Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Water Baptism at Mina

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Several were baptized this week in Mina Lake. As one baptism took place, passers by on a pontoon boat cheered. We had a good crowd for a nice time of fellowship at the Burckhard's cabin and a beautiful sunset. Unfortunately J Arlt's camera malfunctioned so you are stuck with my substandard photos.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

VBS was great!

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The kids really got into VBS this week. Occasionally there were hints at citizen uprisings as the Roman soldiers were booed and mobbed for persecuting Christian shopkeepers. The underground church was impressed by the joy kids brought when they told about Paul's guard's conversion in the house-prison. Many good memories to take away from VBS. The horse drawn wagon was icing on the cake. Many were asking what the church plans to do next year already.

Monday, July 20, 2009

A little reminder

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He was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Click






Photo by Striatic, Flickr Creative Commons

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Baptism

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Baptism service at Mina Lake next Sunday night.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Coin in the Fish by Laurie

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When tax collectors wanted Jesus to pay taxes, He told Peter to go fishing and he'd find a fish with a coin inside. Click on one of the fish below to see if your fish has a coin.

Sneak Peak at New Life VBS

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Amazing. Totally amazing, once again this year, are the preparations for VBS going on at New Life Fellowship. This year, the VBS is set in Rome during the time of the underground church.
Somehow, Bob Imberi has manufactured many, many Roman columns out of some kind of PVC material, or corrugated metal painted white, or something. Scores of white, doric columns are everywhere.

What also impressed me was the huge, wall-sized replica of the Coliseum. It's truly amazing! I understand that Brian Schultz - with ACT and Storybook Land theater and who has a wealth of scene design experience - had a big part in making this.

There are also some very realistic catacombs veering off from the nursery entrance to the back part of the church. The VBS team has somehow made a cave out of black trash bags and gray fabric that, oddly enough, seems extremely realistic. I understand that a tape with cave sounds will be playing also. Some fake electric candles complete the catacomb ambience.

For Vacation Bible School in Aberdeen, South Dakota, this experience is going to remain in the minds of kids for a long time and it will seem as much like ancient Rome as we're going to get in Northeastern South Dakota.

It will be a great experience for both church kids and those who don't usually attend services.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Pathways of Righteousness

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by Marolyn Burckhard

THE GOOD SHEPHERD
“He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3
Who is “He”?
Psalm 23:1 tells us He is “The Lord our Shepherd.” The Lord our Shepherd leads me in the paths of righteousness. John 10:10-11 further reveals this Lord, our Shepherd, as Jesus. Jesus said “I am the Good Shepherd.” He also tells us that He came that we “may have and enjoy life and have it in abundance—to the full, till it overflows.” (Amplified Bible)
NOT JUST A PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE
Most people understand this to mean that we may have eternal life, life forever with God in the joys of heaven. And it does. But it is also for the here and now. For, in the same Psalm, it is written that “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Two things here to think about. If Jesus, the Shepherd, is preparing a table for us, what would that table look like? A table of lack or abundance? Since the ‘cup runs over’ it must be abundance…it must be too much. Too much for us to contain. After all, He is God; He is El Shaddai! Also, do we have any enemies in heaven? Since the obvious answer is no, this table cannot possibly be for the future and must be for me today.
ABUNDANCE NOW
Jesus our Good Shepherd desires to lavish on us an abundance of life now. He desires us to excel in this life, to have an abundance, too much, excessive amounts of all things that pertain to this life, now. He desires for us to have the best in material goods, more than we need so we always have plenty for ourselves and others who are in need. He desires us to be the best, most favored people in our businesses, committees, school functions—that is, to be the ones that joyfully lead the way in confidence with new strategies, new ideas that solve problems and bring more abundance of life to those with whom we deal. He desires that we have good and wholesome families, exemplifying His love to each other.
RECEIVE WITH THANKS AND JOY
Let’s get off the fence and receive these things with great thanksgiving. The voice of faith is joy. Joyful thanksgiving that we are being lead in the paths of righteousness and we receive by faith all that the Good Shepherd came to give. Remember “without faith it is impossible to please Him for he who comes to God MUST BELIEVE that He is AND that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6)
HIS NAME IS LOVE
This is the desire of the Good Shepherd. This is why He came. A life full of joy and excellence and abundance is what He has to offer as He leads us in paths of righteousness---for His name’s sake. His name’s sake is His own purpose, His kind intent toward us for His name is Love. God is Love and desires to be known as Love and so without demanding some abstract obedience, He says “I am the Good Shepherd—follow Me and I will lead you in paths of righteousness to a full, joyful, abundant life.”

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Praise Him!

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So the challenge is to find new places to worship, places in our lives to let go and praise the creator of all things. Like the woman at the well learning about true worship, like the prisoners praising in chains, we can open ourselves to Him anywhere, in spirit and in truth. Can we worship here on the blog? Let's give it a shot!


Father, you have brought so many together from different ways and works at New Life. Help us to rejoice in each other and the God who made us all. Thank you for the music that comes out from your people and your spirit in our minds. Thank you for the gifts you pour down on the congregation. They all reflect different aspects of your being. I am grateful to be witness to the myriad ways you show Yourself among us.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Your works wanted

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Devotionals, testimonies, poems, favorite scriptures, reflectons, sketches, photos. Send them here for use on the blog.

Most Comforting Words

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A lot of people turn to Psalm 23 in times of need. When you're going through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, it really speaks to you. But I like the other most recited New Testament verse in those times.

Thy will be done [in earth] as it is in heaven.

The fact that His will is done in heaven is even more comforting than to know that He is with me in the shadow of death. Some day, there will be no shadow of death. There will be no shadow at all.

The other comforting thing is to know that His will isn't always being done here on earth. Why would he have us pray, "Thy will be done on earth" if it's already being done on earth? I can know certain things from this.

I can know that the suffering my dad went through in the last stages of leukemia, the injustice or corruption in some shady government deal, the drug dealer who preys on my kids, the bribe under the table, the tortured child, the hurricane that wiped out a city, the massacre of innocents, the horrendous car/train wreck killing a family of four, the starving child on the reservation and the serial killer are not God's will. It's a comforting thought to know that.

Why
He allows things not His will to be done is a question for theologians, but I have His words in the Lord's Prayer telling me to pray that His will be done on earth, and that's enough for me.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Free in Christ

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Sunday, July 5, 2009

Call to Arms

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Call to Arms

The enemy approached the camp and pillaged homes and farms
The captain nodded. It was time to call the troops to arms
In tents, in barracks, field and camp, the soldiers strained to listen
They listened for the captain’s call while swords and sabers glistened
Polished every day for months, gleaming in the sun
Weapons at the ready stood, from lance to spear to gun
At last the captain shouted for the trumpeter to blow
The call to prayer, to arms, to fight! resounded deep and low
The call to leave the tents behind, the trumpet, low and deep
To prayer!
The men removed their boots and promptly fell asleep.