Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings in name of our Savior born in Bethlehem, Jesus!

What a celebratory time of the year. The joy of this season is evident throughout our community and nation. We all desire these days to be different than others throughout the year. Yet, it seems that the everyday comes along and brings us down during this Christmas celebration. But we must remember why we celebrate Christmas in the first place - it is because of our SAVIOR's birth. We need to be saved from this sinful world, our sinful flesh and the effects of sin. That is why God sent His only Son born of a virgin in Bethlehem - to save us from all of this trouble. The trouble is still with us as long as we live in this world, but through our loving relationship, by faith, with our Savior, Jesus, we have conquered. Hope, peace, joy and love are all ours. Sin no longer has its hold on us. This is the joy of salvation that we lovingly share with our family, co-workers, friends and neighbors when we celebrate with them the birthday of Jesus our Savior.

I pray that all of you and your family and friends have a very blessed Christmas celebrating our Savior's birth in Bethlehem. May the love of God in Jesus be the source of your joy and peace this Christmas and on into the New Year. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

In our Baby Savior,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Blessings Brothers and Sisters!

We are getting closer to celebrating the birthday of Jesus. As we remember the virgin birth of Jesus as the Son of God/Son of Man we wait in hope for His return someday to take us home to live with Him in the Father's house. Our world believes that Christmas-time is the only season to be nice and giving, but as followers of Jesus we know that this is the way that we are to live our lives 24/7. For us the wonderful joy of giving is ours throughout the entire year, because the joy comes from our salvation in Jesus. Woo! Hoo!
I am praying that all of you have a wonderful time with family, friends, co-workers, even strangers that you serve during this celebration of Jesus' birth. Not all of our lives are perfect that is why we need Jesus. Only He can give us the joy of salvation to share with those around us. Only He can help us to be forgiving, like Him, to those around us. Only He is reason we celebrate CHRISTmas in the first place. I pray that the love of the Father given to us in His Son, Jesus - born in Bethlehem, will be so overwhelming in you that this love pours out to those you are around this Christmas season.

In the Baby Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Blessings in Jesus Brothers and Sisters,

What an uplifting worship last Sunday. Having combined the 8:30am and the 11:00am services to one at 10:00am it was wonderful to have many voices and it was great to see everyone together. The children were great as they sang to us about "Diggin'" in the Word of God for the "Truth" about life. All around I had a fantastic time I hope that you did as well.

We are moving toward Christmas where we will celebrate the birthday of our Savior, Jesus, and we will anticipate with hope His return. Our family worship will take place on Friday, December 24 at 7:00pm. It is going to be an exciting and meaningful worship service. Also, we will celebrate the Lord's Supper on Christmas morning, Saturday, December 25 at 10:00am - as we remember that Jesus was born to set us free by His death on the cross.

I thoroughly enjoy this season. We are presented with many opportunities to share the love of Jesus in many different ways. I just love doing it. We can share Jesus' love by bringing food items in and helping to feed some families in our community. Just take a tag off of the tree on the table at the entry to our church building, purchase the item(s) and bring them in and put them in the shoppoing cart next to the tree. Thank so much for all your help, you will certainly affect some family's Christmas in a joyful way.

Looking for Jesus' return,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Blessed Advent to you my Brothers and Sisters,

Our Thanksgiving celebration was such a blessing. We gathered together and gave thanks for all God's blessings, especially the blessing of His Son, Jesus. Then we gave thanks for Jesus' body and blood celebrating the Lord's Supper. What a great way to share God's blessings together.

Tomorrow evening (Wednesday) at 7:00pm we will continue with our 40 days of prayer and Bible study as we walk together being led by Jesus as Friends In Christ. This is an exciting process to get refocused on Jesus and His mission among our community and in the world. I am very excited!!

As we move toward the celebration of Jesus' birth we remember that He will come again in the way that he went in the clouds. But until then, we have a lot of work to do sharing the love of Jesus with those we see each day. God's love is: the Son of God became the Son of Man - born as a little baby in Bethlehem - all in the shadow of the cross, for He died in our place paying the price for our sins, so that we might have eternal life through faith in Him. Wish people a "Blessed Christmas" with all the joy that salvation in Jesus Christ brings us.

Thank you for your continued prayers as we enter this cold season. Merry CHRISTmas!!

Sharing Jesus this Christmas,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Blessed Thanksgiving to all of you,

This is an exciting week; my youngest daughter is home for the holiday, it is my birthday today, and we are celebrating Thanksgiving as a nation this Thursday. It should not be the only time of the year that we express our thanks to God for all that He has done for us, but a time when we add a little more emphasis and focus on it.

I am thankful for another year of life with my family, friends, and all of you - my brothers and sisters in Jesus. It has been a year filled with many challenges and adjustments for which I am very grateful. God is continuing to mold me into the man (husband, father, pastor) that He wants me to be. I am thankful that He has given me the faith to trust Him and His work in and through me.

I am thankful that all of you pray for me. I need it. My prayer for you is that you have a great celebration with you family, friends, and brothers and sisters in Jesus this Thanksgiving and that God continue to bless you richly and that you continue to thank Him.

Thankful to God for all He has done,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hello My Sisters and Brothers in Jesus,

We are heading swiftly toward the Holiday Season and our lives are getting even busier than normal. Taking a deep breath and getting our focus on Jesus at this time will help us to enjoy these days instead of dread them. Think of this time as an opportunity to be Jesus to the people we are around - family and friends. This can be difficult. We don't always like the people we spend the holidays with, but Jesus loves them and He wants us to love them, as well. Many will be putting on a happy-face even though their lives are a mess. Do not shy away from being there for them in their time of need, just because it might interrupt our celebrations. All people need Jesus and His loving forgiveness and mercy. We can be the vessel that Jesus works through this Holiday Season.

I am excited at the opportunities that are before us as a congregation as we continue to walk together moving toward a shared vision in Jesus as a mission force for Him in our community. We are meeting again this Thursday evening, November 18, 2010 at 7:00pm to continue on this journey. See you there!!

I am doing as best I can. I have no complaints. It is time to wear the ski mask again. It truly does help with my pain to keep my face warm. All of you are so generous with your prayers for me I am very grateful. I also thank you for your prayers for Friends In Christ as we move in Mission for Jesus.

Directed by Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hi Brothers and Sisters!

Wow! What a great meeting we had last Thursday evening. We worked through our options to move ahead toward a shared vision for Friends In Christ and we came to a concensus that we need to Re-Focus our attitude and efforts for Christ. To begin this process we will be journeying through 40 days of prayer and Bible study, so that God can open our hearts and minds to His leading. This is very exciting! We will be meeting this Thursday evening at 7:00pm to begin this journey and will continue each week (except Thanksgiving week) until Christmas. The schedule is as follows: Thursday, November 11 - 7:00pm; Thursday, November 18 - 7:00pm; Wednesday, December 01 - 7:00pm; Wednesday, December 08 - 7:00pm; Wednesday, December 15 - 7:00pm; Wednesday, December 22 - 7:00pm(this last date is tentative at this time). I pray that all of you can make it. We have had a great turnout thus far which is very exciting.

I had a wonderful time visiting my daughter Marissa at college this past weekend. It was family weekend and there was a lot to do. The musical was "Once Upon a Matress" and was quite well done. I enjoyed it and laughed a lot. The college students are very talented. She is doing great so far. I am very proud of her.

I am glad that it has warmed up a bit. The cold is challenging to say the least. I know that some of you have the same issue with cold that I have and I think of you when it gets cold. We are compadres. Thank you all of your prayers for me and for Friends In Christ as we journey together through this life led by Jesus to the promised land of eternal life with Him.

Led by Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings in Jesus my Brothers and Sisters,

It has been a great week worshipping God, hearing and studying his Word. Slavery is hard for us in the U.S.A. to grasp. So when Jesus tells us that everyone who sins is a slave to sin, we minimize the gravity of it all in our minds. We need to know that we are slaves to grasp the gift of salvation that sets us free from slavery to sin. Faith in Jesus as Savior and Redeemer sets us free from sin to live in the Father's house forever. This is the joy of salvation that David speaks about in Psalm 51, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation." As forgiven people freed from sin we have the greatest joy that there is on earth. This is why Peter tells us to always be ready to give the reason for the hope that we have. And our hope is Jesus, the Son, who tells us, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

The cold air is becoming and adventure again. I walked into the doctor's office the other day with my ski mask on and the person at the desk told me they thought they were going to be robbed. It is strange to wear a ski mask when it is not below freezing so I understand where people are coming from and I try to be sensitive to them.

We had a great meeting with Rev. Mast and Rev. Haney last Thursday. They have given us much to discuss and some hard choices to make. We are going to meet again this Thursday, November 4, 2010 at 7:00 pm at Friends In Christ and go over our options and decide which path we need to begin walking down. I pray that all of you can make it. Please pray as we move ahead.

Knowing Jesus is with us,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hi Brothers and Sisters,

This weekend we will celebrate The Reformation. This is when Dr. Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to St. Anne's church door in Wittenburg, Germany on October 31, 1517 - that was 493 years ago. Martin Luther lived in a time of uncertainty in the Christian Church, just as we are living in a time of uncertainty in the Christian Church today. It seems like all the information we receive is telling us that the time of the Christian Church has past and the time of science has arrived. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus Christ sits on the throne. "All authoriity in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (Matthew 28:18) Jesus tells us, "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) We have nothing to fear. Jesus is in control and he has asked us to be faithful to Him. We are to love others as Jesus loves us. The rest of Matthew 28:18-20 says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

This week I had to be reminded of our task to go out into all the world and makes disciples. It is not an easy task and at times makes us very uncomfortable. We sometimes have to do things that we would not ordinarily do to bring people to Jesus. But Jesus promised to be with us to accomplish His mission of seeking and saving lost people. Thank you Lord for this reminder through your people.

I am excited about Thursday night, October 28, 2010. We will embark on a journey together that will make a difference for God's kingdom. I pray that I will see all of you there at 7:00 pm, as we will meet with Rev. Michael Mast and Rev. Keith Haney from the Northern Illinois District-LCMS. Come at 6:00 pm and enjoy fellowship and food with our Friends In Christ at a potluck. Bring a dish to share. It's going to be great!!

In Jesus Care,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Jesus,

As we go throughout life it is my experience that we have to adjust what normal is for us. Our experiences - illnesses, accidents, relationships (long-standing or broken), growth in Jesus, etc. - all contribute to bring change into our lives. The pains that we suffer and the joys that we celebrate all make us what we are and adjust what normal is for our lives. I am doing fine according to the latest adjustment for what normal is in my life. I thank God that I am constantly reminded that I need Him in my life. I pray that you are thankful for what normal is in your life, as well.

When Jesus appeared on the scene all of the religious leaders of his time thought they were normal, but Jesus came to show them a new normal - that it is by faith in the Messiah, not sacrifice, that we are saved. They struggled with this concept in a pre-Christian age. Well, guess what? We are in a new age in the Christian Church. It has been labled by many theologians as The New Pre-Christian Age. The post-Christian age was from 1970-2000 AD. where many people who were unchurched at least had attended a church or Sunday school when they we children. Now we have the second generation of people who have never set foot in a Christian church. Parents and children alike do not know who Jesus Christ even is.

This is the new normal. We have to adjust where we are to this new normal. This is very important! It will be a struggle for all of us. It will test our openness to be led by God's Holy Spirit to walk behind Jesus wherever it takes us. Rev. Michael Mast and Rev. Keith Haney from the Northern Illinois District - LCMS are going to help us as we take this journey. We need everyone to come on Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 7:00 pm to meet with them as we begin this journey, together. We are also kicking off the evening with a potluck dinner at 6:00 pm, please bring a dish to share. I am praying for all of you as you have been for me. Thanks.

With Jesus as Guide,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hi my Sisters and Brothers in Jesus,

I pray that your past week was blessed. The weather has been great for me. These warm non-humid days help me to feel the best that I can. I thank God for them! It reminds me of Psalm 118:24, "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." It is a wonder how warm sunny days effect our disposition in a positive way. Everyone has brighter smiles; a skip to their step; an energy to do things; everything just seems better all because of the sun.

But these are not the only blessings we received last week. We continue to receive the grace of God, the gift of His Holy Spirit, growth through His Word, and faith in Jesus Christ, the Son, as our Savior from sin and death. I pray that this "Son" gives everyone brighter smiles; a skip to their step; an energy to do things; and that everything will be better all because of the "Son".

As we move into the holiday season I pray that the Light of Jesus will shine through all of us, so that many can see Jesus for who he is - the Savior of the world - and be saved by him. Do not forget to fill shoebox gifts for our Operation Christmas Child collection and do not forget our all congregational meeting with representatives from the Northern Illinois District on Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 7:00pm. We will start the evening with a potluck at 6:00pm, so bring a dish to share with our friends in Christ. Thank you for your continued prayers - God is good all the time.

Thankful for Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Jesus!

It has been enlightening to go through the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. Learning just how marriage, family, congregation, community and nation are all linked together has been great. We found out that it starts with our faithfulness to God, then faithfulness to our spouses and faithfulness to our children. Our faithfulness affects our congregation, community and even our nation. This is how we show love to God and love to our neighbor. Remember that our following of the commandments of God is out of our gratefulness for Him sending His One and Only Son to die for our sins and raising Jesus from the dead in power over death and the grave. The Holy Spirit gives the faith to believe in Jesus as Savior and the power to follow the commandments.

In our Luke class we are studying about Jesus' miracles - how he has the power of the Lord to heal. Right from the beginning of Jesus' ministry he proclaims by word and deed that he has the power to forgive sins, which only God can do. Jesus is therefore proclaiming that he is God in the flesh. He does not become unclean by touching those declared unclean, but he makes the unclean whole. This is good news as we struggle through this sinful world unclean because of sin where Jesus touches us with his body and blood and makes us whole.

Just to let everyone know: representatives from the Northern Illinois District (NID) are going to be meeting with all of us on Thursday evening, October 28, 2010 at 7:00 pm to begin guiding us through a restart process. A potluck is planned for earlier that evening at 6:00 pm - bring a dish to share. I am very excited about working with the NID on Friends In Christ starting anew in our community. See all of you there!

Jesus Our Leader,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hello my Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

I hope that everyone had a great time at Cornfest last week. Celebrations are good for the body and the soul. I always feel very good during and after celebrations. In Luke, chapter 15, we read that all heaven celebrates when one sinner repents and comes to faith in Jesus as Savior. I believe that we don't celebrate enough for baptisms, confirmations, etc. As people come to faith in Jesus and mature we should be like heaven and celebrate. These celebrations are good for our bodies and our souls as well as our Body of Christ - Friends In Christ.

The children and Junior High youth are enjoying their learning on Sunday mornings. The children are learning through a process called, "Buzz" and the Junior High youth process is called, "Grapple". I thank all of the volunteers who are heading up these vital ministries for they are doing an excellent job.

Matt is leaving this week. I pray that he, Amanda and the kids are blessed beyond measure. Our Savior Lutheran will be blessed to have them all, just as we have been blessed these three years.

As for me I continue to rely on Jesus Christ for peace, strength and comfort. I thank all of you for your support through prayers and encouragement.

In Jesus Care,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus,

This past weekend was a sad weekend as we have sent Matt off with God's blessing. We are grateful for all of Matt's work among us pointing us toward the cross of Jesus Christ. The youth are very sad to see Matt move on to another place of ministry. God's divine providence again has moved and Matt will be continuing to teach the Gospel at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Springfield, IL. Matt will be with us this weekend if you did not have a chance to say goobye and wish God's blessing on him and his family.
As we move ahead we need to wrap our hearts and minds around the mission of the Holy Trinity - to seek and save the lost. What does this mean for us individually in our daily lives? What does this mean for us collectively as Friends In Christ? What does this mean for our community as we do the mission among the people? These are all questions that we need to answer. Scripture tells us what we are to be doing. How we do it will look different as we use the gifts God has given each of us to do His mission. Each gift or grouping of gifts, along with our passion for people, will determine just how we accomplish the mission of seeking and saving the lost with the Gospel message of forgiveness and eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Pray! Pray! Pray! And God will lead.

In Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Brothers and Sisters in Jesus,

What a great start to our Children's Ministry weekend. It was great to see the children learning so much as they were having a lot of fun in the process. Our junior high students began this weekend, as well. Their DVD led Bible study speaks the language they speak, so that they will listen more carefully and thus learn and retain more. The Journey Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Luke continues on Sunday mornings, as well, as we meet at Turltle Tap restaurant at 9:45 am during the Children's learning time and the junior high also.
This week many opportunities will begin at Friends In Christ: On Tuesdays - WAU Proverbs at 9:00 am and WAU Revelation at 7:00 pm; Wednesdays - Confirmation at 5:00 pm, and various Friends Christ Care Small Groups (call me at 815-941-1255 for questions or to join a group). A Friends Christ Care Small Group is a wonderful way to grow in our relationship with Jesus and our relationships with each other.
I will see the pain specialist again this Friday and we will assess the present therapy that I am currently undertaking and we will see if it is working or we need to try something else. I will keep you posted. I hope that something works. It would be of great benefit to me. Thank you all so much for your prayers. I truly appreciate them.

In Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Blessings to you my Brothers and Sisters from our Lord Jesus,

This past week I saw a pain specialist who is trying some treatments that he hopes will bring me relief from my pain. He told me that he has never seen anyone with the type of injuries that I have, so he is going to have to experiment. Every doctor that I have seen (and I have seen many) always say, "You are unique. I have never seen injuries like your before." So I have gotten used to it. God is gracious and he is carrying me along. He has more work for me to do for him that is why I am still alive.

I am thrilled that we are all communicating better with each other and we are trying to understand each other better. It is critical for us to get to know each other on a more personal level, including myself. As we begin gathering for our planning and implementation meetings as an entire congregation we will get to know each other better. I will be taking the opportunity to let you all know more about me, because it is very difficult to trust when you don't know a person.

We have such a large mission field in the Morris area that we just can't let this opportunity to reach the unchurched pass us by. I do have a big heart for the lost and for those growing in their faith relationship with Jesus. There is nothing that makes me happier than to see someone come to faith in Jesus Christ and someone having those "aha" moments as they grow in their faith in Jesus Christ. May God continually bless you as you grow in your relationship with Jesus and as you each out in love with the Gospel to the people around you who do not yet know Jesus.

Growing In Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today I have the privilege of celebrating with the family and friends of Loretta Brisbin. Loretta received her crown of eternal life this past Thursday. We will all miss her very much. Her and I had many great conversations ove the pas few years. Her sense of humor and wit was a joy. We talked a lot about Jesus and eternal life in Him. She could never understand how people made it through life without Jesus. I can't either. Especially at times when we lose our loved ones to the consequence of sin - death.

I always tell everyone that I don't do funerals. I do resurrection celebrations. Death in Jesus Christ is only a door that we pass through to eternal life in the house of the Father. That is our comfort, that is our joy. We do miss our loved ones now, but when we go through the door of death we will be in the presence of Jesus with our loved ones who also believe in Jesus never to be separated again. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." (Luke 11:25-26) This is our hope and our peace.

I am going to see a pain specailist this Friday. The pain in my face has not subsided in any way, so my doctor told me to see this specialist. Pray that this doctor will be able to provide some kind of relief from my pain. Thank you all for your continued prayers. God is good all the time! All the time God is good!


In the loving arms of Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings in Jesus my Brothers and Sisters,

What a great Bible study Sunday as continue to journey through the Gospel of Luke. Our discovery that the Old Testament is so full of the Gospel turned on many lights in people. The subjects that Jesus taught about and commanded have been what God has spoken since the beginning. What wonderful growth we have in our relationship with Jesus as the Holy Spirit reveals to us more about the all encompassing grace and mercy of God. It strengthens our faith and gives us courage to live lives of love like Jesus. I invite you all to come and journey through the Gospel of Luke on Sundays at 9:45 am.

We learned in our message this weekend that God - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - is all about seeking the lost. What gratitude we have that someone in our lives cared enough to seek us out and bring us the Light of Christ so that we could be found and enter into the Father's house forever. Our joy over our salvation motivates us to seek out the lost and bring them the Light of Christ so that they too can live in the Father's house forever.

Summer is winding down and school is beginning soon. I have enjoyed the warm weather and will continue to until it turns cold. At that point I do not know how this winter will go, but God is always with us never leaving us nor forsaking us. May the comfort of our Savior, Jesus, be with you always as you seek those lost around you.

A seeker of the Lost,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hello my Sisters and Brothers,

I have had some great opportunities over the past several days. I spoke at length with a man on the street about Jesus and his need for a Savior. He had been through two tours of duty to Iraq - wounded, bombs dropped on him, etc. He wanted to know that there truly is a God and he struggled because the muslims tried to convert him back in Iraq. We looked together through the Bible and God reassured him through His Word that Jesus is true God. This man had been baptized as a baby, but he left the congregation he attended because he didn't see any of the people doing what Jesus was telling them to do - so he thought that Jesus was just a man-made religion like any other. I was so glad to see the Holy Spirit work in him as he was eager to know the truth. I don't know if I will ever see him again, but that is not for me to know, God knows all.

I have been given many blessings by the Lord for which I am eternally grateful. I thank Jesus that he has poured his love into me and has made me into someone who has a heart for those who are poor physically, financially, and spiritually. I pray that all who say they believe in Jesus truly do and have a great desire to be just like him. Being just like Jesus will move us to follow him whever he leads us and do his will (seeking and saving lost souls) instead of our own.

This past week has not been too bad for me pain-wise. I have been able to tolerate it pretty well. I pray that you are all doing well and are free of pain. Thank you for all your prayers. God bless you richly.

In the hands of Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Jesus,

What a storm last night. The weather changes like that do affect me, still. I pray that any of you who have injuries or surgeries are spared the pain of the atmospheric changes. I am able to do more things for a longer period of time, now. So I am confident that eventually all will be well over time. Thanks for your prayers, concerns, and comforting support.

We have a great gathering of people at Friends In Christ. I thoroughly enjoyed our time together this past weekend. Worship was wondeful with all of the singing, partaking of the Lord's Supper, and learning more about using the gifts that Jesus has given to us - each according to his ability - to grow His kingdom. As we continually grow in our relationship with Jesus and we help others to come into relationship with Him we are keeping our lamp burning for Jesus and using our talents to grow His kingdom. Praise God that He has chosen us to be a part of His plan.

I am looking forward to this weekend as three baptisms will be taking place - this is fulfilling the will of God and growing the kingdom. We will also be exploring the next parable of Jesus that ties to the previous two.

Jesus Love be with you,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Blessings my Brothers and Sisters in Jesus,

What a great weekend of worship and Bible Study. Are we prepared for when the bridegroom (Jesus) returns for his bride and takes all whose relationship with Him is burning into the marriage feast of the Lamb in heaven? Worship, Bible study, prayer, partaking of the sacraments, all are ways that our relationship with Jesus is kept burning by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was good to see all of you there keeping your relationship with Jesus burning.

I hope that you are still praying about how you can be a part of our fall congregational campaign, "The God Questions". We need all of the gifts and talents of the body of Christ at Friends In Christ to reach many for Jesus. Pray about joining a Friends Christ Care small group to participate in the fall campaign, as well as, reading the daily readings. God bless each and everyone of you as you seek to bring Jesus to those who do not know Him.

I know that I said at the weekend services that I had not had time to prepare a message because I wasn't feeling well and you fell for it hook, line, and sinker. I hope that it wasn't to startling for you. But I wanted everyone to experience not being prepared, so that we all would understand the importance of being prepared for Jesus' return. I got the idea because the storms have been giving me a rough time, but not too rough to preach and teach, which is my passion. Thank you all so much for your continued prayers and love.

Always ready for Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings my Sisters and Brothers in Jesus!

What a great weekend of worship. We had a wonderful time discovering that we have an invitation to send out to the wedding feast of the Son, Jesus Christ. We have received our invitation, our wedding clothes, and now we are servants of the Father and are given the task to go out everywhere and invite everyone to the feast, good or bad, we are not to judge. God is such a gracious and loving God!!

Our journey through The Gospel According to Luke is so exciting. Jesus has announced that He is the Messiah and all the people of His hometown wanted to kill Him because of it. We are growing in our relationship to Jesus and our relationships with each other as we grow in faith and knowledge together. I, with all sincerity of heart, invite everyone to join in on this journey through The Gospel of Luke. I guarantee that you will grow in your relationship with Jesus. This journey has helped me grow in my relationship with Jesus, so much so, that I look forward to the journey each and every week.

We are progressing with our fall Congregational Campaign called "The God Questions". I am reading through the daily readings book and the small groups study guide - they are amazing. The authors are answering questions about God in an easy to understand way, so that we, ourselves, can be equipped to answer people's questions when they arise. This campaign will grow us closer to God, help us be able to answer people's questions, grow us closer to each other, and reach people who do not know Jesus with the saving message of the Gospel. I hope that you are praying and considering how you can be a part of this great campaign.

I am trying to do as much as possible, which means that I still do too much sometimes. I feel that I am progressing, but at a very slow rate. All of your prayers and encouragements are such a help to me beyond the gratitude that I can express. Thank You!!

In our Living Savior, Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hi Brothers and Sisters in Jesus!

By now you probably are thinking that I should change my title to "Pastor's Bi-weekly Blog" after my recent vacation times, but I will be back for a while. We had a great time seeing both of Barbara's sisters, children, and grandchildren (My great-nieces and nephews). It was great to see Barbara's sisters and her mother all together again. It had been 20 years since they were all together at the same time. It was over 100 degrees a couple of days in North Carolina, which was just fine for me. The heat does make me feel better. I have been testing out my physical abilities this summer as we are redoing our backyard - putting up a retaining wall and paver patio. I have learned to pace myself and go inside when I have had enough. I get a lot of coaching from my family.

I am excited about our push into the Fall. We are going to be concentrating on our congregational campaign called "The God Questions". I would like all of you to pray about how you could be of service to Jesus, our community, and our fellow friends in Christ by getting involved in this campaign. I have been praying about someone to ask to be the Campaign Director, so if you believe that God would Have you serve in this way please contact me and we can discuss what needs to be done and decide in prayer whether it is right for you. There are other coordinators and many helpers that are needed. Your gifts that God has given you we need for this campaign. Prayer - which we can all do - is the most important part of this campaign.

It is good to go on vacation, but it is also good to be home again. God's richest blessings and thanks for all your prayers.

In Jesus Care,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings in Jesus,

I have had a great week of vacation. It rained more than I wanted it to, but that was God's way of having me rest. I did work on building a retaining wall in my backyard. It is taxing. I was scolded (and deservedly so) for over-doing it a bit and suffering for it. I am enjoying the warm, sunny days and the relief from the humidity aren't you?

During the summer months is a great time for all of us to make ministry plans and organize for the fall up through Christmas. The "God Questions" congregational campaign is going to be a great event at Friends In Christ this fall. I encourage you to pray about and accept an invitation to be part of this growth among us and outreach to our Morris community.

I have another prayer request for you. We have a young lady, Morgan Wills, who greatly needs our prayers. Please pray for God's healing for her and God's strength and comfort for her family. They are not taking any phone calls so please respect their wishes about that. The prayers of many are powerful and effective and that is part of being a family in Christ. I know how much the cards and letters that you sent to me meant for me and my recovery, so cards and letters to Morgan may help her greatly. Thank you all so much beforehand for your prayers for Morgan.

Part of Jesus' Family,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings My Friends In Christ,

What a great week we have had. VBS was wonderful. The children learned that they are special creations of God, that he has made every person on earth unique, that he loves them so much he sent his Son, Jesus, to die for their sins so they can have forgiveness and eternal life. On Friday the children wanted to do another week of VBS which is a testament to all who participated - THANK YOU ALL!!

We had a great congregational meeting on Sunday. Thank you to all who came so that we could share ideas and move together as Friends In Christ. We all agreed that we do not want to run in place, but want to pursue the mission of Jesus to the world. There was joy in our L.E.R.T. team that responded with help to the tornado victims in Streator; there is common ground on wanting to reach our community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and we have a great desire to work together. Not all aspects of the plan that our leadership put together were endorsed, but input was given and received and more input is desired. Continue in prayer for our leadership as they truly want all of us to move together in the mission of Jesus.

I have been tolerating the rapid changes in the weather and do my best to push through the tough days and enjoy the not so tough ones. Thank you all for your continued love, support, and prayers it is such a blessing to me.

Following Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hello Sisters and Brothers in Jesus,

This week is VBS week and Friends In Christ is vibrant with kids. Yesterday the kids were having so much fun that many didn't want to leave. That is a good sign. There are a few families that are new to the Morris area and we pray that God bless them in their search for a church family. We do pray that they would join our family of God, but to be in the kingdom of Jesus is the most important. We are learning about how much God loves us - that he created us just as he wanted us to be. We are special to him, which is why he sent his Son, Jesus, to pay the price for our sins on the cross. As the kids discover more about God and his creation and Jesus and his sacrifice for us they are uncovering the truth of the Word of God that will be with them all of the days of their lives. It is so exciting to see all of these children having fun and learning at the same time. Pray for them and their families that they would continue in a relationship with Jesus as their Savior and receive forgiveness and eternal life.

This Sunday we have our semi-annual Voters' Meeting at 2:00pm. I encourage all of you to attend. We have a pivitol decision to make concerning the future of Friends In Christ. The Leaders of our congregation have put together a wonderful plan to reach our community for Jesus Christ and some critical decisions need to be made in order to implement this plan. If you haven't yet picked up a packet and an informational DVD just stop by the church building and pick one up. See you there!

I have been in a struggle with the changes of weather, so pray for God to lessen the pain during this volatile time of the season. The warm, calm days are a wonderful respite from the stormy ones. I do appreciate the encouraging words and the prayers on my behalf. You are great!

In Jesus Comfort,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings in Jesus!

We had a great celebration of Holy Trinity Sunday as well as commemorating those who have served and are serving in our armed forces (Memorial Day). I am so glad that we live in the U.S.A. at this time. We have what many countries do not have - the freedom to not only worship the true God, but to study his Word and tell others about the Savior of the world, Jesus. We have not experienced interference from our government as yet. And we certainly want to protect this freedom. My personal belief on how to protect this freedom is to introduce more people to Jesus and in so doing they may believe and one more will have eternal life in Jesus.

We are continuing our Journey Through the Gospel of Luke during the summer. We meet between services. Everyone who has been attending has been so enthralled by our study that they did not want to stop. The Holy Spirit is truly changing our lives as we take this journey. Join us on Sundays at 9:45 am and take this journey with us. It is easy to get plugged in right away. We start Luke, chapter 4, this Sunday.

I have been on a rollercoaster with all of these thunderstorm fronts rolling through. I feel as well as can be expected when it is clear and sunny, but when the atmospheric pressure changes then my pain is heightened. I am pleased to be praying for all of you and I certainly am abundantly thankful for all of your prayers for me. God is good!!

In Jesus arms,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Good Day Sisters and Brothers in Jesus,

What a great weekend!! The DVD presented at the information meeting was great. There are many opportunities for us to capitalize on as we move into the future of Friends In Christ. I am excitied about what God has planned for us as His mission post. We truly are going to be able to fulfill our mission of "Friends bringing friends to Christ". And by friends we mean anyone that we are around in our daily lives. I am praying hard for God to lead us and support us with whatever we will need to bring people to Christ. I hope that you are praying for this also. I am looking into how I can be a part of fulfilling this mission according to my gifts from God. I hope that you are doing the same. These are exciting times for all of us - scary times, as well. We certainly will have to step-out in faith and trust Jesus to take care of us. I know He will, because He has promised us, "I will be with you always even to the end of the age." Let's live in this promise every day.

I had a great weekend for another reason - our oldest son and his wife came for a three day visit. We had a fantastic time talking, playing games, and we went bowling. I hadn't been bowling for 4 years. I didn't do too badly. The warm weather is great. I love it! I enjoy walking outside and feel the warm air. It is soothing to my face and arm. God is good! May God continue to shower you with blessings as you have showered me with prayers. Thank you!

In Jesus Care,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

My Friends in Christ,

It has been a busy week, but a great one none the less. I had an energizing conversation with a man who came into our building last week and had all kinds of questions about God, the differences in the religions, what is true? what happens after you die? etc. I enjoyed listening to his ideas and then telling him about what the Word of God says. There are many people out there who are searching for answers and we need to be ready to help them. This is why attending worship and Bible study is so important, so that we are ready to tell people why we have the faith that we have.

I am excited about this weekend. We will all watch a DVD produced by the leaders of Friends In Christ outlining our plan as we move toward the future reaching people with the life-saving message of Jesus. The meeting will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, May 23 and will be very informative. If you cannot attend the meeting there will be packets and DVD's that you can pick-up over the next weeks. It is important that we all are informed about our exciting plan to reach people with the Gospel, so that we can all make good decisions that are necessary to our success at our Voters' Meeting on June 13.

I have the same struggles with the weather changes as always. As I become stronger I am able to work through the pain more easily. Thank you for your continued prayers on my behalf. I ask you this week to pray for our piece of the Body of Christ here at Friends In Christ. God bless you all richly.

In our resurrected Savior,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hello my Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are continuing to grow together as we travel through the letter of 1 John. The fact that we know love as defined by God as giving up one's life for another's benefit is enlightening. Now we can live out each day showing that love to those we meet. We can give up our desire to only meet our needs and concentrate on meeting others needs along with our own. Jesus gave up his life on the cross, so that there is forgiveness of sins and eternal life through faith in him. He already is eternal, so it was of no benefit to him - only to us human beingings. That is love.

We continue to be amazed at what the Holy Spirit is teaching us as we Journey Through the Gospel According to Luke. I have grown by leaps and bounds and have been told by some who are attending that they have been transformed by the experience. I invite everyone to come on board and join us in this life-changing journey.

As for my health, I am on a slow progression toward regaining my former strength. The work is hard, but I know it has been and will be worth it. The healing process is going to take some more time, so bear with me. I am an excellent barometer! If you want to know if the atmospheric pressure is changing, just ask me and I will let you know. Thanks so much for all of your prayers and encouragment as we work togehter to reach people who do not know Jesus as Savior.

In Jesus our Savior,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Blessings to all of you,

As the days get warmer I feel like doing more and more. Taking walks with my wife, like last evening, is a great way for me to get excercise and feel better. The pressure changes are still going to be a factor in my life each week, but I enjoy the warmth. Thank you for your payers.

As school comes to a close for this year we look forward to the opportunity to reach many children and their families with the "good news" of Jesus through our Vacation Bible School. We are trying to reach as many children as possible this summer so we need your help. We have invitation cards that you can pick up here during the week or on the weekend and give to the children in your neighborhood. Thank you ! This VBS is going to be great!

If you are looking for an opportunity to grow in your relationship with Jesus join us on Sunday mornings for our Journey Through the Gospel of Luke. We are discovering many things about ourselves and about Jesus in our lives. Also their are Friends Christ Care Small Groups where you can grow closer to Jesus and to other friends at Friends In Christ, just let me know by replying to this e-mail or call me at 815-941-1255. I look forward to spending this life and eternity with you all.

In Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

My Brothers and Sisters in Jesus,

I praise God for all of you as we continue to follow Jesus together gathering more followers along side of us as we journey toward eternal life in the Father's house. Continuing in 1 John has been enlightening and helpful in guiding us in just how we are to show love to God and love to those we are around each day. Our first insight was that we need to recognize our sin, confess it and God will forgive our sin - that's a promise. The next is that we are not to love the world nor the things in the world, for they only pass away. We are to love God and our fellow human beings believing in Jesus as our Savior and we have the promise of eternal life. What a comfort.

We are entering into the third chapter of our "Journey Through the Gospel of Luke" where we are learning about John the Baptist and his baptism as compared to Jesus and his baptism (why was Jesus baptized?). I invite all of you to join the 25 of us who are on this journey, so that we can journey together.

Continue to pray for me as my recovery moves along. I have many more good days than bad ones, but bad ones are still part of the total package. Thank you for your support, prayers, and willingness to work together to reach many lost people for Jesus Christ.

In Our Loving Savior,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hi My Brothers and Sisters in Jesus!

I had a great time this weekend worshipping with all of you and reading and discussing the Scriptures. 1 John is an amazing book. I really like how John constantly lets us know that our relationship with Jesus Christ is not just a verbal commitment, the love of Jesus that is in us because of this relationship shows in our everyday lives. We who receive the love of Jesus are to share this love with everyone that we meet each day. In this way we are walking in the light of Jesus.

Luke continues to be a Gospel journey that brings us surprising revelations into who Jesus is. We discovered last week that Jesus is the final Passover Lamb whose blood was shed for us, so that the angel of death will pass over us and we will walk through the door of death into eternal life. What comforting assurance.

I have been overdoing somethings lately because the weather has been so nice. I am trying to gauge what things I can and cannot do as far as chores around the house. I also am coming to an understanding of how long I can do certain projects and when I need to take a break. It is not the same as it was before. My personality is that I push myself and it seems that I have done a little too much lately. Thank you all so much for all of your prayers and encouragment. It means a lot to me.

In Jesus' Care,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

My Christian Sisters and Brothers,

What a great day God has given us today. And what a great weekend. Historically the Sunday after Easter is usually the lowest attendance day of the year - not so at Friends In Christ. I enjoy celebrating the resurrection of our Lord each and every week all year, but there is something special about the resurrection during the Easter season.

It was great to get back to our Journey Through the Gospel of Luke on Sunday mornings at Turtle Tap. What an eye (and heart) opening look into God's plan of salvation using many different people focusing on Jesus and His life, but there is continuing reference to the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of all involved.

The warmer weather allows me to feel a little better and do more things. My wife and I went for a walk through our neighborhood yesterday and enjoyed seeing all of the flowers and trees in bloom. It is nice to have uninterupted conversation with my wife - not something that happens everyday.

As Spring progresses into Summer we have some great opportunities in our community to reach people with the saving message of Jesus' death and resurrection for forgiveness and eternal life. There are many people in our community who do not know who Jesus is. Some of them may be your neighbors, coworkers, friends, and even family members. Show them extra love and help them when they need it and you may get the opportunity to share with them what Jesus has done for you.

A Brother in Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Dear Christian Friends,

Christ Is Risen! Alleluia!
He Is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia!

What great celebration I had with all of you Easter weekend - from Maundy Thursday through Easter Sunday we had meaningful fellowship and worship in remembrance of Jesus suffering, death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life. This is why Sunday was chosen by the early Christians for worship, because each Sunday was a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Through his resurrection we have undoubted proof that Jesus is our Messiah-Savior. He has power over sin, death, and the power of Satan. He died, so that we can live.

I am excited! This excitement causes me to act like Jesus to the people that I meet in my life each week . Sometimes this gives me the opportunity to tell them about the Savior of the world, Jesus and sometimes it takes more than one encounter. If we want the people we know (and I hope we all want this) to have forgeness and eternal life, then we should want to act like Jesus towrd tham and be ready for opportunities to tell them about Jesus' death and resurrection for forgiveness and eternal life.

I became very tired by Sunday afternoon. I needed a nap, and so I took one. The warm dry days helped a lot with my energy, so that I had enough to do all of the worship services on Holy Week. God is so good - He continues to provide exactly what I need when I need it. The storms that have been coming over the past few days are still an adventure for me, so pray for strength and tolerance. I do thank you all for the continued prayers.

In Our Resurrected Savior, Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This past weekend we celebrated the beginning of Holy Week. It was a great celebration - with palm branches, God's Word, and the Lord's Supper. We discovered that we are wise when we hear the words of Jesus and do them and we are unwise when we hear the words of Jesus and do not do them. We heard from Jesus that the Father's will is that all would look to the Son and believe in Him and receive eternal life.

That is a comforting message as we look on the Son, Jesus, this week and see what He did for us. That He was brutely beaten, scourged, and then executed on a cross - probably the cruelest way to execute someone that has ever been devised by mankind. He volunteered for this treatment because it was necessary to pay the price for all our sins. That is how we receive eternal life from the Father.

I had a bout with the stomach flu last week, but I am doing fine now. The warmer weather is a welcome break from the cold. The pain in my face and arm are more tolerable when it is warm outside. Thank you for all of you prayers. I will need them as we go into four straight days of worship services. I pray that I will see all of you Thursday and Friday at 7:00pm, Saturday at 5:30pm, and Sunday morning - either at 8:30am or 11:00am.

I pray that God blesses each and every one of you with a wonderful celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ - Easter!

In the name of our Savior,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hi Brothers and Sisters,

Spring is trying to come - snow on the first day of Spring. God is letting us know that He is in charge and that He will bring spring as He wills. It's been one year since I fell. I am still feeling the affects of my injuries. A wondeful thing happens to me when I preach, I do not feel any pain while I am preaching. That is the only time in my week that I do not feel any pain. Praise God for the miracle.

As we head toward Holy Week - Palm Sunday is this Sunday - we remember that it is our sins that Jesus willingly died for on a cross. The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is a celebration of the true King of the universe as he sets in motion his sacrifice for us. It will be a great celebration we will have together, with Jesus, this weekend.

Ask a friend or coworker who does not attend worship anywhere if they would like to join you for Easter celebration. That is a great gift to share with them. I continue to pray for all of you every day and thank you for all of your prayers they are of great benefit to me.

In our Crucified Savior,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hi everyone! Greetings in Jesus.

Last week with all the weather changes I experienced a lot of pain. I had some trouble with swelling which caused more pain than I like. Today is sunny and clear and warmer, so I feel much better. Praise God!!

Disregarding the pain I had a great time last week. The lasagna Lenten meal last Wednesday evening was fantastic. I had more than I should have. Worship with all of you was tremndous, both Wednesday evening and over the weekend. I never get tired of worshipping. Our journey through the Gospel of Luke is enlightening. As we delve deeper into this gospel the Holy Spirit opens more and more up to our understanding. We have more people join our journey almost every week. There are many of us that are being transformed by God. I encourage all of you, if you are not with us already, to join us this Sunday at 9:45 am. in the Turtle Tap restaurant. We have a great time!

Tomorrow, March 17th, is not only St. Patrick's Day, but it is the one year anniversary of my damaging fall off the scaffold. I am so thankful to God for bringing me to where I am this past year. I thought at first that I would get well faster, but the doctors and therapists told me that I have progressed further and faster than they ever thought I could. So, I am thankful that God is strong and gracious. Thank you all so much for all of the prayers, encouraging words, cards, letters, and support throughout this past year. And I thank you in advance for the next year also.

In the Comforting Arms of the Savior,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings in our crucified Savior, Jesus,


The weather is getting warmer, slowly. It is difficult to be patient and not want it to be 70 degrees right now. But God is doing exactly what is necessary according to his plan for us. Patience is what I need, because there are times when I want to be completely well right now, but God has a plan and it includes continual reliance on him for each and every hour of every day. I am thankful for his faithfulness - always being with me.

I had a great weekend worshipping with all of you. We had the great privilege of seeing God work through the sacrament of Holy Baptism at 11:00 am. on Sunday. I always get chills everytime I serve as God's agent in Baptism. Isabella, who was baptized, was taken to the Pediatric ICU Sunday night. She is improving and will probably be discharged in a few days, but she needs our prayers. Her mother and father need our prayers also - it is such a helpless feeling not being able to do anything to help your baby.

We continue tomorrow evening with our exploration of "Who Wants Christ To Die?" This week we will look at "The Father Does". I am looking forward to do as all good Lutherans do and that is EAT! Tomorrow at6:00 pm. we are going to have a homemade lasagna dinner with breadsticks provided by Turtle Tap. We have had many people each week for dinner and worship, if you haven't taken part please do it is great fellowship and worship.

Thanks so much for all you prayers and warm wishes I truly appreciate you.

In our Savior,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hello my Brothers and Sisters in Jesus,

What a fantastic week we had last week. Our Lenten supper was great - good fellowship. Our Lenten worship was wonderful as we explored why Barabbas wanted Christ to die. We will look at why the crowd wants Christ to die this Wednesday evening right after another Lenten supper.

As we listen and study Jesus' Sermon on the Mount we see that he is speaking to all of us. He wants all of us to be salt and light in this world. He wants us to help meet people's needs at work, in our neighborhoods, in our families - especially their need for the Savior, Jesus. What a life-changing message Jesus has given to us.

We continue to walk through the Gospel of Luke on Sunday mornings, what a transformation the Holy Spirit is working in us. The process of going through Luke verse-by-verse and looking at other Bible passages has brought understanding, clarity, and strengthening of faith for all of us. If you have not travelled on this journey yet, I personally invite you to join the journey your life will never be the same.

I am continuing to do all of my excercises dutifully. I do notice a gradual increase in my strength and energy. The nerves that I damaged in the accident have not regenerated and the probability that they will at this point is very small. So, just in case you were wondering I thought I would let you know. God always provides, though not when we would always like it.

In Jesus Love,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

What a great start to the Lenten Season last week. Ash Wednesday has always been meaningful to me as I reflect on my fragile mortality because of my sins. What great joy comes to my heart in knowing that Jesus willingly, and out of love, died on a cross for my sins. This gives me strength to live following Jesus in spite of the distractions that this world thrusts upon me knowing that my eternal life in Jesus is not fragile nor mortal. I pray that you also find strength, as well.

I am enjoying our Wednesday evening series, as well as, our weekend one. Last Wednesday we began to look at who wants Christ to die. We saw that Caiaphas wants Christ to die because he said it was better for one man to die that for the whole nation to perish. And of course he is right. It has been better that one person - Jesus - would die that that we all would die. I am thankful for Jesus. And on each weekend we are going through Jesus' Sermon On the Mount. We may know parts of it, but do we know all of it. Jesus is the final authority, since he is the Word become flesh. It is interesting to see what he says and how we have to change - yes I said it - change to live his Word.

I am tired of the cold, as well as many of you that I have spoken with. I pray that Spring comes soon and more moderate temperatures return. God's blessings shower you as you do HIs work wherever you are. Thank you son much for your continued prayers and encouragement.

In Jesus' Care,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hi Everyone! Greetings in Christ.

I had a great weekend. My family and I went to Lubbock, Texas to visit our son and daughter-in-law. My parents and Jessiaca's family were also there. Our son, Rodney, wrote a play that won an award at the Dallas Arts Festival and was produced and performed by Texas Tech University. A representative from the Kennedy Center of Performing Arts (in Washington D.C.) was there because Rodney's play was nominated to receive the Kennedy Center award as the best play written and performed in 2010. If Rodney wins he would receive the award in the Spring of 2011. The play was outstanding and I'm not predjudice in any way -ha, ha! It was a dark comedy, which is the most difficult genre to do well, but he pulled it off. The local television station was there to interview him and he handled himself very well on television. To say we are proud of him is an understatement. We had a great time visiting with them, worshipping with them, and spending time with them - it is always hard to leave.

The plane flights for the most part weren't a problem for me. As the pressure rose when we descended the pain rose in my face, that was the most difficult part of flying. I pray that over time this will get better. It won't keep me from flying if I want to, though.

I look forward to the beginning of the Lenten season as Ash Wednesday begins tonight. I hope to see all of you there at 7:00pm tonight. We are going to explore "Who Wants Christ to Die?" Tonight we will talk about Caiaphas wanting Christ to die. God's richest blessings be with all of you as you contemplate on your mortality on earth and your immortality that comes through faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord.

In Jesus' Love,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings in Jesus my friends in Christ,

As I look outside winter rages on. The snow is piling up and the roads are getting more treacherous by the minute. If you have to be out in the storm I pray that God will keep you safe. The changes in weather are still an adventure for me. I never noticed the atmoshperic pressure changes before my fall. I understand better now how many of you who have sinus issues feel at the change of the weather. God give you strength. The apostle Paul comes to my mind where he asked God three times to remove a thorn in his flesh, but God reminded him the God's grace is sufficient. I take solace in this as I am reminded to lean on Jesus for all things at all times. For this I give thanks to God. Not that I always wanted to or did, but now I do. I pray that you are at that place in the issues of your life, as well.

We are having a great time journeying through the Gospel of Luke on Sunday mornings. We have learned so much more about the Christmas story in Luke 2 than we knew before. The salvation plan of God is unfolded in the birth of Jesus and how God's providence works to make everything happen the way He wants it to is amazing. All this is for us and applies to our lives today more thatn we realize on the surface. We are not meeting this Sunday - February 14, 2010 - but we will resume the following Sunday at 9:45 am at Turtle Tap restaurant.

This Friday myfamily and I leave for Lubbock, Texas to visit our oldest son and his wife. Rodney wrote a play that is being performed by Texas Tech University students and we are going to see it. He won an award for this play at the Dallas Arts Festival and had to go there and speak to the convention. We are very proud of him. Blessings to all of you as you worship together this weekend.

In Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Jesus,

Another great weekend of praising God together has come and gone. I often think of heaven being like our worship together full of joy and praise as we receive the love of God in its fullest. What a great joy it has been to serve generously with all of you in our response of sending aid to the victims in Haiti. We have certainly let the light of Jesus shine in our lives together. Thank you all for your compassionate generosity - what a joy.

This week people have been telling me that they are going to go south for a month or so. They have had enough of the cold for a while. If you are going or are already there enjoy what God has provided, because we here still have to shovel snow and scrape ice off our car windows - think of us from time to time.

I have been feeling much better this week than last. I have been trying to excercise in the way that the doctors told me to. It does help me gain endurance which allows me to do more things better. As always I am overwhlemed with all of your prayers and support and relish them every day. Thank you so much!!

In the Comfort of Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hello my Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This past week has been an eventful one. The weather convergence last Thursday caused me a considerable amount of pain. I had to rest and take pain medication more than I have had to in a while. Thank you for all your prayers. I had a great time worshipping and studying the Gospel of Luke with you this past weekend. During my messages God puts the pain that I am in out of my mind. I don't notice or feel any pain during that 20 minutes or so. Truly a blessing from God.

Barbara and I took our youngest daughter for a college visit after worship on Sunday. She loves the school and auditioned for a performance scholarship and she received one. She made the decision to attend this college and Barbara and I are ecstatic. God provides in many different ways.

Your prayers are a great blessing to me. I can feel God giving me strength to do His mission of seeking and saving lost people. I pray for all of you each day and I hope that my prayers are as beneficial to you as yours are to me.

Always Following Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Greetings in Christ Everyone,

What a great weekend it was worshipping with all of you. The Holy Spirit was working hard on all of us. What a great joy! At our Journey Through the Gospel of Luke Bible study we were again amazed at the insight that the Holy Spirit is giving us each and every time that we meet. My life is truly being transformed and many who are there have shared with me that they are noticing that their lives are being transformed as well - and they do not want to miss the study, ever. That is good to hear. If you are not attending I enthusiastically encourage you to come and let the Holy Spirit grow you as He has been doing to us who have been there.

I am enjoyng the sunshine today. I can calm the pain down some by letting the sun shine on my face through the window. It feels good. I remember when I was a child I use to lay down on the floor by the window in our family room and let the sun bake me, especially if I had been out playing in the snow - what a good memory. My arm is feeling much stronger these days. I can grab and hold on to things much better now, so I am still progressing. Thank you for all of your prayers and good wishes I truly appreciate every one.

In the Care of Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Hello my Sisters and Brothers in Jesus,

I'm very excited about the opportunites that are before us in 2010. We have the opportunity to learn how to function as a healthy congregation and establish a strategic ministry plan that we can collectively put together and implement over the years to grow and strengthen God's kingdom. All of us at Friends In Christ and everyone in our Morris community need the foundation of Jesus Christ and the strength and compassion of the Body Of Christ, and we, by the help of the Holy Spirit, can be that strength and compassion.

We learned from Jesus (Luke 9:61-62) last Sunday that we need to work hard in the present and plan for the future in order for what falls into the past to be right. If we are looking at the past to see if it is right then we are distracted from the present and fail to plan for the future. What we are to do is take what we have learned along the way and apply it to the present work and also to the future plan and we will be plowing wonderfully looking fields for Jesus. We plow and scatter seed, but only God can make anything grow.

Living with the cold is still an ongoing struggle for me. When the temperatures really drop it does affect me a great deal. Thank you all for your prayers, compassion, and encouragement. I love you all.

In the Arms of Jesus,
Pastor Randy

Pastor's Weekly Blog

Happy New Year Brothers and Sisters!

I am praying that this year will be a less injurious year - my wife and kids are also. The cold continues to be a challenge for me and has taken some getting use to, but God has been very gracious and allowed me to continue to push ahead without hinderance. I am also praying that all goes well for you and your families according to God's grace in 2010.

I am excited about our opportunities in 2010; to grow in God's Word, to plan together our future as the body of Christ in this community, and to put together a strategy that God brings to us in order to grow His kingdom in Morris and the surrounding area. We all need to be a part of this process of discovering what God has planned for us to for Him where we work, live, and have fun.

We have a voters' meeting coming up this Sunday I hope that all of you can make it. It is always important for us to get together and move forward in the same direction - the direction that God is pointing us in. See you all this weekend!

In the Gracious Arms of Jesus,
Pastor Randy