a Youth gathering at the church from 7-11:30. Anyone interested in learning more about our programs for youth, contact Curt Fernandez. (218) 348-6109
We can use help by having people sign up to do the treats once in a while. Sign up sheet in the back.
Thursday at 2 p.m. some folk from our congregation will be singing at Viewcrest Nursing Home.
Small groups will be beginning soon. The first and third Sundays in March, April and May (with the exception of Easter.)
There will be a Game Night on March 10 from 6-9:00 p.m. Bring a game, a snack to share and a friend.

After sharing announcements Chuck told us it was Pastor Terry's birthday today, leading us all in singing the traditional happy birthday song. He then had the worship team join him to sing a verse of Worthy of Worship which we then joined in singing along with several additional hymns.

During the offering Natalie performed a gymnastic dance that was quite special. This was followed by a time of prayer.

The theme this month has been family, so it seemed the right time for a baptism. Scott and Cheyenne brought their son Brecken to be dedicated to the Lord.

Strong In Grace

Pastor Terry began by filling us in on last week's message.

Sometimes book titles say a lot, even when you don't read the book. Terry shared this example: Adventures in Missing the Point. Today's message used this book as its springboard: Canoeing in the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory. The imagery is of canoeing in places where there's not a lot of water. This was a problem for the early explorers who were trying to cross the Rockies. There were more challenges than they anticipated.

Everyone's got a plan until they get punched in the mouth. It's a boxing metaphor, but applies to many times in our lives when the unexpected happens. We all have plans about raising kids, or many other things, but when reality hits us we can so easily feel sabotaged.

It's not about how things go wrong, but rather it's about how you react to what you run into that matters. When things don't happen the way you expect, will you become a tyrant and demand that things go your way, or will you become a leader?

II Timothy 2 is our passage today, which opens with the words, "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."

What does strength look like?

Galatians 6:9 says, "Let's not become weary of doing good...." Strength means continuing in the good fight, persevering when it would be easier to give up.

This kind of strength has to do with my capacity to make something happen. "God's strength is made perfect in weakness." Strength is a quality of character that roots decisions in that which is for a great good.

Too often, when everything falls apart leaders look for a scapegoat. This is not what Paul was looking for in Timothy.

When the explorers were going through the mountains, how far did they carry their boats? How do you know how far to go? Is the better plan to abandon the boats and build more later, or hope for water to show up over the next pass? Or do we make camp and send out scouts?

There is no way to predict the way life will hand things to us. Leaders do not always have a clear vision of which path to take.

"Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus," Paul wrote.

Terry is reading A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in an Age of the Quick Fix. "I don't mean an autocrat who tells others what to do... I mean someone who is clear of his or her own life goals and assumes responsibility and maintains a non-anxious presence in the midst of crisis, a radical peace in the midst of emotionally charged issues."

The author talks about how healthy cells frequently get invaded by unhealthy cells, and leadership must become the immune system for the family. That is, leadership helps establish boundaries. The role of the immune system is to kill off what is unhealthy so that the healthy can thrive.

Terry then read verse 2: "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others."

What does it look like to be so tight in Christ that we can step into uncharted territories as a leader? Notice how in the Old Testament all the battles Israel fought were executed in different ways. God doesn't want us to live by a formula. He wants us to recognize His voice and do what He asks us to do.

Anchored

On a sunny Sunday morning Pastor Terry White welcomed us. After sharing announcements he told us a story and then read from Lamentations 3... "The Lord is good toward the one whose hope is in Him."

Announcements
Membership classes are taking place on Wednesday evenings
Small groups will be happening from March to May, every other Sunday evening. Contact Terry or Walt and Gwen Cresman for details regarding small groups.

After a time of worship the children came forward for a children's talk using Valentine's Day as a springboard into a message based on Psalm 119:11, "I have hidden Your word in my heart." First she asked the children about how one would hide their physical bibles. Then she asked how to hide God's word in out hearts.

An offering was taken while Pastor Terry and Haden sang "Mighty To Save." A time of prayer for the various needs in our church family followed.

Anchored

We began a deep dive into II Timothy this week. Today's message would be on II Timothy 1:1-14.

Pastor Terry's opening thought was that even passages that are overly familiar to us can sometime spark a fresh insight because we ourselves are in a different place the next time we read it. This is why the Bible never gets old. Paul's letter to Timothy here is about leadership.

Leadership isn't just for people who have it all together. Just as becoming a parent is a challenge that arrives whether we think we are ready or not, leadership is something we grow into.

Leadership is something all Christians are called to. Jesus stated that we are to enter by the narrow gate. The invitation has always been to not be like the masses. Leadership is all about walking down the path that few choose.

Leadership is not about our competence. Moses didn't lead a million people into the desert because he was trained in solving the feeding and fluids issue. We are thrust into situations that seem overwhelming, but this is normal.

Whether in the home, our workplace, our experiences coaching or teaching, we are leaders. People watch us and we influence them.

The letters to Timothy were written for a purpose. Timothy was a leader in Ephesus. Paul wrote him to address some issues that were taking place in the church there.

Timothy and Paul had a significant long-term relationship. They travelled and did ministry together. Paul also knew Timothy's roots. Timothy's mother was Jewish and his father Greek. He was recognized as someone worth listening to.

* * * *
Paul wrote this letter while he was on death row. in Rome His death was imminent. The letter opens by noting that he is in his position by the will of God.

In verse two he affirms that Timothy is like a son to him.

"I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers." ~verse 3

Our conscience pains us when we sin because one task of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of sin. Paul affirms that God has cleansed him and that his heart is in alignment with God's will.

This should be our prayer: "I want to live my life with a clear conscience." Listen to the voice of God and do what God asks.The more we listen to God and do what He asks, the stronger we become. The closer our hearts are to God's voice, the harder it becomes to hear Him. He speaks but it just gets lost in the noise of our lives.'

In verse 5 Paul recognizes Timothy's mother's and grandmother's faith which now resides in Timothy. This is followed by a reminder to keep the embers of faith stirred. God does His part, but you have a responsibility, too.

Skipping ahead to verse 13 & 14:
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

The key thought today is to figure out what it means to have a clear conscience before God, and to listen to the voice of God. Ask God to help you become what God wants you to become. Pray it. Believe it. Affirm it in the way you live this week. 

We Can't Help Ourselves

Pastor Terry White welcomed us with a cheerful "Good morning," and proceeded to share a few announcements.

Announcements
New Membership Classes begin February 1.
Next Sunday, February 5, will be Installation Sunday for Pastor Terry White
Also next Sunday, a Souper-Bowl Sunday Potluck... Soups, breads, bars only.

Terry read Psalm 118 to open the worship. We sang several worship songs after kicking off with "I Saw the Light." During the offering the worship team sang Oceans (Where Feet May Fail), a song about living in trust.

We then shared a time of prayer before the sermon.

We Can't Help Ourselves

Terry noted that in addition to the Membership Class for those desiring to be new members, other non-members  are welcome to join us to learn more about the Covenant Church denomination and its special role in the world.

* * * *
Next week Jeff Burton, director in the Northwest Conference of the Covenant Church, is coming for the installation of Pastor White. For the six weeks following, Terry will be preaching about family leadership, with lessons based on I & II Timothy.

* * * *

Last week we talked about how people like to identify with something bigger than themselves, and there is nothing bigger or more significant than being part of the Kingdom of God.

Today Terry wanted to visit the topic of worship again, but the wrong side of worship, beginning with Exodus 20, which is the Ten Commandments. "You shall have no other gods before Me...."

The exodus was an incredible period in Israel's history that included many miracles from the parting of the Red Sea to the provision of food every day. Despite all that, when Moses went up to the mountaintop and he delayed coming down, the people were already forgetting God, pressuring Aaron to make them a golden calf. You can find the story in Exodus 32.

Why do people have a need for something physical to see when they worship?

Terry shared how primitive peoples make little symbols for their gods. For some, these symbols are essential in some way, and when they become Christians they throw out those symbols and replace them with "Christian" symbols.

What is the function of these images? Why a golden calf?

Perhaps the golden calf helped the people feel O.K. in some way. It gave them a reference point for the confidence.

Terry then asked, "What do you require for your lives to feel safe or confident or O.K.?

He then quoted from Tim Keller's message,  The Opportunity of Disenchantment. Writes Keller:

Each culture is dominated by its own set of idols. Each has its "priesthoods," its totems and rituals. Each one has its shrines—whether office towers, spas and gyms, studios, or stadiums—where sacrifices must be made in order to procure the blessings of the good life and ward off disaster. What are the gods of beauty, power, money, and achievement but these same things that have assumed mythic proportions in our individual lives and in our society? We may not physically kneel before the statue of Aphrodite, but many young women today are driven into depression and eating disorders by an obsessive concern over their body image. We may not actually burn incense to Artemis, but when money and career are raised to cosmic proportions, we perform a kind of child sacrifice, neglecting family and community to achieve a higher place in business and gain more wealth and prestige.*

Anything that becomes more important to us than God has become an idol. These are the things that give the appearance of making our lives worth living, but which really are not.  

As Keller asserts, Most people know you can make a god out of money. Most know you can make god out of sex. However, any thing in life can serve as an idol, a God-alternative, a counterfeit god.

It's when we lose our false gods that we discover what things in our lives have become idols. It can be family or children or social standing, saving face or a career. It could be our success, or hobbies. "An idol is whatever you look at and say with your heart, 'My life has meaning.'"

Idolatry is misplaced worship. What things in life are the heart of your identity?

I'm a valuable person because ____
I'm an important person because _____

The truth is, your are valuable and important because God loves you... enough to send His Son to die on a cross for you. God loves you enough to do something about the situations you find yourself in.

Terry then read for us Isaiah 44:6-20.

Your idol can't hear you. Your idol can't see you. And at some point in time it will let you down. The worst part is it distracts us from the one thing we should be worshiping.

Terry was once a coach. His motivations were right at one point, helping his kids become the best they could be. When he was winning, all was good. But winning became his idol. And when he was losing... he began to blame his team, ceased to nurture them.

Every person in this world was made for worship. God placed this desire in our hearts. It's innate, and a basic need of humanity.

*http://www.christianity.com/theology/the-opportunity-of-disenchantment-11626686.html

Correct Change

A perfectly unblemished blue sky greeted us this morning. At the beginning of the service Chuck welcomed us and shared this week's announcements.

Announcements

Wednesday is Adventure Club. Dinner and youth activities for all
Membership classes coming soon.
This Friday come explore your inner artistic qualities... Painting, crafting, potluck. Contact Paula Saxin or Darlene Vanderscheuren. Painting classes and more.
Next Sunday, Pastoral Candidate Q&A during Sunday school as well as Saturday from 1 - 2:30. There will be a variety of pies served and shared Saturday.
Please join us next Sunday the 22nd if you are a member. We will need a quorum to vote.

Chuck then read a passage from the Psalms and the worship team then led us in a time of worship. The offering was as the son I Need They Every Hour was performed.

We spent time in prayer for some heartbreaking needs and praise for answered prayers.

Correct Change

Pastor Terry greeted us and encouraged us to be here next weekend to get to know him and his family better. He also encouraged us to keep reading the Psalms every day this month as we work through God's Word.

The sermon today is Correct Change. But he began with a word problem and illustration of a quick change scam.

The real aim here is to help us think the way God thinks.

To be a good police officer you have to be able to think they way criminals think, so you stay one step ahead of them. The real point being to actually pay attention to how we think, and not just live unthinkingly as we go through life.

The message today would be from Ephesians 2:1-6

Terry then drew a pair of images that looked like doughnuts. He then illustrated how this hole in the middle is filled with deadness. Then he drew arrows to illustrate the pressures that push on us from outside. Our aim is to meet the expectations and conform to what is expected of them.

And then there are others who don't do so well at pleasing everyone and conforming the their expectations.

In the New Testament, the one group is best represented by the pharisees. The other doughnut illustrates the tax collectors, Samaritans and other outcasts...

In our modern time the same issues are going on.

One problem with parenting occurs when we make out goal to get our children to be good conformists, all the while neglecting the important thing going on in the heart, on the inside.

People who perform well

In Ezekiel 36, the prophet paints a picture of the future.

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

People who live to perform get their strokes by trying to make everybody happy. But there's pressure from trying to please everybody.

On the outcast group there are all kinds of failings and issues people have, but where does one begin in the process of change? The real starting point is to get people to listen to the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 41  "Heal me because I have sinned against you..." It goes on to express the pressures David is under, not only from his enemies but from a close friend.

At the end of the day, I want to honor my Lord with my life. And the only way this will happen is through internal changes.

Shalom

Temps of minus 30 were seen on many thermometers this morning as the arctic chill of the upper atmosphere descended overnight on a crisp early winter morn. Music and warmth from the hearts of our church family soon dispelled the chill as we gathered here today. Christmas cheer spilled everywhere.

Chuck Vanderscheuren welcomed us and began by sharing these announcements.

Announcements
--Christmas Eve Worship  4:00 p.m.next Saturday.
--Christmas Morning service will be in the Fireside Room and you are all welcome.
--If you are interested in becoming a member, contact Chuck, Pastor White or Pam Johnson.
--The Covenant World Relief Offering (soup cans) will be collected in January.
--Pastor Terry invited us to read a chapter a day in the new year, starting with the Psalms.

This being the Fourth Sunday in Advent, the Mehle family came forwad to light the advent candle.
After reading Isaiah 52:6-9 the candles were lit and a passage read about the meaning of this candle: Shalom, which is "Peace."

Chuck read from the Book of Matthew about the birth of Christ followed by a song -- beautifully performed by Chuck, Ken and Darlene -- about Mary and the birth of her son, "Mary Did You Know?"

Ed sang a medley about the Lord's birth in a manger as the offering was taken. This was followed by a time of prayer for needs in our church family.

Shalom

Introductory notes: Terry White began by thanking us for the many ways our church family serves our community. "It's a great thing to be a part of it." He also shared some of the things we're looking forward to in 2017, including two of the items noted in the announcements above.

Pastor While also invited the young people to share about their Holly Jolly experience. Hayden stood and shared how this touched him because the core of it is about giving. Another gentleman stood and shared how he was moved by it and how it gave him a fresh perspective on giving, and that it wasn't just for the kids. A third stood to share how it was exciting to be part of the youth group as they experienced the power of giving together.

God's invitation is to walk alongside Him and be part of what He is doing. When you enter into these kinds of projects there's a reason why we experience peace and feel inwardly "I'm on the right track. I'm doing exactly what God would be doing if He were here in this moment." When we align ourselves with the way God lives His life, it is good for our lives.

* * * *
Today's theme: Peace.

It's a tricky word. Peace to dictator means, "Do what I ask."
Peace to an alcoholic is when people don't call him an alcoholic.

But peace is not simply the absence of conflict.

Terry stated that peace is ironic. Peace comes through truth, but truth seldom brings peace.

Jeremiah 6:13-16 "They cry 'Peace, peace' when there is no peace."

What does peace really men?

Verse 16 is one of Pastor Terry's favorites....
“Stand by the roads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the Peacemakers." But peace has an ironic aspect to it. Peace comes through truth, though truth rarely brings peace.

The message today revolved around Ephesians 2:14-22. "For He Himself is our peace who has made the two groups one...."

It's not easy to be one, in part because we are so different.

In math, when you add fractions what you have to do is find the lowest common denominator. When it comes to our human existence, the lowest common denominator is this: Every single one of us has the same exact problem. That problem is sin.

If we have other things determine what is in and out, such as being united only if we like the same football team, or have the same age group.... these are limiters.

The passage in Ephesians 2 is about making two things one. Our lowest common denominator is Jesus. This is how we become one.

The word peace comes from the Hebrew word "Shalom." Shalom is a word that doesn't translate well because the word is a concept that is much more than peace. The word contains this sense of "Completeness" and "Fullness." That my life is healthy and full and whole, and safe. Shalom speaks of prosperity, rest...  and fully paid for.

Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men is something more...

Ephesian 1:22-23  I can't wait to be not afraid of the dark, to not be afraid of the future I don't know.

What does peace look like in your world?

Hope, Love, Joy and Peace are not based on circumstances. Jesus Christ is our peace. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

Making a joyful noise unto the Lord.

Healthy Roots, Healthy Shoots

Your faithful blogger was unable to be present this morning, so Pastor Terry White sent this summary of the message that was shared. As you who have been attending know, Terry raises Bonsai trees. Bonsai is a traditional Japanese art form using trees grown in containers. Bonsai uses cultivation techniques like pruning, root reduction, potting, defoliation, and grafting to produce small trees that mimic the shape and style of mature, full-size trees. 

Healthy Roots, Healthy Shoots

The number one thing I have changed in my bonsai hobby in the last 12 years is soil. My trees are more eager to grow, less disease, more certainty about corrective measures I need to take. Healthy roots, healthy shoots, when you take care of the part you can’t see, the part you can see will do very well.

This same attitudes lives in us as we place great trust in some of Christian heroes, new, old or ancient. Because they had great roots, there was fruit born in their lives. It’s easy for us to mistake taking some of this fruit for ourselves and thinking it means we have grown our own roots.

Sometimes in the spring, I get fooled about the health of a tree because I see some growth, sometimes that last bit of growth that a tree tries to put out is it’s last ditch effort to survive. There is no lasting fruit apart from the tree. John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Much of this discussion about roots seems a lot like our consideration of the heart. The difference is the link that that the Bible makes between this unseen root. We see people, we make judgements/assumptions based on what we see, we don’t think much about what lies beneath the surface, without roots we have nothing. But there is this link between roots we don’t see and the fruit we do see.

Ezekiel 31: 1-9...   not unlike a more familiar verse:
Psalms 1:1-4 Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Two steps to this well-rooted tree:
1. Guard your heart, don’t walk in step with wicked, get in way of sinners, be in good company with mockers.
2. Delight in God’s way of seeing the world, meditate on that so it becomes your way of seeing the world around you.

Over time, the branches get bigger, the roots grow deeper, fruit grows, not only does our life change, but we end up as part of the resource for the lives of others.

Luke 13:6-9 A parable of roots and fruits: What we all need in this journey…
Truth: Fig trees bears figs.
Grace: A plan, here is what we need, don’t write it off, give up.
Time: Fig trees provide two crops per year, this is more grace and time than we might be expecting.

Our roots feed our lives. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.

The Bible speaks about these roots:
Ephesians 3:14-21 I pray that you being rooted and established in love… may have power together with all the saints to grasp how wide, long, high and deep is the love of Christ

When I transplant/gather trees we talk about three seasons in getting established. Survive/ Alive/ Thrive. When that tree is established it really begins to take off. What does it mean for us to be established in love, this root of ours sunk into the love of God?

As a contrast, Hebrews 12:15 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

This root of bitterness. It’s possible that we allow other kinds of roots to feed our life. What happens when you and I allow a root of bitterness, a root of anger, a root of shame, a root of envy, a root of pride, to feed us. Roots feed us. Part of the discipleship process is to eliminate those other roots that are feeding our hearts.

From a plant standpoint, there are root I want to get rid of, roots I encourage. What happens when I take away the thing that feeds me?

Some people get used to chaos, feeding their life, if they don’t have it, they’ll manufacture it. Some people allow their busyness to feed their life, if they don’t have enough to do, they make more to do. Some of us have allowed our shame about ourselves to feed our life, when we cut that root out of our life for a time, it seems to grow back and we say…”hello old friend.”

God’s invitation to you and I is to be rooted and established in Him. That the life God offers to us would be received by us, this picture of a tree growing strong and mighty would reflect these fruits of the Spirit and we become blessing to the world around us, and all of this would all be for the glory Him who is making it happen in us.

Here’s the question for you this week… What roots are feeding your life? How are you helping your kids, friends, fellow church members develop deep roots in Christ? What would it look like if our roots were established in Christ and we were thriving?