Grandpa Alert!!

Here is the picture of our granddaughter, Brianna Nicole Weesner, born this last weekend. We are going to Denver for a couple of days this next week. She already has that look in her eye like she knows more than she fells compelled to tell. Beautiful litte girl.

Ever See the Movie, "Phenomenon?"

What if we started a new children's worship service? Lets say we gut the old gym in the basement and put in a whole new look and feel more like a Nickolodian stage or something. What if we moved our worship services on Sunday morning from three upstairs to two upstairs and one downstairs? In addition to this, we keep moving forward on the Sunday evenings prayer service the Lay Speakers group is leading and excited about along with keeping some sort of our Wednesday evening WOW service. That would make five organized large group worship experiences every week. What if the two services on Sunday morning were just enough different that the choir and orcherstra would take primary music responsibility at one service and we kept things just enough to the Hymnal side of the isle that folks at the present traditional service would feel comfortable 80-90% of the time. And what if the Worship Team/Praise Band would take the primary music leadership at the other service and it would move just enough to the praise side of the isle that folks from the present contemporary services would experience God moving in new ways but also get a little of the flavor of things from our heritage? And what if we had a new coffee machine out in the fellowship hall with free cupachio or hot choc. , just push the button like down at the gas station? What if the two worship services upstairs lasted about an hour and half, so that we could finally incorporate all the things you would like us to incorporate into worship? What if at the same time we had this Elementary children's worship going downstairs which also incorporated Sunday School as we now know it into something compllety new and fresh? What if we had children's church for 50 minutes and then a small group breakout session by age or whatever for an additional 20 minutes? What if Jr and Sr high youth were the worship assistants at the children's worship time. What if we had Holy Communion upstairs at every service. Not sure about downstairs? Not that the kids aren't worthy, but some parents like the children to wait for them in this area of Spiritual experience. What if at the same time we have started at least one or two or more home church group meeting midweek or on Sunday and they were using the same materials that we use on Sunday, or at least were following the same scriptures as the weekly Study offers so that we were all doing the same thing all the time. What if we we offered a whole lot of small group studies for this fall like Beginnings and Comanions and Disciple. Maybe like twenty different groups starting in the fall with folks all growing like crazy for God. What if we really started a mission to the college kids at Iowa Western. Like provide a worship time and supportive stuff that help them experience God at this time in their life. What if we did some strategic planning to figure out the best way to move through all of this wonderful growth that is taking place. What if we talked seriously about facilitate and staffing and finances with an eye on the future and another eye on God. Maybe we will find we are looking at the same thing, for certainly the future is God and only God. Maybe you guys will never let me go on vacation for a week again where my mind goes off into these hyper-ideas and just free-wheels. Maybe I shouldn't drink three ice teas and then sit and try to write. Maybe everything I have written about is in our near future. What do you think?

SCRIPTURE STUDY LEADING TO SUNDAY July 3, 2005

Monday: Nmbers11.1-14.25 Please Pass the Meat
This week we will be reading about an interesting aspect of the covenant in that the people were always grumbling. You would think that after God had saved them from the Egyptians they would be a happy and thankful lot. Not so. Our human ability to pick, pick at the tender spots and always want things to go our way is as old as humanity. Enjoy this back and forth between Moses and the Lord. Look for who says, “Until it comes out your nose.”

Tuesday: Numbers 17 Flowering Staff
God is again going to show the people the power with which they are dealing. What does an Almond flower look like anyway? They all thought they were going to die. Perhaps this mean they were all complaining also?
Do you ever grumble or complain? To whom? About what?

Wednesday: Numbers 20 Thirsty People
Moses gets in big trouble with God. So much trouble that God will not allow Moses to enter the promised land. What did he do wrong? It seems Moses hit his stick on a rock to give the people water. It must be the action of not waiting for God to offer what the people need that was a problem. In verse 12 the Lord talks about Moses not trusting enough to allow God to act in due time. This could be bad for us today, as we grumble and complain and hit about everything in sight to get our way. Maybe we need to rethink all we have as being a gift and sign from God as well.

Thursday: Numbers 22 A Talking Donkey
And you thought Shrek had the first talking donkey. In fact it is the Lord who speaks through the donkey. Read the passage and hear God speaking to you.

Friday: Numbers 27.12-23 A Good Day for Joshua
The next leader of the nation is commissioned. Moses’ work is through and he has Joshua before the priest and the people where they prayerfully lay hands on Joshua and take him as their new leader.

Saturday: John 4.7-42 An Invitation to Abundant Life
The story of the Samaritans and Jesus strikes an interesting reflection against the previous reading of this week. As you read this wonderful story of grace and hope, consider this living water and how it is given and received. What is stranger, hitting a rock in the wilderness and getting water, a talking donkey, or a man who walks into our lives forgives all sin and offers new life? If you were to send a postcard from each of the places and days in our readings this week, what would each postcard say? See you Sunday.

Sunday: Reflect and Worship

Sermon Scripture: Numbers 20.13
Sermon Title: “Postcards from Traveling with the Family”