Posts by Steve

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Vital Signs: Heart Check-up

by Steve

Generosity is a matter of Action, Intention and Heart. It is reorienting my perspective on what life is means and what God is doing through my life. Generosity is natural response to God’s Love in Christ.  Scripture Verse: Mark 10:17-23 Download our 2011 FUMC Stewardship Pledge Form Sermon Notes   “Satisfying Our Hunger for God” Lord, How […]

Blinded by Greed

by Steve

A great deal of our culture and lifestyle is driven by Greed. Greed in our world is a very strong desire and is changes who we are! And you know what? It’s always been like that, since the beginning of time. Nearly 2000 years ago Jesus was teaching to a crowd of people who were following […]

Speak the Truth in Love

by Steve

“God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will […]

Sermon Player –

by Steve

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Stewardship: A Way of Life

by Steve

God, What do you want to do through me this year with the life and gifts you’ve given me? Stewardship as a way of life has amazing implications for our relationships and our daily lives. It expands the horizons of our world and provides direction and focus to our busy lives. When we commit ourselves to […]

Self Esteem

by Steve

What the difference between self-esteem and self-centered?  Self-esteem has value and enlarges with the world by giving itself away. (paradox) Self-centered is empty and reduces the world to just one person. (think about it and then get back to me…) Take the quiz! [polldaddy poll=5623166] Related posts: What do you think? How do you handle […]

2011 State of the Church Address

by Steve

2011 State of the Church Address [slideshare id=9928062&w=425&h=355&sc=no] View more presentations from steve4040 Related posts: 2011 State of the Church Address Good News for Ladder People – Easter 2011 2011 Annual Report Love Forgives – Sermon Slides

Love Forgives – Sermon Slides

by Steve

Worship 10.23.11 40 days of love wk 4 [slideshare id=9912254&w=425&h=355&sc=no] View more presentations from steve4040 Sermon Audio Early service   Related posts: Love Forgives Love is Patient, Love is Kind Love Matters Most Doctrine of Hell Sermon Slides

Love Forgives

by Steve

40 Days of Love, Week 4 “Let LOVE be your Highest Goal!” 1 Corinthians 14:1   Discipleship – When we change the way we think, then it’ll change the way we feel and it will change our behavior. Sometimes we think we can change others, but we can’t. However, we can change ourselves. Look what happens to an […]

Connect to Grow

by Steve

All people long for God. Period. Some may say the exact opposite, but our desires, actions and values suggest something completely different. We all long to connect with something greater than ourselves, we long for the heart of God. There is simply no better way to connect with God than to learn who God is […]

The Deer’s Cry

by Steve

The Deer’s Cry by Shaun Davey and Rita Connolly I arise today through the strength of heaven Light of sun, radiance of moon Splendor of fire, speed of lightning Swiftness of wind, depth of the sea Stability of earth, firmness of rock I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me God’s eye to look […]

Deeper Roots for October 10, 2011

by Steve

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/First-Church-News.html?soid=1101570165871&aid=CY0pdT5z6bg. Related posts: Deep Roots for June 20, 2011 Deep Roots: Spiritual Wisdom for Unquenchable Faith 5.22.11 Funeral Announcement for Charles Hardman Deep Roots: Spiritual Wisdom for Unquenchable Faith

Is Your Church Dangerous?

by Steve

“Nothing dangerous is happening here.” Those who hold this belief about God and church have made themselves irrelevant to all things spiritual because they’ve swallowed the Enemy’s first line of attack: “I don’t exist.” You can’t and won’t fight a battle you don’t think exists. This is right out of The Screwtape Letters, where Lewis […]

Love is Patient, Love is Kind

by Steve

 40 Days of Love, Week 2 “Let LOVE be your Highest Goal!” 1 Corinthians 14:1   You can’t fully understand how to love other people until first you understand how much God loves you. You cannot offer to other people what you don’t possess yourself. You can’t be gracious to others if you haven’t felt God’s grace. You […]

Whitewater Rafting on the Lower New River

by Steve

Whitewater Rafting trip on the Lower New River, West Virginia August 13, 2011 Steve Gedon, Alex Gedon, Ron Anderson, Kalie Anderson, Bob Welch, Julie McCauley,  Joselyn (guide) Related posts: 2010 Family Christmas Letter 2004 Flood Pictures Christmas 2005 Images of a Church Picnic

Does Sin Still Matter

by Steve

“We fear the search for who we are. Perhaps because we’re afraid that having located our true souls, we might not like ourselves that much. So, we shrink to step across the threshold to our inner selves and invite God in. … But no matter how we love the busy world of our relationships, the […]

Love Matters Most

by Steve

40 Days of Love, Week 1 “Let LOVE be your Highest Goal!” 1 Corinthians 14:1 So often, love is seen as an uncontrollable event, like something you “fall” into or fall out of. But love is a choice, a commitment and the greatest challenge of your life. We need HELP! We need Divine intervention, we need God. The […]

Definition of Love

by Steve

40 Days of Love, Day 1 “Let LOVE be your Highest Goal!” 1 Corinthians 14:1 To love at all is to be venerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even […]

World Communion Prayer of Confession

by Steve

Prayer of Confession: Merciful God, although You made all people in your image, we confess that we live with deep divisions.  Although you sent Jesus to be savior of the world, we confess that we treat him as our own servant to meet our needs of purpose, power and pride. Although you are One and […]

Sermon Player –

by Steve

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How Relevant is Stewardship?

by Steve

 Isaiah 56:9-12 (9) All you beasts of the field, come to devour, All you beasts in the forest. (10) His watchmen are blind, They are all ignorant; They are all dumb dogs, They cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. (11) Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds […]

Is the Website a Means of Grace?

by Steve

The means of grace are the “outward signs, words, and actions” given by God to open our hearts to God’s presence and power. They lead to new ways of thinking and behaving by engaging the senses, challenging the mind, and stirring the heart. When we receive the means of grace as a gift from God, we […]

Screwtape Letters: Spirituality in Action

by Steve

The Screwtape Letters were written by CS Lewis as a fictional (I hope) account of a Senior Demon teaching a Junior Demon (wormwood) in the ways of destroying the human spirit. In the passage the Patient (a human being) has had some thoughts of a spiritual kind including the ideas of repentence. What does this […]

WiseWords on Evil

by Steve

Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look long into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you. FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE, Beyond Good and Evil Apathy and evil. The two work hand in hand. They are the same, really…. Evil wills it. Apathy allows […]

Children’s Time

by Steve

These slides were used as part of the children’s time during worship. The use of slides and images is intended to engage children who are far more visual than auditory when it comes to learning and retention. Back to School Lesson 1 Back to School Lesson 2 Related posts: Good News for Ladder People – […]

Podcast: Confronting Evil

by Steve

 Week of September 11, 2011     On September 11, 2001 we experienced evil on a scale never imagined. Thousands died, 10s of thousands more were left to grieve over the loss of a parent, child, spouse or friend. This Sunday we remember the 9/11 Tragedy and rededicate ourselves to confront evil in our world with truth, […]

Shaped by God

by Steve

 To what extent are we a Christian community? According to William Willimon, Bishop of the Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, We are Christian to the extent that we conform to and are confronted by the Word of God. In Romans 12, Paul advises his readers not to be conformed to the pattern of […]

Here I am to Worship

by Steve

Worship Gathering The Worship Ministry at First United Methodist Church fuels the mission of the church–to glorify God as we make disciples who are intentional about transformation, personal and global. When we come together in a worship setting, we praise God for what He has done and is doing in our lives, we share our […]

Essentials for Breaking Worship Barriers: Part One

by Steve

By Bill Easum Over the next few days, I will be blogging on the essentials to breaking the following worship barriers- 200, 500, 1000, 1500, and 3000.  Today I will begin by listing the essentials for breaking 200. Breaking the 200 in Worship Barrier A full time worship leader who functions also as a pastor […]

Letter to Diognetus

by Steve

  This rendition of the Letter to Diognetus is in my own words, taken from the Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. I. I haven’t left anything out, and where any important issue comes up, I’ve leaned towards not changing the wording of the Edinburgh translators. Their work, however, is over a century old, so you’ll find this […]

Are We Christian?

by Steve

Are we really followers of Christ? According to whom? According to what measure of holiness? Have we substituted Cheap Grace for the costly discipleship that defines the Kingdom of God?  The Letter to Diognetus, the work of an unknown author, written in about 130, describes Christians to the Romans as follows: “They dwell in their […]

Images of a Church Picnic

by Steve

2011 First United Methodist Church Picnic A special Thanks to all those who came, shared their time and good nature, and generally enjoyed each other’s company. Church is about so much more than a place on the map, it is what’s at the heart of God’s people when they gather because of Him. Related posts: […]

Are You Willing to Live in Hell?

by Steve

In his book The Great Divorce, C. S. Lewis, the great Christian apologist, draws a stark picture of hell. Hell is like a great, vast city, Lewis says, a city inhabited only at its outer edges, with rows and rows of empty houses in the middle. These houses in the middle are empty becauseeveryone who […]

The Wesleyan Quadrilateral

by Steve

Quotes from John Wesley: “In essentials unity; in non-essentials liberty; and in ALL things charity” “As to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think.” “To be ignorant in many things and to be mistaken in some in the necessary condition of humanity”    The quadrilateral is […]

Sermon Player –

by Steve

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Called to Community

by Steve

Several years ago studies were conducted among former American prisoners of war to determine what methods used by the enemy had been most effective in breaking their spirit. The findings revealed that they did not break down from physical deprivation and torture as quickly as they did from solitary confinement or from disrupted friendships caused […]

Adding to the Story

by Steve

I just returned home from a weekend of spiritual reflection and renewal with some challenging thoughts. We did an exercise where we were asked to draw a picture of OUR spiritual journey. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, put your thousand word journey of spiritual growth in a pictorial representation. My initial thought was […]

Adam Hamilton: What I love about the UMC

by Steve

Adam Hamilton, pastor of United Methodist megachurch Church of the Resurrection, posted the following in an open Facebook group: My own assessment of the UMC is that in the last twenty years we’ve shifted towards the center theologically and a reclaiming of our evangelical heritage. I believe the United Methodist Church is at its best when it […]

Good Quotes

by Steve

  Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less. Rick Warren   “When it comes to change, there are three seasons of timing:   (1)People change when they hurt enough that they have to,   (2) when they learn enough that they want to, and   (3) when they receive enough that […]

Christian Perfection

by Steve

The preaching of “Christian Perfection” has been one of Methodism’s most important contributions to the life of the whole Church of Christ. It has also been, from time to time, a source of controversy. It must be said that Wesley’s sermon which bears the title is perhaps not the best introduction to his views. To […]

John Wesley Quote

by Steve

The Methodists must take heed to their doctrine, their experience, their practice, and their discipline. If they attend to their doctrines only, they will make the people antinomians; if to the experimental part of religion only, they will make them enthusiasts; if to the practical part only, they will make them Pharisees; and if they […]

Timothy Keller Lectures IV

by Steve

[gigya width=”410″ height=”311″ src=”http://assets.myflashfetish.com/swf/mp3/mixpod.swf?myid=84854189&path=2011/08/19″ quality=”high” flashvars=”mycolor=222222&mycolor2=77ADD1&mycolor3=FFFFFF&autoplay=false&rand=0&f=4&vol=100&pat=0&grad=false” salign=”TL” wmode=”window” ] Create a playlist at MixPod.com Related posts: Timothy Keller Lectures 3 Timothy Keller Lectures 2 Timothy Keller Lectures Steve’s Playlist

Timothy Keller Lectures 3

by Steve

[gigya width=”410″ height=”311″ src=”http://assets.myflashfetish.com/swf/mp3/mixpod.swf?myid=84854156&path=2011/08/19″ quality=”high” flashvars=”mycolor=222222&mycolor2=77ADD1&mycolor3=FFFFFF&autoplay=false&rand=0&f=4&vol=100&pat=0&grad=false” salign=”TL” wmode=”window” ] Create a playlist at MixPod.com Related posts: Timothy Keller Lectures IV Timothy Keller Lectures 2 Timothy Keller Lectures Steve’s Playlist

Timothy Keller Lectures 2

by Steve

[gigya width=”410″ height=”311″ src=”http://assets.myflashfetish.com/swf/mp3/mixpod.swf?myid=84854082&path=2011/08/19″ quality=”high” flashvars=”mycolor=222222&mycolor2=77ADD1&mycolor3=FFFFFF&autoplay=false&rand=0&f=4&vol=100&pat=0&grad=false” salign=”TL” wmode=”window” ] Create a playlist at MixPod.com Related posts: Timothy Keller Lectures 3 Timothy Keller Lectures IV Timothy Keller Lectures Steve’s Playlist

Timothy Keller Lectures

by Steve

[gigya width=”410″ height=”311″ src=”http://assets.myflashfetish.com/swf/mp3/mixpod.swf?myid=84854032&path=2011/08/19″ quality=”high” flashvars=”mycolor=222222&mycolor2=77ADD1&mycolor3=FFFFFF&autoplay=false&rand=0&f=4&vol=100&pat=0&grad=false” salign=”TL” wmode=”window” ] Create a playlist at MixPod.com Related posts: Timothy Keller Lectures 2 Timothy Keller Lectures 3 Timothy Keller Lectures IV Steve’s Playlist

This Holy Mystery

by Steve

This Holy Mystery Book Related posts: Holy Communion Centered in Communion World Communion Prayer of Confession A Sacred Meal

Christmas 2005

by Steve

Family memories from Christmas 2005 Related posts: Christmas Day 2011 The Memory of Christmas 21 Days of Christmas – Family My Crazy Christmas Family

2004 Flood Pictures

by Steve

Do you remember this? Williamstown, West Virginia ~ Marietta Ohio  Related posts: Whitewater Rafting on the Lower New River 2010 Family Christmas Letter New Family Pictures Christmas 2005

2011 State of the Church Address

by Steve

State of the Church Address for 2011 Present January 30, 2011 Related posts: 2011 State of the Church Address Good News for Ladder People – Easter 2011 2011 Annual Report Images of a Church Picnic

7 Laws of the Shepherd

by Steve

REACHing CONNECTing GROWing DISCOVERing HONORing God These are the 7 tasks of effective shepherds They form the biblical foundation for our job description as small group leaders. Shepherds build “first-name” relationships with youth.         He calls his own sheep by name … His sheep follow him because they know his voice. 10.-3-4         Within your […]

2006 Budget Narrative

by Steve

A copy of the 2006 Budget Narrative for First United Methodist Church 2006 Narrative Budget Related posts: Funeral Announcement for Charles Hardman Leadership Development Team At the End of Our Story Welcome New Members

Death by Ministry

by Steve

Darrin Patrick from The Journey in Saint Louis spoke frankly of the burden that pastoral ministry is. I have pushed myself to the edge and over the edge of burnout throughout my years in vocational ministry. Subsequently, I have been doing a great deal of research that I am compiling in hopes of not only […]

Chant Playlist

by Steve

[gigya width=”410″ height=”311″ src=”http://assets.myflashfetish.com/swf/mp3/mixpod.swf?myid=84850141&path=2011/08/19″ quality=”high” flashvars=”mycolor=222222&mycolor2=77ADD1&mycolor3=FFFFFF&autoplay=false&rand=0&f=4&vol=100&pat=0&grad=false” salign=”TL” wmode=”window” ] Create a playlist at MixPod.com Related posts: Steve’s Playlist Timothy Keller Lectures 2 Timothy Keller Lectures IV Timothy Keller Lectures 3

Steve’s Playlist

by Steve

[gigya width=”410″ height=”311″ src=”http://assets.myflashfetish.com/swf/mp3/mixpod.swf?myid=84848349&path=2011/08/19″ quality=”high” flashvars=”mycolor=222222&mycolor2=77ADD1&mycolor3=FFFFFF&autoplay=false&rand=0&f=4&vol=100&pat=0&grad=false” salign=”TL” wmode=”window” ] Create a playlist at MixPod.com Related posts: Chant Playlist Timothy Keller Lectures 2 Timothy Keller Lectures IV Timothy Keller Lectures 3

Mahlon Fauss Funeral

by Steve

August 17, 2011 Full Service Text Mahlon Fauss Funeral Bulletin    Bulletin for Mahlon Fauss Sermon Text Matthew 11:25-30 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your […]

Remember Your Baptism

by Steve

  Week of May 1, 2011     One of the first ways you can celebrate your new relationship with God is to be baptized in water because this act of faith is important to Him. There are four key reasons to be baptized in water after you have become rightly relationship to God through His gift […]

DISILLUSIONMENT IS A GIFT FROM GOD

by Steve

A guest post from Toby Kurth, pastor of Christ Church San Francisco: Coming face to face with reality is not a bad thing. We live in a world of facades, where truth can be very difficult. Dealing honestly with reality can be a challenging thing for all of us. That is one of the reasons […]

An Adventurous LIFE

by Steve

“I was always a good adventurer. I was never afraid of risks. I always had a good philosophy about risks. The only risk is to waste your life, so that when you die, you say, “Oh, I wish I had done this.” I did everything I wanted to do, and I continue to.” -Francis Ford […]

A Walk on the Wild Side

by Steve

      This message delivered on August 7, 2011 by Reverend Sandy Runnion at First United Methodist Church. A Walk on the Wild Side (Late service) A Walk on the Wild Side (early service) Related posts: Shaped by God Remember Your Baptism Christmas Eve: The Great Story of Christmas Podcast: Confronting Evil

Sermon Player –

by Steve

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Mission Minded or Member Minded

by Steve

There really is an important distinction! Member minded church exists for the members, mission minded church exists for the mission and vision of the church. What then is the mission of the church, why was it created and by what standard will it be deemed successful in it’s activities? A member minded church expresses many […]

What do you think?

by Steve

Leadership [polldaddy poll=5333439] Related posts: How do you handle Money? Leadership Development Team Self Esteem Leadership Values

Moses’ Farewell Address

by Steve

Deuteronomy 11:1-32 Most of the greatest Biblical dialogues were recorded and preserved because they contain within them a powerful message that spoke to the heart of a people longing for a word from God, a word that in most cases either clarified the present or changed the course of the future. In typical fashion these […]

Making Disciples: Time to Grow Up!

by Steve

God wants you to grow up. “God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love – like Christ in everything.” Eph. 4:15a (Msg) “We are not meant to remain as children…” Eph 4:14a (Ph) Your heavenly Father’s goal is for you is to mature and develop the characteristics […]

A Friend in Heaven

by Steve

A man and his best friend were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that his friend walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came […]

The Challenge of Leadership

by Steve

The Challenge of Leadership When you’re in leadership it is tempting to think your job is to get the people to the Promised Land. But that’s actually God’s job. Your job is to bear their burdens while they’re in the wilderness. We prefer just the opposite. Let God love the people and we’ll just move […]

Making Disciples Part 2

by Steve

What we are most committed to both as people and as the church define who we are and what we will become. As we look to the future we must come to terms with what kind of church are we now and what kind of church we want to be. When I think about FUMC, […]

Making Disciples Part 1

by Steve

 What exactly does that mean? Is it just another slogan “filled with sound and fury, signifying nothing” [Macbeth]? Well I certainly hope not, but I do think it probably needs some further discussion. I believe we all have a purpose in life, something that God is calling us be, and the church is no different. […]

Are You and Over-Achiever?

by Steve

Over-Achievers: The dictionary defines an overachiever as someone who achieves success over and above the standard or expected level. The lives of overachievers  are marked by an uncanny ability to achieve success despite times of uncertainty or when facing what seem to be insurmountable odds. They seem to have little or no fear of failure and […]

Children’s Ministry

by Steve

“…and Jesus grew in Wisdom, Stature and Favor with God and Man.” Luke 2:52 We want every child to grow up to learn the value of … Wisdom – “I need to make wise choices.” So I will… Trust and follow God’s design Spend time getting to know God Do whatever God says Discover God’s […]

Welcome!

by Steve

Will you Walk with Me If you have learned to walk A little more sure-footedly than I, Be patient with my stumbling then And know that only as I do my best and try That I may attain the goal For which we both are striving.   If through experience, your soul has gained heights […]

PandaMania 2011

by Steve

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UpV-ITeZrU]   Related posts: Christmas Day 2011 Should Churches do Commercials? A Thousand Questions Haiti Mission Society Video

Pastor’s Letter for August

by Steve

Every year about this time our church becomes a buzz of activity. People from all over converge like salmon to do their part in a ritual that goes back to before I was born. Walls that were once bare, cold and empty are virtually blossom with color, action and above all life. Of course I’m […]

Missional Church…Simple

by Steve

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arxfLK_sd68&feature=player_embedded] I hope you enjoy this video; I found it helpful and challenging. The purpose of the Missional church is to equip those who attend on Sunday morning to take the church to the community. Instead of having altar calls and invitations giving by professional clergy, the church experience is to engage, equipp and encourage […]

Kingdom Focused: Link in Community

by Steve

This is a copy of an invitation sent out to people who have visited our church in the last 9 months but who for reasons unknown have drifted away. It is a simple way to invite a dialog if they so choose. During summer most people like to slow down and relax a bit. Me, […]

My Favorite Panda!

by Steve

Here are a few photos of my favorite Panda!                                 Group Shot on Day 1! “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belong the Kingdom of God.” Matt 19:14         […]

Why VBS is Important!

by Steve

For Them  – Every Child deserves a chance to experience, explore and embrace God’s love in and among God’s people. When children see real life men and women living as disciples, they are encouraged to learn about God’s dream for their lives too. They deserve to have a place where people give generously of the time, talents and […]

Podcast – Social Responsibility in the UMC

by Steve

“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” John Wesley   “Directly opposite to this [the approach of the desert mystics] […]

Raise the Roof!

by Steve

Dear family, I want to take a moment and share with you about a project that the Live Wires Class is involved with this summer. It is called Read to Raise the Roof.   I subscribe to a Christian magazine for children published by Focus on the Family called Club House. In the June edition, […]

Breaking Free: The Addiction of Sin

by Steve

 July 17, 2011       We drastically underestimate the power of sin. Sin, by its nature, hides itself. It crouches at your door; it always looks smaller than it is. Your sins are not done with you when you think you are done with them. But there is hope in the gospel.   Why do we […]

Our Values: Mission Minded

by Steve

“I will say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be Free!'” Isaiah 49:9    The highest aim of mission-minded people is not self-protection but self sacrifice, to empty themselves of themselves in order to be used by God and filled with the Spirit of God. They know first hand what addictions […]

New Family Pictures

by Steve

New Family Pictures Its been a busy week. Katelin return to Rochester on Monday afternoon after being home for a week for a wedding on Saturday. Linette left for Dallas / Ft. Worth on Tuesday and won’t be home until Sunday. Abbie left for an overnight concert I really didn’t know about. Alex has got […]

Breaking Free: The Problem of Slavery to Sin

by Steve

 Week of July 10, 2011     Sin is more than just an action to be avoided, it is a power that is released in our lives that continues to enslave and choke the life out of us. In this passage from Number, God’s people are addicted to the pleasures of Egypt even though they hate the […]

Breaking Free: Addiction and Spiritual Blindness

by Steve

I am Absolutely NOT in Denial! When we are in our addiction, we are blind to it.   Alcoholism and all other addictions come with built in denial.  The patient does not know that they are ill.  They have no real concept of how severe the situation is and they are frequently not willing to talk […]

Breaking Free: Spiritual Addiction Quotes

by Steve

What follows is a collection of quotes on the subject of Sin, Addiction, and God’s reaction through the work of Jesus Christ. These quote and ideas were used in a sermon Series “Breaking Free” presented at First United Methodist Church on July 10 & 17, 2011 and are currently available on line for listening and […]

Our Values: Kingdom Focus

by Steve

Kingdom Focus  “Love each other with genuine affection,and take delight in honoring each other.” Romans 12:10    The Kingdom is our true home, the place we most long to be and the place where Christ in all and through all and above all. In the Kingdom of God people experience life differently than they do in this […]

Membership Covenant

by Steve

My Membership Covenant Today I am stepping across the line. I’m tired of waffling and I’m finished with wavering; I’ve made my choice, the verdict is in and my decision is irrevocable. I’m going God’s way. There’s no turning back now! I will live the rest of my life serving God’s will with God’s people […]

Celebrating Worship

by Steve

 Imagine a young couple going to a 5-star restaurant. It is a restaurant without Styrofoam hamburger shells, chicken nuggets or soda fountains. This is a five star restaurant, the kind that makes a suit and tie for guys and dresses for ladies seem natural and appropriate. The couple enters and are greeted by maître dee who […]

Holy Communion

by Steve

      As early as the Emmaus experience on the day of Resurrection, recorded in Luke 24:13-35, Christians recognized the presence of Jesus Christ in the breaking of bread. The traditional Jewish practice of taking bread, blessing and thanking God, and breaking and sharing the bread took on new meaning for them. When followers of Christ […]

Staff Parish Relations Team

by Steve

 Staff Parish Relations Team Communicate between the church staff and the church body on personnel issues and ministry focus. Make recommendations to Church Council on regarding staffing needs Confer with, consult, and counsel the pastor and staff on matters pertaining to the effective use of gifts, skills, and time to fulfill the mission and ministry […]

Leadership Development Team

by Steve

      Leadership Development Team  The charge conference elects members for the committee on nominations and leadership development (formerly the nominating committee or committee on lay leadership). This committee or team serves throughout the year to guide the church council or alternative structure on matters regarding the leadership of the congregation (other than employed […]

Leadership Values

by Steve

 First United Methodist Church Leadership Values   Christ Centered: Leads a Spiritually Surrendered Life We serve others as a reflection of how Jesus served and gave his life for us. Our first priority is to be spiritually centered in order to mentor other on our team into a deeper relationship with Jesus. Our personal goal […]

Our Values: Christ Centered

by Steve

Christ Centered  ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ Acts 17:28 Jesus is the starting point for our story. What came before this is insignificant compared to what comes after it. We are captivated by Christ, by His life, His message and His mission. They resonate within us and we feel […]

Christian Independence

by Steve

 Week of July 3, 2011 As Christians we have an obligation to pass on those values and beliefs to the next generation. As a church I hope we can pass along to our children these key values Christ Centered  /  Kingdom Focused  /  Mission Minded.  Scripture Verse          Deuteronomy 6:20-25 Sermon Slides             worship 07.03.11 Christian Independence […]

Image Rich Worship

by Steve

Our church has a large screen in the front of the santuary for visual support of the worship experience. Now I realize that for some the screen is a nuisance and for others a sign of the decline of true worship. But for a new generation, images are more apart of their vocabulary than the […]

Enlarge My Heart

by Steve

As our soul grows in the love of God and journeys ever close into His Presence, our heart’s capacities also grow and expand to see the world as it could be: “Thou shalt enlarge my heart” (Ps. 119:32 KJV).   Each year following Annual Conference I like to take time to sit in the Sanctuary […]

The Blame Game: The Psychology of Losing

by Steve

   Referees today have available to them a variety of tools and strategies to acknowledge and diffuse the complaints and criticisms that come from frustrated and confused coaches, players and fans. Over time referees learn to recognize these not-so-subtle verbal jabs as both an emotional response to competition and an attempt to influence future decisions, […]

TEMPTED: the Nature of Sin Part 2

by Steve

 Week of June 26, 2011     We drastically underestimate the power of sin. Sin, by its nature, hides itself. It crouches at your door; it always looks smaller than it is. Your sins are not done with you when you think you are done with them. But there is hope in the gospel. Scripture Verse          Genesis […]

Deep Roots: Spiritual Wisdom for Unquenchable Faith

by Steve

        Deep Root 06.26.11 http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Deep-Roots.html?soid=1101570165871&aid=fpt7TwQSBzE. Related posts: Deep Roots: Spiritual Wisdom for Unquenchable Faith 5.22.11 Deep Roots for June 20, 2011 Deeper Roots for October 10, 2011 Funeral Announcement for Charles Hardman

Marketing in the Church

by Steve

I hear it all the time “people just aren’t interested in church like they use to.” Translation: “people aren’t interested in the product we’re offering the way we’re offering it.” True enough. There is an undeniable decline in church attendance across America, but we must balance this criticism with another reality, the global explosion of […]