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Feb 01, 2010 at 04:59 PM |
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From the Pastor
Sometimes you forget the wonder of things. Snow often brings out the kid in most of us. I especially like to look at and see it late at night. Everything takes on an almost mystical aura. When Ava went out in it, she just motioned with her arms and hands and said “Wow!” Too often we lose the “Wow!” factor in our lives. This is one of the great things about living in North Carolina with snow. I love to see how bread and milk will disappear from the shelves. Sometimes our friends who have moved from the barren north chastise us for our overreacting, but I like it. As Janet reminds me, this is a part of what makes it special. It is not so bad every once and a while for things to come to a standstill; especially if it gives you the opportunity to go outside, feel the snow, and say, “Wow!” I think Ava has it right.
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Feb 01, 2010 at 04:57 PM |
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Minister of Music
The snow is certainly beautiful, although it has kept us close to home. I am writing from my office at Misenheimer and the scene through my window is lovely. I believe we had more snow in Salisbury than in Stanly County, however. I missed worshiping with everyone this past Sunday, but I know from the conditions of the roads around my house that travel would have been dangerous. I look forward to being together this week if we can dodge more bad weather.
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Jan 29, 2010 at 05:27 PM |
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From the Pastor
After a pretty long hiatus (especially for us) Janet and I have seen a couple of movies on the big screen in the last couple of weeks. After the movies, I have also come with a great follow-up song for Willie Nelson, Mamas Don’t Take Your Babies to Movies! We saw Avatar and The Blind Side. The sheer beauty James Cameron created in his depiction of another world was exhilarating. But, beyond the technical wonder and amazement, you found yourself caught up in his story of our connectedness. Meanwhile back on earth, The Blind Side, told a story of the human spirit which was bookmarked by references to Lawrence Taylor, the great football player at UNC, but, who had many personal struggles. It is the story of Micael Oher, a homeless African-American teen, who finds (and is found by) a family who takes him in. It is a story of contrasts and similarities. Both movies will bring tears.
There will be tears of joy, sorrow, and anger. Both movies reveal afresh to us that we are connected to each other and to the world in which we exist. With that connectedness comes responsibilities and the need for respect (which is one reason babies don’t belong in movie theaters when people pay $10/ticket – it is not respectful). In both, the possibility for change is present. The change sometimes needs the catalyst of people who care, nurture, and love. Both movies are stories of transformation.
It seems to me, as we are in this season of Epiphany, that our story as Christians is always about transformation. The transforming love of God that we see manifest in Jesus transforms who we are. We call that conversion and it is a way of grasping the meaning of sanctification. We are made “holy” i.e. sanctified by understanding and acting on this love. It is real; it is experiential: it is found in the world that “God so loved!” So, I’ll “see you in the movies”!
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Jan 29, 2010 at 02:24 PM |
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Minister of Music
When I was a teenager, I am very proud to say that I was an active member of the Youth Choir of my church. Although I grew up in the children’s choir program, my parents had to encourage me to participate in the youth choir. I was interested in many things and spending Sunday afternoon in a rehearsal was definitely not in my plans. After I began to drive, my parents had to strongly encourage me to attend Youth Choir. But soon I found that I had many friends that sang in the Youth Choir and we began to build strong ties of friendship and fellowship in the group. I am sure many of you had the same experience in your teenage years. The Youth Choir was not only an opportunity to sing, it was a social event.
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Jan 27, 2010 at 03:00 AM |
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Molly’s Message
I ask that all of you keep the Youth Group in your prayers this week as a group of us will be traveling to West Virginia on Friday for a fun-filled ski weekend with the CBFNC. Pray that we will travel safely, have lots of fun, and will come back in one (whole, not broken) piece! Those that are going are: Brady Arrowood, Summer Fitch, Tyler Legg, Abbey Lyda, Charles Mullis, and Caitlin Tucker. Also, please keep our chaperones in your prayers as well (Johnny Eudy and Molly Harris). Thank you for your good thoughts and positive energy.
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