I have always liked that we mark this special weekend by hanging dozens of national flags. To me, it serves as a reminder of what is written in Revelation 7:9. When God gives John a glimpse of the heavenly future, he sees “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”
Read MoreOne of the ways that our church reaffirms and renews our commitments to praying for harvest laborers and participating in the work of those in the field is through our annual Missions Emphasis Weekend on Oct. 27-29. It is a visual reminder of Jesus’ words to His disciples:
Read MoreI have been thinking about trees lately. A few weeks back we took down a large evergreen tree on our property that was leaning and starting to split lengthwise up the trunk. Once it had been felled, limbed, and bucked, we saw…
Read MoreWe, as a church, a transition team, and the leadership, have been asking God for wisdom about going forward. Part of the wisdom He has given us is to follow IPM’s 5 stage process, which we are doing now in stage 2. With stage 3 in view, we are getting…
Read MoreHave you ever been watching something that you didn’t recognize at first and then you say, “We’ve seen that one!”? You might be tempted to say that about this weekly update, but while there are elements you have seen before, this is (oddly enough) an “update!”.
Read MoreWhat I didn’t question, though, was the need to pray. As one guy in my prayer triplet reminded us, “Prayer accomplishes things.” We don’t exactly understand how or why, but God calls us to pray, and He responds. God is all-powerful and can accomplish His purposes without us, yet He invites us into His work through prayer. Crazy.
Read MoreAnd just like that, Summer is gone. School lunches are being packed, buses are rolling, math facts are being studied, and like it or not, we are forced back into a stricter routine. As a school teacher, I love this time of year. There’s just something about new crayons, a clean stack of notebook paper and a fresh start.
Read MoreLast week, someone in our church body let me know of a need for a caregiver for an elderly woman in our community….
Read MoreIf you are a parent who has ever taken your kids on a trip, you have heard those words. I got used to telling my sons, “Yup – get out!”. If you were ever a youth pastor you heard it even more driving the church van. My answer was, “No but we are stopping here for gas and a bathroom break. Be sure to get back to the van soon.” If you are an interim pastor, the conversation can be similar…
Read MoreWhat a gift it is to belong to a body of fellow believers who has one goal; to honor God. We are a team seeking to fulfill the Great Commission as each part plays a vital role in making disciples!
Read MoreA couple of weeks ago, pastor Bob pointed out in one of his messages that the learning process is not limited to the young, both in age or spiritual maturity, but that it is a lifetime process in which we all participate.
Read MoreThroughout Scripture God gives specific commands to us. Love the Lord your God [Deuteronomy 6:5], follow me [Mathew 4:19], and go make disciples [Mathew 28:19] and repeated in Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The great commission is great because it rests on the authority of Christ and
Read More“Pray continually.” Clearly we can’t form words without breathing, eating, sleeping, etc. In context, this means that the entire life of the believer is lived in dependence on God. That being said, there is a time and a call for much vocal praying as well.
Read MoreGod speaks to his people in many different ways. To Moses, he spoke through a burning bush (Exodus 3). To Job, he spoke through a whirlwind (Job 38). To Elijah, he spoke in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19). At one point, he even opened the mouth of a donkey (Numbers 22) to get his point across!
Read MoreHave you ever experienced the kind of jubilation that led the prodigal son’s father to throw a party? Have you ever been as excited as the shepherd was about finding his lost sheep? Have you ever enjoyed the “gaining of a brother,” as a result of working the reconciliatory steps of Matthew 18?
As a church body, we’ve been talking about reconciliation quite a bit lately. Well actually
Read MoreThe fear of the Lord is a difficult concept. Christ comes to free us from fear, but then the Scriptures tell us to fear God. Which is it? We know it’s one of those “both” answers, but how does that work?
Read MoreA big welcome to Bob – he has hit the ground running, already meeting with many. If you would like to meet with him
Read MoreLTCC loves one another, that is for sure! We also love our community through serving, as was exemplified last Saturday at the Compassion Washington healthcare event where approximately 30 from our church body served in a multitude of ways.
Read MoreDuring this graduation season and end of the school year festivities, I’ve found myself reflecting on the rich tapestry of life. Milestones such as graduations often stir up many emotions as they mark the end of a season and the beginning of something new. Tears flow as that graduation day reminds us of each day along the way as we’ve journeyed to that point.
Read MoreI'm continually amazed at how our minds work. The Lord has given us a wonderful organ, capable of the highest of thoughts – and, occasionally, one capable of actually entertaining us in our musings. When thinking about the 12 months of the year, here's how mine works…
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