Newsletter

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. -1 Corinthians 12:27

These are amazing words. We are the hands and feet of Jesus. The local church functions as the body of Christ in the local community.

How sad and frustrating it is when the body of Christ is unhealthy due to apathy, infighting, lack of love, compromise of belief, or any of many ailments that can affect a church. How joyful and encouraging it is when the body of Christ is powerful, courageous, and influential.

Over the past few years the body of the First Baptist Church of South Berwick has sought to get in shape. This process started before I arrived with the congregation praying for direction, leadership, and willingness to change in order to be better used by God. GOD IS ANSWERING THESE PRAYERS. I want to emphasize that health only comes to a church by the Spirit of God. And a church body grows healthy only as the people respond to God’s plan as spelled out in His Word. It takes both the power of God and the obedience of his people.

During the past seven weeks we have focused on what we can do to encourage godly growth during our series, “Get in Shape! How to Build a Healthy Church.” What a response! We have seen eight people commit to the leadership of Jesus in baptism, eleven commit to being a faithful part of our body in membership, and thirty-six share commitments through our “Get In Shape” response form.

Let me share with you the exiting results of this campaign. (As amazing as these results are, I know many of you did not have a chance to hand in your response sheet on November 18th--I didn’t hand mine in until after the service! If you haven’t yet filled one out, pick up a copy at the back of the church and hand it in with your offering. We want to add your commitment to these results.)

36 people turned in response sheets. They committed to the following, with God’s help:

These numbers are incredible and mark great potential for future health and growth. Would you join me in prayer as we ask God to continue to pour out his blessing on us? May he strengthen us, prepare us, and work in our hearts to do His great work in this place.

I extend my thanks and appreciation to all of you as I see you strive to serve God and others-- Together, helping people, Know, Live & Share the Good News.

When I hear the word “November” I think of pumpkins, frost, shrinking daylight, and most of all, Thanksgiving. What a great holiday! I hope you have a special time with family or friends on the twenty-second of this month.

This year in the life of our church has brought us so much to be thankful for—including transformed lives, new faces, friendly gatherings, new ministries, generous missions giving, and caring small groups (just to name a few!). I hope you will be able to set aside some time in the middle of the month for some very special events.

On Saturday, November 17^th, from noon to two we will gather together for a meal and to say thanks to God for all he has done for us. It is a chance for you to come and be served as you celebrate with church-friends of all ages. Come and help us make this the biggest church-party of the year!

And please don’t miss Sunday, November 18^th. We will have a special service of celebration and commitment during our usual worship service time. Come and encourage the many people who will be baptized during this service Come and welcome the many people who will become members, and come ready to share you commitment to God and to this church for the coming year. I expect it will be a significant highlight of the year.

One other thing I am thankful for…growing pains. The ‘pain’ part isn’t easy, but I am thankful for it. I feel that during the past three years we have been a church making significant changes as we prayed for God to guide us to impact the lives of more people for His kingdom. God has been good and we have experienced the fruit of faithful ministry. This year it seems we have experienced even greater growth as well as experienced greater ministry needs.

Our congregation is getting older and younger at the same time—both directions mean we need to offer greater care, comfort and prayer. As we grow our church body, our facilities need greater attention. As we try new ministries (like our recent Harvest Festival!) we need new workers. As our congregation grows, so does our need for God to provide, to prepare and to protect.

I expect the next three years will be even more challenging than the past three, which is why I urge you to make prayer your first priority. Do you remember the man who had an unexpected visitor at midnight? [Ask Terry Blaisdell for a recording of the October 14^th sermon if you missed it!] He boldly asked his sleeping neighbor for three loaves of bread. Jesus told us to be like that man by boldly asking God when we are in need. Will you boldly ask God for his help?

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. –Luke 11:9-10

I hope you have been looking forward to our current sermon series, “Get in Shape: How to Build a Healthy Church.” It is a chance for us to talk about what we can do (with God’s help) to strengthen the church by growing in Christian maturity. As I shared in last month’s newsletter, we’ll talk about goals of daily bible reading & prayer, weekly attendance, serving in ministry, giving money, and investing in & inviting others. I believe these are all beneficial things, and I believe God wants to bless you and me as we seek to apply them to our lives together.

As we start this series, I want to warn you of something. If you take these goals and turn them into little laws that must be obeyed, the most likely outcome will be guilt. [Think of your New Years resolutions!] Let me remind you of a few things to help minimize the guilt.

First, we do not gain God’s favor by following a bunch of rules. One of the great struggles that took place in the early church was that people who found forgiveness with God by putting their faith in Jesus Christ were tempted later to rely on themselves to be good enough for God. To the Church in Galatia, the Apostle Paul passionately wrote: Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? [Galatians 3:3]

Second, we do not learn to live rightly primarily through human effort. In fact our ability to “get in shape” spiritually comes from God himself. Here’s what Paul wrote just prior to the above plea: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. [Galatians 2:20]

Third, when we do fall short of what we know God wants for our lives (for example…by neglecting his word), he still forgives us and wants us to draw near to him: I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" [Galatians 2:21]

Yes, it is excellent to develop plans to get in spiritual shape. These things will help you draw closer to God, experience the joy of right living, and increase the health of our local church. I’ll give you opportunities each week to consider how you wish to commit, with God’s help, to these areas of Christian growth. My hope is that you will use these commitments to challenge you positively about how God wants you to use your time and resources. But do not allow your commitments to turn into little laws that bring guilt. Live under God’s grace…everyday.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. -1 Corinthians 12:27

The last time I went the doctor, he announced that my blood pressure is a little too high and I have to lose ten pounds before my next visit. I lost four…it’s a start. I also go semi-regularly to Planet Fitness for some cardio-vascular workouts. My mom sends me her used copies of “Prevention Magazine” which encourage me to eat low fat-, high fiber-, local-, organic-, pesticide free-, whole grain-, antioxidant filled-, all natural- foods.

These are all good things. We know the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle. When our bodies are in better shape, we feel better, do more, live longer, and generally enjoy life more (perhaps with the exception of experiencing the texture of wheat germ and flax seed in our non-fat yogurt).

What is true for our physical bodies is also true for our church body. When a church body is healthy it runs smoother, serves God better, functions healthier, and makes participation a joy.

This fall on October 7^th we will begin a seven week emphasis on getting our church body in shape. We won’t be using articles from “Prevention Magazine”, but we will seek instruction from God’s word to guide us into better shape. Here’s a list of topics:

Each week will include practical helps to encourage you in each stage of getting in shape. Since our church body is made up of individuals, our overall health depends on what you do to help the body get in shape.

My hope is that each one of you will do what you can to be a part of this event by attending Sunday services and carefully considering what you and your family can do to be a part of building a healthy church. If you care about God’s work through the First Baptist Church of South Berwick, then I ask you to pray for and participate in this special emphasis of church-body health. [Note: if you miss a service or are out of the area, you can have us mail audio or video of the service, or listen to the sermon on-line.]

Toward the end of his ministry, Jesus told a parable about a master going on a journey who entrusted differing amounts of property to three servants according to their ability to manage that property. When he returned he found that two of his servants wisely grew his investment. With joy, the master said to them, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!” [See Matthew 25:14-30 for the whole story.]

We are those servants and God has entrusted us with time, relationships, money, skills, experiences, property, and more. His expectation is that we will take what he has given us and grow his investment. In this world, there is no investment more precious to God than people.

I firmly believe we are growing God’s investment. I see it in children hearing more about God in one week during Vacation Bible School than many of them hear in a year. I see it in people being wonderfully welcomed on Sunday mornings with some staying to build close relationships and study God’s word in our six small Groups. I see it as church money is used outside our church, from a local school garden to school children in the Congo.

Our Elder’s have been meeting and talking and listening and praying to discover the next steps in growing God’s investment. Helping others Know, Live and Share the Good News remains our priority. As we dreamed about ways to better reach outside our walls we had a frank discussion about needing to improve how we help those new to our church to learn about God, get plugged into relationships, and get plugged into church ministry. We want our church to be a place where you can invite those who may not know much about the Christian faith. For this reason we will focus on the following ministry areas in the fall:

1) Provide an Adult Sunday School class that teaches the essentials of the Christian faith and is accessible to people new to church.

2) Have a multi-week fall campaign which talks about the most important aspects of belonging to a church. During this time we will describe, promote, and provide an opportunity for people to get involved in existing church ministry.

3) Emphasize our small group ministry as the primary place for people to build authentic relationships within a caring community.

4) Grow our youth ministry by finding a dedicated youth leader. [Please continue to pray for the right person for this position].

As I close, I remind you that our greatest church outreach is you…as you care for and have influence on family, friends, co-workers and neighbors.

Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!

As the pastor is on vacation this week, I volunteered to guest write his usual article. So many different subjects tumbled through my mind, what does one say to a whole congregation in a newsletter? Should I write about worship or Christian education, perhaps something more for the ladies? I quickly came to the conclusion that I could write about what I know more than just about anything else – Travis Glatter. (He will probably be scared to ever take a vacation again!) Actually, we have been asked many times throughout the four years of church ministry, “So what does a pastor do anyway, and it’s a full-time job?” Perhaps it will be interesting to see a little of what Pastor Travis does each week.

One of the most obvious duties of any pastor is teaching the Bible. This comes during Sunday morning sermons, bible studies and informal times of discussion. Trav loves to study God’s Word and wrestles to make sure that he is teaching it accurately. This usually entails hours and hours of research, studying what scholars, historians and famous preachers have to say about any given passage. Sometimes I find funny printouts with Greek or Hebrew and English translations scattered around the house. After he is sure about the teaching then Travis works to make it understandable to those who may have never read that portion of scripture before. Of course, the best teaching really engages with the listeners – not always an easy task on hot summer Sunday mornings! I am amazed at his creativity, working to find ways to connect with his listeners, though you can probably be glad for the 2 or 3 that never made to a Sunday morning – I remember him wanting to drag in Felix’s rototiller once. After sermon prep comes the powerpoints, bulletins, announcements and other set-up needed for Sunday morning as well as planning for and practicing the music.

Meetings are also an important part of any pastor’s job and Trav spends time preparing to make sure each meeting is effective. A part of his job that almost no one in our church sees is the work that Travis does for the American Baptist Churches of Maine. Travis leads and mentors pastors from around our state during two monthly Leadership Transformation Groups. The most consistent comment I hear after each LTG meeting is “I am so thankful for our church, God has really put us in an awesome situation.”

A different component of a pastor’s job is the life involvement. This comes in hospital and sick visits, funerals, weddings, counseling and helping those who stop by the church in crisis. Even though it can be incredibly draining emotionally, I know that being deeply involved in his congregation’s life is what Travis finds the most rewarding.

I am sure that I am forgetting dozens of other things; like rotary, the food pantry, etc. I think you can begin to get the picture of a pastor’s job. As a bonus I should mention that his favorite food is tacos and he loves lemon desserts. I remember back in college sitting behind my pastor’s wife one Sunday morning. As I looked up at Pastor Lambert I thought “How odd it must be to be married to the pastor.” These days it doesn’t seem odd at all, just a wonderful blessing to have such a godly and terrific man leading the church that I call home.

Thank you for loving my husband and children and making this the best possible place to be a pastor’s wife,

Did you know that “Separation of Church and State” is an important part of Baptist identity? Baptists have historically been defenders of religious freedom and believe that governments should not support one faith or denomination over another.

Of course, this does not mean that religion has no place in government. Christians should seek to influence all aspects of our culture to the glory of God. Remember Jesus’ prayer: “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We are often called to act on what we pray.

Last Tuesday I had the opportunity to go to the state house in Augusta to give the opening prayer for our House of Representatives. I thank representatives Bonnie Gould (South Berwick) and Sally Lewin (Eliot) for extending the invitation to come.

It was a beautiful day to drive up I-95 to our capitol. I arrived a half-hour early armed with my ‘clergy of the day’ parking permit. As I sat in my minivan sipping iced coffee, I noticed the large buildings and the many people walking past my car to get to their jobs. Even in a ‘small’ state like ours, the government support structure is massive. This helped me to remember how important it is for us to pray for those who serve in our government. Would you join me in praying for those who serve? Here is a portion of the prayer that I gave:

• As they work long hours and drive long miles, keep them safe and healthy
• As they spend time away from their homes and families, protect their relationships
• In the many decisions they have to make, give them wisdom
• As they face needs that outpace resources, give them hope
• As they work with one another, grow in them patience and kindness
• When they tire of hard work or frustrating delays, renew their passion and energy to serve
• And if pride or self-interest grows too great, humble them as gently as possible

I know that many inside our government do not share my faith, and some may in fact be hostile to the idea of a sovereign God. For this reason I am extra thankful for the opportunity to publicly acknowledge God at our state house.

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.
–The New Hampshire Baptist Confession of 1833

I remember buying cut flowers for Mari many months ago. In the busyness of family life, the flowers were left alone on the counter for a few days without water. By the time she cut the stems and placed them in a vase, they were looking a little worse for wear.

That might describe me before the “Iron Sharpens Iron” conference last Saturday. It was a testosterone filled time of worship and teaching focusing on helping men become strong disciples of Jesus Christ. The speakers and worship leader spoke of God’s great love and his great plans for our lives and our world. As they spoke, I first saw the places in my life where I have resisted God’s work of making me more like Jesus. As they continued, I was also reminded of the joy of joining with God to know him better and be used by him to impact the lives of others. I came back excited and refreshed.

I believe I responded in this way because the conference forced me do something that I neglect too often—it forced me to sit still for a time and focus on God.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Prayer is the primary way that we remain in Jesus. Let me ask you a question, “How’s your prayer life?” Be honest…do you feel just a little defensive or guilty at that question? I do. When we minimize prayer, we wither like a cut off branch. And remember, God longs for us to be in active relationship with him.

Sometimes we aren’t completely sure how to pray or what to pray for. We’ll be introducing a new tool in May to help us all grow in our prayer life. Look for a weekly prayer sheet available at our Sunday morning worship service. This will include prayer requests from our congregation as well as suggested prayer focus concerning our lives and ministry. I am thankful to Marcia who will be organizing this weekly prayer guide.

Do you like a good party? Jesus did. These were probably not tea sipping, hands in lap affairs. In fact, Jesus was ridiculed by the religious elite for spending time with other partiers. Jesus knew the importance of celebrating with others.

The Easter holiday is a celebration that reminds us of the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This historical event is the core of our faith. Christ’s resurrection shows us that sin and death have been overcome, and that we have a God worthy of love and obedience. We join with the apostle Paul in saying, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…”

If you’re adventurous, please come to Spring Hill to take part in a sunrise celebration along with our friends from the Federated church (5:45am, Easter morning!) A party (breakfast) follows at our church.

During our 11:00am Easter service we will also celebrate baptism—the ancient ceremony that represents the change that takes place when a person begins a new life in Jesus Christ. As you come to the Easter service, you come as witnesses that God is in the business of changing lives today.

And the celebration continues! The Sunday following Easter (April 15^th) we will welcome a number of people into church membership. This will take place immediately following the worship service as we celebrate a meal together as a church. Please plan to have your lunch with us on the 15^th. All are encouraged to come—members, regular attendees and guests.

Come, let us celebrate together. I am sure the Spirit of the risen Jesus will be there as well. “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

Four or so years ago, before I arrived as pastor, this church began a journey called “church transformation” by partnering with the American Baptist Churches of Maine (ABCOM). This process could also be described as taking the risk to purposefully seek God’s direction as a church. At the time, Church members expressed the desire to see the church grow with more families and children taking part. We praise God that this has begun to take place! We were also promised that if we went forward, we would experience the pain of change (we got that too).

The most fundamental change has probably been moving from being inward focused on meeting the needs of those currently attending church, to being outward focused on reaching the lost. This has made us a different church than we were four years ago. We have even seen our congregation more than double in size during that time.

I am convinced that God is calling us to continue in the joy and sacrifice of focusing on outreach to the unchurched. Most of the people around us do not attend any church, have minimal Bible knowledge, and have not chosen to commit their lives to Jesus Christ. God says they are lost. He wants to use us to find them. He calls us to be witnesses (Acts 1:8) and disciple makers (Matthew 28:18-20).

My desire as pastor is to equip us to be used by God to have impact on this community, both as individuals and through vibrant church ministry. I remember once again the chorus from a song I shared during my candidating sermon three and a half years ago.

It may cost our lives (it will cause us to give to God control of our own lives)

But Jesus died! And we will, with his help, reach souls as important as yours and mine. We must not leave them behind!

Serving in a growing church is hard work and it means sacrifice for every believer. We so much need help and guidance from each other. For this reason I and the elders wish to meet with every church attendee to hear how you are doing amongst all this change, to hear about your dreams and your concerns as we move forward in ministry. Please read the article later in this newsletter which talks about our ministry focus as we move ahead serving God in this community.

We have a clear mission: “Together, helping people Know, Live & Share the Good News.” Each piece of this mission is important and we seek to line up our ministries to support our mission. I know many of you are eager to get going on everything at once! But if I had to prioritize, I would say we must make KNOWING our first priority--Knowing about God’s love through Jesus, but also knowing God through Jesus.

From Jesus’ own words: Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. [John 15:4-8]

“Remain.” Or if you prefer (as I do) the King James Version which says, “abide.” The idea is to soak, continue, live, dwell.

Some people have careers where it would be dishonest to say that they “live” at home. Long hours and business trips make home just a place to grab a quick sleep or eat a rare meal. In the same way, some Christians lead lives where it would be dishonest to say that they “live” in Christ. Rushed Sundays and weekdays untouched by his presence indicates a Jesus one only touches base with from time to time. But Jesus wants us to abide (remain, live, soak) in him. And if we don’t, we shouldn’t expect him to do a whole lot through us or our church.

What do you do to remain in Jesus? Do you take at least a few minutes (10?, 15?, 30?) every day to stop from the rush of life and give your attention to prayer and reading God’s Word? Do you allow Sunday to be a day given first to God for worship, rest, and celebration? Do you gather with others who regularly encourage you to continue in Jesus?

There is a great work to be done…by God…through our Church…in our community. But let it come from a people who remain, abide, soak, continue, live, & dwell in Christ.

By the time you read this newsletter, I expect our church will have two new attendees, increasing the weight of our congregation by approximately fifteen pounds. Churches grow for many reasons and one of the most natural and most wonderful is biological growth.

We recognize the increased responsibility (and decreased sleep) that comes with taking care of a new life. The little ones are figuring out how and when to eat and sleep. Mom and Dad have a lot less “me” time and a lot more baby time. Brother and sister are adjusting to the new family dynamics. Frankly it’s exhausting. As a friend said recently, “it is greater work and greater joy than you ever imagined.”

As a church family, we are never supposed to go it alone. The increased responsibility that a baby brings does not end with the immediate family. Mom, Dad, baby, and family need our prayers and our hands-on involvement. Some of us will have the privilege of giving meals, babysitting, chauffeuring, participating in diaper changing, though I may leave that last one for the more experienced…

More than a family, we are a Christian community of faith. We all have the shared joy and responsibility of teaching and living what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. When you hear a little baby crying in the sanctuary, smile and remember your call from God to pass your faith on to the next generation.

We must not hide them from their children,
but must tell a future generation
the praises of the LORD,
His might, and the wonderful works
He has performed.

He established a testimony in Jacob
and set up a law in Israel,
which He commanded our fathers
to teach to their children

so that a future generation—
children yet to be born—might know.
They were to rise and tell their children

so that they might put their confidence in God
and not forget God's works,
but keep His commandments.

Two thousand years ago a baby was born. Not an ordinary baby! This was spirit-God come in human-flesh. God entered humanity as a gift to those he created.

The baby came for a purpose. He came to die. In his death, the sinless Jesus paid the penalty for our sin against God. But faith in Jesus does more than provide a way into heaven. It changes our present day lives as well.

As you take part in all of the preparations of the Christmas season, pause to consider the question, “How have I been changed by God’s great gift?”

Join us this Advent season as we look at the lives of those that have been changed by the baby born in the manger.

We are gearing up for a number of special events in the life of our church this month.

We start on Saturday, November 18th with a community Thanksgiving dinner organized by our C.A.R.E. Team ministry. This is a new event, and we may plan more depending on how it goes. First, we desire to serve people in our community by providing a family style Thanksgiving dinner free of charge. Second, it is a chance for church attendees to purposefully get to know people in the community by sharing a meal with them. Third, it is a chance for people in the community to identify our church as one that cares about the people in this community.

The following Saturday, November 25th, we take part in the South Berwick Holiday Parade. As we have in years past, we will give away hot cocoa, balloons and small gifts. This year we will be taking part in the parade with a float that highlights the children of our church. This is an opportunity for people to identify our church as one that values children.

Dr. Bill Clemmer will be coming on Wednesday evening, November 29th to share about his missionary work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We will begin with a pot-luck dinner, providing an opportunity for us to spend time with one another in the midst of a busy season. Bill Clemmer has a real gift of sharing about his work in a way that promotes Jesus Christ. This event gives you a good opportunity to invite a friend to learn more about Jesus Christ and missions in Africa.

December 2nd marks our Annual Christmas Fair. This is a good chance for people to simply come inside the doors of our church. We seek to provide people an enjoyable experience as they shop for gifts and food items. This year we desire to use the funds generated by the Church Fair to support a special project or ministry that will increase our outreach or visibility in the community.

Ultimately we desire that God would use these ‘ordinary’ events to provide an eternal impact on the lives of others. We desire people to know our church and its values better so that they may be more likely to come to a special event or a church service so that they will have the opportunity to hear the Good News concerning Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

For our summer vacation I picked up “Cranium: The Family Fun Game.” The object of the game is to get to the end of the path by answering questions or solving problems written on cards from a wide variety of categories. We played in teams (usually the boys against the girls), and everyone had fun. One type of card is titled “zooma.” It is made up of three, small, close-up photos of ordinary objects. You have to identify at least two of the objects before the timer runs out. It is quite challenging because even though the objects are quite common and the photos are quite detailed, you can only see a small portion of each item.

Sometimes I feel like the Christian life contains the same challenge of recognizing the big picture. We spend great energy and focus in the good and important details of life and ministry. We focus on things like being a good student or employee, helping out our family, cleaning house, loving our spouse/ parents/ children, school events. We add to this list, important Church responsibilities like teaching, preparing for services, correspondence, set-up, clean-up, missions work, Bible studies and starting new ministries. So many details grab our attention. Sometimes, as we move back and forth among the details, we lose for a moment the big-picture.

Let me suggest three words to help us remember the big picture of the Christian life. When we’re living among the details these words can help us to remember what the big picture looks like. The words are:

Knowing is where it starts. We recognize that God has taken the initiative to reveal himself to humankind throughout history. He has given us his written word (the Bible) which testifies throughout its pages to the living Word (Jesus Christ) who entered history to be and to show the way to God. The Christian life is about knowing more and more of God and his word.

Of course knowledge without living is fruitless. The Bible points out, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.[1]” The big-picture of the Christian life includes living-out what we know. We do this by forgiving, loving, caring, serving, sacrificing, and in all ways imitating the life of Jesus Christ. By the way, living like Christ is not supposed to be boring! One of my T-shirts paraphrases the words of Jesus this way, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the extreme.[2]”

Knowing God’s love and living in obedience naturally leads to sharing it with others. When Jesus came, he inaugurated a new kingdom. When he went up into heaven with his father, he left his church to finish the work. We are to be, “light,” “salt,” a “city on a hill,[3]” and a “creator of disciples.[4]” God has entrusted us with this great task.

[1] James 2:26 [2] John 10:10 [3] Matthew 5:13-16 [4] Matthew 28:18-20

About three years ago, the members of this church voted unanimously to partner with the American Baptist Churches of Maine (ABCOM) for three years to pursue “church transformation.” The people agreed to this partnership because there was a desire to reverse a long stretch of decline to become a more effective church with a greater impact on the community. Church members were warned that the process would not be easy, and sacrifices would have to be made.

The three years have pretty much passed. Let’s look at a few statistics for one kind of measure of what has happened. [We give all the glory to God, thankful that he has provided dedicated leaders, servants, and outside guidance during this process.]

I recognize that I may have missed some of your favorite ‘statistics’ from the past three years…there’s so much more.

1) To say thank you. Those of you who voted to partner with ABCOM have seen many changes. I hope you are excited about most of them! But I know that some changes have been hard for some of you—especially giving up the familiar. You all have also been patient with your pastor who is still learning in this role as shepherd and leader.

2) To encourage you. God has chosen to bless this ministry. More people are coming to know God in a life changing way. More people are giving and serving sacrificially. More children are coming to know about God. More adults are exploring what it means to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. And we are doing it in community!

3) To emphasize…this is just the beginning. The initial partnership for this “church transformation experiment” with ABCOM was for three years—that was to see if this thing could work. I think we can clearly say it is working. It is also clear that we are in the initial stages of becoming a life-impacting church in our local community. ABCOM will continue to be a resource for our church through conferences and individual consultation. I am still very much learning how to lead a church through transformation even as I begin facilitating another pastor’s Leadership Transformation Group. Your Elder Board, including myself, is learning how to provide direction and vision for our local church. Our ministry team leaders are growing in their gifts, and we have much room to grow as far as helping people grow in service, outreach, discipleship, worship and fellowship. We will begin many new ministries and improve others as God provides leadership from within our church (perhaps you!)

As a final comment, I wish to remind myself and you that it is not by our own efforts that we find true success in life or in ministry. It is by wholly relying on God and watching what he does in, through, and around us.

AUGUST 2006

Arigatou Danke Tak Toda Merci Gracias Grazie Thank you Asante Dankon Kiitos Obrigado

I wanted to say it in so many ways. We had a wonderful Vacation Bible School thanks to the tremendous work leading up to and during the event. Our church helped share the Good News of God’s love to thirty-one children.

I know I’m not the only one saying “Thank you.” All of the children had a wonderful time, and I heard their appreciation expressed often during the week.

I heard many who helped lead VBS say that they were already looking forward to next year. I am sure they are thankful and are saying “thank you” for the opportunity to serve.

I am convinced God is saying “Thank you.” Do you remember the story of the talents? (Matthew 25:14-30). The lesson is that God gives people various gifts, abilities, and resources and wants them to use these things for the work of his Kingdom. That’s some of what you did as you used your money, time, and gifts to care for children from our community. Like the master in the parable, I believe God is saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!” I think that sounds a little like, “Thank you.”

As you read this, I invite you to turn your attention to our great God and give him a heart-felt “Thank you.” The message we shared during VBS was possible only because of His forgiving love given to us through Jesus. Many of our teachers/helpers have recently come to our church through God’s leading. Having thirty-one children come to our church in July of 2006 was possible only through God’s grace in revitalizing our church. THANK YOU.

Thom S. Rainer is a church consultant and author who has studied churches and those who do not attend church. In his book, The Unchurched Next Door he has this to write:

For years I have been asked how churches can grow. I have consulted with hundreds of church leaders across America, leaders who sincerely desire that their churches reach people. “Why aren’t we reaching people?” I am often asked. “Why is our society so resistant to the gospel?” many inquire.

After nearly a decade of research and almost fifteen years of consulting with churches, I am becoming more and more convinced that the answers to most of these questions can be found in the mirror. Nearly 130 million people in the United States alone would come to church if they were invited. And if they came, many would hear about the Savior who offers the only way of salvation.

I do not mean to be harsh or cynical. I am grateful for all the cutting-edge approaches to reaching the unchurched. I thank God for the innovative attitudes of many of our churches. Yet the more we research, the more we interview, and the more we listen, the more I become convinced that the answer to all the troubling questions about the church in America is very simple. We Christians have become disobedient and lazy. Investing our lives in the lives of lost and unchurched people is inconvenient and messy.

…I plead with you to ask yourself if lost people really matter to you. I urge you to look at your life’s priorities and be brutally honest. Do your priorities really reflect a concern for lost people? [The Unchurched Next Door, p. 32-33]

Thom includes the following two (of ten) insights that his research team found during their research:

Surprise #4: 82 percent of the unchurched are at least “somewhat likely” to attend church if they are invited. [The Unchurched Next Door, p. 24]

Surprise #10: Many of the unchurched are far more concerned about the spiritual well-being of their children than of themselves. [The Unchurched Next Door, p. 30]

I do not want to be disobedient and lazy (Thom’s words), and I know you don’t either. We desire to be a church which reaches out to and cares for those who do not yet know the love of God through Jesus Christ. We do have the answer to a life of peace and a life eternal. We want others to know that as well.

We have an excellent opportunity (considering the above two “surprises”) to have a significant impact on those who do not yet know Jesus Christ. Our Vacation Bible School will take place from July 17^th to the 21^st. PRAY for the children, the teachers, and other helpers, that we will have an impact on those who come. PRAY for parents and other family members who may be impacted through the VBS.

This fall we want to continue reaching out to families with children by providing a new nursery which will be staffed through the entire Sunday morning worship service. We will continue to focus on providing quality Sunday School for all ages. To this end, the Springfield, MA group which is coming up to work on our facilities will focus on renovating the rooms used for our children and youth ministries.

The two young ladies who were baptized July 2^nd made their decision to follow Jesus Christ because of our Sunday School program. Let’s look forward to watching God grow us into a church that loves and impacts families.

As we head toward the fall, we want to provide the best Sunday School experience for all of the children who attend our church. If we are going to be inviting our unchurched neighbors to check out our church, we want to be ready with quality, well-staffed children’s programs.

Could you serve as a teacher’s assistant? Are you available to serve in the nursery once a month or more? We are looking for volunteers both young and old!

It is a sacrifice to serve others. You may need to arrive an hour and a half earlier to church, or you may need to give up adult Sunday school. But what about the benefits? Your sacrifice of care may help a boy or a girl decide to commit their lives to Jesus Christ.

As you consider these possibilities, please also keep in mind the need to have balance in your ministry responsibilities. If you are already overextended please pass on picking up additional ministry.

For more information about working with children’s ministries, talk with Lynn Cooke, our Children’s Ministry Team leader.