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Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors,
I'm happy to tell you that the Lord answered your prayers and I made it safely home from Texas at the end of January. The Lord gave me an extended stay, and in that time blessed me with the opportunity to visit with many good friends.
Meredith's daddy had major heart surgery three weeks ago to repair his AFIB. He has recovered well, feels good, and has gone back to work. We praise the Lord things went as smoothly as they did.
Here in Tennessee, plans are moving forward at West Hills. This Sunday, the 28th, we'll be having a special called business meeting to discuss the coming changes at the church. Please be praying for us in this process. After 5 months in the pulpit, I'm proposing the first of a series of changes intended to help us adopt culturally appropriate "forms" in our church, while simultaneously trying to clarify the timeless functions of the church.
If that language is new to you, allow a brief example. The church has always collected tithes and offerings for the purpose of sustaining the work of missions and ministry. This is a timeless function. The precise method of collecting the money has changed over time. For a century or so, most American churches have passed an offering plate during the service to collect the money. This is a form, and changing it does not impact the gospel. Truthfully, for a person with no church background, having a man put a plate with money in it in front of you and looking expectantly creates a social awkwardness that was never intended in biblical giving. This Sunday I will propose we adopt a different form for collecting tithes and offerings: placing giving boxes by the exits. This is a bit of a litmus test to see if they've been learning as I've been teaching from the Word over the last few months.
We've begun the process of updating our church Constitution and By-Laws, and I hope to complete the process just after Easter. Some of the changes are more significant than others, including the transition to a plurality of elders from our current structure with pastor and board of deacons. We appreciate your prayers as we attempt to align ourselves more clearly with the revealed will of God in Scripture.
Last month, the church agreed to build a community garden as a primary means of outreach. This Sunday they'll vote on a draft of what it looks like. Getting this done soon means we can begin the process of recruiting short-term mission trips to help build it! If you're wondering why a community garden, here you go.
The Garden of Hope at West Hills
Jesus said…
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (emphasis mine).
The purpose of the Garden of Hope is to glorify God by becoming a blessing to the community in which we live by meeting the needs of our neighbors and our own widows.
The goal is for those who do not know Christ in our community to see our good works and come to saving faith, and thereby glorify our Father who is in heaven.
How will we fulfill our purpose?
Our society has been paying increasing attention to what it eats and where its food comes from. This is particularly true of senior adults and Millennials. Beyond anecdotal evidence that this is true in our community, Jonesborough has a thriving Farmer’s Market and “eat local” scene. A survey of the homes and apartments in the vicinity of the church revealed a lack of land suitable for home gardening, most commonly because of the steep grade of the land.
As an “allotment type” community garden, we will invite our neighbors to retain a personal garden plot at the church, consisting of a number of raised beds, in order to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Certain space consuming plants like squash and melons will be grown communally in separate beds. By utilizing modern square-foot-gardening techniques, we will insure that every plot is incredibly fruitful.
We will not charge families for the use of the plots. Instead, we will require a certain number of collective service days where all gardeners will work together on seasonal necessities, such as cleaning up shared spaces.
We will also have a teaching and demonstration garden located near the front entrance of the church building. Produce from this garden will provide a steady supply of fresh seasonal vegetables for widows in our congregation.
By providing a valuable resource (land and infrastructure) to meet a felt community need (a desire for low cost fresh fruits and vegetables), we will become a blessing to our community. Our demonstration garden will bless our own members with fresh produce.
How will we attain our goal?
The garden will be fenced and have a single entrance through a pavilion/prayer garden. Our current members, even those not gardening, will spend time in the prayer garden. This will provide opportunities every week to pray over and pray with our neighbors, in order to build intentional relationships via repeated contacts with the same lost people. Simply asking, “How can I be praying for you today?” offers a relational bridge to lost people.
Also, developing community partnerships will increase the number of opportunities we have to proclaim Christ in local media, at the Farmer’s Market, and potentially with local school groups bringing field trips.
How can you help?
1. You can come serve. Seriously. There will be lots of opportunities to help this summer. Plan your visit. Contact me for details.
2. Give. (More details to come on the specifics of how-to specifically support the Garden of Hope)
How can you be praying for us?
1. Pray for the church to favorably view the changes I'm recommending.
2. Pray for wisdom for Gene, our other elder, and I as we seek to guide the church into a place of vibrancy.
3. Pray the Lord would provide a handful of missions-minded local families to join us at West Hills in the coming months.
In our family life, the big news is we got a puppy. Lily named her Princess Eloise. She's a registered Valley Bulldog (bred from crossing English Bulldogs with Boxers). The kids love her, and she loves them. She thinks she's one of them. We've spent most of February inside because of the cold, nasty weather, and she has added a dose of excitement. She's smart and sweet and rarely hyper, a great temperament in a puppy. If you come visit, she will love you too!
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| Princess Eloise! |
Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors,
I'm happy to tell you that the Lord answered your prayers and I made it safely home from Texas at the end of January. The Lord gave me an extended stay, and in that time blessed me with the opportunity to visit with many good friends.
Meredith's daddy had major heart surgery three weeks ago to repair his AFIB. He has recovered well, feels good, and has gone back to work. We praise the Lord things went as smoothly as they did.
Here in Tennessee, plans are moving forward at West Hills. This Sunday, the 28th, we'll be having a special called business meeting to discuss the coming changes at the church. Please be praying for us in this process. After 5 months in the pulpit, I'm proposing the first of a series of changes intended to help us adopt culturally appropriate "forms" in our church, while simultaneously trying to clarify the timeless functions of the church.
If that language is new to you, allow a brief example. The church has always collected tithes and offerings for the purpose of sustaining the work of missions and ministry. This is a timeless function. The precise method of collecting the money has changed over time. For a century or so, most American churches have passed an offering plate during the service to collect the money. This is a form, and changing it does not impact the gospel. Truthfully, for a person with no church background, having a man put a plate with money in it in front of you and looking expectantly creates a social awkwardness that was never intended in biblical giving. This Sunday I will propose we adopt a different form for collecting tithes and offerings: placing giving boxes by the exits. This is a bit of a litmus test to see if they've been learning as I've been teaching from the Word over the last few months.
We've begun the process of updating our church Constitution and By-Laws, and I hope to complete the process just after Easter. Some of the changes are more significant than others, including the transition to a plurality of elders from our current structure with pastor and board of deacons. We appreciate your prayers as we attempt to align ourselves more clearly with the revealed will of God in Scripture.
Last month, the church agreed to build a community garden as a primary means of outreach. This Sunday they'll vote on a draft of what it looks like. Getting this done soon means we can begin the process of recruiting short-term mission trips to help build it! If you're wondering why a community garden, here you go.
The Garden of Hope at West Hills
Jesus said…
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (emphasis mine).
The purpose of the Garden of Hope is to glorify God by becoming a blessing to the community in which we live by meeting the needs of our neighbors and our own widows.
The goal is for those who do not know Christ in our community to see our good works and come to saving faith, and thereby glorify our Father who is in heaven.
How will we fulfill our purpose?
Our society has been paying increasing attention to what it eats and where its food comes from. This is particularly true of senior adults and Millennials. Beyond anecdotal evidence that this is true in our community, Jonesborough has a thriving Farmer’s Market and “eat local” scene. A survey of the homes and apartments in the vicinity of the church revealed a lack of land suitable for home gardening, most commonly because of the steep grade of the land.
As an “allotment type” community garden, we will invite our neighbors to retain a personal garden plot at the church, consisting of a number of raised beds, in order to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Certain space consuming plants like squash and melons will be grown communally in separate beds. By utilizing modern square-foot-gardening techniques, we will insure that every plot is incredibly fruitful.
We will not charge families for the use of the plots. Instead, we will require a certain number of collective service days where all gardeners will work together on seasonal necessities, such as cleaning up shared spaces.
We will also have a teaching and demonstration garden located near the front entrance of the church building. Produce from this garden will provide a steady supply of fresh seasonal vegetables for widows in our congregation.
By providing a valuable resource (land and infrastructure) to meet a felt community need (a desire for low cost fresh fruits and vegetables), we will become a blessing to our community. Our demonstration garden will bless our own members with fresh produce.
How will we attain our goal?
The garden will be fenced and have a single entrance through a pavilion/prayer garden. Our current members, even those not gardening, will spend time in the prayer garden. This will provide opportunities every week to pray over and pray with our neighbors, in order to build intentional relationships via repeated contacts with the same lost people. Simply asking, “How can I be praying for you today?” offers a relational bridge to lost people.
Also, developing community partnerships will increase the number of opportunities we have to proclaim Christ in local media, at the Farmer’s Market, and potentially with local school groups bringing field trips.
How can you help?
1. You can come serve. Seriously. There will be lots of opportunities to help this summer. Plan your visit. Contact me for details.
2. Give. (More details to come on the specifics of how-to specifically support the Garden of Hope)
How can you be praying for us?
1. Pray for the church to favorably view the changes I'm recommending.
2. Pray for wisdom for Gene, our other elder, and I as we seek to guide the church into a place of vibrancy.
3. Pray the Lord would provide a handful of missions-minded local families to join us at West Hills in the coming months.
In our family life, the big news is we got a puppy. Lily named her Princess Eloise. She's a registered Valley Bulldog (bred from crossing English Bulldogs with Boxers). The kids love her, and she loves them. She thinks she's one of them. We've spent most of February inside because of the cold, nasty weather, and she has added a dose of excitement. She's smart and sweet and rarely hyper, a great temperament in a puppy. If you come visit, she will love you too!
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| Puppy Kisses! |
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| She's super cute! |
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| Watching the kids run down the sidewalk. |
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| Waiting for the right moment to chase. |
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| Watching the snowflakes starting to fall. |
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| She likes to sleep on Mommy! |
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| All dressed up for the Daddy/Daughter Dance! |
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| Our one adventure out into the cold...snow-tubing in single digit wind chills. |
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| We had a good time, but we didn't last long! |
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