The Shepherd King (Sermon)

Matthew 2:1-12

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

In leading the magi to Christ, God demonstrated the sincerity of the promise that he would have all men be saved. We rejoice in the visit of the magi, for by it, God enables all of mankind to be included as "the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand."

1. They followed the star

Not following the OT promises, but led by the common expectancy of the star, they came to worship the king.

2. They found the Shepherd King

As a shepherd leads his sheep, so Christ rules and governs over his church, guiding, guarding, sheltering, and feeding. As with a shepherd, he leads the way for us to follow. He lays down his life for the flock. Christ willingly laid down his life as the true king, the perfect high priest, and the savior of all mankind.

3. They offered him gifts

When they found the Christ Child, they offered him their gifts and they worshipped.

gold: the common gift for a king.

frankincense: incense used in worship of God

myrrh: a perfume used in embalming and burial.

4. The departed a different way.

Warned in a dream they returned by another way. Everyone who comes to Christ ought to leave different from the way the came. They need to leave by the way of inner peace, the way to inner strength, the way of joy, and the way of a Chirst-filled life come from leaving different from how we came.

Have you sought the shepherd king, Jesus? Have you found him? Have you been forever changed?

January Newletter

The wrapping paper has been gathered up, the decorations taken down and put away for another year. The ending of the holidays marks the beginning of a new year. 2006 has come and is almost gone. 2007 is just around the corner.

With the New Year come New Year’s resolutions. Yours may be similar to mine. 1. Lose those extra pounds. 2. Be more organized. 3. Exercise (see goal #1) 4. Be more intentional about balancing work and family. Every year, we set goals ourselves, and the basic pattern remains the same: stop a bad habit, start a good habit, improve our self or our circumstances. I’m sure I missed a few, but you get the idea. As we make our resolutions, should we not ask ourselves what God would like us to do (or not do) this year?

The New Year also means a new beginning—2007 brings with it new hopes and dreams, new challenges, and new opportunities for ministry. As we move into January, I’ll be preaching a series on how we find and sustain our vision as people of God. I pray that both as individuals and as a church, God will place within us a vision—a snapshot of where He would have us go and what He would have us to be doing. Instead of praying for God to bless what we are doing, we need to be seeking out His will for us, so that we will be doing what God is already blessing.

May God grant each of us His vision and blessing as we begin this New Year together - Amen

God's Christmas Present (Sermon)

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." - Luke 2:10

We looked this morning at the four greatest gifts we can give. Tonight, we want to look at God’s Christmas Present. Our best Christmas gift is the one we got from God.

History is God’s love story in four acts:

1. The first act: He created us to love us. God created us in His image so that we could relate to him and love him.

2. The second act was a tragedy--We walked away from his love. Sin entered the picture and separated us from God. Indeed, it is easy to try to fill the void of His love with sin and power.

3. The third act: God sent Jesus to woo us back. Consider the angelic proclamation: Tidings—news!!!. Joy—It’s good news. Universal—and everyone needs to hear it. What is that good news?

Luke 2:11 “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” God sent his son to earth, so that he could show us the way back home.

4. The fourth act is still being written by us: We have the choice to accept or reject Him. Have you opened God’s present yet? Like an unopened present under the tree, God’s gift will do us no good unless follow through. It is so simple. The Bible tells us that if we confess with our mouth that we need Christ to save us, and if we believe in our heart in the salvation he offers, we will be saved. If you are here tonight and you’ve never opened that present, I am going to give you that opportunity in a minute or two.

a. There are some here this evening who have opened that gift, but have wandered way from God’s love again. And you wonder tonight if God’s mad at you, and if you’re still welcome at his home. I’m here to tell you tonight that God is waiting for you to come home. He is so in love with you. All you need to do is ask him to, and he’ll wash away all of the sin and garbage that is holding you back.

Tonight, as we close this portion of the service, I want to open this alter. If you need to accept Christ, you can come and pray. Someone will come and pray with you. If you’ve walked away from Him, you can come home and let him wrap his arms of love around you. And there are some here tonight that have such a burden on their heart for a lost loved one. As we close tonight, I’d invite you to come and lift that person in prayer, and ask God to help them find His present for them. As we sing this song, won’t you come?

The Grace of Giving (Sermon)

2 Cor. 8.7- But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

It is almost Christmas, and what better time to talk about the grace of giving than at Christmas. Indeed, many of you have already bought gifts, sent cards, and baked goodies and given them away. Christmas is by its nature a time for giving, but commercialism has all but ruined it with the sales, advertisements, and hype. Too many children miss the spirit of the season for they focus on the receiving of gifts rather than the giving of them to honor our Savior’s Birthday.

On the first Christmas, God gave the first Christmas gift: His only son, who was born to die for our sins. In celebration of this great gift, we give gifts to those we love, but we should not forget that “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). In the Christmas story, the magi from the East come and bring gifts to Jesus, and we’ll look more at the wise men next Sunday.

Instead, I want to share with you the four greatest gifts you can give this year.

1. Your time and energy. Help those less fortunate. (John Wesley required that every family in his congregation find a family less fortunate and minister to them) That is what I like to call Basin theology.

a. Pilate - bring me a basin, I’m washing my hands of this. It doesn’t concern me.

b. Christ - bring me a basin, I’m going to wash my disciples’ feet. It was a theology of humility that allowed Christ to minister to them.

When we see those less fortunate, which type of basin theology will we employ? Will we be like Pilate or like Christ.

2. Your love. In the rush of the season, with a thousand little worries and cares, take time to show those around you how much you love them. It doesn’t have to be some grandiose gesture, just take the time to let them know you care. It is so easy with the stress of the season to lose our tempers, to take for granted that which is so important. So make it a priority to show your love to those you love this Christmas. It sounds easy, but don't be fooled. You know every family has at least one relative that is just. . .well, hard to love. You have to make it a conscious decision to love this season.

3. Your life. Christmas is about the birth, not just of a baby, but of our savior and lord. He calls to us. Give me your troubles, your sins, and your weaknesses, and I’ll give you eternal life, grace, peace, and the blessings of heaven. (too many hear give up your fun, but Christ says give up that which will hurt you and leave you empty. I want to give you that which will bring contentment and fulfillment.) It is a daily decision that we have to make. I pray that in this most holy season, you would make that daily decision to live your life for the Lord.

4. Your savior. God has called us to be evangels. To share the good news with those who have not yet heard it. This doesn’t have to be a scary thing. The most effective type of evangelism is relational evangelism. Just be yourself. When opportunities come to share your faith, do so as you would share any other facet of your life with a friend. Too many people want evangelism to be some awkward, unnatural thing, but it should be some thing that just naturally flows from who we are if we belong to Christ.

Tomorrow morning or maybe even this evening, you’ll exchange gifts with those you love. As you do, remember that the best gifts don’t come wrapped in paper. They come from the heart.

Christmas Is (Sermon)

As we near the 25th of December, the season of Christmas is fully upon us. One of my favorite holiday traditions is to sit down with my wife and watch the Christmas television specials. We all have our favorites--White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol. My all-time favorite, however, is Charles Schultz' classic It's Christmas Charley Brown. For those of you who might have missed this cartoon, the Peanuts gang is preparing for the Christmas pageant, and C. Brown is the director. While the rest of the gang tries to grab the spotlight with their roles, Charlie sets out to find the true meaning of Christmas. Finally, C. Brown comes to center stage and yells. Can anyone tell me the meaning of Christmas?

Christmas is:

I. the day of children, who have been struggling to be good all year long. It is wrapping paper and gifts, stockings stuffed and gleaming eyes, as the children come to see if St. Nicholas has come. This day does more for the happiness and welfare of some children than any other day of the year.

II. it is a spirit. You don't catch it, it has a funny way of catching you. Before you know it, you're happy, childlike, and generous all over again. At times, it is so strong that one can almost forget themselves and believe that they can help make the world a better place.

III. lights, which light up the night. They symbolize the light of the star that shone over Israel some 2000 years ago.

IV. kindness. And not just the word, but the thing itself. Hardly a heart is so frosty that it does not thaw a little on hearing "Merry Christmas."

V. generosity. It is the season when we live out the ideal that it is truly better to give than receive.

VI. believing the best about our fellowman and hoping that our expectancy will be correct.

VII. a dream that the virtues that come to the fore in this season will live on all year long.

VIII. a sober reality. The words about peace on earth and good will towards men are no longer visionary, but have become basic principles of what a decent and secure world should be. While they have not been fully realized, there is a goal set before us.

IX. the golden cord that ties together the years and the centuries, memories of yesteryear and the present reality that greets us.

I’m sure that you could add to our “Christmas is” list. As Charlie Brown stepped to center stage and cried out for an explanation of what Christmas is all about, all of the things we mentioned were true; Yet it was Linus who stepped up and answered the best : (video clip from Charlie Brown Christmas: scene 6)

In the hustle and bustle of this Christmas season, let us remember all that Christmas is, and let us not lose sight that Jesus is the reason for the season.

Note: My sincerest thanks to Pastor Ric, who was the originator of this sermon. While it has been modified a bit, I want to give credit where it is due.

Mary's Story (Sermon)

Luke 1.26-38:

Nazareth- a lot like our small rural town. Mary was living in parent’s home, learning to keep house and thinking of Joseph, marriage and children, having a house of her own. Just finished scrubbing up the dishes when SUDDENLY, there stood an angel. Not just any angel, but one of the three archangels -- Gabriel, sent to a virgin girl in the back waters of Israel.

A- You have found favor with God. (The word favor is Charin, which means that which affords joy). You bring joy to God.

M - *silence* greatly troubled and deliberated continually what this all meant.

A- Do not be afraid. You will give birth to the Messiah (OT prophesies and promises to be fulfilled)

M- How? I’m a virgin not yet married.

A- The Holy Spirit will come and God the Father will envelop you as the shadows of night cover the earth. And this will be a sign for you. Elizabeth will also have a child, even though she is old. (Brings to mind another story: Abraham and Sarah). For nothing is impossible with God.

M- May it be so.

So Mary visits Elizabeth. She’s six months pregnant. And as soon as Mary comes in the door, the HS fills Elizabeth’s mouth with praise. Blessed are you among women, Mother of my Lord. Mary must have been filled with wonder at the nature of her greeting. And her reply, sometimes called the Magnificant or the Song of Mary.

v. 45-55 And Mary said, My soul does magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty has done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has showed strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he has sent empty away. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Mary’s story challenges us!

1. Do we bring glory to God or does He weep over our lives. He doesn’t expect the extraordinary; He just expects us to seek Him and love him. Can God say of you, “S/he brings me joy.”

2. Will I praise God, even when everything around me seems to be falling apart? Mary’s dreams seemed to be coming down around her, but she was willing to sacrifice her own hopes and dreams to answer the call of God. And in the midst of that seeming chaos, she praised God, and God brought her through.

3. When God calls us, does he find us ready? God made you with a purpose. He may never call you to do the “big and extraordinary things”, but can he count on us in the little things, the everyday things? Will we say, as Mary did, I am the servant of God. Am I willing to do whatever the master asks of me?

Who Really Needs a Savior? (sermon)

Matt. 1:18-21

You shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Jesus. Jesus is a Greek translation of a Hebrew name. In Hebrew, ‘YASU” or YASUA means God saves.

But many in our enlightened and technologically sophisticated world would ask, “who needs a Savior?”

I. The deeper question behind the question is if we can overcome our human condition--Sin. Our highly sophisticated society was supposed to save us. Increasingly sophisticated technology has not brought us nearer to our own salvation, but moved us nearer to our own destruction. Consider this: despite a major reduction in arms by the world’s nuclear powers, a push of a few buttons could blow up the world 12 times! (As if one wasn’t enough.. . .) The idea that human progress would save us has been blasted by two world wars and innumerable smaller ones. I’m not saying technology is evil; I’m saying that while technology is neutral, in the wrong hands it can be used to great harm. Consider the computer and the internet. Today, statisticians tell us that about 2 in 3 men are addicted to internet pornography, innumerable people are falling prey to other addictions like compulsive shopping, gambling, etc. while one woman I personally know threw away her marriage and children after having an online affair with a man from Europe. Technology can not save us, for it is not inherently good. And in the hands of sinners, it will lead us into more sin.

And the church is not free from sin either. How much energy is wasted on attacking sinners without ever getting at the root -- the sin. A church in the old holiness tradition used to preach on the three cardinal sins: dancing, card playing, and going to the movies. Yet no mention was made of sins like hate, greed, pride, and a spirit of control that condemned so many and drove them away. The problem is NOT our sins, it is our SIN. For this nature alienates us from God, making us like the prodigal in Luke -- lost in sin and far from home. Yet like the prodigal, we easily fail to recognize our condition.

II. You see, sin blinds us. It deludes us into thinking we’re all right. Lucy says to Charlie Brown “Don’t you think I’m beautiful?” Trying to prick the swelling balloon of pride, Charlie Brown replies, “Remember Lucy, beauty is only skin deep.” Lucy replies, “I deny that! My beauty is not only on the surface; it goes down deep . . . layer after layer after layer! Yes Sir! I have a very thick beauty!” > We may laugh, but this is precisely what sin does. It convinces us that the good things that others see on the surface are the deep core of our being. We deny the words of St. Paul who told the church of Rome that “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. Yet our denial doesn’t change the reality of what Paul said. Denial only makes us like the Pharisees, who sought to justify themselves instead of allowing the words that Christ spoke to have any life-changing effect upon them. Jesus called them wolves in sheep's clothing. Often we think about ourselves in the church as the sheep of God’s fold, but Christ tells us that there is only one way into the fold; Jesus said I am the door. We can not save ourselves!

III. But Pastor, Advent and Christmas are about the good news and this all sounds like bad news! “Your right, but the good news isn’t very good until we realize our need for a savior. The stain of sin on our life can not be removed by any human means. So God sent his son, the great stain lifter. (He is the good news, for when we needed a savior, God sent his son.) Humanity owed the debt of sin, passed down from Adam to his children, and from them down through the generations. Yet the debt, owed by humanity was so great that only God could meet it. Yet because of the lost relationship with mankind, he could not simply forgive it. It had to be paid by humanity. So God sent his son as the human incarnation of God. Incarnation is originally a Latin word. It has been moved into several other languages. In Spanish, the word means stew with meat. The Latin literally means God with meat on. God became meat, like us. Kierkegard perhaps explained the incarnation best in a parable.

Once there was a great and mighty king, a good king, who fell in love with a peasant girl. The king contemplated how he could win her love. He considered going to her directly or sending a messenger to her to ask her to become his wife, but he realized that as a subject she would be compelled to be obedient to a request from her king. He considered disguising himself as a peasant an approaching her as an equal, but eventually the truth would be known and deception and dishonesty violate the essence of love. Finally, the king realized that there was only one way left. He must give up all of the power and glory of kingship to become a peasant so that he might be one with his beloved. This is the unfathomable nature of love, that it desires equality with the beloved. God loved us so much, he came as a babe, born in a manger. He came so he could be our savior, paying the great debt of sinfulness. And in return he hopes to win our love.

IV. How then do we prepare for Christmas, in light of what God has done for us?

A. If we have never accepted him as lord and savior, we can come and give our life to him. If we ask him to come into our life and forgive our sins, he will gladly lift the stain of Sin.

B. If we are saved, but there is sin that is between you and God, come and give it to him. Allow him to cleanse you and restore that relationship.

C. If you’ve given him you sin, have you made him lord of all? Are you living for him or are you living for yourself? If you need to talk to Jesus this morning, his presence is here among us. Just step out in faith and God will meet you there.

A whole bunch of sermons

Well, it is the day after Christmas and the house is quiet. My two children were pretty warn out from all the running yesterday, and my wife and I are both fighting allergy/cold/sinus. I hope your Christmas was as good as ours. We were surprised when my sister and her husband drove all night to be here on Christmas Eve. It was good to have all the family together again, even if only for a few hours.

Over the next day, I will be posting my Christmas sermons. I wanted to begin doing it earlier, so they might be of more use to someone, but with the kids being sick for two weeks and the rush of activities at the church, this is the first time I've had a chance to catch my breath. I hope they are a help to someone. Blessings from the pulpit.

Pastor Tom

Walk Across the Room (sermon)

Thanksgiving. It’s Thanksgiving time. I got thinking about all the things I am thankful for. And you all know what comes after Thanksgiving? Christmas. How many of you have all your Christmas shopping done? (only 34 more shopping days. . .) Of all the gifts you’ve gotten and all the things you are grateful for, what is the greatest?

The single greatest gift you can give to another human being is to introduce them to Jesus Christ. How do we share that with others? (last week tie in) Recently Bill Hybels, the pastor at Willowcreek, was interviewed by a conservative Christian magazine. He was asked, “Do you still believe in personal evangelism? Is it outdated? In answer, he shared the following four stories and four observations. (Good 4 pt. Sermon)

Sailing on Lake Michigan. As he docked, he realized that he was not far from the church camp. Go to the place where you were saved. Only one taxi service – called- 10 miles, too far. Do you know anyone who would take me? Guy down on his luck, needs money. Tattooed, long hair, busted up car. Low on gas. Fill ‘er up! She’s never had a full tank before. Drove to camp, wait on me. [ Found the place, thinking back Walking up the hill as the sun set, the verse came. (Titus 3.5) Realized that he couldn’t earn heaven. Prayed to God. Saved. ] Driving back. What were you doing? That’s where I met God? How does that happen? (Titus 3.5) Does God meet losers? Not a loser; your just a prayer away from being a Son of God! Pastor starting a new type of church. Promise me you’ll try to go. Back on boat. What just happened?

Observation #1. The single highest value in personal evangelism is attentiveness to and cooperation with the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We need to pray, “God, I want to hear the whispers of your Spirit today.” The Bible does say his sheep will hear his voice, Amen?

At a luncheon down south, sat at round tables of ten. Introduce yourself. Man across the table had a Muslim name. Ate, looks. After lunch-I love your books . . .I used to be a Christian, left for racial reasons and became Muslim during college. Part of my job is to attend these big cocktail parties. Racism. Guy walks across the room and introduces himself. “Are you Muslim?” Yes. I’m a Christian who doesn’t know much about Islam. Could you tell me about it? Met for lunch a couple of times. Finally, the Muslim said. That’s about all I can tell you. Could you tell me about Christianity? I grew up in church, but it was so long ago. Two weeks later he got saved!

Observation #2. When you use the words “personal evangelist” you may not like the image that they conjure. If you can not see yourself as an evangelist, you might just need a new image. Imagine an evangelist as someone

who scans the circle of comfort while listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and is willing to cross the room and introduce themselves. (Really, only three requirements 1. friendly, 2. willing to listen, and 3. yielded to the H.Sp.)

Bill was in Downtown Chicago – a friend had given him the manuscript of a book he had written; went to a nice restaurant, long line. Conversation with couple in front of him. Jobs. Tough industry, lots of layoffs. Join us. No, don’t want to take away your time together. Both laughed. They were both gay, married for convenience of job. (Uncomfortable) As they talked, man shared how his dad had cut him off, Bible guy, “judgment” and “hell” (Really Uncomfortable), prompting of H.S. - Bill said, as you imagine your dad, try substituting the words “grace” and “mercy.” Man went to wash room, wife said, He’s never shared that with anyone except me! Tables ready, they went their separate ways. Bill – beating self up. Could of talked about what Bible says, why didn’t I say . . . HS whispered, “You did what I told you to do.”

Observation #3. Success in evangelism in any given situation is playing the role the H.Sp. wants you to play. Our job is not having to take folks from a -10 to a 0, but simply moving them towards the cross.

Taking the garbage out – cold out, but new neighbors. Didn’t want to wait to introduce himself, but felt prompting of H. Sp. Hi, I’m Bill; I’m Bill too. Took garbage out about the same time, talked. Bill was an investment banker, a member of the local Republican Party, shared many of the same hobbies, wanted nothing to do with church. Spent time as families (BBQ’s, etc.). After several years, it was the trash day before Easter. Dr. Hybles said to his neighbor, Bill, where are you going to church on Easter? It’s just un-American! You know very well I don’t go to church. But you’re a republican. How can you be a patriotic, red-blooded American republican without going to church on Easter? Guess what? He came. He became an Easter service person. The next year around Christmas, similar question. Started coming on Christmas and Easter. Then, one day, Bill got saved! He told Dr. Hybles at the trash can. Watching God transform a life never gets old.

Observation #4. Proximity – Where can you have regular conversations with people who are not saved? What activities do you (or can you) do with internationality of developing relationships and being open to HSp? Mt. 5. talks about our being salt, but for salt to be effective, it needs proximity. We can’t be the salt of the earth from a distance.

Closing thought. The single greatest gift you can give to another human being is to introduce them to Jesus Christ.

Turning the World Upside-Down (sermon)

Acts 17.1-6 After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, "This is the Messiah, Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you." 4 Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason's house. 6 When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, "These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also.

What is your church known for? I know from experience that some churches are known for their chicken BBQ’s and turkey dinners, others are known for their pretty church building. And I wondered, as we were unpacking last week, what answers I would get if I just took a general survey around town--what is the church known for? And this leads to a second question -- what do we want to be known for? Is this a church that turns the world upside down? . . .Has the radical, life-changing message of Christ come here too?

I heard about a big city newpaper that ran a column where people wrote in to ask questions. One reader asked “If all the people in china jumped off a chair at the same time, would it move the world off its axis? Well, the writer did some “mathematical gymnastics”. He calculated the weight of an average chinaman, the height of an average chair, the force of that weight dropping that distance, multiplied it by the population of China, and found that the agrigal thump would be equivalent to several thousand tons of TNT, but it would not be a sufficient force to move the earth even a fraction of an inch off its axis. Yet in today’s passage, a hand full of people armed with the message of Jesus Christ did what a billion chinamen couldn’t and turned the world upside down. And I would ask this morning, has their message come here too?

First, has that message come to you personally. I’ve learned years ago not to assume, and so I’ll ask. If you’re here today and have never asked Jesus Christ to be your personal Lord and savior, then you’ll have the opportunity to ask him to come into your life today, to take that first step and to experience His radical transforming power for yourself. You see, we’ve all missed the mark, we’ve been guilty of sin, and the sentence is death. But if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Master, he will commute our sentence. He not only saves us, but he adopts us into the family! But we have to make a conscious decision to accept him. If you believe in your heart that Christ died for you and confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord, you shall be saved.

A youth pastor shared the story of a girl in his youth group, and for the sake of anonymity I’m going to call her Mindy. Their youth group took a trip to Colorado to work at a church camp for a week, and in exchange, the camp donated the equipment for them to go backpacking the next week. And they always tried to make two or three extra places available so they could invite someone from outside the group to come along. Well, Mindy was one of those invited, and she decided to go along.

Now you have to understand, Mindy was a “pretty girl”. She was a cheerleader, she wore all the right clothes, had the right friends, dated the right guys. . .and for a week she was going to rough it. There were many humorous stories that I could share: Mindy found out that raccoons like makeup almost as much as she did and that curling irons don’t work with out electricity. . .but during one of the evening devotions, Mindy’s eyes were opened to the message of Jesus and she accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior. And there was a marked change in Mindy the rest of the week. One the last night of the trip, pastor Dave was sitting by his tent and Mindy plopped down next to him. And she asked him a question that floored him.

“Pastor Dave, since Jesus gave himself for me, what can I do for Jesus?”

That brings me to the second question: What will you do with this radical message of hope? What can we do for our master and savior?

Pastor Dave’s response was so radical that it shocked Mindy. “School is starting next week. Go back to school next week and find the most homely, the most lonely, the most rejected girl and be a friend to her. Have lunch with her, hang out with her, love on her.”

Mindy thought about that for a minute, then sheepishly asked, “Is there something else I could do for Jesus?

Dave’s answer may sound radical at first, but you see, Christ commanded us to be his witnesses not only in Jerusalme and Judea (places where we are comfortable), but also to Sameria, to those people who our society rejects. You might not be in school, but you still have your Sameria, and Jesus calls us to go there, to that one who is broken, who is hurting, who feels like they are worthless, and he wants us to use his love to restore their sense of worth, to encourage them. And as the door opens, to share the life changing gospel message with them.

What ever happened to Mindy? Well, as Paul Harvey always says, here’s the rest of the story. Mindy accepted the challenge that pastor Dave had placed before her. She found that girl, and she made friends with her. She lost some friends because of it, but when she invited that girl to church, the girl found the same loving Savior that Mindy had found in the mountains of Colorado. And that girl went back to her school, and along with Mindy, she began to reach out to those who were lonely, rejected, and hurting. In two short years, something amazing happened. Mindy and her friends began to turn their school and church upside down. You see the message had come there too.

As we close, I have to ask you. Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If not, I’d like to extend the invitation to ask him into your heart today. If that is you, pray with me right now. “Jesus, I have sinned. I need you to come and take my sins away. Make me clean. Come live in my heart as my Lord and Savior. Amen.”

If you know Jesus as your savior and Lord, I want to ask you: What can you do for Jesus? Who is he calling you to love? Will you turn your world upside down? Has the love of Jesus come here too?

God Gives the Increase (sermon)

Last Sunday, I preached from this same text; it lends itself to our policy of changing pastors. I had prepared a strong sermon for this Sunday, but in reflection, it would be hard for you all to receive much from someone whom you do not know. I am not Pastor Bracken, nor will I try to be. It was about this subject that Paul writes to the Chruch of Corinth in chapter 5 and verse 3.

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. 9 For we are God's servants, working together; you are God's field, God's building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.

I’d just like to share a couple of thoughts this morning. If you’re a note taker, there are only four points.

1. I am not Apolos, Paul, or Bracken. I have not come to take his place holds in your hearts. I don’t expect you to forget him or the years he labored with you. Rather, I hope you can find a different place in your heart to begin a new friendship. I look forward to getting to know all of you in the next weeks and months. If I don’t remember your name right away, please forgive me. I’m bad with names, but I will strive to remember. I’m sure as we grow together, that will become much easier.

2. I have not come to be the boss, but to be a pastor -- one who walks alongside and with the sheep of God’s pasture. I want to work with you, as we strive to be all that God has called us to be in this place. I do not know where that path will take us, but I will go with you wherever God leads. And I’d like to make a Covenant with you -- to pray. I will be praying for you all. And I would ask you to be praying for your pastor. Not just a quick couple of words, but a vow to take each other before the heavenly throne and lift up the needs of our church and community. Pray that God would give me the strength and gifts that I will need, the wisdom and discernment to know where God is leading, and the annointing to be able to go there in victory.

3. I have not come to do away with what has come before. As Paul points out, that which is of God remains. And I hope to build on the work that has been done. We may retouch on some areas that have been dealt with before, and that can not be helped. But I hope that we will be able to grow together in faith, grace, and love.

4. I will not build on any other foundation that Jesus Christ, the Word of God. When I met with the Pastor Parish Relations Committee, I was asked if I preached Biblical sermons, and I want to put to rest any doubts. I will build on the foundations of scripture, with the plumb line of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, for there is no salvation apart from Him.

I want to thank God for all of you. You have made my family and I feel at home this first week and we look forward to getting to know you all. I am excited about what God is doing in Adamsville, and I know that if we are faithful to lift up Christ in our life, chuch, and ministries that God will bring the increase!

December Pastor's Letter

Christmas is coming and we, like every family, are caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season. There is a tree to put up, decorations to unpack, cookies to bake, cards to send, gifts to buy, . . . the list seems to go on and on.

But in the chaos of all of this running about, we need to be reminded that this season is a time of great joy for Christians. Think about it for a minute. The mall and department stores are playing some of our music, telling the story of a babe born in Bethlehem.

There is a great freedom this time of year to talk about Christ. The opportunities to share are all over the place. The images of Christmas, both Christian and secular, often carry more meaning that we realize. The Christmas tree and the candy canes can give us as much opening to talk about Christ as a nativity or singing carols. We also need to remember that Santa’s real name is St. Nicholas, who gave gifts to help the poor and remind the people about the great gift that God gave to all of us in His son.

So as you celebrate this year, take time to learn about the meaning of this season’s symbols; they may just provide an open door for Christ to come into someone’s life this Christmas. Never forget that Christ’s coming is behind all that we do this season. May His love shine through you as you spend time with friends and family, and may God bless you with a Merry Christmas and a blessed and happy New Year.

- Pastor Tom

Time's Article on Teens turned on to God

I was surfing the web on Saturday when I came across this article. It's interesting to note that the world is starting to take notice of what the religious community is doing, even if they don't understand it. It was also interesting to see how the teens responded to the survey which asked teens why they attended worship services. Take a look and tell me what you think.

Ormet reaches agreement

The following article appeared on the front page of the Oct. 21-22 Weekend edition of the Marietta Times:

By Connie Cartmell

The final agreement that will bring 900 Ormet Corp. employees back to work was reached Friday.

A power agreement with American Electric Power Co., announced Friday by Ormet, means that the 900 hourly workers, all members of United Steelworkers Union, will return to the company’s reduction plant, located in Hannibal, Monroe County, in a phased plan.

One-hundred-fifty workers returned to the plant this week, while another 100 workers will return by January to assist with the re-start, company officials said. One hundred new jobs may also be available due to the number of former workers that have moved on to other jobs or retired.

“(The workers) won’t be doing their own jobs right away, but will be helping with restarting, which is going to be a huge job,” said Ken Campbell, chief executive officer at Ormet, a major U.S. producer of aluminum, aluminum billet products and smelter-grade alumina.

“It will take us about six months from start to full ramp up.”

Prior to August when dozens of workers returned to the plant after agreeing with the company on a labor agreement, more than 1,200 union members had not worked at either of Ormet’s two Monroe County plants since going on strike in November 2004.

The power agreement means the company will be able to afford to reopen the six potlines at the reduction plant to full capacity. The company’s other Hannibal facility, an aluminum rolling mill, was sold to Aleris International last December and is not in operation.

The favorable agreement with AEP was helped along by the fact that the price of aluminum has more than doubled on the world market in the past two years that the plant has been closed.

“The price we’re paying now is higher than what was being paid when we closed down, but less than retail. We’re about in the middle,” Campbell said.

Electricity is a key component of the reduction plant’s mission.

The aluminum product, later used in the manufacture of automobiles, airplanes, construction, even in new housing, begins with powdered alumina, which is poured into pots, “zapped” with electricity, turned to molten metal, then poured into molds to be sold.

Late Friday, Monroe County officials, a worker at the cast house in the reduction plant and a union representative described their feelings about the news.

“This is very good news for the valley,” said Mark Shaw, contract coordinator with United Steel Workers.

“It’s been 26 months, the work stoppage was for 22 months and it’s been another three to four months negotiating with AEP,” he said.

Chuck Green, a nearly 18-year Ormet employee, said he’s heard rumors of the power agreement, but was thrilled to hear the news Friday.

Green 48, of 163 Cornerstone Drive, Marietta, returned to Ormet in mid-August after the labor agreement was finalized, but said the power agreement provides some security for his job too.

“I’m very pleased because if we didn’t get the power agreement and didn’t get the potlines up and running there’s no way we could get the cast house to survive, where I work,” Green said.

“With the pot rooms the cast house will survive. Without the pot rooms the whole plant would shut down eventually. ... It wasn’t cost effective the way we were having to do it.”

The average worker at the reduction plant earns about $20 an hour, along with full health care (no contribution), a 401K and pension plan. With all benefits, it works out to about $70,000 a year, Campbell said.

The response of Monroe County officials was quick and emotional.

“Fantastic,” said Francis “Sonny” Block, president of the board of Monroe County Commissioners. “Our prayers have been answered.”

Monroe Commissioner Gary Hudson breathed a sigh of relief, saying late Friday commissioners knew the agreement might be coming, but didn’t know when.

“I knew they were close,” Hudson said. “I’m elated. It’s fantastic news, I just can’t tell you. It’s time we had some good news in Monroe County.”

The ongoing strike and plant closure at Ormet caused the unemployment rate to soar to the highest in the state, 11.3 percent in May. By August, Hudson said the number dropped to a bit over 9 percent, still not good.

“We were up there before the plant even shut down,” he said. “This should help us out a lot, although all the employees going back to work are not from Monroe County.”

It’s expected some new jobs will be created next spring after all union members are recalled.

“We will be short people by the time we recall everybody,” Campbell said. “We know some of our workers have retired, some moved on to other jobs. The good news is there will be a bunch of new jobs for the last 100 people or so.”

The news is good, economically, for the entire region, said Mike Jacoby, director of Southeastern Ohio Port Authority.

“I think this is a big relief for the Mid-Ohio Valley,” Jacoby said. “Ormet is a big, big employer and this will ripple throughout the region.”

“We have companies in Washington County that supply Ormet,” Jacoby said.

At the same time, there was bad news for Burnside, La., where Ormet also announced Friday it will close the Burnside Alumina Division by the end of the year. Jobs will be gone for 250 employees there.

Workers from Burnside are not expected to be hired in Ohio for the Hannibal plant, he said, because of the vast distance between the two sites and because ample construction jobs have opened up there since Hurricane Katrina.

Loren Hartshorn, president of the local USWA 5724, said Campbell deserves the bulk of the credit for getting the plant back to being operational.

“His efforts are really appreciated,” Hartshorn said. “Ken was the major player in being able to successfully get a labor agreement and to now successfully reach a long-term agreement with American Electric Power.”

Campbell, at the helm of the dark and lifeless Ormet plant at Hannibal only since April, made a prediction to the handful of management employees left the day he arrived.

“I told them when I came that first day that I was going to fill the parking lot,” he said, adding that the plant is back online through the work of everyone involved.

“For some reason, everybody suddenly wanted to help and they did,” Campbell said. “They dropped their own agendas. It was cool to watch.”

Marietta Times reporter Sam Shawver and editor Justin McIntosh contributed.

Waning membership forces rural Ohio churches to close

The weekend edition’s religious section (Marietta Times Sept 29-Oct 1) featured an interesting article by the Associated Press. While the setting is western Ohio, the same trends are seen across the state. I don’t necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed in the article, but as a whole it is well worth the time to read:

CARLISLE – Many of Ohio’s small, rural churches are fading – even dying – as their congregations age and younger generations find other ways and places to worship.

The United Methodist Church, with the bulk of its churches in towns of under 50,000 or in the country, illustrates one measure of the decline: Total membership in western Ohio slipped one-third between 1980 and 2004, from 352,348 to 237,374.

“There’s a church in our conference that has a McDonald’s Playland in it,” said Pat Hiegel, a member of the 195-year-old McKendree United Methodist Church in eastern Miami County, where worship attendance two weeks ago stood at 13 people. “These little country churches don’t offer that. McKendree does not offer guitars and drums and that type of music. It’s very traditional, very conservative. People today have to be entertained.”

Topscott Primitive Baptist Church in Carlisle organized in 1814 and closed in 2003. In the village of Casstown, the Lutheran Church, which was founded in 1827, closed in 2002.

Many of these churches are unsure of how to change with the times or whether they should embrace change at all. Some see a tension inherent in trying to keep the church relevant to younger generations, yet reverent to God.

“You get a quality of irreverence with the casual dress of pastors, roc ‘n’ roll music and high tech equipment that’s transforming the way many growing churches across the Miami Valley worship,” said Elder Eddie Garrett, 73, who heads a membership of about 15 at the Thompson Memorial Primitive Baptist Church in Franklin. “It takes away from the spirituality of the service.”

But Mike Slaughter, 55, senior pastor at Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church near Tipp City, one of the region’s largest churches, offers a different view.

“Jesus was considered irreverent,” he said. “Whatever the traditions of the religious people were, he violated those traditions. What he showed was true faith is how you treat people, how you made God make sense to people.”

Churches assume a primary role in building relationships and trust among people, especially in the countryside and in small towns, said Mark Partridge of Ohio University’s rural-urban policy program.

“They’re part of the glue that holds the community together,” Partridge said.

One of the area’s oldest surviving churches, McKendree, was founded in 1811 and held its services in a log cabin. Attendance reached about 80 to 100 people in the 1860’s and hovered around 60 in the 1940’s.

Today, two elementary pupils and one high school student attend McKendree, Hiegel said. The rest of those in attendance – typically about 15 people – range in age from mid-40’s to 90’s.

“It used to be churches were the only thing there was,” Hiegel said. “Now kids are so busy with soccer and football that churches just…,” she said, her words drifting off. “It’s a sad situation.”

Pastor Tim Reeves, who coordinates a United Methodist program that provides funding and educational programs, said rural congregations sometimes lack the resources to maintain aging churches, and to hire and keep a good pastor. In the Methodist church system, for example, it can cost 30 to 40 percent more to hire ordained elders instead of local pastors, who often have other jobs.

Garrett, whose small Primitive Baptist congregation shuns even instrumental accompaniment during hymns, sees another reason for exponential growth at larger churches.

Anonymity is appealing,” he said. “You get lost. Nobody knows your business. What they want is a religious country club. I pay my dues, and nobody says anything beyond that. That attracts the crowds.”

One foot in, one foot out

This past week has been an emotional roller coaster for my family and myself. Sunday the 24^th, our move was announced to the two congregations. The shock, disbelief, and deep sadness that was expressed seemed to be overwhelming. At one church, my four-year old daughter leaned over to my wife and said, “Mommy, why aren’t they happy for us?”

This next month will likely be one of my most trying in ministry, as my family and I balance between old and new, that which is coming to an end and that which is about to begin. The process is not made any easier by the normal weekly grind, the pre-charge conference meetings, or the concerns of packing for the move.

I received an informational packet from my new SPRC chairperson, which I would really like to look over in greater detail. However, I have not yet let myself focus too much on the future until I have dealt with the “here-and-now.”

On one hand, I want to be learning more about where we are going. On the other hand, I am torn by having to leave the area and people that we have served over the past several years. This tearing away is made all the more difficult by the fact that the people here have made us feel like family.

It’s hard to be a “lame duck” pastor, but there’s also something empowering about it. The people know I won’t be here in a few weeks, but I feel freer than ever before to preach the Word without compromise, to speak boldly that which they most need to hear.

So here I am, with one foot in, one foot out. I hope to take some time the last week and really focus forward. Until then I am just plugging away in the midst of the growing stacks of cardboard, looking forward to the change to come.

(My thanks to Pastor Dave for this post's title. As I thought about your blog, it just seemed appropriate!)

Changing Perspective

It's been a busy two weeks. Monday morning (9/11) I was awakened by a ringing phone. It was my district superintendent, informing me that I would be receiving a call from another ds, to discuss a change of appointment. When the call came, we still had no idea where we might be moved to.

The next day, I had breakfast with that ds, and learned that I would be interviewing Sunday afternoon at a single-point charge (Hallelujah!!) :)

Sunday went well, and we are now anticipating a move that will be effective November 1. I would covet your prayers both for our new church and for our current churches. The last two weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster. The SPRC met Tuesday to begin the process of profiling for a new pastor, and the move was announced to the churches this morning (9/24).

I had considered whether or not I would continue this blog, but after some discussion with my wife and a few pastor friends, I will be. My new church is still in the area designated as Appalachian Ohio, and though the specific issues will change, the overall focus of the blog can continue. Maybe the fresh perspective will help bring more clarity to the issues.

I am starting to be surrounded by cardboard boxes and plastic totes, so it may be into November before I begin to post again on a regular basis. Just check in occasionally between now and then, as I may find a few spare minutes to throw on something.

Peace,

Pastor Tom.

Six Signs of a People in Exile

A couple of years ago, Rev. Chip Freed spoke at the East Ohio Annual Conference. In his message, he shared what Walter Brueggemann calls the six signs of a people in exile. Chip pointed out that while we don't think of ourselves as an exiled people, the list fits pretty well.

1. a community of sadness over what used to be.

2. the loss of the old family home place.

3. a keen awareness of the power of despair. We ask, "does our effort make any difference?"

4. the absence of God. If the temple = God's presence, and if the temple is far away, then we are far away from God's presence.

5. the "Blame Game" -- finger pointing to find out who's at fault.

6. an intense preoccupation with self and self-concerns.

The feelings of the exiles are summed up in the first couple of verses of Psalms 137. In a lot of churches today, we find that these same six characteristics fit. We are a people in exile, longing for our eternal home.

Poverty spreads in Ohio

We’ve known it is happening for some time, but seeing it in black and white on the front page of the newspaper is still a bit disconcerting. Ohio’s economic indicators are poor and getting worse. The article reflects this trend through the lens of a Salvation Army Officer, Maj. David Hathorn.

Marietta Times reporter Connie Cartmell writes, “The apparent local downturn comes in the wake of a report from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Survey and the American Community Survey that puts Ohio among states with the highest rates of poverty and lowest household income. Ohio is losing manufacturing jobs, adding low-paying service-related jobs, and steadily falling behind, a recent report shows.”

“From what I have read of this U.S. Census Bureau study, there is nothing specific about areas, such as southeastern Ohio,” said Jon Allen, deputy director for communications with Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. “There are a lot of economic factors that complicate this picture. Fewer jobs is one.”

While some look to the politicial races in 2008 to bring about a regional seachange, the somber reality is that the only way things will change is if we change. The current trends indicate that we are not yet ready to change.

Tagged

Pastor Jared (of New Reality) tagged me last week. Here are the answers to the nine questions. I don't read very many blogs, and those that I do have already been tagged, so I didn't tag anybody else. Blessings.

1. One book that changed your life: The Bible. There are other books I could list, but they all play second fiddle to the Scriptures.

2. One book that you have read more than once: J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. I picked it up in fourth grade and have worn out several copies over the years.

3. One book you'd want on a desert island: Anything by the early church fathers (and mothers). While I have read bits and pieces, I simply don’t have the time in my normal week to read and digest them like they need to be.

4. One book that made you laugh: Anything by Dave Barry; I’ve only read a couple of his books, but they always seem to pick up my mood.

5. One book that made you cry: Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz; it is a work of fiction, but the main character is so pure and simple that you can’t help but like him.

6. One book you wish had been written: Pastoral Ministry for Dummies. There are many days that I feel like I need it.

7. One book you wish had never been written: I don’t have one. I’ve read many very good books and some very bad ones, but ultimately it is up to the reader to discern what we keep and what we spit back out.

8. One book you are currently reading: Introducing the Uncommon Lectionary by Thomas Bandy. The appendix has been instrumental in my preaching for the last two months.

9. One book you have been meaning to read: There is a whole stack that I could list. One is Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster.

Tears from the Sycamores

Late Monday afternoon, the Sycamore trees in the valley were dripping with rain. It seemed as if the whole valley was crying. Larry was a miracle, who doctors said should have died days before he had the surgery. The heart valves that needed replaced where pretty routine, and the bypasses were too, but the hole in his heart had grown from a small tear to a gaping hole the size of an orange. That was not routine at all.

Larry came out of surgery on that Monday, two weeks ago, to the surprise of the doctors and the relief of friends and family. His prognosis was good, and we all thanked God for the miracle that He had provided us.

Two weeks passed, with little change. Larry lay in a hospital bed, sedated, fighting for his life with the same dogged determination that he brought to life. He had the patience born from a lifetime of farming—he still plowed, planted, cut, and gathered his harvest with the horses. But like the storm clouds that roll up into the valley, the signs did not look good.

Monday, after two weeks of fighting, Larry was ready to go home. He was a simple man who loved hunting with the dogs, spending time with the grandkids, and giving horse-drawn wagon rides at the harvest festival. When the family had said good-bye, he passed peacefully from this life into the next.

I know that I’m not alone in wondering why God would give us a miracle one Monday, only to allow Larry to come home so soon, but I know that God has a plan for our good. God is good . . . all the time.

What I do know is that when Larry stopped breathing on Monday afternoon, my wife was driving up the valley. And the sky broke open in great big drops of rain. The whole valley seemed to weep for the loss that will be felt for many years to come. Larry, we’ll miss you, and add our tears to those that fall in the valley from the sycamore trees.

Feasibility Study opens doors for Higher Ed.

In the August 3 edition of the Monroe County Beacon, Arlean Selvy reported on the progress of Belmont Technichal College in bringing a branch campus to the county. The county commissioners adopted a resolution by Dr. Joseph Bukowski, president of Belmont Tech., to conduct a feasibility study. This study will seek to identify the educational needs of the area, as well as the wants and wishes of current students, county residents, and the business community.

The study should be completed and analyzed in the next three to four months. The plan is to present at least three educational program proposals, and then select the one which will best fit the county's needs.

What is the goal of Education?

In our current cultural climate of “leaving no child behind,” proficiency testing has become the means of assessing progress. Such testing creates a climate in which a school’s curriculum is based upon what is being tested. This raises a serious question: What is the basis for a standardized “proficiency” test? Is it not to test children for a minimal standard of achievement? Such thinking makes educators set the bar at the least common denominator rather than setting it at the level of the average student’s potential. This means that in our current system, only the weakest students struggle, while those who are in the upper 40-50% of their class are being kept from realizing their own potential.

This leads to the opening question: What is the goal of education? Is it to prepare our children for their future, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to be a productive member of society in a workplace that is increasingly global. If this is the goal of education, then the least common denominator cannot be our standard. Such an education would teach only the basics, never daring the students to push themselves to their potential.

Others would say that the goal of education is more complex. For those students who can not (or will not) attend college, school teaches those basic skills necessary for living and being productive in the workforce. For those students who do wish to pursue a college degree, the goal is to help them be well rounded, preparing each student for the unique experiences they will find in college. Yet how does standardized testing help these children?

At its best, testing does little more than diagnose where problems exist. It does nothing to fix the problems. And testing is not always at its best. Consider the child to whom the test is administered. Does that test show the child’s ability or does it show how well the child tested that day? As a pastor, I’ve talked to parents whose child has failed one of these tests. On one occasion, the child’s parents were divorced just a few days before the test. Another child was ill the day of the test, but was well enough to go to school. Both of these children are bright; both were functioning well under their full potential, and both failed the test. When the test was re-administered later, both children passed the test easily.

Talking with several teachers, it seems clear that this type of testing is not the way to move forward. Yet if we move away from standardized testing, how then do we assess the effectiveness of our children’s education? The answer to that question is yet to be found.

The Uncommon Lectionary

I was recently introduced to a book by Tom Bandy titled The Uncommon Lectionary. This book has been very helpful in my preaching the last month or two. I will be posting the sermons I've preached in a series called David's Legacy. These come from the disciple cycle. It begins with Ruth and will most likely go through Solomon. The sermons are only loosely connected, but the unstated, overarching theme is the legacy of King David. My hope is that this series will provide a sense of familiarity with key Old Testament figures for some of the newer Christians in the congregation and reignite interest in familiar Sunday School stories for the older, more seasoned members. Look for the first post in the next few days. Additional sermons will be posted as I can, hopefully at least one per week until I get them all done. Enjoy!

Emerging Fellowship

This has been a busy week. We started VBS Sunday with over 30 kids. It has built each night, and the teachers, helpers, and other staff are really excited. God is doing great things.

The "young clergy" in the East Ohio Conference have a new blog. It's only been up about a week, so there aren't a lot of posts yet. Make sure to read the comments, as this is a forum for discussion among this group. It is called Emerging Fellowship. Check it out.

Peace and Blessings

Tom

Ormet OKs Contract

(By Brad Bauer of The Marietta Times, bbauer@mariettatimes.com)

CLARINGTON — Striking Ormet workers voted Sunday in favor of a tentative agreement that could end a 20-month dispute and get 865 workers back to their jobs.

The agreement gives workers wage increases, improved pension, $1,500 signing bonuses and guaranteed 40-hour work weeks, and gives retirees back their health benefits.

More than 1,200 union members have not worked at either of Ormet’s two Monroe County plants since going on strike in Nov. 22, 2004.

Mark Goddard, recording secretary for United Steelworkers Local 5724, said union members approved the new contract by a vote of 551-79.

Still, it remains unclear how soon or how many of the company’s workers will be called back to work.

Ormet still needs to negotiate a new deal for electricity service similar to what other industrial users have in the region before the company can restart the reduction facility, which turned ore into aluminum for processing, the union said.

“One major hurdle has been taken care of. The next hurdle is to get this smelter reduction plant back up and running,” said Jim Markus, vice president of United Steelworkers Local 5724, which represents about 850 workers.

“This is just a positive first step in a process that’s still going to take some time,” Goddard said. “Really, we have no idea of how long it could take and what all is going to be involved.

Goddard said Ormet officials are working with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to secure an electric rate to run the aluminum reduction facility about 50 miles north of Marietta on Ohio 7.

“If they get that agreement worked out, we could be back in there reasonably quickly,” Goddard said.

The company’s other Hannibal facility, an aluminum rolling mill, remains closed. All of its equipment was sold to Aleris International in December.

Most workers going to vote at the union hall Sunday seemed eager to get back to work. A few workers expressed concern about labor issues left unsettled in the agreement approved Sunday, including forced overtime and seniority rights.

“It sounds like a good deal to me and I’m all for it,” said Josh Semon, 28, of Woodsfield, a three-year employee of the company. “This strike has been hard on everyone and I’m ready to get back to work. We had some forced overtime before all of this. Really, I’d rather be working forced overtime than to not be working at all.”

John Sidon, 61, of St. Clairsville, a 38-year Ormet employee, said he was comfortable with the agreement.

“I’m not a bit concerned with any of this,” Sidon said. “This is a good contract and I’m comfortable with it the way it is.”

The few who spoke out against the agreement asked their names not be published.

Sidon and several other workers commented they were glad the agreement will continue to take care of retirees.

One of the sticking points in contract negotiations had been ensuring that about 2,000 Ormet retirees would not lose their health benefits as they was scheduled to happen at the end of this year.

Once finalized, the contract between the union and Ormet will be in effect until Dec. 31, 2009.

Ormet was the largest employer in Monroe County, which has about 15,000 residents and had a 9.2 percent unemployment rate in May, the highest in the state.

The company has about 2,200 employees at operations in Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana and Louisiana.

On the Net: Ormet Corp.

United Steelworkers

Keeping Busy

First, I need to apologize for the lack of posts recently. Life has been really chaotic here. I may occasionally throw on a sermon, but I will most likely wait till Fall to start posting on a regular basis again.

There are several exciting things going on here. Next week is VBS, and my wife is coordinating. I'll be teaching the 5th and 6th grade class. We (my wife and I) were also asked by our DS (Rev. Wilson) to try to have a fellowship event for the young clergy. Keep this event in your prayers, as we are planning a meal and swim party (weather permitting). I am also planning a vacation to take our children to the zoo. This may sound like a simple day trip, but when you live in the middle of Southern Hills, it becomes a pretty major affair.

In the meantime, there is an exciting new blog up for the young clergy, and you can always find good stuff on New Reality . I'll ask Jared to post on New Reality when I get back up and running again.

Peace and Blessings

Tom

A Model of Church, part four (Sermon)

We’ve established that the church is a group of believers gathered in Jesus name for a specific purpose. That purpose is to glorify God in all things. (see Eph. 1: 11-12) How do we glorify God? Through worship, through community, and through witness.

The second sermon in this series looked at the area of worship, the upward movement into relationship with God, and the third focused on the area of community, an inward movement as the body of Christ. Today, we want to finish up the series by looking at the area of witness. John 20.21 tells us, “Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Witness encompasses two distinct, yet interconnected concerns: 1. How do we as the church reach beyond ourselves into the community? 2. How does the community view the church? Witness, then, is the outward movement into the world, and it is made up of three areas.

1. Evangelism: This word comes from the Greek word evangel, which means good news. The word evangelism itself often brings to mind images of Billy Graham Crusades, hellfire and brimstone sermons, tent revivals, etc. While these can be labeled as evangelism, they move the focus of the action beyond the local body of believers. At its root, evangelism is one-on-one sharing of a Christian’s personal faith. It is one beggar telling another where to find bread that satisfies the hunger; it is one weary traveler telling another where they can find a drink of living water to quench the thirsting of their soul. It is one person telling another what God has done in their life and how much he loves them both. Evangelism is NOT sheep stealing. Too much “church growth” is simply the transfer of members from one church to another church. This process produces the illusion of growth, while not advancing the Kingdom of God at all. Instead, we should be focused on those who don’t have a church home, who need to hear the old, old story that you must be born again. Evangelism is also NOT something we do when attendance or giving has slipped a little bit -- it is not a program that we fall back on, for t it is the mission which Christ commanded us to follow. (Mk. 16.15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach [share] the good news to all creation. Acts. 1.8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ) Evangelism, then, is something that you and I are commanded to do.

2. Service: A second area of witness is meeting the needs of others. There is an old saying, “people don’t care what you know till they know how much you care.” Service is perhaps the most effective ways to show them how much we care. Instead of talking about the love of God, service puts that love into action, living it out as a visible testimony. We need to ask ourselves what needs the unchurched in our community have and how our church can meet those needs. How can we love them like Christ does? On his last night on earth, Christ set the example. While the disciples argued about who was the greatest, (to find out who was the least -- who would wash everyone’s feet), Jesus began to wash their feet. It was a job reserved for the lowest servant, yet no job was too lowly. Jesus said to them “Go and do likewise and you will be blessed.” When we serve others, we get blessed!

3. Justice: This is an area that the more conservative parts of our denomination have often shied away from, because “Justice Ministries” have become synonymous with liberal theology and works based righteousness. The fact is that
Justice must work together with service and evangelism. We will not be effective in winning the lost of our area for Christ if we are not involved in all three areas of witness. Is. 1.17 commands, “learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” The church is called to uphold justice. The orphans and widows (a common expression in the OT) speaks of all those who have no power or voice in the community and society. They are the downtrodden, those who fall between the cracks of the system. It is to these that we are called to action. I’ve served in churches that said “We should not become involved in such issues - they are political, not spiritual. But to step away from such issues ignores the long history of justice that God himself began with the children of Israel. When people are oppressed and exploited, can the church remain silent; when injustice and immorality become commonplace, can the church acquiesce and turn away? If we do, then we are no longer the church! We must raise up a standard, one based upon the solid foundation of God’s most holy word. We must raise up and make known the word of our Lord.

As we seek to glorify God, let us undertake the outward journey; let us begin to seek opportunities to share our story with others, let us find the needs of our community that will allow our church to reach out in love, and let us raise up a godly standard of justice in a society that has lost its moral and ethical sense of direction. And in all of these things, may we find reach others and glorify God.