Fathers' day...

Psalms 127:3-5 (ESV), “3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. 5 Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

There’s a special time in a man’s life when he can stand back, remembering his childhood, contemplating the present, and looking to the future… all in a single moment. I’m in one of the blessed positions right now.

I still have the advantage of having my dad, and Tammy’s dad; I know if I ever need to call on them I can. All four of our boys are alive and healthy; I’m here for them whenever they need me. I’m a son, a son-in-law, a father, Lord willing in a few days I will be a father-in-law! Which means that I can see a future of grandchildren; though I’m not in a big hurry for that phase of life J

It is an understatement to say that each of us is shaped to a great extent by the relationship we have with our father (or father figure). Bill, Tammy’s dad, has taught me several things, and among them was how to tie my tie… so each Sunday morning when my tie is crooked you know who to blame, just kidding J My dad taught me a lot about life growing up, and he instilled in me a strong work-ethic.

Equally true is that we are shaped by being fathers! My boys have taught me more about myself personally, and life, than I could’ve ever imagined! I think our sense of self-worth and self-esteem is rooted in our belief in how we think our dad sees us, and as grown men, in our belief we have what it takes to make it on our own as a dad.

I know this much: A good father provides more than a roof over your head or food on your table. He prepares you for this life and the life to come. Tammy and I share three guiding-parental-priorities while raising our boys: 1. That they are responsible. 2. That they are independent. 3^rd, That they are spiritually mature. Everything else is secondary.

June 14th: Celebration!

Dear Life group hosts and leaders:

We are planning an end of the season Life Group celebration for June 14th immediately following the morning worship services. We are asking if one member from each life group could please contact the members of your life group and for all of them to please bring:

1 - 2 2 liters (if bringing cans please put in a cooler with ice)

1 Choice of: potato or green salad (please bring the dressing for it) or cole slaw. Enough to feed about 12 people.

****If you have another salad that is your specialty, that would be fine as well ;-)

Rolls about 12

Feel Free to bring a dessert as well.......

Chicken will be provided as the main entrée.

We are meeting at Shelter 12 at the Eastman Recreational Facilities on Bays Mountain after morning services. We have the shelter until 4 pm, so we would recommend bringing the dish and drinks to the church along with clothes to 'play' in, especially if you live too far away to stop at your home after church. We are hoping to play games, so bring any outdoor games, balls, mitts, volleyball nets, etc...

If you are unable to contact the members of your group, please let us know who we can contact. Also, please email Nanette or myself with the numbers of people going from your group and if we need to supplement any food (many out of towners, etc..). Below is a list of the people we have listed in your group, if there are any corrections or additions, please let us know. We tried to delegate the food evenly between groups with these numbers in mind.

Remember, we are inviting the entire church, and we (the Life Groups) are the hosts. We are looking forward to a great time of fellowship, encouragement and fun!!

Season's end?

The Lifegroups have officially or technically ended for the summer.  We typically have small groups from the Sunday after Labor day, till the Sunday before Memorial day.   So, here we are.

I know there are some groups that are grieving the conclusion of Lifegroups, esp after an abbreviated season.  Some folks, even in our group, are eager to continue through the summer.  I personally wouldn't want to take a break from meeting in homes, fellowshipping and studying together...   The reality is, like fish, after a while company begins to stink :-)   As a practice, we've taken summer breaks to keep the host homes and the lifegroup leaders refreshed and ready for a new season.

So... if your group does continue to meet over the summer, keep in consideration how to help your host family out.  Rotate your location.  Meet at the park.  Shake it up.  Also, don't feel like you'll have to meet weekly.  Go every other week, or monthly through the summer.

It is greatly encouraging to hear that sooooo many people don't want to stop for the summer.  That says something wonderful is happening.

Peace,

Craig

Click here for a printer-frinedly version of the 5/17/09 outline

Lifegroup map 5/17/09 “You are what you eat” John 6:35-59

Please choose any One of the following Ice breakers:

(Everyone doesn’t have to answer the same one… pick the one you like!)

• What is your response when you are being tailgated?

• Does looking out your window generate creativity or distraction?

• How do you try to talk your way out of speeding tickets?

• If you are superstitious, which superstitions influence you the most?

• Do you really read the Church bulletin???

Life exploration time: Read out-loud John 6:35-59

~ What are the indications here that Jesus is actually referring to what we commonly call “The Lord’s Supper”?

~ According to Jesus in this passage, how often do we need to eat & drink His body & blood?

~ What term (Ritual, rite, ceremony, ect.) best describes the Lord’s Supper in your opinion?

~ Why is the eating of Jesus’ body and the drinking of His blood a requirement for our salvation?

~ Read Jn 6:51-54. How do you distinguish yourself by observing this?

~ How many people need to be gathered together in one place to be able to properly take Communion?

~ Read Jn 6:42. How do you personally avoid the same type of pitfall; i.e., what you already know about Jesus interfering with what you need to know?

~ Read Jn 6:47. How is taking the Lord’ Supper an act of faith?

~ What should we think about when we take Communion?

Mother's day:

Lifegroup leaders, there's no outline planned for this week.  I assumed most groups would not meet this week with it being Mother's day and all.

Peace,

Craig

When Bibles make headlines... look out!

I'm cutting/pasting an article I read on a US soldier's stash of Bibles being destroyed, apparently by the orders of the US chaplains...  I really can't believe that we can send our troops to a nation that commits them to a temporary battle, and not expect our outstanding young people to share a life giving message???  Really.  If they are willing to fight an earthy battle and willingly pay the ultimate price, it only makes sense that these soldiers should have the right to share their core beliefs.  It seems a little one-sided for the Afghans to have us fight for them to have a better future, and yes to help protect the entire world from terrorism, and yet not allow us to share the reason we think the world can even achieve peace... Terrorism is ultimately about a fight between good and evil, and the way we overcome this battle, is in winning the hearts of people to the Prince of Peace.  So I commend the congregation that sent the Bibles, and the young people who were willing to distribute the Bibles.

............................................

KABUL (Reuters) - Bibles in Afghan languages sent to a U.S. soldier at a base in Afghanistan were confiscated and destroyed to ensure that troops did not breach regulations which forbid proselytizing, a military spokeswoman said.

The U.S. military has denied its soldiers tried to convert Afghans to Christianity, after Qatar-based Al Jazeera television showed soldiers at a bible class on a base with a stack of bibles translated into the local Pashto and Dari languages.

U.S. Central Command's General Order Number 1 forbids troops on active duty -- including all those based in Iraq and Afghanistan -- from trying to convert people to another religion.

"I can now confirm that the Bibles shown on Al Jazeera's clip were, in fact, collected by the chaplains and later destroyed. They were never distributed," spokeswoman Major Jennifer Willis said at Bagram air base, north of Kabul.

Military officials have said the bibles were sent through private mail to an evangelical Christian soldier by his church back home. The soldier brought them to the bible study class where they were filmed.

Trying to convert Muslims to another faith is a crime in Afghanistan. An Afghan man who converted to Christianity was sentenced to death for apostasy in 2006 but was allowed to leave the country after an international uproar.

"It certainly is, from the United States military's perspective, not our position to ever push any specific kind of religion, period," chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen told a Pentagon briefing Monday.

(Reporting by Peter Graff)

Click here for printerfriendly outline for 5/3/09

Lifegroup map 5/3/09  “Will work for food”  John 6:1-15

 

Please choose any One of the following Ice breakers:

(Everyone doesn’t have to answer the same one… pick the one you like!)

·        What would you like to give away, that belongs to someone else?

·        How important is spending time with your family, to you?

·        Finish this sentence: “The problem with pirates is… ___________”

 

Life exploration time:  Read out-loud John 6:16-34

 

~ In Jn 6:16-21 John records where Jesus walks on the water.   How would you have responded to seeing Jesus, if you were one of the people in the boat?

 

~ In Jn 6:26, Jesus seems somewhat disappointed when He points out the real reason the people are seeking Him is because He recently fed them.  In reality, from time-to-time we all have similar self-centered, shallow motivations that push us toward Jesus… 

-Why is it hard for us to see/admit this self-centeredness in ourselves??

 

~ How do we “use” food to influence people today (Example: Pharmacy reps brining lunch into the doctor’s office to promote their product, business lunches to win favor with clients, church members inviting visitors/guests out for lunch after a worship service)?

 

~ In what ways do you see our contemporary “use” of food being inappropriate, and, in what ways is this appropriate to you?

 

~ What is the point Jesus is making in Jn 6:27 when He says not to labor for that which is perishable?

 

~ Why do people overly-focus on the here-and-now and disregard/ignore the reality of the afterlife?

 

 

Personal reflection:

Lifegroups are taking a break soon….  What will I miss about lifegroups over the summer?