Pastor's article
Another year has passed and some of us always seem to be caught off guard that the year is over. As we reflect on how fast the old year has gone, it is now time to make plans and make this year even better. As I look at my goals-some completed and some not so completed-it means that I can look at the new year as a chance for it to be NEW!
As our church enters 2023, we must consider this year in a way that can bring change and see that 2023 will present all of us new opportunities. I am so excited to come into 2023 with the expectation that our church is taking a huge step forward into our future. As we move forward, we will see big change, first, in our buildings. We expect to start seeing progress in the next month or so. This progress will involve removing buildings, preparing the ground and eventually seeing the new building being built. The idea of this change is both exciting and scary. In the Bible, when we see God doing something it always presents itself with excitement and fear. Consider Mary, she found out she was
going to be pregnant as a virgin to the Son of the Most High. Consider Ananias, who was told to go see the most notorious persecutor of the church-Scary! Consider Moses, told to go back to Egypt and confront Pharaoh-Whew!
We know each of these stories yet we don’t realize they had fears, doubts, excitement and a chance to be a part of God’s history. The building project will be scary and inconvenient but I believe will help us prepare to share Christ with our kids, grandkids and their grandkids. We must look at the project to bring us into the new place in time God has for us.
We also have some new ministries about to take place. We will have a Discovery Class for all interested in our church and those who have joined our church. This will be an afternoon class that will explain how our church works, where you can get plugged in and a chance to ask any questions about the church you may have.
We will also continue to have all of our numerous Bible studies, Sunday School, and a chance to read through the Bible again. We have places for you to serve that you may want to start this year. I know that we have many that have never been baptized and we must be prepared to see new people come to know Jesus as their Savior.
Another new ministry is support for another church. We already are a partner church with Primera Baptista here in Buffalo. This year I want our church to help encourage, pray and give toward a church in Washington. This church, The Mountain Church, is one in which Eli went to see last year and I hope we can work with them to bring light into the dark of the northwest. You will hear more about these new opportunities this year.
The Bible is all about taking the old and making it new. There is a huge focus on newness in the Gospel.
2 Corinthians 5: 17-21 says;
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the
message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
As we enter 2023, don’t forget God wants us to be excited, even when it is scary. We can only be like Mary, Ananias and Moses and step forward in the midst of our fear.
In Christ,
Brother Alan
Music/Youth Minister's article
Christmas has come and gone. Our kids made out like bandits. Kadence
was given a couple of games for her Nintendo Switch and some nice arts
and crafts kits, exactly what she asked for. Jonah wanted something
completely new. He wanted Transformers toys for Christmas. In case you
don’t know what Transformers are, they are robots who are designed as
vehicles like an 18-wheeler or jet and transform into their robot selves when
they fight the bad guys.
When Jonah asked for Transformers, Brooke and I were surprised because
for the past 3 years, he has wanted nothing but Paw Patrol anything. Paw
Patrol toys, Paw Patrol towels and blankets, Paw Patrol shirts and yes Paw
Patrol underwear. But this Christmas he received Transformers toys,
Transformers coloring books and Transformers shirts. So guess what is
now sitting in the closet? All of his Paw Patrol toys.
A few weeks ago I spoke to the youth about JOY and used the Disney
movie Toy Story as the backdrop for the lesson on Joy.
In Toy Story, Woody is a toy cowboy and is the favorite toy of little boy
Andy. Woody is also the favorite most popular toy within the community of
toys. Side note, if you have never seen Toy Story, the toys talk to each
other and have their own life when they are not being played with. Andy
has Woody bedding, Woody posters, and Woody shirts. But for his
birthday, Andy gets Buzz Lightyear, a space captain toy. Andy starts to
play with Buzz Lightyear and sets Woody to the side. Pretty soon Andy
gets Buzz Lightyear bedding and Buzz Lightyear posters and Buzz
Lightyear clothes, replacing everything Woody.
Isn’t our life exactly like Woody’s? It seems like everything is going great.
Everyone likes us, life is good. But then things change and not in a good
way. Stress, fear, anxiety begin to creep in. How are we supposed to find
joy amidst all of this?
2 Corinthians 6:10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor,
but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have
everything. (NLT)
The Bible describes joy despite heartache and poverty. The first thing we
need to understand is that there is a difference between JOY and
HAPPINESS.
HAPPINESS IS JOY BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT JOY IS
HAPPINESS DESPITE THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
Woody’s Happiness depended on his circumstances. He was Andy’s
“Favorite Toy.” Andy’s room was decorated with Woody. Woody always
found his place on top of the world on Andy’s bed. We can find happiness
in circumstances just like Woody. We find happiness when we are with
family, when we get gifts from others or when our favorite sports team wins.
But, what happens when those happy circumstances go away? What
happens when we lose our job, when we are failing school, when a family
member gets sick, when a friend stabs us in the back, when we want
something to happen SO BAD in our life, but it doesn’t happen? Our
happiness turns to frustration, anger, and depression.
The big problem in Toy Story happens when Woody and Buzz are left at
the neighbors house. Buzz tells Woody that he can save them and fly them
back to Andy’s house with his jet pack. It doesn’t work. This is the moment
that Buzz realizes that he is not a real space captain but a toy. Buzz gets
depressed because he does not feel like he is useful anymore.
Romans 14:17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or
drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
(NLT)
JOY is something to be found in places other than our present
circumstances. Despite Buzz being just a toy and Woody not being the
favorite toy, they both realize that they belong to Andy and that regardless
of their circumstances, Buzz not being a real space captain and Woody not
being the favorite toy anymore, they have joy because they belong to Andy.
On the bottom of Woody and Buzz’s foot is the name Andy. This is a
constant reminder that they belong to him.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be
thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to
Christ Jesus. (NLT)
Even though our circumstances change, we find true JOY in our Savior,
Jesus Christ. We belong to him. We may not have his name written on the
bottom of our feet, but His name is written on our heart. When things aren’t
going right, when it seems like all sides are pressing against us, we can
find Joy in knowing that we belong to Jesus and he will get us through
whatever circumstances come our way.
Eli Lopez
Children's Minister's article
Lots of folks make New Year's Resolutions at this time of year, goals for lifestyle changes or behavior improvements. The problem comes when most folks can't maintain the changes they aspire to and after a setback or two, the resolution falls by the wayside. Maybe we just need to rethink our resolution making process. Here's some ideas that I believe, as a church, we could definitely follow through!
1. RESOLVED: LOVE GOD
Let's decide to love God more this year! How do we do that? For one thing, we spend more time with Him. Maybe that means reading your bible every day, going through the Old Testament with our congregation or finding an app on your phone that sends you a daily devotional. Maybe that means conversation with God through a prayer journal or taking notes during sermons or devotions. Maybe we love God more by serving -- agreeing to teach a kids class or take a visiting family to lunch. Loving God more is kinda a "no-brainer" but will only become a kept resolution if we do it with intention.
2. RESOLVED: LOVE PEOPLE
Let's decide to love People more this year! Loving God is pretty easy but loving people---that's a little harder. Maybe that means forgiving someone who's hurt you. Maybe it means finding encouraging things to say, when your natural tendency is to criticize. Or, maybe it means spending time getting to know folks who are different, learning about their lives, sharing the plan of salvation. Loving people is messy! But as Christians, it's what God calls us to do. Jesus didn't just "hang tight" with the twelve. He dined with sinners, hugged dirty children and was touched by riff raff. We need to be willing to love any kind of people God brings to our door.
3. RESOLVED: SHOW GRACE
Let's decide to remember that we are all human and in desperate need of a Savior. Let's think better of others than of ourselves. Let's freely offer "the benefit of the doubt." Let's not make majors out of minor things. Let's find encouragement on our lips quicker than criticism. Let's show grace in all things and head off the distractions of the enemy before they even get a chance to show up.
As I prepared to write this article, I looked back at some of my previous January newsletter offerings. I used this passage in one and I think it deserves another look this year:
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else." 1 Thessalonians 5:11-15
Let's resolve to hold steady on the course God has laid before us, to love Him, love His people and love one another in grace. Those should be resolutions we have no trouble keeping!
In Christ,
Marie Dittmar
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