from Pastor Jeremy

We all lost something this week. I lost a pastor, a mentor, a co-laborer, a brother and a friend. My heart and my spirit are greatly saddened when I think of the things I will miss. I will miss the lessons I have learned from Todd. I will miss the way he supported and advocated for me. I will miss his rigid consistency that I coveted so much sometimes. I will miss his true example of humility. I will miss his quick (albeit corny) wit. I will miss being able to have immediate access to his wealth of knowledge and experience. I will miss the great care he took to invest in my life. I will miss his partnership with me to help derail Pastor Clancy’s train of thought during staff meeting. I will miss him cooking steaks on the grill in his garage for us in the dead of winter. I will even miss wondering whether or not he was ever going to hit the brakes as the car in front of us grew closer and closer. But even through his death, Todd has not stopped teaching me.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:1, “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” You see, our days and hours have never been our own, and this world was never meant to be our home. Many will remember Todd admonishing them to never get too comfortable in this life. Hebrews 11:13 reminds us that we who are in Christ are “aliens and strangers on earth.” Todd understood with awesome clarity that we were given this life to live for the glory of God, and through our lives, to lead others to the understanding of that glory. To this end he devoted his life, faithfully serving even to the day of his death. He understood that the greatest gifts and joys of this life are not even worth comparing to those to come. “For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.” (2 Corinthians 3:10)

Psalm 116:15 teaches us that “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Tears are brought to my eyes when I think of heaven, and the almighty Creator of the universe telling Todd, “well done, good and faithful servant.” The countless days and hours he devoted to investing in people for God’s kingdom are finally realized, and they will never fade away. It is my prayer that each of you, as I am, would be motivated by Todd’s life. That you would make all the moments of your life count for eternity. I hope that each new day you will discern the things of most importance. May we all, as Todd did, seek first His kingdom and live a life worthy of the calling we have received.

from Pastor Todd

Are you feeling the stress of our uncertain times?  Jobs lost or in jeopardy, financial plans upended, no clear solutions to oil spills, border security, wars, debt, and costs of education and healthcare.  When people feel they are on the edge, cracks begin to appear in relationships, decisions, and lifestyles.  They look for solutions that will hold their dreams and perspectives together.  They look for someone or something to provide security in their doubt.  We can push for political change or complain about proposed changes, but that does little to ease the anxiety that creeps into the hearts and minds of the people we serve.  God has a plain, foundational truth that should draw our attention and hope like a lighthouse beacon in a sea of tumult.

So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?”  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.   - Matthew 6:31-33

In the midst of crazy and treacherous circumstances, simple, purposeful, and dogged obedience to the truth and purposes of God hold the promise of provision and protection.  Don’t let go of faith.  Don’t lose your grip on integrity.  Don’t lose sight of the goodness and greatness of God.

from Pastor Todd

Psalm 46:10

One definition of stress that I saw recently said, “A force tending to deform a body on which it acts.”  Some of the common deformities associated with stress are listed below.

Headache
Anxiety
Back or chest pain
Restlessness
Heart palpitations
Irritability
Stomach upset
Depression
Sleep problems
Anger
Insecurity
Lack of focus

Our bodies, minds, and emotions are literally twisted into knots by events and circumstances we cannot control.

God offers some simple instructions for untwisting the knots in Psalm 46:10 where He urges, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Relax. God calls us to take a time out.  We can easily get into a futile cycle of repeating the same actions with increasing intensity in effort, volume, or frequency.  But pushing harder on an immovable object does nothing except wear us out more quickly.  Step back and consider the possibilities of different strategies and resources.

Refocus. God does not make mistakes and He does not waste time.  Just because things are not working the way we want does not mean they are out of God’s care and control.  Sometimes the noise and strain of our scramble for solutions prevents us from seeing that He is already working His plan and purpose.  He does not need us to tell Him what to do.  He wants us to do what He has told us and to trust Him for the results.

Realign. Notice that it is God’s goals that will be accomplished when all is said and done.  He will be exalted among the nations.  If we insist on the fulfillment of our agendas, we may well be disappointed.  But if we make His goals our goals, if we put His glory above our wants, we can be assured that nothing will get in the way.

Stop the incessant striving to make people and circumstances fit our wishes and desires.  Be still long enough to see what God is doing, to recognize and respond to His wisdom and goodness.  He is not tied in knots.  He will be exalted even in our difficulties.

from Pastor Todd

Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-10

From sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday, the tomb would have remained quiet except for the guard which had been posted to watch over it.  The women, who had witnessed the crucifixion and burial and had prepared spices and perfumes for the body, had to wait during the Sabbath.  So, the body of Jesus lay in the tomb, and the Pharisees still congratulated each other on their victory, the friends of Jesus still mourned and wondered, and the guards still made sure that nothing out of the ordinary happened.  But something was about to happen which was far beyond any human plot or precaution, for death had no legal claim upon the One who had died.  The authority of death is through sin (see Romans 5:12), but Jesus had committed no sin.  Therefore, the sentence of true death, eternal separation from God, could not be enacted against Him.  The grave had no right to hold Him.  What came next had to happen to preserve the justice of God’s laws, and those who had confirmed the death and burial would now see and hear the triumph of the King’s work.

The guards (Matthew 28:2-4). Sometime in the night, probably shortly before daybreak, the guards assigned to the tomb were disturbed by a severe earthquake.  This alone might have been attributed to an aftershock of the tremors felt on Friday (see Matthew 27:51), but the appearance of an angel descending from above signified that it was no natural occurrence.  The guards did not dare to intervene when the angel broke the seal and rolled away the stone which covered the entrance of the tomb.  Apparently, they were somewhat blinded by the brightness of his appearance, and their fear prevented them from making any movement other than trembling until they were struck down in a faint.  The angel sat upon the stone he had moved as if to guard the tomb from the guards who most likely fled as soon as they recovered sufficient strength (see Matthew 28:11).

The women (Luke 24:1-8). Joseph and Nicodemus had already applied spices to the body of Jesus when they buried Him (see John 19:39-40), but the faithful women who had followed Him from Galilee wanted to add their tribute as well.  They had prepared some spices and perfumes before the Sabbath (see Luke 23:55-56), and, as soon as the shops opened Sunday morning, they purchased more to take to the tomb (see Mark 16:1).  As they approached the area of the tomb, they were concerned about how they would be able to anoint the body since the entrance was closed (see Mark 16:3).  But when they arrived, they discovered that the stone had already been moved.  They went in to search for the body, but it was gone.  Suddenly, they were frightened by the appearance of two angels next to them.  One of the angels told them that Jesus had risen  and invited them to examine the place where His body had been laid (see Mark 16:6).  The angels reminded them that Jesus had said He would rise from death on the third day (see Luke 9:22), so there was no point in looking for Him among the dead.  They instructed the women to take the good news to the disciples so they could prepare to meet Him in Galilee (see Mark 16:7).  The women ran from the tomb, filled with fear and joy (see Matthew 28:8; Mark 16:8).

The disciples (John 20:2-10). The women went straight to the disciples with their incredible news, but it was too much for them to comprehend.  They would not believe that Jesus had really risen (see Luke 24:10-11).  Mary Magdalene talked especially to Peter and John.  She was distraught, not sure what to believe herself, and wondered if someone had stolen the body.  Perhaps she thought the Romans or Jews had removed the body to a criminal’s grave.  Finally, Peter and John ran to investigate while Mary Magdalene followed.  John arrived at the tomb first, but when he paused at the entrance to look inside, Peter pushed by him and actually went in before him.  The linen wrappings were lying in a heap and the face cloth was rolled up by itself at a little distance.  It was not the work of thieves, for they would hardly have unwrapped the body before taking it.  John entered to see the evidence with Peter and then he believed what the women had reported and what Jesus had predicted.  The two went away convinced of the resurrection but still uncertain of what to do next.

Today, we see the empty tomb as a symbol of victory because we know that it signified the resurrection of Jesus.  But to the disciples and the women who came to anoint His body that morning, the sight of the stone rolled away and the discarded grave clothes brought a mixture of fear, hope, joy, and confusion.  They wanted to believe, but it was so far out of their experience that they were not sure what to trust.  An empty tomb meant that the body was not there, but whether it had been removed through a miracle or an awful trick was more than they could say.  Even the message of the angels did not completely take away their doubts and hesitations.  The resurrection was too much for them to hope for, and they looked for clearer proof.  Faith is supposed to trust in God’s promises even when it cannot see, but it must sometimes grow through disbelief and uncertainties.  If we are honest, we realize that we are often not much different in our responses than those who first saw the empty tomb.  We want to believe, but we find it hard to look past our experiences and circumstances to see God’s power.

from Pastor Todd

It was a question my then new wife and I enjoyed asking each other.  It was a good way to fish for a compliment or to share lists of qualities we saw in one another.  But, at some point, we knew that the lists really did not answer the question.

Attractiveness, personality, and endearing traits might have made loving each other more pleasurable, but there had to be something deeper than that.  After all, what would we say if age or ill health or difficult circumstances took away some of those qualities?  Did we really want our love to rest on a foundation that could be so uncertain?

We found a new and better answer to the question.

“Why do you love me?”

“Because I chose to love you.”

Hardly the stuff of romantic poetry, but it has a great precedent.  Why does God love you?  Is it because of your winning personality?  Your charming wit?  Your unmatched beauty?  Your consistently noble behavior?  That would be a shaky (and questionable) foundation at best.  No, God’s love is based on something that can never be shaken or moved – His choice.

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

God does not love us because we are the best.  He chose to love us and continues to love us in spite of knowing us at our worst.  After nearly 24 years, I’m glad my wife’s love is based on her choice and not my sterling qualifications.  I can rest in her love and she can rest in mine because our love is not earned or demanded.  It is given freely.

How much more can we rest in the love of God, freely given through Christ.  Not deserved.  Not bought.  Given, offered by choice.

from Pastor Jeremy

Every New Year I like to take some time to reflect on the past year and think about the coming one. It is a great, natural intersection to be able to determine whether it’s time for a change of direction or safe to keep cruising. Also, it gives those of us without natural discipline an excuse to look around and say, “oh, I’m fat,” or, “I haven’t read my Bible in two months,” and then a chance to recalculate our direction.

As I was remembering 2009, I couldn’t help but think what a hard year it has been for many. A disproportionate amount of people I know lost jobs or income or loved ones, and all of us were confronted with significant changes in the economy and government. All these changes seemed to offer clarity to some and discontent to others. I just couldn’t get away from the thought that we are all continually seeking satisfaction. Whether man or woman, young or old, white or black, rich or poor, we are all pursuing some form of satisfaction daily. We have pursued this goal through every channel imaginable. We may seek it from food or from exercise, from relationships or from solitude, from accumulation or from simplicity. And every year, when we get to this natural crossroad, it seems to me that we resolve to pursue the opposite of what we’ve currently been doing that hasn’t been satisfying us. While we hope that the opposite will bring satisfaction, this usually results in one of three things. We end up dizzy from the chase of another failed attempt, defeated by the reality that we can’t sustain our efforts, or extremely disappointed that, when we get to the other side of the fence and after all our labors, it didn’t provide what we were really looking for.

One of the first passages I read in my Bible this year was Psalm 104, where David talks about how all creation, even the earth and the animals, were created with the need to be satisfied. In verse 28 he says, “…when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.” I believe that we were meant, as humans, to find satisfaction, even in the small intricacies of life – through food and through exercise, through relationships and through solitude, through nature and music. However, when we pursue these things as primary instead of secondary, as the main course instead of side dishes or spices, they will leave us worn out and very unsatisfied. Jesus says in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Do you want satisfaction this year? Pursue the thing that will fill you. Pursue Jesus. Tired of New Year’s resolutions? Maybe you have been resolving to pursue the wrong thing. Turn the main course back into Jesus and see how much flavor the spices can add. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” Happy New Year! I hope it is one of great satisfaction!

Craig Baker, Communications Team Captain: I sat down with Pastors Clancy Cruise (PC) and Todd Scoles (PT) recently to talk about their perspectives on the Imagine Together building process.  Below are their responses to my questions.

Craig:  What does “Imagine Together” mean to you?

PC:  It means unity.  It will take everyone doing their part.  It’s worth taking time to be inclusive and to fulfill our church mission statement, “To enjoy God together, grow in His truth and grace, and share Him with others here and around the world.”

PT:  The phrase comes from Ephesians 3:20-21, which says, “Now to Him who is able to immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen.”  We are trusting God to fill in the picture and work in mighty ways.

Craig:  How much work has gone into the process already?

PC:  It would be difficult to ballpark the cumulative hours between individual time and small group meetings.  The process started before 2008 with the Feasibility Team that led in the purchase of the property.  There were initial talks five years ago, and there have been 8-10 teams that have met to work on this along the way.

PT:  The official start could be placed in January 2008 when a Framework Team began to prepare the way, building on the work of the Feasibility Team.  The Steering Team was formed in September 2008, and subsequent specific focus teams were formed in January 2009.

Craig:  How quickly are we progressing, and what are the next key steps?

PC:  The leaders (Pastoral Staff, Elders, and Steering Team) are not in a hurry.  We are focused on doing things right.  I feel positive about the pace and it’s important to involve the congregation, to help people get that inside perspective.  I’m looking forward to ratcheting up the communication of information as it becomes available.

PT:  I agree that the pace has been reasonable as we press toward a tentative completion date of Phase I in late 2012.  From the outside, the pace may seem slow at times, but from the inside, information is gathering and flowing quickly as 3-4 meetings per week are dedicated to the project.  Two key steps that are developing are a pre-campaign assessment and the master planning phase with our architect.  Throughout the process, we need to keep in mind the advice of our Campaign Consultant that “good communication means there are no surprises.”

Craig:  How are you involved in the process?

PC:  I pray faithfully – this gives peace of mind that God is on the job!  I will schedule a brief meeting with key individuals if I need to catch up on timely developments.  I certainly approve of what has taken place so far.  I can’t leave all the other responsibilities of ministry to focus on every aspect of the process, so I am glad we have other I can trust to keep the ball moving well.

PT:  I am a member of the Steering Team, serve as liaison to the Communications Team, and provide a sort of “Information Central” to collect and distribute documents and information as needed.  One of the best things about this process is getting to watch a large group of people working in their strengths to serve God and the church.

Craig:  How can the congregation be involved at this point in the process?

PC:  Take time to read what is presented and stay informed.  If you don’t have answers to your questions, go find them.  Staff, Elders, and Steering Team members are available to provide answers.

PT:  Pray – use the prayer guide posted on the website, and pray specifically for team members listed each week on the back of the Sunday morning program.

Craig:  What are you thankful for as we move ahead?

PC:  I’m especially thankful for those who have stepped up to lead and coordinate this project.  I’m thankful for the unity and for the communication with the congregation.  I’m thankful for 2010.  As Ecclesiastes says, “There is a time for everything.”

PT:  I’m thankful for the right people in the right place at the right time.  The congregation has been very patient and positive.  I’m also thankful for specific times when I see God working tangibly to provide wisdom, people, and resources for each step.

from Pastor Todd

The young couple had plans.  They were looking forward to their wedding and setting goals for the rest of their lives.  Family members had been notified and the preparations were spinning through their minds.  Then the young woman discovered she was going to have a baby, and the father was not the man she planned to marry.

When she learned the news, she must have known that it could jeopardize all of her carefully guarded dreams.  Her reputation would be ruined, no matter what her fiancé decided to do, and there was a very real possibility that he might break the engagement.  In her neighborhood, she would be seen as an immoral woman, for people she knew were extremely conservative about such matters.  Most likely, no man would consider her a suitable prospect for a wife ever again.  No one would believe her side of the story, so she would have to endure the stares and whispers if she kept the child.

The man loved his fiancée dearly, but he could see no other explanation than that she had been unfaithful to him, for he had never had sexual relations with her.  He must have been deeply grieved, but his compassion for the young woman led him to consider breaking things off quietly to spare her the embarrassment of public inquiry.

Then, he was advised to go ahead with the wedding and to raise the child as his own.  It sounded simple, but it meant that his reputation would be stained along with that of his wife.  He would be thought of as a weak man, one who silently accepted the insult of his wife’s actions.  Or perhaps the rumor would take hold that he had only married her because the child actually was his and so he shared her shame.  Any chance for him to advance in social or religious settings might be lost if he accepted this baby.

The timing of the pregnancy could hardly have been worse.  They had looked forward to traveling to his hometown to register, their first official act as a “couple.”  But now the journey of 70 miles would have to be made in the final trimester of her time.  The man could not afford a better means of transportation, so the woman would have to ride a donkey over the hilly, uneven roads while he walked beside her.  Special accommodations would be needed when they arrived, and those could be very difficult to find since the town would be crowded with visitors.  Even interaction with strangers could be awkward, for people were bound to ask questions of the expectant mother.

Yet the young woman said, “I am the Lord’s servant.  May it be to me as you have said.”  And the man took her home as his wife and waited patiently until she gave birth to a son.  She chose to put up with the rumors and he chose to accept the undeserved gossip.  And they called the child Jesus.

Merry Christmas.

Todd Scoles
Associate Pastor