Local Missions?

Sunshine is located in a part of the world that suffers from economic depression. It stands to reason that a big part of our mission will involve serving people who exist on the lower rung of the socio-economic ladder. It's a great challenge, especially considering that the majority of our leaders (myself included) live on a higher rung. Congregations tend to attract people like themselves. If we will cross socio-economic barriers, it will not come without a great deal of intentionality.

We are constrained by the stereotypical principles we assume and apply to people of low socio-economic status. Larry James (link in right column) often says, "Poverty is complex." Yet we often carry with us simplistic, though untested, assumptions about why people are in their respective predicaments. We therefore are constrained in our recognition and compassion for the people of our community who make-up the lower socio-economic class.

I read a great book recently, written by Richard T. Hughes, entitled, Myths, America Lives By. In it is a good discussion of American Christianity's endorsement of capitalism as God's natural way of things, therefore, those who succeed are inherintly good and those who do not succeed are eyed with great suspicion. The "American Dream" and the "Gospel of Wealth" have impacted us much more than we initially appreciate.

I came across a site earlier today that got my attention. A book review on The Conservative Voice. The book is entitled Something for Nothing. I believe it represents a stereotype like what I am discussing. Here are a couple of exerpts:

There is an emotional, economic, and sociological epidemic sweeping across America and the world today, destroying individuals, undermining societies, and threatening the future of civilization.
This epidemic is rooted in the out-of-control and insatiable demands of thousands and millions of people to get something for nothing. This morally and ethically fatal illness can be contracted by a person gradually, or all at once. It is invariably fatal to success, happiness, and prosperity. It is emotionally destructive and ultimately destroys the ability of the infected individual to accomplish anything worthwhile and lasting.

and

This epidemic can also be triggered another way, arising from a false sense of "compassion" for those who appear to be less fortunate at the moment. This feeling of compassion, which usually makes the possessor feel morally superior to those that do not seem to share his concern in the same way, soon leads to the demand to use the power of government to expropriate wealth and income from those who have earned it to give to those who have not.

These exerpts exemplify the kind of thinking that constrains us from involving ourselves more deeply in the needs of those in our community. It is a complicated issue. I invite your thoughts.

New Post

Looks like we need a new post. So here it goes:

I love you brothers and sisters! There's just something so enriching and heart warming about being a part of God's family. Thanks to you all for your encouragement and kindness (Thanksgiving) and thank God for the gift of His son. (Merry Christmas)
Sunday was such a great day. Listening to our brothers testify about the Lord and sharing their hearts with us all. Thanks guys! And what a great dinnner too. (I can't ever remember if it's one n or two, so I put three.) God is raising our spirits and it's a good thing! We have alot of work to do for him and it's a joy to be involved.

God bless you all!

If U Post It 2

You may have noticed I made some adjustments to the blog template this evening.

• Forced lower case removed in several areas...that really annoyed me.


• Title font color changed to yellow


• Description font color changed to black


• Post font color changed to black


• Post background color changed to pumpkin

These aren't permanent and can be changed back if they hurt everyone's eyes too bad. Any comments? Suggestions for other color adjustments?

What do you think?

The Christian blog-o-sphere has become a valuable resource for me. I find a good amount of inspiring material throughout various blogs. Lately, I’ve been reading some thoughts about the relationship between Christianity and culture. There are many who are crying that American Christianity has overly succumbed to western culture. Let us utilize the analogy of the frog in a pan, whereas the frog’s self-protective mechanisms are not alerted due to the frog’s steady acclimation to the increasing heat. These voices are calling us, as Christians, to recognize that in our steady acclimation to our culture we have nearly reached the point of spiritual death. In our assimilation of the materialism and vain priorities of our culture we have nearly lost all sensitivity to the heart of God. This process of preoccupation with matters of this world is gradual, imperceptible to our better senses. Discussions of this type most often revolve around the economic disparity between the rich and the poor. Some go so far to say that economics is the greatest human barrier in the world, greater than religion, race, or nationality.

I throw this out this evening for your input. Do we as Christians stand in need of a major wake-up call? Does Jesus’ stern warning regarding the dangers of being rich apply to you and me (middle-class Americans rather than assuming it is directed to the extremely wealthy)? Are we foiled by preoccupation with matters of our culture and hence missing the greater call of discipleship?

Happy Thanksgiving from our family!

If You Post It, They Will Come

I guess some of you have noticed that my posts are more concerned with the temporal aspects of the blog rather than the spiritual. Sorry, that's just the way my brain is wired I guess. I'm interested in getting folks involved and active here. That said, I've been watching the traffic statistics on this site and my personal blog as well and have noticed a couple of things that would probably increase the visibility of our blog here.

The first thing is the blog name. The "sunshine-church" name can be changed without changing the URL. Although it defines who we are, it's a bit lackluster. Folks tend to gravitate towards sites with catchy names. I'd like to hear some suggestions for new names. If you've got an idea, make a comment. Maybe we'll pick your suggestion. Think of it as a little contest. I'm drafting Jason, Jennifer and Scott as judges.

Next is appearance. We can adjust the looks of the template to some extent if folks think it's too plain vanilla or we can go to a totally different template. I'm content with it as is but please comment if there are changes you'd like to see.

The third thing, and I think the most important, is that if you post it, they will come. The more often you post in the blog, the more often it pops up as one of the "random" blogs while people are surfing. The blogs selected don't appear to be totally random. So it will pop up more often when people click the Next Blog button or watch the blog scroll on the dashboard. I've noticed on my personal blog it runs one or two hits a day until I make a post. When the post goes online, the hits skyrocket for about an hour or so. So, let's get postal posting!

First suggestion for a new title...based on my "If You Post It" title...drum roll please..."Field Of Prayers."

Landon Saunders

Many of you probably know that I have for a long time admired Landon Saunders. He is a man who has sincerely and intensely sought God's will for many, many years. A series of lectures he gave entitled, Lectures on Preaching (1971), have made an indelible impression on me ( I currently have 2 new copies on the way from ACU). I came across a speech he made about a year ago in Vancouver, BC. The speech is called "Radical Human Presence" and I think many of you will find it helpful. The transcript is 14 pages, I suggest printing the file then reading. I hope you'll take time to look into it, it will be worth your effort.
Radical Human Presence

Question

Ok. The bible says: Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

So, give me a list of things that are evil and a list of things that are good according to God.

Then tell me what you personally do to hate the evil and cling to the good ..... in your daily Christian walk.

Jennifer

Something to ponder

As Christians, we are called to be holy (to be different from the world; set apart) while still living in an evil world. There are alot of "good" people out there who are not considered followers of Jesus Christ but still do many of the things that a Christian would be seen doing.

Now, I'm wondering. What exactly is it that can be done by Christians that would be different from "the other good guys" out there? If the "good guys" are doing what is right, and the Christians are too, then how will the world see Jesus living inside the Christians. There has to be some kind of major difference between these groups of people to set them apart; make them stand out as different.

"And they'll know we are Christians by our love" are some of the words to a song we use to sing everytime we got together back when I was in the youth group. Those words made an impression on me. I began to wonder: "What exactly is love? What kind of love do we need to possess in order for others to know we are Christians? Aren't other people capable of loving too? What makes Christian love so important and different?"

Well, let me tell you what the bible says about what love is.

*Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honeor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.* Romans 12:9-21 (NIV)

Check out this scripture spoken by Jesus Christ:

*You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.* Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV)


So there is the answer. Who in their right mind would go through the trouble of loving their enemies unless they are living to make God happy? While we were still sinners, God sent His only son to die so we didn't have to. Jesus took the punishment that we were suppose to get because of all of the sins we have done. So, in other words, God loved us enough, even though we were His enemies, to let His only child come down to earth and die in order to provide a way to make us clean in His sight!! We don't have to be God's enemy any longer! We have a choice to make. I pray that you choose LIFE and become a child of God and a brother to Jesus Christ!

If Christians would practice loving their enemies, the world would definately notice something different about them! So, there is the challenge, Christians. Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus.


Jennifer

If you swing the bat- you're dangerous!

I remember at 17 years of age, being fairly apprehensive about my future, wondering what choice to make. I focused on a few big goals. I wanted to live a life of significance, be happy, and to maximize my potential. Also, I knew I had to plan within the scope of the resources available to me. In some sense, turning to my Christian faith was a cop-out. There was relief in thinking, if I focus on doing right in God's eyes, He'll take care of the rest. I committed to go to a christian university, take it one day at a time, and otherwise try to quit worrying. I was naive and otherwise ill-prepared to navigate the world I was entering.

Marty Brenneman, long-time announcer for the Reds, used to say all the time, "If you swing the bat, you're dangerous." That quote comes to mind when I think back to that time in my life. Naive and ill-prepared as I was, I latched on to a good thing. If I sell-out to the Lord, everything will be fine. I took a swing, and by the grace of God, I'm still in the game.

Nowadays, I struggle to move past the common expression of Christian faith, attend services, give some money, and live a little higher standard of morality than the average guy. Selling-out to the Lord brings to attention the higher callings of proclaiming the gospel and ministering to the needy and hurting. Again, I find myself naive and ill-prepared to address these challenges. Nevertheless, I will plug on. By the grace of God, and a little prompting by Marty Brenneman, I will keep selling-out to the Lord, and everything will continue to be fine.

Commitment - A Decision Made

Over the past few weeks hurricane Katrina has caused me so much stress at work. As a seller of modular homes, several orders that had been placed about the time of Katrina have been delayed because the factories that build these homes are building temporary units for FEMA. In the face of an eight week delay one choice I give the customer is take a refund of their deposit and cancel the order.

Well, no one has cancelled an order. What I find is that once people have made a decision and paid down a deposit they are mentally committed to that decision, even if they have the choice to cancel. They've studied what's available, selected their unique options and the commitment has been made. That part of the process is over, now they just have to wait a little longer to get it.

I say this to relate it to our commitment to God. In our teen classes we have tried over and over again to stress the importance of having thought seriously about temptations they will be facing and know what decision they are going to make before it happens. If you have thought about saying no to drugs six months before they are offered to you, if you have thought about what you will say to sex before you go out on that date with a "10" or a hunk - mentally the commitment in your mind is made and it is easier to stay with that commitment. It's a part of the nature God implanted in us, so let's utilize it.
This works for all of us, not just teens. We know what our weakness are, so think about what temptations are coming ahead of time, make your decision now. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." It makes life easier!

Going Unto All The World

I don't know how many of you have been watching the visitor maps for this blog and the church website, but I have. Between the two internet presences, in 2 weeks we have had visitors from about half of the 50 states, Canada, England, Northern Ireland, Spain, Australia, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Turkey. There are probably some others I've forgotten.
My point is, this blog and the website are powerful tools for the Lord. Keep this in mind when you post your messages.

Items of Interest

I stumbled across a high caliber blog awhile back. I check on it periodically. The past couple of days the author has been discussing issues related to the war in Iraq. I think its well worth a glance: John Alan Turner (I've linked you to yesterday's post but for the full picture look over the surounding posts and be sure to check the comments).

Mike Cope started a discussion of single's ministries. It had 33 comments by 9:00am.

Finally, I just want to remind everyone that a few will be meeting Sunday morning for prayer (7:30-8:30am, upstairs office). If your reading this-your invited!

Sunday Sermon

The title for the sermon this Sunday is "What are you going to be when you grow up?" The subtitle is "How to love growing older." There are two reasons that jump out at me as to why God is pressing me about this sermon.

1. So many people are depressed about the aging process, and look at it as a curse.
2. I was blessed to sit for a while with the lovely Geneva Miller a few weeks ago. We talked
about how beautiful and colorful the leaves were, and how Fall was our favorite time of year.
We made comparisons with Fall and life, and then smiled as we realized that God was
building something encouraging to be shared with everyone.

Here is where you come in...
I need a few jokes about aging. If you know any that are funny, would you share them with me. You can email me at jjriley@adelphia.net , or post them here as a comment to this post. No barking out the punch line before I get there Sunday bloggers.

BYW If I use your joke I promise not to give you credit for it, especially if its funny.

Who said cookies are bad for you?!

Interesting Fortune for me to get from my cookie this morning don't you think?

After posting a little while ago, I decided I was going to look in the cabinets for a snack. I found a fortune cookie that we'd had for a while and decided that that's what my snack would be. I couldn't believe what I read when I pulled out the fortune. I don't believe in this stuff but I like to read my fortunes out of the cookies before throwing them away. I think this one will be kept though. It is definately scrapbook worthy! ;) Just thought I'd share my morning silliness with you all.

Jennifer

Zoe's Adoption Update

We are now finished with our adoption paperwork (dossier) and we mailed it to our Family Coordinator (Megan) at America World Adoption Association in Virginia on Monday of this week. I just got off the phone with Megan and she told me that our dossier will be sent to China this coming Friday (18th) and should arrive in China sometime next week. What a Thanksgiving day we will have! The original 6 to 7 month wait for a picture and information of Zoe has now been extended to 9 to 10 months because the CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs) is currently in the process of moving from their old building in China to a new building in order to give them more room and help them to hire extra people to work more efficiently. So,.....considering this, we could end up getting a picture of Zoe in late Summer or early fall 2006 and then traveling around this time next year. We are hoping to be back home with her before Christmas, but I wouldn't be very upset if we got to spend Christmas with her in China. I really don't care. I would like to eventually come home but my interest right now is just getting to that little "beautiful life". Shocked aren't you? ;)

Well, that's my update for Sunshine Church. Feel free to check out Zoe's adoption blog anytime between now and when we travel because I will periodically add some insights during our very long waiting time. Then when we travel, you should check the website out every morning during the 2 weeks we're gone!

Don't forget to send me your quilt squares and good wish/prayer, etc. I only have 20 squares at the moment and I need 100 in order to create the Bai Jia Bei (100 Good Wishes Quilt) for Zoe.

Love,

Jennifer

ScottyG's Place

So here's the link to my new blog that seems to have been anxiously awaited and longed for.
ScottyG's Place

People People

I'm learning to look at the world as a bigger picture than I used to. For example, I used to look at worship only in the setting of what we are doing at Sunshine in our corporate worship service. But as I grow, and we grow I'm beginning to see that what we do as worship has taken on a much bigger meaning and is being looked at - rather closely - by those outside our setting. Let me explain something, I'm from the old school. My great grandparents helped establish our congregation. I've been here forever... but things are changing. There are faces I don't recogize and I don't even try to remember children's names there are so many. It's like you wake up one day and other people have moved into your house. Thank God I'm a people person! I like people in my house and there's nothing more thrilling to me than to hear "new" people say that when they came to Sunshine they felt the presence of God. Or they choose to worship here because we have godly men leading. When we reach out to Fathers-Daughters, help flood or huricane victims, provide flu shots, open our fellowship hall to the public, teach at VBS, tell the real story of Christmas, help fire victims, and much more - it is worship and we're being watched. But not for perfection! Not to see that we have followed the smallest tittle of the word, but to see that we are sharing the LOVE of Christ to a dying world. To see that we are reaching out to those who need Jesus' touch. So I'm tired of hearing from within our setting, that we are a program church... we are the church of Christ with an aim to reach out! And it's happening in our programs.

There are those critics who will pick at every move we make. How we deal with them is a challange indeed and we're being watched there too. But above all, we must not loose heart and stop reaching out. If we do, we will start dying ourselves.

Wall Builders

I just added a fantastic link to the blog. It's called Wall Builders. I have heard David Barton (founder and president of Wall builders) speak many times on tv (SkyAngel) and have been amazed at what he had to say. He teaches the truth about America's Christian heritage in a profound way. What he says is enough to make the liberal media freak out! Check out the website and look at the links listed under Resources when you get there. I love listening to him speak. He's so thorough!

Jennifer

There's something to full moons!

Tonight has been a rough night. I've been on-call here at the hospital. We've had two of the worst scenarios. The first was a 6-yr boy killed in an accident with a gun. The second was a stillbirth. It seems that I've dealt with a lot of people lately who have experienced shock. Shock is awful. People often say that they are going crazy or having a break-down. You can't say much to someone in shock because they are not in a position to process much complexity. Ironically, what little they do hear, they tend to remember the rest of their lives (same way people always remember where they were when Kennedy was shot or 9/11). I would like to report that I generally say something very godly and affirming in those impressionable moments, but that is not the case. I dread the "why" questions. How do you address that complexity with someone in shock? I have learned that if I just put my hand on them, hug them, make some physical gesture of sympathy, and keep my mouth shut, they accept it.

Some problems don't solve. I used to absolutely hate the realization, after tirelessly working on jigsaw puzzle, that some of the pieces are missing. I guess, for a long time, I assumed that if I took on the mission of serving others, somewhere between me and God, the problem would get solved. I think the point is that God is calling us to commit to be apart of other's lives. It ends up being a long-term commitment. I get so much more enthused about helping many people in the short-term than helping a few people long-term. The beauty of problem resolution is that it gives me an out. With unsolvable problems there is no out. It demands a love that is deeper and more abiding, which demands a relationship with God that is deeper and more abiding.

It makes sense to me, that truly living as a disciple of Jesus, will entail challenge like nothing else in life. I dream that I, together with you, will accept the challenge. Christianity is not for wussies.

PS- Larry James' Blog (for a rubber meeting the road experience)

Hypothetical Question - cont.

Preliminary Note: This post is written to provide a new home to the discussion of the hypothetical question. The original post will archive soon and we are all getting tired of scrolling way down the screen to check it.

I want to clarify my agenda. It is not my goal to stimulate any shift in our stance toward any particular doctrine issue. I built the question around instrumental music solely to stimulate lively discussion. Out of that discussion, more relevant issues have surfaced. It is my goal to stimulate a cultural change. A change in our demeanor and attitude toward things outside the realm of our brotherhood. I mean no disrespect to our current or past state. I feel indebted to those before me, upon whose shoulders I stand. I simply want to stimulate a continued march closer to the heart of God. In that sense, I see this goal as a continuation of the goal of those before me. When one speaks of change, a negative message is simultaneously sent. The underlying idea is that the current state of things is unsatisfactory (I thank Tom Kelley for opening my eyes to that dynamic). I want to be aggressive in pursuing the full potential in God's grace, without suggesting that something is currently wrong and in need of change. There is a need for change-it begins with my heart.

We have engaged a good discussion about the church. We all recognize that there is but one church. We differ in our understanding of the exact parameters of that church. I believe there are many practical applications of this discussion. I'll mention one, isolationism. We tend, as a body, to isolate ourselves from all other religious bodies. We act suspicious of other groups. Our concern about their doctrinal purity leads us to avoid cooperation, even in shared goals. This attitude generally precludes our involvement in community-wide service projects, ministerial associations; basically, anything we cannot do totally on our own. We pay a heavy price for our isolationism. Is it necessary to maintain such impermeable boundaries?

I haven't developed this concern as clearly as I would have liked. But after all, this is not an essay, it's a conversation. I,ll pick it up in the comments.

Zoe's Adoption Blog

I just added a link to this blog for everyone to check out. This is for anyone who is interested in following our journey to adopt Zoe from China next year. I love the idea of taking the world with us to China on this wonderful emotional rollercoaster called Adoption. We will be in China next year for 2 weeks and plan to add tons of pictures and lots of stories about the sights, sounds, and overall experiences of life in China according to the Tim Gampp family.

Jennifer

Driving along listening to KLOVE

"There is... hope for helpless, rest for the weary, love for the broken heart;
Grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing, He'll meet you where ever you are.
Cry out to Jesus."
I really enjoy listening to this song on KLOVE. They may be a bit heavy on Third Day but I suppose if you have to be heavy on something, what better choice than those guys.

I listen to those lyrics as I'm riding along- I feel the beauty of the gospel (as good news) and I swell with faith in the power of that gospel to transform lives. I really desire to experience (witness) that transformational power at work in people's lives (especially my own).

Missing Links

Hey! Where did all of the links go? Did one of the admins edit the blog template?

Flu Shots Cancelled

Kristi has advised me that the shipment of flu shots we were expecting to get for November 20 has been cancelled. If you need a flu shot and can get it somewhere else, you would be advised to get it. The Portsmouth Health Department only has about 600 shots available at this time.

Teens in the church

Patrick Meade has a great post in his blog about teens. Check it out!

Bible Gateway

Hey guys, I'd like to encourage everyone to try out the Bible Gateway link. You can lookup any scripture by book, chapeter and verse - or by keyword search. Then you can click on the "speaker" button and listen to the scripture being read. I love this feature. There are also commentaries available that are very helpful. This is a very beneficial use of the internet for Christians!

I must say that this blog has stirred quite an interest for me. I find myself checking out various blogs throughout the day. I'm so glad to see the internet being used to further the knowledge of God!

Hello, World!

Just a little subtle programmer humor there in the title.
Hey folks! According to the gVisit map, our blog has gone international! Visitors from Jakarta, Rome, Mannheim and Santo Domingo have graced our blog with a visit within the last day or so. What was that thing about going unto all the world?

Christmas Program

I want to encourage everyone to get involved in (and pray for) the Christmas program this year. It's going to be great! We intend on having many, many children involved along with people from all ages. Children being involved draws many visitors into the program and while they are listening we want to tell the moving story of Christ from creation to birth to resurrection. The narration is based on a writing of Max Lacado (Who Would Send a Baby) and will be read by Steve Williams. While it seems the world drifts farther and farther from God, I'm excited about the opportunity to tell the true meaning of Christmas again.

Check with Judy Alison, Terry Sullivan, Scott Gampp, or Brandy Gampp.

Blog Guestbook Added

Check out our new blog guestbook. I just added it this morning and I think it will be nice to read what any blog visitors post there. It's located at the bottom right column. Go ahead and leave a message if you like. It doesn't have to be just strangers leaving messages on the guestbook. It can be all of you strange people too! Ha! ;)

Jennifer

The survey is in!

I have saved the Barna Group in my favorites. Today I noticed a very interesting piece. A very interesting survey and commentary on Christian commitment. Here's an excerpt:

George Barna, whose company conducted the research, believes that the findings reveal several insights about America’s faith. “For starters, it appears that most Americans like the security and the identity of the label ‘Christian’ but resist the biblical responsibilities that are associated with that identification. For most Americans, being a Christian is more about image than action.

Check it out here.

Church Could Loose Tax-Exempt Status

I ran across an interesting article today. A church in Los Angeles had a guest preacher speak on the eve of the 2004 election. The sermon did not endorse either candidate, but the speaker was critical of the war in Iraq and the Bush administration's tax policies. No word on who blew the whistle, but the IRS has contacted them and warned them that any more sermons of that nature could cause them to loose their tax-exempt status. The article goes on to say that the church has been very vocal regarding politics at both the state and federal level. Click here for the full story.

Polarization

Emotional polarization is a process in which two people (or groups of people) will begin to increasingly organize around a difference (or set of differences). You see it all levels of human interaction, but it's more likely in the context of emotion-laden beliefs. It's a big concept in the world of therapy and is very prevalent in political and religious circles. It's a "catch 22" phenomenon. The one moves toward increased polarity in an effort to change the other. However, the polarity of the one only serves to motivate increased polarity in the other. Ultimately, both become trapped in rigid positions with which they are not completely comfortable. The only escape is one has to give-up the idea that he can control the other and cease making that effort a priority in his agenda. Years and years ago, our congregation was actually born out such a process. Thankfully, throughout our development, we have never suffered such again.

I have often wondered why Sunshine has grown when some other congregations have struggled (Scioto County area). I attribute it to the establishment of an eldership. To my knowledge, our sister congregations were not able to establish or at least maintain an eldership. I don't say that to be critical of other congregations- it is an extremely difficult task (i.e. establishment of an eldership where one doesn't exist). Our eldership has been instrumental in providing a focus for future growth and maintaining a context of stability. That's not to discount wonderful efforts made by others but the eldership is the structural buffer against emotional polarization.

We, as members, have a lot for which to be thankful. I suppose we all have our gripes and complaints, but the blessing are far surpassing. I make it a point to pray for our elders everyday. I know God can work powerfully through the weakest of us, but there is a special work that pertains to the elders.

Now for some humor...check this out

Marriage Info

Has anyone else noted all the topics concerning marriage lately. Our GYAT class, home groups, and the guest speaker a couple weeks ago have all dealt with marriage. I am starting to wonder if the elders don't know something about my marriage that I don't. All jokes aside it seems to be a hot topic. I have kept up with all the material and our home group is going through the material as intended. Jodi and I have had discussions about all the emphasis, which leads me to my point.
Even though at times I seem to be overloaded with some things that seem simplistic, it has generated a lot of conversation between Jodi and I dealing with our marriage. Again some of it seems trivial but it has been insightful what we have learned about each other. Also I think the discussions in the GYAT class have been good. Marriage is a very personal topic and when comfortable sparks good discussions. So even though it feels that we are being bombarded I definitely have seen positive outcome on my part.
Last point, if you guys haven't been attending the GYAT class I strongly encourage you to come. We usually have good discussions and if you don't want to participate, you do not have to. December will be the last of this book. So if you start in January you will be totally caught up. Sorry so long, Jason will make fun of me.
Aaron

Together

Note:The following comments were written by Jay Crook of Corpus Christi, TX, not me. I thought his comments address the fellowship issue pretty well, so I'm posting them for your consideration. --Al

"This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 3:6

For the early Christians, this verse brought two extreme groups of people together, the Jews and Gentiles. Or at least it should have. They had a hard road ahead of them to overcome years of hatred and prejudice. Paul had to remind them they were all brothers.

As baptized believers we have the same difficulty. We (in many groups) tend to put up barriers between each other even though we have done what the Bible prescribes to become God's children. There are many groups we are one with no matter what name they have above their door. We let opinions separate us and label us. Opinions like song book or projector, praise teams or not, lecture or class participation, formal or casual, KJV or NIV, classes or not, one-cup communion or not. The list goes on. And we label each other too, conservative or progressive, traditional or liberal.

We need to be reminded just as the early Christians did. We are all going to the same place, to the same Father, with the same promise, so we better get used to loving each other.
--Jay Crook, Corpus Christi, TX

Visitor Map

I found an interesting free service today that I've sort of incorporated into Sunshine's website. This service lets you view a map with the location of the last 20 visitors to your website marked on it. It updates every couple of hours. I won't put a public link to the map online because the fellow who provides the service unfortunately includes a link to his personal blog beside the map...and his blog contains some rather coarse language to put it mildly. But if anyone is interested in taking a look at the map, e-mail me (tech1@algraff.com) and I'll send you the URL for it. You can click here to view a full size screen capture of one of the maps.

A Service Challenge

I wanted to remind everyone about the need for Terry Knicely. He is home now. Annette has been helping him with the government supports. I plan to help him, as soon as possible, make a trip back to his father's to pick-up his stuff. He's living with Gretchen at Greenglen Apartments. His biggest need currently is a job, but that is hampered by the high doses of medication he's on. He is sluggish and his speech is partially effected.

Right now, he simply needs some people to spend a little time with him. Good ideas would be to take him to a movie, out to eat, or invite him over for awhile. The problem here is that you would need to provide the transportation and probably pay for the event. Please give it some prayer and thought.

I think of Terry as a service challenge. To me, he is a test. If I'm unwilling or unable to share my life with him, then how should I expect reach others. There's a sense in which Terry is the answer to the prayer for Sunshine to grow. Not just him, there are a number of folks in and about our fellowship that challenge our abilities to serve. God has given us opportunities to allow Him to work through us. I feel we need to embrace these challenges and let God mold us. Growth might be the by-product of our own transformation.

One step closer to Zoe!

My passport came today! It was delivered by the postman who happened to have a ladybug on his arm. I flicked it off of him and informed him that it was only because he was delivering my passport so we could adopt a little girl from China....hahaha!

I can't remember if I mentioned it before, but, there is something about ladybugs in relation to Chinese adoptions. If I remember what I read correctly, ladybugs are a symbol of good luck. Crickets are also a symbol of good luck in China but as far as them having anything to do with adoption, I don't know. I do know that each day since we started the adoption process, there has been one mighty jumpy cricket to greet me in our home. Poor Tim now knows that every time he hears me yell out "AHHH!" that it's time for him to kill another one....hahaha.

Why do these Chinese babies have to bring about the increase of insects? At least it's not rodents!! :) :) :)

All we have to do now is wait a few more days for the Authentication process to be done on our dossier and have it sent back to us. Then, we'll send it to America World to be translated and off it goes to China!!!! Depending on the speed of everything (as usual), we could possibly have our dossier in China by Thanksgiving Day! Boy, you talk about two people being thankful!! ;)

?Hypothetical Question?

Suppose that the local Methodist fellowship agreed to merge with our congregation- they agree to work under the leadership of our elders and meet and worship at our facilities- They have but one request- every other worship be instrumental.

Are you for or against such a merger?

Prayer and Relationship

I believe that God greatly desires communication with us and He wants to get us to the point where we greatly desire communication with Him. I disagree with the idea of "God helps those who help themselves" because that kind of thinking would contradict our dependency on God and ultimately the need for a savior. The fact is, we can't help ourselves no matter how hard we try. I also don't believe we should just sit back idley waiting for God to move us physically. Effort on our part must be used. God can and will move in and through us whether we sit still or get out and move our bodies. The issue is how much more effective can we allow God to be in our lives by getting out and doing something instead of just existing. Our mere existance is a testimony to God but I personally want to testify about God in a greater way other than just simply being here.
I really miss God and our relationship when I havn't been praying as often as usual. I feel like something is missing. I also tend to feel guilty because here He's been all this time "in the same room with me" and I have completely ignored His existance. I've been treated that way before by people and I'm still treated that way at times. It makes me feel left out, insignificant, and not likeable. I never want God to feel that way because of how I treat Him. I want a constant flow of communication as though I'm giving Him the grand tour of my life every single day. I find it extremely comforting to know that at the end of the day, God has seen, heard, and felt every single thing I have and He knows exactly how I feel. I don't HAVE to explain things to Him. I GET to! He never gets tired of hearing me talk. Everyone else seems to though. He is ever becoming my refuge. My place to go when I'm hurting and when I'm happy. When I talk to children about God, I refer to Him as our "big daddy". This typically sounds irreverent but I believe it's all in how you present the message. Just like my dad here on earth, I refer to him most times as "dad", but, I've discovered that there are times that I call him "daddy". This occured to me not too long ago and so being someone who over analyzes things, I put some thought into why I do that. I found that the times I say "dad", it's a more formal title for him and more suitable for the specific situations it's used in. The times I say "daddy" are more intimate times when I tell him "I love you, daddy" or if I'm giving him some bad news that needs a soft touch. Daddy, is what I called him when I was little and when I wanted to grow up and be just like him. I remember copying everything my dad did. Unfortunately, I remember drinking V8 juice just because my dad did. Man I hated that stuff. It didn't matter though, because my dad drank it so it must be right.
Maybe it seems like I'm just rambling on and on but I assure you that all of this has great meaning to me. It's called a relationship with your father...your dad.....your daddy. There is one relationship that is greater though. The relationship with your heavenly father....your "big daddy" who truly IS invinsible!

Mary Annette and I

I'm having an ongoing discussion with Annette regarding the efficacy of prayer. Annette and I both believe that God is in control of all things and blesses His people. I believe that specifically praying for people and situations can actually move the hand of God to act in ways that otherwise He would not. Annette is strongly convicted about God's supremacy and providence-she believes that God does what He does, keeping a focus on the "big picture". Annette's motto is "God helps those who help themselves."

I have over-simplified our positions but for sake of discussion, this will suffice. What do you believe about the role of prayer in your Christian walk?

The Old Lady in the Hall

Yesterday, I came across this old lady in the hospital. At first glance, I didn't think she'd even respond to me. Turned out, she was quite responsive and witty. A little later, I saw her being taken for a test or something, so I spoke up, "I see your going for a ride." She responded, "I just want to go to Heaven...I'm tired of all this zig-zagging."

Zoe's Adoption Update

This morning I mailed (Fed Ex) all of our completed adoption paperwork (called dossier) to New York City to be authenticated at the Chinese Consulate! When it comes back and my passport arrives, we can send the dossier to Virginia (America World Adoption Association) to be translated into Chinese. Once that has been done, they will then send the dossier to China at which time we will be waiting for a "LID" (log in date). Starting from that date we can then start counting down the 6 to 7 month wait for a picture of Zoe and a little information about her and where she is living in China. I'm thinking it will be a very wonderful Christmas present for Tim and I to have our dossier in China. I can't wait until we are finished with the paperwork and it's all in the hands of other people. This has been a very long, hard road to be on but it will be soooo worth it when I am handed my little "Beautiful Life". Not to mention watching Tim holding his daughter for the first time! Somehow I feel more excited about Tim having a child than I am about me finally having one. Sounds weird, huh? Well, maybe not to some people.
Well, I am notorious for leaving long-winded posts on the internet and this one certainly has potential for being long....very long because I'm talking about Zoe again. So, I will spare you all for the time being and continue to keep you all informed as progress is made in the adoption process. I'm glad you're all learning how to blog right now because it just so happens that I have my very own blog started for use while we're in China. You will all be invited to visit it and make as many comments as you like about the pictures we post from there and the day to day news we add about the goings on with China, Zoe and our experiences with parenthood in a foreign land. HA....parenthood will be the only thing even close to being NOT foreign to us! Should be an interesting trip and I would be honored if you all would follow along on the blog when we travel!!