skip to: page content | site navigation | footer information

Posts Tagged ‘Service’

this is why…

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

I love preaching in this place.  I love what God is doing here. I love what we are doing for the community and for each other. I love watching lives change. I love getting to be a part of something that God is up to and knowing that He’s doing it and we’re just along for the ride. I love it.

In an academic discussion of the early church based on Acts 2:42ff, an author says, “This newly formed community of the early church is attractive to outsiders. The life of the believing community radiates the light of the kingdom and thus draws people from darkness.” I love the phrase and image–”the life of the believing community.”  It isn’t merely their beliefs nor their words…it’s their life.

This is why I love the Serve component of our strategy. This is why I love the participation I witness at Washington School, Horizons, in the collection bins.  This is why I love seeing Madison Park people ringing bells at business doorways for the Salvation Army. This is why I appreciate those who volunteer at Teen Reach.  This is why God is bringing new people to us every week.  It’s the “life of the believing community.”

Did I mention that I love being part of this place? I love it because you are working so hard to simply “be” the believing community and in “being” you are becoming all that God needs to work effectively in the world.  Thank you.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Chuck Sackett | No Comments »

voluntary simplicity

Friday, December 9th, 2011

John Coonrod (executive vp of The Hunger Project) and his wife Carol were practicing The Power of Half long before the Salwen’s began their family journey.  He and Carol live on half their income, at one time being the largest supporters of the very organization for which they labor.  In his conversation with the Salwen’s as they determined which group through which to channel their funds, he said, “…there is a voluntary simplicity that is not a sacrifice but a choice of freedom.”

A voluntary simplicity; you have to love that phrase.  I believe that’s exactly what Jesus meant when He advised us to trust God instead of mammon. Or what Paul meant when he said that no soldier got so entangled with the affairs of this world that he couldn’t respond to his commander. Or James, when he warned against the dangers of riches. A voluntary simplicity…a choice of freedom.

Admittedly, many are living simply because they have no other choice.  The economy, the job market, family crises, or some other factor has put them in an economic funk.  But for most, the call of the culture is to keep growing the size of our bank account, the square footage of our homes, the number of our accumulations.  It’s what many call “The New Normal.” Houses grow, activities grow, techno-toys grow.  We accumulate. We even think we own our stuff–but too often, it owns us.

Voluntary simplicity leaves you with disposable resources. Voluntary simplicity allows you to be generous on the spur of the moment. Voluntary simplicity makes you mobile enough to do whatever God calls you whenever God calls you. Can you imagine Abraham, or Moses, or Paul saying to God, “Sorry, I’ll have to find someone to tend the yard, watch the house, keep the car batteries charged up…”?

Just what could you live on?  I mean, if you were really serious about being simple? Could you live on 10% less? 20% ? Half? What might happen to your spiritual life if you did?  What might be different in your family?  In our congregation? In your community of friends?

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Chuck Sackett | No Comments »

online banking…reallocating resources

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

I love online banking.  It’s so convenient. A few clicks of the mouse and my funds are moved from place to place.  No more writing checks. No more late payments (well, there were really none of those before). I can actually sit in a small room in Siberia and still reallocate my resources.

I wonder if that’s the view that God has?  Not that He’s in Siberia (I really hope heaven is warmer than that–not too warm, though). But, from His vantage point, He moves resources from one place to another.  He sees a need and He sees the resources and He moves them…or, more specifically, He moves us to move them

When we realize that what we have — time, energy, money, stuff –is really His, then we aren’t surprised nor resistant to Him asking us to meet the needs of a hungry child, a homeless family, or a grieving mother. He clicks the mouse a few times and voila, His resources once in our account are now reallocated to the life of a needy situation.

What do you think? Are you willing to have His resources moved from your care to that of another?

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Chuck Sackett | 2 Comments »

greatful and excited…

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

We’re serving 700+ kids and families today.  I’m so excited for us to offer this Thanksgiving meal.  Thank you to the many of you who provided over 60 desserts.  Not sure how many people are coming, but we’re staffed at 9 for set up, with a bunch coming to serve the meal and host the families, work in the kitchen and then help clean up.

We’re getting there with the other opportunities as well. The needs for people to clean Berrian school are filled.  We have a good start on having enough to clean Washington School.  Thank you for willingly serving.

I’m not sure how we’re doing with the funding of summer trips for kids or for paying for the food for kidzpacks.  I’ll find out and let you know.  In the meantime, blessings on your service and generosity.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Chuck Sackett | No Comments »

unusual story of sacrifice

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

I wish I had read this blog sooner.  The story is incredibly moving, even as it is emotionally disturbing. Carl (made up name) loved his guitar intensely. In fact, he called it “his soul.” But Carl also loved cocaine and heroin. He eventually sold “his soul” for a hit.  Moving into an alley to shoot up he saw an addict friend of his in serious need of a hit.  He shared his hit with his friend…the hit he bought with “his soul.”

Few people I know are willing to give up their most important possession; fewer still who would take what they got in exchange and give it up for someone else. The blogger talks about how common it is for those in the drug community to do such sharing. I confess to absolute amazement at such generosity; such sacrifice.

I believe these kinds of sacrificial generosity exist in the church. It’s just that we usually don’t hear of them. But I’m also convinced they don’t. At least not as often as could. The church is full of people in need…not to speak of all the community needs around us. And we rarely ask anyone to sell “their soul.” But we do ask for sacrificial giving…and we often see needs…and sometimes we get disappointed when needs go unmet.

We’re blessed by generous people. The future is full of potential opportunities for service and sacrifice. And when we are involved from the heart…we’re going to grow…and we’re going to see people come to Jesus. Then our own unusual stories of sacrifice will be told.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Chuck Sackett | No Comments »

Debt update…

Friday, May 6th, 2011

We put a brief explanation in Sunday’s bulletin about the sale of our property.  We no longer own the corner of 48th and Columbus Road.  And, more importantly, we are no longer in debt.  This puts us in a position to dream our future without being encumbered by paying the debt on our remodeling.

Please, dream with us about what God may want to do.  Thank God with us for helping us sell our property in a down economy.  And, especially, thank God for the faithful generosity of God’s people who have given for several years without fail.

I’ve attached the bulletin insert that we put out last week.  It contains more of the details.

Poised for Kingdom Growth

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Chuck Sackett | No Comments »

pumped…

Friday, April 1st, 2011

Back in the day, ‘pumped’ was the word. It meant excited, into it, ecstatic, over the top. I have no idea what the word is today. Whatever it is…I’m “pumped.” We have worked incredibly hard to develop and communicate our vision for Life Change. We’ve concentrated on Encounter and believe our worship is making it possible for people to meet God. We’ve poured ourselves into Connect and we are now seeing dozens of new people engage in study of God’s word with God’s people.

However, every time we’ve talked about our strategy (Encounter, Connect, Serve), we’ve had to say, “Serve is still under development.” Well, it’s here. It’s not fully developed. We have a lot yet to learn and sharpen. But we’re unveiling this Sunday. And I’m pumped.

You now have a place to go to find out what you can do in serving here, in the congregation. We have a place to let you know of ministry opportunities in the community (those we sponsor as well as others). There is a place where you can become familiar with our world outreach (this month we’re featuring our international ministries).  There is an “item of the month” which we believe will overflow in generosity.

The gifts of our staff have come together to produce a great place to see what God can use us to do. My dream is for all of us to become like Jesus (Life Change). He was a servant (our goal and our method); so we will serve. This is a major tool for accomplishing that.  Come by…look…ask questions…get involved.

Then, put some word with it…  I’m going to stick with ‘pumped’ until one of you gives me a newer, more accurate word.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Chuck Sackett | 1 Comment »

just a fun discovery…

Monday, March 28th, 2011

1 Samuel begins with the captivating story of Hannah praying for a son. It immediately calls to mind the story of Israel as Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel were all barren before God intervened and gave them a child. Only in this story, the author uses a particular word to talk about God’s gift of a son.  He says, “…the Lord remembered” Hannah.

That word, remembered, has a significant connection to the covenant God made with Abraham and his descendents. It’s found in Exodus2:24 when God “heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham…”and again in 6:5 when he says, “…I have remembered my covenant.” The clear implication is, in 1 Samuel, as we embark on the story of David is that God is initiating an important move toward covenant fulfillment.

As I was reading Luke this morning, guess what I found? In Mary’s song (1:46-55), she says, “He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendents forever…”  As we embark on the story of Jesus, once again God reveals that He is about to initiate an important move toward covenant fulfillment. 

God’s faithfulness is remarkable! And it’s fun making those discoveries…

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Chuck Sackett | No Comments »

So much opportunity…

Friday, August 6th, 2010

Half-full or half-empty? 69% don’t or 31% do?

Every day I see and hear the needs or our community. If I wasn’t careful I could be overwhelmed by the enormity of the issues. And what I’m about to write doesn’t negate the fact that there are significant issues–unemployment, health issues, crime, grief, heartache, financial stress, busy-ness, stress.

Today I’ve fielded a pile of requests for us to “do something.” Every one of those requests is a positive idea with a legitimate goal. Every single idea is worth pursuing and would result in something beneficial. I don’t know how many we can actually do, but I’m struck by how much opportunity there is for doing good.

We can hang our heads and mope about our conditions.  We can complain about all the troubles that exist. We can question why nobody is doing anything. We can live in fear that evil is taking over.  Or, we can do something. We can speak a kind word. We can encourage our neighbor. We can be nice to the teller or clerk. We can pick up some trash. We can give a few canned goods to a pantry. We can volunteer at the …(you fill in the blank). We can make a difference.

If ever a person wondered if they mattered…if they could make a difference…if there was anything they could do, today should have answered that.  YES, there is clearly something for you to do.

So, what shall it be? Shall we fuss?  Or shall we act?

Tags: , ,
Posted in Chuck Sackett | No Comments »

« Older Entries