Beginnings

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Fabulous day at CCF today! Lots of beginnings! And yes, we planned it this way...start of the fall, start of the school year, start of new ministry at CCF!

  • Capi's Kids and Capi's Babies began their new children's ministry approach! They began checking kids in before the service and some new workers began serving!
  • Club 78 began again....now under Jaye Lindo's leadership.
  • Club 56 resumed and Lisa Edwards began her leadership in this ministry.
  • Sunday Small Groups began this morning. Awesome turnout! I do not have a small group, I have a large group (20+). We will be multiplying into a second group next week.
  • Small Groups began the "Making Connections" curriculum this morning.
  • I began the coinciding sermon series on "Making Connections." Our first message/session was "You Are God's Beloved"!
  • The September Capital was introduced.
  • The new CCF website was introduced in the service. (Oh, and it was such a cool surprise to have the president of our web company, Terrence Hines in our service today!! We just went live with the site on Friday and somehow he was here today all the way from Atlanta!)

I believe that these things are some of the signs of the new work that the Lord is doing at CCF. I sense that we are in a time of undergoing improvements in many places in the church. I love this time of new beginnings and I am pregnant with the vision of the future.


"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:5-7

Terry, Abuela, Mom

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Well, after about 5 weeks with us, Tricia's mom flew back to NY tonight. You know, you hear a lot of mother in law jokes out there, but they honestly do not resonate with me at all. My mother in law is a gem! She blessed our socks off during her visit. Never a burden, always a blessing. She cooked, cleaned, helped with Davis, and was a HUGE help with the move. We are really going to miss her. One of the things that I appreciate the most about her is her passion for the Lord. Numerous times this month, I "caught" her on her knees passionately seeking the Lord. I love when someone is in my home going after God! She has said numerous times that it has been her Lord that has taken her this far in her grieving journey. I believe that.

My family and our friends will miss Terry! Davis will miss Abuela! And Tricia and I will miss Mom!

Bees

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Somehow Davis learned early on that anything that flies in the air is a "bee". It is so cute when he sees an airplane, he starts yelling frantically..."bee, bee, bee!!" His Daddy loves airplanes too and so this morning, my brother and I took our sons on an excursion to National Airport to watch bees take off and land. It was a blast! Even stopped at Ebenezer's coffeehouse on the way home. Great morning. Now it's time to get ready for this funeral. Pray for the Kegley family today. Then, a hot date with the wife tonight!

--Noah

Passages

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In preparing for a funeral that I am leading this afternoon, I was reflecting on many scriptures. These were especially encouraging to me:

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I Thess 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the word shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Satan's Lies or God's Truth

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Satan says: You are a sinner because you sometimes sin.

God says: You are a saint (one declared righteous by GOD ) who sometimes sins.

Satan says: You get your identity from what you have done.

God says: You get your identity from what God has done for you.

Satan Says: You get your identity from what people say about you.

God says: You get your identity from what God says about you!

"You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."(Mark 1:11 NIV)

Every Member Ministry...People are Stepping up and Stepping out!

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Can I be honest with you for a minute? It used to be that the same people seemed to do everything at CCF. I want to tell you that is changing! Last night there were 5 new people at Worship Team practice! Tricia informed me that there are more new people pitching in with the launch of Capi’s Kids than we have ever had before. New people are stepping up to the plate at CCF. I love the words of Ephesians 4:11-13 that speak to the importance of every member ministry:

He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.


I love this passage and its focus on the importance of everyone being gifted by God to contribute something to the body of Christ! Whenever Ephesians 4 is followed…when we do it God’s way—amazing things happen that are way bigger than any of us!

Here is why this works so well…check this out…It is an all around WIN:

    1. The equippers (pastors) win each time they see God greatly use the volunteers they have recruited, loved, trained and empowered.
    2. The volunteers win because they get the thrill of moving from the spectator sport to the playing field. They become instruments in the hands of God and oftentimes lock in and buy in to the ministry!
    3. The community wins because they receive the service of a loving, unified and powerful force of ministry.
    4. And of course the architect of the whole plan wins because God has the pleasure of seeing his children carry forth his grand focus of his kids working together to fix a broken world.


Chew on these thoughts today.

How would you like to buy a home for $4,780?

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When we started Staff Meeting today, Brother Lew (who celebrated his 80th birthday) shared something with us that he thought we may find interesting. While he was cleaning out some files at his house, he ran across a brochures for the homes in Landover Hills, MD when they were being built 65 years ago. Here is a picture of the brochure. The prices may be hard to see, but they are as follows:

  • For the lovely 2 bedroom cape well equipped....the sales price was $4,780.00 and the monthly payment would be $33.10 (now, one meal out at a restaurant!)
  • If you could splurge, you could go for the larger 3 bedroom colonial for $5,000.00 and the monthly payment would be $34.60.

Or...you could but one today for $250,000. Just much older and way more beat up. Are you kidding me?

Short Week

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Love the break that Labor Day offers....but do not love the heavy load of stuff to climb through the day after. Today I am looking down the barrel of a short week that includes sermon prep, a Board Meeting and a Capital to get ready for print. Gonna be an intense one. Pray for me.

One of the things that I miss the most on weeks like this is think time, which often effects the blog....and you know how I enjoy blogging. We shall see if I get an epiphanies or time to share them this week.

With love to you!

Directly to Angola

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Yesterday, I saw New Orleans Mayor, Ray Nagin hold this news conference. Something about his leadership as he spoke was especially impressive (especially in comparison to the last hurricane). He made it very clear what would happen to looters during and after this storm. Very clear! I think there are appropriate times that all of us need strong and clear leadership. There is something that feels very good about it.

Watch this. Listen close to the ending words. Pretty funny.

Click here for the video on CNN.

Chase the Goose!

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I have really grown to appreciate the leadership and writing of Mark Batterson. He is a popular blogger, pastor and just released a new book last week. His newest book is called Wild Goose Chase. Click here to check out the website for the book.

Mark posted a video that he filmed last week in Scotland! So cool. The short video defines the basis of the book and the audience that he is targeting. I thought that it was a neat video and it may just give you a new angle on who God is.

Watch this!

You can buy the book here!

Immanuel Mennonite Church

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It was great to spend time with Immanuel Mennonite Church (Harrisonburg, VA) today! Almost their entire congregation worshiped with us this morning and then we hosted them for lunch and some Q & A. They were doing a site visit to us. It was great to have them here and fantastic to interact with some of their leaders and members.

Immanuel is the church that Pastor Nelson and Jessica were married in and the Pastor of Immanuel is an old CCF member, Angie Williams.

Cool Connections!

Bless this House!

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It was very special to Tricia and I to have our family over today for a cookout and house blessing. I told Tricia a while ago that our next house would receive a formal blessing. I have done a house blessing for others before but never formally for ourselves. Today was great. Hearing my family participate in a response reading/litany was cool. Well, it is blessed. May God use our new home for effective ministry, first to our family, then to others!

A Message from Lisa Savoy

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Yesterday I had the honor of visiting Lisa Savoy again. It is an honor because her attitude is so inspiring. Lisa has a disease called polymyositis. (Polymyositis is a systemic connective tissue disorder characterized by inflammatory and degenerative changes in the muscles, leading to symmetric weakness and some degree of muscle atrophy. The areas principally affected are the hip, shoulders, arms, pharynx and neck.)

Lisa is not doing well at all. She is physically unable to do just about anything and she is emotionally tired. But, she is still an inspiring lady that is making impact. Yesterday I asked Lisa if there was any message(s) that she would like me to take back to the church. She began weeping as she labored to say the following things:

  • Get the most out of every day!
  • When you hit a stumbling block, don't put your focus on it because there is too much good stuff to look at.
  • Be good to your family and always be kind to those in your life.
  • Never let money rule your house!
  • Help each other whenever you can.
  • Spend more time together.

One of the last things that she told me is that the blood clot (the size of a fist) that was found in her lungs this week could have killed her, but it didn't because God wanted her to stay here a little more longer to experience some more of his faithfulness! Wow!

Let Lisa's words make some difference in you today!

--Noah

The Next Billy Graham

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A few weeks back, Rick Warren (Pastor and Author) interviewed Barack Obama and John McCain in the Saddleback Civil Forum. Tonight, I re-watched some of the clips. You can see them here if you are interested checking them out!

Last week I heard a leader I trust make the following statement with which I agree:

"I think that Rick Warren is the next Billy Graham, and if he is, we are in good hands!"

Convoy of Hope, DC

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I really feel like I need to tell you about this one. Convoy of Hope is an amazing ministry that extends huge community outreach to communities through ministering to and caring for the poor and providing services and care for those that lack. Awesome ministry! The convoy of hope literally converges on a city with 18 wheelers and with the help of local churches and organizations, does social justice and cares for the community!

About the Washington DC Convoy of Hope
Convoy of Hope is a national nonprofit organization that provides disaster relief and non-disaster outreach to those in need in the United States and around the world. In 2006 the organization assisted nearly 4 million people in the United States and around the globe with food, clothing, medical aid, and other needed resources through outreaches and disaster response. This year Convoy of Hope events will occur in more than twenty-five communities across the United States, including Miami, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Detroit, Michigan; New Orleans, Louisiana; Dayton, Ohio; Houston and Dallas, Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. A Convoy of Hope outreach is a day long event that works through local churches, non-profit organizations and the government to distribute free groceries and organize job and health fairs and activities for children.

On Saturday, September 6th, Convoy of Hope will be in DC. To find out more about the DC Convoy of hope, CLICK HERE! If you feel moved to help with this outreach I can get you plugged in. Just contact me!

--Noah