God's Grace | Sunday to Monday

Insecure?

God's Grace Community Church — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

I have been encountering a lot of people showing signs of major insecurity recently. Part of that is an occupational hazard, working as I do to facilitate leadership transitions in nonprofit organizations. Most candidates are made very uncomfortable by the long delays that often occur in the search and selection process, generally through no fault of their own. In one of my searches, a very strong candidate was identified as the top candidate nearly 4 months ago, and he is most excited about this possible new position as CEO. But things have stalled out due to funding problems with the organization that the board is determined to work out before making any commitments. This candidate’s current job ends this month, so he is very concerned about what he should do next. Should he hold out and wait for this job he would love, if and when it becomes available, or take another job that he might enjoy less but is offered in the meantime.

In several of the searches I have been working on this spring, the staff of the organizations who plan to continue under a new leader have exhibited similar signs of insecurity, even though their boards of directors are acting responsibly. They don’t know, and should not know in any detail, what is happening with the search process, so are anxious about who their new boss might be and whether he or she will value their work and role, or if changes may threaten their job. Some of them have even acted up and tried to insert themselves inappropriately into communications with the candidates or in making ultimatums to the board about what changes they will not accept. They feel insecure and act up, not unlike children who sometimes just push to see what they can get away with. It is hard to trust when you don’t have information or confidence in what might happen.
In the face of these experiences, I have been thinking about the words of another old Swedish hymn from my youth. I hope they speak to you as they do to me.

Why should I be anxious, I have such a friend,
Who bears in my heart all my woe.
This friend is the Saviour, on him I depend,
His love is eternal, I know.

Though I am unworthy he chose even me,
By grace in his kingdom to dwell;
That grace so abundant my refuge will be –
Thy goodness, O God, I would tell.

His mercy, I know, is sufficient for me,
And therein my soul finds its peace;
He chastens with love, ever patient is he,
My joys through his blessing increase.

Lord, help me to trust you when I am feeling insecure and anxious, and not project those anxieties onto others. Thank you for your mercy and abundant grace that are sufficient!

Dave Erickson-Pearson

Sunday to Monday | Gifts a Father Can Give on Father's Day

God's Grace Community Church — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12

Fathers were celebrated on Sunday with a great message from Pastor Dave on the gift of love that fathers can give their family and even a pancake breakfast!

Some questions to reflect on this week…

What do you, or did you appreciate about your father?
How does not having a father affect a child?
What do you need to do to better connect your heart to your father, mother, son, daughter or grandchild? (John 15:9-15)

Devos for Dad

God's Grace Community Church — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

I thought it would be appropriate to share some devotional activities for Father's Day.

Many times a day like Father’s Day will come and go and we realize all we’ve done is given cards or gifts to the men in our lives who we wish to honor. On this Father’s Day, take time in your family for devotions together.

Read about fathers in scripture. Select one or more of the following scripture passages. Read together the scripture. Name traits you see in the father whose story you have read. Include what is good and what is not. Pray together giving thanks for these fathers in scripture: Genesis 37:1-11; Joshua 24:14-15; Matthew 2:19-25.

Make a coupon book for your father. Include such coupons as these: This coupon entitles you to 1 back rub; This coupon entitles you to me laughing at every joke you tell today; This coupon entitles you to an uninterrupted nap; This coupon entitles you to your favorite dessert.

Trace your family’s history. Talk about grandparents and great-grandparents. If there are those in your family who have family names, talk about who each is named for and why.

Pray for the fathers in your family. Ask everyone in the family to place their hands on the head of any fathers in the family and pray for God to bless each one. Use the following prayer together on Father’s Day or another day in June: Dear God: We are all in need of care. We thank you for the care you give to each of us and we ask that (your father’s name) feel your care this day. We are grateful for this man who in so many ways helps us grow and cares for us. We thank you for these things about him today:(family members list those things they love about their father). Bless our family. Help us show more patience than impatience; more laughter than anger; more understanding than disregard; more care than indifference. Amen.

May we honor and thank God for the men in our lives who have taken the time to help us see God's love. We'll be looking for you tomorrow between 8:30 and noon for the annual Father's Day Pancake Breakfast and worship at 9 or 10:30.

God bless you,

Vikki

From http://www.gbod.org/planning-calendar/fathers-day/resource/family-devotions-for-fathers-day

Far From Eden

God's Grace Community Church — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

“So the lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.” Genesis 3:23

The fire in the Black Forest breaks my heart. I can’t imagine what it would be like to receive an evacuation notice. I heard one woman on the news the other night saying that when the notice came, she thought they had an hour to leave. It turned out they only had 20 minutes, so all she’d been able to pack were their linens and socks.
And as the flames rage just miles away from our houses, I can’t help but think of another city I have come to call home. After living in Prague for the past four months, and having only been back in the states for 72 hours, I occasionally refer the capital of Bohemia as “home” when discussing it in conversation. In many ways, across the pond still feels very much like home.

And when I left the Golden City of a Thousand Spires, I left it in sort of a dismal state. In the four months I was there, I can probably count the number of times I saw blue sky. It rained almost every day! The last evening I was there, the Vltava River burst its bank, flooding many of the suburban neighborhoods North of Prague. Hundreds of homes were evacuated and destroyed.

The flooding in Prague was but a sound bite in American news, and—after speaking to some of my Czech friends—the Colorado wildfires have been mentioned in a 30 second clip of their news. I don’t bring this up to belittle either tragedy, but point out a striking paradox in our world.

Take April 15th for example.

On April 15, 2013, two brothers bombed the city of Boston killing several civilians and severely injuring dozens more. On April 15, 2013, a series of gang rapes occurred in the metro system of Stockholm; among the victims was an epileptic woman in mid-seizure.

Or take the past two weeks during which there have been an un-countable number of tornados in Oklahoma and an unexpected number of riots in Turkey.

Rather its wildfires, floods, bombings, assaults, tornados, or riots…bad stuff seems to happen everywhere. Beyond just disasters, other bad stuff also happens all over the world. Jobs are lost. Houses are foreclosed. Relationships break-up. Loved ones pass away. Unexpected, surprising, life-altering changes happen without warning and sometimes we are left not knowing what to do next.

And as we look around the world, we realize that pain is pain. We appear to live a long way from Eden.
I think a lot of the time we get this notion that we can escape pain. We pray for things like “world peace.” We send missionaries into the field to help make a difference. We do collections, drives, and fundraisers to try and make a difference. But when sparks turn to flames, and rivers break their banks, and the budget calls for cut backs, and doctors don’t know what else to do…there isn’t much we can do to stop it.

The reality is, the best prayers, the greatest healers, the most devout missionaries cannot stop pain. And I’m not sure that stopping pain was ever the point. All we can do is offer peace and healing. We can remind the world that love is real, that good does win, that death is powerless, and that there is always hope. Jesus told us these things when he said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33)

And the greater reality is that we all need to hear this message. No one is immune to the stress of our ever-changing, pain-filled world. No one is alone. As Paul reminds us in Thessalonians, one of the greatest impacts we can have on the world is to “encourage one another and build each other up.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Whatever pain you may be feeling today, may you know that love is real, that good does win, that death is powerless, and that there is always hope.

“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity.” ~Gilda Radner Wilder

Zach Herzog

Learn More, Lean More

God's Grace Community Church — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

It's tough to lean unless you are up against something that will support you and not allow you to fall. Try it.

Dictionary definitions: lean means "to rely for support or inspiration."
Acknowledge means: "to recognize the rights, authority, or status of; to recognize as genuine or valid; to disclose knowledge of or agreement with."

In a recently released book, Lean In, by Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, she promotes the thesis that women must "lean in" to find success instead of sitting still and awaiting the success train in the business world. While I understand that she believes we must be an active participant in our success, are we willing to risk falling if we lean too far?

According to the Proverb, I should not lean alone. I will not lean or depend just on what I know. Rather, I must rely (lean) on the genuine authority of God my Father who will then pave the way for me and keep me focused along this pathway of life.

The words of the old hymn written in 1887 (and sung here by Alan Jackson), Leaning on the Everlasting Arms echo through my heart:

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Refrain:
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord to so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

God will catch me when I fall. He's smarter than I am. I can lean in without fear.

Dear Jesus,
Help me to lean today. Not toward myself and what I know, but toward you. Help me to learn more as I lean more. Take away my fears and anxieties because your knowledge is sufficient. Help me to hear your voice in everything I do. Thank you for paving the way for me and keeping me on track. Thank you for catching me in your loving arms. I love this race. Keep me focused and leaning always toward you. Amen

Carole Schumacher

Faithful Fathers

God's Grace Community Church — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Dear Children,

One of my favorite preachers is Ann Weems. Her father was a Presbyterian pastor in Nashville in the 1950’s. One day he stood and preached a sermon on “Brotherhood,” that all of us are God’s children and we are one and the same family having God as our Father. Immediately after the service the Session (church leadership) went into a special meeting and instructed the pastor to never again preach on that topic from the pulpit. And Dr.Weems replied to his leadership:

“ …if this was brotherly advice I will receive it with gratitude . If it was to instruct me on what to preach, I cannot accept it, for only God can tell me what to preach.”

A crisis was precipitated in the church. Eventually the leadership of the church asked him to resign. The congregation was called to meet and resoundingly supported the pastor. They wanted a pastor to preach what God told him to preach and not what men and women told him to do. I suspect if I were a member of the congregation, I would want that too. How about you?

Finally, the higher courts of the Presbyterian church acted upon the matter and upheld the position of the pastor and the congregation. Then and only then, did Dr. Weems resign. A principle had been maintained, which has always been at the heart of the Presbyterian Church, that the pulpit is free. The one who preaches is free to speak what is pleasing to God even when it offends the human ear. It was the defining moment in the life of Ann Weems. Years later, Weems wrote about the moment.

“He spoke out
when others were quiet.
He stood up
when others would have run.
He risked and lost position , monetary gain , prestige,
when others would have rationalized .
It was not that he was courageous
He was faithful. “

Fathers, who are you faithful to? What are you faithful to? Dr. Weems was faithful to God, and Ann Weems knew her father loved her, unmistakably and unconditionally. But now she saw how plainly her father loved God. He was faithful!

( I am thankful to Rev. Ann Weems and her father for the inspiration this week. A book you might want to check out is “Family Faith Stories” by Ann Weems, 1986s)

Let us pray for faithful fathers this Father’s Day!

I will see all of you this coming Sunday morning...for worship and the annual Father's Day breakfast.

Pastor David J. Jensen

Letting Go

God's Grace Community Church — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

When I was in college I took a mountaineering class over spring break that took us to the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey. An easy “A” and three P.E. credits! One of the many things we learned was rappelling. The first time you lean out backwards over the edge of the cliff, every possible alarm sounds in your head saying this is not right. Even if you try to stop, the rope stretches and you continue to lean out farther. Then you push off, slide down, and repeat until you land. I couldn’t wait to climb back up and do it again.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~Jeremiah 29:11

It’s one thing to put your trust in God, but to let go and completely trust Jesus, it’s like, well, stepping off that cliff backwards, times ten, or a hundred. A trust fall for Jesus. I need help with this so I did what I usually do, I Googled it. You know, like you do when you’re looking for a recipe. I was trying to find the answer, the pathway, something to show me where to go. But just like rappelling, I needed to turn around and look behind me. All I had to do was look at the path God has put me on, my life journey. Too many things jump out as “wow, what a coincidence”, which is another way of saying that was an amazing thing God did for me there. As I look at those things a feeling of contentment comes over me, I relax and I trust. I know I still have to work as hard as I can to be ready for what God has in store, but I am excited and grateful. I feel free.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. ~Romans 15:13

Peace,
Terry Luce

Sunday to Monday/ The Joke's On Us

God's Grace Community Church — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

“Resurrected Jesus intrudes into our settled arrangements with defeat and death, opens up our futures, and discombobulates our accommodation with the status quo. Jesus comes among us and, when he does, hold on to your hats. Wherever, whenever Jesus appears, there is a fresh encounter with the power of the resurrected Lord. After Easter nothing is the same, even the world in June.” – Dr. William Willimon

The title of Pastor Dave’s sermon on Sunday was “The Joke’s on Us.” Text was from 1 Kings 17:8-16 and Luke 7:11-17.

Some questions to reflect on this week…

Where has Jesus used humor to bless your life?
What parallels do you see between 1 Kings 17:8-16 and Luke 7:8-16.
Who do you shed a “Tear in Heaven” for? Pray that their memory be blessed among us http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AscPOozwYA8
Pray that where you feel hopeless the divine humor of Jesus’ resurrection and the promise of new life will break through.

A Place of Holy Mystery

God's Grace Community Church — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

What are the places that you go? I go to the store, the library, or on a walk with my dog. Sometimes I go to the Rockies’ game and sometimes I go to a place where I think negative thoughts. In the Bible text we will consider in worship tomorrow morning at 9 and 10:30, Eugene Peterson’s The Message shares where the people were after Jesus raised a widow’s son from the dead:

They all realized they were in a place of holy mystery, that God was at work among them. They were quietly worshipful—and then noisily grateful, calling out among themselves, “God is back, looking to the needs of his people!” The news of Jesus spread all through the country. Luke 7:16-17

When do we realize that we have been in a place of holy mystery and that God is at work around us? Or do we? I wonder how often I miss that all around me is holy mystery and God is at work. Thursday afternoon at a Denver city park on 36th Ave and Vine St was certainly a place of holy mystery when GGCC threw a party for Rev Kelly’s Open Door after school kids. There was laughter, ice cream, trash, paint, games, hugs and life. But I think that one is easy to identify.

I’m not sure I always identify being in a place of holy mystery when times are difficult, when loved ones die or relationships are broken. When lives are lost due to natural disasters like tornadoes and flooding or human conflict it doesn’t seem like a holy place at all. But I know and trust that God is certainly at work even in those places. Maybe that’s really the only time I’m in that place of holy mystery – when I recognize that God is at work.

I think I would like to be in that place more often.

May we begin to realize that right now we are in a place of holy mystery and that God is at work among us. May we be quietly worshipful and noisily grateful. Then, the good news of Jesus will certainly spread.

God bless you,
Vikki

The Audacity of Ears

God's Grace Community Church — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

"She listened with the same intensity most people reserve for speaking." So Lily Tomlin wrote about one of her characters. How carefully do we listen? How audacious are our ears? I just had an amazing experience that reminded me that ears can be audacious. Downright awesome! Someone listened to me after my crying out for justice, for mercy, for a long time.

I waited ten long years for justice for a grievous wrong done to me. My crying fell on deaf ears. It was not a matter of noise interference. It was just ill intention. Refusal to listen. I have been devastasted. It has been a long time.

Last Friday I was finally heard. Someone chose to use their ears to listen to me with the kind of intensity that most of us reserve for speaking. I was audacious to continue to cry out for justice. And at long last, God's Spirit moved the right person in the right place to use his ears audaciously, to listen. Listen carefully, listen hard. And respond with blessing, healing, justice. I could almost not believe it. I still can hardly believe it. But it's true. It happened. The audacity of those ears were put to use to hear my story. And then to offer the word I need to hear. "The Lord bless you and keep you..." An apology. A word of mercy. And blessing.

Jesus didn't hear the woman who cried out for healing. It was too noisy around him. But she kept yelling. And then reached out and touched the hem of his robe. And, by faith, she believed he could heal her, she was healed. She was audacious. She just wouldn't stop crying out. And eventually, she was healed. Amazing.

Sometimes we are the audacious ones. And sometimes we are called to use our own ears to some audacity of their own. Let me explain what I mean. Who around us is longing to be heard? Who can we help to speak their word of pleading? Who around us has a story she or he is longing to tell, to be received with kindness, blessing, compassion? Do we have the audacity to listen? Or accompany that person to the right person who can bring mercy and justice to them? I hope so.

God listens when we cry out. Even when we are drowned out by the noise of the crowd, God hears us. And reaches to us with healing. And sometimes, most amazing of all, we listen to one another and then speak words that bring God's tangible word and touch, healing, blessing. I am so blessed by the audacity of one set of ears, ears that reached to my story and heard me into speech. Ears that gave me hope. I can only testify to the goodness of that action and pray that each of us will both be and find audacious ears that bring healing to others. May you be blessed!

Jan Erickson-Pearson

Gentle Answer

God's Grace Community Church — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Proverbs 15:1 ~ A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

I saw this happen in the most unexpected way recently. My daughter had a little run in with her roommate and they were both pretty irritated with each other. As we talked through the situation, she agreed that she needed to apologize for her part in the argument. Instead of focusing on the roommate she took responsibility and gave a gentle answer to a heated text message. I don't know the roommate's reaction but I know the "gentle answer" turned away my daughter's "wrath." I had always seen that verse as affecting the recipient of the "gentle answer" and it was cool to see that it had the same effect on the person who said it.

-Valerie Locke

Pushing Beyond Your Limits

God's Grace Community Church — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Dear Fear-filled Folks,

In Luke 7 a dead man rises up from death to life, and verse 16 says that, "fear seized all of them and they glorified, saying ‘A great prophet has risen among us!'”

When does fear seize you? I have a few people I know who deny they have fears and to that I say ,”BUNK!”. We all have fears . What are you fears?

Barbara Brown Taylor in her book "The Seeds of Heaven :Sermons on the Gospel of Matthew" reflected on the concept of fear and its power over us and the vision Jesus has for our fears. Taylor says, “To be where God is ---to follow Jesus—means going beyond the limits of your own comfort and safety.” An observation I have as a pastor of 27 years is that people too often look to Jesus and church for comfort and safety not to push the limits. People as a rule feel the world has already pushed them to the limit and they want Jesus and the church to lead them into comfort and safety not lead them out of it. The danger is, that the threat is in being too cautious .

Taylor goes on to say that pushing beyond our limits "means receiving lives as a gift instead of guarding them as our possessions. It means sharing the life we have been given instead of bottling it for our consumption. It means giving up the notion that we can build dams to contain the bright streams of our lives and letting them go instead, letting them swell their banks and spill their wealth until they carry us down to where they run, full and growing fuller, into the wide and glittering sea.”

Are you bored? Feeling like life is just not the adventure you had hoped for? Jesus is ready to lead! Are you ready to follow? What is safety and comfort to you? Go beyond!

Still in One Peace,

Pastor David J.Jensen

The AWWW & Awe

God's Grace Community Church — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Gentle ripples. Light reflected. Easy breeze. Peace.

I watched the sun dip into the ocean at Key West. The vendors and visitors celebrated the end of the day. AHHH and AWE were the emotions expressed.

A sunset is the picture of peace. But have you noticed...it is not still peace. Not stagnant peace. Movement was a part of the scene before me. Rippling waves, clouds forming pictures, wind catching hair, sun bending over. All a gentle flow. Ever changing.

I want that feeling in my family. True peace. Harmony among the members. The ability to walk through the movement of life without blowing in a big storm. Where we can disagree- agreeably. Where we can love even if we see things differently.

My kids are entering their young adult years.We expect our kids to think, feel, talk, and walk like us. But they want to do it in the toddler vernacular, "By self." To be their own person. Sometimes we are surprised by who they are becoming. It's possible we may not like or appreciate choices they make. Yet the decisions are theirs.

"If only they would ask me," we cry.

"By Self," they say.

The sun is setting on my highly involved parenting. A new day has begun, where stepping back and saying less is the order of the day. The time when asking is more common than answering.
"What do you think about this?" Instead of "I think this..."

The tables are turned. We could give a great answer, if only they would ask. If only they would heed our wisdom. Yet we may not be invited to the conversation.
So we watch the setting sun and wait.

Just as the sun sets every day, change is guaranteed. There are the days that seem longer than others but even so we know a new day is right around the corner. I have learned, respect and love are the essential "peaces" of harmony in families. With respect and love is it okay when a new day is dawning. As the sun comes up, we will all be able to find our way and change and grow together.

Here are a five tips (plus one) for parenting young people.
1. Back off a bit. Act like a consultant or coach rather than a controller.
2. Ask questions- "How will this choice help you get where you want to go?"
3. Avoid being quick with a solution. Let the teen/ young adult wrestle with the issue.
4. Let the young person own the decision and the result.
5. Be supportive and encouraging.
And of course...pray.

Live in harmony with one another.Romans 12:16

~From Lori Wildenberg/Eternal Moments

Sunday to Monday | Real Faith

God's Grace Community Church — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse. – Philip Yancey

Like a wild flower

in God's care

I put my worries away

trusting the One who holds me.

— Macrina Wiederkehr in The Song of the Seed

On Sunday Executive Minister Vikki Luce taught on Luke 7:1-10 and a man who had such faith in the power of God to heal that Jesus was amazed.

BLESSINGS PRAYER FOR HEALING ~ Joyce Rupp, Out of the Ordinary
May you desire to be healed.
May what is wounded in your life be restored to good health.
May you be receptive to the ways in which healing needs to happen.
May you take good care of yourself.
May you extend compassion to all that hurts within your body, mind, spirit.
May you be patient with the time it takes to heal.
May you be aware of the wonders of your body, mind, and spirit and their amazing capacity to heal.
May the skills of all those who are caring for you be used to the best of their ability in returning you to good health.
May you be open to receive from those who extend kindness, care, and compassion to you.
May you rest peacefully under the sheltering wings of divine love, trusting in this gracious presence.
May you find little moments of beauty and joy to sustain you.
May you keep hope in your heart.
Amen.

Here's some thoughts for the week:

What does “real faith” mean to you?
What do you need to be healed of? Do you trust Jesus to heal you?
How is Jesus’ authority present in your life?
How might you pray for healing in our world today? Your caring, your character and your confidence in Jesus can make it happen.

Faith that Finds Us

God's Grace Community Church — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 05:00:00 GMT

What does it mean to you have faith? It often seems difficult to find our faith in our world today with loved ones suffering from cancer, contentious governmental leaders, human conflict and natural disasters around every corner. What can we have faith in?

In Luke, chapter 7, we hear of a man who had such faith in the power of God to heal that Jesus is amazed. Amazed! Jesus! Where does one find faith like that?

Perhaps it’s not that we need to get that kind of faith, but to remember that “faith” finds us.

BELIEF AND LIVING IT: A Creed

By God, I believe!
Through Christ I believe!
In Spirit and Truth, I believe!

In spite of myself, I do believe
and seek to employ faith in the healing of a broken world.

In spite of many unanswered questions,
     faith persists and propels me forwards.
In spite of dull-wittedness I can still pray:
     “Just say the word, Lord, and healing will follow.”
In spite of my self interest,
     God continues to carve a space in my soul for true loving.
In spite of enemies who taunt or friends who undermine,
     I find myself taking risks for God.
In spite of being drenched by the negativity of the mass media,
     I reach for the future in hope.
In spite of anxieties cultivated by politicians and by prophets of doom,
     I rest my being in a core of calm.

I spite of myself, I do believe
and long for that faith which dares to move mountains.

By God, I believe!
By Christ I believe!
In Spirit and Truth, I believe!
~ by Bruce Prewer

May we begin to believe that we can believe. May we begin to believe that faith is a gift we can receive. We’ll be looking for you tomorrow at 9 or 10:30 as together we travel the journey of faith.

God bless you,
Vikki

http://www.bruceprewer.com/DocC/C38sun9.htm

Oops

God's Grace Community Church — Fri, 31 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Conversations of late seem to revolve around health. Mine, my friends, family, and others I’m privileged to lift up in pray and offer my support.

For some reason my thoughts drifted to when I first started working at church and typing the order of service for Sunday worship. On more than a few occasions I found that I had been typing “silence for medication” rather than the correct word “meditation.” Both of these are real words so spell check didn’t catch it. I was embarrassed to say the least.

I learned something very interesting. The word meditation is related to the word medicine. So maybe I wasn’t off-base after all with my spelling error. To have a daily dose of intentionally focusing on God is the most perfect prescription I know.

Blessed Healing,
Nancy Nickoley

P.S. I must also confess that if your name happened to be “Chris”….on more than a few occasions…it would be typed “Christ.” Again, both real words and not so off-base as we are called to be like Christ in the world!

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul.

3 John 2

Don’t Over Analyze, Just Be

God's Grace Community Church — Thu, 30 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Psalm 121 vs: 1-8

1 “I look up to the mountains, does my help come from there? 2My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth! 3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5The lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. 6The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 7The Lord keeps you from harm and watches over your life. 8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.”

This Psalm is filled with little gems of wisdom, comfort and hope. We are assured God surrounds us with his protection both day and night. Thank you Father, for being the eye in the hurricane that often is our life.

A few thoughts on Psalm 121.

“While you are resting, your Heavenly Father will continue to count the hairs on your head. He will continue to rotate the earth, clothe the lilies, keep hearts beating and lungs filled with air. While you are resting, he will continue to fight your unseen battles and answer your prayers. He will continue to create ideas you never could of imagined and solutions you wouldn’t have dreamed of.”

Father God,

Teach me to rest in you. To come to that place in silence, knowing where my God can be found. Father, you are with me in the silence of my soul. Remind me tp take you with me wherever I go.

Amen

Abundance

God's Grace Community Church — Wed, 29 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Dear Givers,

I have never met a homeless hungry person who lost all their assets because they gave away too much.

God is a god of abundance, not a god of scarcity. Jesus reveals to us God's abundance when he offers so much bread for the people that there were twelve large baskets with leftover scraps (see John 6:5-15), and when he makes his disciples catch so many fish that their boat nearly sinks (Luke 5:1-7). God doesn’t give us more than enough: more bread and fish than we can eat, more love than we dared ask for.

God is a generous giver, but we can only see and enjoy God's generosity when we love God with all our hearts, minds and strength . Henri Nouwen once said as long as we say, "we will love you,God, but first show me your generosity," we will remain distant from God and unable to experience what God truly wants to give us, which is life and life in abundance.

Let us give thanks to the God who has given us all that we have. May we follow Jesus into the gift of abundant life by sharing lavishly of what God has first given us.

Still in One Peace,

Pastor David J. Jensen

Trapped

God's Grace Community Church — Tue, 28 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Mark 10:9

“Therefore, what GOD has joined together, let man not separate.”

This is a passage we have heard several times because it is all about marriage. The Pharisees had come to Jesus with a question. Well, actually they hoped to catch him in a trap… again. Isn’t that how the world is? It likes to catch us in a trap, and sometimes we feel trapped, and sometimes we can see others trapped.

Jesus tells the Pharisees versus 5-9 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote this law. But, at the beginning of creation GOD made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.so they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what GOD has joined together, let man not separate.”

Where are you feeling trapped? Is it a place that the world has put you in? Are you trying to separate yourself from GOD… unknowingly? From before we were born, we belonged, we were joined to GOD. It can be weird and even hard to be in the world but not of the world as Paul says.

Sometimes it’s good to separate, but let’s not mistake what we want, for what GOD wants. If we are separating ourselves from our spouse, or our kids, or our friends and that is separating us from GOD… in my experience pain and stress follow. If we are separating ourselves from people and it brings us closer to GOD then in my experience grace, peace, and joy follow. You get to choose the path and please… please know that whichever path you choose GOD is with you and in you and FOR YOU!

Precious Father, Loving God, Holy Spirit I pray that you help me to let go of the world, let go of the feeling of being trapped and open myself up to the joy of being attached to you. AMEN!

Jim Dietvorst

Sunday to Monday | Remembering (Our Suffering with Hope)

God's Grace Community Church — Mon, 27 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

How do we "dance" or enter into what it means to have anger/enemies and can "evil be dealt with sometimes only by evil measure?” …killing that others might not be killed? This Memorial Day weekend, Pastor Dave talked about this tough subject and that it's not an easy matter for any of us.

How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?

Psalm 137:4

This week here are some thoughts:

If you were to eliminate verses from scripture what would you cut out? Why? What would you be sure to include? Why? What might the difficult verses we don’t like teach us? Can the verses we like ever become so familiar they lose their full power?
What makes you angry? When is anger appropriate? Psalm 109 and 137.
How has “struggle” blessed you? (Romans 5:1-5)
When has God transformed an enemy into a friend in your life? Pray for the chance to share the testimony.
Make a list of the people who have angered or wronged you, and pray for them. (Matthew 5:44)

Just Laugh

God's Grace Community Church — Sat, 25 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Today I’m in the Rochester, NY area celebrating the life of my aunt, Vikki. Yes, I have the extreme honor of being the namesake for one of the most wonderful women who ever lived. We lost her way too early to cancer last Sunday. It’s not fair. But, I’m sure that we are laughing in the midst of our tears. Vikki would want it that way.

We don’t laugh because we’re happy, we are happy because we laugh. — William James

The one thing you would notice about my Aunt Vikki is that she smiled a lot and laughed all the time. It’s not that nothing bad ever happened in her life. It’s just that she knew you might as well laugh as cry. Laughing is definitely more fun.

A good laugh heals a lot of hurts. — Madeleine L’Engle

In our individual lives we are each “Vikki” but in our shared life, she is Vikki Sue and I am Vikki Lynn. She was 14 when I was born and she didn’t like being called “old Vikki”, preferring “Vikki #1”.

Humor is a prelude to faith and laughter is the beginning of prayer. — Reinhold Niebuhr

When I was a young girl I got to spend the night in her college dorm and one summer evening she and I and her boyfriend, got stuck at the top of a ferris wheel at a small Ohio town fair when the generator running it ran out of gas. Oh how we laughed, but my mom on the ground had a different reaction.

The greatest prayer you could ever pray is to laugh everyday. — Ramtha

Vikki loved her family and dabbled in the creative arts throughout her life painting watercolors, writing poetry and a knack for turning trash into treasure. For years she had a twice a year “barn sale” where she sold her treasures to loyal followers. She took care of her mom for the last 5 years of her life, raised a grandson in addition to 3 children and loved all her grandchildren to pieces. She was a master gardener and believed that you ought to surround yourself with beautiful things and only things that made you happy.

When you laugh, you get a glimpse of God. — Merrily Belgum

Everyone who knew her got a glimpse of God. I am the Vikki I am because of the Vikki she was.

May you find much time for laughter today (and every day). We hope you join us for worship tomorrow at 9 or 10:30 am to spend some time, “Remembering” this Memorial Day weekend.

So blessed,
Vikki

Graduation

God's Grace Community Church — Fri, 24 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Today I step forward in my life and finish high school. For most this simply means that it is time to leave home and leave parents and friends, however for me it feels as though I am moving on with my spiritual journey. I will still be going to church at GGCC when I am home but what about the other days when I’m in the wonderful town of Laramie, Wyoming? Do I just not go to church? Do I ignore my faith? These are the times that a lot of young people can fall away from the faith. My goal is not to be one of them.

Pastor Dave talks about taking the faith outside of Sunday. This is what everyday everybody should be thinking. It never really hit me how important it is to be Christian more than just Sundays until this graduation season. When outside of high school and surrounded by more than the thousand or so students in school is when spreading Christ through simple things become most important. So my goal for this college experience is to hold onto my faith by every day doing at least something small to show Christ’s love and his message. We may not always make it to church on Sunday but we can bring a little bit of church with us everywhere we go to make the world a better place. GGCC is an airport after all.

~Sam Jacobs

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

God's Grace Community Church — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Acts 20:24 "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

My life's story - what is it? What do I stand (up) for? What do I do each day to testify about God's grace? What is this race? When I think of a race, I think of a competition and who will win and who will lose. The strong to win, the weak to lose, unless the strong mentor the weak across the finish line.

Testify: this means implicitly that we must share and be involved with relationships. You cannot testify to yourself, it requires a recipient. A minimum of two.

So our task is to be part of other people's lives by living out and reflecting God's grace to them. Each day is a new race. I know not who will join in my race today. As I move and walk and run and talk and listen to others today, help me to reveal God's grace. This might be their first race and it might be their last race. We don't know about God's plan for their life. But we know God's plan for our lives. We must continue to run the race. Keep the race track open to all who want to walk or run or stumble or fall or sprint or simply lie down and rest.

Keep me on the track. Stop me when I can to help to lift another back onto the race track. Stop me when I need to simply sit and rest with the tired or weak or inexperienced. My testimony only needs to show grace. God will do the rest.

This race is fun. Remind me daily that it does not matter who wins today. Remind me that staying on the race track is more important than crossing the finish line. Remind me that the weak and the strong both deserve to be here. Remind me to simply run (or walk) alongside others to reveal God's grace to others at that moment.

On your mark, get set, Go!

Amen

Carole Schumacher

Sacrifice

God's Grace Community Church — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Dear Mourners,

"Blessed are those who mourn …" Matthew 5:4

In the book, “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” Mitch Albom tells the story of Eddie, a carnival maintenance worker who dies saving the life of a little girl. In heaven he meets five people who had been part of his life.

The second person he meets was captain of his unit in Vietnam. For the first time, Eddie learns the captain died saving his life. As they reminisce about their time together, the captain talks about the significance of the sacrifices each of them made.

“Sacrifice,” the Captain said. “You made one. I made one. We all make them. But you were angry over yours. You kept thinking about what you lost. You didn’t get it. Sacrifice (isn’t) something to regret. It’s something to aspire to. Little sacrifices. Big sacrifices. A mother works so her son can go to school. A daughter moves home to take care of her sick father. A man goes to war …”

He stopped for a moment and looked off into the cloudy grapy sky.

“Rabozzo (a member of their unit who died in captivity) didn’t die for nothing, you know. He sacrificed for his country, and his family knew it, and his kid brother went on to be a good soldier and a great man because he was inspired by it. I didn’t die for nothing, either. That night, we might have all driver over that land mine. Then the four of us would have been gone.”

Eddie shook his head. “But you…” He lowered his voice. “You lost your life.”

The Captain smacked his tongue on his teeth. “That’s the thing. Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, you’re not really losing it. You’re just passing it on to someone else.”

“Blessed are those who mourn …” (Matthew 5:4). We’re here today because of all these men and women have passed on to us. The question now becomes what sacrifices will we make for those who come after us?

What will be the blessing to those who will mourn?

Still in One Peace,

Pastor David J. Jensen

For Sunday, May 26 I plan to discuss the difficult texts of Psalm 109:8-14 and Psalm 137:8,9

Live and Help Live

God's Grace Community Church — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

“Listening is the oldest and perhaps the most powerful tool of healing we can offer someone. It’s often through the quality of our listening and not the wisdom of our words that we are able to effect the most profound changes in the people around us. Our listening creates sanctuary for the homeless parts within the other person. That which has been denied, unloved, devalued by themselves and by others. That which is hidden.” Rachel Ramen M.D.

I’ve decided listening is an art. One that is not often cultivated in the society we live in. I have to work hard at it. I’m trying to be patient, to let God teach me through others. There is harmony between myself and others when I listen. They can learn much truth about themselves when given the space to express themselves. Likewise in the silence of listening I can see myself in union with others and have an opportunity to grow. I have been blessed by the power and grace of some of the simplest relationships, people who take me just as I am. Thank you Father, that I have a place in your world.

Abba God,
Thank you for the gift of my family, for all those you have and will put in my path this day. With simple acceptance and compassion you will heal the pain of our world today. Help me to be a positive light force in my grandchildren’s lives, as I spend precious time with them this weekend . Teach us to be present in you Lord , whatever path we are on. You Living Christ ,are all that is whole and good in our lives. Amen

Lois Autterson

Sunday to Monday | Truth

God's Grace Community Church — Mon, 20 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

On Sunday we celebrated our high school grads and observed a rite of passage as the parents of the grads blessed their kids and their kids blessed them! Pastor Dave shared a message on Truth and helped us to remember that first our identity is in Jesus; second to reach and risk; and, third to be steadfast in our values.

Wherever we go and whatever we do God is always loving us!

Here are some things to think about this week:

How is your “identity” in Christ Jesus? When did you last pray for yourself? (John 17:1-5)
What is your comfort zone with “risk”? Pray for God’s exciting vision to be in you! (Acts 2:17)
Who is Jesus calling you to serve? Pray for the graduates from GGCC this week – Stephen Abeyta, Rutger Batterberry, Ian Belzer, Davis Benedict, Casey Bergeron, Kaitlyn Habert, Sam Jacobs, Katja Kleih, Jordan Lehr, Emily Riehl
Ask the Lord that you might live in “truth.” (John 14:15-17)

Breathe

God's Grace Community Church — Sat, 18 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

What is the Holy Spirit? Jesus promised it to us:

If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you! John 14:15-17 The Msg

Is the Holy Spirit in us? How do we know? Is this “friend” the “Spirit of Truth” active in the world today? I ran across some short essays about the topic and this one by Sam Hamilton-Poore jumped out to me.

Closer to us than our own breath and breathing, the Risen Christ fills us with his own Spirit -- quietly, intimately. With this breath, this power, we then go about the everyday, unspectacular, grubby work of forgiveness. Breathe, forgive; breathe, forgive; breathe, forgive. Although we often long for the dazzling or spectacular, we live in a time, a world, in need of people who breathe in, regularly, the quiet power and grace of Christ's Spirit -- and people who, likewise, breathe out, regularly, the power and grace of forgiveness. Our world -- so spectacularly broken and burning -- needs people for whom reconciliation is as normal and natural as breathing. **

Tomorrow is a holiday on the church calendar: Pentecost. Pentecost is the “birthday of the church” a day shortly after the Resurrection when the Jesus followers were gathered and with the sound like a violent wind blew through them, tongues as of fire rested on them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages that they might go out and spread the Good News to all the world. (Acts 2:1-4)

We, too, are filled with the Holy Spirit! We can breathe in and be filled with this "Friend" and breathe out with Jesus, grace and mercy and forgiveness. Pentecost didn't just happen one time - it can happen all the time when we recognize the gifts of the Spirit are ours and we receive them and share them.

We’ll be looking for you at 9 or 10:30 am as we celebrate Pentecost and our High School Graduates and their parents.

God bless you,
Vikki

** http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/How-the-Holy-Spirit-Moves-Today.html

Sin

God's Grace Community Church — Fri, 17 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Galatians 6:1-18

Galatians 6:1-2 “Brothers if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you may also be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

When I first read this I was thinking of those that point out my sins, and then I was thinking about whose sins I point out and I was wondering if I was comfortable with this? And I was thinking... would I, or am I also tempted by another’s sin? And then I realized that maybe this wasn’t what Paul was saying at all. Maybe there was another way to look at this. Maybe it wasn’t that I would be tempted by their sin or the sin they were committing, but maybe I would sin by judging the other…, by judging then moving on. But, Paul goes on to say “Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

What is the law of Christ? Is it Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees in Matthew 22:37, “Love the Lord your GOD with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment and the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

So, Paul is saying, yes, we will see people sin and we will even see ourselves sin and we should acknowledge that we do sin. But, do it gently, with love, and without judgment.

Galatians 6: 7-10 “Do not be deceived: GOD cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

So when we see sin in others, we must realize we are all broken vessels, we all sin and then we must love… we must love for our own health and we must love for the health of others.

There are two great quotes I think about when I want to start to point out the sin in others. From the movie the Italian Job “I trust everyone, it’s the devil inside I don’t trust.”

And from the new song “Demons” from Imagine Dragons,
I want to hide the truth,
I want to shelter you,
But with the beast inside
There is nothing we can hide
No matter what we breed
We still are made of greed
This is my Kingdom come
This is my Kingdom come.

Precious Father, Loving God, Holy Spirit I pray that as I look at others, and see them sin, I realize that I am also a broken vessel, that we all are broken vessels that need love, and support, and gentle nudges made in love! AMEN

Jim Dietvorst

Super Powers and Pentecost

God's Grace Community Church — Thu, 16 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeJQigT79TY

I confess I do enjoy the Summer Super Hero movies. They are just a fun escape. As a kid I used to imagine what it would be like to be Superman and be able to leap tall buildings and run faster than a speeding bullet. But what I really, really wanted to be able to do was fly! Oh such freedom that would bring!

This Sunday we will celebrate the gift of a “Super Power” called the Holy Spirit; The divine dwelling within each of us. All it takes to tap in to this amazing power is faith…The faith to say yes to Jesus; the faith to receive the gift of grace and allow God’s Holy Spirit to pour over you.

Acts 2:1-4 The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

When our sister Angie Jumper spoke last Sunday, she trusted the Holy Spirit to speak through her…I felt the rush of wind and the flames of the Holy One, even if I couldn’t see them with my eyes. Her words touched our hearts and moved our souls.

Lives change when you invite this “Super Power” in to your heart. It doesn’t require a fancy costume or a walk through radio-active goo. Jesus already did the super-human act of dying on the cross, for you, and for me. Before he left this earth He promised us a comforter, counselor, guide…The Holy Spirit.

My spirit soars free when I invite The Holy Spirit to fill my heart and form my day…and I can fly!

Holy Spirit come near and fill my cup until it spills over...that I might be a servant of your blessing. Show me your truth, your wisdom, your path for my life. Amen

Julie Weldon

The Spirit of Truth

God's Grace Community Church — Wed, 15 May 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Dear Truth Seekers,

If you love me, you will keep my commandments.And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. John 14:15-17

The “spirit of truth” it seems is something all followers of Jesus crave. On Sunday we celebrate the power of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) and celebrate our high school seniors.

Last week one of my mentors from afar, Dallas Willard, died. I pray that the Holy Spirit lifts up mentors to be with our graduates on the journey forward.

I hope they live in the Grace of God.

“Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace, you know, does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone.”
~Dallas Willard, The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship

May they recognize true heroes.

The world can no longer be left to mere diplomats, politicians, and business leaders. They have done the best they could, no doubt. But this is an age for spiritual heroes—a time for men and women to be heroic in their faith and in spiritual character and power. The greatest danger to the Christian church today is that of pitching its message too low.”
~Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives

Removed from parental management may they make good choices.

“What a child does when not told what to do is the final indicator of what and who that child is.” ~Dallas Willard

May they rest into happiness.

“Happiness in reality consists only in rest, and not in being stirred up. This instinct conflicts with the drive to diversion, and we develop the confused idea that leads people to aim at rest through excitement.” ~Dallas Willard

Allow the kingdom of God to break forth in prayer.

“Kingdom praying and its efficacy is entirely a matter of the innermost heart’s being totally open and honest before God. It is a matter of what we are saying with our whole being, moving with resolute intent and clarity of mind into the flow of God’s action.” ~Dallas Willard, The Diving Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God

Remember that to be ordinary is enough.

“[Jesus] matters because of what he brought and what he still brings to ordinary human beings, living their ordinary lives and coping daily with their surroundings. He promises wholeness for their lives. In sharing our weaknesses he gives us strength and imparts through his companionship a life that has the quality of eternity.” (Dallas Willard in Ruthless Trust – Brennan Manning)” ~ Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God

Finally, to our graduates, I say be mentored in the love of Jesus.

“Jesus, Willard says,’ does not call us to do what he did, but to be as he was, permeated with love. Then the doing of what he did and said becomes the natural expression of who we are in him.” ~Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God

To live in the truth of Christ is to be blessed.

My thanks go out to my departed mentor from afar, Dallas Willard. Blessed be his memory among us. Let us give thanks to Jesus for the mentors Christ has blessed us with far and near. May the Holy Spirit hear your prayers and introduce all high school graduates (of any age) to mentors and prodigies that faith thrives now and forever.

Still in One Peace,

Pastor David J. Jensen