Archive Page 2
New Pipe Photos
“sblended” sunday
Must read for football fans…
Is Kitna God’s quarterback?
Be an example.
Go Lions.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/071107&sportCat=nfl
P.S. Check out a few pics from Sunday night on the Piper Propaganda page…
Communities are at-once diverse and dynamic.
One would be hard-pressed to define what community really means without missing some important facet of its composition. For some, the “I know one when I see one” description just isn’t good enough.
One thing is clear, however: It’s about more than just shared values, space and time. Communities function much like the human body, with different parts working in concert to achieve an ultimate end–the furtherance of life.
Communities, in this way, are indispensable to living the best life.
Knowing this, it is our duty to take stock in this community, to support those around us and to be open to all seekers. To do this, we need to be an inviting community that engenders a sense of belonging to everyone who darkens our doors.
There are certain traits that could rightly be considered universal among truly inviting communities. Read them. Remember them.
Respond.
Six traits of an inviting community
We MUST:
· Enjoy one another (Genesis 1:26)
· Encourage one another (Matthew 3:17)
· Support one another (John 14:25)
· Love one another (Mark 9:7)
· Defer to one another (John 4:10)
· Glorify one another (John 17:1)
One last thing: If you enjoyed the praise and worship Sunday night, please let the members of the band know that you appreciate all their time and effort.
Have a great week!
I hope everyone is having a great week! Here are the scripture references for last Sunday’s first lesson in the community series…
Community
Main reference: John 17: 20 – 26
Subsequent references:
Enjoying one another (Gen. 1:26)
Encouraging one another (Matt. 3:17)
Supporting one another (John 14:25)
Loving one another (Mark 9:7)
Deferring to one another (John 4:10)
Glorifying one another (John 17:1)
New Pictures!
Massive evacuations ordered as onslaught of fires spreads
Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times
Wind-whipped firestorms destroyed more than 700 homes and businesses in Southern California on Monday, the second day of its onslaught, and more than half a million people in San Diego County were told to evacuate their homes.
The gale-force winds turned hillside canyons into giant blowtorches from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border. Although the worst damage was around San Diego and Lake Arrowhead, dangerous fires also threatened Malibu, parts of Orange and Ventura counties, and the Agua Dulce area near Santa Clarita…
We need to be praying for the more than 500,000 residents in Southern California who are living in fear of losing their homes to fire. Further, we should also hold up in prayer the congregation of Malibu Presbyterian. The church was lost at the outset of the flare-up on Sunday.
There’s a little bit of Wayne in all of us.
He’s a symbol.
He may be a new Christian, he may not.
Wayne is at-once confident about his faith and fearful for the future. His faith journey began as a sprint, but somewhere along the way he encountered some rather large stones in the road. At times he was able to hurdle them without much trouble, but those were just the little ones–they would get much bigger. In fact, many of them were big enough to make him question why he had started the journey in the first place. Is it worth the struggle?
Turn back, find another route or press on–it’s a daily battle.
Wayne is seeking his second wind.
Welcome to his world.
Why Wayne waits
Living the Christian life was never meant to be easy.
In fact, in the midst of Jesus’ last days on earth, he told his disciples as much: “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home…in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16: 33-34)
The ugliness of life, its trials, trepidations and temptations, are magnified when we are alone–scattered. Jesus was preparing his disciples for the worst by leaving them with a command to trust in God. It was a message for them, and us.
The church is a living, breathing organism–a community of believers ordained by God to intercede for one another. All that to say this: we need each other, we welcome Wayne.
Wayne has been waiting for the opportunity to be a part of something. He seeks fellowship with believers, training in the word and an opportunity to put service over self.
How long must he wait? Are you ready to be a part of something special?
Why Wayne watches
Waynes watches you. You are to him the personification of the faith journey. He may follow your lead.
He will have questions and observations; how will you respond to him in those moments?
He watches because you represent represent Christ in those moments. This is just one part of the journey.
Serving Wayne is serving Christ.
All along the journey
By now you’ve already heard the story of the warriors from the tribe of Dan (Judges 18) who went out seeking a new place to settle down. You will recall that before they arrived to their destination, they ran into a young priest whom they questioned about their journey.
“Will our mission be a success?” they inquired.
“Go assured,” he answered. “God’s looking out for you all the way.”
And so it is with us. We need to be looking out for one another, for in so doing we live the life that God intended–a life of fellowship, service and commitment to community.
Wayne's World 
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