Memorial Day - Wed Update

A picture is worth a thousand words..........these were taken this afternoon....the beach is beautiful....no oil has reached our beaches and we are going to have a great time this weekend. We will be in the same place as usual and we could use some help Friday and Saturday if you are out there and can spare an hour or two.

Bring lots of sunscreen and be sure to stop by and say hello. For you out-of-towner's, we will be having a special service Sunday at 10:00 at the MCC campus [3130 W Fairfield Drive] followed by a cook-out and some games. Please join us before you head out to the beach on Sunday.

Okay folks, I am about to be busy, busy, busy so if I do not post you will know why. Have a safe and fun weekend.

Pentecost Sunday!

Wow! It was a powerful day at Holy Cross, especially in the first service. God bless the Praise Team as they played and sang for almost three hours. Dozens of people were anointed with the laying on of hands. I can't wait to hear some of the testimonies on Sunday.

Remember, we are having one big blended service at 10:00 this Sunday followed by a cook-out after the service. Maybe we can even set-up the volley ball net and the horse shoes. Just bring a side item to go with hamburgers and hot dogs or a dessert.

Thanks to those who fasted and prayed for last week's service, those who came to the special time of prayer on Saturday and every one who welcomed the Holy Spirit to abide within us and rest upon us! May this be the beginning of a revival in our midst.

Code Red

In celebration of Pentecost, the birthday of the church, consider wearing something red on Sunday. We are praying for a fresh anointing as we worship together. As with all celebrations, there is a time of preparation. Sunday I asked that we examine ourselves in the following areas:

1. Devotion to Jesus and to His church. For a quick check of where you are on this just look at your calendar for last month and your expenditures. There you will find your priorities. If they are in not line with devotion to Jesus and to His church then consider changing that and making Jesus number one in your life.

2. Unity in the church. Nothing will invite a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit than a church in one accord. That's not to say we all have to be the same - but that we are willing to lay down our way and take on the way the Lord leads the church as expressed in the will of the body. If you are at odds with anyone, especially anyone in our church, make a list of all of their shortcomings, failures, mistakes and things you just don't like about them and begin to pray for them. God will change them and/or you and open the door to reconciliation.

3. Keep the main thing the main thing.....remember the purpose of the church. While there are thousands of good things the church could be doing, the purpose of the church is to teach how to love God and others, and to take the good news of the gospel to all people. It is so easy to become distracted and loose focus. It's all about Jesus and making him known to others.

As the disciples obeyed Jesus and went back to that upper room to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit they devoted themselves to pray and they took care of business. As we wait for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Sunday, let us devote ourselves to those same two things. If there is anyone you need to forgive, or anyone you need to ask for forgiveness this would be a great time to take that step and make right that wrong.

You've heard me say, "Be careful what you ask for." I have been reminded of that yesterday and today as people are coming to me to take care of out hurts, wounds and misunderstandings. While I found it to be somewhat draining - it has been more of a blessing than I could expected. So, I am extending an open invitation to anyone who I have offended to contact me and let's sit down and talk and pray and work through it. I want to come ready to receive a blessing Sunday and I want you to be ready too.

Pray, pray, and pray some more. Come expecting a move of the Holy Spirit Sunday....and wear red if you can. Have a blessed week.

Memorial Day Plan

The question of the last two weeks has been, "What's happening for Memorial Day?"

I wish I knew the answer to that question but someone borrowed my crystal ball!

Our plan is to have a presence on the beach Friday and Saturday to pass out water and oranges as usual. Prior to the oil spill we had already decided to have a special service on Fairfield this year instead of one on the beach. The reason for this was the same as last year, just not enough beach for our big tent. The plan is to have one service at 10:00am followed by a pot-luck cookout and maybe some games and music. The church will provide the hamburgers and hot dogs and people can bring side items to go with that. Also the grill will be hot and ready to go if anyone does not want hot dogs and burgers and they want to bring something else to grill.

This plan is based on the beach being open for the weekend. If something happens and the beach is not an option, we will have festivities here on Saturday as well as Sunday. At this point in time it appears we will be able to be at the beach on Friday and Saturday.

So, keep checking our website and we will post what's happening closer to that weekend. In the meantime why not order a nice MDW towel for you and a friend? Details are on our website.

I look forward to seeing you either at the beach near Parking Lot 11-B or right here at Holy Cross MCC on Fairfield.

Thank Bart and Thanks God

I appreciate the reminder that I have not blogged in a long time! But not for the reasons you suggested in your comment that I will not publish.

I remember when I was a pastor in Texas and a member of the church gave me this cute sign with a mother bird feeding her babies; the sign read, "Lord, give me strength to endure your many blessings!" That's how I have felt lately. This is such an exciting time and I apologize for not taking the time to give God thanks and praise.

• We had record attendance (post Ivan) on Easter Sunday.
• We have more children and youth in the church than ever before.
• We have a new Church Strategy Team and what an exciting group of people.
• We recently completed small group training for our new Circles of Grace Ministry that begins in a few weeks.
• We were able to apply over $4,000.00 (20%)in an additional principle payment from gifts to The Next Step.
• Not only that, but the member who gave $10,000.00 as an extra principle payment in 2009 did it again in 2010.
• Better than all of that is the baptisms and new members we have been blessed to receive already this year.

So thank you for the reminder to give God praise and glory!

Am I saying our church is without trouble? Not at all. I'll close with one of my favorite passages from the Bible.

John 16:33 (New International Version)

³³"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Another Great Example of the Sermon

Someone sent me an email that is another example of how God loves and cares for us. Enjoy!

Well, I could not copy the pictures so use your imagination and if you want to see the pictures e-mail me and I will forward the e-mail to you.

Noah the Dove

These little bunnies, about 6 days old, were attacked by a dog and orphaned. Two out of the litter of five did not survive, and these three were not doing very well.

Noah is a non-releasable, one-legged homing pigeon/rock dove that is in the rehab centre. Noah kept going over to the bunny cage and looking in -- even sleeping in front of the door to the cage.

Then, suddenly, there were only two bunnies in the cage. But when Noah moved a bit from the front of the cage to every one's surprise...there was the tiny bunny...under Noah's wing...sound asleep! That little bunny rabbit had crawled through the cage, preferring a feather bed, no doubt to snuggling up with its litter mates!

Now, they are all together and the bunnies are doing GREAT. When the bunnies scoot underneath Noah's feathers, he carefully extends his wings out to surround them and then they snuggle. When one of them moves and they start sticking out here and there, he gently pushes them back under him with his beak! It is beautiful and amazing to see...

This is what God does with us when we need the warmth and love He offers. He gathers us under His loving wings to a warm cradle of protection. All we need do in return is give Him the thanks and praise for being with us.

Follow-up to Sermon

Yesterday I preached on the analogy Jesus gave comparing himself to a mother hen. Today I recieved a video that clearly shows how the mother hen protects her chicks from a hawk. If you have five minutes, check it out. Jesus will always protect the chicks in His care!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXXUPK-OvtQ

Have a blessed week!