At Present

For the present time, I am taking a break from blogging.  I find that keeping up with social media and all the other tasks of my life currently leaves me little time to effectively blog.  I thought about taking the blog down, but then didn't want to loose the 7 years of history that are recorded here.

I may be back in the near future... only time will tell!

Love: How WORD Transforms WORLD!

Love working together with others to refine thoughts!  Yesterday, I asked for help in refining my thoughts on the theme for Advent/Christmas 2013 at Community of Joy.  I have so many wonderful ideas shared with me that I finally settled on a combination of several of the ideas.  Looking forward to this new series and especially with tag teaming with Rob Rappold on the series.  Rob has been speaking in my absence at Community of Joy as a way of discerning a call to ministry he feels.  We have been meeting together regularly for discipling and discernment.

In one of those recent meetings, Rob thought it might be cool to have me prescribe the theme and passage for a sermon.  So, on Sunday and Monday when this thing unfolded as it did... Sunday a new idea given and a decision to scrap my thoughts altogether and Monday when I put out the plea for help in refining the series title.    Here is what the series looks like as it stands...

Love: How WORD Transforms WORLD!

Dec 1  Origin   - John 1: 1-18 and John 3: 1-21

Dec. 8  Model - John 15:1-17

Dec. 15  Stretch - Luke 6:27-36

Dec 22  Mark  - John 13 and 14

Dec 29 Lifestyle -  I John 4:7-21

It is so much fun to collaborate on things!

When the WORD Comes to the WORLD....

Yesterday, Priscilla Timken shared a Holy Spirit nudge with us at the 9 a.m. worship gathering.  She said that as she was riding her bike to worship, she was given two words... WORD and WORLD... with each pedal, the two words came into her mind... WORD and WORLD.   As she continued to pedal and to ponder the meaning of these two words, she said it dawned on her that the only difference in the two words is the letter "L".

The difference the WORD came into the WORLD to make is to LOVE us!  And to love others through us!

The gospel writer John says, "So, the WORD became human and made his home among us.  He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only son!"  John 1:14

Gonna scrap what I had planned for a Christmas theme and work with this one... something about it captures my imagination!

Need your help in settling in on a title for this series...  Here are some thoughts that are running in my head...

When the WORD Comes to the WORLD...

Opening the Doors to the World...  (playing off the image of the door in the song With Every Act of Love)

"L" Makes ALL the Difference in the World!

The Power of "L"

Comment here and give me your suggestion!

Community Engagement!

Was/is exciting to see the community in all its fullness coming together to bring the resources of God together with human need.  Today we gathered at the Safe Streets gathering here in Salisbury at St. Paul's AME Church.  The church in our community is coming together and partnering with the police force, the state's attorney's office, and other agencies in the community to accompany and engage so young men/ women in our community who are first time offenders as an alternative to jail time.  It is exciting to see our community leaders working at a redemptive model rather than a punitive model and it is even more exciting that they are welcoming the church into that process!

I am not sure how many churches/ ministries were represented there today, but there were many from all persuasions and racial backgrounds.  It truly was the body of Christ coming together as one!   I am excited to see where things go from here and to be part of this initiative!

Engagement....

Always thinking of ways to engage others deeper... I love the definition of engagement as bringing together the resources of God with human need.

Delighted to see folks at Community of Joy working at this type of engagement and leading others to step into the river!  Pat Marvel is working with homelessness in our community and is looking for men's socks, underwear, long johns, gloves, gently used winter coats, and camping sized propane tanks.   It is cold out now and our shelters don't open till January for the men.  And there are some men who prefer to stay out all year long.  So one way to engage is to share what we have with Pat who will share it with those in need.

Another way we are engaging is through serving God's Kitchen on Saturday - Lachelle Rappold and Karen Townsend are leading our efforts to prepare a delicious warm meal for the folks that come into Grace United Methodist Church's God's Kitchen on Saturday.  You can help by bringing home made baked desserts at 10 a.m. on Saturday or by helping to serve the meal, or clean up from the meal.

Another way we are engaging is through joining with 13 other churches in Salisbury January through March - our turn is for two weeks in February and we work with our neighboring churches - Bethany Lutheran and Beacon of Light... to host 20 homeless men in our facility for  the night and we also prepare them a hot meal, a hot breakfast, and send them out with a bag lunch in the morning.  Rob Rappold is leading our efforts of engagement here.

We are faith based partners with Pinehurst Elementary School and constantly look for ways to engage there.

Our 5 Q Circles are looking for ways to as a group engage various needs in our community too!

A new team has been formed and has already conducted one Bible Study at the Wicomico Juvenile Department of Corrections facility at the request of the youth involved.  This is a great way to engage with a need.

God has given us much... not only to benefit ourselves but to be shared as a way of engaging people in need with the resources of God...  How will you engage our community, world, and individuals we meet along the way?

Praying...

Prayer is powerful!  I pray daily for the folks who make up Community of Joy and for our effectiveness in mission for Jesus!  I also pray specifically for those who are in need of prayer for healing, guidance, wisdom discernment.   In addition, I make it a habit to pray for the leaders and the effective mission of christian churches that I drive by wherever I am.  They are not our competition!  They are on our team!  And all that we do is done to help people take their next step toward Jesus!  There is no more important thing to do than to pray for God's help in fulfilling that mission!

Here is the place where I prayed last night!

Something to look forward to...

This photo was taken by my friend, Bryan Bilger from McVeytown, PA this morning.  What beauty!

I am off this week and looking forward to seeing some new sights... some of God's beauty.  I am looking forward to having some renewing times... for myself and with Sharon!

Incredible Things Happening....

God is sure moving at Community of Joy!  And it is really neat to see it happen!  We've been praying for it to happen and it is!

Yesterday we hosted our 7th Neighborhood Pork Roast and Fun Fest and had fabulous weather, delicious and plenty food, and a good response.  Each year it has been interesting to see how the response is and each year it is different.  Last year we had a tremendous response from our partnership with Pinehurst Elementary.  This year it seems as if they didn't pass out our invites as we couldn't identify anyone from there.  But this year it seemed that personal invites from our folks was the draw.  And that is really exciting!

It is also really exciting to see so many people willingly jump in and help serve at this event.  It takes lots of us to make it a success and there was no shortage of help!  In fact one helper had such a great time, she already wanted to sign up for helping next year and this was a person who came to us first at a Pork Roast just a few years ago!

Cleanup is always the dreaded part, and it always seems that everyone thinks it is somebody else's task... but this year we had plenty of help cleaning up too!  What a blessing!

Another neat thing about this year was the attendance at worship before the Pork Roast... we advertise this as a "no strings attached" event and we mean it!  So, it was really cool to see so many folks come check out our worship gatherings too.  In fact we had our second largest crowd in attendance in worship since we bought the building in 2007!  

In addition to all that, and the thing that matters even more to me, is the number of folks who are finding value and meaning in being in a 5 Q Circle is growing.  I pray that we will see the day when nearly 100% of the folks affiliated with Community of Joy will be in one of these 5Q Circles!

Love Serving King Jesus...

This morning I spent several hours being a blessing at Pinehurst Elementary School and I loved it.  Our congregation - Community of Joy is the faith based partners for the school and every quarter they have a good behavior incentive reward for those students being well behaved through out the months.  It is always fun to see the children and to get to work alongside the staff!  Today, we haded out ice pops to the students and watched them play on the playground for an extra half hour.  I love serving King Jesus in this way!  Always is gratifying!

Stories Inspire Stories

Yesterday, I shared a story of an encounter I had at Walmart.  I even told the clerk at the Service Desk that she wouldn't have many of these kinds of conversations.  Boy was I wrong!  I heard several stories yesterday of people who did similar things.

My learning from that is that stories inspire stories.

So, as followers of Jesus... when we share our stories of God encounters with others, it inspires them and they soon have some stories of their own to tell.

Kind of reminds me of the old hymn... I love to tell the story... of Jesus and his love.

Won't you share your stories with others so that it will provoke more stories!

What Would You Do?

This morning I had one of those moments where I made a choice to honor Christ but I could have easily made another choice.

I began not feeling well last night and needed some cold medicine to take during the day so that I wouldn't be drowsy.  So, after walking for most of my normal time, I headed to Walmart to get some medicine and milk.  I chose to use the self check out counters there and when I scanned my first cold medicine, it said that I needed authorization, so I asked the lady who oversees the registers to come help me.  She did and then I asked her to stay because I was sure that the next medicine would have the same issue.  She scanned it too and then went on her way.  I scanned the milk and pushed the "finish and pay" button only to see that my total was about $15 less than what I expected it would be.  I completed the transaction and looked at the receipt to see that it had charged me twice for the .88 medicine and had not charged me for the $14.47 medicine.  So here is the place I had a choice.

I could walk out and know that I got a $14.47 med for .88.  Or I could tell the lady and get her to correct it.

What would you do?

It wasn't a temptation to me at all!  I knew what I was going to do as soon as I saw it....

I went up to the lady and explained what happened and she didn't believe me so, she asked for the $14.47 med and scanned it.  Found that I was being honest.  Thanked me for my honesty and then sent me to customer service to get it cared for there.

Here was another place I had a choice... I could have just kept going and had a $14.47 medicine for .88.

Again it was not a choice for me... I went to customer service and told the lady, "you probably won't get many transactions like this today, but here is what happened and I owe you some money."   She rang in my credit of .88 and then the $14.47 medicine too.  I paid her the money and went on my way.

I can sleep tonight knowing that I represented Jesus well!  Even if the second lady didn't thank me for my honesty or not.  Because I am not living for the applause of people... I am living for the applause of nail scarred hands!

The Downside is Up....

We continue to have good responses to our launching of 3 new 5 Q circles this week.  Yesterday's two circles had a total of 9 people between them and both had persons who want to come but were unable to come last night.  Leaders from both circles feel great about what they experienced last night and that makes me pumped!

The Tuesday circle that I lead, was cut in half by sending out 7 people to birth the new circles and when a couple of the regulars came in it was evident that the smaller size was a downer for them.  But the upside of that is that we made room in our circle and in a couple other circles for more people to experience the powerful transformation that we are experiencing.   In fact that very person who was visibly down shared in the sharing time that she had 3 other friends that were talking with her about joining her in the circle soon.  Those friends would not have found it as transforming if it were still so large.  

It was also cool to have another person in the circle share in response to that concern that a smaller circle allows for more intimacy and opportunity to connect with each other in greater ways.   The downside of birthing new circles really is UP!

Excited to see what tonight's men's circle brings! 

So thrilled that I headed the Holy Spirit's nudge to use the 5Q Circle idea as a way to disciple more people in the way of Jesus!

Still Flying High Today....

We launched our first of 3 new 5 Q Circles last night in a home in Quantico.  It had 9 participants, 4 who were new to the 5 Q Circle Process and 1 who was not previously known to Community of Joy!  The leaders shared great reports this morning and expect a couple others to join the circle soon.

Tonight is the Tuesday 7 p.m. Circle at Community of Joy's Ministry Center.  Wednesday night we have two new ones launching a 6:30 circle for women only at Community of Joy's Ministry Center and a 7 p.m. at a home in Salisbury.  Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Community of Joy's Ministry Center is a circle for men.  All are welcome to join the process.

It is exciting to see these leaders who have experienced the power of 5Q Circles for the past couple years now stretch their wings and lead new groups!  And it is exciting to see new folks checking out the transforming process of 5 Q Circles.  Whenever the people of God, gather around the word of God and invite the Spirit of God to guide them... powerful things happen.  Transformation really does happen best in circles.

There is still time to get in one.  No better time than today.

Check this link out for more information...

AWESOME THINGS HAPPENING...

I am on cloud nine right now... been a long time since I was on cloud nine! 

We have been praying for the Holy Spirit to guide us into new territory as a congregation at Community of Joy and that is exactly what is happening.  And I am pumped!

This week, we launch 3 new 5 Q Circles (actually one is using a different course of study) and that will give us a total of 5 5 Q Circles at Community of Joy.  Enthusiasm seems high for these transformative experiences!  The Tuesday Circle is birthing 2 of the 3 new circles and sending 4 leaders out of that circle to do it.  One will be in Quantico and one in Salisbury... both in homes.

In addition to that, yesterday at our 10:30 we added a bass player to the mix and it was AWESOME!  Last night that player told me that he intended to play on a regular basis.  The praise team is going to new heights and it is so neat to see.   Now if we could just get our 9 a.m. worship to the same level that would be awesome.

Yesterday in worship we had our third highest attendance in worship since moving into our new facility in 2007.  It is neat to see such energy and so many new faces joining the journey!  I pray that God will continue to ignite us and help us take the next step toward Jesus!

Something to think about for Christians...

Found this in a church newsletter...

You’ll Never Miss a Tithe

The faithful church treasurer resigned because there

was never enough income to cover expenses.

Another member - the owner of the local grain

elevator - volunteered to take the

position. He had one stipulation -

for a period of one year, the

church would require no report

from him.

The board members were puzzled at this strange request, but

knowing him to be an honest man

who processed most of their

grain, they granted it.

At the end of the year, the new

treasurer gave a glowing report.

The church's indebtedness on the

building had been paid in full!

The pastor's salary had been

increased by 15 percent! There

were no outstanding bills! In fact, he showed a cash balance of nearly $7,000! The

shocked, but delighted, congregation asked for an

explanation.

'Most of you bring your grain to my elevator,' the treasurer replied. 'When I paid you, I simply withheld 10 percent on your behalf and gave it to

the church in your name. You never missed it. Do

you see now what we could do for the Lord if we

were to willingly return the first tenth to God, who

really owns it?'

-Cumberland Baptist Church

Birthing Circles....

I am so excited to announce that NEXT week, we give birth to our 5Q Circles here at Community of Joy!  And really cool how they are available 4 different days a week.

Here is the line-up...

Monday 7 p.m. @ Gary Betters’ Home    Quantico, MD  443.358.4986

Tuesday 7 p.m. @ Ministry Center - 302 South Blvd Salisbury, MD

 

Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Women Only @ Ministry Center - 302 South Blvd Salisbury, MD

                          Using “The Story” as the material not the 5 Q’s

Wednesday 7 p.m. @ Donna Kelly’s Home    Salisbury, MD  443.397.4708

Thursday 5:30 p.m. Men Only @ Ministry Center  302 South Blvd Salisbury, MD

 

 

There is so much excitement in the air of the existing Tuesday circle out of which the four leaders are coming to birth these new circles!  It was electrifying to commission these new leaders last night! 

It does bring some sadness but that is tempered by the reality that we are making something that has been transformational in our lives available to more people and are excited to see transformation happen in their lives.  We really do believe transformation happens best in circle rather than rows.   Hope you will consider moving into a circle!

Really, I Am...

I made good on a promise to one of our folks at CoJ, who was unable to fulfill his commitment to clean our ministry center for a couple months.  When I learned that, I told him that I would gladly take his next two turns.  So, yesterday before my Thursday night men's 5 Q Circle I went over early and began the process of cleaning.  (Didn't finish before, so I finished mopping floors afterward) 

I was busy working at cleaning the bathrooms when one of our 5 Q guys came in a bit early for our circle gathering and when I explained what I was doing he said, "you are doing what?"  I said, "I am taking my turn cleaning our ministry center."  And he was astounded.  You see the church he was part of paid someone to do the cleaning.  I am glad that we don't pay someone to do the cleaning and am glad that we have folks who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work.  While I was cleaning inside, a volunteer was mowing the lawn!

I think it was also astounding to my friend that the pastor was doing the cleaning.  Sorry it seems odd.  Because to me, it is not odd at all.  I don't consider myself any more important than anybody else that is part of our church family!  And really, I don't mind one bit rolling up my sleeves and working hard in physical ways!

Cleaning is not my gift nor is it a gift that others have.  It is necessary to clean and it is necessary that all of us do things like cleaning that are outside of our gift areas because those things need to be done.

Soon Time for 7th

That's right it is soon time for our 7^th Neighborhood Pork Roast and Fun Fest September 29 at the Ministry Center 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.  All the food and activities are FREE.  The day will include free food, special music, big bounce, corn hole, face painting, yard games and time to relax and visit.   This is Community of Joy’s biggest outreach and is designed just to bless our neighbors and create positive feelings in our neighborhood.  Hope you can come!

If you are part of Community of Joy, please look for ways that you can help. This event takes ALL of us doing what we can and giving generously of our time to pull it off.  It is an event for our neighbors and friends not for us.  In coming weeks, we will have sign-up sheets out for help and food donations at the Ministry Center. 

Since we are the faith based Partners of Pinehurst Elementary School, we will also be inviting the students, staff, and families to join us again this year.  (We had great participation from them last year!) 

Excitement builds....

Excitement builds for the birthing of more 5 Q Circles at Community of Joy!

I think the Holy Spirit has nudged a second female leader to make 2 women and 2 men who are willing to give birth to 2 new groups.  Another person has come forward feeling a nudge to be part too!  Been praying to get a college student circle started and have a place to meet and a co-leader, just waiting on the Spirit to nudge a leader for this circle, then we will birth 3 new circles!  Have some college students that are excited about being in a circle of peers!

And if that isn't enough excitement... one of the new circle leader team wants to go door to door with informational brochures to introduce themselves to their neighbors and invite them to join this circle in the leader's home. Another of the new circle leaders told me yesterday of a prayer that they are already praying for a couple of co-workers that they think would join the circle and take a next step toward Jesus and this leader is eager to begin that part of the circle!

 I have two homes that folks would love to welcome a 5 Q circle in as soon as I get new leaders for them we will make that move too!

And there's more... yesterday, my daughter who is headed out of state for her senior year of college shared with me an email she sent to her VA Church pastor (who is new to that church) sharing the 5Q Circle model and suggesting she would lead a group that was targeted at reaching out to other college students in the area.  The pastor was elated and invited her to lunch when she gets back to VA!

WOW!  In the words of my new favorite song... "ARISE, church ARISE!

Many Hands DO Make Light Work...

Yesterday we had a clean up work day at Community of Joy.  We gathered at 9 and most were done by 1 but a few stayed around all day some leaving at 6 with a couple still there working a bit longer.  It was so nice to get so many things done yesterday.  The furnace room is cleaned out totally!  And the shed is cleaned out and organized, as are many of the cabinets, and storage areas.  Crock pot alley can once again be used because all the supplies that were sitting on the counters are now stored.  The nursery toys were all washed and disinfected.  Windows washed, window wells cleaned out and stones installed.  Shrubs trimmed, grass edged, weeds pulled.  The emergency light in the rear was replaced, a hole in the facia fixed.  The ramp rails were sturdied up with new cement at the base. Sticks in the yard picked up and hauled away.  And a baby changing station was added!

What an incredible day!  And even more incredible than all that got done was the fact that we had great help and eager workers who jumped right in and checked items off the list!  It is an awesome thing to see people set free with tasks accomplish those tasks!  THANKS to all who came out and gave their time and muscles!

More Evidence the Holy Spirit is Empowering US....

It is uncanny to me to see how the Holy Spirit is working in our congregation at Community of Joy!  Six weeks ago as we launched a series on the book of Acts from the Bible, looking at the question - what were the characteristics of the first church that enabled it to experience such explosive growth and why aren't we experiencing the same growth?, we heard Jesus telling the first church to wait in Jerusalem until the gift of the Holy Spirit was given.  So, that first week, I encouraged our folks to wait on the gift of the Holy Spirit.  To pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit to guide us into a new future.  Too often we just lunge ahead in our own power and neglect the gift of the Holy Spirit that God give us.  So, we began to wait on the Holy Spirit and to pray for its guidance.

And as we waited and prayed, evidence of the coming of the Holy Spirit began to show up.  The very next week in worship, both worship gatherings in different ways experienced the Spirit's power.  And then the Spirit gave me a discipling model (I had been looking at models of other churches but the one I was given was one we had a couple of years of positive experience with!)  Last week, I shared the model and said we would take steps into that model in the coming weeks.  And this week, looking for 4 leaders to form new circles out of our one existing 5Q Circle, I already have 3 leaders confirmed and I didn't have to twist arms, or beg, they just stepped forward.  One person even had a Holy Spirit confirmation that they shared with me.   And one more evidence... all three of these new leaders are persons who shared last week in my sermon, the impact this 5Q Circle has had on them.  That is evidence you can't dispute!

I can hardly contain my excitement and the growing excitement I feel as we take steps toward Jesus and invite others to do the same!

Blessed by God so that we can bless...

At Community of Joy, we believe that we are blessed by God so that we can be a blessing to others.  For the past several years we have sought in a variety of ways to be a blessing to our local elementary School - Pinehurst Elementary.

Each fall we bless them with school supplies.  Here is this years blessing...

 

Currently we are taking a survey of interests or other ways that we might be able to bless them... like reading in the class room, conducting after school activities, being a teacher's helper, helping with school projects.   Other years we have done a clean up day there, supported their monthly good behavior incentives, held staff and teacher appreciations - soup lunch and cookie feast!, donated new underwear and sweat pants so that when a kid has an accident they can get changed and back in the learning environment quickly, ran the chess club, adopted families for Christmas, gifted each class with Christmas gifts for the class, blessed a needy family with food for the summer and an easter meal.   We have so appreciated the opportunity to share our blessings with this great school and the awesome teachers and staff who work so hard to educate our community's children!

Transformation Happens Best in Circles!

Wow!  I am in awe at what God is doing right now at Community of Joy!  There is incredible power and growth happening in our circles.  We are in the process of giving birth to a few more circles and making room for new people to join a circle to experience the power of transformation that comes in circles.

There is nothing more powerful than the people of God, gathered in a circle around the word of God, with the transforming presence of the Spirit of God!  It is one of the busiest times of year when folks are in vacation mode and our circle is bursting at the seams.  So, thanks to a gift God has given us in a new idea, we are birthing at least 3 more circles right now and more in the future.

It is amazing what happens when we resign from the role of trying to make something special happen and let the Holy Spirit guide our circle and the discussion.  Transforming things happen and we take a next step even closer to Jesus!

 

The great thing about these Circles is that everyone is welcome to come and to participate at whatever level they are comfortable doing so.  Yesterday, I was telling one of the ladies I walk with in the morning at the mall about the 5 Q Circles and what God is doing in them right now and she asked if she could come to experience one.  But she told me that she would NEVER speak at a Bible Study.  So she came last night and even spoke a couple of times!  And this morning she was talking about how powerful it was!

 

If you want to be part of a circle at Community of Joy... get in touch with me... God is moving in awesome ways right now as we roll out these new circles!

The Gamaliel Principle

At Community of Joy, we are embarking on a new direction... one that I have wanted to see us take but haven't fully known how to move that way or what process to do.  On Thursday of last week, I felt that I was given a gift by the Holy Spirit of a process to make disciples of Jesus or as I have been saying to help people take their next step toward Jesus.   The gift is that we have a couple of years experience with the cornerstone of this new process... 5Q Bible Study method that I have been developing and using successfully for the past several years.  Also on Thursday, I was given several other components to add to this 5Q method and thus is born the 5Q Circle at Community of Joy.  I am excited by the prospects and the transformation that is sure to happen.

There is something powerful that happens when we come as we are, just as we are... warts, flaws, misgivings, and all... and gather in a circle around the Bible and with the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Nothing is more powerful than the community of God gathered in a circle around the word of God with the presence of the Spirit of God!!   Transformation is sure to happen.

But you might ask, shouldn't these leaders have some formal training?  Great question and to be sure we will work at equipping them, but when I look at Acts 4:13 and read, "the members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures.  They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus."   It is amazing what happens in and through our lives - even our ordinary lives- when we spend time with Jesus and let the Holy Spirit empower us!

So, I am not worried one bit about who will lead these groups or what will happen, because I trust the Holy Spirit to be present and to guide and to convict each of us of our sin.  And I am confident that the Gamaliel principle is at work too... and that is "if what we are doing is of God, then it will be unstoppable!"  And besides if you try to stop it and it is of God, as Gamaliel said in Acts 5:39 "you may even find yourself fighting against God!"

So, I pray that the Holy Spirit will lead us, empower us, and work in and through our lives to powerfully multiply the influence of Jesus in our community and world as we take our next step toward Jesus and help others take their next step toward Jesus too!

5Q Circle Testimonies....

As a part of yesterday's sermon, I asked 5 people to share in a couple sentences or a paragraph, what impact their participation in our Tuesday night 5Q Bible Study Circle has meant to them.

I want to share those testimonies here....

Gary Betters writes... "Participating in bible study has become a desire and needed part of my week rather than an obligation. Even days where I am worn and tired before going, I am always refreshed when I leave, feeling closer to God and to my church family."

Leslie Follebout writes..."It's hard to condense into a couple sentences something that is changing my life.  Being part of the Tuesday night group has given me the opportunity to connect with others in COJ in a very special way.  It is a great mixture of people and each one brings something different and important to the circle.  As my knowledge of the Bible grows, my relationship with the others does as well.  The evening starts and ends with a powerful prayer and I always go home with fresh insight to guide me through the week on how God wants me to live.  It’s exciting to have new people join the group and to watch as the circle grows and gets larger. I cannot think of a better way to spend my time on Tuesday nights and I miss it very much when I am not able to come."

Patrick Marvel writes...."I am grateful for the Tuesday night Bible study because it gives me an opportunity to dig into God's word.  It may start with 5 questions but it goes beyond.  We have different levels in our walks with God that are represented by a diverse group.  We each walk away with a greater understanding and also lots to think about.  My hunger for more knowledge of God's word goes beyond the walls of the ministry center and group and follows all the days after, thanks to my participation in the Tuesday night group."

Lauren Follebout writes..." Before I started going to Bible Study Tuesday nights were just a typical tuesday night. Tuesdays have now become my favorite night of the week because of Bible Study. I admit I am not as educated in the Bible as most but what I learn in one night is something that I can easily take in and remember. I am the youngest that attends and it would be great seeing others my age. Thanks to Bible Study I have made outstanding friendships and learned so much about the faith of others. I love being able to see these people twice a week and I encourage all to come out on tuesdays because I guarantee you will find it very rewarding."

Priscilla Timken writes..."As I drove past COJ today, I noticed the new message on the board.  It resonated with me.  It said..."we are a come as you are learning community....No Kidding!  Join us"
And I said to myself, that's it!  That is what Tuesday Night is for me....an evening where we all come together, just as we are, and together we are learning about God, His Son Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit within.  Be it grace, love, suffering, faith, hope, promise, some message of God's presence is presented to us in scripture.  Then together we share thoughts and questions which help me understand scripture and God's presence in my life and grow in my relationship with Him.  I am learning.  No Kidding!
 
Sharing this time with other believers in a small group is a very special gift I feel fortunate to be receiving.  Sharing prayer in a small group is transforming.  I will say this, as I imagine Jesus walking the roads of the Middle East, teaching, talking, mingling with folks of all walks of life.....as I carry that image....my time together with other believers on Tuesday night is as close to living that image as I have ever experienced.  It is transforming. "

I hope this leaves you with a desire to take that next step toward Jesus through a 5 Q Circle at Community of Joy in the coming weeks! 

An Excerpt from Sunday 8-18-13 Sermon - UNSTOPPABLE

Here is an excerpt from yesterday's sermon (the end) so that you (participants at Community of Joy) can see what we are up to and get on board....

It’s time for us to take a next step.  I am all about and want us here at CoJ to be all about helping people take their next step toward Jesus so that they can help someone else take their next step toward Jesus.

            The last commission that Jesus gave us is to MAKE DISCIPLES.  Yet we aren’t doing that very effectively.  One thing that is true about every church that is committed to making disciples, they are growing and growing and their impact and influence in the world for Jesus is powerful!

 

I have heightened my prayers for the guidance of the HS for me and for us.  And on Thursday morning, I feel like I was given a gift!  While I was doing my morning walk at the mall (it opens at 6:45 daily for walkers) I was praying and listening and I felt a HS nudge and in a matter of minutes I was given a complete process for us here at CoJ.

            I want to share that with you today.  For a couple of years now, we have been doing a Tuesday night Bible Study and I have been leading a community men’s Bible study using the 5 Q method that I have developed.  I have seen firsthand how participation in this process has transformed lives.  Made disciples of Jesus and impacted the lives of each participant in great ways.

I would love to see ALL of us at CoJ in a 5 Q Circle.  Here’s my plan (the gift I was given on Thursday from the HS)  We will begin this fall to take steps toward the goal of 100% participation in a 5Q Bible Study Circle…

This week, I will be asking the Tuesday group to consider who among them God is calling to lead a new group.  I would like to see the Tuesday group commission two pairs of co-leaders and become 3 groups.  By doing that we make room for some new folks in these 3 groups.

             I am suggesting that each Circle begin in the Gospel of Matthew using the 5 Q Method and in each circle gathering there would be time at the end to share personal prayer needs and pray together.  Confidentiality is a must!   Also a part of that prayer time, would be a time to pray for 2 or 3 unconnected local friends of each circle participant with the hopes that praying for them might open their eyes and hearts to the love of Jesus and even the circle.

            I would like each group to plan a group serving outreach a minimum of once a quarter in our community.  I would also like each group to include a fellowship component each week as well as plan quarterly circle and friends fellowship activities so that to the fellowship and serving activities, circle members can invite the friends- the very friends the group has been praying for.

              I will plan to meet with all leaders once a month to support and equip them in their roles.

            As circles grow, we will give birth to new circles by empowering a team of leaders from an existing circle to begin a new circle.  And each circle member will constantly be on the lookout for unconnected people that they can invite to join the circle.

            I feel strongly that the HS is nudging us to do this here at CoJ.  The TIME HAS COME to take a step! This process picks up all of the characteristics that we have explored in the first church that made it so impactful! (See ACTS) Those characteristics are….The presence of the HS which empowered them to be witnesses.  The centrality of Jesus.  The devotion to scripture and circling with others. Along with generosity and serving as well as outreach and witness.

These circles are easy to lead and welcoming of all people of varied ages and life experiences. You don’t have to have ANY bible knowledge to participate and there is no homework to do before or after the group in order to participate fully.

I know this is a bold request!  But I also know that these characteristics that we have explored in the early church are transferrable to us and can have the same impact on our life together and the community and world we live in.  Further, I am confident that the Gamiliel principle is at work here too.  IF this is of God, it won’t be stopped!

So, I am asking each of you to prayerfully consider taking that next step toward Christ – out of these rows and into a transformational circle.  Tuesday circle folks, I am asking you to prayerfully consider if God is calling you to take your next step toward Jesus by agreeing to become a co-leader of a new circle.  I am even asking some of you to consider opening your homes to such a circle.

Brothers and sisters, if we want to see God move in our lives and through our lives like he did in the early church, it’s time to take our next step. If we want to become a vibrant church that has an empowered witness and growing impact on our community and world for Jesus, it’s time to take our next step.

Continuing to do what we have done for the last 14 years  is not going to make us a vibrant church!  And be confident of this.  If what I am asking you to consider is not of God, then it won’t happen. But also know that if it is of God, and you willingly take the necessary steps toward Jesus, we too can become UNSTOPPABLE like the early church!

I want to conclude share this story… Author and pastor Neil Cole writes…”My brother and I were born less than a year apart, and when we were in middle school, we went on an African safari with our mom.  This was the kind of adventure that most young boys dream about.  Our first stop was a couple of days in a hotel on stilts, called Treetops, overlooking a water hole.  Wild animals would come from miles to drink at the water hole and tourists like us could observe them from above their natural habitat.

When we checked in, we were warned to keep our windows closed so that these curious tree top dwellers didn’t steal our possessions while we were asleep.  One morning, Neil says, I was on the top platform and saw a gray baboon reach into a woman’s purse and steal her camera.  He was close enough for me to touch him so I was foolish enough to grab his tail in the hopes he would drop the camera.  But he spun around in an instant and opened his mouth wide and showed all his teeth and let out a chilling scream… I froze in fear and immediately let go of his tail and off he ran with the camera.

            From treetops, they then traveled to a game reserve.  The tour guide had heard of Neil’s baboon encounter and decided to play a joke on him. He told him that the rhesus monkey were friendly toward tourists.  So, Neil found one and tried to approach it but is shrieked at him and he stepped back… the monkey picked up on Neil’s fear and aggressively came at him… chasing him around and all of a sudden hundreds of monkeys fell out of the tree tops and joined the chase.  

Later that night, Neil’s mom and brother went to dinner at the lodge but he stayed behind saying he wasn’t hungry.  Before they returned he got hungry and decided to go by himself from their hut to the lodge.  It was dark and normally they saw zebras and other animals grazing in the yard illuminated by the night lights of the lodge.  But not this night.  In fact Neil says he could see all the people in the lodge standing near the window intently watching him… some were motioning him to hurry to them and others motioning him to go back to the hut.  Neil had no clue what was up but he sped up and when safely inside the lodge, was told that a leopard was seen in the grass stalking him.

During that adventure, Neil says, he saw, cheetahs, lions, giraffes, elephants, wildebeest and tons of monkeys.  He had ridden in a land rover and chased rhinos.  It was quite the adventure… one he will never forget.  But the whole time Neil was having these adventures, his brother was sitting around reading a novel about adventures in Africa. 

Sisters and Brothers, There are two kinds of people in life – those who live the adventure and those who read about others adventures!

It is time for us to stop reading about the adventures of the early church and time for us to take that next step toward Jesus in our new adventure.  Time to confidently trust that the HS will empower us to be witnesses.  Time to move out of rows and into circles so that we can grow in our relationship with Jesus and each other and our unconnected friends.  

It is time for us to become an unstoppable force for Jesus in our community and world!  Who is ready to take that next step toward Jesus? A new bible study circle is coming to a place near you!  Will you open your life to its power?  Will you heed the nudging of the HS and commit your life to a 5 Q circle, so that you can grow as a disciple of Jesus who has a contagious faith and increases the impact of Jesus’ love here in our community as we receive his love and give his love and repeat again and again?

Will you take your next step toward Jesus today?   I believe the HS is calling each of you to get into a transformative circle.  Won’t you make that commitment today?   I believe the HS is calling some of you to step into leadership roles in a group.  Won’t you take that step today?   I believe the HS is calling some of you to open your home to a transformative circle.  Wont you take that next step today.

If the HS is nudging you.  Make a commitment in your heart to take action today!  And if you don’t feel a nudge, actively seek the HS this week opening your heart and life to his direction.  Sisters and brothers, where ever you find yourself in your journey toward Jesus, it is time for you to take your next step toward him… are you willing to do so today?

(let me also be clear that the newly forming Women’s Bible Study group can be a Circle and will have all the characteristics of a 5 Q Circle except it won’t use the 5 Q method but will use The Story as its curriculum)

An Article I wrote....

Here is a link to an article I wrote for a Church of the Brethren publication that just came out.  I was asked to write from the perspective of a gun owner and Christ follower.

http://www.brethren.org/basinandtowel/documents/view-on-gun-ownership.pdf

Love it when....

I had a monthly meeting yesterday morning at my parents house with the area wide Church of the Brethren Pastors.  Usually I lead this group but this time one of the other colleagues is leading!  We are reading and discussing Scot McKnight's book The King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisited"    It was a great discussion.   And always ends with lunch.

Since I was going to be down that way yesterday, I decided to use the afternoon to do some work in the deer woods and Mom also asked me if I would help my dad trim some Christmas trees.  I have a wedding to officiate this weekend so I had comp time so, I enjoyed a great afternoon.

Recently I have been reflecting, praying, reading Scriptures about the role of the Holy Spirit and yesterday, I had two things gel for me that I can say without a doubt were the Holy Spirit.  I just love it when the Holy Spirit answers prayers that you have been praying and praying and praying in a way that makes it abundantly evident what is happening!  That happened twice for me yesterday. 

And the interesting thing is, that in a previous prayer time, I had been reconsidering something that I had already laid to rest because I didn't feel it was feasible.  In reconsidering, perhaps I was trying to take control of something that I was praying about rather than trust God to work it out.  I began to feel that maybe my original answer was wrong and I reconsidering the option was a way to answer this prayer I had been praying.  But yesterday, the Holy Spirit made it abundantly clear to me that what I was doing was trying to work this out in a way I felt I cold.  So, I am confidently trusting God on this one and have laid that particular decision to rest and continue to seek God's direction and provision in this realm!   I love it when the Holy Spirit gives a clear direction and there is no mistaking it!  Now, I just pray and watch....

The other thing I had confirmed yesterday involves the church - Community of Joy and it was really cool how all that came about too!  I will be praying about it and sharing it with the church in coming days as well as inviting them to prayerfully consider this answer to prayer.   As we have been praying at a corporate level to be filled by the Holy Spirit and empowered to be witnesses for Jesus.  I just love it when the Holy Spirit answers our prayers...

The church is NOT the building...

The church is NOT the building!  The church is the people of God on mission together for Jesus in the world.  In fact at Community of Joy, we call our building - the Ministry Center.  We do so, because we want it to be used for various types of ministries in the community and are happy to share what God has blessed us with with others!

At Community of Joy, we want to help you take your next step toward Jesus so that you can help someone else take their next step toward Jesus!   And if the building can be used to help that happen for folks - great!   We are busy planning one of our annual events that we host to deepen our connections with our neighbors.  On September 29, we will host our 7th annual Neighborhood Pork Roast and Fun Fest for our neighbors and the families at Pinehurst Elementary School.  It is always a fun day and one we look forward to each year.  Everything is free to our friends and neighbors.  We started it 7 years ago to do something positive for our community.  As a way to bless others...

We hope you can join us on September 29 @ 12:30 for this years event!  And PLEASE feel free to invite your friends to join you and us!  See you soon!

I Stand AMAZED In the Presence of the HOLY SPIRIT!

Wow!  I can't begin to describe what happened yesterday at Community of Joy in both worship gatherings in different ways!  We have been praying for the filling of the Holy Spirit in our lives and it is happening!  New ideas are being birthed.  New folks are coming.  New life is pumping.  New love is taking hold.   As I sit here contemplating what is going on, I am filled to the brim with gratefulness! 

We have been singing this song.... A New Hallelujah at our 10:30 gathering and it is fast becoming one of two theme songs for this season of ministry at Community of Joy!

Can you hear there's a new song?
Breaking out from the children of freedom
Every race and every nation
Sing it out, sing a new Hallelujah, yeah

Let us sing love to the nations
Bringing hope of the grace that has freed us
Make ...

Him known and make Him famous
Sing it out, sing a new Hallelujah, yeah

Arise, arise, let the church arise
Let love reach to the other side
Alive, come alive, let the song arise

 

I can hear a new song rising... and I can see love reaching for the other side!   Arise.  Let the Church arise!

 

Can't wait to see what happens next!

 

My Prayer and Our Song This Morning...

Love this song and it so captures the spirit of my sermon series at Community of Joy as we have been looking at the book of Acts in the Bible and the explosive growth of the early church right after Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension.

Thanks to the Rend Collective for this awesome song... Build Your Kingdom Here....

 

Come set Your rule and reign

In our hearts again

Increase in us we pray

Unveil why we're made
Come set our hearts ablaze with hope

Like wildfire in our very souls

Holy Spirit come invade us now

We are Your Church

We need Your power

In us

 We seek Your kingdom first

We hunger and we thirst

Refuse to waste our lives

For You're our joy and prize

To see the captive hearts released

The hurt; the sick; the poor at peace

We lay down our lives for Heaven's cause

We are Your church

We pray revive

This Earth

 Build Your kingdom here

Let the darkness fear

Show Your mighty hand

Heal our streets and land

Set Your church on fire

Win this nation back

Change the atmosphere

Build Your kingdom here

We pray

 Unleash Your kingdom's power

Reaching the near and far

No force of hell can stop

Your beauty changing hearts

You made us for much more than this

Awake the kingdom seed in us

Fill us with the strength and love of Christ

We are Your church

We are the hope

On Earth

Third Annual Art in Nature Photo Contest Entries

For the third year in a row (which makes the total time this has been in existence), I am entering some photos in the Ward Museum Art in Nature Photo Show this weekend. (if you go to the site linked... you will see a couple of my photos on the wall in the pic - they are the two with really bright blue near the front of the pic- one is the photo I use on my blog header!)  The first year I took third place in the Plants category.  I doubt I will win anything, but it is fun to enter.  And they have great workshops and key note speakers too!

Some folks have asked what I was entering this year, so here are the ones I have chosen....

 

Unfortunately they will all be in the same category.  But that's okay.  It is fun to take the pics and fun to be part of this great event.  It is open to the public to view and participate in all of the events associated.  Check it out Friday - Sunday!

Excited and Hard to Believe ...

It is really hard for me to believe that this December 17, Sharon and I have been married 25 years.  That's right... 25 years!  WOW... seems like yesterday we walked down the isle together at the Manassas Church of the Brethren in VA. 

Sharon has always wanted to go to New England for the foliage in the Fall.  So, since our anniversary date is not a good time to do that, we will be celebrating early with a trip to Manchester, VT and will be staying at the Ira Allen House in October.  I am excited to help her check this item off her bucket list and to celebrate with the love of my life in this place!   It came highly recommended by a friend!

Blessing the Community....

At Community of Joy, we believe that we are blessed by God so that we can bless others.  I like to live by that same belief.  So, one Friday night Sharon and Caroline and I were downtown Salisbury for the Third Friday Event ( a great event - every 3rd Friday downtown Salisbury!) and as I was looking at the artist booths, I walked by this one concerning a New Vision for a mural downtown to replace one that is there but in bad shape.  After reading more and seeing that it was in need of funding or else it wouldn't happen... I decided to make a small contribution.  And I am DELIGHTED to say that it got full funding and will be happening downtown on the Rt. 50 side of the City Center building.   Now, my gift was very small, but it was an effort to partner with the community to see something awesome happen downtown.  Excited to see it soon become reality!

The artist, James Thatcher, is the same person who did the original artwork that this new mural is replacing.  I think that fact is really cool too!

Here is what it will look like...

Love this APP!

I never wanted a smart phone.  But when one was given to me by a friend who wanted to trade for a dumb phone and everyone else in my family had a smart phone, I took it.  I must confess, I have enjoyed having one! 

There are lots of apps that I have loaded onto my phone and many of them I enjoy having but none as much as the one I downloaded a couple weeks ago!  This app is free and is available for both droid and iphone formats.  It is called Soul Revolution.  It is a 60 day experiment to help us get closer to God.  The app lets you set the time parameters but basically it sets off an alert every hour that includes a tone, and a scripture passage and some focus questions for either reflection or action or focus points for prayer.  I love this app!  It has been so wonderful to have the hourly reminder that I am a beloved child of God and to encourage a deeper prayer life!

Hope you, who have smart phones, will check it out!

From the Margins to the Center....

Last night our Bible Study was POWERFUL!  We were in Luke 18:31-43 which included the story of Jesus traveling toward Jerusalem and on the way encountering a blind beggar.  The blind beggar was a marginalized person in that time.  Luke doesn't even give us his name.  But when he heard the commotion, he asked what was going on and as soon as he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by, he started shouting at the top of his lungs.  The words he shouted tell us a lot... he shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, Have Mercy on Me!"   That indicates he knew who Jesus was!

Some in the crowd told this man to "shut up!"  And his response to that was to yell LOUDER!  JESUS, SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME!!"    They are traveling from one town to another... and all of a sudden when Jesus hears this unnamed beggar's cry, he STOPS, and Tells them to bring the man to him.   Powerful!   Then he asks the man "what do you want me to do for you?"  This question humanizes the beggar who in his town was marginalized.  And then Jesus heals him.  So in essence this man goes from the fringe to the center in a BIG way!

That very thing can happen for us too!  Jesus came that we might move from the fringes to the CENTER!   This was not about the crowd, it was about the lone man who stopped Jesus in his tracks because he mattered to Jesus!   You matter to Jesus!

Powerful things happen when we move from the fringe to the center of God's love.  Powerful things happen when we gather in circles around God's word and with each other!   All are welcome in our circles... usually our circle includes a couple of homeless brothers, a wheelchair bound person, a couple of tatted up folk, young, old, male, female, single, married... and everyone is welcome to the circle because God welcomes all of us, especially folks on the fringes to come to the center!

Being Neighborly...

I have always wanted to be a good neighbor where ever I have lived.  I work hard at it.  And being a good neighbor in the neighborhood of the Community of Joy Ministry Center is equally as important to me.  That's why when we bought the facility and it had not been well cared for outside, with overgrown shrubs, briars and brambles, we decided to invest lots of time and money into cleaning up the property.  Even had several neighbors stop and express appreciation for our efforts.  In the 6 years that we have owned the property, we have always worked hard at keeping it looking nice, including picking up street side trash that isn't ours.

I found it a bit ironic last night to get an email from an adjoining neighbor asking if I could send someone from the "church over to pick up the trash on Smith St as it is piling up."  So, I said sure.  I hadn't noticed it because I enter off of South Blvd but would look into it and pick up the mess. I went over this morning expecting to find a lot of trash and to take a good amount of time to pick up.  Here is what I found...

And it only took me less than 5 minutes to pick it up AND to pick up some trash in front of this neighbor's house too!  I am NOT complaining.  However, I am raising an awareness of what it means to be a good neighbor.  And I hope that if you see some trash in front of your neighbor's house or property and it bothers you, that you will take a few moments to pick it up for them.   After all, we can't be too neighborly!

A great prayer...

A great but simple prayer, I am praying and invite you to pray along too...

"Lord, open my eyes and heart to see where you are busy working and then give me the courage to join you in that work!"

Yes is Yes

Jesus taught that when you say YES, then let it be YES and when you say NO, let it be NO. (Matthew 5:37)

When we make a commitment to do something, then we need to follow through on our commitment.  Otherwise, we are letting someone down.  I am aware that things come up that make us unable to keep some commitments, and when that happens, it is best to secure someone else to do what you said you would and now can't or at least let someone know that you are unable to make that commitment.  However, if you find yourself doing that often, then you need to take a serious look at what you are committing to and perhaps you should refrain from making those commitments.

In the church, we need everyone to use their gifts in ministry and when someone says they will do something and then don't do it, it makes it hard to be effective in our ministry.   So, let your yes be yes and your no be no!

Transformation or Getting Better...

Last post from the quotes of C. Kirk Hadaway's book, Behold I do a New Thing: Transforming Communities of faith....

"Since culture treats the church as an outlet for religious goods, the obvious commercial reaction is to make our product better.  We make our worship services more professional and powerful, we add new ministries to attract more people and keep them involved, and we even try to make God more responsive to our needs.  In order to draw crowds, churches provide more God and more Mammon."

So what do we do?  "Our business is to transform people, to wake them up; it is not to satisfy them with quality worship and engaging programs.  As with any system, our primary focus should be on the transformational processes that produce our product.  If the processes are in place, the output will be good.  And if the output is exceptional, it will be easy to attract the resources that will help us to produce even more.  People are our products.  Our product is not exciting worship, fun outings, craft classes, faith-based football or professional programming.  People receive benefits and enjoyment from a transformational system, of course.  The worship, preaching education, ministry action and opportunities for spiritual practice that make up the system cannot be objectively bad, boring, or old-fashioned.  If they were, they would not contribute to the cycle of transformation.  People would not be changed.... the primary benefit we get is the capacity to deal with our problems.

"We create a transformational vessel with the capacity to create humans who joyfully participate in the creative unfolding of God's realm - people who know how to live fully.  What we gain is not comfort, although the support we feel from others and form our connection to God will make us feel better.  What we gain is not control over our lives, although we tend o lose the sense that everything is out of control.  What we gain primarily is the ability to see the world as God sees it and the invitation to live in that newly-realized world."

Some very important things to consider for us at Community of Joy as we stand at a crossroads and prepare to join God in moving forward!

Church as Incarnational Community...

Here are some more provocative thoughts from C. Kirk Hadaway on church....

"The church as incarnational community does not define its purpose in specific, tangible terms, nor does it confuse its structure and programs with its purpose.  By understanding that the outcome of transformation cannot be controlled, such churches focus on becoming spiritual vessels with the capacity for transformation.  They produce people who see life differently and act accordingly.  The incarnational community allows ministries to emerge that fulfill the personal missions of each member."

"The church as incarnational community is a culture of transformation where members experience God and are transformed into persons of faith."

"The task of church leadership is to spark the transformational process and then allow members to work out their own transformations, individually and collectively through emerging ministries of the church."

"Christianity is a way of liberation from a bondage that seeks to co-opt religion in order to keep people enslaved.  It is not a once a week pass from imprisonment (into God's realm) nor is it a way to make our collective prisons better places to live."

"The church as incarnational community recognizes that its purpose is not to alleviate, educate, or motivate.  Rather its purpose is to liberate."

"The way of Christ is not a way of bondage that requires us to act in a restricted and predefined manner.  It is a way of liberation that enables us to live life as God intended."