August 30, 2014
Torn Sexuality
Almost caught up with changes in writing responsibilities, but for those patiently waiting for this week’s study guide to accompany Ben Cachiaras’ message on Torn Sexuality . . . here it is 🙂
One of my other blogging responsibilities this summer has been editor for MCC’s Global Outreach “Around the World in 80-ish Days” teams. The India team is the last of the (semi-) official GO teams — catch their updates here.
August 23, 2014
Torn Family
This week’s study guide published behind schedule because?
- my oldest daughter happily married her new husband last Saturday
- church leadership changed the topic order for the series
- I wrote the study guide for (what is now) next week’s study
- all of the above 🙂
Thanks for your patience – here’s the study guide for Nathan McDade’s message on “Torn Families” part of the ongoing series on God healing the torn parts of our lives. He mentions two resource sites for fatherlessness Fatherhood.org and The Fatherless Generation.
March 4, 2009
Preparing for Easter – Lenten resources
Though the traditions associated with the season of Lent do not have clear New Testament equivalents, MCC uses the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter to encourage people to prepare their hearts for remembering Jesus’ death and resurrection. For those who like on-line resources, BibleGateway.com has a Lenten reading planthat leads you through the four Gospels. Eric Olson, one of my MCC teammates, passed along an Oswald Chambers quote from the March 4 reading from My Utmost for His Highest, which inspired me to look for a website that would send a daily email with the Chambers reading for a day. I’ve NOT used this email service for myself because I was already on the BibleGateway reading plan, but these two are only the “tip of the iceberg.”
If you have a Lenten or on-line daily Bible-prayer-meditation resource that might be helpful, put it in a comment to this post. If you lead a small group, consider using this season as a time to encourage your group members to go beyond merely “giving something up for Lent,” but adding something, too.
February 15, 2009
Message notes “What’s Your Story” Feb 15
Here are notes on Sunday 15 Feb message from MCC”s Pastor for Community Impact Luke Erickson. He used Psalm 107 to prep us for how to tell our stories once we’ve “walked across the room.”
February 1, 2009
Walk Across the Room – Feb 1 notes
I’m uploading the notes I take during MCC’s Sunday AM messages for this next series Walk Across the Room.
Today’s notes are a quickly-jotted-down supplement to the more organized small group study I posted Friday.
When I checked my work email this afternoon, I noticed there were already a half dozen testimonies about responding to God nudges at mystory@mountainchristian.org
December 20, 2008
The Salvation Army, some students, and some servant-hearted adults
I blogged last year about volunteering to ring the bell for the Salvation Army kettle at the Abingdon Wal-Mart. I did a few shifts again this year, but the student ministry volunteers at Mountain Christian did even better. Adult volunteers who spend hours and hours throughout the year role-modeling Christ-likeness took their student small groups to serve at the Salvation Army kettle (with parental permission of course). As I dropped off my warmly-bundled sixth grader to join her friends, I gave thanks that some adults had found a simple but practical way to teach young people that Christmas isn’t about what you get, but what you give.
October 30, 2008
On the far side of the globe to meet family
True, I’m meeting my Uncle Jimmy and his family, gracious hosts to me & Tom Moen last time we were here in Bangkok in February. Uncle was the one who referred me to Bangkok Christian Guest House. Staying here has also provided some great “God’s family reunion” moments. Riding the lift (elevator) we met two ladies who were from McLean Bible Church from the nieghboring state of Virginia. They are in the midst of a multi-month mission teaching English & Bible at a Christian school in Mae Sod for Burmese refugees – nope not the same orphanage we’re going to, but still definitely serving the same Lord! They came on a short term mission trip last year, and felt the Spirit’s call to come back. For more stories about short term missions, including updates about my Thai STM team, check the new Mountain Short Term Missions blog
August 4, 2008
reflecting on Love NYC Day
TylerM Tom M Sally C Darlene Taylor Alex L in front of Blender Theatre
Five of us from MCC participated in Love NYC Day. My strongest memory from the day is the feeling of powerlessness-frustration I felt when we ran out of free granola bars and water bottles to give away. I had gotten such a “rush” from the puzzled smiles passers-by had given me, and I wanted to keep that “high” of making a (tiny) difference in brightening a rainy, humid, hectic NYC Saturday.
I rarely feel that eager and excited to share the love of God with passers-by or the people I see more often. I need to feel more urgent and desperate about finding opportunities to share the life saving water and spiritual food of Jesus.
More Better Tools for the Journey 