Vision 2025
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Things Accomplished
Things Accomplished
Last year we were challenged to be involved in ministry and to build up the ministry teams. We provided much opportunity for people to be involved, but I admit, I failed in some of my desires with ministry fairs and gifts inventories. HOWEVER, I am praying that these desires will still come to fruition!!
With that said, there was still MUCH that was accomplished!
But, first, has God done ANYTHING in your life this year?
Here’s some of the snapshots...
Sidewalk to the south of our worship space making parking and walking safer, especially in the winter. Looking forward to adding more to that to go around the east end of the building.
Continue Caravans where our children are discipled to be like Jesus (will need 1 and 2 teacher next fall) and youth group for our 7th through 12th graders
Children's Church - will be working with Stewards to revamp and have rotation of teachers ASAP
Camp scholarship guidelines to clarify how scholarships will be granted to students
Bathroom remodel (which is GREATLY appreciated by the Pastor Family!!)
Looking forward to continued planning on the kitchen remodel
We host a Cancer support group that meets two times a month
Free Market (people from community ask about it now!)
Family Photos (a visitor came because of those)
Christmas family blessings (a child is coming to our Wednesday night activities because of those AND because of our playground)
The playground has been used YEAR ROUND by our friends and neighbors next door during the week - some have come to Wed night Caravans because of this!)
Trunk-r-treat/carnival we had more helpers this year and I believe about 300 ppl came through (MANY organizations now do something like this, where in the past we were one of the only ones)
Spring Carnival which coincides with Spring Free Market (it's coming up again) as an opportunity to visit with our neighbors.
Last year a gal came and THANKED US for being a part of HER coming to Jesus...
The facilities are cleaned weekly by Nancy. They are kept maintained by a group of people who, along with our buildings and grounds team see what needs to be done and do it
A group of men re-roofed the well house, and I do believe there is a need for some to put metal fascia siding on the garage - the materials are already available for this.
THANK YOU...
Church Board (Junie, Kylie, Bill, Roxie and Sarah) your service NOT ONLY this year, but in the past, and in the years to come is GREATLY appreciated!!
Thank you, especially, to Kylie who has for the last 2 years been the treasurer. She has stated she will step down from that role, but I want to publicly acknowledge my appreciation for her!
Thank you to the teachers, van drivers, workers, volunteers, prayer warriors, communion servers, anyone and everyone who has been involved in the life and ministry of our church this past year!!
Where do We Go From Here?
Where do We Go From Here?
18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
What is the vision?
The same that it has been! Allow Christ to use us to reach the Mission Valley in targeted, specific ways.
Let me remind us all… Red dots on a map
The Multi-Site Church Revolution
The basis of my Doctoral project - to train volunteers to begin to plant missional, faith-based communities throughout our valley. There are STILL many areas where a missional, worshipping gathering of people (either in a home, coffee shop, lunch room at work, etc. is needed to see God’s Kingdom break through in our midst!)
That vision still is the same!
I have prayed for YEARS for an opportunity to reach Charlo - and, I am not sure what all this means, but we do have a family and other people from Charlo who attend our service and who comes Wednesday night. I am NOT saying anything OTHER THAN, God is helping us reach Charlo and only God knows what the future holds - but prayers are being answered!
But, there are other places. I have stated before, and will state again… Each worshipping location MUST be good at reaching its neighbors with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and allow God’s goodness to radiate from that location!
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
But, WE MUST BE INTENTIONAL!
But, WE MUST BE INTENTIONAL!
Without intentionality to God’s vision, we begin to get distracted, and fill in God’s vision with our own ideas...
I am reminded of Mrs. Phyllis. She shared that due to her macular degeneration, her eyesight is deteriorating. This has caused pixels to be missed in her eyesight. And, when that happens, the brain makes up its own idea about what is there. This is Charles Bonnet Syndrome
Literally, her vision is physically perishing and her mind fills in the gaps. What is filled in is not real - it is NOT the vision - it is the byproduct of failing vision.
So it is with us - when we fail to remember God’s vision we will fill in the gaps with our own understanding.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
So, we must be intentional.
4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
We are told in Scripture that if the Lord is our delight HE will grant us our hearts’ desires! What a promise!
However, we often get this backwards...
However, we often get this backwards...
Often we being with our hearts’ desires and ask the LORD to bless them.
We’ll say, LORD, I really desire such and such… And, we make it Spiritualized and religious. Then, we say, and Lord, because I delight in YOU, would YOU fulfill my heart’s desires.
But, the passage from Psalm 37 does NOT say to start with your heart. It calls us to start with a DESIRE for the LORD!
We often tell people, “FOLLOW YOUR HEART” but we are SO WRONG. The HEART is the last thing we should follow...
9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? 10 But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Our heart will lead us astray. It will cause us to think spiritual the ways of the world. It will call us to ask that our personal desires be sanctified.
However, what God asks of us is that WE be sanctified - not our desires, but all of us, INCLUDING our heart!! Then, when WE are sanctified OUR HEARTS are given NEW, GODLY desires and those are the desires that God will grant.
So, we cannot begin with our heart’s desires. We must begin where this verse begins - with that which we take delight in.
Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Start with that which you treasure, or take delight in...
DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD FIRST!
DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD FIRST!
We must be INTENTIONAL about taking delight in the LORD above all else!!
What does it mean to DELIGHT in the Lord?
“To pamper or refresh oneself… To live softly and delicately, dainty”
PAMPER YOURSELF AND REFRESH YOURSELF WITH THE LORD!!!! ENJOY THE LORD and ALLOW HIM TO REFRESH YOU!!
35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
Other verses around this verse declare that IF we take delight in the LORD, the LORD will see us through the trials and struggles… Specifically, those who seek to destroy what God is doing in us and through us...
1 Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. 2 For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. 6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. 7 Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. 8 Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. 9 For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.
What’s the point?
Our purpose is to take delight in God and allow God to guide us a lead us. Psalm 37:4 will be our theme verse this year. I want us to be able to commit this verse to memory. To be able to wake up making this verse our prayer. To go through ministry and meetings according to this verse.
And, as we delight ourselves in the LORD, all the other things will fall into place...
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Let’s get practical.
I have used some resources to develop a church-wide reading plan of Scripture. This plan will take longer than 1 year to get through, but I am inviting you to start with me tomorrow. We are going to read chronologically through Scripture beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation. I invite you to read 5 days a week (this is why it will take longer than 1 year) as we delight in the Lord together. MOST of the time, the sermons will come from the readings throughout the week. I would LOVE for us to LITERALLY be on the same page together.
We did this a couple of years ago with the New Testament and I thoroughly enjoyed that. This year I look forward to doing this through all of Scripture. Who knows what Bible studies and discussion groups will develop as we DELIGHT ourselves in the LORD!!
As we approach a new fiscal year - LET us DELIGHT OURSELVES IN THE LORD!!
COMMUNION
COMMUNION
AS we continue in worship, it is appropriate for us to receive the elements of communion.
We are a church, EVERYTHING we do must honor and glorify Christ, who gave himself for us so that we can be the Church.
In responding to the challenge placed before us, our first act as a church is to receive the elements that bestow grace and mercy, and remind us of our standing before Christ and the Father through the Holy Spirit. We are forgiven, NOT because we deserve it, but because God is MERCIFUL! Everything else that we do, from ministries to leadership decisions MUST flow from the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, and must be an embodiment of that for our world.
Therefore, let us respond by receiving the elements together!
ELECTION STUFF
ELECTION STUFF
1 Approve Ballot
2 Approve Tellers
Nancy Miller and Erin Schock
3 Approve voting place as the Fellowship Hall
