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It is hard to believe that the time has arrived for Community Wesleyan Church’s 50th Anniversary Celebration to begin. It seems we have been thinking about it for a long time since we started planning and working toward this time about 30 months ago. We have accomplished much leading up to it too. We have worked hard together to complete 50 outreach and service ministries. During the celebration we will hear the report of our progress in reaching this goal. We have also worked shoulder to shoulder and sacrificed financially to achieve the 50th Anniversary Makeover goals that we set to help prepare our church for the future. Our plan was to make a generational difference by preparing our facility for God to use over the next two decades, if Jesus tarries. The results of the first two stages – the kitchen makeover and the sanctuary makeover – will be on display. In addition, folks can see the JAM’N Kids area and the new relaxed-look library both of which also caught the makeover fever. We are praising God that all of these projects have been completely paid for. The third stage – replacing the sanctuary floodlights with modern fixtures – is nearly funded as of the last LBA meeting. With much of the work behind us, now it is time to focus on the celebration. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for that, spiritually, relationally, and emotionally. The events of the next three weeks are about celebrating God’s faithfulness over the past 50 years and looking forward in faith to the future. Here’s a complete chart of what’s happening.
It is a commentary on our society when the jackpot or the winners for government sponsored gambling becomes the banner headline news. Is there nothing more important, more transformational, more threatening, or more informative going on today that should be the banner headlines? I consider it an insult that news media seem to think I find who won to be the most newsworthy information today.
It’s what sells, not what’s important that we see
First, it is a commentary on what runs the news media. We are not fed what is important or what is significant, but rather what people will click or buy –that is, what will sell ads. So news executives are not promoted primarily because they serve society well but because they pander to the whims of the slice of society who click on (buy) news. I contend that when we decide to make mega-million jackpots the banner headline, we should consider the detrimental effect of promoting the economic parasite of gambling.
Often people ask me if they can be a Christian and not go to church. I think it would be like trying to be a gourmet cook without frequenting the produce department of the grocery store; or trying to be a good basketball player without going to practices. The excuses people use for staying away are sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and often revealing. Since Easter, the high point of the Christian year, is little more than a week away, this is a great time to remind ourselves of just how important it is to express our faith and grow in it by gathering together. Here is a good article summarizing why attending church is important.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/why-going-to-church-is-important-part-1-72392/
This year Community Wesleyan Church is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. With God’s help, we have worked hard to use this event, not just to celebrate the past or have a party, though we will do those too, but also to launch our church forward into its next decade with momentum and clarity of vision. Our aim is not only to celebrate God’s faithfulness in the past, but also to look forward with faith to his future acts through and on behalf of his people.
Since we have been complimented on how well this celebration is going so far, I thought I would write a couple articles about how it has happened. What have we done right that helped it happen?
Set a precedent at lesser anniversaries
As I reflect, the first ingredient of the success of this celebration plan has actually been the precedent that we set in previous anniversaries. No one argued, as sometimes happen, about whether we should celebrate; it was a given. The only question was how. We had in varied ways marked every five year anniversary since I arrived as pastor 21 years ago. In fact, as I look back, the variety in itself was a helpful part of the precedent we had set. Many of the activities for the celebration had been tested before. For example, for the 45th anniversary, we had decided to send a short term missions team to Romania. It was a big goal for us. But it was a success and so it was natural to decide a few years later to include sending another missions team as one of the ministries that would mark the 50th. As a part of the 40th we had a great feast. That idea will be part of this celebration as well, though it will be carried out a little differently. If we had not set a precedent by celebrating lesser anniversaries, I do not think we would have been ready to create the excitement and energy that have gathered around this celebration.
Start early
http://joshrhone.posterous.com/what-if-our-current-models-of-pastoral-leader
Joining a conversation
I have decided to join an important conversation about the long term viability of the current paradigm of pastoral ministry. Pastor Josh Rhone has asked a crucial question that I believe is a very important one for pastoral leaders today. It is a daring, even dangerous question. Yet it is one that may help us to face uncomfortable facts about the way we usually do ministry. We owe it to following generations to answer his question. Let me copy in his intensive query.
What if our current models of pastoral ministry are in fact detrimental to the spiritual health and vitality of the Church (and her leaders)? Might we need to reimagine/re-envision our models of pastoral ministry? And, what might a new model of pastoral ministry look like?
I am especially interested in how ministry affects pastors over the long term. Today I would like to comment on the issue of proximity. One of the characteristics of many pastoral situations that I believe often creates greater wear and tear on the pastor is the issue of proximity. By this I am speaking about how enmeshed the pastor’s and family’s lives are with his work. This issue has many facets.
Are parsonages usually too close to the church for best clergy health?
Categories
Spring flowers seem very early
The weatherman says things are warming up early.
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/15/10704138-warming-up-mighty-early-across-parts-of-us
We really didn’t need him to tell us. I’ve had sonowdrops and crocus blooming already for several days. I have daffodils heavily budded and one hyacinth near the house showing purple too. Al Sgroi says he has already planted peas.
Categories
I’m glad I switched to tea
Here’s another article on the bad news from sugared soda. I still drink them occasionally. But I think the occasionally will be less now. Choosing diet soda is clearly better than sugared soda in this study. I know I saved a bundle in dentist bills after I switched from soda to tea.
City schools are a perennial topic of conversation. What can be done to help poor districts? What helps students who are struggling? So much talk and money is spent on things which don’t really make a difference because political correctness keeps us from endorsing what really does make a difference – religious faith and stable family structure. This study should be labeled as a landmark study. It should be required reading for politicians overseeing schools and for school officials.
This is a perfect example of the ridiculous situations arising from present immmigration legislation. To deport this girl would be completely unjust, inhumane and just plain stupid, not to mention sinful. When are we going to agree that punishing children who have been here since childhood for the sins of their parents is not right. Such action also flies in the face of the spirit of our country that the Statue of Liberty represents.