Letter 3/18

March 18, 2010
Pastor Steve Mathewson
  

Pastor Steve’s Weekly Letter For Thursday, March 18, 2010

Today is a good day to think about raising our sails. Why? There’s a more important reason than sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60s. Today marks two weeks until the end of the year’s first quarter. As I said at the beginning of the year, I want everyone in the boat (our church) to review their progress in raising our sails (engaging in spiritual disciplines) so that we might make good progress towards our destination (growing together in love). 

So, please take some time in the next two weeks to review the plan you put together in your Raising Our Sails booklet. If you lost yours copy or didn’t participate in January, now is a great time to get started! You can pick up a booklet at our Welcome Center. The beauty of taking this ninety days at a time is being able to make adjustments or start over in April rather than next January! If you are like me, you have made good progress in some areas but not in others. Do not beat yourself up over your struggles to follow through with your plans. Simply adjust your plans as necessary or recommit yourself to making more effort. Or, even consider enlisting accountability partners, particularly in your small group.

I am pleased to announce a couple people we have scheduled this spring to share their understanding of Scripture with us. First, we have a Question and Answer session scheduled on Easter Sunday with one of the leading evangelical New Testament Scholars in the world – D. A. Carson. You know him better as Don! He and Joy are members of our church family.  The Q&A session will be held during our middle hour, from 10:00 to 10:50 a.m. Bring a friend, and bring any questions you have about the resurrection.

Second, Craig Williford, President of Trinity International University, will preach in our “Parenting Myths Exposed” series on Sunday, April 25. Dr. Williford, and his wife, Carolyn, will also present a seminar during our middle hour, from 10:00 to 10:50 a.m., on “Lessons God Has Taught Us on Our Journey as Parents and Grandparents.” I look forward to hearing their wise advice!

While I am on the topic of our “Parenting Myths Exposed” series, let me say a bit more about it. This series will begin the Sunday after Easter and will run for five weeks. Parenting is a huge privilege and responsibility. We cannot afford to base our parenting on half-truths or wrong ideas. This series will challenge parenting myths which are popular in today’s world. We want to explore how the gospel informs and shapes the way that we parent our children. The challenge is to parent our children the way God parents us! Here is an outline of the myths we will expose as we look closely at Scripture:

• Good parents are content to help their children live moral, upright lives
• Good parents focus primarily on their children’s comfort and happiness
• Good parents give their children the freedom to form their own values
• Good parents put their children first
• Good parents do not have rebellious children

If you have never been baptized, how about taking this step on Easter Sunday?! Baptism is an ‘initiation ritual’ which identifies a person as a follower of Jesus Christ. It is a sign of our participation by faith in Christ’s death and resurrection. Please contact Pastor Rick or me if you have questions or want to be baptized. If there is sufficient interest, we will have a baptism at the end of our second worship service.

Finally, our family plans to spend the weekend in central Illinois. On Saturday, we will watch the 3A and 4A boys high school basketball championship games. Then, we will stay overnight with my mom and go to church with her on Sunday before returning that evening. I am pleased to tell you that Joe Giovanetto, one of our elders, will preach this Sunday from Matthew 20:29-34. Please read the text in advance and pray for Joe as he prepares. I’ll see you next Sunday!