Gleanings…

The longer I live, the more I see me doing some of the same things my parents used to do.  The latest activity I have noticed is the way I cut things from the newspaper.  As I look at the paper, I see articles that I want to read again and share with others.  Serving as a pastor, I am always on the lookout for articles that I pray will help me carry out my calling.  By now, you can see where this is going.  As I get to write this monthly column, I find that I want to share them with you.

The latest headline to catch my eye is 9 behaviors that will definitely make you an irresistible person*.  Knowing that I can use all of the help I can get, I read on.  Here is a synopsis of the nine behaviors the author identified.  Irresistible people…

• are nice to you.  No airs, no pointing to their own success, no one-upmanship; they have a confidence in who they are that comes across as kindness.
• know their worth.  They know their greatest attribute and it allows them to appear quiet, resolute, and confident.  We enjoy their company.
• make you feel comfortable.  They do not ask you to be someone you are not and they do not try to change you.  They look for the good in you.
• avoid drama and negativity.  Nobody likes pessimistic, down-beat types.  We like to be around people who lift our spirits.
• elevate others.  They love to give compliments.  They share the credit and are quick to share a kind word or help out.  They make life pleasant for others.
• don’t compete; they collaborate.  They do not look around to size up the competition, but with the intent to find others with whom they can build a partnership.
• are not afraid to be vulnerable.  We desire deeper, more sincere connections with others and their willingness to talk about the tough parts of their lives allows us to share ours.
• accentuate their strengths.  Stronger, intentional words impact our moods and help us to live with confidence.  Playing up one’s talents versus complaining about weaknesses changes how others perceive us.
• make an effort.  They make the effort to look presentable.  They take the time to prepare before meeting.  They are gracious and it encourages others to do things with a little more effort, too.

Did you notice the relatedness of these qualities?  To me, they present an image that is remarkably like that of Jesus.  Go back and read through the list again, but this time replace “irresistible people” with “Jesus” making changes for singular versus plural.  Did you notice how you found yourself nodding and thinking, “Yes, that’s what Jesus is to me”?  Now, can you imagine what others will think about Jesus when they see these qualities in you?

The world needs more of Jesus; how wonderful that we can share him through these little efforts to be nice to others.

Grace and peace,

Braxton ><>

*Article printed in the Times Free Press and is the work of Susie Moore, Greatest’s life coach and is edited for brevity.

 

Sunday October 8th, 2017 – 11:00 AM

Worship and Sing Praises to God!  All are invited to join this special service and fellowship.

Gleanings…

As we have just completed a month-long study of the book, Get Their Name, I think it is appropriate to ask, “So, what did you learn?”  Many who took time to read the book and participate in small group studies and worship during August reported there was very little that was new information.  For the most part, the book reinforced what we already knew—if you want to reach new people, you must talk with them.

Simple enough in concept, but reportedly more difficult to implement which is why the authors took the time to write this book.  Their experience was much like our experiences.  People know this is what they must do, but there are so many things that get in the way of actually doing it.  The result is that few uncommitted people hear there is an answer for the hurts, struggles, and hopelessness in their lives

I expect that if pain, unending struggle, and hopelessness were all we had to look forward to day after day, we might think we were living in hell.  Imagine what it’s like for those who have not experienced the love of God.

Here, then, are a few things I pray we learned from our month-long study.

1. Every follower of Christ Jesus has a story of how they experienced healing, help, and hope when she or he needed it most.  Many of us have shared these stories but only with other Christ followers.
2. Other people are going through the same difficulties that we experienced and were helped out of.  They need to hear our stories so that they might have hope and be encouraged to share their stories.
3. Most people will only share their story once they are convinced no one will make fun of them or think they are weird.  In other words, only with those who have gained their trust.
4. Trust grows within a committed relationship.  Taking the time to get to know someone shows we care.  Showing we care opens the door for an offer of a relationship with God.  God wants to give His love to all.

Whatever we can do to foster a relationship so that people are open to hearing about God’s love is well worth the effort.  As we have discussed, feeling isolated is like living in hell and no one wants or deserves that.

May God lead you to someone today who needs to hear your story.  May you help them to know and to love God as you have.

Get their name.

Braxton ><>

We had such fun and wonderful fellowship at our church picnic & Ice Cream Social! Here are some photos from the event!

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It’s Grandparent’s Day and we’re here to say,  We love our grandparents in a major way.  So sit right down and take a seat,  enjoy your day and all the treats!

Grandparents Day Celebration  Sunday, September 10, 11:00 a.m. Worship Service and Celebration Soup and Salad Lunch after church Community Invited! Free Family pictures and Treats for grandparents!

A Grandma’s heart is a patchwork of love!

Grandchildren don’t stay young forever, which is good because grandfathers have only so many horse rides in them.

The best babysitters, of coarse, are the grandparents.  You feel completely comfortable entrusting your baby to them for long periods of time, which is why most grandparents flee to Florida!

Grandparents are as necessary to a child’s growth as vitamins.

Grandma – the original “laptop”

Grandfathers are for loving and fixing things.

Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children 

—Proverbs 17:6

National Grandparents Day has more than one origin. Some people consider it to have been first proposed by Michael Goldgar in the 1970s after he visited his aunt in an Atlanta nursing home, Spending $11,000 of his own money in lobbying efforts to have the day officially recognized, he made 17 trips to Washington DC over a seven-year span to meet with legislators.

Others consider Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, a housewife in West Virginia, to have been the main driver for the day of observance. Throughout the 1970s McQuade worked hard to educate the people about the important contributions senior citizens made and the contributions that they would be willing to make if asked. She also urged people to adopt a grandparent, not for one day a year and not for material giving, but for a lifetime of experience.

In any event National Grandparents Day was finally signed into law by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. Marian McQuade received a phone call from the White House to advise her of this event. Many people believe that National Grandparents Day was inspired by her efforts. A presidential proclamation on September 6, 1979, made this day official – it designated Sunday, September 9, 1979, (being the “first Sunday of September following Labor Day”) as National Grandparents Day.

Each year the President is requested to issue a proclamation to: designate the first Sunday in September after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day; and to call on people, groups and organizations to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

Gleanings…

For my column this month, I am using the Epilogue from the book we will be studying for the month of August.  I want everyone to have some idea of the intention behind the sermon series and study, and why it is important.  You will/did receive a copy of the book, Get Their Name, on July 30 at the close of worship and I encourage you to read it and then participate in the discussions that will take place during your small group time.  As always, I welcome your ideas for how we can be our best at sharing God’s love with new people.

Grace and peace,

Braxton ><>

EPILOGUE (from “Get Their Name” by Bob Farr, Doug Anderson, and Kay Kotan, pg. 103-105)

The idea of reaching people we do not know is not a Farr, Kotan, Anderson idea.  The idea of reaching people we do not know for the sake of Jesus Christ is inherently a biblical idea.  One of the Bible’s themes is that God wants to reach people.  And throughout history, God has always used people to reach other people.  God is not an isolated God.  God thrives in community.  The very nature of God is the Trinity.  Three in one.  One in three.  Community and mystery.  Let us walk through the Bible briefly to identify this theme of reaching new people.

Genesis 1: God created people, called them good, and blessed them with abundance.  God wants good things for all people.

Genesis 3: We human beings always think we know better.  And we decide it is all about us.  Otherwise known as the great fall or the great sin.

Genesis 7: God creates a new thing.  We called it the great flood.  Noah is selected to do a new thing and raise up new people.

Genesis 12: God selects Abraham to do a new thing and raise up new people.

1 Kings 10: God selects kings, the most famous of whom are David and Solomon, to do a new thing and raise up a new people.

Isaiah 49: This tine God sends prophets, some of them minor and some of them major, to shout into the desert, to do a new thing and raise up a new people because the people have not listened.

Luke 2: God takes a radical step and sends God’s only begotten son.  To do what?  To do a new thing and raise up a new people.

Matthew 16: Jesus does pretty well until he attends the finance committee meeting and tells them he is going to do a new thing and raise up a new people.  The people in power decide no way!  They did what people always do and made it all about them.  They forgot the mission.  They took matters into their own hands.  Within three weeks, Jesus is dead on the tree.

Matthew 28: Jesus comes back to everyone’s surprise and tells them to go into all the world and do a new thing and raise up a new people.

Acts 9 and Ephesians 2: The clergy have decided it is all about them.  They forget the mission.  And they determine this new thing is only for the Jewish Christians.  But the Apostle Paul and the Holy Spirit remind everyone that all are missionaries and all are gifts of God.  We call this the priesthood of all believers.  It is about the mission.

Revelation 5: At the end of the day, it is God’s desire that every people and all persons come home to God.  Every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.

In this quick skimming of the Bible, you will notice a theme.  God wants to reach new people and do a new thing.  You also will notice that about every give hundred years or so, God has to raise up a new people to do a new thing because those who had been handed the mantle decided it was all about them and forgot the mission.

Just for a moment, think back five hundred years.  Where does that place us?  In the Protestant Reformation!  God raised up a man named Luther and told him to do a new thing and raise up a new people.  The Protestant Reformation produced our mainline denominations.  So here we are with all the old methods not working and a very inwardly focused church.  And we believe God is trying to raise up a new people to do a new thing.

Are you willing to be in the new movement, to be a new people, to do a new thing?  Are you willing to put a candle on the light stand for all to see and take it out from underneath the bushel basket where only those who know can see?  Get their name.  Start a conversation.  Build an authentic relationship that leads to the possibility for a faith conversation that might lead someone into the faith community of God.  Remember, God desperately loves you, and God desperately loves all the world.  So, get their name!  Write it down.  Follow up.  And go beyond creating new relationships between ourselves, others, God, and the community of faith.  Never forget the mission: “to make (new!) disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

It is our prayers that this book will be a helpful tool to get your church out of the building and into the mission field.

Bob, Doug, and Kay

Gleanings…

Let me start by asking you a question: What is your favorite part of being a member of this congregation?  Is your favorite our weekly worship service?  Maybe you enjoy being part of a small group more than anything else.  What about serving others through an outreach or missional activity?  Most people find their greatest sense of identity with Jesus through one of these aspects of congregational life and it is important to know which one is yours.

Why?

When it comes to promoting the message of God’s love before others, you will naturally choose one of these ways for your witness.  This adds authenticity to your words because you will be able to share how God has transformed your life through a worship, group, or service experience.  People want to hear that there is power here.  They want to know that following Jesus really makes a difference.  They also prefer to participate in something that is drawing others to it.  Activity generates activity.

But what happens when your favorite aspect of congregational life does not match with the needs of the person you are talking with?  Rather than let that opportunity slip away, why not share the name of someone in your congregation who finds great meaning in serving through one of the ways that are other than yours?  Be prepared to make the contact and ask for their help.  Knowing and appreciating that there is more than one way to connect goes a long way toward helping others build a relationship with your faith family.

Let me encourage you to take a moment to determine your favorite way of interacting with your congregation.  Then, look around, talk with others, and identify those who find one of the other ways best for connecting with the church.  Get to know them and pick up some of their passion.  Carry their names with you and contact them when someone asks you how to get involved through a different connection point.  They will thank you.

And so will God.

See you Sunday if not before.  Call me if you need me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, August 5, — 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Homemade Ice Cream and lots of goodies.  Games, Fellowship, and Fun!  Bring your instruments and enjoy a casual Jam session together!

Community Invited!  Come Join the Fun!

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Enjoy a mini church slideshow which highlighted worship services, celebrations, events, outreach, and fellowship over the past year. We had a wonderful time sharing this with everyone at last months family night dinner!

Gleanings…

Saw an article in the paper the other day titled, “6 great things about making a mistake” by Susie Moore*.  While I am not so sure that I would refer to the outcomes of mistakes as “great,” I do see that there are benefits if we take the time to learn from them.  Here they are:

1 – They are out best teachers.  Success may produce confidence, but a mistake produces understanding.  Why did I do that?  What could I have been thinking?  Chances are “thinking” was the last thing we thought we needed to do.

2 – They mean action.  This is the “forehead-slapper” of the group.  If you never do anything, you will never make a mistake.  No kidding!

3 – They make you smarter.  This is the conclusion of an article published in the journal of the Association of Psychological Science.  If you “believe intelligence develops through effort,” you will see mistakes as your “best chance at getting better and smarter.”

4 – They are (largely) reversible.  “When you think about the worst that can happen, it’s often much less daunting than you imagine.”  Few of us are in a position where our mistakes might have permanent consequences.  There is much grace and forgiveness if we will ask.

5 – They make you interesting.  Tell the truth, who would you rather listen to, someone who has always done everything perfectly or someone who has made a mistake or two along the way?  The best part is you get to tell them on yourself!  And, you get to hear stories from others.  Do not take notes!

6 – They create compassion.  Where would we be if no one ever gave us a break?  No one expects us to be perfect or to do everything perfectly.  The fact that we have made mistakes enables us to look on the mistakes of others with mercy.  Would we really want to live in a society where every mistake was noted and whether we had atoned for then?

Jesus came that we might see how we had taken a “wrong turn” or two along the way and to set us back on the path to living.  He helped us to look at God’s intention for the way we should live, how we needed to adjust our lives, and then gave us the freedom to start over.  His life modeled mercy, compassion, and forgiveness for he knew us as we were.

As I read the article, I thought about some of the mistakes that have helped to shape my life.  Who would I be today without those moments of “messing up” that taught me so much?  Thank the Lord that I do not have to be afraid for the future!

How about you?  Have you thought to give thanks for the lessons imparted by mistakes in your life and for God’s grace that has covered them all?  Maybe you can think of someone who needs to know this, too.  Please, do not make the mistake of not telling them.

Grace and peace,

Braxton ><>

*Found this in the Chattanooga Times Free Press of May 29, 2017.  The author is a life coach columnist for Greatest (greatest.com).