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August Salutations, Saints. Man, it’s been a tough week, eh? We were just finishing up a funeral here at the church last Saturday when someone pointed out the billowing smoke in the sky. We all know people who were evacuated or who lost a home. Where is God when it hurts? I know one praying believer who lost his home, and the text he put out was asking for God to use this in the lives of people in the county. May we be reminded of eternity! The pastors I gather with prayed fo

Almost August Greetings! Can you believe July is fading fast? I think this every summer. It seems like the three months stretches out before me like an endless sandy beach to explore and enjoy. Then, before I can unfurl my beach towel, someone calls on the phone or some need comes up, and when I turn back to the towel, it's time to fold it up and get in the car. We're already talking about the fall classes and programs here at church. I trust you can grab some leisure before

VBS Greetings, People! It’s been a great week. 92 kids attended the first day, a record. Those here were entertained with a 'minute to win it’ set of contests between Alisa C and Rick J, daily guessing games and many prizes (thanks to y’all). Yes, there were snacks and games and crafts, but most importantly, the Bible. Specifically, Psalm 23. That was the theme all week. Plus, the kids were asked to bring in items for the North County Food Pantry… and boy, did they. Over a th

Salutations, Saints! We had our normal Thursday morning prayer time yesterday. It was rich. Seven attended. Our focus is on praise/worship at the start, and some days that’s mostly what we do. It is so much more than a list of requests. We get to hang out with God! There’s really a sense of being in his presence. Some pray verbally, some inwardly. In waiting on God, there’s an opportunity to discover what’s on his mind and heart, and to try to dial in to that as we praise and

Howdy, Saints. I’m not sure about your neighborhood, but on my street, it rained some this past Tuesday morning. Rained. It wasn’t much, but the street was wet when I got up. It wasn’t in the forecast. But I’d prayed for rain several times on Monday. I consider it a gracious gift from God. I know others who are praying for rain. Again, please join me! I’d love to make it to fall without a fire catastrophe. I know that sometimes fire is used to get rid of superfluous growth… b

Happy Independence Day, Saints! The more I read about the founding of our country, the more I think they were very close to evangelical believers. The 1st Great Awakening (starting in the 1740s) set the stage for the revolution. God, his word and his ways were highly respected, even by so-called Deist Thomas Jefferson and skeptic Benjamin Franklin (wait until you hear the quote from Franklin on Sunday. He sounds like a preacher! He was good friends with evangelist George Whit

Hoopfest Greetings, Saints! Have you ever been downtown during Hoopfest? It’s crazy. Thousands of teams (last I knew, 7000!) with 3 on each team, so 21,000… and that’s not including family members, friends, vendors and media. Think about the logistics to block off most downtown streets, get courts set up, provide monitors for each game and work the massive bracket. Wow. It really is kind of festive, if you can handle the crowds with grace. This year it may be better and worse

Sunny June Greetings, People. We’re at that time of the year… the summer solstice. I just love the extra light. I’ll stand outside about 9:15pm and marvel. Enjoy the lit-up weekend! Just don’t mow your lawn at 9:15pm… Deb and I are watching our daughter’s kids, 2 at 9 years old (fraternal twins) and one at 11yo until Saturday night. Our daughter is over near Seattle doing some classwork for her degree. Well, Deb’s mostly watching them because I’m working. When I’m home, I rea

Greetings, Saints! It seems like prayer for a wetter summer is working so far. Are you praying? I know God can change anything, even the weather. You know we meet for prayer on Mondays, 3-4pm and on Thursday mornings, 8-9. I think my concept of prayer has changed since I was a new believer. I used to think you needed a list… and you had to go thru it, mentioning each person or it might not count. Now I view prayer more as being with God, even if I’m not saying much. It can be

June has busted out People! And I'm enjoying the extended sunlight. You? The only drawback is the light when I want to sleep in a tad in the morning. I've got one of those black eye masks that keeps my eyeballs resting, should I need it. I'm also enjoying taking the dog out in the evening for her final break without the usual flashlight. Small pleasures. And as I look at the weather forecast, there's more rain than usual. Hallelujah. Are you praying for rain? I believe God i

End o' May Shout Out, People! Once again, time has flown thru another month. Summer is knocking at the door with Thursday's temps. Are you ready? Will you join me in praying for rain? I believe God answers weather prayers. As soon as Elijah saw that cloud as big as a man's hand, he knew the rain was coming. Pray and watch! Deb & I got away last week for our first camping trip of the season. (Thanks to Kurt for writing the blast and to Jason for preaching). It was cool & rai

Rummage Sale Salutations, People... Yep, today & tomorrow is the long-awaited Awana Rummage Sale, benefitting kids going to camp. Come on down and find that screaming deal. There's a lot of decent stuff here: tools, furniture, toys, kitchen items, books, clothes and more. Grab while the grabbing's good! In my morning times, I've been going thru the psalms, one at a time. This stood out to me recently: "Show me the wonders of your great love... Keep me as the apple of your eye

Salutations, Saints! Bloomsday has come and gone and the Awana Rummage Sale is next week. Graduation is around the corner. Once again, time flies. Before you know it, we'll be launched into summer and we'll be begging for a few cool days. But not yet! Enjoy May while we have it. This past Thursday was the National Day of Prayer. Amazingly, NEXT Sunday, May 17, there will be a rededication of our country to God with prayers and worship in DC (and a lot of high officials parti

Greetings, People of God! Do you ever struggle with temptation? (Is the Pope Catholic?) This morning I was mulling this over in Hebrews: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Heb. 4:15. Whatever that thing is that has you sweating temptation bullets, Jesus can empathize. He can help. He was tempted in all the ways you and I are... but he didn't giv

Salutations, Saints. I was chewing on Matthew 11 this morning, specifically this verse: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (verse 29). Of course, there's more to that passage on rest, and it's a good one, but I was focusing on the idea of being in the yoke with Jesus and learning from him. I imagined learning to go at Jesus' pace, responding to people like he would and being led to be involve

Spring Greetings, Saints! Enjoy the warmer weather. It's so cool to see the trees blossoming and the leaves budding. I know it happens all the time but I see the process as miraculous... or at least springing from the mind of an amazing Creator. What a great season. No, I don't own any interest in Chick-fil-a, but I read something that made me want to eat there. Roughly 200 of the stores in the US are offering free ice cream to families who put their cell phones away while th

Greetings, People loved by God. I love it when I hear about young people heading off to serve folk in other countries. Our own Jesse S will be in the Dominican Republic from April 3 to the 12th (he's leaving next Friday!). He's going with others thru Students International, and they'll be doing a variety of projects. Primarily, he wants prayer for safe and effective service: put him on your prayer list. He's also collecting supplies to be brought: 80 grit sandpaper, carbon

Official Spring Greetings! That's right—today's the day. As of 7:46 this morning (according to the pros) the vernal equinox has passed. That is, it's officially spring. Tuck that snow shovel away! Plant those starter seeds! Visit a gardening center! It will be a wrestling match for a while, but the warmer temps and sunshine will outpace the cooler. You can say with impunity—"It's spring!" Enjoy it. My old standby scripture did it again for me this week. Sometimes I feel just

Saint Patrick's Day Greetings! I know that holiday is a few days ahead, but happy St Paddy's Day anyway (that guy's cousin is Paddy O' Furniture...) . I'm sure you'll see lots of green this weekend. They still dye the Chicago River green every March 17 (eco-friendly dye, we are assured). There'll be corned beef on sale. Like many holidays, folks have commercialized or taken any original meaning out of the day (green beer??) . Saint Patrick was a missionary who brought the goo