The CWCC Pastor's Blog
Saturday, January 10, 2004
Ever the Judeophile, I get one of these everyday. I'll post the ones that sing to me:
A Daily Dose of Wisdom from the Rebbe
-words and condensation by Tzvi Freeman
15 Tevet, 5764 * January 9, 2004
B"H
A Quiet Heart
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The human heart is beautiful. The human heart can know secrets deeper than any mind could know. The mind cannot contain G-d, but deep inside the heart there is a place that can.
Yet there is nothing more dysfunctional than a brain controlled by emotions. In fact, the finest mind is capable of the most horrid crimes when under the heart's management.
Let the heart be quiet and hear out the mind. In that quiet listening, she will discover her true beauty and her deepest secrets will awaken.
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Have fun; that's why we're here. See you in church in the morning.
Bring your Bible!
-Pastor Chris
Thursday, January 08, 2004
Pastor Chris' newsletter Article. Read it here first!
OK, so I’m going to just say it. January is the month of my birth. I’m not really big on birthdays. I hate for a fuss to be made over me on a particular day of the year. But, of course, I have gotten to thinking quite a lot of birthdays—my own included—but, really, birthdays in general. Birthdays lead me to think about baptism. It is also significant that this month we celebrate the baptism of our Lord. Baptism, for me, is an exchange of bloodlines from one of humanity to one of God. Paul had to say about the subject:
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him (Rom 6:3-8, NRSV).
In baptism we celebrate a birthday of sorts; the day that we were adopted into God’s family. I encourage you to look back on your own baptism. Do you remember it with fondness? For those of you who have not been baptized, do you look expectantly toward it? Perhaps you have questions? If so, Good! Be a Berean in all things of the faith.
Pastor Vi and I want to give you an opportunity to ask, and hopefully have answered, all your questions concerning this faith of ours. We would love it if you would make an appointment with us, or just drop by during our office hours, to talk about such things.
Also, be sure to attend Pastor Vi’s study on the Prayer of Jabez, it promises to be a superb introduction to prayer and a deeper relationship with God. Finally, we will be putting other studies together in the near future including: The prayer of Jesus, a study of the Lord’s prayer, led by Pastor Chris, What’s So Amazing About Grace, based on Dr. Phillip Yancey’s book by the same title, also led by Pastor Chris, and a Baptism/Basic Christian Spirituality course led by Pastor’s Vi and Chris which we are still in the process of planning. Look for times and more information in the worship bulletins, the newsletter, and the Pastor’s Blog on the website www.cottageway.org.
God is, indeed, doing wonderful things with us! I am continually inspired and graced by where our congregation is going!
Loving you madly,
-Pastor Chris
In Word format with a cute quill graphic =>P3 Jan.doc
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
Crosswalk.com
Friends,
Thsi is one of the coolest resources for your personal Bible studies. It has a slew of Biblical translations, as well as, a bunch of study tips.
Have fun with it!
-Pastor Chris
Greeetings!
Today the SACDOC youth group had a wonderful baby shower for one of their leaders Paige. We played the most interesting games; not the least of which involved fashioning babies on wax paper out of used chewing gum and identifying baby-food by only smell and look.
The choir also had a practice. And what a grand choir they have become. Gloria had, something, of an embarrasing incident happen to her on the way here tonight. I will let her explain it to you herself as I suspect she would yell at me for making it public.
Wed. Nights are Cottage Way always tend to be such fun. I remember a few years ago when we used to do Dinner and a Movie every other week. We were always very busy on those nights with all the activities. If you haven't been to one of the Dinner and a Movie presentations, be certain to come to our next one in June. Sharon will soon have information for us re time and movie.
What wonderful things God is doing at CWCC. I look foward to the many things that God has in store for us in the future!
Yours in Christ,
-Pastor Chris
Monday, January 05, 2004
I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Don't you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land (Isa 43:19, God's Word Translation).
Come and see this new thing that God is doing at Cottage Way. We are so pleased that you have come by to visit our place on the web. This is the place where you can get cutting-edge news about our congregation, compassion shared, love given, prayer prayed, thoughts, and other nice things.
We are a ltittle new to blogging, so bear with us as we, too, learn about this new thing.
Check back often and feel free to email comments.
Your in Christ,
Pastors Vi and Chris.
