If an apostle or missionary is imprisoned, may
he move as a result of scattering?
Imprisoned apostles and missionaries may not move during
the Move step of the Live phase. Scattering does not occur
during the Move step. Therefore, an imprisoned apostle or
missionary may move as a result of a general scatter effect or
apostle-specific scatter effect. Think of it as though the
apostle or missionary is transferred to another prison.
What do you do if an apostle who is imprisoned
is imprisoned again?
The imprisonments overlap. An apostle who draws an
Imprisoned trial card may be subjected
to the effect of an Apostles Imprisoned
trial card drawn on a subsequent turn by another apostle. In
a two-player martyr-level game, the apostle may draw a
second Imprisoned card on the third
phase of his imprisonment. In the first case, there's no
additional effect; the apostle is already imprisoned by
the Imprisoned card. In the second
case, the apostle will be imprisoned for two additional phases
beyond the original three. The third phase of imprisonment by
the first card overlaps with the first phase of the second
In the Appeal to Caesar scenario,
if Paul is forced to scatter, may he stray from his specified
No. Paul may scatter only to a city or ship along the
movement route specified by the scenario.
Does the Perform Miracles trial
card grant +2 church members per apostle or missionary on the
board or only in the Elder's location?
Perform Miracles grants +2 church
members per apostle or missionary in all locations containing
an apostle or missionary. Therefore, if you haven't lost any
missionaries, you will gain a total of 12 church members. A
location containing one apostle and one missionary will gain 4
church members. A location containing 3 apostles will gain 6
church members. A location containing only one apostle will
gain 2 church members.
Is church growth from card effects optional? In other
words, may you add less members than specified by a card?
No. Only growth during the grow action is optional. If
you play a card that adds church members, the only way you may
add less members than specified is if the supply runs
If two or more churches are tied for largest population
(in the region or on the board) on Board B, which church is
extinguished or persecuted when directed by a trial card?
On Board A, the church closest to Jerusalem is affected.
On Board B, the church closest to its region's scenario start
city is affected. In both cases, if there is still a tie, the
If a church with Converted City
Leaders is extinguished through loss of
population, does it also lose Converted City
Yes. A city that loses its church loses its
Converted City Leaders protection. You
should remove Converted City Leaders
when its associated city no longer has a church.
When Mount Vesuvius Erupts is
drawn, does it affect the two largest churches at the time the
card is drawn or is the second church affected the largest
church after the effects of the first extinguishment is
The churches affected are the two largest churches at
the time the card is drawn. If there is only one church on
the board, then extinguish it and place two extinguished
tokens. If apostles fleeing the first extinguished church
make a church they flee to (call it Church
C) larger than the second largest church at the
time the card was drawn (call it Church
B, you still extinguish Church
B and not Church C.
When apostles move to an adjacent church after
a Worldly Priorities or Mount
Vesuvius Erupts extinguishment, are the rules for
scattering vis-à-vis ships followed? In other words, do
stops follow the apostles to their destination(s) after a ship
Yes. Stops on an extinguished ship follow the apostles
to their destination(s). Treat the post-extinguishment
flight as a scatter apostles effect where you can only scatter
to a church and not an empty location.


On July 17-22, over 200 junior and high school students and leaders from 19 area churches are joining together to have a positive impact on Mansfield, Ohio. This multi-church effort, “Reach Mansfield,” will see 16 different serve teams of students transported via busses and vans throughout the city daily to serve through dozens of differentContinue reading “Reach Mansfield Ready for Round #2”
Watch the video above to hear some of our Reach Mansfield leaders sharing why they are so excited about this summer!
It started with a lunch at Rancho Fiesta with a few youth pastors from different churches in the Mansfield area who desired to see God do something bigger through them together than what He could do through any one of them individually. Four months later, these youth pastors and a few others launched Reach MansfieldContinue reading “Lead Team Launches Reach Mansfield 2021”


"Inspired by Possibilities Far Beyond Ourselves"
by Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts November 7, 2004
Preached at Irvine Presbyterian Church
Copyright © 2004 by Mark D. Roberts
Note: You may download this sermon at no cost, for personal use of for use in a Christian ministry, as long as you are not publishing it for sale. All I ask is that you give credit where credit is due. For all other uses, please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.org. Thank you.
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:14-21
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
When I was in college, my Christian friends and I frequently debated the morality of "small prayers." "Was it right," we would ask, "to ask the Lord for a good grade on a test?" Or, "Was it moral to pray for Harvard to beat Yale in the Game?" (Answer: Yes, of course, because this was a fundamental matter of good vs. evil.) Then there was the all-time favorite moral dilemma: "Was it okay for Christians to pray for a good parking space?"
It's ironic that we spent so much time debating the pros and cons of parking prayers, since none of us had cars. The hellish nature of driving in Boston, combined with the excellence of mass transit in the area, meant that very few Harvard undergrads had cars at school. I suppose that's why we spent so much time on the "praying for parking" debate. No matter where we came down, it wouldn't impact our lives in any direct way.
I don't usually pray for parking spaces, though I'm not morally opposed to it. And, frankly, when it comes to our new parking lot over where the Modular Building once stood, I'm not praying for a spot, but rather that God would miraculously expand a "compact" spot to fit my car. Now that would be a cool sign of God's power, don't you think?
I suppose that sometimes our prayers can be so small that we implicitly trivialize God. But, frankly, I'm not so worried about whether or not we're praying too many tiny prayers. I'm worried that we're not praying enough big prayers.
What's a big prayer? It's an expansive prayer. It's a prayer that looks upon life, not from my miniscule perspective, but from God's majestic one. It's a big prayer that asks our big God for big things.
When I'm desperately trying to find a parking spot outside of South Coast Plaza during Christmastime, a small prayer would be, "Dear God, please find me a place to park!" A big prayer would be, "Gracious Lord, deliver our society from our pervasive materialism." Another big prayer would be, "Lord, even as all of the folk in this shopping mall are being inundated by the secular celebration of Christmas, may they somehow see you. May they come to know the real meaning of Christmas this year!" And the biggest prayer of all would be, "Omnipotent God, please help me to find a good gift for my wife this year!" Just kidding. That probably belongs back in the small-t0-middling prayer category.
Ephesians 3:14-21 is a big prayer. In fact, it's just about the biggest prayer in all of Scripture. If you want to learn how to pray bigger prayers, here's a great model.
In context, Paul has just shown how the church of Jesus Christ figures centrally in God's great plan for the universe. God intends ultimately to unify all creation in Jesus Christ (Eph 1:10). The church is the active, visual demonstration of God's plan in action (Eph 3:6-10). Thus the church stands alongside Jesus Christ in the center of God's plan for the cosmos.
In light of this grand vision, Paul begins to pray for the church. First, he asks that God "may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit" (Eph 3:16). In other words, may the Holy Spirit present within you empower you so that you might live faithfully for God, and so that you might serve him in the world. Point one of this big prayer: we need more of the power of the Spirit.
Second, Paul asks that "Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Eph 3:17). Of course if we're believers in Jesus, then Christ already lives within us through faith. So what is Paul praying for? Not that we who are Christians might once again accept Jesus into our hearts. Rather, he's asking that we might continue to make room for Christ in our lives, giving him increasingly more of ourselves. As the NLT puts it, "And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust him" (3:17).
This brings us to the most expansive request of all. For sake of clarity, I'll stick with the NLT:
May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (3:17-19)
Now that is one big prayer, you've got to admit. It's not just big, it's "hunormous," as my six-year-old son Nathan once said about the High Sierra mountains. (Not a bad word, really: huge + enormous = hunormous.) Paul prays, not only that our roots grow deeply into God's love, but also that we might actually know in a personal, experiential way, the ultimately unknowable love of God in all of its dimensions. Then we will be filled with all the fullness of God. Filled with all the fullness of God! I told you this was a big, giant prayer.
Now here's a prayer to inspire our prayers, a prayer to teach us to pray big prayers. May we be empowered by the Holy Spirit. May Christ live within us more and more, taking up residence in every portion of our inner being. And, last but not least, may we be firmly rooted in God's love, experiencing the love that is without limits, even to the extent that all the goodness of God fills our lives. Wow!
Do you ever pray that way for yourself? Do you pray that way for your children? Do you pray that way for our church? If not, then why not get started? If you're a parent, use this prayer for your kids:
Lord, may you fill my daughter with the power of your Spirit. May you live in her each day as she gives more and more of herself to you. And may my daughter have such a profound experience of your love that her heart is continually being expanded by your greatness. Fill her completely, Lord, with you!
I wonder what God would do among us if we started praying this way regularly for our children, our spouses, our LIFE groups, our Sunday School classes, and our whole church. I wonder . . . .
A Brobdingnagian Benediction
When Nathan was little he made up new words. Now that he reads, he's always finding unusual words to enjoy. Last year in his reading he came across the word "Brobdingnagian." I won't even ask how many of you know this word. It's pretty rare. It comes from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, in which Gulliver visited the land of Brobdignag, a land populated with giants. Thus the adjective Brobdingnagian means "extraordinarily large."
Ephesians 3:20-21 is a Brobdingnagian benediction. Not just a big one, but a gigantic one. Check this out:
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Notice the description of God. He is the one who "by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine." No matter your biggest dream, your greatest wish, your most Brobdingnagian desire, God is able to do far more. According to this benediction, there is no limit to what God can do.
And, notice carefully, God does this "by the power at work within us." Again we're back to the indwelling power of the Spirit. God can do incredible things apart from us, of course. But he chooses instead to do them through us, by the Spirit. Astounding!
Implications for IPC
Just consider the implications of this benediction for us. God is at work within us through his Spirit, and he is able to do through us more than we can ask or imagine. There's no doubt God wants people in this community to come to know him. Now he could show up as a 100-foot tall giant, Jesus Christ in all of his heavenly glory, right here on this campus. That would certainly get people's attention! Or God could descend from heaven in a fiery chariot, right in the middle of the Fourth of July fireworks show, while all eyes are looking up to heaven.
But God hasn't chosen to do these things. How is he revealing himself to our neighbors? Through us. Through you and me. Through our church, and the other Christian churches in our city, as we live out the truth of the gospel.
What do you imagine might be the results of this exhibition? A few people becoming Christians? That's a good start. Perhaps even more than a few. Why not? In fact why not pray that vast numbers of our neighbors will receive the love and grace of Christ through the ministry of Irvine Presbyterian Church? Now that's getting bigger. But God can still accomplish infinitely more than this. These are possibilities far beyond ourselves, don't you think?
Why don't we pray that hundreds of the young people who come to Pizza lunch will also come to faith in Jesus Christ? Is this too big for God to handle? I don't think so.
Why don't we pray that hundreds of young adults will give their lives to Christ in the midst of our new third Sunday service? And, along with that prayer, let's pray for the hundreds of children whose lives can be changed for eternity through the third service children's program.
My Vision for IPC
Now when I start talking like this, some of you folks get nervous, understandably so. In fact during this capital campaign I've been asked, "Do you want IPC to become a megachurch? Is that your vision?" Usually this question is asked by folks who don't want IPC to become a megachurch. In many cases, they left a megachurch to come here, and now it sounds like we're going to become just like what they left behind.
I will answer the "Does Mark want IPC to become a megachurch?" question this morning. But I want to do something far broader, and, far more heartfelt. I want to share with you my personal vision for our church. This is a big picture, a long-range vision. I'm looking ten, fifteen, maybe twenty years out. There are two parts of this vision. One is something I've talked about before, though it may be new to many of you. The second part is quite new, even to me.
Notice that I said this is my personal vision for our church. Although this vision emerges from the pages of Scripture and has been bathed in prayer, I am not claiming that it is necessarily God's vision for our church. This determination will come, in time, as God guides the future Sessions of this church.
My Vision for Planting a New Church
Let me begin by answer the "Do I want this church to become a megachurch?" question in a very personal way. As most of you know, I was once an associate pastor at a 4,000-member church. My experience there was quite positive in many ways. But I also came away with a desire never to pastor a church of that magnitude (or larger). Now I hasten to add that God is sovereign over my life, and if he wants me in such a church, so be it. But in the last few years when I've been contacted by some of the largest churches in our denomination as they've been looking for a new pastor, I've felt zero inclination to pursue a new call. And, I'm glad to say, as I've laid these opportunities before the Lord, I've sensed only a deeper call to be the pastor of this church. And, as you can tell, I don't want to turn IPC into a megachurch.
But let me remind you, yes, once again, that this is not my church or your church. Irvine Presbyterian Church belongs to Jesus Christ. And what we are to be is his call. So, no matter our personal preferences, we must surrender them all to the Lord.
When I have done this, when I have prayed, "Lord, what do you want our church to become in the future?" I've had a sense that God does want us to be somewhat larger. As we reach out to this community, as we welcome new believers into our fellowship, as we provide a church home for people who are now disconnected, we will grow. This is an evitable result of our missional emphasis. As I have said many times before, I believe that God has placed this church on this spot, right in the center of Irvine, so that our neighbors might hear, see, experience, and receive the good news of Jesus Christ. As this happens, we'll get bigger.
But there are limitations to this spot, mostly having to do with size. When we have completed our Master Plan, we'll have many more spaces for fellowship, for learning, and even for worship. So we can grow a good bit before we begin to hit the wall, literally. We can probably double in size without losing our ethos and intimacy as a church. But as we approach 2,000 members, we'll come to the limits of this spot, unless we were to do some radically innovative programming.
At that point churches like hours have two choices. Some decide to keep on growing. So they buy more property. Or they have two church campuses. Or they move altogether. But there is another option that some churches have chosen. This is the church planting option. Rather than growing larger themselves, some churches put lots of energy, lots of money, and lots of their people into planting another church. This is what I believe God wants us to do someday.
Years ago our Presbytery had a plan to start a new church in the North Irvine/Tustin area. But that plan was permanently tabled for lack of money. I'd love it if, someday, we would go to Presbytery and begin that process again. Over a decade or so we'd invest a whole lot of ourselves in beginning a new church. At some point we'd even end up sending a bunch of our members to become the core of that new church.
I believe that this model of church growth is closer to the spirit of the New Testament than the megachurch model, usually. But let me say that megachurches have an invaluable function in the body of Christ. I thank God, for example, for the ministry of Saddleback Church. Yet, for the most part, I believe the body of Christ will be stronger overall if there are many more strong churches rather than a few Brobdingnagian ones. So, from my theology and my experience as an associate pastor of a 4,000-member church, this area would be better served by "Irvine Presbyterian Church" and "North Irvine Presbyterian Church" than by one hunormous "Irvine Presbyterian Church." I hope and pray that someday God will use us to make this happen. And, frankly, I'd love to be here as your pastor when that happens.
My Vision for the Last Capital Campaign
The second part of my vision for this church is the new one. It came as I was preparing the Beyond Ourselves devotional guide. I was praying through Ephesians 3:14-21 - our text for today - and was asking the Lord, "What is my big prayer for IPC and my ministry here? If I were to stay here for another thirteen and a half years, what would I long to do? What would I yearn for our church to be?" As I prayed, an obvious thought came to mind, and so I prayed it: "Lord, I'd love to be pastor of this church when we were finished building out our Master Plan. I'd love to see this church ministering with all the tools we have planned. And I'd love to be here after we did our last capital campaign. I'd love to pastor this church when we had no more capital campaigns, ever!"
Now I'll admit that wasn't entirely a godly thought. Part of it reflected, quite honestly, my physical and emotional exhaustion. But I do long for the time when we have finished the "building season" of our life, when we can devote more of ourselves to our mission and less to providing necessary tools for that mission.
No at first when I prayed my "big prayer," it seemed like I was reaching pretty far. But as I did that, the Spirit of God stirred within me. My sense of God's possibilities for this church and my ministry here began to expand. I believe God gave me a glimpse of something else he'd like to do with our church. All of a sudden I found myself praying in a completely different mode. I was praying something I had never before thought or prayed: "No, Lord, that's not it. I don't want to be here when we do our last capital campaign for our buildings, with a ten-percent tithe to our mission partners, or course. I want to be here for one more capital campaign. In this one the percentages would be flipped. We'd raise ten-percent for our church, while ninety-percent of that campaign would be for our mission partners. Ninety-percent we'd give away for your ministry elsewhere. Lord, I'd like to be here for that capital campaign!"
As I said those words to God, I felt a passionate desire that overwhelmed me, and, frankly, surprised. There's no question in my mind that God wants us to complete our Master Plan for ministry in this community. And I'm blessed to be your pastor in this season of our life together, believe me. But I'd love to be here when we begin the next season, a season of far greater mission beyond ourselves, both in our community and throughout our world.
Now it may be that a substantial chunk of that "90% for others" capital campaign will be, in fact, devoted to planting a new church in North Irvine. The Lord only knows. And he's also the only one who knows whether or not I'll be your pastor then. A lot depends on how quickly we're able to move ahead on finishing our Master Plan for this campus. I'd love to be here as your pastor in fifteen years, Lord willing, but in twenty years I'll be 67. At some point I'll have to retire, I suppose.
Nevertheless, on November 7, 2004 I want to plant a seed in this church which, I hope, will someday bear rich fruit for the kingdom. This is the seed of fully beyond ourselves capital campaigns. Most churches, when they're finished building their building, stop having capital campaigns. I hope we never do. When we're done with this campus, I pray we'll do at least one campaign each decade, with the vast majority of the money going to our partners in ministry, both here in this city and throughout the world. May we never become a church that stops giving sacrificially just because we have the buildings we need for ministry. May we always be a church that stretches out, giving generously and sacrificially to God's work throughout the world.
Conclusion and Segue
Well, there you have it, my vision for the future of Irvine Presbyterian Church. I've given you my big prayers. I've shared all that I can ask or imagine of God. Is this too much? Is this too big? Hardly. Because the God at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine. When we think we've come to the outer limits of God's vision, God is just getting started.
Please understand that God's limitless resources are not just for churches, but also for all of God's people. This means you. God wants to do more in your life than you have ever imagined. The powerful Spirit of God dwells within you, not only to help you in your daily challenges, but also to use you far beyond yourself in Christ's ministry in this world. As you seek the Lord, as you pray big prayers, as you step out in faith, God will do more through you than you have ever envisioned for yourself.
But remember, dear friends, that our fruitfulness as individuals and as a church does not come primarily from having a broad vision or from praying big prayers. It comes from "being rooted and grounded in love." It comes from "knowing the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge." That's one reason why we keep coming to this table, again and again and again. Here we remember God's preeminent act of love for us through Christ. Here we know, not just in our heads, but also in our hearts, "the breadth and length and height and depth" of the love of Christ. As we grow in this love, as Christ makes his home in our hearts through faith, as God's Spirit empowers us, there is no limit to what God can do through.


Romans 10:9-10 - “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
"A Shalom Zone is a defined geographic area within the community in which churches work toward systemic change by collaboration with community organizations and community residents to develop economic prosperity; coordinate community resources : empower community leaders and residents to plan for their community's future."
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December 25th is Christmas. This is a special day as it commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ who Christians believe is the Son of God. The name ” Christmas” comes from the Mass of Christ. A Mass service is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life.
Christmas is one of the biggest festival of a year in a European countries. However, in recent years, the Christmas Day became a public holiday in the world. Christmas reinforces the belief of one’s soul and heals all sadness and dissatisfaction.
In the days or even weeks before Christmas Day, many people decorate their homes and gardens with lights, Christmas trees and much more. The Christmas tree plays an important role in the Christmas Day. Often times, people decorate the Christmas tree by a star to represent the Star of Bethlehem, or by an angel which announces the birth of Christ. Many family trees have ornaments from more than one generation. Often times people represent the heritage of the families by the kind of decorations on the trees. Lights are a must and the more better.
Moreover, many families also decorate outside of the home with regional traditions and according to the weather. People use some forms of lighting on the houses and in the yards during the holidays. There are snowmen, Santa, manger Scenes, snowflakes, reindeer, and other lighted displays in many neighborhoods. Others outline the architectural features of their homes in lights.
Besides, it is common to organize a special meal, often consisting of turkey and a lot of other festive foods, for family and friends and exchange gifts with them. Children, in particular, often receive a lot of presents from parents and other relatives and the mythical figure Santa Claus
Furthermore, Christmas Eve marks the start of the holiday season at the end of the year. For many Christians, it is a day to remember the events around the birth of Jesus. Some people , especially Roman Catholics, attend a midnight mass at church.
Many Protestant churches also hold special services on Christmas. These are often candle-lit and may be very solemn. Some include the presentation of a crib scene depicting the holy family, with statues or actors representing Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, the shepherds and various animals thought to be present in the stable where Jesus was born
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I can understand why the po-faced Peter Dutton would never change his stance on refugees but we have a Prime Minister who claims he is a Christian. He is seen being a ‘happy clapper’ at his Horizon Church and seems to believe that God actually listens to him. He even wanted his pastor to accompany him to America when he went over to meet Donald Trump. I never did understand why. Scott Morrison has also recently admitted that he lays his hands on people in a religious manner. If he is so committed to his Christianity, then I suggest he reads the Bible where he will find many references to how we should treat one another. The fact that he is insistent that the Biloela family must stay in detention and will never be allowed to live in Australia, tells me that he is a total fraud. And this man is our Prime Minister.


Welcome to Our Parish!
We are a traditional and diverse catholic community where the faithful gather together to worship God and welcome everyone by sharing faith through prayer, education, and service to foster joyful people.
Saturday: 4pm (Vigil)
Sunday: 9:30am and 12 noon
Weekdays: Monday 6:30pm, Tuesday 12:05pm, Wednesday 6:30pm, Friday 12:05pm
Confession: Saturday at 3pm
Thursday, 6:00 PMYoga Class
Time: Thursday, 6:00 PM
Come join us on Thursdays at 6:00 pm. Classes will be at the school. Mats are provided. Remember to bring water and a towel.
Thursday, 7:00 PMAA Meeting
Time: Thursday, 7:00 PM
Location: Parish Hall
Keep It Simple! Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other.
Friday, 12:05 PMDaily Mass
Time: Friday, 12:05 PM
No Description Available
Benefit Concert - Louisville Civic Orchestra
Friday, 7:00 PMBenefit Concert - Louisville Civic Orchestra
Time: Friday, 7:00 PM
Support our parish Capital Campaign with your personal donation...
Saturday, 3:00 PMConfessions
Time: Saturday, 3:00 PM
Location: Saint Joseph Church - 1406 E. WASHINGTON ST. Louisville KY 40206
The Sacrament of Penance is God's gift to us so that any sin committed can be forgiven!
Through the tradition of social justice, access to affordable health care is viewed as not only essential to human life, but also as a fundamental human right. Within this perspective resides a respect for human dignity and the protection of human life from which springs the mission to meet the health care needs of the poor and uninsured. The Family Community Clinic at St. Joseph's is a tangible interfaith effort to work toward fulfillment of this vision. This is a daunting task and we welcome your talent of service and your generosity of treasure. Visit the Family Community Clinics website for more information.


Memorial Presbyterian Church
Memorial Presbyterian Church
Welcome to the Memorial Presbyterian Church website. I am glad you have chosen to spend some time looking around, discovering our church family. As I describe Memorial Presbyterian church to people, I use words like ‘Reform Minded’ and a ‘close family.’
We are a group of people committed to following Jesus. That means we worship Him with love and joy. That means we encourage living out our faith in the church and throughout our life. That means we love people outside the church through generosity, invitation, and compassion.
We envision that all people will feel loved and welcomed at Memorial Presbyterian Church. And once here, we pray that people will meet God and as a result of meeting God, give their lives to Jesus Christ. We want that for you. Come as you are. Check us out, but more importantly, seek the truth of God that can only be known when one knows Jesus.
While you are browsing our website, you will learn about our programs and you will get a small portion of who we are, but only a portion. To fully understand us, come to a worship service, get involved in our Wednesday night Logos program, and feel the up-close, in-person fellowship that comes when people share time together with the Holy Spirit present. Enjoy the website, then come.
We’d love to meet you and know you!
Pastor Eric Wright
Stay up to date with The Memorial Presbyterian Church.
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Dear Friends, Take some time to look over this devotional, for I think you will find it interesting. Timothy Keller, in his book, “The Prodigal God” looks at the “lostness” of the older, elder brother in the memorable parable of Luke. Keller insightfully worded the elder brothers condition as “elder-brother lostness.” As Keller describes the elder brothers condition, he uses words such as “misery” and “strife.” Keller writes with such wisdom when he says, “We see the elder brother ‘became angry.’ All of his words are dripping with resentment. The first sign you have an elder-brother spirit is that when your life doesn’t go as you want, you aren’t just sorrowful but deeply angry and bitter.” Keller points out the jealousy and resentment that the elder brother has toward the younger, rebellious brother. Keller sees the elder brother as lost in this parable because elder brothers believe they are morally superior to their younger brothers, based on their good behavior. Older brothers don’t base their fathers love on unmerited grace, however, they rigidly hold to good works and high moral standards as earning them a place in their father’s hearts. This for Keller qualifies elder brothers as “lost.” So when you are reading the parable of the Prodigal Father, don’t forget to see the “lostness” of the Elder brother, for we frequently tend to overly focus on the son who squandered the inheritance as the only one in the parable as being lost.


This Christmas 2019, we are thrilled to be hosting Carols at the Barn once again!
21 & 22 December 6-7:30pm
Our annual 2 evenings of festivities, fun, food & Christmas carols has become our favourite night of the year – celebrating the true meaning of Christmas with so many friends & families!
Everything is completely FREE as our Christmas gift to the community – we are delighted that so many of you have chosen to make this event part of your own Christmas tradition!
So… invite your loved ones, wrap up warm, bring your travel mug & join us for some Christmas cheer!!!


Sharing together in bible study, prayer and fellowship. Groups meet on various days, times and locations endeavouring to meet the availability of all that have a desire to further their walk with Christ. To find a group that suits you, contact us for details.
Penrith Community Men’s Shed
The aim of the men’s shed program is to provide a safe and welcoming location where men can come and meet together. Some of the programs to be offered are woodworking, chess, model making, mens’ health issues, basic computers, photography and socialising. The programs are selected by the men and can change when they want. Last but not least is morning tea where the men can discuss things shed related, about themselves or any subject that comes to mind. The Men’s Shed meets every Wednesday morning 9am – 2pm and the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, 10am – 1pm. For more information visit http://penrithcommunitymensshed.org/
A time to learn new skills and make new friends. Crafts include card making, sewing, knitting, crochet, Christmas crafts and much more! The Craft Circle meets Friday mornings 9:30am – 12pm
Activities for infants and primary school children. Activities include bible stories, crafts, games and much more!
Kidzone is held during the morning service.
Activities for teenagers, helping them to grow in their knowledge of the bible.
Teenzone is held during the morning service.
Activities for girls aged 5 -18 years. Girls’ Brigade is an international, interdenominational uniformed organisation. Through a program designed especially for them girls learn skills, make friends and grow in all aspects of life and do activities such as bible stories, crafts, games, camps and much more!
The vision of Girls’ Brigade is “Girls lives transformed, God’s world enriched.”
Girls’ Brigade meets Wednesday evenings 6:30pm – 8:00pm For more information visit: http://www.gbnsw.org.au/
Activities for youth in High School. Come along and have a great night of fun, games and food with friends. Youth Group meets the 2nd Friday of the Month, 7:00pm – 9:00pm
For more information contact firstname.lastname@example.org
As a Church we endeavour to provide a safe environment for all our activities and as such ensure that all our Ministry Leaders and helpers have a current Working with Children’s Check and have attended a Safe Spaces Workshop.
For more information on any of these activities please contact the office on
02 4721 2446 or email@example.com


Change. I don't like it. However, it seems that's what keeps me going on this roller coaster called life.
Some of our dear friends just moved out of state.
We found out about 2 weeks before the move, that they would be relocating. The news was certainly a shock, that was also mixed with "selfish sadness" as I like to call it. I'm sad because they have had such an impact on our lives and I am sad for myself and my family that we will be losing the physical closeness of this part of our family. They have been there for us for the past 4 and half years through some pretty rough spots....cancer, kids, surgeries, marriage problems, family struggles, and much more. They have also been here for some really fun times too!
God has a plan. His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Though sad, I've been able to reflect back on just how much I've seen God's fingerprint on all they have brought to our lives. They have changed my life for the better. I've had to go through (and am still going through) some pretty difficult transformations with their help, love, and support. It's amazing to me to see just how awesome His plan has been and to be forever grateful for the time we've had together these past 4 1/2 years.
I've realized that change is inevitable. Nothing stays the same. It can be a catalyst to grow. It gets me out of my comfort zone and forces me to rely solely on God and trust in Him. I may not like the journey sometimes, but I can hold on tight, trust in Him, and enjoy the ride!


There are only some true facts, and everything else is false. Quantum uncertainty still has quantifiable facts in math and probabilities, and facts of observation and effects.
However, we might not know the facts. Our understanding of facts is both probabilistic and resource intensive to accomplish knowing. So, we develop approximations, and base this on developed foundations and buildup of our knowledge through time, and tie it together with thought, wisdom, etc.
While these can form opinions, a person cannot decide what a fact is; they can only research what the fact might be. And some opinions are not equally valid to other opinions; all opinions are merely relevant respecting facts, and can be more wrong or right than other opinions, especially apparent when measuring them compared to our best understanding of better understood facts.
Truth thus is the preeminant view of the world, not mysticism, nor postmodernism.
One of the elements of living well is bettering oneself, improving oneself, and bettering and improving one's conditions, surroundings, relationships, known people, physics and nature around them, and all of the elements of life and existence. To do so, one has to compare a better thing to a worse thing in order to decide to do the better thing. To do so, one has to make judgements.
All of this opposes the Catholic Church, which seeks to eliminate truth, improvement, and judgement. That is compatible with the Catholic Church's method of mobism, murder, corruption, theft, immorality, and the selling of full forgiveness. All of these problems are rooted in the primary failure of the Catholic church, giving full forgiveness, which then allows any immorality, any crime, any bad thing, without punishment, and leads to the rest of the evil.
I propose the Catholic Church abolish absolute forgiveness. They can replace it with minimal forgiveness, since a tiny bit of forgiveness has to happen when someone is in the process of betterment. (This abolishment would constitute a rather major reform of the religion, but the core principle of abolishing absolute forgiveness would naturally progress to solving most of the rest of the ills of the Catholic Church, if they do not relapse on the absolute forgiveness issue, so as long as that initial first step is taken and holds, the rest will probably naturally follow from the intentional reviews that happen as a result of this tapestry of the evil of the Catholic Church being undone.)


The obituary below was published in The Sacramento Bee on September 27 – 28, 2009.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
SCORDAKIS, John George
A native of Mankato, Minn., born on July 16, 1928; he died September 24, 2009. Beloved husband of Ginger Scalia, father of Michael Demosthenes Alexander Scordakis and his wife Wendy Marie and George Socrates John Scordakis and his wife Elaine. Loving Papou of Kenneth Alexander, Alexander Demosthenes, and Jonathan Edward. Son of George John and Athanasia Scordakis of Greece and later, Alice, also of Greece. Brother to William, Christine, and Father Haralampos.
John enlisted in the Army after graduating from high school. After receiving an honorable discharge for service in Korea, he attended a school of acting in Philadelphia. John was active in entertainment throughout his life, including television production, radio (KXRQ), and Community Theater. He always had a passion for singing and acting, especially the productions at Sacramento’s JayRob Theater. While pursuing these passions, John was also a dedicated State employee, working for thirty years, predominantly as a manager of management consulting groups.
John enjoyed his grandchildren, theater, traveling, cooking, and fishing and took great pleasure in being with and helping his family and friends. All enjoyed John’s great sense of humor, exceptional wit, and kind spirit.
Friends are welcome for Trisagion Service (Visitation) at St. Katherine’s Greek Orthodox Church, 9165 Peets Street, Elk Grove, Calif., at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29, 2009. Funeral services will be held at St. Katherine’s at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 30, 2009. Interment will be immediately following at St. Mary’s Cemetery, 6700 21st Avenue. Arranged by GEORGE L. KLUMPP CHAPEL OF FLOWERS. Remembrances may be made to St. Katherine’s Greek Orthodox Church.


To the Reader:
Some years ago I came across an ad for Rabbi Tovia Singer’s “Let’s
Get Biblical” tapes -- “fifteen explosive programs on the Jewish response to
Christian missionaries.” (These lectures are currently posted on the rabbi’s website Outreach
Judaism.) I sent for the series right away and found myself challenged to re-examine the
Jewish Scriptures to see whether they supported the claim that Jesus was the Messiah. Aware that even
Christian scholars question the New Testament’s use of the “Old Testament,” I began
a study of the debated texts in context, using the original Hebrew.
God has given many gifts to the world through the Jewish people -- the law, the Bible,
their genius in religion, the arts, science, and business. Whether they like it or not, they gave us
Jesus. No one ever lived a life that matches His. Was He God or a false prophet? Is it possible to find
Him in the Jewish Scriptures? Was Messiah supposed to be God? Was he supposed to die? These and other
questions drove me in my search for truth.
In common with the rabbi, I have a conservative view of the inspiration of the Bible.
Like him I believe that Moses wrote the Pentateuch and Isaiah wrote Isaiah. (I use the term
“Second-Isaiah” simply to refer to chapters 40 to 55.) I respect his love for God and his
desire to be faithful to the truth. I believe with him that our eternal destiny depends on our fidelity
to God and His Word. I welcome his “Let’s Get Biblical!” approach -- to prove
everything by Scripture. I believe that the same God who inspired the Scriptures is able to enlighten
our attempts to interpret them.
While I am not a specialist in biblical studies, I have studied, taught, and written
on biblical subjects on three continents for many years. The articles in this series are the results of
the rabbi’s challenge to me to re-examine my faith in Jesus as Messiah. I join Rabbi Singer and
you in the search for truth. “Let’s Get Biblical!”
Beatrice S. Neall, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita of Religion
Union College, Lincoln, Nebraska
Several Bible translations have been used, mostly:
• The Revised Standard Version (RSV)
These are not usually identified unless there is some significance to the translation.
• The Authorized (King James) Version (AV or KJB)
• The New English Bible (NEB)
• The New International Version (NIV)
For the convenience of those who are not familiar with Scripture, books of the Bible
are spelled out in full at the first occurrence in each article, and abbreviated thereafter. The numbers
following the book indicate chapter and verse. A verse is abbreviated as v. and verses as vv. In a
reference, ff means the following verses; cf. means compare. Italics in quotations from
the Bible are mine.
Chapters and verses were not introduced into the Bible until hundreds of years after
the Bible books were compiled. Occasionally the Hebrew and English versification vary by a few verses.
To find the Hebrew equivalent it may be necessary to look back or ahead. The verse numbers I use are
mostly from the English except where the Hebrew is specified.
In quotations from the Bible, the word LORD always indicates the divine name Yahweh,
whereas Lord indicates the Hebrew Adonai.


- Get Involved
- About the Ads
- Why Peace?
- What is Peace?
- Hard Questions
- Famous Pacifists
- Theology of Peace
- History of Peace Churches
- User Guide
- 1000 Acts of Peace
History of Peace Churches
While there is lots of history from many sectors of society for nonviolent peace building, for the purposes of this site we'll stick with the Mennonite story.
Mennonites are known for their "peace position" and are often referred to as one of the "historic peace churches" (along with the Church of the Brethren and the Society of Friends). Their witness against violence and warfare is demonstrated in conscientious objection to military service and a quest for alternatives to violence.
Traditionally Mennonites have expressed their beliefs about the way of peace in the language of "nonresistance," derived from literal obedience to the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:38ff.: "resist not evil, turn the other cheek, love your enemies."
This approach reflects the fact that in the earlier part of the 20th century, many Mennonites hesitated to be identified as "pacifists." They made a point of distinguishing between their own commitment to biblical "nonresistance" and the "pacifism" of other religious and political groups whose position was considered to be based more on humanistic or philosophical views than on biblical authority.
This view remains central for many Mennonites. Other Mennonites have refocused the peace testimony during the last generation as a primary theme in the identity of the Mennonite churches. As Mennonites have responded to the events of the times, their thinkers have created a comprehensive peace theology; denominational agencies have developed extensive programs of peace education and sociopolitical and peace activism.
Mennonite church life has thus continually been challenged with opportunities to demonstrate the meaning of Mennonites' professed adherence to the way of peace.
- excerpted from GAMEO. For a more detailed history of Mennonites and peace, visit the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO).


How many times have we prayed asking God to teach us to trust Him more or teach us to have more faith?
I know I’ve prayed that many times and sometimes I just feel like I’m waiting and waiting and I never get an answer.
I have been reading in Mark and really trying to grasp the details of Jesus’ ministry. Chapters 6 and 8 caught my attention because this is where you find the two miracles in which Jesus fed thousands of people using basically nothing.
The disciples doubted Jesus’ ability to get enough food for these people in both of these situations. Honestly, I probably would’ve done the same thing if I was in their place. It would throw me off to see that many hungry people in front of me, while holding in my hands an amount of food that wouldn’t even fill the disciples’ bellies.
As I was reading, I saw something truly awesome in the text. During both of these feeding miracles, Jesus blessed the food and gave it to the disciples, who then distributed it to thousands of people. This is mind blowing, and I’ll tell you why.
The disciples were struggled with doubt so often during Jesus’ ministry, and in these cases, Jesus literally let them hand out the miracle. They had miracles passing through their hands every time they handed out another piece of bread, and they didn’t even realize it. They followed Jesus because they believed in Him. Jesus was trying to teach them and disciple them, but their growth was stunted by unbelief.
I thought to myself, how many times do I have miracles literally in my hands or within my reach and not even know it? It’s because I don’t trust God enough or let Him work because of my fear. It’s always scary to trust something you can’t see. This could look like trying to find enough food to feed thousands (twice!), getting out of a boat to walk on water, or firmly living out the Christian principles you say that you believe in. It will be hard but it’s worth it.
God is readily teaching His children to trust more and more. He provides even when we don’t ask. This applies to learning to trust too. He teaches us trust whether we ask for it or not. While asking God to teach us trust definitely invites more situations to come, situations will still come if we don’t ask for them, because we are His children and He is maturing us spiritually.
This isn’t a shocking thing that I learned this week but really, I have been moved by it.
It was re-establishing the fact that God is super involved in each one of our lives (because I know we all tend to forget sometimes). It was learning that God WANTS me to mature in my faith and grow to be the best I can be through His power. It was learning that even though I am afraid to step out and trust Him, He is all-powerful and able, so I have nothing to fear. He asked the disciples, “How many loaves do you have?” Both times they replied with a single digit number, but just because it looks insignificant doesn’t mean that it is. God is able to take the smallest thing and create a miracle out of it. We just have to have our eyes open to see it. God is putting miracles right in front of you, are you seeing them or are you missing them?
God is able to provide and He’s showing you that. He can show you even more if you would just ask. Christianity is not easy, but it is worth it. Christians tend to put up a fuss when it comes to trusting God, but it’s in those times that we miss the miracles. Don’t listen to the lies of Satan or the lies of your flesh. Open your heart and soul to trusting God. Open your eyes to see the miracles right in front of you.
How many loaves?
More than enough.
Let us know if you like this blog and if it affected you in any way. We would love to hear from you hear how it impacts your life. As always, we are praying for you and love you all!!


2016 VBS SUBMERGED
PARENTS, mark your calendars and be sure and sign up your children for this years VBS, "SUBMERGED" Click on the picture above to go to the registration page.
The RED LETTER series
The RED Letter series began January 31st and will continue through the year. The Words of Jesus.
CANYONS LIFE GROUPS
Join us for Life Groups, Bible Studies for all ages, Sundays at 9:45 AM.
832 Bible Study
Sunday mornings at 8:32 AM in the Life Center. Pastor Mike leads us in a study on HEAVEN, HELL and THE END OF THE WORLD.
Welcome to Canyons Church
Canyons Church is a fellowship that has Jesus as our purpose. Our vision is "to see Jesus change lives" by His grace and truth one person at a time. We value the meeting of those things: Grace and Truth. Click on the link below to find out more about us.New to Canyons Church?
Service TimesSUNDAY, JULY 3RD
NO 832 Bible Study: 8:32 AM
NO Life Groups for all ages: 9:45 AM
Worship Service: 11:00 AM
Children's Church: 11:00 AM
Maps & Directions


I did not write this although I wish I had. I just read this on someone's blog and thought it was great.
5 things I have learned about friendship
1) Health finds its level: If you are unhealthy and insecure in yourself, you will naturally attract people who are the same. Proverbs 27:17 says “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” If two unhealthy people wallow in their struggles together, they might feel like they are supporting one another for awhile. It often turns into an up and down roller coaster. Sometimes loneliness helps up put things in perspective: God is our ultimate source of comfort and guidance and sometimes we need to “get healthy” in order to be a friend.
2) If you are in a one-sided friendship, it is not a friendship, it’s a ministry: I heard this at the MOPS meeting two years ago and it hit me over the head. I came back to the Proverbs verse. There are two irons are sharpening one another. Each is receiving while each one is giving. The speaker said we have to make a decision whether we want to continue this one sided friendship knowing it might stay this way forever. Can we handle it? Do we have time for it? Will our spouse or family members suffer as a result of our commitment to this person?
3) There are always two sides to every single story: I learned this one the hard way about four to five years ago when two people I respected were in conflict with one another. I felt pressured to take one side over the other. When conflict occurs, both sides have contributed in some way. We have all been around people who have nothing good to say about their friend, their family member, their in-law, etc. Proverbs 16:28 says it is best: A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.
4) The right thing to do is often the hardest: Admitting your faults, apologizing, owning up to wrongdoings, and sacrifice do not come naturally. It is easier to lie, backstab, attack, be passive/aggressive, gossip, pretend like nothing happened, be condescending, blame, dig up the past, argue, withdraw, and hold a grudge. This is one of my favorite verses: For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ - Galatians 1:10. It does not mean we need to stop caring about others and only focus on God. It means that we live to please God. Through coming to know God and seeking to please Him, he gives us the love and grace so we can love others. There is a tremendous amount of freedom in that. I do not have to try to be someone I am not or work tremendously hard so someone approves of me.
5) It is OK to let go and sometimes even neccessary: If a friendship is not bearing fruit, what is the purpose? If it is one sided, what is the point? If the person is only out for their own needs, what role are you playing? Obviously if you are being disrespected, why are you holding on? It's not the greatest movie when it comes to relationships but I love it in Jerry Maguire when Dorothy Boyd says, "Maybe relationships don't have to be so much work." If there is a lot drama, confrontations, arguing, false accusations, and physco babble, maybe it is time to move on or at least take a break.


Salvation Army supports Mayor’s charities with carol service
The Salvation Army in Dudley recently held its Christmas carol service and raised hundreds of pounds in support of the Mayor of Dudley’s charities.
Residents gathered at the Dudley Salvation Army Church on North Street on Sunday (Dec 19) to sing along to Christmas carols with a band and choir.
The Mayor joined the festivities and accepted a generous donation of £532 for her two chosen charities, Black Country Mental Health and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Councillor Anne Millward, the Mayor of Dudley, said:
The service was a wonderful opportunity to get into the festive spirit and listen to some of my favourite Christmas carols.
I would like to thank the Salvation Army in Dudley for the important work they do and for choosing to support my chosen charities, Black Country Mental Health and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at their carol service this year.


I started Mission Glue for one reason: to help church planters plant healthy reproducing churches. One way to do that is to hear from practitioners. I want to hear from church planters who are actually planting churches. You may not have heard of them but they have learned a ton and can teach us much.
I recently had the privilege of talking to Jon Peacock, Lead Planter of Mission Church in Roselle, Illinois about his plant.
I met Jon as he and Tommy Bowman, one of the founding leaders of Restore, began to take seriously God’s call for them to plant a church together in their hometown of Roselle, Illinois. Jon and Tommy have been lifelong friends and had long ago dreamed about planting a church together. While it was hard to see Tommy go, it was clear that God was up to something big by calling these two to mission.
Before planting a church, Jon spent several years on staff at a little church in the suburbs of Chicago called Willow Creek. When it became clear that God was calling Jon to plant a church he sought coaching and guidance. Jon did a leadership residency at Community Christian Church in Naperville, Illinois to learn first-hand about church planting and began building a team around him. Despite all of his experience and gifting, he is teachable and eager to learn.
Mission Church launched in October of 2011 and they have been building the Kingdom in the “10” ever since. (The 10 is a grouping of western Chicago suburbs that Mission is specifically called to reach with the gospel.)
I am grateful for Jon. He is a great communicator and has a deep love for his community. He has a passion for Jesus and longs to see a new awakening in the communities of the 10 that inspires all of us around him. I am humbled by the opportunity to interview him for Mission Glue. I know we will all be inspired and encouraged by his insights.
When did Jesus become real for you?
At the end of college in 2001.
Why are you a church planter?
It’s the single most effective strategy to reach people who no one is reaching. I’m an evangelist to my core, and am wired up as an entrepreneur so planting was a good route. I think 🙂
What circumstances led you to believe God was calling you to plant a church?
It began with a series of questions. What if the Church was FOR the neighborhood, what if the church was simple, what if the church was inclusive…..what if churches in my city united w a single vision to see a city-wide awakening?!
Where is your 3rd place?
Starbucks and the softball field
Describe the cultural ethos you hope to create.
An irreligious passionate pursuit of Jesus.
What difference will your church plant make in the community?
It has become good news to our hood….the Kingdom is becoming more tangible.
How are you developing people? Staff, volunteers, launch team?
I’m not. I’m hoping Restore will just keep sending me great leaders…way easier that way! We are choosing to invest in the whole person. This passion for holistic development is friggin hard but so worth it. I want leaders that can lead for the long haul because they’ve done the hard work of uncovering their brokenness and shadow missions. This is very importing to what we long to see.
What have your learned about raising funds for your project that can help the rest of us?
It’s harder than I imagined, requires more faith than anticipated, however is more fulfilling and transformative than I could have ever hoped. Besides that its plain and simple something you MUST become passionate about. You cannot outsource this one!!
How is your family part of your church planting adventure?
They’re not. Kidding, they are a huge part. My wife meets w a ton of women in our church and leads a small group with me. Our kids just keep us up at night and make leading a church really hard. But, after praying about it, we’ve decided to keep them. Our two little girls bring us a ton of joy and have given us many missional opportunities in the community.
What is/was the great challenge you faced planting your church and how did you overcome it?
How to manage energy. Now it’s how to be future focused while remaining pastorally present. Super difficult.
Who inspires you and why?
My wife. She’s amazing. Second to her are the teachers within our community. They are my heroes.
How are you caring for yourself while planting?
I have 5 key things that fill me up. I make sure and have those 5 things in my calendar before anything else. What are the 5? Well…if I told you then I’d have to kill you.
Do you have a plan for planting more churches/campuses etc. What is it?
Yes, I dream of 3 fully functioning Mission Church Neighborhood churches by 2020 and 400 autonomous churches planted by 2040. More important to me than that is ONE awakening within the 10 in my lifetime.
If you could ask a church planter you don’t know one question, what would it be?
Why are you in such a hurry to launch?
What is your favorite band and why?
Rubber. Love rubber bands.
You can keep up with all that’s going on at Mission Church. Will you do me a favor and pray for Jon and the Mission Church team today.
Are you planting a church or missional community? I’d love to talk to you about it! Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you. If you dig the content of Mission Glue you can subscribe here.


Chris Gore: Christianity: How could the Trinity be true?
One of the more confusing parts of Christianity is the doctrine of the Trinity. In short, there is one and only one God. But, God is God the Father (Jehovah/Yahweh), and God is God the Son (Jesus), and God is God the Holy Spirit, and all three are distinct and separate. We are stating the following:
- There is only one God.
- God the Father is God (Jehovah/Yahweh).
- God the Son is God (Jesus).
- God the Holy Spirit is God.
- The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct and unique, meaning:
- God the Father is not God the Son.
- God the Father is not God the Holy Spirit.
- God the Son is not God the Father.
- God the Son is not God the Holy Spirit.
- God the Holy Spirit is not God the Father.
- God the Holy Spirit is not God the Son.
They are all three God, they are not the same, yet there is somehow only one God. Yes, this can be confusing. The following is the traditional diagram:
This causes problems for a lot of people, and it really shouldn't. The explaination is simple, if we look at the statement itself. God is one being and is comprised of three persons. This is only a problem if we confuse the words being and person.
What is a being? Well, a human is a being, a human being. And a human is a person. So you are exactly one being and exactly one person. But are there any beings that aren't persons? Of course there are, just consider insects, or cats and dogs, or other animals: they are beings, but they aren't persons. If you kill a spider you aren't commiting murder, but if you kill your neighbor then you are. That is the easy answer. In the eyes of the courts corporations are distinct and unique persons of their own, separate from their shareholders; this has its good points and its bad points, probably more bad than good.
Are there any beings that are more than one person? Yes. The easiest example are conjoined, or siamese, twins. That is, twins that were born attached to each other, a somewhat rare but well-known situation. If they have seperate brains and heads, we would definitely consider them two persons, but they are one being, at least they are as long as they aren't surgically seperated. I'm not implying that God is a siamese triplet, but this does prove by example that there can be one being that is several persons, which is the sticking point people typically have with the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.


More Notes from The Orchard – 51
Most of the prayers we see or hear are asking for something and hopefully we remember to thank God for those which appear to be answered the way we would like. The ones which do not seem to get the answers we want are either forgotten or draw comments such as ‘God never answers my prayers!’
We grow older though not necessarily wiser. The pessimists among us just give up, while the optimists carry on praying, though often with less confidence as time goes by.
I commented to a friend the other day what a remarkable woman our Queen was. While she agreed she said she didn’t find it particularly surprising since she was probably prayed for than any one other single individual in the country. ‘Long live our noble Queen!’
There must be very few people among those who pray who do not pray for peace in this sad world, and most likely recently for God to help us sort out the dangerous situation in the Korean peninsula with the threat of nuclear war hanging like the sword of Damocles over all of us.
True, Kim Jong Un has an unfortunate public record of speaking the truth and it isn’t surprising that in a cynical world where truth is so little valued that the head of North Korea isn’t believed but still many, many people of faith in God continue to pray for peace.
Do you remember those splendid Victorian tapestries which exhorted us all to ‘Trust in God’? Let us do that and trust in the words of Jesus which coincidentally appear in the quote from St. John’s Gospel on the day I write these words:
‘My dear people, if we cannot be condemned by our own conscience we need not be afraid in God’s presence, and whatever we ask him we shall receive because we keep his commandments and live the kind of life that he wants. His commandments are these: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another as he told us to.’ (1 John 3:18-24 NJB version)
So, let us believe those words and continue to pray with hope and trust for the leaders of both North and South Korea, for their people and for the whole world. Amen.


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The core mission of the Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust is to build a better future for all within our academies, who, in turn, will have a positive impact on their communities. Each academy is an inclusive environment supporting pupils from all faiths and none, reflecting the communities they serve. The Trust is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the pupils and staff within the academy trust and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.Our Academies


Projects in Development
Based on actual events, this bio-dramatic play centers on the life of slain Archbishop Cardinal Oscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador
and his fight against social injustice during one of the most vicious civil wars in Central American history. Caught
in the cross-fire are some of the wrolds poor and most abandoned as they struggle for survival amidst U.S. involvement
and The Vatican. This is the inspiring true story of one man's conversion who dared to stand in
the face of defiance. A remarkable journey of faith, hope, courage and love.


"Drawn to the Word" Worship Services on October 23
Artist and Pastor Paul Oman will paint two murals during the two worship services on Sunday, October 23 at 9:00 and 10:55 am. People of all ages will be drawn in by this multi-sensory worship experience: seeing, hearing, and experiencing the grace of God made visible on canvas. All are welcome! For more information about Paul Oman's "Drawn to the Word" ministry, visit Pastor Paul Oman's website.


“Today marks four years since Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio of Argentina was elected Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
“Like his predecessors, Pope Francis has been a strong voice for the poor and destitute. His message of showing compassion and helping one’s neighbours continues to resonate in Ontario and across the world.
“He has used his position as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics (more than 12 million of which call Canada home) to advance the values that we share—freedom and the universal human rights of all people.
“Congratulations to Pope Francis on another year of faithful service!”


From the Desk of Marie O’Hara
Bolivar, MO 65613
Dr. David Tolliver, Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Director and the members of the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board
% Missouri Baptist Convention
400 East High Street
Jefferson City, MO 65101 (Fax: 573-635-0904)
Dear Dr. David Tolliver and members of the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board:
There is a moment within the darkness of night, in the blackness of night, when the light seems to be entirely extinguished – when the sable night tosses her head of shimmering stars ... and holds her breath.
It is the darkness before the dawn.
“Be still, and know that I am God,” the Psalmist has written.
And, perhaps because I was born at such a pause within the night, this is when I meditate and pray, holding my thoughts in the still of the night, waiting within the timeless abyss of darkness for the first glimmer of dawn ... for the transformation of the First Light.
That darkness, like the night holding her breath, is a time for transformation, for the renewal of Life.
When I was poisoned by pesticides on the campus of Southwest Baptist University on September 26, 1988, I experienced that abyss of darkness in a new way: with lungs burning and collapsing from the inhalation of the misting pesticides and solvents, I struggled, floundering, submerged and drowning in the inky, cold blackness, gasping for air ... for one, warm breath of light.
I still remember the dark, untransformed terror of those moments: they still wake me from restless nightmares.
It has taken years to learn to be still in that darkness, to know that in that last drawn breath, I must wait, wait in the abyss to find the God of darkness, to wait for the dawn.
For it is within that last uncertain breath that I must forgive those who torment me.
Whether it be a taunting worker, who has just disconnected my electricity and, therefore, my air filtration systems, or Baptist neighbors, who spray their yards with pesticides or burn their trash, fully knowledgeable of the consequences for my health, or a sneering landlord, who believes I have had enough chances and enough time, I must draw that last, collapsing breath and wait in the dark stillness, as the muscles that control my breathing cease to function, as dark unconsciousness enfolds me, as the stillness, like the darkest night before the dawn, engulfs me.
I wait, wait within the darkness for the transformation, for the fiery dawn of new life.
For regardless of my fate, I will be transformed – either by the invigorating, fresh light of breath, the aquamarine light breaking like a summer day, or by the Transforming Fire, the Resurrecting Dawn, as I waken into a New Life, a life hereafter.
I must wait in those dark moments, wait for the Light, for the Life ... and I will be transformed.
On April 13, 2010, I wrote to you and the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board regarding the ongoing moral, ethical, and legal issues at Southwest Baptist University and within the Missouri Baptist Convention.
At that time, I indicated our eagerness to engage in mutually constructive dialogue by means of an online educational forum, known as the Educare Forum.
However, in the months since then, I have realized, through a series of difficult incidents, that this method will not be effective or practical; it will not provide a point of transformation, which was my true objective.
For many within the Missouri Baptist community, this can only be understood as an exercise in darkness, with no hope of solace, no coming Light -- only a plunge into the blind, uncomprehending night of terror.
The Children of Light should not be instruments of terror and fear, for does not perfect love cast out fear?
The people of the Missouri Baptist Convention are a sacred people; Southwest Baptist University is a sacred place.
Therefore, once again, because the Missouri Baptist Convention affirms a controlling interest in Southwest Baptist University, I must ask you to preform your sacred duty in assisting to transform this darkness into Light, death into Life -- to oversee, execute, and enforce any necessary and judicious disciplinary action, aiding those who are lost in darkness and injustice.
As previously stated, my concerns involve the harm done to me, my family, and my friends by the employees, administrative and governing officials, and supporters of Southwest Baptist University and the Missouri Baptist Convention, who willfully aided, abetted, counseled, and induced the commission of acts resulting in:
• slander, defamation and the malevolent and formulated provocation of hostility, ill-will, and hatred;
• sexual harassment, molestation, humiliation, and discrimination;
• physical injury, intimidation, and abuse;
• multiple instances of actual and threatened retaliation;
• the fallacious invasion of privacy and violation of confidentiality;
• forgery or tampering with academic, medical and other records;
• subornation of perjury and witness tampering;
• obstruction of justice and abuse of/denial of due process;
• financial duplicity, extortion, and insurance fraud,
• and the abuse and negligence of administrative, executive, pastoral, and ministerial functions, privilege and authority.
Additionally, these claims regard the actions of the employees, administrative and governing officials, and supporters of Southwest Baptist University and the Missouri Baptist Convention, who permitted, facilitated, encouraged, and rewarded others in:
• the deliberate and repeated infliction of physical damage, pain, and suffering;
• the calculated pattern and practice of the imposition of social, psychological, and spiritual distress, anguish and suffering;
• the coordinated conspiracy to defraud, slander, and cause physical, financial, or other harm in collaboration with officials of the Southern Baptist Convention, and other church officials (both SBC churches and others),
• and the ongoing conspiracy to defraud, slander, and cause discriminatory abuse and physical, financial, and other harm based on disability, religious belief, and/or gender in collaboration with local business persons, community members, politicians, and city, county, and state officials.
Due to the grievous and persistent nature of these concerns, I now ask for a full investigation of these issues -- beginning with an emergency meeting of the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board members, which I am requesting convened no later than the middle of September 2010.
Further, I request that these issues be publicly addressed during the annual meeting of the Missouri Baptist Convention in October 2010.
Between now and the mid-September meeting, I would like to present a Comprehensive Compensation and Care Package to the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board – a plan which will settle any outstanding claims against the Missouri Baptist Convection, Southwest Baptist University, and the First Baptist Church of Bolivar, Missouri.
To facilitate this objectives, I am asking that Dr. Freddie Pike, who is Minister of Education and Administration at First Baptist Church, Bolivar, MO, be appointed as a Special Envoy to you, Dr. David Tolliver, and to the members of the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board.
Dr. Freddie Pike is nobly credentialed and well able to preform this service with graceful aplomb, wry intelligence, and a sense of humor. This week, therefore, I will be in communication with Dr. Pike to organization and coordinate the requisite arrangements.
I look forward to cooperating with you as you preform your sacred duties.
In His Transforming Light, Justice and Mercy,
Resolving the Irreconcilable: Is There a "Soul-ution" for Southwest Baptist University and the Missouri Baptist Convention? [corrected at 8:00 pm] (here)


Beginning with Stirring the Pot:
Shadrach, Meshach or even Abednego: fellow captives of Daniel, who refuse to bow to an idol. They insist their God will prove their refusal is just and ask to be thrown into a fiery furnace.
Daniel 3-16: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful to answer thee in this matter.
If it be [so], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver [us] out of thine hand, O king.


The Kansas District was created in 1878 as a separate district within the Kansas Methodist Conference to serve the religious needs of the freedmen who were migrating into Kansas in large numbers after Reconstruction. Rev. James S. Griffing appears to have been the only white pastor among the clergymen hired to serve this district.
The Colored Work in Kansas
Methodist: It may be remembered
that this work has been organized fourteen months. We have now in this city,
on the south side of the river, Rev. Thos. J. Merritt in charge. He came here
from Philadelphia more than eight months ago. He has increased the membership
both in church and Sunday school. His charge embraces not only Topeka, but
Alma and Wamego.
Dr. E. B.
Ramsey, a graduate of the Meharry Medical School at Central Tennessee College,
was appointed at the last session of the Kansas Conference to take charge in
North Topeka, and was at the same time admitted to membership into the Medical
Board here in the city and commenced the practice of medicine together with
his church work and has proved to be successful; so much so that he had to
resign his charge, as a pastor and devote himself to the practice of medicine
alone. The people are liking him very much as a physician.
late of Louisiana, has been appointed to succeed Dr. Ramsey.
Dr. G. M.
McKinney, a graduate of the same class with Dr. Ramsey, was in charge at
Emporia and Dunlap, but since his brother, M.
M. McKinney, has succeeded him for the same of Dr. Ramsey.
At Dunlap we
have a small membership and a Sabbath School.
Rev. Jas. B.
Gibbs came from Mobile, Alabama, twelve months ago. He is in charge at
Burlingame, Osage, Eskrige, and Wakarusa circuits.
Rev. J. S.
Griffing, a white brother, is in charge at Manhattan. The people like him very
well and he likes them.
Wright, from Washington D.C., is in charge at Salina. He is a good man and is
very well educated.
Landoe, late of Louisiana, is in charge at Wyandotte. He has made up a
membership of twenty-one and a Sabbath School.
Rev. W. B.
Avery, late of Texas, is in charge at Independence.
Rector, transferred from St. Louis Conference, is at Baxter Springs.
The people should be looked after in other portions of the State, but we have not the money to pay traveling expenses. We need no less than $10,000 to support this work. We have a good class of young men out here to do this work. They know their business and should have a support for themselves and families, and I hope will have it before it is too late.”
Source: The Kansas Methodist,
is the plan for the Quarterly Conferences, Kansas District, Kansas Conference,
9-10; Mt. Olive, April 16-17; Wyandotte, April 19-20; Baxter Springs, April
23-24; Oswego, April 30; Independence, May 7-8; Winfield, May 10-11; Dunlap,
May 14-15; Osage, May 21-22; Salina, May 24-25; Atchison, May 28-29; Alma,
June 13-14; Manhattan, June 15.
will remember that the second Sunday in June shall be observed as children’s
day; a sermon preached and collection taken as the discipline directs. Let a
report of this and all other benevolent collections be made at the District
Conference, which will convene at 9 o’clock on the morning of the 16th
of June, 1881, in the M. E. Church, second charge, at Manhattan [Rev. James
S. Griffing’s church].
The evening of the 15th a sermon will be preached by Rev. M. M. McKinney, of Atchison. Subject, “Our Missions.”
Both forenoon and afternoon of each day will be the time for the transaction of such business as may come before the conference according to the discipline. The evenings will be given to religious and literary exercises for the benefit of those attending the conference. The exercises shall begin promptly at 8 o’clock of each evening. The following is the program:
Character, W. O. Lynch; Present Demands upon the Colored People of the West,
Rev. H. A. Lewin, of Baxter Springs; Progress of the colored people since
1865, Rev. J. B. Gibbs, of Burlingame; Providential Government of this
Country, Rev. W. B. Avery, of Oswego; Should Kansas have mixed schools?
Rev. J. S. Griffing, of Manhattan; Morality and Religion, Rev. M. M.
McKinney, of Atchison; Elements of a true man, Dr. G. W. McKinney, of Olathe;
Need of an educated ministry, Rev. W. Wright, of Salina; Ministerial Conduct,
Rev. F. Landor, of Wyandotte; Ministerial Duties, Rev. Theo. J. Merritt, of
Topeka; Training of Children, Rev. M. Bell, of Dunlap; Duties of parents, Bro.
G. W. Patton, of Topeka; Atonement, Rev. R. Rector, of Wamego; Interests
between the white and colored people of the United States, Prof. W. I.
Jemison, of Topeka; Human Rights, C. W. Williams, of Topeka.”


The expository of the book of Daniel 7:25 by the Holy Spirit of God regarding the ten commandments
And he shall speak great words against the Highest…
A man on earth that is addressed as His Holiness, a representative of God or Vicar
of God which means he is to be worshiped. In assuming infallibility, professing to
forgive sins and to open and shut heaven thundering out bulls and anathemas. Who
thinks to have the power to make dead bodies to become saints. Excommunicating
people from the fellowship, absolving subjects from their allegiance and exacting
obedience to his decrees in open violation of the word of God and His laws.
Daniel 7:8; 20
Daniel 11:28, 30, 31, 37
2nd Thessalonians 2:4
Revelations 13:5, 6, 11.
And shall wear out the saints of the most high, (the anti-Christ has already done this
and is still doing it). He will be wearing out the saints by diverse wars,
persecutions, tortures, killings of the followers of Christ without mercy. Christians
were thrown into the lion’s dens, given to wild animals for food, burnt alive, buried
alive, cut into pieces, sawn, dragged with the chariots wheels and many other forms
of torture. The Romans and the Papacy misused the permissive will of God to
destroy the saints of God.,
“They (the saints) shall be given into his (anti-Christ) hands until a time and times
and the dividing of times.”
By the obedience of the saints to the worship on Sunday, observing Christmas,
Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween, Valentine’s day and all the feasts
that the Papacy ordained.
The Papacy set up false feasts days in contrast to the feasts of God, he changed the
7th day Sabbath to 6th day which is Sunday.
- Persecution during the time of the leaders of Rome
The Emperors and the finishing touches of the wickedness started by the emperors
was the works of the Papacy, just as God predicted in Daniel 7:25?
All the Popes of Rome from the time they called the “DARK AGES” when saints
of God who observed Gods feasts days or obeyed the commandments of God, or
worshiped God on the 7th day Sabbath were massacred without mercy.
This is the three years and a half, reckoning thirty days to a month according to the
bible, which equals to 1260 days, which dated from the decree of Phocas,
constituting him the supreme head of the Church AD 606 which was terminated in
1866 but continues until today. Also during the 15 years of Tiberius Caesar,
Pontius Pilate governor of Judea, Herod’s brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea, and the
reign of Trachonitis, Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene.
Started in the above period and ended as God predicted, but it is still in operation as
long as we worship on Sunday, a day ordained by a human being in disobedient to
- God’s commandments of the 7th day Sabbath which is… Saturday. God was
about this that He set it apart, hallowed and blessed it
Look to it yourself,
Who is right?
God or Human being.
The same thing happened at the Garden of Eden, the devil deceived Eve. Satan
came again in the person of the beast of the anti-Christ and changed God’s law.
It does not matter how we try to say the Apostles and first church worshipped on the
1st day, the Bible explained that they broke bread every day of the week from house
Christ prayed for the Disciples that at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem that
their flight would not be on the Sabbath day Matthew 24:20 “But pray ye that your
flight be not in the winter, NEITHER ON THE SABBATH DAY.” There was the
1st day at the time of Christ and the very time that He was telling the disciples.
Christ rose on the 1st day in order not to go against His own words of the 7th day
Sabbath as a sign of a set apart for all those who will accept Him
God’s words started in the creation, the heavens and the earth were created, the
Garden of Eden, and all the fullness of the earth.
The idea of writing “The changing face of Christianity and her awakenings was
first mooted in 1999 in which God instructed me by His Holy Spirit so I acted upon
it by His Holy Spirit.
This is the definitive chronicle of the Sabbath; which is the 4th commandment.
Although I quoted from these sources: The convert’s catechism of the Roman
Catholic- Rev P Feuerman; The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo x11; The
Catholic Encyclopedia Vol x11; Epistle of Bareboat AD 100; First Apology
AD155- Justin N; Sunday -Willy Reorder; Mansi SC Vol 33; Cannon &tradition-Dr
HJ Holtzman and the Catholic Mirror Baltimore 1893, the ultimate authority of
these writings belong to God. I give thanks to God for everything.
Thank you Oh my God.


Restored 1920s stained-glass window unveiled at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton
The covering tarp came down, a flock of cell phones came up, and the latest addition to the Muckenthaler Cultural Center was revealed last week – a brilliant stained-glass window portraying the baptism of Jesus.
Originally built for St. Boniface Catholic Church in Anaheim, the window was funded in the 1920s by Lawrence Muckenthaler, brother to Walter Muckenthaler, who founded the Muckenthaler House that would later become the cultural center.
The church was built in 1902, but without a stained glass window or baptismal fount. Lawrence Muckenthaler donated the funds for both, which oversaw thousands of baptisms until the original church building was razed in 1963. But first, the window was removed.
After the old building was cleared to make way for the modern parish, the window was kept by a private collector. Lawrence Muckenthaler’s son, Ronald, later purchased it.
Ronald Muckenthaler kept the window safe for a generation, but never saw his wish of returning the window to his aunt and uncle’s home fulfilled. St. Boniface holds a special significance for the Muckenthaler family: Walter Muckenthaler first met and later married his wife, Adella, at the church.
Time and years of neglect had taken a toll on the window, and the Muck stepped in to attempt a restoration.
Now, the window will be preserved at the center. The unveiling doubled as a celebration of the window’s rebirth and long awaited return home, with guests from the extended Muckenthaler family crowding around the restored glass to pose for photos.
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We all want to move forward and make progress, yet many of us are holding on to things that are holding us back without realizing it. We want this series to help students identify the weights and burdens they are carrying and encourage them to let go in order to grow. The new year makes us think about what we need to start doing, but what if we need to stop doing something instead. For the next four weeks, we’re going to discover what we’re holding on to and what has hindered us from moving forward.
Week 1: January 3rd
Bottom Line: In order to move forward, we have to leave some things behind.
Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3
- To make this year better than last year, what needs to change?
- Do you think that you are a different person than you were this time last year? What is something that shaped how you changed in the last year?
- Of the things that need to change in order to make this year better than last year, how many are out of your control? How many are totally up to you?
Week 2: January 10th
Bottom Line: The only one able to label us is the one who created us.
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9
- What labels have your friends, classmates, or teammates given you? What labels has the world given you?
- According to 1 Peter 2:9, what labels has God given you?
- How can we remind ourselves to see others the way that God sees them? How can we remind ourselves to see ourselves the way that God sese us?
Week 3: January 17th
Bottom Line: When you hold on to it, it holds on to you.
Scripture: Romans 12:17-18
- Have you ever held a grudge for so long that you forgot why you were holding that grudge to begin with?
- What is the difference between remembering a disagreement with someone and holding a grudge?
- Is there anyone in your life you need to live at peace with as far as it depends on you?
Week 4: January 24th
Bottom Line: As soon as you go back, you’ll stop moving forward.
- What do you think are the main things that middle schoolers think are better than following Jesus?
- Look at the scripture passage again, the word “follow” is used three times. Anytime somethings is repeated, it is often important. What does it mean to follow Jesus at your school?
- What would make you better at following Jesus this week?


On January 31st, Dispatch Project sent a team of 8 (mostly-) strangers to the city of La Romana in the Dominican Republic. Working in conjunction with Christian Reformed World Missions and Iglesia Cristiana Reformada R.D., our team spent a week working alongside a church family in a Haitian community, finishing the construction of a new church building.
On our first day there—a Sunday morning—we visited and worshipped with the congregation in the rented building that served as their church. The building was small, accommodating only a fraction of their group even when there weren't guests visiting. Our gracious hosts desired that our team sit within the building during the worship service—which meant that a good number of the congregation was displaced and peering through windows to take part in the service.
The new building will provide them with adequate space for the current congregation, as well as room to grow. In addition, the building and the land that it's built on are owned by the church, protecting them from the sometimes-fickle whims of Dominican landlords.
The worship we shared with the congregation was an amazing experience. There's nothing quite like a Haitian worship service to convict a North American of his tendency toward methodical stuffiness in worshipping the Creator of the universe. After worship, we took a tour of the construction site and were surprised to find a good amount of work on the new building done already. The blockwork was nearly complete.
Our team's primary jobs for the week consisted of moving dirt, making rebar cages, building forms, pouring concrete, and building rafters. The tasks weren't difficult, or at least they weren't complicated—though they may have been a little more physical exertion than any of us were accustomed to. We weren't essential to any of the jobs that we did while there, but the more hands the better. Especially when it comes to passing buckets of concrete.
Though our presence there was helpful (when we weren't getting in the way), a message was reiterated multiple times throughout the week: we were not there just to work and sweat and get our hands dirty; we were there to be there. As one of the world's most affluent cultures, it can be a temptation for us to apply money to problems like we would put ointment on a burn. Poverty, disease, natural disaster; stuff some money in an envelope and send it to a relief organization. Problem solved. It would be foolish to ignore that financial resources are a necessary component of projects like this, but what we misunderstand when we reduce the equation to "obstacle + cash = problem solved" is that these situations are not only problems to be solved—these situations involve people. People who are enduring trials that are alien to our daily existence, but trials that are real and ongoing.
From a comfortable distance, from our comfortable envelope-stuffing chairs in our comfortable envelope-stuffing houses, we can hide the uncomfortable reality of the trials of others from view. Our being there denies us that luxury: this world contains real people in really difficult situations. And being there shows them that their concerns mean more to us than sacrificing a fraction of our far-too-expendable incomes. It is our hope that whatever encouragement we provided them by sharing in fellowship and working side by side will last far longer than the financial resources that we donated.
For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack." — 2 Corinthians 8:13-15 ESV
That encouragement flows both ways. On this project we saw that it wasn't just a group of benevolent first-worlders helping those less fortunate. I think I speak for everyone involved when I say that we left enriched with a perspective on life that we, in our luxury, miss. The joy that the Haitian's faith provides them endures and pervades every moment of their lives, even in situations that we would find hopeless and desperate. We hope that a small slice of our abundant material wealth may serve them, and leave knowing that their abundance of faithful joy has nourished us. We are all thankful to have been part of this project, and are appreciative to the Dispatch Project, Christian Reformed World Missions, and Iglesia Cristiana Reformada R.D. for the opportunity.


WELCOME to Family Praise & Worship
Come and Join Us For a Church Service
Sunday Morning Church Service is held at 10:00 a.m. at 206-5th Street in Templeton, CA. 93465 (across from the city park). We are in the conference room between the Fire Station and the Water District. We are only there on Sundays and you won’t see any signs or markings during the rest of the week. Other than on Sunday’s, you can find us in the church office which is located at 1244 Pine Street, Suite 219, Paso Robles, CA. 93446. We are hopeful and prayerful that God will bless us with our own ‘Church Building’ in the coming year. Until then, look for us on Sunday’s in the conference room.