Julia’s Tunings

Sunday morning retuning:  Good deeds and good works go together.  Again, Pastor Myron continues to build a strong case for why we, as a church, should be externally focused.  Stay with us as he continues to develop this focus through a survey of different Scriptures that point to such a position.  For more on digger deeper look here.

As many of you know, Julia Ciferno is serving with me this summer as our inaugural North-Mar Church Worship Ministries Intern. She is doing a bang up job by the way, blazing a trail for others to follow. I have tried to share as many of my weekly duties with she has risen to the challenge again and again. This week she serves as a guest contributor for Tuesday Tunings, while simultaneously sharing how God has been and continues to lead her to serve Him through worship. I am excited for you to hear her story.

It’s been almost a year since my sister and I, along with 4 other people, embarked on a journey to Hyderabad, India. You may have received a letter prior to our trip and decided to support us with your prayers and gifts—we can’t thank you enough! God provided tremendously, and we saw His love, provision, and power through every aspect of our endeavors. I’d like to take a moment to share a bit of what God has done in my own heart through this experience, and how He’s used it to propel me into what I am now preparing for—over 4 months in the country of Jordan.

First, let’s rewind to August 2013.

I was in India. We worked in and visited 3 different schools, 2 of them in the slums. The spiritual climate was an experience in itself. I’ve been to Burkina Faso, but there was something about India that dried out my spirit in a whole new way. After one week, we had the opportunity to go to a church on the OM (Operation Mobilization) base-- and I couldn't make it through one second of worship without crying. There I was, worshipping the one true God in a land of millions of people who were trying to worship millions of different gods at once! And it was through worship that my spirit was encouraged, nourished, strengthened and watered. Another week passed, and I came to worship once again with the same thirst as before.

I returned from India to an emotional situation at home, and the beginning of fall semester (the semester literally started the day I flew home). I spent the next few weeks with a troubled spirit (not to mention a lot of jet lag), and found solace only in His presence. I became addicted (in a totally awesome, life-changing way) to worship music. I was a musician, so I had plenty of artists who I liked to listen to; but I no longer found any desire to listen to anything other than praise and worship. It fed my soul, kept me thankful, and above all else kept my mind focused on Him and His heart.

I had been leading worship for the young adult group at my church for 3 years, and it had become a huge part of my life. I had always wondered if there was a way that God wanted to use me in regard to worship overseas, but it wasn't until India that I began to have a real sense of the necessity of spending time in worship--especially in such a dark land. If I had such an overwhelming need for it when spending only 2 weeks in India--what was it like for believers who spend 4+ years in the same atmosphere, but in closed countries where they can't simply attend a worship service?

I felt led to meet with our International worker to Jordan to find out if this was indeed a need that they experienced (and if so, to explore how God might use me in that area). I began by telling her about India, and she shared that the first time she came home from 3 years in Jordan, she cried during worship every Sunday for 6 months.

Then she smiled and said, "It's really interesting that you're saying all of this... because a few weeks ago I said to my husband, 'wouldn’t it be SO cool if God called Julia to Jordan to lead worship for us?'"

I got chills--but that wasn't the end of it! She told me of other areas needing attention—web, graphics, photography, videography, and an arts and crafts non-profit of theirs. These are all of my passions aside from worship! I'm currently studying Fine Art with a Graphic Design emphasis, and I love film and have taken classes for it.

Oh, how beautiful does God piece things together.

Julia applied through Envision, a branch of the C&MA that is committed to raising up the next generation for Kingdom change. And of course, she was accepted. Her internship begins in January and finishes in May. She needs to raise $1,250 per month--totaling close to $7000, (not including airfare). If you’d like to be a part of supporting her in this journey, you can give online here. In the box under “Give to International Workers and Special Projects,” type: "ENV – Julia Ciferno" and then click the red “Give Now” box that appears.

Jesus, please continue to guide Julia as she endeavors to stay one step behind You. Provide for every need she has. Use our family at North-Mar as a tremendous encouragement to her in this and every part of her journey. In Jesus name.  Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy

Externally-Focused Church

Sunday morning retuning:  So we have begun our four week journey through our Externally-Focused Church series.  Pastor Myron began to build a strong case for why we, as a church, should be externally focused.  Stay with us as he continues to develop this focus through a survey of different Scriptures that point to such a position.  For more on digger deeper look here.

This idea of focusing externally has been on my heart for almost a year in a very pointed way.  In September of last year while attending our Annual District Conference, a gathering of Alliance church leaders from West Virginia and Eastern Ohio, we heard a stirring message from our Superintendent from 1 Peter 2:9.  He used that Scripture to illustrate who we are, God’s people and what we are called to do, declare His praises.  The Church, Focus Externally, to bend it from my perspective.

Having just completed a CD project titled “Show Us Your Glory”, and ever looking for the “next step” Jesus wants us to take, this idea of “declaring the praises of Him who called [us] out of darkness and into His wonderful light”, seemed very clear.  For the next several months I listened to things that would encourage that very heart, and now, as we stand on the cusp of releasing that new CD [Release Party scheduled for Saturday, August 23] we are spending a few weeks being instructed as to what the Bible says about looking outwardly as we live the Gospel.  God’s timing never ceases to amaze me!

As I began to pray about the services that would share the burden of revealing these truths, I kept being drawn back to remembering what the church is, and what we are called to do.  All this in line with the thrust of the CD that is currently in production.  [If you would like to see a sneak peek of the cover designed by our worship intern Julia Ciferno you can click here.]  In the midst of that process I came across one video, then another that I thought were perfect companions, bookends as it were for this four week series.  I gathered from the response on Sunday I am not alone in that estimation.

The first stirs us to recall what Church is even as we gather, Welcome to Church.  

The second which we used as we prepared to depart reminds us that it takes a whole life to do this, not one hour, Before You’re Dismissed.  I love his last line, “Only when you leave the church building can you create the Kingdom of Heaven.”

I have also been listening to some new songs for the next project, which we may just do live on a few Sunday mornings next July or August, and one of them in particular really has come to the forefront because of one line in particular.  The song is We Believe, by the Newsboys.  “So, let our faith be more than anthems/Greater than the songs we sing”. Amen!

Jesus, we want to do more than declare Your praise for 1 hour while we are gathered together.  We want to declare it in everything we do. Teach us to focus externally, even as we rest in You.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy

I Hope You Dance

Sunday morning retuning:  You heard a stirring story of a family that is working heard to put faith in action as they learn to love the world around them.  What’s the next step for you?  Will you take it?  You probably have some sense of how God is leading and if not, stay with us the next four weeks through our Externally-Focused Church series.  I bet you will know by then.

This past weekend I had the great joy of celebrating the marriage of one of my nephews to his lovely new bride.  It was a beautiful ceremony, followed by a joy-filled reception where the love of and for this couple was fully one display.  I was truly honored to be a guest at this celebration!

I really enjoyed the food and festivities of the reception, including the dancing.  At one point, when I sat down to take a break, my mother-in-law said to me, “I am seeing a side of you I never have.”  That caught me off guard, since she has know me over twenty years, and has seen me in a number of different settings, leading worship and special services, and living ordinary life.

I had to ask myself what was it that she saw that she hadn’t before and why hadn’t she.  My immediate response was she has seen me in front of the church, not in the crowd celebrating.  But it also occurred to me that life does not provide many opportunities to dance, either literally or figuratively.  Keep that in mind while I share another theme on my heart these days.

We are just finishing up the production of our newest recording project titled “Declare His Praises”.  Based on I Peter 2:9b the intent was to create a project that would encourage and aid our church to speak God’s worth in a strong and confident way.  By His grace, I think we have done that.  You can listen to a sample here.  [If you were a member of our about Facebook group you would have already gotten a notification about this, just saying.]

This idea of being strong and confident as we declare God’s praise intertwined for me this weekend with this idea of dancing.  That is, not holding back, sitting on the side of the dance floor but getting in the game.  Generally speaking, I want to dance, to live with faith and vigor.  Frankly, I want this for you too. When given the choice to sit out or dance, I Hope You Dance.

There is another wedding feast that I am looking forward to.  It will be a celebration like none ever before.  It is the one that will follow the marriage of Jesus Christ and His Bride the Church.  Every time we gather to worship we are declaring this truth and foreshadowing its fulfillment.  But I wonder how well we do?  Here is another song which provides that encouragement to dance, but this one makes me want to actually do it!  The invitation is there for any who will receive it to get onto God’s Great Dance Floor.  

Jesus, thank You for inviting us to live boldly, and to declare Your praises likewise.  Give us the courage we need to do this every day, as a natural expression of the way You have created and are re-creating each of us.  Help us dance, always and only for Your glory.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy

Bella Crisis Kitty

Sunday morning retuning:  What a great encouragement to be a child of God, and exactly what that looks like for those of who have forgotten, we received on Sunday.  May God give each of us the grace to put this truth into practice.  If you are ready to become a kid again, check here for resources to help.

[I am always trying to encourage each to see the hand of God in our lives, and giving HIm praise for it!  The following story provided by guest contributor Tia Ciferno, is a great illustration of that.]

Julie was walking to the garbage dumpster after our patient day today when a very tousled long-haired grey tabby began meowing loudly and incessantly. One ear was tattered and her face was gaunt with hunger. She followed Julie all the way up the Bella steps and onto our porch, crying.

At first we wondered why she limped and had such a terrible odor. With a closer look we found a pink jeweled collar wrapped around her neck then somehow looped over her right front shoulder and under her tummy. It was wedged tightly into her fur and skin, creating a deep and painful wound.  What a sight!  We gave her something to eat to distract her while taking scissors to the collar, and with one cut the collar fell free.

We thought instantly of my sister Maria, whose specialty is wildlife rehab. One phone call and she was on her way with medicine and counsel.  She washed our Bella Kitty's wounds gently, fed her and brought a cat carrier. Kitty sat quietly and allowed Maria to care for her, and tonight that wounded wanderer is sleeping soundly in my daughter's bedroom, sensing that she's very loved and safe here.  Her vet appointment for stitches and medicine is scheduled for tomorrow morning.

I know there's a beautiful creature beneath that matted fur and that emaciated body. Transformation is the story here, both in the feline that found her way to Bella, and in the lives of those who also find their refuge within our walls. We care for women (and men) who emotionally and spiritually limp up those same steps and enter our doors. We love them like the Good Samaritan who cared for the man on the side of the road. He carried him to the inn, dressed his wounds, and paid for his care.

God sends us such beautiful messages!  I was in tears as I thought again about the absolute horror of that kitty's wounds- but then the joy of cutting that collar from her and watching it fall free! What an exhilarating moment!  How the Lord must rejoice when we come to Him in all our woundedness and with so much binding our hearts...perhaps wrapped in the stench of death from sin- only to find that our pleas are met with a Divine loosening of all we carry by the Power of Love....because of Christ He looses our bonds and we are free!

Transformation is the story for all of us!!

--

Tia Ciferno

Executive Director

Bella Women's Center

Thanks Tia for this beautiful reminder of God’s work in our lives.

Jesus, thank You for your transforming work in our lives.  Please don’t stop.  we are so needy of your continued freeing, because we often get ourselves tangled up in different messes, our own and others.  Make us beautiful in Your time.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy

Worship Workshop: Recapitulation

Sunday morning retuning:  Forgiveness.  It lies at the heart of our relationship with Christ, available to all who will believe, and ultimately is a crucial practice if we want to maintain the quality of any other relationships, yet for so many it seems so elusive.  Are you walking on forgiveness, or is the mustard seed of faith required to activate it a source of constant irritation?  If you are ready to take the next step, check here for resources to help.

If you asked me to describe our recent Worship Workshop in a word, and some have, it would have to be “WOW!”, and not because I really like alliteration.  I was hopeful for a solid event with good attendance and response, but God exceeded my expectations.  AS I debriefed with Adreanne and Julia last Monday, we agreed that our first was a great success, even as we dreamed about the next.  But before I get ahead of myself, allow me to recap, or recapitulate.

Recapitulation from Haydn’s Sonata in G Major

A recapitulation you see is a summary at the end that repeats the substance of a longer discussion.  A recapitulation, musically speaking, is the repetition of themes introduced earlier, especially as one is composing the final part of a movement.  I am hoping our movement, or rather the movement of God we are experiencing, is far from over, but I want to briefly revisit the themes from the workshop so we can be on the same page as we move forward together with Him.

The main theme was One Thing, inspired by Psalm 27:4.  “One thing have I asked of the Lord,/that will I seek after:/that I may dwell in the house of the Lord    all the days of my life,/to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord/and to inquire in his temple.”  David’s one thing is ours as well, to live with a constant awareness of God’s presence, but for us as temples of the Holy Spirit.  As we began, I asked every attender to listen to God for “one thing” that they could do in response to our sessions together that would improve their service to our King.

Then, in addition to two times of musical worship, and fellowship around our meals, we enjoyed sessions where we focused on different aspects of our 1. Worshipper, 2. Leader, and 3. Musician paradigm.  We spent Friday night learning and practicing “spiritual song” [Colossians 3:16-17, Ephesians 5:18b-21], developing this ability so we might be better Leaders.  The breakout sessions Saturday morning gave us a chance to learn and grow as Musicians.  [Thanks to Adreanne Zeleny, guitars, and our guest clinician Tony Brower, bass and drums.]  Before lunch we considered a few factors that impact the quality of our “Private Preparation for Public Ministry” so that we could zero in on growing as Worshippers.  We concluded with a quick listening session for the upcoming recording.

If you were present, I want to remind you of my challenge.  What One Thing are you doing to grow and improve?  If you have not acted on that yet, do it this week before you lose the impetus to do so.  If you were not present, I hope you will join us for our upcoming Night of Worship, Friday, June 13 as we continue to endeavor to stay one step behind Jesus!

Just a quick reminder...At the workshop I mentioned a training site we have access to which provides a lot of great resources for continued individual growth.  See details for that below in my NOTES!!

Jesus, help me to take that next step in growing in my worship leadership.  Whether as a worshipper, leader, or musician, show me what to do, and give me the courage to step out and follow You.  I want to be faithfully following and helping others do the same.  Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy

Rhythm of Prayer

Sunday morning retuning:  We examined Luke 17:11-19 on Sunday.  Pastor Myron challenged us to examine our hearts to determine if we are grateful like the 1 leper, or ungrateful like the 9.  If you are ready to develop a heart of gratitude, check here for resources to help.

Prayer changes things because prayer changes us.  Have you been a part of one of these huddles lately?  Even better, have you ever been at the center of one, being prayed for?  It is a sacred moment.  Hundreds of people gathered around you to ask God’s blessing on what lies ahead of you.  It is inspiring.  And yes, as an introvert I will confess it can be a little unnerving, but I do believe it is worth doing.

This was the most recent one, this past Sunday for an International Worker family

We regularly gather like this to pray as a way of modeling that we are with those leaving, and as a reminder for us to prayer for them while they are gone.  I think it is a good thing, but especially as it gives us a chance to heighten our awareness of God’s presence in our going.  It is that idea of regularly cultivating such an awareness that I want to call the rhythm of prayer.

Much like the idea of staying one step behind Jesus, learning to live a lifestyle of prayer requires some discipline, but the product is worth the attention it demands.  You see, prayer can easily be relegated to the activity of the hyper-spiritual, or limited to a certain context, but rather it is to be constant by all believers.  I know this is a challenging standard, but it what the Scripture declares in Ephesians 5:16-18.

It was this kind of passage and others which speak of whole life worship that caused me to wonder where to go beyond having a daily devotional time.  I wanted to do more than beat my drum once a day, I wanted to develop a rhythm I could march to, if you will.  I wanted to have more of a cadence to my prayer life.

Several years ago, while I was wrestling to incorporate this rhythm of prayer into my life, I heard someone teach about the Daily Offices of prayer as practiced in mainly litugical churches.  The Book of Common Prayer of the Anglican Church is a good example.  The idea is to set aside set times throughout the day to rekindle this heart of prayer, in an effort to make it more and more of an ongoing practice.

I prayed about this and decided to incorporate this idea in my task list.  I have “Daily BIble Reading and Prayer” at the top of my list each day before this, and I think I had even begun to include a reminder to pray at the end of my day “Evening Prayer and Journaling”.  What I added was two other reminders as tasks, “Late Morning Prayer” and “Afternoon Prayer”.  As opposed to set prayers crafted by others, I vary these times each day, while keeping some of my focus similar.  

Please do not misunderstand me.  I fail to be as regular about this as I would like.  I have a long way to go in growing a constant, faithful rhythm in prayer, but this practice has added intentionality to my quest.  The recurring reminder to pray has helped me, and it might help you.

Another little reminder...whenever you walk through a door, pray.  We all go through numerous doors each day.  It also helps us to prepare for that next thing, whatever it may be, as marked by our entrance into another area or place.

For those who may wonder, this is the door to my study

Jesus, help me develop a rhythm to my prayer life.  I want to be faithful in prayer, like a soldier marching into battle, like a farmer planting his crops, like a runner running his race.  Show me what I need to do to take that next step.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy

Next Step in Prayer

Sunday morning retuning:  Praying, giving, transforming, sharing.  Four things that will be a part of being on missions with God according to our international worker who was with us Sunday.  What is your next step?  Are you ready to follow Jesus, even if it requires you to lose your life?   If you are ready to take the next step, check here for resources to help.

During one of the sessions at our recent Worship Workshop I challenged participants to grow in their personal worship.  The reason being that the quality of our personal worship has a direct correlation on the quality of our public ministry.  Like so many other things in our Christian walk, and many things in our service to God through music, small incremental progress is the best way to grow.  To this end, I asked each person to consider what might be the next step for them as they grow in this area.

Last week I had a conversation with someone who admitted that for them prayer is difficult.  There are other ways they feel closer to God, but expressed a desire to me to grow in prayer.  I told them I would be praying about that and would come back and inquire as to their progress intermittently.  That got me thinking about a few of tools I use to aid my prayer.

On my calendar when in the morning I have a block of time labeled “Preparing for My Day”.  The note on that appointment includes my version of a simple prayer I came across several years ago.  It reads, “God, whether I get anything else done today, I want to make sure that I spend time loving You and loving other people--because that's what life is all about.  I don't want to waste this day.”  This reminds me that loving is the most important thing I will do.  I need to pray this more often.

Even before the appointment is another one titled “Time with God”.  It contains at the bottom a short list of people I pray for regularly.  Before it are the words of a prayer written primarily by Paul Baloche which I personalized.  This prayer has shaped me over the years in a number of areas. It reads like this.

I cry out to You, Lord, to restore a sense of awe toward You and Your Word.  Fashion a childlike heart in me that I might be continually preoccupied with You, Father.  Cultivate in me a sense of wonder at who You are and what You do.  I need a fresh revelation of You, Jesus.  I need to see You more with the eyes of my heart.  I ask You to reveal more of Yourself to me on a daily, even moment by moment basis.  Soften my heart and deliver me from any religious and cultural cynicism that may have crept in.   Fill me Holy Spirit.  Free me to express my worship to You in a way that You are worthy of. Let my life be a sacrifice of praise to You, through Jesus Christ my Lord.  Amen.

The words are not magical, but faithfully praying these has allowed me to increase my awareness of God’s presence in my life.  They help me to cultivate my walk with the Lord by intentionally asking for more of Him every day.  They are remind me to offer my life in worship, living as a sacrifice of praise.  I do pray them as often or as fervently as I need to, but every time I do, they help me to move closer toward the Lord.

One last thing I have done over the years is pronounce a blessing on our boys at night.  Though I have not been as faithful to pray with them at other times, the Lord has enabled me to be faithful in this, to the extent that they will ask for it if I should happen to forget while tucking them in at night.  I simply pray, “I bless you [First and middle name] in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  I pray God will help you to grow to love HIm with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself.”  I generally customize it from there, but I almost always start with this blessing.

I know that my boys have grown accustomed to it because it is a good habit, but beyond that, it has had an impact on me.  It has reminded me of my responsibility before God to point them to Him.  I often fail to do this in other ways, but this simple practice has carried the benefit of allowing me to redeem other mistakes by faithfully asking for God to bless them.

I will share next week a few other habits in prayer that I have tried to develop, but please know that my intent is simply to encourage you to do something to grow in your practice of prayer as a crucial part of your worship life.  The point is not the words or the ritual, but the training of the heart to stay in a humble position toward God.

What’s your next step in that direction?  Answer that question today, and act on it, maybe even before the sun sets.

Jesus, help me to grow in the discipline of prayer.  I want to commune with you constantly and I confess this is an area of my personal life of worship that could use some attention.  Draw me close and show me what that next step is for me and I will take it.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy

Clearing the Clogs

Sunday morning retuning:  God loves broken (people).  That’s good news isn’t it!?!  But how will you make it more that a Big Idea? Do you know what your NEXT STEP is as you respond to our encounter with God Sunday?  Maybe you need to review.  Check here for resources to help you.

Occasionally I will hear an amazing story that I think bears retelling because of the perspective it can bring.  The following is from guest contributor, Todd Maki.  He shared this with me last week and I felt compelled to share it with you, my Tuesday Tuning-ites.  I pray the Lord will speak to you through it as He did me...

I woke up on Wednesday morning as usual. Lots of rain, which I really like (I am one of the strange few that really loves the rainy, snowy weather in Ohio). I had an appointment with someone from the gas company arranged to come and look at my meter in the morning. When he arrived, I let him into the house and into the basement, where there was a bit of water that had collected around the drain - which wasn't unusual, as I live in an older home and the drain is a bit on the slow side; a bit of water will tend to seep into the basement from time to time, but it eventually drains away. He checked the meter, I went back upstairs and went back to work.

photo not from Todd’s basement, just for illustrative purposes

I came downstairs in a few hours and noticed that the puddle had gotten even bigger. I figured that it was probably just a bit more excess water than usual, as the nation in general has been experiencing floods and the like; this was probably just a bit more water than usual. I figured that I would just wait a bit longer before dealing with it, as, though it is an inconvenience, it always tends to go away.

Again, photo not from Todd’s basement, just for illustrative purposes

A few more hours had passed and I checked on it again. The "puddle" was not a puddle any more. It was approximately 8 inches of water covering the entire expanse of my basement. Immediately I dropped everything that I was doing (which wasn't terribly convenient, as I had quite a few very hard deadlines that week) and shifted into emergency-evacuate-the-basement mode. In one second I went from dissecting chord progressions to hustling up drumsets, wet cardboard boxes that were falling apart, and tangled cables that were dripping with water from my basement to my living room upstairs.

Having done that, I still was of the opinion that even with all of this water, it would eventually drain away as it always does. Hours passed. The 8 inches of water had become about 10 inches. It inching dangerously close to the furnace and a few electrical things. It had gone from an inconvenience to an emergency to potentially horrific emergency.

I have a wonderfully resourceful, hard working neighbor who happened to have a plug-in pump apparatus with a hose that I was fortunately able to plug in to remove the excess water. Surely this would solve the problem; if I can just drain out this water then it will be fine. It took 6 hours to drain it all out; water was just gushing out of the hose in my driveway heading towards the street. I checked back in a few hours. All of the water was back. I had to systematically drain out my basement every 3 hours. I had no choice but to call a professional to come and diagnose the problem. They informed me that they wouldn't be able to make it out until the next day. I sat there in tears and frustration on the soaking wet bottom few steps on the stairwell. My day was lost, my basement flooded, a few things ruined. But as I watched the water leaving my basement (now for the 4th time), I had a striking vision. Watching the water drain away looked just like sin and its consequences leaving the soul when one repents (who, if you're as flawed as I am, is a lot). I saw the devastation that it left behind and the big mess that it made, and just how much time and energy I had been spending only to continually maintain the damage instead of getting rid of the root problem. I felt such resolve to deal with this problem once and for all so that it never happens again. God literally spoke directly to me in the midst of a very literal flood in a very clear voice, providing me with a real world analogy.

Just like God....my phone rang. It was the plumbing company who unexpectedly had an opening at THAT VERY MOMENT. They arrived in 3 minutes. They did a few analysis things then brought in the tools to fix whatever the problem was.

I sat there, watching. I asked the main plumber: "Was it all of the storms in the area that caused the problem"

His answer haunted me for the rest of the week:"No", he answered, "The storm wasn't the problem; the clogged drain was. The storm just brought much needed attention to the problem which has always been there".

This clog in my drain has been there for so long that I had stopped paying any attention to it. I was fine limping along with the periodic inconvenience of it. But when the consequences became out of control, I was forced to come to terms with the reality of what I didn't want to see, know about or deal with. The clog has now been cleared and -though I have a HUGE mess to clean up- the floods will be no more.

"Go and sin no more...."

Thanks Todd for that beautiful reminder of the need to deal not with symptoms but with the root cause of our problems, sin.  As you continue to live a life of worship, allow the Holy Spirit to examine your life regularly and do not turn a blind eye to the evidence that there is a problem.

Jesus, unclog our drains.  When the floods come, help us get to the bottom of the problem,  Send your plumbing specialist, the Holy Spirit to diagnose and fix our problems.  We welcome Him in.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy

Worship Workshop: Why?

Sunday morning retuning:  Watch yourselves!  As we try to stay one step behind Jesus the enemy wants to deter us at every corner.  Do you know what your NEXT STEP is as you respond to our encounter Sunday?  Maybe you need to review.  Check here for resources to help you.

Have you heard the news? We are having a Worship Workshop!  For several years I have wanted to host an event like this, and I am thrilled we are going to finally be able to do it.  

It occurs to me that you might be wondering...why? Why a worship workshop? What is a worship workshop? What will ours look like next weekend? Why now?  I'm so glad you asked!

Ultimately, it all stems from the parable of the talents.  Luke 19:11-27  Though this translation says minas, others say talents, in reference to money, even though the broader principle of resources applies.  I like talents because I think that is a good word to describe the abilities we use to lead worship!  I believe it is my responsibility, as a manager of talents, to develop those talents and utilize them for the glory of our Lord, to the best of my ability.   The workshop truly is driven by that conviction and a desire to see it honored.

As to what a worship workshop is, besides and mild tongue twister, it is a time when we will learn and practice a variety of different disciplines that will aid us in our individual and combined worship.  In short, it will help us each to be better stewards of every resource we have, loving the Lord with heart soul mind and strength.

How are we going to accomplish this?  Through times gathered around tables to eat, God's word, instrument-specific instruction, prayer and worship, I'm trusting the Lord will cultivate what is already resident in each of us, a deep desire to love him with all that we are.  And it is not just for the musically talented, because music is just one part, vehicle, aspect of our worship.  Tell others, including your own family members, and encourage them to attend. It will likely give them some beneficial insight into what it is that we are ever growing into together.

Why now?  I have a sense in my spirit that we are poised for God to move in new and fresh ways and not only our church, but this valley.  I am humbled to have a sense that we will be a part of what God is doing beyond the walls of our church, but certainly including those who regularly gather here to worship Him.  My faith is active and expectant, and I invite you to join me in praying mentally for workshop that will come from the Jesus may be glorified!

Jesus, show us how to worship You better, lead people better, and make better music for your glory.  Use our workshop next weekend to do all of these things...and so much more.In Jesus name.  Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy