on the same page, two steps ahead

I got some good advice, which was to seek out someone who is two or three steps ahead of where I want to be, and find out how they think.

So I had the chance to meet with Darryn Scheske today. He is a gracious man, and someone who believes in church planting passionately enough that he planted the church he pastors and is active in a church planting network.

I picked up a lot from him in the short time we had together. My favorite, though, was this exchange:

Me: "We're seeing God do some great things, but it's happening in teenagers--"

Darryn: "--And you. God is using this time to shape you."

I have described what's happening in our church that way a few dozen times. No one had ever responded that way before.

I needed the reminder.

Thanks for the time, Darryn, and the inspiration.

drumroll, please...

I thought I'd give my blog readers a sneak peak at one of the things I've been working on for the new year: signage incorporating our identity, and giving us means for establishing our public presence.

For these projects, I worked with Vince Roberts at Spectrum Sign Company. I've greatly enjoyed getting to know Vince a little bit, and I'm really happy with the quality of their work. To find someone with Vince's heart for churches, on top of his attention to detail, is a huge deal.

Vince and his designer worked with the logo/identity work previously and masterfully done by my friends at Design Corps.

Thanks for all your help, guys. The early reactions are exciting!

Pictured below are: an A-frame sign that will be placed next to the street outside the Veterans Center where we meet for worship, and a yard sign that can be utilized in the yards of our church family or other strategic locations.

christmas sights

Tonight we loaded up the kids, and Joshua, Brittany, and Kris packed in the van with us to go see the lights downtown.

Even though the wind was bitter, we walked around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument for a little while, visited the Nativity scene set up at Christ Church Cathedral, and drove around to see the Christmas lights.

It's always a joy to share the beauty of the holidays with family and friends!

...and the danishes were amazing

Today was our Christmas Celebration!

Today was the third Sunday of the month, and so it is our Family Sunday. (Only one room is available to us, so we all meet in the one room, and there is no separate children's program.) We sang Christmas songs, listened to special Christmas music, read from the Scriptures, and I preached about how God used - and wants to use - ordinary people to help write His extraordinary story. We worshiped Jesus, and thanked Him for coming to live among us and die for us.

After our gathering, the celebration continued with a big meal that we all shared together. Our ladies did a great job fixing the food! Some of our church family also brought gifts to share, and the children, especially, were delighted.

It was a wonderful celebration, worshipping and sharing together.

Here are a few pictures:

"how much do you have to hate someone...?"

Saw this on Scott Harris' blog, and it kind of blew me away.



An avowed atheist gets it, and we followers of Jesus don't?

caroling and really caring

Every year, we do an UntoMe Project called "Caroling and Caring." We go out to the Pleasant View Lodge, a local nursing home, and deliver care items to the residents. We also sing carols and spend lots of time interacting with the residents - talking to them, listening to them, letting the children hug on them and wish them Merry Christmas. It is always a profoundly moving and joyous occasion, both for us and for them.

Below is a picture of this year's group (the staff member taking the picture cut off Mrs. Kristy and Naomi - sorry!), and images of a few of the friendships we made.





I was proud of my kids. They ran right up to everyone, and without hesitation, sang out "Merry Christmas!" at the top of their lungs, just before giving huge hugs and big smiles.

I was also proud of the teenagers, for whom this was their first time to go with us to Pleasant View Lodge. They worked through their hesitations, had some great conversations, and seemed to be moved by what they saw. It was a little quiet on the trip home, as they pondered life in the shoes of some of the people they met. I'm proud of them for taking it seriously, and grappling with the questions raised by their experience.

We will definitely be back, and not just for next Christmas.

that's my boy

Yesterday, I took Trey with me to the old church property to go through and dispose of some old stuff. I was carrying trash to the door to walk out to the dumpster, when I saw that Trey had latched on to some random items and was marching up and down the front parking lot. Made me laugh.

Trey's heart for God has grown exponentially just in the last few weeks, it seems. He wants more and more to be with me all the time, doing what I do. He takes his job for our Worship Gatherings (handing out bulletins/programs) very seriously, and he brought his friend Eric with him today. And he does all this with an endearing goofiness that is uniquely his.

Always know that I'm proud of you, my son.

well, it should. it has to.

Rob Wegner shared this video on his blog recently.



Did you actually know?

Does it matter to you?

This is the world to which Jesus has sent us. Not the world of the good ol' days - this one. Not the world we're comfortable in - this one.

As a follower of Jesus, as a parent, as a part of a community of faith, as you - what does this mean?

And I must ask again...

Does it matter to you?