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
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
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
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
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