Monday, August 31, 2009

my day off

It has been a relaxing day off! Went to leasurly browse at my favorite store Gabriel Brothers, picked up a few things at a couple other stores and mostly was just home!

I spent some reflective time trying to grasp everything that went on at Crossroads this weekend...I am overwhelmed that God would bless us with such great guests and opportunities.

The possibilities with the Satellite broadcasts we can provide for our community is very exciting! As I recapped the events in my Elders Report today, I was blown away by the evaluations I looked over. Crossroads hosted 34 different churches at the Beth Moore event - when does that ever happen? About 1/3 of the ladies that attended the Beth Moore event, turned in evaluation forms, but out of those 19 Crossroads' ladies recommitted their lives to Christ and 15 ladies from other ministries also recommitted their lives! Now, that could definitely have impact in this community!

Then as I thought through Nancy Beach's impact I heard the words ring out "Wow"! Nancy encouraged our congregation to 'see' the miracles and opportunities around them. She asked us to slow down and enjoy the "wow" moments and things that God created, including us!

Beginnning last night as I was cleaning up in my office, one volunteer at a time passed my office and yelled "Wow" at the top of their lungs! OK, OK so the message was amazing, but say wow to God not me!! ha ha I even got a Wow text today! Well, I guess that just proves everyone was listening, and for that I am thankful! And for Nancy's tremendous ability to stir our souls I am thankful!

I have enjoyed today, a true day off!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

weekend report

I don't even know where to begin...Nancy Beach from WillowCreek did our weekend teaching and it was amazing. This came on the heels of hosting the Beth Moore Lifeway event Friday and Saturday...

and preceded the first ever Crossroads Car Show. We were so excited by the car show participation as 89 cars registered!

Our Setlist:

We began with Mustang Sally to bring our Announcement Guy to the stage to advertise our Car Show. Very fun!

Announcements: Bill dressed in rolled up jeans, leather jacket, white socks and sun glasses to support the car show!

We created a cool beginning with scripture reading intermittently between the vocalists singing, eventually inviting the audience to stand and join in.

Holy God (Doerkson)
How Great Thou Art (Baloche)
Indescribable (Tomlin)
Forever

Pastor Tim introduced Nancy

"Wonder" - Nancy Beach

To see what other worship teams did across the United States go to Fred McKinnon's



Saturday, August 29, 2009

a better day

This is powerful. I wish more of you had been able to be here!

Many ladies went forward for prayer. Many ladies keep thanking us for hosting this event.

God was here today at the Beth Moore event. I praise him for answered prayer with the audio and for moving among us. God is good.

Friday, August 28, 2009

dissapointing night technically

How do you react when things don't go as you planned? Especially when you work on something for a really, really long time?

My reaction was not pretty tonight.

I had worked on the Beth Moore event for several months only to experience a HUGE thunderstorm minutes before we went live that knocked out our video feed. I rallied the prayer team to take it to the Lord and 15 minutes later we had it back. However...the audio was messed up the entire night! I was very, very upset, in fact I went to my office to listen to it there because the feed through my TV was a little better sound.

Everyone assured me afterward that they still were very blessed by the night...I hope they all come back tomorrow.

I like excellence a lot, and I don't like it when other people's problems make our ministry look un-excellent ( I know, I know it's not a word). Did all my fussing do any good, of course not. In fact I'm pretty sure the enemy was laughing his head off because I missed a blessing.

I am praying that everything is resolved tomorrow, but, I'm also going to come prepared to worship despite the technical issues...I will pray and I'll try really hard to take it all in and not be defeated by things beyond my control- as if anything is actually in my control...

Thursday, August 27, 2009

cool conversation

Conversation:
1.
informal interchange of thoughts, information, etc., by spoken words; oral communication between persons; talk;

Sounds harmless. Not always so. It takes at least two. From my office today I heard many conversations - some were casual, some were serious, some hilarious!

I had lunch conversations, phone conversations, programming conversations, loud and soft conversations. They all took time, they all took thought (OK, maybe not the one with Deering)

Then this afternoon Steve and I got to participate in a conference call conversation with Rebecca St. James' father, the publicist and other people associated with her tours. They were amazing to talk with and Steve and I left that conversation with a feeling of amazement for what God is allowing us to participate in. To hear them describe the events that Rebecca has been leading was so exciting!

Conversations are not always full of great news as ours was today.

Conversations can be many things. Mine today = conversations I needed to have, conversations I wanted to have, conversations I shouldn't have had and conversations I never got to have.

Tomorrow will also be a day of conversations, instructing, praying, directing...I pray for God to lead me into conversations full of eternal significance as we host the Beth Moore event. What a privilege it will be to work with all these women tomorrow evening! May all our conversation bring glory to Him!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

preparations

We are almost done preparing for a huge weekend at Crossroads!

We began to prepare tonight for all of our weekend guests by bathing our building in prayer! A beautiful beginning to a long amazing weekend. The quiet reflective atmosphere that our prayer team created was so perfect for a time of asking God's protection and blessing over our weekend!

We have the privilege of hosting a Beth Moore simulcast event Friday and Saturday, then hosting Nancy Beach from the WillowCreek Church Saturday night and Sunday.

Our weekend (weather permitting) will end with a huge car show. This will be a great opportunity for unchurched people to walk through the church and maybe, just maybe decide it is a place where they can begin their spiritual journey.

To watch someone, even one person begin their spiritual journey is why we all do what we do!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

what I learned today

At Small Group tonight, we discussed how difficult it is to understand how anyone can think the universe was formed by a blast or by chance. People talked about the meticulous way that God placed each and every planet at the exact distance from the sun and in the perfect orbit to survive. And then we talked about the fact that this amazing creator placed within each of us a void that could only be filled by Him.

We talked about eternity and how insignificant this time is that we are here on earth in comparison. And we marveled at why He values a relationship with each of us.

These are some of the many mysteries of our God. And tonight was a great time of sitting quietly before Him, worshiping Him with our discussion and delighting in Him. I learned today that the most important thing is not to just learn another fact, but instead, to become completely overwhelmed by my amazing God!


Monday, August 24, 2009

my day off

I was just sitting here thinking back over the opportunities that God has given me this past week.

Here are just a few pictures of our team at work!

I would have to say one of my very favorites was volunteering at the Art Around the Block event. Our Artist small group went downtown Mansfield to volunteer and help kids paint and tie die! I love hanging out with artists and watching creativity happen!

The guys here are Art and Bob from our group with a great photographer Otto Schmidt who just so happened to take my wedding pictures. Kim Quick on the right has her own pottery shop and also attends our group!

We are praying that our small group's presence at the Art Center and serving them at events will open the doors to showing them God's love.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

weekend report

I hate to see this OT Southern style series come to an end, it's been a blast. Today we ended with a lot of energy following a somewhat stressful week of preparations. God was good, so good!

SetList:

Pre service we ran last weekend's outdoor baptism pictures...not many dry eyes in the house!

Opening Praise: Let God Arise
Praise: Majestic
Praise: Your Grace Is Enough
Worship: Revelation Song
Special Music: After The Rain
Announcements: Pastor Tim talked about everything coming next weekend to Crossroads.
-BETH MOORE event: we are hosting the CCN satellite 2 day conference Friday/Saturday
-NANCY BEACH: Nancy will be coming from WillowCreek to teach next weekend
-CAR SHOW: we are located on the Main drag in town and will be hosting a huge car show next weekend as well (I'm tired already!)

Special Music: David Did Dance : Lauren Talley - artist

Message: David and Goliath (amazing message asking us all "what is the giant in your life?")

Special Music: Long As I Got King Jesus: Vickie Winans - artist

I am not a fan of Southern Gospel, but, this weekend I become a convert! AMAZING kicking specials!

If you would like to see what other ministries around the country used in their services go to Fred McKinnon's site.

To watch our services on Monday go to www.crossroadswired.com May God richly bless your week!

Friday, August 21, 2009

farewell college cousins

We had a great dinner with family tonight, nothing better than that! Our daughter and nephew will be leaving for college again next week, so we got together.

I cannot remember when I have ever laughed so hard! 5 of us were laughing so much we couldn't breathe and had tears running down our faces, much needed relaxation! Here are a couple of the pictures we took of one another before leaving!

I hope you have an opportunity to get together with people you enjoy this weekend. I think God takes pleasure when we enjoy one another and when he hears his children laughing!!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

crazy choir

I was at rehearsal tonight in the absence of one of our worship leaders. The choir was great, we only had one problem, their clapping was so loud we could barely hear anything else.

So I went to coach them in fake clapping. Oh brother, they really exaggerated faking it and had me laughing so hard I almost dropped the camera at the end of this video...so please excuse the bad camera work.

All I can say is, you are not going to miss this weekend because we are going to rock the house!

membership fun

My hubby Ron is the Membership Guy for Crossroads. So he took us to Cedar Point today! This park is rated as one of the top amusement parks in the entire world and is known as the roller coaster capital of the world!! And it's located right here in Ohio, just an hour 1/2 away from us.

We enjoyed fun and fellowship as people rode rides together and had a picnic lunch! There were also a few door prizes as well. (This is a shot on the left, of the Crossroads members that came to eat together, there were others in the park that didn't want to stop to eat!)

I am not much of a rider, so when no one was looking, I took off for a while to sit on a lawn chair and snooze on the beach of Lake Erie. This was my idea of a relaxing day!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

what I learned today

I was reading in Acts 1 today. Can you even imagine being witness to Christ's ascension? I have no idea how I would have responded. I think I would have laid on the ground and cried all day! Verse 12 says , "it was a Sabbath day's journey" for them to return to town, which equals about three-fourths of a mile - according to Beth Moore's writing on this topic.

So how did no one else see the ascension? Isn't that weird? Of course God can do anything He chooses, so he could have wrapped clouds around Jesus so only the disciples standing there could see him from the front. Or He could just cause every single person nearby to look the other way! Amazing!! I wonder if the men that saw Jesus ascend ever asked others as they returned to town if they had seen anything unusual?

It's also amazing that he used just a few men. This should give us great hope! A few men changed the world. I so want to be used like this in my town!

So what do you think? Can God use us to create the kind of impacting change that these men in Jesus' day were used for? I feel our greatest opportunities for Christ lay in the days ahead. People are desperate, they need to know our Savior more now then ever.

Rebecca St. James @ Crosroads

I just cannot wait to meet Rebecca St. James when she comes to Crossroads on October 6th. You can find out more info on pricing and the content of the event by going to the She event site, we will have tickets available at Crossroads very soon.

Rebecca is also finishing up a movie, you can check out some pictures from the movie Sarah's Choice, that Rebecca is starring in.

God is going to bless Crossroads with the gift of some amazing visitors in the next few months! God is so good!

Monday, August 17, 2009

my day off

Day off - No such thing when you're in ministry. And just so we are clear, any of you who have accepted the Lord, are also in full time ministry!! Working at a church does not distinguish you as full time - accepting the Lord does. He then places you exactly where He wants you to serve for Him!

Today is a crazy day following an amazing baptism service at an outdoor location where we baptized over thirty people last evening - the calm before the storm!

Today so far: (9:30 a.m.) -

  • Some of our best friend's little boy having surgery.
  • Another of my good friends struggling with his heart rhythm... with his family in court preparing to attend trial against someone accused of being inappropriate with juveniles.
  • As I write this - Many of my closest church guy friends are on a roof helping to remove and replace roof (none of them roofers - I am terrified someone will fall! )
  • Just got email from a friend who needs advise for a struggling family considering divorce (God give me the words!)
  • About an hour ago got off the phone with a dear team member whose heart is broken and sobbing over one of her young adult children's decisions.
  • My son traveling with his band in Oregon - lining up enough gigs to insure they can even eat, thus the saying 'starving artists'!
  • My evening will end by attending visiting hours for yet another friend who has suffered the loss of a loved one in her family this week.
You get my drift, very nerve racking day. Only by God's amazing grace will I meet these people's needs in anyway!! If I've said it once I've said it a million times, if I didn't have the Lord to lean on, to pray to, to be confident in even when things didn't go the way I wanted them to, I just couldn't keep going. I am way to weak!

This is what breaks my heart for the lost, not only separation from God for eternity, but, the everyday struggles that they have no one to turn to. I just praise Him so, so much that on my day off, surrounded by earthly things that I'm worried about, I can choose to lay them at His feet and focus on what he has created THIS day to be in my life. What purpose THIS day has that He is giving me.

I encourage all of you today to choose to face whatever this day brings with eternal focus. Don't let the enemy discourage you and convince you this day is insignificant! Every single day has great significance in the life of a believer. Even if it's the gift of rest, it is preparing you for something later. It is only US that choose to make it insignificant if we don't keep our eyes open, searching for all the opportunities of each day. So go into this day and the next and as many as God has chosen to bless you with knowing He designed each one just for you!!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

weekend report

Wow long weekend! We just got home a couple hours ago after leaving at 7:00 this morning! But, what a great weekend, ending with an outdoor baptism of over 30 people! Very exciting!

Our Setlist:

Revelation Song - Instrumentally with string lead

Announcements

Revelation Song
Mighty To Save
I will Boast

Special music: Praying Man

Message: Daniel and the Lions Den

Exit song: Praying Man

If you would like to see what other ministries around the country included in their setlist click here.

To watch our services go to our website on Monday afternoon, www.crossroadswired.com.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

a loss

As we watched our daughter perform at a local church's music festival tonight, we talked to some of the congregation while we watched. What we heard made us sad.

They talked about the fact that they just recently lost their pastor, he quit. They are devastated! They have lost several leaders and are really scared and struggling.

Now, one thing I know for sure after being in church my entire life, there is always two sides to every story, so I certainly do not know all the details. However, as I listened to this guy pour out his heart and concerns about the church he loved, my heart was broken for him.

Why is the church such a hotbed of trouble, arguments, intolerance and disrespect? Because the enemy knows if he can turn us against one another we will destroy ourselves - as well as our testimony. This of course makes our claims to know Christ look ridiculous and false. The lost want nothing to do with it.

I can only imagine how the Lord feels as He watches what we turn His church into! His church, the church He died for, the church He loves...

Please pray for Tom, the guy I talked to tonight. He was really hurting and longed for peace in his ministry.

Friday, August 14, 2009

no rules

I have been with several groups of people recently that seem to have no rules to live by.

People who are going through their lives with little or no moral compass, just doing as they please. They are not bad people, they are not hurting anyone else, but they are doing whatever they want to.

Relationships - no boundaries; commitment - none; spiritual maturity - no interest. And they all claim the name of Christ. I don't get it. I see no difference in their lives and those I know who do not claim the Lord.

This bothers me tremendously. I care about these people.

Of course only the Lord knows where they stand with him - judging them is not my intent. But, their lives tell others that there are no rules, or absolutes. Everything is gray.

I wonder when God looks down if many of His children look an awful lot like those He says He knows not?

Thursday, August 13, 2009

volunteers

I appreciate all of the Magnification volunteers more than I can ever say.

Today, as I arrived totally confused about what to work on first a dear friend and great volunteer came to the rescue! I thank Deb so much for her help today!

One of the main things I love about Crossroads is our commitment to empowering volunteers to help run the ministry. Compared to most ministries our size we have a really small staff, and based on the amount of events and services we have coming up this fall, it's feeling smaller all the time! So we place a high value on our volunteers!

I loved all the volunteer experiences I had in ministry before going on staff, well except in children's ministry, but that was not good because I WAS NOT GOOD at it! Definitely not my gifted area!

God expects us to serve one another, He gifted us to each bring our uniqueness to the ministry, to serve others as only we can do. How sad when there is a position not filled in our ministry when I know full well that someone possesses each of the gifts that we so desperately need! Thanks to all of your who obediently serve - you understand the joy that God gives when we do what He created us to do! Thank you so much.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

catching up

Time to get back to work.

A whole lot of details waiting for me to work on.

Instead of jumping right back in, I took some time to catch up with the people I do life with, our staff. So many of them are going through tremendously trying times in their lives, unbelievable things actually...

I love my time away, but, what a blessing to look forward to being with my friends again. God has placed us all there together, we need one another and so does our ministry.

No one loves vacations to end, but knowing I get to come back to these amazing friends makes me more grateful than I can say!

Monday, August 10, 2009

my day off

I am home.

Just this morning I was staring at the ocean, now I am staring at my computer on my kitchen counter. Bummer...

This past week has possibly been the very most relaxing vacation I have ever taken. Thanks to a generous friend, who must have thought we looked tired, we were given a Condo on the beach for a week. So amazing!

I think that we only sat on the beach one time! The rest of our beach time we walked, and walked and walked! So good!

Yesterday as I took my last long walk I worshiped God. You all know by now all it takes with me is to give me a glance of the outdoors and I am lost in God instantly! (Tonight chunks of the clouds kept lighting up with lightning deep within them...sorry got distracted!) Anyway, during my last walk yesterday as I was worshiping - just overcome with God's goodness - this question randomly came to my mind. "If you could ask me for anything what would it be?" What in the world brought that to mind? Did God want me to ask for something, or was my mind just wondering again?

As I ignored this and continued praising God for his amazing detail in creation - and just taking in the expanse of the ocean - the question raised it's head again! Again surprised - I decided ok, if I could ask for anything, let's see world peace (ain't gonna happen), this type of thinking didn't seem logical. So... something I cannot make happen myself...of course I'd like to see everyone I know accept the Lord, but if you believe God 'calls' whom He will...asking for this probably wouldn't totally happen.

It occurred to me that when I feel prompted to pray I spend time first trying to figure out if it's a reasonable request, could it really happen, will God be disappointed with my request...by the time I get done with all of these ridiculous thoughts God is probably throwing His hands in the air.

So I asked for something I have no way of doing myself and something He knows is heavy on my heart. I asked Him to miraculously provide a way for all my kids College bills to be paid. There I said it, might sound dumb or trivial, but He already knew it is what has been on my mind. He knew, and maybe He wanted me to just ask Him! DUH!

Now, I realize just because we ask we may never get the answer we hope for, the answer may look completely different than we were hoping, but one thing I know, He will answer this prayer in some way. It may be that He simply wants the kids themselves to work and pay for it so He can teach them something. Anyway I made my request known, it was on my heart and now I have given it to Him.

Do you try to figure out what to pray for instead of just praying, just talking to our God? If you felt God was asking you right now "what is the desire of your heart", what would you ask for? Come on, tell Him, tell all of us if you want to!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

weekend report

I was not at Crossroads this weekend, but with such amazing staff and volunteers all was excellent! It was week 2 in the Old Testament Southern Style - focusing on Noah.

Here is the Setlist:

DRAMA/VIDEO: Look Who's Listening - we purchased the Willowcreek drama and video taped our actors performing it to begin the service setting up the announcement guy to advertise our outdoor baptism. Although taping it required additional work, we just didn't have enough actors available to perform it live this weekend. Too many vacations!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

WORSHIP:King of Majesty
For All You've Done
We Fall Down

SPECIAL MUSIC: I'll Go

INFO FROM THE PASTOR: Pastor Tim needed to talk about a couple of things - a new Community Food Band event that he wanted us to participate in and he also wanted to encourage Baptism participation as well. These occasional special announcements coming directly from the Pastor carry a lot of weight!

SPECIAL MUSIC: What Noah Knew

MESSAGE: Noah and the Flood

VIDEO: Flood Initiation

MESSAGE continues: Noah and the Flood

EXIT MUSIC: What Noah Knew

Sounds like a great weekend - cannot wait to watch it tomorrow afternoon at www.crossroadswired.com.

To see what other ministries across the US used in their services this weekend click here!

Saturday, August 8, 2009

outside alone at night

Do you like to be outside alone at night?

If I am stationary I do, such as sitting in a familiar place. Walking through dark places, or unfamiliar areas - no way! Big chicken here.

I wonder, based on my faith in God, whether I should be more brave then I am? After all He knows the appointed time I will go to be with Him, so nothing I do will change that.

If we really believe He is sovereign can we move freely through our lives, even taking chances?

As I write this I am sitting outside on a balcony. It's pitch black out, I can hear the night sounds, but I feel safe since I'm up off the ground. I admit if I were down at ground level I would feel more uneasy...

Are all of you reading this super careful where you go and when? Do you take precautions and avoid being out at night? I would love to know if you think we can do anything we want and still expect God's protection? Talk to me my friends!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Genesis 1:24

"And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds..." The earth definitely brought forth creatures, some of them creepy!

God's attention to detail is completely amazing...He was so intricate with His creation and all its creatures. They are brilliantly designed!

This is a picture of the corner of our main door at home. I constantly remove spiderwebs from this exact location, always killing the spiders in them. So, how do they not only construct webs in one days time, but also place them located at the best possible place to catch bugs - under our door light right where they fly to come into our house?

How people cannot believe in a creator is beyond me.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

control freak

I didn't realize I was such a control freak, but I am.

Even when I am supposed to be on vacation I HAVE to know what is going on back home and at work.

I am scared of making mistakes, I worry a lot and that doesn't speak highly of my faith in my Lord sometimes. To think that worrying about anything is worth a moment of my life is ridiculous. So I will try to let go, not call, not text, not bother anyone trying to find out if I forgot to do anything that makes their work more difficult!

Do you find it difficult to detach, to walk away realizing you could work from now to kingdom come and not have everything done? Or, am I the only one that spends my time worrying at times?

What worries you?

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

walk on the beach


As I walked along the beach recently I was overcome by the variety of designed creation I saw in the sand. Every shape and color of shell, small pieces of stone with really cool holes and crevices and lots of scurrying critters running around.

Why would God place these things even under the water where most of the time we cannot see them? He is creative, he cares about details and He longs for us to worship Him- the creator of the universe!

While I walked on the beach I worshiped - it took my breath away! I want to ask Him to explain the act of creation to me some day when I get to heaven...this may sound corny but I am very serious. I cannot wait!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

what I learned today

I asked you to pray last week when I visited the detention center and God moved my heart, I continue to feel He's asking for me to help care for the forgotten people in our community. As I was preparing to leave home yesterday I frantically looked for the book I wanted to finish and couldn't find it. So I grabbed "The Hole in our Gospel" written by the president of World Vision. I can tell I will once again be challenged.

I began the book and I ran across these words, "How could the great tragedy of orphans get drowned out by choruses of praise music in hundreds of thousands of churches across our country?..sitting in a hut I remember thinking, How have we missed it so tragically, when even rock stars and Hollywood actors seem to understand"?

A haunting question indeed!

I will keep you posted on this book , I know some of you have already read it, God Bless!


my day off


My husband and I went out to eat tonight and witnessed a horrible display of 'fatherhood'. No lie, this guy had the thickest New York accent I've ever heard and I thought I was watching a live version of the Godfather!

He bossed everyone in the restaurant around and as the waitress walked over to another table I saw her roll her eyes at this guy.

He continued loudly dominating all that was going on in the restaurant asking every employee that passed by to help him and his large family in some way - barking out orders to everyone. His actual waitress finally told him, that's MY job not theirs, I was afraid for her, but he didn't bite her head off or anything.

As time went on I heard him begin to tell his family (mostly young boys) how he had experienced terrible service everywhere from Starbucks to every establishment he had visited lately. Demanding as he went from place to place to speak to the managers. I could just see the trail of trampled bodies he left behind, possibly even causing kids to lose their jobs! He described in detail what he said to each manager, "Well I told him exactly what he should do with his inefficient employees!" I watched his sons taking it all in.

This was their example. How sad. I can only imagine how each of them will someday treat the people around them. We are all taught by someone. By family if we are blessed, by friends, by co-workers, by what we watch and read, it's our choice who the voices are that we allow to affect our lives. But this family had a huge problem, no proper fatherly example! Only a loud, probably insecure father that possibly had the same kind of father example in his life. And so it continues.

You know, no matter what kind of father God created just for you, or chose to withhold from you - in some cases to protect you - you must look past them toward a perfect heavenly father. Your earthly father, or lack of, is no excuse not to live as you should. But can serve as the perfect reason to seek the fatherhood that only God can provide.

I have several relatives right now that won't speak to their parents. I would be furious as well for some of the decisions the parents have made. But, it's wrong to hold grudges, it's wrong to treat them disrespectfully even if they seem to deserve it. And when the day comes that God takes my relatives parents home, my cousin is going to deeply regret the lost time. Even if that time was sometimes completely one sided. We are never responsible for people's reactions to our vulnerability or kindnesses. We are only responsible to live as Christ did, and this includes Christ like responses to people that we don't think deserve them. I encourage you today to make right any grudges or disappointments you may have.

Even for those of you who may have father's who are not good examples, such as the man we watched tonight, please do not let that keep you bitter or away from the one great true father, our God!

Sunday, August 2, 2009

weekend review

Oh my, oh my! Pastor Tim is back in town and oh my what a beginning to a new series we had today! Old Testament Southern Style - we did Southern Gospel - and honestly it was as good or better then the original, no lie!

Here is our setlist:

Countdown ending with a video promo for a new Community Food Bank our ministry will be partnering with!

Special Music: He's In Control - the harmonies to die for!
Praise: All For You
Praise: Our God Saves
Praise: Sing, Sing, Sing
Special Music:Down By The River Side - more harmonies to die for! We ran footage in the middle section of this song from our last outside Baptism to advertise the next one.
Baptism Push - announcements - transition into our thematic topic
Special Music: Rahab
Message: Rahab and the Spies
Exit Song: Rahab repeated

To see what other ministries around the country used in their worship services go to Fred McKinnon's site.

To watch our services tune in Monday evening at www.crossroadswired.com

competition

Just as I had begun to work on Friday the theme song from the Rocky movie blasted through my office telephone intercom. Next I heard the call for the office 'weigh off'' to begin. 4 of my favorite counterparts jumped into gym shorts and headed off to our Senior Pastor's office to weigh in. This weigh in would bring the month long competition to an end. No more taunting, no more tempting, just a winner and three losers.

There was tension in the air, much was at stake, a prize, bragging rights and honor!

As one guy after another stood on the cold, hard, scale we all held our breath. (Ok, so maybe we held our breath due to the bare feet)...anyway, we all watched with great anticipation. And soon a leader emerged.

One lost 13 lbs - a great accomplishment, another lost 13 1/2 lbs- a slightly greater accomplishment, another lost 15 lbs - a fantastic accomplishment, but the winner lost 22 lbs. in one month! Crazy good! The winner was Wendell! Our Stewardship Pastor!

We all congratulated Wendell, then we all went out and ate cheeseburgers and french fries to celebrate!