Fairview Heights Campus

Sunday - 8:30am, 10:30am, 6:00pm

Saturday - 5:00pm
Collinsville / Maryville
Campus
Sunday - 10:00am
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:36
T
he scripture from John came to me one day while I was
exercising. For the remainder of that day I felt compelled
to make it the theme for this edition. I knew God would speak
through the authors as He has done so many times in previous
editions. It was with eager anticipation that I opened each
article to see what the Lord would say to me personally. I
would like to thank the writers for listening to the Holy Spirit and
sharing their hearts with us.
May 2012 be the year you experience freedom that comes
from a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus
Christ.
In His Name
Donna Harrison
Editor - donnaharrison@mychristchurch.com
Senior Pastor: Rev. Shane Bishop
Associate Pastor: Rev. Troy Benton
Editor: Donna Harrison
Proof Reader: Barbara Germany
Design: Justin Aymer
For a complete listing of the Christ Curch Staff
and to learn more about Christ Church please
visit: www.mychristchurch.com
The Flame Online:
Get The Flame Magazine online. Free pdf downloads. Email reminders of new editions.
Visit www.mychristchurch.com/thefame.
Mission Of The Flame:
Be inspirational through biblical articles and devotions. Be informative in the announcement
of future events that connect people in ministry.
Questions about the Flame?
Contact Donna Harrison at: donnaharrison@mychristchurch.com
The Flame Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine published by Christ Church. 2011, Christ Church. All rights reserved.
Contents
3 - A Slave To Sin
4 - Persistence
5 - Lessons In Leadership
6 - A True Resolution
7 - Financial Freedom
8 - I, Photographer
9 - Geting To Know You
10 - People Do What Tey Do
11 - To Live
12 - One
13 - Is It Free Will...
14 - Speed Of Life
15 - God At Work
A Note
from the editor
3
A
s American citizens, born, raised or
transplanted to the United States, one
of our greatest core values is freedom. It
is a core value that we talk a lot about, but
we know very little about actually being...
not free. Most of us have never lived in an
oppressive nation. We have all experienced
Americanized freedom. We wouldnt know
anything different.
The truth is, if the Son sets you free, you must
be set free of something. That something is
sin. If we look back a few verses to John 8:34
we see this: Jesus answered them, Truly,
truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin
is a slave to sin. And then in verse 36 He
says these great words as He is claiming to
be the Son: So if the Son sets you free, you
will be free indeed.
If we sin, were a slave to it. Plain and simple.
Jesus has come to set us free from that sin.
He declares that sin is defeated through Him
and as a result we are free through Him!
As a worship leader and a songwriter, I cant
help but notice the number of songs written
about freedom through Christ...old hymns like
Amazing Grace, and new songs like I Am
Free. In truth, any song that talks about our
sins being washed away through Jesus is a
song about freedom. Nothing But the Blood
of Jesus, Happy Day, Jesus Saves, etc.
Ill leave with you a few lyrics to ponder as
you thank Jesus for freedom through Him.
Through You the blind will see/the mute will
sing/the dead will rise/all hearts will praise/the
darkness fees/my heart screams I am free.
(I Am Free - Jon Egan)
A Slave To Sin
By Jef Allen, Associate Director Of Worship Arts
, ,

My chains are gone, Ive been set free/My God,
my Savior has ransomed me/And like a food His
mercy rains/Unending love/Amazing grace.
(Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) - Edwin Othello Excell, Louie
Giglio, John Newton, John P. Rees, and Chris Tomlin)
When I stand in that place/Free at last meeting
face to face/I am Yours, Jesus You are mine.
(Happy Day - Ben Cantelon and Tim Hughes)
Click To Play Video
4
W
hen I was about ten we lived three miles north
of Pinckneyville on Highway 127 in the tiny
parsonage of the Oak Grove Baptist Church. It was
1971 and my father served as the pastor, worship
director, secretary, youth director, custodian, bus driver
and exterminator of the small country congregation.
The house in which we lived has been moved off the
church property about two hundred yards to the north
but it is still there if you drive by. In those days, there
was a huge, metal fre tower to the south of the church
nestled in a small pine grove. I loved to climb that
thing. From there I could see the world! Every now
and then I would buy a wooden glider airplane from
the Ben Franklin Dime store on the town square, take
it to the top and let her soar! I always imagined that
it few for miles and maybe a kid in Okawville would
fnd it and think God sent him a free airplane. It was
a great life!
We had a dog named Sniffee (he sniffed a lot and
I was very clever with names), a grey spotted white
cat named Loopy and two Shetland Ponies named
Brownie and Ginger. Brownie was a brown pony (I told
you I was clever with names) and about two hundred
years old. In fact, dad had ridden Brownie when he
was a boy but it was her fnal offspring, a palomino
named Ginger, that was my particular nemesis. This
animal was a fre-breathing spitfre with an untamable
spirit who refused to be broken by man or boy. It
was Ginger who dealt me my frst life defeat when I
tried to saddle break her and was punished by her
fury. When she bucked me off, I would climb back on.
When she bucked me off, I climbed back on again. If
you are wondering how a human can get consistently
bucked off a pony the size of a German shepherd, I
want you to know that it is not only possible but likely
if you mount a particularly nefarious pony. Finally, her
persistence paid off, she broke me; I stopped climbing
on and that was the end of it. I dont think this is how
stories are supposed to endit is just the way most
stories really do.
I have known a lot of people over the years that have
big dreams in their hearts. But after they get bucked
off a few times, they give up and settle for simply
existing when they were created to truly live. Jesus
said in John 10:10, I have come that they might have
life and life abundantly. What if we refused to settle
in 2012? What if our hopes, dreams and aspirations
were put back on-line? Lets start dreaming again.
Lets determine that when it comes to becoming the
person God created us to be, we will never, ever, ever
give up no matter how many times we get bucked
off! The fre-breathing Shetland ponies of the world
should never be allowed to win. And they wont, as
long as we keep climbing back on the saddle.
Persistence
By Rev. Shane Bishop, Senior Pastor
5
I
n my senior year at a small
Midwestern teachers college,
I was President of the Student
Association and therefore,
President of the Student Senate.
One of my responsibilities was
to write a weekly article for the
student newspaper. I was newly
married, a former football player,
a member of the Homecoming
Court and full of myself-to
quote my dad. So I decided I
had the responsibility to write
about the state of the Education
Department at the university. I
bemoaned the fact that all the
instructors were old maid,
former teachers who had not
been in the classroom in years
but were in charge of training
the next generation of teachers.
I suggested the Education
Department Chairperson should
recruit some younger, more
up-to-date in their methods,
teachers to lead the classes in
his department.
I completed my undergraduate
degree and took a position
in a small community nearby
as the Junior High Social
Studies teacher and part-time
Elementary Principal. One
condition of that employment
was to begin work on my
masters degree immediately so
naturally, considering geography
By Larry Weber, Director Of Ministries
and expense, I went to my
undergrad alma mater each of
the next three summers. When
it came time to complete my oral
exams for my masters degree,
the head of the Education
Department put himself on my
committee. He only had one
question for me, Why did I
choose to do my masters work
at the same institution I had
so adamantly chastised just a
few years earlier? I learned
a powerful lesson that day; be
careful what you say as it may
come back to haunt you later.
During those three years at
that small school district I
was blessed to be mentored
by a caring, successful
superintendent and high school
principal. We would meet in the
sups offce each morning and
share a pot of coffee while Clark
and Marvin taught me the things
I needed to know about school
administration. Many afternoons
we would meet at one of our
homes to share a couple cold
beverages and debrief the days
events. Their mentoring taught
me many valuable lessons,
not the least of which was the
need for a caring supervisor.
Fortunately, I have one; I would
like to think I have been one
these forty years since that
graduation article in 1971.
Over the years I have been
blessed to have positions in
school administration where the
experience challenged me to
grow; e.g., I was principal at a
school on the Rosebud Sioux
Reservation just after Wounded
Knee. I obtained a post-
graduate degree to be qualifed
to be a school superintendent. I
learned to read great authors like
John Maxwell, listen to others in
conferences and on tape, and I
learned to pray.
I have used many resources
to grow professionally.
Mentoring, reading, professional
conferences, formal education,
experiences (trial and error) and
prayer have all guided me in
my leadership roles. The one
I love the most: reading. Many
would say the most valuable
is experiences. I would argue
the most valuable has been
prayer. Finding Gods wisdom
and guidance as I prayerfully
discern what to do next has
been my most valuable lesson in
leadership.
Lessons In
Leadership
6
A True Resolution
T
he gift of another year has been granted to us! The old is donethe new is upon us. This New Year offers
a ton of opportunities, growing edges, moments of grace and gratitude that we cant imagine are coming
and all will be experienced by this time next year. Almost everyone thinks about what they want to change,
and how they hope to make the New Year they are walking into better than the previous. Heres reality: hoping
this into reality is not enough! To make the next year better than last, hard work is required. I would love to
help us enter the season in ease; however I am compelled to offer a word that has laser-like focus and strong
passion. My target with this article is to assist as many as possible take full advantage of what we can become
in Christ Jesus.
For years Ive watched people speak that infamous phrase that by late March or early April they have put back
in their lexicon until another change of year is upon us again, My new years resolution is With this phrase,
a person makes resolution to do, say, spend, share, love, give, and the list goes on and on! My lips have
not refrained from using this axiom a time or two. In the times Ive pronounced this phrase, only once have I
really fulflled what I made promise to do (and the thing done was small, and only took two days to complete).
Ive come to the belief that we simply say the word resolution, but miss the potency of its power by taking it
lightly. Its easy to speak things that sound good, but fulflling life-changing elements becomes a challenge that
requires an uncanny commitment.
My prayer in 2012 for Gods people is that we make resolution to live a full redeemed life that registers truth
in ways that cannot be erased! If youre connecting with this, lets go a little further with this thought. One
defnition of the word resolution is, the act of answering: SOLVING. I have been reading this defnition
regularly all year. Ive done so due to an amazing time I experienced alone while on a business trip in January
2011. During a time of high refection and prayer regarding my life, and with paper in my hand, I listed my
gains and losses up till then. Simply put, I wasnt satisfed with the results! I believed God had prepared me
for more, promised me more, and had planned more. In that hotel room turned into a sanctuary, I bore my soul
to God, asking Him for answers to get what I knew God had made available to me. Through scripture reading,
and after writing down what I wanted to gain up to that point in my life, I discovered something. I came to a
realization that lack of fulfllment was due to my unwillingness to solve what I was suffering from. I got on my
knees in that room, and asked God for the strength to solve that which has placed limits on me.
From my desire to lose a few pounds, to my passion to be more fervent in my personal devotion time, to some
professional skills and goals I wanted to master and achieve, I committed to a discipline and practice that put
me on a path to gain solutions for these limits on a free life Christ had made available to me. Each week, in
one form or another, I have read this verse to remind me of my personal resolution in that hotel room. Its on
a colored sheet in my journal; I have an MP3 of it in my Smartphone that goes off each week at a set time;
this verse is marked in my worship Bible in both my offce and at home. John 8:36 is a promise that keeps
me on purpose in what I do and how I live. Ive scheduled reading this verse in my calendar monthly with the
notes from that time in the hotel attached for reminder. In other words, Ive made the presence and use of the
scripture a part of my routine. Ive solved limit by replacing it with scripture that says Im entitled and promised
freedom. (Imagine my amazement and reaction when I discovered this verse was the focus of this issue of The
Flame!)
My point: start today replacing limit with word and deed that gives life! Doing so is not easy; it will mean a
commitment like none other, but doing so will convince you of the great freedom and favor God has for you.
Doing so has done amazing things for me. Try it; your life will never be the same!
By Rev. Troy Benton, Associate Pastor
7
Financial Freedom!
By Wendy Smith
A
re you free? Spiritually free? Debt free? Free
too love? Free to invest? Free to sing? Free
to give? Most Christians can answer half of those
questions with a resounding yes yes to spiritually
free, yes to being able to love and yes to being able
to sing (at least in the shower!) but we may or may
not be able to say yes loudly to being debt free and
therefore able to give, invest and that was one of
the many reasons Financial Peace University was
such a success this fall. As we are
wrapping up our frst semester
of FPU, it is amazing to watch
over 200 people with over
$3.5 million in debt that
does not include mortgages
start to turn that around and
get rid of that debt and free
themselves from that awful
weight. No discipline seems
pleasant at the time, but
painful. Later on however,
it produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace for
those who have been trained
by it. (Hebrews 12:11NIV)
We do it in small steps
that are manageable and
digestible making the journey
even pleasant at times
there is laughter too!
Dave Ramsey does a great job of talking about
learning to control our money so that we can learn to
live like no one else, but I have been most impressed
by how people have reached out and helped each
other. The suggestions, the honesty and the forth
rightfulness with which people have freely discussed
their situations without going overboard, have been
insightful and provided guidance for many folks.
I am so proud of all these FPU pioneers and so
grateful to all the leaders who gave of their time and
energy. Not only have we made a difference in our
own lives but hopefully we have touched many, many
other lives as a result of being faithful to Gods call
to lead these groups and classes. As we all get to
a place where we
can answer all of the questions with a resounding
yes, think of Proverbs 24 Give freely and become
more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. (NLT) I
hope you say yes to all Spiritually free? Debt free?
Free too love? Free to invest? Free to sing? Free
to give?
8
I
am convinced that everyone is
called to a particular ministry.
We are blessed at Christ Church
to have so many people who
have found their calling, and are
joyfully serving right where God
needs them. Because all of us
work in our unique way together
in this place, we are able to
accomplish great things as the
Body of Christ. I feel blessed to
have found a place where I can
use the gifts God has given me to
connect people with Jesus Christ,
and to support others who are
working so hard to do the same.
My frst camera was, of course,
a 35mm flm camera that I took
with me on my 6th grade class
trip around Minnesota. When I
was in college, I bought a fancier
camera, lured by its impressive
zoom lens. When I came to
St. Louis to start seminary, I
brought an Olympus OM-10,
and got my frst job working as
a photographer to help pay my
bills. It just sort of spiraled out of
control from there. I am currently
bi-vocational as a Paramedic (to
pay the bills) and a photographer
to feed my spirit. I hope to
someday retire to full-time
photography.
I started taking photos because
it gave an otherwise socially
awkward kid something to do in
social situations; it gave me an
identity. Add in that I am an over-
achiever and have to be good at
everything that I do, and I go from
shutter bug to pro photographer,
learning everything I can to
perfect the craft.
Or another explanation, God
needed a way to crack my shell,
and He has since gifted me with
the talents to serve in a place that
He has a need. He is building
me into His servant. Through
images, we can connect others
with Jesus Christ, and they can
know of His power and grace.
I have the vision of someday
working full time in this ministry.
Photographing the various
missions and ministries down
I,
Photographer
By Mathew D. Kaufmann
the hall, around the corner, and
around the globe to tell their
stories and spread His word.
In the meantime (which is
where most ministry happens),
God has me working with an
incredible team of volunteers at
Christ Church. We provide all
of the photographic needs for
the communications team, and
photograph every baptism. We
would love to be a part of your
ministrys event - we just need
to know about it beforehand. We
are also always looking for new
volunteers to be a part of this
ministry; only minimal experience
is necessary. If you are ever
curious where our photos end up,
take a gander at:
http://photos.mychristchurch.com
It has been an amazing journey. I
make no pretense to know where
or how God is going to use me
next. Im along for the ride, trying
to be obedient to the One who
writes His-story. My only prayer is
to continue to be in His service.
9
Geting
To Know
You
Name: Alan Prass
Job Title: Executive Director
Job Description: Responsible for the daily
operations of the church.
What cartoon character best describes you?
Racer X, from Speed Racer
If you could live anywhere in the world for a year,
where would it be?
Hawaii, been there, done that, and would do it all over
again!
Were you named after anyone?
My father
Where are you from?
Springboro, Ohio
Which sport do you like?
College Football
Do you have a nickname?
Al Fuego
What is your favorite food?
Anything barbequed
What is your motto?
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Have you ever met a famous person?
Ive met a few, but the nicest was Jamie Farr, Corporal
Klinger from MASH.
What jobs have you done?
Paperboy, Busboy, Held every job at McDonalds
Restaurant, Seafood Shop, Pilot, AF Offcer, Church
Administrator, and Executive Director
What could you do as a child that you cant do
now?
Pretend that Im Evel Knievel and jump ramps on my
bike.
What are your hobbies?
Travel and Photography
What were you like when you were a kid?
Mischievous
What would your dream house be like?
It would be a large log cabin in Wyoming sitting on the
foothills just east of Yellowstone National Park with
large windows facing the valley
What drives you crazy?
Slow drivers who either fail to stop at stop signs or
they speed up at an intersection and are the last one
thru a yellow light.
Whats the strangest food youve eaten?
Raw Octopus
Have you ever come face to face with a dangerous
animal?
Yes, a rattlesnake, well maybe not face to face, but
foot to face.
10
People Do What
Tey Do...
By Neil D. Horowitz
T
he subject of this months FLAME has caused me to stop
and think about who I am and what I am able to do without
my relationship with God, through His Son Jesus. Of course,
the short answers are not much and not much. It also made
me stop and think about how Gods presence moves us in the
direction He wants us to go, and denying that presence sends
us into dark corners.
Sometime ago I had a client, lets call him Jay, who had a
serious addiction to the fesh, and all that suggests. When I
met him, he told me he was a Christian and had been one for
as long as he could recall. He believed in God the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit; and he and his wife were raising their
children in the church. He prayed to be free of this addiction
almost every day, but almost every day he gave in to it. He
would feel guilty and remorseful. He confessed his sinfulness
at the altar almost every week, asking God for forgiveness and
strength. And so it went, week after week.
After many weeks of interview, assessment, and treatment,
Jay had still not been able to stick with any of the behavioral
strategies we had developed to keep him from giving in to
his addiction. The problem was that his job required him to
regularly drive to and through a particular area of town, where
it was likely that his will would weaken, addiction would be
triggered, and he would give in. Perhaps more out of curiosity
than therapeutic strategy, I asked Jay how he thought being
a Christian made a difference in his life. He told me being a
Christian was important to him as a husband and father. That
being a Christian gave him a foundation from which to guide
his relationships with other people, especially his wife and
children. Finally, he told me that being a Christian made him
a member of a community of believers with whom he could
regularly share his beliefs. [The irony here is that at this time
I was not a Christian, and Jay was one of my arguments for
what difference does it make.]
Thats nice, I said, but I added, What I want to know is
what DIFFERENCE does it make in your life? He said it
was important to him, served as a guide, and made him
a member of a club. What he couldnt tell me, and what I
wanted to know, was what difference it made in his life to
11
have a personal relationship with God through the person of
Jesus Christ. [I think the question shocked him as much as it
shocked me!] He had never thought of his belief in that way.
I was confused. How else could he think of it? Since I
started attending Christ Church, back when it was a little
country church on Route 50, what I kept hearing was that the
difference between Christians, nonbelievers, and other faiths,
was that Christians had a personal relationship with a living
God, through the person of Jesus Christ and an indwelling
Holy Spirit. If that was true, it must make a difference in your
life, and it does, when you actually believe what you say you
believe.
A long time ago, I learned a saying from my mother (a nice
Jewish lady from NYC). It went something like this: People
do what they do because they are who they are, and since
you cant do anything about who they are (so much for my
profession), you cant do anything about what they do. For the
longest time, I thought that was wrong for so many reasons.
Wrong, wrong, and wrong! Then I realized she might be right.
By ourselves we can do nothing other than what our empty
selves are capable of. People do what they do because they
are who they are. You cant change them; I cant change them;
they cant change themselves.
BUT the GOOD NEWS is they can be changed! By believing
in and confessing to the power of a Living God, through Christ
and the Holy Spirit, we are changed beings. We are no longer
going through this world as we were, doing what we did.
Powerless. We are going through this world empowered by the
strength, guidance, and whispering voice of the Spirit of God.
That is how BEING a Christian makes a difference.
So what about Jay? I suggested to Jay that he spend
some time praying and studying Gods word. I wanted him to
be really sure what it meant to him to be a Christian. Then I
wanted him to consider asking God, through prayer, to go with
him whenever he drove through the areas of town that created
problems for him. He asked me how this was different from
what he was doing already. The difference, I told him, was
that up to now, he was asking God to give him strength. Now,
I wanted him to ask God to be his strength. Having God go
with him meant he didnt have to do this thing alone; something
he could not do alone.
Did it work? You bet it did! Did he test it? You bet he did! Did
he fail? You bet he did! Did he recover? Only when he was
willing to admit he was powerless to free himself from this
addiction without his personal and enduring relationship with
God, through Son Jesus Christ.
To
Live
By Michael Harrison
Your thoughts are higher than my own
No shadow, wrinkle, faw
I yield to You my heart and soul
To live Your Holy call
In my weakness You are strong
Your love does never cease
You give me strength to turn from wrong
To live forever free in peace
12
I
ts deeper now in a way that we could never have
known thirty years ago. Like the wrinkles on our
faces, the fngerprints of God are impressed on our
lives, telling a love story that only God could write.
When we said I do we had no idea of what was
ahead of us. We dont want to pretend that it hasnt
been work, or that we have always done things
Gods way. What we can say is that God is faithful
and he has been patient with us.
We made a covenant with each other and with God.
One day very early in our marriage, I asked Mark,
How will I know that you will be faithful to me?
Looking at me without hesitation he said, Because
I fear God. As a young bride I wanted him to
say it was because I was the prettiest or the best.
Maturing in faith, I realized that he gave the right
answer.
Fearing God is not about being afraid of God, it is
about knowing that it is only under the shelter of
His wings, His will, and His guidance that we are
protected from the enemy of our souls that seeks
to destroy our marriages and families. Fearing
God is being in awe of the One that loves with
perfection. I fnd security in knowing that Mark has
a true reverence and awe for the Lord. Knowing
this has also developed in me a heart of respect for
my husband. Respect is a mans deepest need. A
womans deepest need is to be cherished. Nothing
could make me feel more cherished and protected
than knowing my husband looks to God. Its a
circle of love and respect with God at the center.
Jesus Christ has set us free. In marriage
we are free to love as Christ loves us.
Free to love in a way that seeks the highest good
of the other. Free to confess our faults and failures
to each other, ugly though they are, and fall into
each others arms of forgiveness. God asks that we
forgive each other in the same way that Christ has
forgiven us. Naked and feeling no shame. Isnt
that what Christ did for us when He set us free? He
strips us of our pride and pretense and saves us; He
does not condemn us. Marriage is a beautiful picture
of Christ and the church.
What originally attracted me to Mary Ann was her
quiet confdent manner. At frst I thought this was
because she had experienced more of the world
than I had. However, I grew to learn this was the
refection of Jesus Christ in her as she continuously
pursued gaining a greater knowledge of God and
what Gods Word said she should be as a Christian
woman. She is not perfect, after all she married
me, but I have watched her try to improve her
understanding and application of Gods principles for
marriage and living. In many ways I have beneftted
in terms of our relationship and in terms of my own
Christian walk. I feel supported by God through her
in my various roles as husband, father, and Christian
community member.
It is not our job to be each others Holy Spirit. Until
we relinquish any tendency to control we will see
less of what God desires for us in our marriage. As
we ask God to change us individually, we see many
changes in each other and in our relationship. God
is the one molding us and transforming us as we
submit to him and to one another out of reverence
for Christ. From that fows an ease of submitting
to Gods order for marriage. It is a rippling stream
instead of a raging river.
We have learned so much from each other and
One
By Mark & Mary Ann Turner
His eyes are fxed on me and I ask,
W
hatcha lookin at babe?
He says,
I am just drinkin it in.
Like warm sugar, my heart melts. We are still in love.
13
Is It Free Will
or Freed Will?
By Bernie Kneale
L
earning new things has a
way of setting me free. The
opportunity to grow spiritually
is what energizes me. That is
why I love to come to church
and worship. That is why
I lead connection classes. That is why I do daily Bible
reading and prayer. Without new ideas, without chances to
draw close to Christ in fellowship and study, I suspect my
circumstances would begin to close in on me. I have felt
that folks who fnd themselves in a rut, feeling tense and
unfulflled, going to the pharmacy for some kind of pill to
ease the pain, experiencing marital diffculties, and having
rebellious kids have not been freed by Gods Spirit or are
somehow out of touch with it.
Last fall I led a class on evangelism. It was a class more
focused on knowing the Gospel story than about technique.
It was a class that energized me and set me free. It added
some spark to my walk with Jesus. We were discussing
free will. I always thought that free will meant that I could
choose anything I want at any time I want. The discussion
arose from a section entitled, Not Free Will but a Freed
Will. Paul says, For I know the law but I still cant keep it,
and the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best
intentions. I obviously need help! I realize that I dont have
what it takes. I can will it, but I cant do it. I decide to do
good, but I dont really do it. I decide not to do bad, but
then I do it anyway. (Romans 7:18,19 The Message) Our
free will is not free despite our best intentions.
The study of the Gospel, Gods plan of salvation, in that
class allowed me to come to a new understanding. I
caught a deeper understanding of the cross. I was able
to see Gods heart better. I learned new strategies that
emancipated me. I gained new insight into the scripture:
Jesus said, I tell you most solemnly that anyone who
chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in
fact, a slave. A slave is a transient, who cant come and go
at will. The Son, though has the run of the house. So if the
Son sets you free, you are free indeed. (John 8:34-36 The
Message) It makes me want to be a shouting Methodist
when I realize my free will gets me nowhere, but my freed
will through Christ has made me free indeed.
sometimes
its painful and
sometimes its
just plain hilarious.
In these later years
laughter breaks out more
often than disagreement.
Laughter is like the seasoning
for a delicious meal. Taste and
savor and see that the Lord is good.
In opening our hearts to you on
this page we have not overlooked
the readers that may be flled with
sorrow over regrets, sin, and loss.
Godly sorrow leads to repentance
that leads to salvation and leaves
no regret, but worldly sorrow leads
to death. (2 Corinthians 7:10) The
focus here is on God. Godly sorrow
leads us to Christ, who paid the
price for our sin. New life. Hope for
the future.
On the dresser in our bedroom sits
a small framed verse. The frame is
an anniversary gift given years ago
by one of our children after seeing
the verse highlighted in one of our
bibles. This verse is our prayer
for our marriage: We pray that
the God who gives endurance and
encouragement will give us a spirit
of unity among ourselves so that
with one heart and mouth we will
glorify the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5)
A spirit of unity: One mouth, as
if locked in the sweetness and
the passion of a kiss. One heart
as when husband and wife meet
together and the rhythms mesh in a
harmony known only to the couple
and to God.
In marriage as we look to Christ
together,
We drink Him in,
He melts our hearts as one.
We are still in love.
And God gets the glory.
14
Te Speed Of Life
By Debby Creagh
I
love to laugh! There are often times that the only
one in the room giggling is me. Laughter helps
us not to take ourselves or circumstances too
seriously. It just feels good! A cheerful heart is good
medicine. (Proverbs 17:22) Research has found
that the endorphins, chemicals in our brain that give
us pleasure and stress relief, are released even
when we fake the laughter. There is even a type
of laughter yoga now. Amazing! Laughter is good
for your health! So, how do we let ourselves get so
caught up in the speed of life that there is no time for
laughter? We are running on empty!
We are moving so fast these days it is impossible
to keep up with even technology, let alone our own
lives. Yet research tells us that many of our diseases,
aches, and pains are due to all the stress we are
under. Listen to what we say: If I dont get this done,
someone else will replace me! There isnt time to
rest Ive got to run! This microwave isnt cooking
fast enough! Kids, you dont have time to play, we
have to go! (What are we teaching our kids?) These
days speed is measured in nanoseconds. We take
ourselves so seriously and live at such an intense
pace. Slow is almost a bad four-letter word!

Jesus provides us with the example of living life
in balance. He rested, ate, slept, worked, went
to church, studied scripture, spent time in prayer,
exercised (He walked almost everywhere), and spent
time with friends and family. He took time to just
breathe and to listen to His Father. He said He was
always doing His Fathers will. Jesus said that He
came to set us free, and He sent the Holy Spirit to
have the power to live life abundantly. So how do we
balance our daily lives in the hurried world that we
now live in and honor Jesus for giving His life for us?

It is true that if we dont manage our schedule, the
tyranny of the urgent takes over and it will manage
us. It may sound ridiculous to put in your calendar
to spend time with your spouse or kids, but time
gets away from us if we dont purposely plan for
Gods priorities in our lives. We miss the mark on
the excellence Jesus desires for us. How many
New Years resolutions for losing weight and getting
physically ft go by the wayside, because they dont
stay prioritized on our calendars? When was the last
time you took a day or half a day and just spent time
with the One who loves you the most? Living, loving,
laughing, rejoicing, pouring out your heartGod
really wants an intimate relationship with us. The
bonus is that it is good for our well-being!
It sounds like an oxymoron to manage a schedule
and be free. However, when we decide to make
Gods priorities our own, it frees us to live the life
that Jesus died to give us. It takes time to look at the
big picture and put priorities in place, but so worth it!
There are a number of resources, but one I recently
enjoyed was a great little book by Kirk Byron Jones
called, Addicted to Hurry: Spiritual Strategies for
Slowing Down. The author takes a humorous, but
pointed look at our lives and looks to Scripture for the
answers.
Bottom line? If we dont take the time to take care
of ourselves, we wont be around to be cared about.
God, the Father, numbers our dayshow are we
making them count?
In 2012, I will
slow down, choose carefully, trust God,
simplify my life
So that I might
see clearly, listen carefully, think deeply,
enjoy life fully, serve God effectively
(From Addicted to Hurry: Spiritual Strategies for Slowing Down)
15
New Members
--------------------------------
November
Theresa Hiebert, Don Word, Karen Tipton, Kelly Tipton,
Kristine Tipton, Rick Tipton, Craig Frey, Terry Frey

December
Chad Gross, Jaclyn Gross, Kathy Emerson, Kevin Emerson,
Audrey Glueck, Joan Renee Brown, Otto Jean, Benjamin Hardin,
Gene Hodge, Miranda Wright-Kauffmann, Alishia Marzolf,
Diane L. Deis, Rita Battoe, Rebecca A. Cregger, Elaine S. Joyce,
Diane Erickson, Michael P. Eberhart, Alexia M. Eberhart,
Lyndon Beckley, Sandy Beckley, Shari Hoffman, Norma Ballard,
Tim Ballard, Tyrone Mason, Valeria (Sha) Mason,
James Kuykendall, Tami Kuykendall, Tyler D. Kuykendall,
James R. Portell, Nicole Portell, Jeffrey O. Yates

Baptisms
--------------------------------
October
Harper Claire Monroe, Kendyl Riley Pratt, Caitlyn Nicole Black,
Camryn Grace Black, Sophia Lynn Black,
Christopher Sean Hackney

November
August Matthew Krull, Aurora Clara Ibel, Alishia Brooke Marzolf,
Emma Adelyn Marzolf, Chloe Ann Schutzenhofer
December
Audrey Glueck, Benjamin Hardin
God At Work
Member Passing
--------------------------------
Mary Wise October 12
Phillip Norman Johnson December 12
Ernest E. Tyra, December 13
Attendance
--------------------------------
November Worship avg. = 1554
November Connection Classes avg. = 507
Year Avg. Worship = 1565
Finances (as of 12-13-11)
--------------------------------
General Budget
YTD Giving = $1,984,361.87
YTD Expenses = $1,987,205.13
Annual Budget = $2,041,873.99
Building Fund Total
$646,771.21
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