January 4, 2007

Wildfire

Alas, Christmas is almost over.  Beloved’s 5^th Birthday celebration is coming to a close.  Where do we go from here?

Throughout history, God’s plans for his people have never been sedate or calm.  We worship a wild and crazy God whose adventures are never ending.  When we follow Jesus, he challenges us to live lives that challenge the status quo.  And his desire for the church is for it to grow beyond our comfort levels and our wildest expectations.  Beloved began with four people, grew to 38 people, and reached its 5^th birthday with almost 100 households.  What does God have in store for our future?

In the Bible, chapters 1 and 2 of the book of Acts tell us that the early church in Jerusalem went from 120 believers to over 3,000 believers overnight.  This 3,000 then grew to an estimated 20,000 (or about a third of the population of Jerusalem).  Bill Easum (a pioneer in the church growth movement and one of the most highly respected church consultants and Christian futurists in North America) writing in his newest book, Go Big, describes this as “crazy, psycho growth.  (After that) it just went nuts like a wildfire.”  Just think for a moment…in just ten generations the entire Roman world had become Christian!  “And that’s what God wants to do in your ministry…Don’t overestimate what you can do in a year or underestimate what you can do in ten or twenty or thirty or forty years…I will require years of faithfulness.” (pp. 8-9).

In Acts we have a clear description of how the Holy Spirit’s wildfire began.  With two out of three people in our community and world without a meaningful relationship with Jesus (about four billion individuals), the fields are still ripe for harvest.  God wants his church to grow because as it does, Jesus’ loving presence and reign spreads in every neighborhood and is offered to every person. 

Step one in this New Year begins on our knees.  Are we willing to surrender our personal agendas and intently and deliberately pray for God to double, to triple, to quadruple our faith community—or even better—to audaciously ask for empowerment to reach this entire city with the good news of Jesus?  What do we really think our wild and crazy God is going to say to such a request:  “No, I don’t want to do that?” 

J. Derek Harbin, priest

Around Beloved…This Sunday Beloved finishes the Christmas celebration this Sunday with an Epiphany Pageant.  Eastern Orthodox Christians around the world, including those in Bethlehem, celebrate Christmas on the Epiphany (January 6).  Join in this festive pageant recounting the miracle of Christ's birth through his baptism by John the Baptist and join in a Birthday Party for Jesus following worship.  Speaking roles for those who requested one on the sign up sheets were emailed earlier this week; all others who desire to be an angel, shepherd or sheep are welcome to participate.  A Pageant Rehearsal will be held at Community House Middle School on Saturday, January 6 beginning at 10am.  This rehearsal is especially important for those who have speaking roles.

Sunday Christian formation resumes on January 21.

The fourth Sunday of Advent…Attendance: 96; Basket Offering: $2,832

Christmas Eve…Attendance: 197; Basket Offering: $7,955

Last Sunday…Attendance: 110; Basket Offering: $13,359

Serving at God’s Altar This Sunday…Angel Army Team 3 (Captain: Mark Leinenkugel; Administrator: Kris Leinenkugel; Pastor: Jim Skrobot; Convener: Scott Sanniota); Acolytes: Caleb Friend; Hannah Friend; Thomas Friend; Austin Yearwood; Altar Bread Baker: Catherine Atwood; Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Dick Reif & Al Krantz; Offertory Basket Passers: Ceci Atwood; Gabi Leinenkugel; Jack Sanniota; Katie Sanniota; PowerPoint: Kevin Krantz; Presenters: THE THREE WISE MEN

In our Prayers…Wes Nichols‘ father, Jim, who is hospitalized in intensive care…Janie Wooten who broke her ankle…Annabelle Duty who will have tubes put in her ears on Friday…Michelle Dezzutto‘s sister, Joan…Mike Montagnino recuperating from back surgery…Elizabeth, Shari Wynn‘s sister…Bob, Lee Frickhoeffer‘s uncle…Phyllis, Linda Mellon‘s mother…Mike, Dick Reif’s brother…Joe, Michele Nichol’s father…Melissa, Donna Elyea’s cousin…Emily, Nancy and Tony Hodgson's granddaughter…Michel, Catherine Atwood’s father…those serving in Iraq, especially Bob, Clifford King Harbin‘s nephew, Jared, Wes and Michele Nichols’ nephew; Ron, Marilyn Doyon‘s brother-in-law...Palmer, Betsy Fox’s teenage cousin…Jessie Powell...Bertie, Bonnie Lowder’s mother…Ed and Jean, Dick Reif's parents…Pat Kitts, friend of Beloved…Penny Crawford and Chris Morley as they seek permanent employment...the staff and students of Community House Middle School

Upcoming Calendar…click here