Scripture for this weekend
The Psalm: 112
The Message Time: I Corinthians 8 & 9
We will continue talking about our relationship with money and our relationship with God's Kingdom.
"We are not called to be consume but to participate and bless."
Monday Morning Letter
Dear Wheatland Mission,
Calana and I want to express our gratitude to you all for the special house warming time this past Saturday night. The food was wonderful and the gifts were great. We really appreciate all that you have done for us. It is an honor to serve with each of you. In case you were wondering our new address 12306 Lincoln Ct. (Yes, this is the right address. I checked with Calana.) We will be painting and prepping the house to move in this week. Come and say hello!
I again want to express a big congratulations to Jeff and Andrea Bullok on the birth of Lauren Grace this past Monday. Welcome, Lauren!
Last Monday was a wonderful night of prayer and I want to thank all of you participated through praying on site or from you homes. I want to share again three things that we took away from our prayer time.
First, we decided that we needed to gather for specific times of prayer more often. We sought God's guidance, repented of sin, and thanked God for his provision. It was special. Keep an eye out for notice of another prayer experience like that in the near future.
Second, it seems right, for now, to go with the Foundry to their new location at our regular time of 5:30 Saturdays. This is in part because of the fact that the Foundry's moving date has been moved up significantly and in part because of our third point.
Third, I think we need more prayer about whether to change our current weekly gathering time. There are many good reasons to stay with Saturday and many reasons to move to a Sunday morning. I want us to take more time together to discuss the options and pray about this issue together. Many of you have shared your thoughts with me and I would love for all of you to let me know how you feel about the issue. I also encourage us to talk with one another about it and help one another understand your preferences. While not the most important issue we will face together as a community it is, nonetheless, important. Let's continue to commit this to prayer and see where God leads.
One last thing, today my kids started school. I know most of our young people have already been in school for a week or even more. Let's take time today, and every day, to pray for their development in school this year. We all have a sacred responsibilty to contribute to their journeys of faith so let's lift them up.
The Wheatland Mission is a wonderful church and a wonderful family. Our family is grateful to be a part of it. Thanks for being a part of it too.
Peace to you,
Paul
Branding, etc...
Thanks to all of you who joined us for the very special time of prayer this past Monday night. It was a great time to simply voice our hearts to God, repent of things that we have done and those things we have left undone, and seek God's direction for our personal lives as well as the corporate life of our church. Thanks also to those of you who couldn't make it but joined us in prayer from your homes.
I'll try to provide a post tomorrow that shares with all of you some of the thoughts that emerged from our gathering as well as some decisions that were made as a result.
Calana and I have been painting, scraping wall paper, power washing a deck and moving lots of small stuff to the new house. We are really looking forward to having an open house so all of Wheatland can come check out our new digs.
Here are the readings for this weekend. We will be digging into the giving talk this week. To prepare read the passage from Colossians and be thinking about our modern concept of "branding". Have fun with it.
The Psalm: Philippians 2:6-11
Teaching Time: Colossians 1:15-20, I Timothy 6:3-10 (also, you might want to read II Corinthians 8 and 9 because these chapters are going to inform our discussion as well)
See you Saturday night.
Congratulations and Welcome!
Congratulations to Jeff and Andrea Bullok on the birth of their daughter this afternoon.
Welcome to
Lauren Grace Bullok who weighs in at 5lbs 14oz and is 16.5 inches long. Mom and daughter are doing well and Dad too.
Prayer Gathering Monday Night
Let's gather this Monday, tomorrow, at 7PM at the Tallgrass East Clubhouse. From 21st and Webb drive north and take your first right. Take Clubhouse street until you see the clubhouse on your left.
This will be a great time of prayer, worship and discerning God's will together. See you then.
Scriptures For This Weekend
The Psalm: 82
Teaching Time: Colossians 1:15-20, I Timothy 6:3-10 (also, you might want to read II Corinthians 8 and 9 because these chapters are going to inform our discussion as well)
See you Saturday night.
Prayer Gathering...more info!
Let's get together next Monday night at 7:00 PM for a
time of prayer and worship. Our goal for the evening is to simply pray
with one another, for one another, and for the future of our faith
community. We want to give special emphasis to seeking God's direction
regarding the time of our weekly worship gatherings and where those
times will take place.
We will meet at the Tallgrass EAST clubhouse (same place as our Family
Picnic two weeks ago and our Easter breakfast) at 7:00 PM.
Prayer Gathering Next Monday
Let's get together next Monday night (location TBA) for a time of prayer and worship. The focus of our prayer time is listening to God regarding when we are to meet and where. There are some big decisions that we have to work through and it will be good for us, as a community, to simply seek God's face.
We'll gather at 7PM and feel please to come and go as you can. Our time will be focused upon prayer more than discussion. However, still keep sending me e-mails and share what you think is best for our gathering time and location. Watch the blog and your e-mail for location of next week's prayer gathering.
This Weekend...
Here are the Scripture Readings for this weekend. I am including the Psalm Reading too.
The Psalm: 33:12-15, 18-22
The Message: Gal 4:19; I John 2:12-14
Enjoy!
Getting The Scale Right...redux
The way I was doing the work of God, was destroying the work of God in me. - Bill Hybels
I remember, many years ago, attending the Willow Creek Leadership Seminar in the suburbs of Chicago. At that time people from all over the country and around the world gathered to hear about the successes of Willow and the great accomplishments of their leadership. They described their church growth strategies, their ministry philosophy, and showed us how they go things done. Now, fifteen years later I can't remember anything they taught us.
But, I do remember Bill Hybels crying.
Hybels, who was something of an icon to young pastors around the country stood in front of everyone and acknowledged that he had been slowly committing spiritual suicide. Building a new facility, managing a larger staff, expanding the impact of their ministries had all begun to take a toll upon his soul. The successes that he fed upon was not the food that his soul needed so desparately.
Although he didn't use these exact words I believe that Hybels suffered because he didn't get the scale right.
As a young man he had an unceasing supply of energy. As an older man he still had energy and the wisdom how to apply it. But, as he kept going he discovered that he was neglecting his soul. His accomplishments were being made at the price of his spiritual life. Like a farmer with too much land to till he kept pushing and pushing. He didn't collapse physically but he did begin to collapse spiritually and emotionally. The constant pace, the unrealistic expectations and the means he used to get things done waged war on his walk with God.
"The way I was doing the work of God was destroying the work of God in me." Hybels has repeated these words over and over again in the years since his personal discovery. They are words that we do well to heed as well. God has given us work to do that is both meaningful and challenging. God often calls upon us to endure difficult circumstances and to persevere through hard situations. God sometimes calls upon us to do more than we think possible. But, he will never call us to do so much that it destroys his workmanship, his craftsmanship, his art. He will never call us to work in such a way that we are driven from a relationship with him that is based on vulnerability and trust.
As individuals, as families and as a church community we all have to find our
"field. While we work hard we don't work ourselves to death. While we do work that challenges us and stretches us we do not do that work in such a way that we are distanced from our heavenly Father, in strife with one another, or alienated from ourselves. Getting the scale right means finding the work that God has called us to do and entering into in a way that is appropriate to the task and water to our souls. Getting the scale right is about vocation and one of the best comments about discerning one's vocation comes from Frederick Buechner.
"Neither the soft berth nor the hair shirt will do. One's vocation is where one's deep joy and the world's deep needs meet."
This Book Thingy...
Is kind of messed up but kind of cool too. The funny thing about it is that is repeats itself between each blog post. I suppose that isn't a huge problem but I am just un-technical enough not to know how to fix that. I may have to scratch the whole thing. If you are interested in cataloging your libraries on-line you can check out Library Thing at librarything.com.
Paul and Calana say...
Thanks.
The gift and recognition at the picnic Sunday night was truly special and the friendships that we have had the joy of being a part of this past year are even more important. One year ago, as Calana and I prayed about what was next in our lives, God planted this dream in our hearts. It is very exciting to see the diverse people that God has brought together in the Wheatland Mission. It is encouraging to see the many friendships that have developed between people who did not know one another one year ago. It is exciting to participate in new relationships with such wonderful friends. This little community is becoming a family.
It is a great honor to be your pastor and to serve with you. As we look to the future let's pray for God's direction and grace, the expansion of his Kingdom and our involvement in it, and let's pray for the growth of our community as we involve more people in God's life and mission. May all of our hearts align with his.
Thanks for letting us serve as your pastor. Thanks for being a part of the Wheatland Mission adventure!
