Pastor's Notes for March 7, 2010

NEW NEWSLETTERS are available the first Sunday of each month at the rear of the sanctuary in alphabetical order. Please find your name. The newsletters will be available in the office during the week. Drop by the office, say "Hi!" and pick up your newsletter.

A PASSOVER SEDER MEAL will be sponsored by Peter Chei’s congrergation, C.H.R.I.S.T. Missionary Church in our Fellowship Hall on Monday, March 15, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. RSVP is required by March 10th. Peter Blitshteyn from Jews for Jesus will lead the service presenting “Christ in the Passover.”

KFC COLLECTION BUCKETS are available today. A dollar per person given on the first Sunday goes to a fund to help start a new Disciples congregation in the Ozark Lakes Area. KFC = Keep Funding the Chuch.

Reflecting on the Scriptures : FAITH DEMONSTRATED

Isaiah 55:1-9 begins with God’s gracious invitation, names God’s promises, and concludes with God’s pardon! God’s people are to listen, avoid empty pursuits, repent, and learn new ways to demonstrate faith.

Psalm 63:1-8 responds to God’s invitation, recognizing God’s gracious love with praise, worship, contentment and joy; meditating on God’s supportive right hand—faith demonstrated.

1 Corinthians 10:1-13 reminds us to reflect on God’s past activities, recalling how we connect to God’s story through our baptism. Remember God’s provision for the children of Israel and their response. Learn from their mistakes. Avoid discontent, sexual immorality, complaining. Demonstrate faith by resting on God’s provision.

Luke 13:1-9. Jesus echoes Isaiah’s message of repentance! God’s people (fig tree) are given opportunity to do what they are created to do, but don’t (no fruit). The “gardener” (Jesus) intercedes to avert judgment, promises to nurture the tree in hopes of fruit. The fruit sought after is faith demonstrated.

Pastor's Notes for February 28, 2010

OUR CHALLENGE during the 40 days between Repentance and Resurrection is to deepen our walk with the Lord, to enrich our life together in Christ, and to change our areas of influence with God's grace and mercy.

Let us, as a congregation, intentionally reach out to those we’ve missed in the assemblies since the beginning of the year. Whatever the cause for absence, be it weather, ill health, work schedules, lethargy or discontent, express your genuine love to them and let them know they are missed.

May the weeks leading to the celebration of Resurrection be a time of revival and renewal in our love for the Lord and our affection for each other. Write notes, make calls, send a text or an email. Invite others into your home. Take time to speak apologies and extend forgiveness. Express words of encouragement.

OUR EXTRA CONTIBUTIONS last Sunday to Week of Compassion, $57; to Haiti $41. Haiti contributions, to date, totaled $76. The last Sunday in February is not included in that amount.

Reflecting on the Scriptures: RUN! HIDE! RUN & HIDE?

Luke 13:31-35. Some Pharisees warn Jesus about Herod’s plans to kill him, suggesting he run and hide. Instead Jesus faces danger and does not waver from his destination. The real hiding place, Jesus says, is under mother hen’s wing!

Psalm 27. The psalmist also proclaims the security of hiding in the shelter of the Lord in the day of trouble. Seek his face and run to him. Wait for the Lord; be strong, …take courage.

Philippians 3:17—4:1. Stand firm in the Lord, Paul says. To Roman citizens he says, “Our citizenship is in heaven…” To us, United States citizens, he says, “Our citizenship is in heaven.” Can you feel the tension this teaching brings?

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18. God makes promises of blessings and security, but Abram has doubts and questions God! In the end, Abram believes the Lord and the Lord reckons it to Abram as righteousness. [See how NT writers interpret this: Galatians 3:6-9;Romans 4:1-3, 20-24; Hebrews 11:8-12]

COMMUNION MEDITATION
Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem and did not waver in his determination to demonstrate God’s love with his words and with his deeds. He wept over the city knowing he was being rejected, still longing to gather God’s people into a loving embrace, but knowing they were not willing. I wonder if Jesus has that same longing when he looks at our town.

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it and said, "This is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Take and eat.”

In this meal it is as if Jesus invites us to find shelter under the wings of the mother hen.

Pastor's Notes for Today

FORTY DAYS devoted to the Lord. Who can argue with that? Historically the emphasis during the forty days before Easter has been spiritual nurture and self-examination. New converts prepared for baptism and the congregation grew
together in grace. Some denominations emphasize dying to self by abstaining from certain foods,others emphasize a spiritual fast and feast!

FAST from judging others, FEAST on the indwelling Christ.
FAST from discontent, FEAST on gratitude.
FAST from anger, FEAST on patience.
FAST from pessimism, FEAST on optimism.
FAST from worry, FEAST on God’s care.
FAST from complaining, FEAST on appreciation.
FAST from bitterness, FEAST on forgiveness.
FAST from discouragement, FEAST on hope.
FAST from thoughts that weaken, FEAST on thoughts that inspire.
FAST from problems that overwhelm, FEAST on prayer that sustains.

How will you grow in the next 40 days?

A NEW BIBLE STUDY begins Wednesday, February 24, and will meet for the next six weeks at 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Annex, 104 Hightower. Join us.

NEWSLETTERS for February are available in the sanctuary on Sunday and in the office during the week. Please make arrangements to pick yours up at your convenience. It has your name on it.

Reflecting on the Scriptures: 40 DAYS. 40 DAYS?
Please read and meditate on the scriptures along with my comments.
Your comments are welcomed at the end of the Blog.

Luke 4:1-13. Jesus, declared Son of God, is led by the Spirit and tempted by the Devil after forty days in the desert.

Romans 10:8b-13. Confession that Jesus is Lord, heart-felt belief that God raised him from the dead and one is right with God! Think on these things for the next forty days!

Deuteronomy 26:1-11. Worship instructions were given to the Israelites as they come into the land of promise. Bring first fruits of harvest to the Lord. Hear the story of redemption and connects with it. Worship concludes with humility, reverence and community celebration.

Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16. An intimate place of refuge and protection is promised to those who choose the safety of the shadow of the Almighty. The Devil used some of these verses to tempt Jesus!

"Sometimes God puts us through the experience and discipline of darkness to teach us to hear and obey Him. Song birds are taught to sing in the dark and God put us in 'the shadow of his hand' until we learn to hear him." ~ Oswalt Chambers.

"In school we are taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches a lesson." ~ Tom Bodett

Summary of Sunday!

a.k.a. FCC Newspaper Article

Do several snowy Sundays in a row make people think that weekly worship with other believers is not necessary and that communion with the Lord around the Lord’s Table is optional?

This week we gathered to celebrate the glory of God. God’s glory made the face of Moses radiant and the Israelites fearful. Moses covered his face, hiding the radiance. Glory was also revealed in the face of Jesus at the transfiguration. And by all rights, according to the Apostle Paul, God’s glory continues to shine through the church, changing us with ever-increasing glory!

Read more details in Exodus 34:29-35, Luke 9:28-36, and 2 Corinthians 3:7—4:2.

Peter and Diana Chei presented a thought provoking Children’s Moment that visually proclaimed the power of the blood of Jesus to forgive sins. With a red cloth to represent the blood, sins written on scraps of paper disappeared!

Pastor's Notes for Febuary 14

REFLECTING ON THE SCRIPTURES: Veiled Glory. Veiled Glory?

Exodus 34:29-35. Remember Moses—baby in a basket, burning bush, led the exodus, went up the mountain to get the law, but after his time with the Lord, Moses veiled his face because it reflected God’s glory--and the people were afraid.


Luke 9:28-36 (37-42). Peter, James, & John went up the mountain with Jesus to pray. Jesus’ face changed and his clothes became radiant! Moses & Elijah joined them! Salvation history stood before them & a voice from heaven instructed them as to who Jesus is & what they are to do.


2 Corinthians 3:12—4:2. The glory on Moses’ face slowly faded as the radiance of Christ increased. In the presence of the Lord the veil is removed—both then (in Moses’ time) and now in Christ. And in Christ, by the power of the Spirit, we are being changed from one degree of glory to another!

Psalm 99. Come in reverence before the Lord. Exalt him with praise. Declare him holy, a lover of justice and righteousness. Remember his mighty acts of redemption. Worship at his holy mountain....

THE ‘SOUPER’ BOWL OF CARING, led by our youth, raised $273.00 for our local Crosslines Food Pantry. Thank you for your support of the pantry and our youth.

DURING THE PAST FEW WEEKS this congregation has contributed $803.00 for Haiti.

KFC BUCKETS collected $10.00 to donate toward a new church to be started in the Ozark Lakes Area in the near future.

NEWSLETTERS, ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY, are available in the sanctuary. PLEASE FIND YOUR NAME when you pick it up. During the week newsletters can be found in the office.

A NEW BIBLE STUDY BEGINS ON FEBRUARY 24 for the next six weeks at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday nights in the Annex. We will study scriptures that help us understand pain and suffering, asking the question: Where is God when it hurts?

REMEMBER ASH WEDNESDAY service with the United Methodist Church in their sanctuary, February 17 at 7:00 p.m.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Pastor's Notes for February 7, 2010

TODAY IS ‘SOUPER’ BOWL SUNDAY! Our youth provided soup & chili at noon in the Fellowship Hall. About 45 people stayed for food and fellowship. All donations, gathered in the soup pot, will go to our local Crosslines Food Pantry. About $270.00was collected. Thank you for your support of Cosslines and our youth.

UPDATING OUR DIRECTORY involves your assistance. Please make necessary changes on the pages in the Fellowship Hall. If all the information is correct, please put a mark beside your name to indicated it has been checked.

NEWSLETTERS are available in the sanctuary on the first Sunday of the month. During the week you can pick them up at the office. If you want to received the monthly newsletter send a designated donation for the newsletter.

KFC COLLECTION BUCKETS were also available today, donations that go to help fund a new congregation in our area.

Reflecting on the Scriptures : ENCOUNTERING THE HOLY

Isaiah 6:1-8 (9-13. Worshipping in the Temple, Isaiah had a spiritual experience—an encounter with God, a vision of the Lord! Encountering the Holy helped Isaiah recognize his own inadequacies. This became an encounter with grace—purification, invitation, and direction.

Luke 5:1-11. At the close of an ordinary day of back-breaking work, Simon Peter had a spiritual experience—a simple request by Jesus, an unusual suggestion, and an unexpected windfall. Encountering the Holy enabled Peter to recognize his own shortcomings. This turned into a life-changing decision for Peter and his friends.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11. With his heart set on persecution, Paul encountered the Holy on the road to Damascus—a voice and a blinding light [Acts 9]. Encountering the Holy opened the eyes of Paul’s heart to the error of his ways. The knowledge of his murderous deeds helped him experience God’s merciful grace and Paul was sent with a message.

Psalm 138. Adverse circumstances did not prevent the psalmist from grateful praise and worship of the Holy One.

Pastor's Notes for December 27, 2009

A WISE PERSON ADVISED: Only set persoal goals in areas that you control. Do not make goals that require others to change. Some of my personal spiritual goals for 2010 will include faithfulness to the Lord’s call, exercising spiritual care and pastoral nurture in the body of Christ; involvement of service and cooperation in the community according to the the church’s call; and continued attention to the Lord’s leading.
What are your spiritual goals for 2010?

WHAT ARE OUR CONGREGATIONAL GOALS? Some of my thoughts would include a church website, created and maintained with the expertese in our midst; our continued communitiy involvement through our pantry; more faithful worship attendance on Sunday morning; a deepening desire for Bible study and prayer….Which of these do we embrace? What do you add as vital for our spiritual health as a church?

MINTON OPEN HOUSE next Sunday, January 3, 2010, a come-and-go affair from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Y’all come!

REFLECTING ON THE LECTIONARY SCRIPTURES:
God's Chosen
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26. Samuel was dedicated to the Lord by his mother, Hannah, before his conception. Now the boy ministers at the temple as he matures and learns, chosen by God for a particular work in Israel. Read the rest of the story.

Luke 2:21-20 & 41-52. Simeon and Anna acknowledge Jesus as God’s chosen vessel to bring salvation and redemption. At 12 years of age Jesus recognizes it also.

Colossians 3:12-17. Being called and chosen by God is not limited to individuals nor is it limited to past biblical times. Here scripture indicates the gathered community of faith, the church, is God’s chosen instrument—with the responsibility to exercise God’s forgiveness with one another and to demonstrate God’s love to the world. [Do these verses echo some of the congregational goals mentioned above?]

Psalm 148. A call to worship to all creation and all peoples of the earth, men & women, old & young together! That’s us being called to worship!