Friday, December 4, 2009
Thankful for those First Cups
It has been a busy week and I haven't been able to post as much as I would have liked to. Thanks again to Sandy for providing us with those "First Cups" to keep the blog fresh and inspiring!
First Cup
There is nothing, indeed, which God will not do for a man who dares to step out upon what seems to be the mist; though as he puts his foot down he finds a rock beneath him. -- F. B. Meyer
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The Church of 2020...
No, this isn’t the name of our new church…hmmm.
Rather, it was a “blessing” if you will, an encouraging word, from an encouraging e-mail that I received from Pastor Jim Walters of Bear Valley Church.
(yes, THAT Bear Valley Church)
His email was in response to one I sent him. I won’t put the whole email here, but he did take quite a bit of time and effort in his reply to my question.
He spoke about the church of the future – the Church of 2020.
In this church:
“a) NO audience at all. People will gather in the round, likely in groups of under 20, and each person will bring a word, song, prayer, idea, teaching, something.
b) attending will be an "active experience of participation," not a "passive attendance at some event". People will hear something (a message, a song, scripture, prayer) but also see something, DO something, SAY something, touch something (another person, or an object that's used as a prop, or modeling clay, or paintbrush, food, Lord's Supper elements) but you get the idea: come to church 2020 and DO things: talk, touch, eat, paint, sing, model clay, cook, clean, teach, play... don't just sit.
c) this new church may gather one Fri nite a month, at some retreat place, and stay til Sunday noon. They may only meet once a month other than in small groups.
d) this new thing won't need a bldg, or a budget, or a big paid staff. They will give most of the offerings to the poor, or to missions, or to a member in need.
e) likely won't even be incorporated. Might be incorporated as a non profit. (By the way, if you do write some by laws and some articles of faith, and file them w/ sec of state in your state, you'll be a non profit. You do not have to file with IRS to get non profit/ tax exempt status, churches have it automatically"
In short, what the church of 2020 will be, is a Fellowship…a true Fellowship.
Rather, it was a “blessing” if you will, an encouraging word, from an encouraging e-mail that I received from Pastor Jim Walters of Bear Valley Church.
(yes, THAT Bear Valley Church)
His email was in response to one I sent him. I won’t put the whole email here, but he did take quite a bit of time and effort in his reply to my question.
He spoke about the church of the future – the Church of 2020.
In this church:
“a) NO audience at all. People will gather in the round, likely in groups of under 20, and each person will bring a word, song, prayer, idea, teaching, something.
b) attending will be an "active experience of participation," not a "passive attendance at some event". People will hear something (a message, a song, scripture, prayer) but also see something, DO something, SAY something, touch something (another person, or an object that's used as a prop, or modeling clay, or paintbrush, food, Lord's Supper elements) but you get the idea: come to church 2020 and DO things: talk, touch, eat, paint, sing, model clay, cook, clean, teach, play... don't just sit.
c) this new church may gather one Fri nite a month, at some retreat place, and stay til Sunday noon. They may only meet once a month other than in small groups.
d) this new thing won't need a bldg, or a budget, or a big paid staff. They will give most of the offerings to the poor, or to missions, or to a member in need.
e) likely won't even be incorporated. Might be incorporated as a non profit. (By the way, if you do write some by laws and some articles of faith, and file them w/ sec of state in your state, you'll be a non profit. You do not have to file with IRS to get non profit/ tax exempt status, churches have it automatically"
In short, what the church of 2020 will be, is a Fellowship…a true Fellowship.
First Cup
"The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway." -- Kent M. Keith
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Advent - While we wait!
A simple, yet meaningful Advent calendar is to simply read one chapter of the book of Luke each day. There are 24 chapters in Luke so beginning today – December 1 – you will have one chapter a day to read through Christmas Eve.
For each chapter select one verse that seems to reach you during your reading and write in down - maybe in an Advent notebook. It might be interesting to see what 24 verses you carry with you to December 25th.
For each chapter select one verse that seems to reach you during your reading and write in down - maybe in an Advent notebook. It might be interesting to see what 24 verses you carry with you to December 25th.
A B-I-G "Thank You!"
Goes out to Sandy at http://grandmasplace.com/ for her creative and spiritual touch to the blog!
“First Cup” is no doubt, just a sample of what is to come!
AND…
It should provide for much needed daily content and, more importantly, inspiration.
Thank you again!
Love Chris
“First Cup” is no doubt, just a sample of what is to come!
AND…
It should provide for much needed daily content and, more importantly, inspiration.
Thank you again!
Love Chris
First Cup
"Envy consists in seeing things never in themselves, but only in their relations. If you desire glory, you may envy Napoleon, but Napoleon envied Caesar, Caesar envied Alexander,and Alexander, I daresay, envied Hercules, who never existed." -- Bertrand Russell
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