WHATEVER, indeed...

This morning during the welcome/opening, I shared the following thoughts regarding the New Year. Unfortunately the video clip that accompanied this is not uploadable. In essence the message it relayed was that despite our attempts to follow through with resolutions to do this or that better or finally start, most of us fail in our attempt...so the challenge from the clip was to look outward and focus on the needs of others this next year instead of on my wants and needs. Monday morning correction...I was able to link it after all... It was entitled Whatever (click on link to view). i.e. whatever you (God) want to do, however you want to do it, I want to follow your lead. The very last guy said "whatever" as his last words in the clip and so as it concluded I had several people give dramatic examples of how we use the word with various nuances and how our understanding of the word and the attitude behind it changes depending on how it is said.

opening thoughts from this morning, Sunday, Dec. 28.

As we approach 2009, consider the opportunities that are before us; the opportunities that have presented themselves in 2008, the connections we’ve made, the souls that are kingdom-ready because of the work of Christ in them and look around you, in 2009 the material and spiritual needs of our community appear bigger than life…so lets assume some responsibility for re-presenting this christ that we claim as savior.

What is the attitude that we reflect toward others; toward using the gifts god has given us; toward jesus?

Whatever, indeed.

Matthew 25:40
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Matthew 25:45
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

God is far less concerned with what you can do and far more concerned with what he can do through you

Troyer Christmas

We spent Christmas Day at Mom and Dad Troyer's eating pan after pan of Mom's cinnamon rolls (other great food too, but nothing beats the rolls). Cody set a record in 07 with eating 12 but only made it to 9 this year...we had a great time of playing games, opening presents and playing "dirty bingo." See the pictures here.

Elfs?

One of our gifted MCCh techies with apparently too much time on his hands, created this video. Brace yourself; and Merry Christmas!

Bubble Creek Canyon

Several weeks ago during the Sunday morning welcome, I read the Message version of John 3:16-18 This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

Then showed the following video to emphasize the point that we must continually guard against the notion that to seclude ourselves from those that are different than us or from, if you will, "the world" is somehow how God intended it to be. Rather, embrace our differences and take every opportunity to speak life in the name of Jesus.

Bubble Creek Canyon